April 27, 2026

More Than You Think I Am

March 15, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You always think I’m somewhere on a mountaintop
But never think behind bars
You’d be amazed the places that I go
To be with you, where you are

So forget what you’ve heard
What you think that you know
There’s a lot about Me
That’s never been told

I’m more than you dream
More than you understand
Your days and your times
Were destined for our dance
I catch all your tears
Burn your name on My heart
Be still and trust My plan
I’m more than you think I am
More than you think I am

Rumor has it there’s a gavel in My hand
I’m only here to condemn
But let Me tell you secrets you have never known
I think of you as My best friend

So much has been said
Even done in My name
But I’m showing you now
Who I really am

Let me open your eyes to see
The heart of Me, differently 
Come closer than you’ve ever been
Let Me in like never before
Bring Me every broken part
The wounds and scars of who you are
Hide in Me and you will see

More than you think I am
More than you think I am
I’m more than you think I am

Singer/Songwriter: Danny Gokey along with Bernie Herms, Tim Nichols

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

My God is loving and forgiving and full of grace and mercy.  He is thrilled when I succeed and cheers me on…even when I slip.  There is no condemnation from Him.  When I think of Him, I don’t see a gavel.  I see a Father Who was willing to send His one and only Son to die so that we might live. Every day was planned before we were born and all He wants for us is a life full of abundance.

God is with you.  Everywhere you go, He goes before you and walks beside You.  He is not somewhere that He cannot be reached (though it may feel that way when we have moved a little far away from Him).  And He will go to any lengths to be with you.  Wherever you go, He will go.  He is in prisons everywhere and in detention centers.  He is in hospitals here and overseas.  He is with those little children digging through trash piles.  He wraps His arms around the homeless sleeping on the cold streets.  He is everywhere.

He is waiting for you to let Him in.  And He wants all parts of your life. Oh, how much He can do in your life…if you just let Him.  He can take away pain and sorrow and give you grace and love and comfort . Don’t you see that the Creator of this world dances over you with singing and dancing.  He is the Lover of your soul and the Guardian of your heart.

I pray as you listen to this song, that you will let Him speak to you and tell you all that He is.  Just be still…know that He truly is God and He is able to do everything you need. And if you need to rededicate your life to Him today, all you have to do is tell Him.

What is He to you? I leave you with His own words:

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in His love He will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

He says, “Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Dear God, You are Holy and awesome and full of wonder.  Your Presence is everywhere and there is no where we can go that You will not follow.  Oh Lord, thank You for loving instead of condemning. Thank You for grace instead of a gavel.  And thank You for loving us enough to pay the ultimate sacrifice.  You are God and there is no other like You.  For those today that are far away, keep them wrapped in Your arms until they come back to You.  Help us to continue to spread Your hope to all who are hurting.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , ,

This Week…I AM the Door (John 10:1-10)

March 14, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,
that I Myself am the Door for the sheep.
All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers,
but the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them.
I AM the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live).
He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have and enjoy life,
and have it in abundance (to the full, till itoverflows).

John 10:7-10 AMP

Another incredible promise that Jesus gave…how grateful and thankful are we?!!?   This past week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have shared some insight on these words spoken by our Lord.  Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Laura, Cynda, Ann, and Ahmee wrote to encourage us.

In The Door Is Our Protection, Cynda shared a bit of the enlightenment she received…

“…as I was studying commentaries on this passage, I came across a statement that made me pause.  Had I perhaps missed an additional meaning in this Scripture?  Had I stopped short without completely understanding the depth of this Scripture?

“In a ‘field’ sheepfold, the shepherd actually laid his body across the entrance, to keep the sheep in and to keep out the wolves.” – David Guzik

I totally get the symbolism that Christ laid down His life for our salvation.  But I missed the part about Him being our protection. Christ is there to protect us from the evil one.”

❦

In The Gate for the Sheep, Ahmee helped us to see the value of each of our differing journeys to salvation.  

“Our stories are so different.  True, but there is something in common with all our stories—we all said ‘yes!’ to Jesus.  There is no other way.  So, before the yes, our stories are very different. After the yes, our stories are very different. It is even possible that during the yes, our stories are very different.

The point is, Jesus said that He is the Gate for the sheep.  Well, sisters (and brothers) we all walked through that same Gate!  Saying this makes me want to high-five each and every one of you.  We are ‘in’ because of our Savior.  Yay for us! What an awesome feeling it is to have walked through the Gate.  Why not bring someone along?”

❦

In The Door To a New Life, Tina also wrote about salvation….

“As verse 9 states, Jesus wants to give us salvation. All we have to do is ask.  Then believe we are forgiven of all of our sins.  Change our lives and begin living for God.  This changes everything.  Believing and developing a trust in God will empower you in every area of your life. You will believe you can speak before a crowd to share your testimony with others.  You will be able to tell your story with such conviction and self confidence.  You will be proud. ”

❦

In Re-Entering The Door, Laura encouraged us to recognize that  the Door—Jesus—rescues us from distractions of this world.

“However, we can easily reenter that Door when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Christ opened the door to redemption when He died on the Cross for our sins.  He reconciled us to God, so we may have eternal life. A s the children of God, we should pay attention to Jesus and being faithful to Him.  We should not listen to a world that has turned away from God.  If we turn away from God then we will die a certain death when Judgment Day arrives.  All we have to do is see Jesus’ open Door, give up the worldly distractions, and accept Jesus as our Savior.  When we cross over the threshold of that Door, we are no longer of this world. ”

❦

In The Door Gives Access, Ann reminded us of the abundant life available to those who accept Jesus as Lord. (Check out the list of Scriptures she provided for us!)

“Jesus said, ‘I AM The Door’ …what does this imply?  He is giving us access to use Him because those who enter through Jesus will be saved—they will have abundant life (verse 10); they will have all they need to be delivered from sin, guilt, condemnation. He is the ONLY Door; none other exists.   [These}…verses help us to understand what this Door can do and how it is going to help us.  Let us therefore choose deliberately to use this Door which will take us to the highest places. ”

❦

Have you had the opportunity to read through these blogposts this week?  If not, I would encourage you to do so!  Our bloggers have made these as well as some other wonderful points to direct us towards Jesus, Who IS The Door to salvation and eternal life.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chimichuri Sauce

March 13, 2015 by

Chimichuri Sauce

Here’s the thing:  You probably cook for your family a lot.  Or maybe you’re cooking a chicken breast for one.  Doesn’t matter.  What matters is:  Sometimes, you overcook the meat.  I know, it happens to the best of us.  (Okay, especially me, since I have a fear of giving my kids undercooked meat that gives them food poisoning.)  So what do you do?  Trash the whole thing?  NO WAY.  I’m frugal.  I scrape the black off toast.  So when you get dry chicken – or fish or beef or pork or even tofu – you sauce that thing.  Enter Chimichuri Sauce.

It sounds spicy, right?  It’s not.  It’s a milder, slimmer cousin to pesto.  Aside from being healthy for you (olive oil, parsley, garlic, and vinegar are all great for your health) – this sauce is mild enough to dress up any protein, and macho enough to save the day.

This photo is of my Chimichuri Sauce over chicken thighs.  (Yes, I cook A LOT of chicken thighs.)  Try it on beef (like the Argentinians do), chicken breasts, or the salmon filet I may or may not have just overcooked in the oven for dinner …

Chimichuri Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup parsley
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or just dried oregano)
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar (or use lemon juice in a pinch)
  • optional:  hot sauce, diced jalapeño, or chile powder, to taste

Directions:

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients.  That’s it!  Serve cold or at room temperature over protein of your choice.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Holy Spirit

March 13, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

“If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, My Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.”

Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to Him, “Lord, why are You going to reveal Yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

Jesus replied, “All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make Our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me will not obey Me. And remember, My words are not My own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent Me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

John 14:15-26 NLT

Someone once asked me if I thought having Jesus here on earth or having the Holy Spirit living among us was more desirable.  I had to think…on the one hand, I can’t imagine walking and talking with Jesus! Asking Him all kinds of questions and just sitting in His presence, soaking it in that I am with my Savior.  But Jesus was human, here on earth, and He couldn’t be everywhere.  Yes, He traveled from place to place and spoke to many but physically He could only be in one place. However, the Holy Spirit can be everywhere…in every believer…all at the same time!  And, really, to have the Holy Spirit is to have Jesus.

The Spirit has so many jobs.  When we have fallen backwards, and we keep doing the same thing over and over and for some reason, we just cannot stop..the Holy Spirit will give you the strength. When we have been in the valley for oh so long, He will pull us up from where we are. He is our Comforter, our nurse when we are sick. He is our Advocate, our Encourager. And He ministers to both the head and the heart.  He gives us the strength to endure the hatred and evil in our world.  There is so much evil and so much persecution and Jesus knew there would be.

Nothing that is happening today is a surprise to Jesus.  He knew there would be many terrorist groups that would harm His people and He knew that the Holy Spirit would give them the endurance to fight and to die for Him if need be.  Oh friend, the Holy Spirit is your Friend.  He is straight from God the Father, given to each of His children that accepts Jesus as their Savior.  He is here to remind us of all Jesus taught us and gives us a whole new way to look at life.  He gives us a peace that passes all understanding.

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Have you asked Jesus to be Lord of your life?  Are you so tired of trying to do it all on your own?  Or maybe you just needed to be reminded that you aren’t alone and that the Holy Spirit is waiting to give you whatever you need.  Just call on Him today.  Whichever one it is, let’s pray together:

Dear God, Thank You for loving us.  I know that I am living my life right now on my own and I need You.  Today I ask that Jesus come into my heart, into my life, to be my Lord and Savior.  I know that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and He died for my sins.  Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Help me to know You better.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Door Is Our Protection

March 13, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *  

So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,
that I Myself AM the Door for the sheep.
John 10:7 AMP

I AM the Door.
If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
John 10:9 HCSB

As I read this passage, my first thought was of Christ as the Door to eternal life.  In one of my digital media classes I created a photo depicting the Cross with a door in it and a highway sign that said ‘Heaven’ and pointed to the door in the Cross.  I used John 14:6 (HCSB) as my focal point for the image.

Jesus told him, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.

There is no other way to God but through the Door—Jesus.

Yet as I was studying commentaries on this passage, I came across a statement that made me pause.  Had I perhaps missed an additional meaning in this Scripture?  Had I stopped short without completely understanding the depth of this Scripture?

“In a “field” sheepfold, the shepherd actually laid his body across the entrance, to keep the sheep in and to keep out the wolves.” – David Guzik

(You can read the entire article here.)

I totally get the symbolism that Christ laid down His life for our salvation.  But I missed the part about Him being our protection. Christ is there to protect us from the evil one.  Further down in John 10 we read these verses:

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever!
No one will snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all.
No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.
verses 28-30 HCSB

Psalm 121:8 (HCSB) tells us:

The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

I love that!  Not only has Jesus provided us with the only way to reach God, He makes sure no one can snatch us out of His protection.   Amazing grace!  Such love is unfathomable.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Jesus, thank You for not only providing me with a way to have fellowship with God and eternal life but for protecting me from the enemy as well.  Thank you for never letting go of me or giving up on me.  In Your Precious name I pray – Amen, It Is So!


Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Gate for the Sheep

March 12, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I AM the Gate for the sheep.”
John 10:7

Sometimes I sit and wonder why a God as awesome as we serve would want to be in a relationship with me…. What did I do that I should I should be so privileged to have a relationship with the Lord?  Why me?  Why us?

The truth of it is that He chose us.  So, how then did we enter into our relationship with the Lord?  Well, if you want to be picky, we all have different stories.  I myself came defeated, reluctant, and skeptical.  I was all out of options.  You may have experienced the same, or your story may be different.  However, with that being said…really…we all came to relationship with the Lord the same way.

How could this be?!?!  Our stories are so different.  True, but there is something in common with all our stories—we all said ‘yes!’ to Jesus.

There is no other way.  So, before the yes, our stories are very different. After the yes, our stories are very different. It is even possible that during the yes, our stories are very different.  I, myself, experienced the most calming and thought-cleansing moment of my life!  Light shined into my world.  I did not know what would happen next, or what my life would look like, but somehow I knew I’d be okay.

The point is, Jesus said that He is the Gate for the sheep.  Well, sisters (and brothers) we all walked through that same Gate!  Saying this makes me want to high-five each and every one of you.  We are ‘in’ because of our Savior.  Yay for us! What an awesome feeling it is to have walked through the Gate.  Why not bring someone along?

Oh, and be careful though!  Jesus said in John 10:10, that “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

That which is of our Father gives life.
That which is of Satan brings destruction.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Lord, thank You for bring me to You. I am so grateful for Your provisions. Help us to be mindful of all that is around us and diligently be on the lookout for those that You would have us touch. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Steadfast Love Of The Lord

March 12, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning, new every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord
Great is Thy faithfulness

Kathy Troccoli
written by Edith McNeill

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:21-23

During my quiet time the other morning, I was reading along in a Bible study lesson from the She Reads Truth community. (Here’s a link so you can read it yourself).  The devotional writer was relating how she ‘missed’ the first part of verse 21—‘but this I call to mind.’ And I realized that I, too, just hurry by those few words as I focus on the promises given in the rest of this passage. (How about you?)

As I went about my day I kept hearing this over and over in my mind as I sang and hummed it. So simple and such a beautiful melody! I love, in this recording, the solemn, somber tone of the cello as the musician plays along with the piano. And, of course, Kathy Troccoli’s beautiful voice.  But what I love the most is that by hearing it over and over, the words—the Scripture—has sunk into my memory and now I can truly ‘…call to mind, and therefore I have hope…’. Memorizing verses from God’s Word is such an important thing to do. Here’s why I say that….

Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.
Psalm 119:11 NASB

Those two phrases ‘but this I call to mind’ and ‘Your Word I have treasured in my heart’ are each relating to really knowing the Scriptures.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26

Almighty God even described Himself as having ‘steadfast love.’  When God met with Moses, and gave him the Ten Commandments, the first thing He did was make Himself known to Moses.

The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there,
and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed,
“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…..
Exodus 34:5–7

Isn’t it AWEsome that what Almighty God told Moses about Himself was that He is

  • merciful
  • gracious
  • slow to anger
  • abounding in steadfast love
  • faithful
  • keeps steadfast love
  • forgiving

…and twice (‘and this I call to mind’) He mentions that His love is steadfast!!!

Throughout the entire history of mankind—from Adam & Eve and all the way along through the Scriptures—we read of the myriad of ways that our Great God has manifested His steadfast love. So, in our pursuit of calling to mind the never-ceasing, steadfast love of the Lord, we would need to remember some examples of His steadfast love. The psalmist spoke of God’s steadfast love many, many, many times. Undoubtedly, he had this truth ‘hid in his heart’ and often would ‘call this to mind.’

Psalm 107 (ESV) is a great starting point (you can go here to read it, if you like). Here the psalmist relates quite a number of times how God’s steadfast love has redeemed and saved and protected His children. And he reminds them (and us!) to ‘give thanks to the LORD’ for His steadfast love. The final verse wraps it up:

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
verse 43

Throughout the Bible, God’s people tell of their praise and thanks for His steadfast love. Here is a list of just a few passages.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalms 13:5 and 6

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the Fountain of life;
in Your Light do we see light.
Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know You,
and Your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Psalms 36:5, 7-9

I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that He has granted them according to His compassion,
according to the abundance of His steadfast love.
Isaiah 63:7

O Lord God, turn not away the face of [me] Your anointed one;
[earnestly] remember Your good deeds, mercy, and steadfast love for David Your servant…
2 Chronicles 6:42

Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Psalm 32:10

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Door to a New Life

March 11, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

So Jesus said again, Truly I say to you, I AM the Door of the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and outlaws:
but the sheep did not give ear to them.
I AM the Door: if any man goes in through Me
he will have salvation, and will go in and go out, and will get food.
The thief comes only to take the sheep and to put them to death:
he comes for their destruction:
I have come so that they may have life and have it in greater measure.
John 10:7-10 BBE

Thief – a person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.  Doesn’t that sound like Satan?  Think about it…he steals our joy when we relive the lies people have spoken to us from our past or are currently speaking.  Satan secretly tells us we are not worthy of God’s love and forgiveness, when it is there for us to embrace and make our own. 

When we accept Jesus into our hearts, He makes us new from the inside out.  He lifts us up out of the pit and builds us up.  Just like a loving father, God wants to show us the easier way through life.  A life without fear.  A life without sadness from the things we did or said.    A life of blessing and for us to bless others.  He wants to show us the freedom of living His way.

As verse 9 states, Jesus wants to give us salvation. All we have to do is ask.  Then believe we are forgiven of all of our sins.  Change our lives and begin living for God.  This changes everything.  Believing and developing a trust in God will empower you in every area of your life. You will believe you can speak before a crowd to share your testimony with others.  You will be able to tell your story with such conviction and self confidence.  You will be proud.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Father, we want the salvation Jesus spoke of in Your Word.  We want to be lights in this world.  We want others to look at our lives and see You and Your ways.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

He Knows My Name

March 11, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

He counts the stars one and all
He knows how much sand is on the shore
He sees every sparrow that falls
He made the mountain and the seas
He’s in control of everything
Of all creatures great and small

He knows my name
Every step that I take, every move that I make, every tear that I cry
And He knows my name
When I’m overwhelmed by the pain and can’t see the light of day
I know I’ll be just fine ‘cause He knows my name

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring
I can’t tell you what’s in store
I don’t know a lot of things
I don’t have all the answers to the questions of life
But I know in Whom I have believed

He knew who I was when He carried the cross
He knew that I would fail Him but He took the loss

~  Written by Annie and Kelly McRae / Sung by The McRaes  ~

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

This passage seems to have been my almost constant confession this past week or so…listen.

For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation
will be able to separate us {me!} from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38 and 39

Oh, and how I endeavor to cling to these promises!  I want to say, as Paul did, that ‘I am persuaded…’ though, I must admit that I do falter in my persuasion.  And times do come when my little heart doesn’t sing out quite as bravely. But here’s what I do know….

…Nevertheless I am not ashamed:
for I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that He is able
to keep that which I have committed
unto Him against that day.
2 Timothy 1:12

And I remember and am encouraged as I read through the Scriptures and see the strong evidence of God’s provision in the lives of His people; for example, His man Job. Job went through much but he knew his life was in the Almighty’s sovereign and powerful hand.  And so, he could say of God…

But He is unchangeable, and who can turn Him?
And what He wants to do, that He does.
For He performs [that which He has] planned for me,
and of many such matters He is mindful.
Job 23:13 and 14

I know that You can do all things and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
Job 42:2

See, myself…well, I get weary; and I am not strong at times. But my God…He is able! He is faithful! He keeps His promises! And so I trust His Word(s). Therefore when I remember He has said, “I formed you and made you,” “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” “My grace is sufficient for you…” I am encouraged!

One of my favorite Scriptures is Psalm 139. It is such a beautiful prayer of praise of Almighty God! Throughout this psalm, David acknowledges God’s providence, His sovereignty, His foreknowledge, His provision, His protection, His wisdom, and truly, His love.

Here are excerpts from this psalm…may I suggest you read these verses aloud, allowing Your eyes and ears and mind to take them in. Consider them, my friend; dwell on them.  And may your heart be reminded and strongly encouraged as you remember that God Almighty, your heavenly Father, truly KNOWS you.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You. 

❥ He knows your every step, every move, every tear, all your ways.

❥ He knows you, inside and out, before and behind, sitting down and rising up.

❥ He knows your frame, your thoughts, your words, all your ways, all your days.

❥ He knows y.o.u., my friend…He knows your name!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lemon-y, Garlic-y Tilapia with Avocado Salsa

March 10, 2015 by

Oh…it is getting close! For some of you, spring has already sprung. Here in Upstate NY, the daylight is increasing, the temps are warmer, the piles of snow are beginning to melt! And <slowly…> the fruits and veggies are getting increasingly more tempting in the produce department of our grocery stores. This past week, I could actually smell the fragrance of the ripe strawberries as I shopped my list! And so, two packages of them were added to our shopping cart!

One thing that I determined to prepare was a fruity avocado salsa…so easy-peasy! And so good for us (you, too!). And fits perfectly into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV! We all are aware of the benefits of eating fresh fruits…loaded with vitamin and fiber. And avocados—such a great addition to your healthy eating plan! Here is some info on the benefits and the nutrition received from eating avocados.

We had this cauliflower rice dish alongside.  This salsa would be delish on quite a variety of seafood…from fillets to shrimp to scallops! What’s your favorite?

Lemony–Garlicky Tilapia with Avocado Salsa

 

ingredients:
salsa:
1 mango, peeled and cut into smallish cubes
1 avocado, peeled and cut into smallish cubes
handful of strawberries, cut up
2 teaspoons red onion, finely minced
1 lemon (or lime), juiced
sea salt, freshly ground pepper (I use a lemon-pepper blend)
red pepper flakes (optional)

fish:
4 tilapia fillets (4-5 ounces each)
2 tablespoons red onion, finely minced
4 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
2 tablespoons butter
1 large lemon or lime, zested and juiced
3 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
olive (or coconut) oil

directions:

salsa

  • mix all ingredients together in a glass or ceramic dish; set aside

fish

  • preheat oven to 400
  • lightly coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with oil
  • in a small saucepan, melt butter
  • add red onion and saute for 3-4 minutes to soften
  • add garlic and saute on low for an additional minute stirring constantly
  • remove from heat and add lemon juice
  • lay out the tilapia in the pan
  • sprinkle with the herbs, zest, and a generous amount of salt and pepper
  • pour the butter mixture over top the fish
  • bake for 10-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets) ‘til flaky

serve fish with avocado salsa on the side…perhaps with quinoa, or rice; enjoy!

♥    ♥    ♥    ♥    ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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