Proverbs 6: 10
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest ...
How often have I told myself these very words! Not as often as I did before; I do hope I'm doing better at not collapsing on the couch the next day, but continuing to do what is before me to accomplish.
I am learning to take better care of this vessel, my body, and also my mind and my heart. And I am open, looking for what will be my next step in this journey on this road where God has placed my feet.
And my Father has given me this tool, this blog, to go into the World before me, spreading the seed of the Gospel.
May I not regress into making my couch my dwelling place, as I did in my deep grief. My Father has brought me through so much since then, and He gets all the credit for how He has worked in and on me, so that He could work through me.
And may He also draw you ever closer into that intimate friendship and marriage that He wants for each of us as His bride.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Friday, August 11, 2017
The Peace Of God
Philippians 4: 6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all our understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God's peace will guard our hearts and our minds. Our emotions and our thinking processes will not be upset with what is going on around us. Nothing this World can throw at us will disturb our hearts or befuddle our minds. How can we be this steady in the storms of life?
When we are resting in God, trusting Him to be Who He says He is and to do what He said He will do. When we know Him that well, that we have confidence in Him to act on our behalf, even working miracles for our benefit. To know that He can and He is able, whether He chooses to do so or not.
When we focus our attention on what is good, and true, and honorable. What is right and pure and lovely and beautiful. What is admirable and excellent and worthy of being praised. These will crowd out the negative and critical and worrisome thoughts that previously occupied our thoughts.
What we are looking at, focusing on, appears bigger in our sight and fills our vision, letting all the other things fade into the background. That's why our Father wants us to dwell on all the good, positive things in life, to lift our hearts and minds into the Heavenly realms even while we are still living on this Earth.
This peace God gives us runs deeper than we can even understand in our human thoughts, because God is so great, and so good. We are His creation, He is the One Who imagines us; and the imagination He gave us can also be realized in our reality, because He made us in His own Image.
God is Love. Everything He does comes from this basic foundation of being. That's why He wants us to love one another. When I love you, I want to see the good in you, I want to do what pleases you, and I want you to love me back. And because God has loved me with a Love beyond my understanding, I want to love Him back, and do what pleases Him.
So when I live my life focusing on what God is doing, instead of what other people are doing around me, then I will experience His peace. Then World events won't upset me. Then I won't get into arguments with family members and friends, and I will be a more pleasant person to be around.
Then I will be a Kingdom person, rather than a Worldly person. Then I will be so Heavenly-minded that I will be of great Earthly good!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all our understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God's peace will guard our hearts and our minds. Our emotions and our thinking processes will not be upset with what is going on around us. Nothing this World can throw at us will disturb our hearts or befuddle our minds. How can we be this steady in the storms of life?
When we are resting in God, trusting Him to be Who He says He is and to do what He said He will do. When we know Him that well, that we have confidence in Him to act on our behalf, even working miracles for our benefit. To know that He can and He is able, whether He chooses to do so or not.
When we focus our attention on what is good, and true, and honorable. What is right and pure and lovely and beautiful. What is admirable and excellent and worthy of being praised. These will crowd out the negative and critical and worrisome thoughts that previously occupied our thoughts.
What we are looking at, focusing on, appears bigger in our sight and fills our vision, letting all the other things fade into the background. That's why our Father wants us to dwell on all the good, positive things in life, to lift our hearts and minds into the Heavenly realms even while we are still living on this Earth.
This peace God gives us runs deeper than we can even understand in our human thoughts, because God is so great, and so good. We are His creation, He is the One Who imagines us; and the imagination He gave us can also be realized in our reality, because He made us in His own Image.
God is Love. Everything He does comes from this basic foundation of being. That's why He wants us to love one another. When I love you, I want to see the good in you, I want to do what pleases you, and I want you to love me back. And because God has loved me with a Love beyond my understanding, I want to love Him back, and do what pleases Him.
So when I live my life focusing on what God is doing, instead of what other people are doing around me, then I will experience His peace. Then World events won't upset me. Then I won't get into arguments with family members and friends, and I will be a more pleasant person to be around.
Then I will be a Kingdom person, rather than a Worldly person. Then I will be so Heavenly-minded that I will be of great Earthly good!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, August 10, 2017
The Father Of The Prodigal
Luke 15:20
... His father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son ...
This father is a picture of our Heavenly Father, and this is the only place in all of Scripture that shows Him running! And He is running toward the prodigal child who has wasted all the inheritance he's received. This child is stumbling down the road toward home, going over the speech he's prepared to tell his father, to ask him to come home as a servant. But the father cuts the speech short, calling for the servants to bring the new clothes, new shoes, and the "credit card" for the family business (the ring). He then has the fattened calf slaughtered and barbecued for the party to welcome him home.
This is God's attitude toward us when we admit that we don't deserve anything but death, and that Jesus took our death on the Cross.
Then He causes us to be born into His own family as His prince or princess, causes us to be clothed in His own righteousness, and places His Holy Spirit into our spirit, making it alive and granting us the right to run His "Family Business," His Kingdom. And all the Heavenly Angels celebrate.
Jesus is God the Son Who was born into our human family in order to be the Lamb of God, the sacrifice that would not just cover, but wash away our sins. He fulfilled all of the laws of sacrifice: the first, personal one for salvation; and the corporate one for the Nation, to purchase all of the World, for judgement.
That's how much God loves each one of us, to "run" to us with His arms wide open, nailed to that Cross! His love is amazing! He wants all of us to humbly realize our sinful state, recognize Who Jesus is and what He has accomplished for us in our place, and turn around our attitudes toward God's ways. He saves us individually, one by one, but will otherwise have to judge us eternally. I cannot comprehend how deep and wide and long and concentrated and flowing and filling and embracing His love is for me! And also for you!!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
... His father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son ...
This father is a picture of our Heavenly Father, and this is the only place in all of Scripture that shows Him running! And He is running toward the prodigal child who has wasted all the inheritance he's received. This child is stumbling down the road toward home, going over the speech he's prepared to tell his father, to ask him to come home as a servant. But the father cuts the speech short, calling for the servants to bring the new clothes, new shoes, and the "credit card" for the family business (the ring). He then has the fattened calf slaughtered and barbecued for the party to welcome him home.
This is God's attitude toward us when we admit that we don't deserve anything but death, and that Jesus took our death on the Cross.
Then He causes us to be born into His own family as His prince or princess, causes us to be clothed in His own righteousness, and places His Holy Spirit into our spirit, making it alive and granting us the right to run His "Family Business," His Kingdom. And all the Heavenly Angels celebrate.
Jesus is God the Son Who was born into our human family in order to be the Lamb of God, the sacrifice that would not just cover, but wash away our sins. He fulfilled all of the laws of sacrifice: the first, personal one for salvation; and the corporate one for the Nation, to purchase all of the World, for judgement.
That's how much God loves each one of us, to "run" to us with His arms wide open, nailed to that Cross! His love is amazing! He wants all of us to humbly realize our sinful state, recognize Who Jesus is and what He has accomplished for us in our place, and turn around our attitudes toward God's ways. He saves us individually, one by one, but will otherwise have to judge us eternally. I cannot comprehend how deep and wide and long and concentrated and flowing and filling and embracing His love is for me! And also for you!!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Intimate Friendship
Exodus 33: 11
Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. ...
The Lord God Almighty is our great God, and no one can look upon His face and live! When God showed Moses His Goodness on the mountain, He put him in a cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand as He passed by, so Moses saw His back; and still, Moses' face shone, it glowed as it reflected God's Glory so brightly that he wore a veil when he addressed the people.
And yet, God spoke with Moses in the Tent of Meeting "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend"! God allowed Moses to have such an intimate friendship with Him, to befriend him so powerfully. And Moses was so meek, he knew he didn't deserve it.
O my dear Father, You put Moses' story in Your Word so that we could know that You offer that same, intimate friendship you had with him, to anyone who will give himself fully to Your purposes; to give You everything considered of value, to receive from You what is beyond worth.
Father, You want to do so many great things in this world, if only one person will give himself totally to You, as Moses did.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. ...
The Lord God Almighty is our great God, and no one can look upon His face and live! When God showed Moses His Goodness on the mountain, He put him in a cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand as He passed by, so Moses saw His back; and still, Moses' face shone, it glowed as it reflected God's Glory so brightly that he wore a veil when he addressed the people.
And yet, God spoke with Moses in the Tent of Meeting "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend"! God allowed Moses to have such an intimate friendship with Him, to befriend him so powerfully. And Moses was so meek, he knew he didn't deserve it.
O my dear Father, You put Moses' story in Your Word so that we could know that You offer that same, intimate friendship you had with him, to anyone who will give himself fully to Your purposes; to give You everything considered of value, to receive from You what is beyond worth.
Father, You want to do so many great things in this world, if only one person will give himself totally to You, as Moses did.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Search For Her
Proverbs 2: 1-5ff
... Wisdom ... understanding ... discernment ... Seek for her as for silver, search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God.
God's whole program for each of us is not about what we can do for Him, but our intimate personal relationship with Him. To seek for wisdom is to seek His face; to search for understanding is to search out Who He is; to cry out for discernment is to cry out for discerning God's character, Who He is!
As we spend time with God reading and studying His Word, communing with Him in prayer and learning to hear His voice in our spirit, we are drawing ever closer to our Father, and letting Him mold and shape us into His own Image.
O my Father, I have taken the first few feeble steps in Your direction, and I know I have many miles to go, for I am still so far from being the woman You created me to be. But I also know that it is You working in me, and that You will one Day finish this work that You started in me.
Keep me faithful in this journey, my Lord, following in Your own footsteps, not wandering off to the left or to the right, but straight on in that Narrow Way in which You have placed my feet.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
... Wisdom ... understanding ... discernment ... Seek for her as for silver, search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God.
God's whole program for each of us is not about what we can do for Him, but our intimate personal relationship with Him. To seek for wisdom is to seek His face; to search for understanding is to search out Who He is; to cry out for discernment is to cry out for discerning God's character, Who He is!
As we spend time with God reading and studying His Word, communing with Him in prayer and learning to hear His voice in our spirit, we are drawing ever closer to our Father, and letting Him mold and shape us into His own Image.
O my Father, I have taken the first few feeble steps in Your direction, and I know I have many miles to go, for I am still so far from being the woman You created me to be. But I also know that it is You working in me, and that You will one Day finish this work that You started in me.
Keep me faithful in this journey, my Lord, following in Your own footsteps, not wandering off to the left or to the right, but straight on in that Narrow Way in which You have placed my feet.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, August 7, 2017
Lavished Love
Exodus 20: 6
But I lavish my love on those who love Me and obey My commands, even for a thousand generations.
I John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ...
The Cambridge Dictionary defines "lavish" as, "spending, giving or using more than is necessary or reasonable; more than enough."
God "lavishes" His love on those who love Him, even calling them His own children. And He doesn't limit it at all, but is willing to "lavish" His love on even a thousand generations of people, if only they would all acknowledge Him and accept what He has done.
God is love. Love is the very Nature of God. Everything God does comes from His love; His love of the Father for His Son, and the Son for the Father, and the Spirit, too. Our God is a community of Love!
That's why He wants us to love Him back. When we do, then we will want to do what He wants for us, and obey His commands. And we will also love one another the way God loves us. This is what will show that we are His disciples, our love for one another.
"To live above with those we love,
Oh won't that be glory!
But to live below with those we know,
Now, that's a different story!"
God loves us unconditionally, His agape love; and that's how we are to love one another, continually giving the benefit of the doubt and forgiving one another; even as we also have received forgiveness from God.
This is impossible in our fleshly nature--we tend to hold grudges, and not even like some people who aggravate us or offend us. But love isn't liking, it's respecting and wanting the very best for the other, regardless of the cost to us. This we can only do in the power of God's Holy Spirit living in us.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your great love for me! Thank You so much for sending Your own dear Son to be my Lamb of God, my sacrifice for my sins, that not only covers but takes away my sins. Now I can receive Your love, Father, and love You back. And I can also love other people, too, as You love them.
So often I have heard the stories of how Your children have loved even their enemies, who have seen Your love in them, and been drawn to You, also, to receive that New Life that You give to all Your children, Father, when they are born-again into spiritual, eternal life.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But I lavish my love on those who love Me and obey My commands, even for a thousand generations.
I John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ...
The Cambridge Dictionary defines "lavish" as, "spending, giving or using more than is necessary or reasonable; more than enough."
God "lavishes" His love on those who love Him, even calling them His own children. And He doesn't limit it at all, but is willing to "lavish" His love on even a thousand generations of people, if only they would all acknowledge Him and accept what He has done.
God is love. Love is the very Nature of God. Everything God does comes from His love; His love of the Father for His Son, and the Son for the Father, and the Spirit, too. Our God is a community of Love!
That's why He wants us to love Him back. When we do, then we will want to do what He wants for us, and obey His commands. And we will also love one another the way God loves us. This is what will show that we are His disciples, our love for one another.
"To live above with those we love,
Oh won't that be glory!
But to live below with those we know,
Now, that's a different story!"
God loves us unconditionally, His agape love; and that's how we are to love one another, continually giving the benefit of the doubt and forgiving one another; even as we also have received forgiveness from God.
This is impossible in our fleshly nature--we tend to hold grudges, and not even like some people who aggravate us or offend us. But love isn't liking, it's respecting and wanting the very best for the other, regardless of the cost to us. This we can only do in the power of God's Holy Spirit living in us.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your great love for me! Thank You so much for sending Your own dear Son to be my Lamb of God, my sacrifice for my sins, that not only covers but takes away my sins. Now I can receive Your love, Father, and love You back. And I can also love other people, too, as You love them.
So often I have heard the stories of how Your children have loved even their enemies, who have seen Your love in them, and been drawn to You, also, to receive that New Life that You give to all Your children, Father, when they are born-again into spiritual, eternal life.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Our Adult Children
Proverbs 23: 15-16
O my son, if your heart is wise, my own heart also will be glad; and my inmost being will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.
Don't we rejoice when our children do what is right! But doesn't our heart break when they make foolish choices! Our hearts seem to be bound up in the lives of our children.
We cannot make our adult children do what's right, nor can we keep them from living lifestyles that bring harm to them. Sometimes we may be able to suggest to them a wiser road, but they will always make their own decisions.
Ultimately, what we can do is pray for them. Understand that God loves them even more than we do, and He is not willing that any should perish. They can push us away, but they can't push God away if He decides to draw them. And we don't want to get into God's way in dealing with them. Sometimes it's best to just stay out of their way, and faithfully lift them up to the Throne of Glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
O my son, if your heart is wise, my own heart also will be glad; and my inmost being will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.
Don't we rejoice when our children do what is right! But doesn't our heart break when they make foolish choices! Our hearts seem to be bound up in the lives of our children.
We cannot make our adult children do what's right, nor can we keep them from living lifestyles that bring harm to them. Sometimes we may be able to suggest to them a wiser road, but they will always make their own decisions.
Ultimately, what we can do is pray for them. Understand that God loves them even more than we do, and He is not willing that any should perish. They can push us away, but they can't push God away if He decides to draw them. And we don't want to get into God's way in dealing with them. Sometimes it's best to just stay out of their way, and faithfully lift them up to the Throne of Glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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