Pursuing the Presence, Purpose and Power of a closer walk with Christ

Posts tagged ‘God’

Loving God


“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30 NIV)


Help us, dear Lord, to have hearts that are free to love you as you have requested in your Holy Word.

Reveal to us any secret sin that may cause deception, thereby keeping us from loving you as we should.

Forgive us our trespasses through your Son, Jesus, and purify our souls.

For when our souls are pure and holy, our minds can think according to your Word.

As we meditate on your Word, we find comfort, hope, peace, direction, illumination, wisdom, knowledge and strength.

In your Presence, there is fullness of joy, and the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, that you loved us so much that you gave your Son, Jesus, to the whole world as part of your plan of redemption and Eternal Life.

Thank you Jesus, for the love you gave to each of us in that you went to the cross and you took our sins upon you, though you were without sin. You sacrificed your life in order that we may have the remission of sins and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the hope of your promise that we’ll one day have the privilege of living with you for eternity.

We love because you first loved us, and it is your love that flows through us.

God is love and he who abides in God, abides in love, and God in him.

Help us love you more and serve you better than we did the day before.

In Jesus name, Amen.

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From Rags to Riches


Wisdom that is from God's Word is more valuable than gold, silver or rubies.

Wisdom that is from God’s Word is more valuable than gold, silver or rubies.

If someone offered you riches beyond your wildest imagination in exchange for your rags, would it give you cause to heckle and spout off? Certainly, there have been many rags to riches stories bringing the pauper and unknown fame and fortune. And whom among us would not want a dream come true life filled with the abundance of earthly things.

When I was younger, I often wished for the inheritance of a wealthy unknown relative to come to pass. But, this wishful thinking was not my reality, in fact, my life at one point was filled with despair because of my sinful heart.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6 NIV)

Before I invited Christ into my heart, I felt dirty, ashamed, and in need of forgiveness. The moment I asked Jesus to forgive all my sin, I was cleansed of self-reproach associated with wrongful acts I committed and filled with his peace, joy and the promise of Eternal Life.

The good deeds done before coming to Christ would never be able to make-up for the wrong. My self-righteous acts were filthy rags before God who is Holy and all-powerful. The meaning of “filthy rags” written by Isaiah in the Bible are likened to a woman’s monthly sanitary protection. Yes, it is repulsive to think of such a word picture, but that is what our self-righteousness is before God Almighty. Only Jesus is righteous, but we can be clothed in his righteousness once we’re saved.

Yet, even though we were born into sin, our Loving Heavenly Father knew we needed a spotless lamb as our Savior to become sin for us and take our place on the cross. Jesus died on Calvary to cleanse and forgive our sins. John 3:16 says it best, “For god so loved the world he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have Everlasting Life.”

It’s wonderful that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords wants to share what he has with us. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19 NIV)
 It doesn’t mean we will get rich because we belong to Christ, if he so chooses to do that in our life he can. What I’m referring to is spiritual and eternal riches.

I find the abundant life in Christ and His Word to be wealth enough. That is my rags to riches story. I hope it is yours also. If it isn’t, I strongly urge you to decide that you want to know Jesus and experience the love he has for you. Then, the personal relationship with Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit will help you follow him the rest of your days.

Proverbs 8:10, “Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” v18, “With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.” v20, “I walk in the way of righteousness. along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.”

The wise choice is evident. Do you agree?

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MY Daily Planner


Planner

Have you found that even with your best intentions your schedule is jammed with things to do? In fact, it becomes so full that you end up overwhelmed, irritable, resentful, and stressed-out.

I must be a “Type-D” person: Detailed-oriented, determined and sometimes dense.

How many time of schedule overload will it take before I learn to consult my daily planner?

This particular daily planner of mine is not your typical multi-lined date-book. This daily planner is the Master-Planner. When I consult or check with him what is on the agenda for the day, it makes a world of difference.

Instead of desperate, frenzy-filled to do’s, I have focus as to what is important for the moment, clarity and a keen perspective. I am able to accomplish much more than I would without the Master-Planner and am able to approach my tasks with peace, joy and gusto.

What about your daily planner? Care to share what works for you?

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Brushed by an Angel


ArcangelGabrielAngels. Have you ever entertained them unawares? What do I mean, entertain? And unawares ? I know I’d want to be aware of an angel, wouldn’t you?

Years ago, there was a popular TV program called, “Touched by an Angel”. The angels in this series intervened in the lives of people who would be featured in the weekly episode. They were entertaining angels literally. However, the Bible suggests we do the entertaining, not angels entertain us.

I read different versions of the following verse and have seleted the following: Hebrews 13:2 KJV “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.” And the New International Version, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing, some have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

I recently traveled out of state and visited a small local church while there. The hospitality shown to my family and I was wonderful. I asked the superintendent if there was any particular place we were to sit and he replied, “You may sit wherever you like, but angels may brush up against you.” I chuckled at what I thought was a joke and had a passing thought that I might sit down on an angel unawares. However, as the congregation stood to sing, I felt someone brush my left shoulder and back. I looked over beside and behind me, but no one was sitting in the pew behind us and my daughter sat far enough from me that there was space for another person to sit in between us.

Then, the light went on in my head. I turned around and leaned over close to where the superintendent was sitting two pews behind and said, “Were you just joking about an angel brushing up against us?” “No, Ma’am. We are to remember to entertain strangers because they may be angels. There might be an angel up there in front of you and you’d not know it.”

I smiled and said, “An angel just brushed his wing up against me.” He gave glory to God and I joined in the praise, too.

May God bless your week and let me know if you’ve been brushed by an angel.

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Off into the Sunset


The bright fall colors are not the only display of incredible hues. Take for instance the spectacular autumn sunset in the following pics.

The sunset  actually occurred on October 19th, 2009. It was the date of my late husband’s burial.

 Jerry will be missed, indeed. The images taken by my brother do resemble  the ’64 Chevy Belair Jerry owned and loved. It appeared to be  shrouded with light and clouds.

Close family members viewed the setting of the sun and commented  that the cloud shaped like his car was  going off into the sunset. God gave us a memory of Jerry’s going home to heaven that will last for quite a while.

God is good all the time.

His Presence in the cloud that hovered  over us, is evidence to me of how much He cares  and is there in times of grief or loss.

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Great Expectations


God's Presence

We’ve all had them. Expectations, that is. And some of them have been great…

   When I think of great, I think of how great God is. Psalms 77:13 says, ” Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the people. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people.”  He not only redeemed the descendants of Jacob and Joseph, but He redeemed all those who accept His son Jesus as their Savior.

    God is great because He loves us all. While we were still sinners, He sent  Jesus Christ to die for us. Who do you know that would offer His only Son to die for those who don’t know or love Him?

   God has been great to me. He has stayed by my side through tragedy, loss of a spouse, before during an after my spiritual transformation and the joyful times as well.

  Recently, one of the wonders I attribute to Him is a cross growing in the pines above the horses pasture at Here’s Hope Horse Farm. I find it to be great that God would allow me to see this and capture it on camera shown in the photo above.  Some might say, “what a “co-inky-dink”.  I say it is great because the God I know allowed it to grow in such a manner. 

   What would you say? Has God been great to you? Have you seen His marvelous hand at work in your life or a family member’s? Leave a comment at the end of this post, I’d love to read about something He has done in your life that you can say is great.

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Truth and Nothing but the Truth


    When was the last time you heard the statement, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God? Have you ever had to repeat part if not all  of what was once recited before a person could take the witness stand?  Do they still use Bibles in court to place one’s hand upon while swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

    Is it possible to explain what truth is?  Is it possible to be blind to the truth?

   What conditions exist for truth to be known?

    How old do you have to be before knowing the truth?

   Is it possible to know truth and  later on, forget what it is?

   “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6  These are Jesus words,  and God himself  has told us to listen to His Son. (Matthew 17:5)

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