April 26, 2024

Are You A Mary Or Martha?

June 12, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
but only one thing is needed.
Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41 and 42

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I think of all the times I am Martha and I have chosen the things that can easily be taken away…and they have been.  I remember how important it was to entertain and have people over and show off all the beautiful things we had acquired; and I wasn’t putting Jesus anywhere in the mix.  And I sure had not sat at His feet that day.  Fast forward a few years and all the pretty things went away and Jesus became all that was important to me because I saw how fast and fleeting the material things of this world really are.  But Jesus is forever.

In this story in Luke, Jesus is visiting the home of the two sisters, and Martha had come to Him to complain about her sister Mary.

As Jesus and His disciples were traveling on their way,
they came to a village where a woman named Martha lived
and she opened her house to Him and she had a sister named Mary.
Jesus sat down in the home and began teaching in a secluded corner.
verses 38 and 39

The people are hanging on every word.  Mary is sitting at His feet just drinking in His Presence.  Martha is hurrying about, worrying about how everyone would get fed, where they would sit and how this would all come together for they were hosting Jesus!

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.
She came to Him and asked,
“Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?
Tell her to help me!”
verse 40

Martha gets frustrated and interrupts this gathering to complain about her sister not helping and how all Mary is doing is sitting at His feet!  The others look up to Him to see how Jesus will react.  He tells her (verses 41-42) that Mary has chosen the right thing to do instead of being so busy—she sat at His feet first.  All the work will still be there when she gets finished hearing her Jesus but if she gets up too fast, she just might miss something important that Jesus might say to her.

Mary was preparing her heart for Jesus while Martha was running around.  She would grasp what little words she could hear Jesus say while she was serving everyone else.  But what does Jesus say is the right thing to do?  He says, “…Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”  Jesus cannot be taken from her.

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Can you relate to either of these women?  Which one are you?  If you don’t know, then pray that God will reveal it to you.  Ask yourself if you remember to sit at Jesus’ feet before you do anything else…or are you too busy to just be with Him…always in a hurry and forgetting to listen for His voice.  We need to remember that God is able to fix those things that we are so busy trying to fix if we will only stop trying and start trusting Him.  Trust Him today, friend.  And if you don’t know Jesus or maybe you just haven’t made Him Lord of your life, I pray that you will join me in this sinners prayer.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and He died to save me from my sins.  I ask for forgiveness today.  Will You, Jesus, come into my heart today and be my Lord?  I want to know more about You as we walk together through life.  Thank  You for loving me and for forgiving me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Peace I Leave You

May 29, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

But as He came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep.
“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace.
But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.
Luke 19:41-42 NLT

Jesus really had emotions. Sometimes He wept and other times He danced with joy.  And there were times when He truly grieved.  In the Scripture passage above, Jesus wept because the city had refused Him.  And not only Him but the peace that only He could bring them.

As a parent, I truly want the very best for these precious children that I have been blessed with.  When I am no longer here, I hope that they have joy and peace and a faith that cannot be shaken.  Those long nights on my knees, praying over each one of their hearts and the days that were spent investing in their eternal future will pay off because, no matter what, they will know about their Savior.  I hope that they know that the things of this earth are so temporary and that only Jesus and a relationship with Him will give them eternal life. And while they wait on Him to return, that they will claim the peace that Jesus came to give them.

Isn’t that what Jesus wanted for us?  Right before His crucifixion, Jesus promised something so valuable—peace.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

He didn’t leave us fame or fortune or tangible things…although He can provide those things.  He left us something more beneficial. And if we are to be a Jesus follower and lead others to Him, we must have peace and joy to share with this struggling world.

What do you need from Him today?  Is there an area of your life where you find yourself needing peace?  I know that I have to be reminded daily that He doesn’t want me to worry about the cares of this world, so I write this verse so many places.  Maybe you have been struggling with something that you have been asking God to take away.  Don’t lose hope!  God may not choose to take your thorn just yet; however, you will still receive His peace.  And remember: regardless of the trial, Jesus will give you your inheritance…today, and everyday, He offers peace.

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Do you know Jesus?  Do you need His peace today?  If so, I ask that you pray this simple prayer with me….

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I am struggling today with so much and I just want to be free.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and the Savior of the world.  He died for me so that I can live forever with You.  Help me to know more about You.  Thank You for loving me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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But God Knows

May 15, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.  The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.  Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.  This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.  From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished.  So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.”  As you can imagine, Joseph didn’t do what she wanted and it angered her…so she set him up and made it look like he came onto her.

Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her.  So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.  But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.  Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison.  The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

excerpts from Genesis 39 NLT
(click here to read the complete account.)

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I should tell you that this story didn’t begin here…. Joseph was born into a family of lots of brothers and, of all of them, he was his father’s favorite.  Oh, how Jacob loved him!  It was because of this that his brothers sold him into slavery one day and let his father believe he was dead.  But God was always with Joseph and caused Joseph to succeed in everything he did.  The Lord was always glorified because Joseph pointed it all back to Him.

Joseph could have slept with Potiphar’s wife and Potiphar may never have ever found out about it…but God would have known.  And I am pretty sure that Joseph wouldn’t have been as successful either and all that hardship wouldn’t have been turned into blessing.  Aren’t we tempted every day with something that we could easily get away with…

  • No one would know if we didn’t keep that secret that we promised we would…but God does.
  • No one would know that we didn’t tell the whole truth on an application and who is really going to check if we finished college…but God does.
  • And is that friend calling you to meet her going to know that you don’t really have a doctor’s appointment? Probably not…but God does.  And when it comes time that you really need His supernatural favor, it may not come as easily.

Joseph lived a righteous life. I’m not saying that he was without sin, but his intentions and his heart were always in line with God’s Will.  And because of this, Joseph was eventually saved from prison (Genesis 40) and became a very important person to Pharaoh.

And those brothers that wanted to get rid of him?

Now Joseph was the governor of the land,
the person who sold grain to all its people.
So when Joseph’s brothers arrived,
they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.
Genesis 42:6

Be all that you know that God wants you to be. Always stay in His Word and you will know what He expects.  And the Lord will help you succeed in all that you do.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you know Him?  If you are wanting Jesus to be your Savior, then pray this prayer with me.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness.  I know that Jesus is Your Son and He died to save me.  I ask that You come and be my Lord, to live in my heart and life.  Help me walk through this life the way You want me to.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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God Sent A Fish

May 8, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”  But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.
He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port.  After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.  All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god.  And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.  But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.  The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep?  Get up and call on your god!  Maybe He will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”  Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.”  They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.  So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”  He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”  This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?”  (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)  The sea was getting rougher and rougher.  So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”  “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm.  I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”  Instead, the men did their best to row back to land.  But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.  Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.”  Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.  At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.  Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 1:2-17 NIV

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I have been Jonah before.  I may not have gone to the lengths that Jonah did to escape…but I had my own boat I floated away in.  Oh, how miserable I was.  Like Jonah, there were many storms and I took some of my shipmates down, too.  But God sent a fish for me also.  In a different form, of course.

We are so loved by our Creator that He will go to any lengths to rescue us—even from ourselves, even when we are the cause.  And when we try to run away, He will send a “fish” to redirect us.  Oh, how He gives so much grace and mercy.

We don’t have to feel shame and guilt because we are already forgiven. God wants the very best life for us. That’s why He leads us to places that we may not want to be…but He knows what’s best for us and He has already seen the rest of our story.

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What are you running from today?  Are you in the middle of a storm?  Hang on friend, help is in your reach.  Just ask your Guide to show you a new way!  Do you know Him?  Jesus longs to be in your life.  If you want Him to be your Savior then pray with me.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus is Your Son and that He died for my sins. I need forgiveness. I ask that You come into my heart today and be my Lord. Thank You. Help me to walk with You daily. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Hearing His Voice

April 24, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.  One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernaclea near the Ark of God. Suddenly the LORD called out, “Samuel!”  “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”
He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”  “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.  Then the LORD called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. So the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Then the LORD said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”
Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said to him. But Eli called out to him, “Samuel, my son.”
“Here I am,” Samuel replied.

1 Samuel 3:1-15 NLT

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Samuel was only 12 when he heard the voice of God.  God spoke so clearly to him, but only after he had positioned himself directly outside the Holy of Holies.  Have you heard God’s voice lately?

One thing I know for sure is that God wants to speak to us.  He meets you exactly where you are, no matter what you have or haven’t done. And He wants you to know His will for your life.  But you have to be in a position to listen.  There are so many distractions today and we can get so busy with the mundane that we cannot hear above the noise of life.

In the Bible, when God did speak to His people, He usually waited until they showed that they were ready to listen and to receive it.

For example,

  • He called Mary’s name after His resurrection, but only after she came to the tomb, seeking her Savior’s body (John 20).
  • He gave David advice on many important issues when he “…inquired of the Lord” (1 Samuel 23).
  • He spoke directly to the woman with the medical issues, only after she, oh so forcefully, made her way through the crowd to just touch Jesus (Luke 8).
  • And He spoke (in this record) to Samuel, a young boy who is so ready to hear His Heavenly Father.

Are you ready to hear from Him? Maybe you’re holding on to something that is taking up all your time and energy because you just can’t let it go. Maybe there is sin that you haven’t asked forgiveness for that is getting in the way of His message to you. You can start today fresh by clearing all the distractions and preparing your heart for complete worship. Seek Him and quiet your soul and wait on Him to meet you. Then ask—knowing and believing wholeheartedly that He will answer you, at just the right time.

And if this time in your life is quiet, don’t be distressed. Just keep worshipping this awesome God of ours and remember all He has done for you and keep telling Him how much He means to you. He will respond…are you ready?

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Do you know this God we are talking about? Do you know that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to live as we do, to experience all that we have to, so that He could be the model we can go by in this life? He died for you and me so that we don’t have to. If you want to have Jesus, I invite you to pray with me.

Dear Jesus, I am sorry for all the things I have done wrong.     I want to thank You for dying on the Cross for me.  I want to live a new life with You.  I ask that You come into my heart and be my Savior.  Walk with me and guide me.  Teach me more about You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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A Letter From Your Father

April 17, 2015 by

Many of you have gone on Spring Break or are anticipating taking a vacation this summer.  It is a time to refresh spirit, soul, and body.  Over the next couple of weeks, our faithful bloggers will be taking a ‘spring break’ from writing so that they can come back to us refreshed and freshly anointed.
However, Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour website won’t ‘go black’!  We will be revisiting some of our favorite blogs and daily devotions which have blessed us in the past.  We pray that each of you, our faithful friends and readers, will continue to start your day meditating on the devotionals and songblogs, and be encouraged and blessed.

Let’s give each of our bloggers a big round of applause, a hug,
and the rest they so deserve.  God bless you, ladies!

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves,
so that you live in fear again;
rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15

Adoption…God has searched you out and adopted you for His own.  Before you knew you even needed Him as your Father, He had already filled out the paperwork and made you a room in His House.

For God knew His people in advance,
and He chose them to become like His Son,
so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:29

He will never leave you fatherless in this world…after all, He wrote your name in His family tree.  And He paid a huge price for you too!

God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law,
so that He could adopt us as His very own children.
Galatians 4:5

We didn’t pay for our adoption, we only have to accept it.  The minute we do, we go from orphans with nothing to heirs with everything.  We are adopted into a new family…but we are not home yet.  We know our Father’s name, but we haven’t seen Him face to face yet.  He has claimed us but He hasn’t come for us yet.  But we know He will.  But until that day, we live as His.

You are no longer wandering alone.  You are loved so much by a King! Someone actually paid for your freedom in full with His own life!  All the sins you have committed and ever will have already been erased by His blood.  You can never do anything to make Him love you any more or less.  And, though this world may be hard, He will never let you flounder alone.  He wants so much for you, His child.

If God were to write you a letter, it might sound like this:

Dear ______,

I love you more than  you will ever understand.  I bought you and I complete you.  I will always comfort you and I will never fail you.

I know all that you have done, all the regrets and shame you feel about your past.  I want you to know that My grace is sufficient for you and I have put them all behind Me.  I have the ability to actually forget them and, of course, forgive them.  You have been washed clean, like new.  Please come to Me, for I have truly set you free.  I broke the stronghold of the enemy.  You have a home with Me in Heaven and all glory. There you will have no more sorrows, no more sadness or crying and no more death and pain.

I see that you are worried about so much that you cannot control.  But I can.  Please put your trust in Me and I will rescue you every time from all your trials.  Cling to me in your struggle and know that I will give you the strength you need to get through what is in front of you.  Don’t ever give up.  I will give you the help you need and I will give you courage.

Just trust me with all that you have.  I will never leave you.  I never sleep and I am always looking out for you.  I will go before you and make a way.  I have planned every detail of your journey here and until I come again and bring you home, I will give you what you need daily.  I love you, my precious child.

Keep pressing on toward the finish line, never losing momentum.  I will see you soon!

Your Father

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Do you know Jesus?  He is waiting on you with open arms.  I encourage you to pray with me today and ask Him into your life, to be Lord.  Pray with me:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and You sent Him to die in my place.  I ask that You come into my heart and be my God.  Please go with me and help me to grow in You.  Thank You for this life You have given me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Follow Me

April 3, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Jesus’ first words to Simon Peter were “Come, follow Me” (Matthew 4:18-19).  Jesus’  last words to Simon Peter were “Follow Me” (John 21:22).  Every step of the way between these two challenges, Peter never failed to follow…though he often stumbled.  When Jesus came into Peter’s life, this everyday fisherman with nothing special about him, grew into  a new person with new goals and new priorities.  He was far from perfect but he was always himself.

What did Jesus see in Peter?  Only Jesus knew.  He even gave him a new name—Peter the rock.

Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’) and upon this rock,
I will build My church, and all the powers of hell  will not conquer it.
Matthew 16:18 NLT

He didn’t always live up to that name, and he was quite impulsive sometimes. But Jesus wasn’t looking for perfect…He was looking for real. And Peter was a real follower of Jesus.

Peter was known for a lot of things but the one we think of at this time of year was his part in the Crucifixion.  First he defends Jesus when they come to get Him to arrest Him.  He cuts off the ear of one of the officers with his sword. Then Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows.  Of course Peter says there is no way he would do that. (But he does.)

Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.  A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”  But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.  Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”  Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.  A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”  Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.  Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

Matthew 26:69-75 NLT

Can you imagine how Peter felt after he realized that he not only had denied knowing His leader, the Messiah, but he turned away from knowing his friend.  Jesus had loved him and taught him and believed in him before he ever believed in himself.  But Jesus never turned away from Peter.  Peter knew he had failed.  But Jesus knew, when He asked Peter to follow Him, that this would happen.  But it didn’t stop Him from asking.

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He is asking you today, too.  He is saying, “Will you follow Me?”  He knows you will make mistakes and you may even live a little like Peter.  You may not tell all you come in contact with that Jesus is your Lord, but He always will love you and He will always forgive you and He is your friend.  So if today you want to answer the call, I ask that you pray this simple prayer with me.

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  My life isn’t what I want it to be and something is missing.  I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son, and He came to die for me.  I ask that You come into my life and be my Lord.  Forgive my sins.  I don’t know all that I need to know about You but I want to know.  Please walk closely with me.  Thank You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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A Letter From Your Father

March 27, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves,
so that you live in fear again;
rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15

Adoption…God has searched you out and adopted you for His own.  Before you knew you even needed Him as your Father, He had already filled out the paperwork and made you a room in His House.

For God knew His people in advance,
and He chose them to become like His Son,
so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Romans 8:29

He will never leave you fatherless in this world…after all, He wrote your name in His family tree.  And He paid a huge price for you too!

God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law,
so that He could adopt us as His very own children.
Galatians 4:5

We didn’t pay for our adoption, we only have to accept it.  The minute we do, we go from orphans with nothing to heirs with everything.  We are adopted into a new family…but we are not home yet.  We know our Father’s name, but we haven’t seen Him face to face yet.  He has claimed us but He hasn’t come for us yet.  But we know He will.  But until that day, we live as His.

You are no longer wandering alone.  You are loved so much by a King! Someone actually paid for your freedom in full with His own life!  All the sins you have committed and ever will have already been erased by His blood.  You can never do anything to make Him love you any more or less.  And, though this world may be hard, He will never let you flounder alone.  He wants so much for you, His child.

If God were to write you a letter, it might sound like this:

Dear ______,

I love you more than  you will ever understand.  I bought you and I complete you.  I will always comfort you and I will never fail you.

I know all that you have done, all the regrets and shame you feel about your past.  I want you to know that My grace is sufficient for you and I have put them all behind Me.  I have the ability to actually forget them and, of course, forgive them.  You have been washed clean, like new.  Please come to Me, for I have truly set you free.  I broke the stronghold of the enemy.  You have a home with Me in Heaven and all glory. There you will have no more sorrows, no more sadness or crying and no more death and pain.

I see that you are worried about so much that you cannot control.  But I can.  Please put your trust in Me and I will rescue you every time from all your trials.  Cling to me in your struggle and know that I will give you the strength you need to get through what is in front of you.  Don’t ever give up.  I will give you the help you need and I will give you courage.

Just trust me with all that you have.  I will never leave you.  I never sleep and I am always looking out for you.  I will go before you and make a way.  I have planned every detail of your journey here and until I come again and bring you home, I will give you what you need daily.  I love you, my precious child.

Keep pressing on toward the finish line, never losing momentum.  I will see you soon!

Your Father

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you know Jesus?  He is waiting on you with open arms.  I encourage you to pray with me today and ask Him into your life, to be Lord.  Pray with me:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and You sent Him to die in my place.  I ask that You come into my heart and be my God.  Please go with me and help me to grow in You.  Thank You for this life You have given me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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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.

 

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Imperfect Yet Beautiful

February 27, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

For His invisible attributes, namely,
His eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived,
ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made.
Romans 1:19 and 20

So after a long day I am out walking my precious dog with my youngest daughter and I see it—the sky is blue and pink…and there are clouds drizzled in between the colors…and the sun is breathtaking as it gets ready to drop off behind the ocean.  I stand amazed at His handiwork.  And I think of how good He is and how all He gives is good!

Then the questions come:  “Why is there so much yuck in this world, mama?  Like why do bad guys steal Christians and their children over there?” I have to really think before I answer. Because haven’t I asked these same questions? When marriages end…and children suffer…when there is cancer and chemo…and childrens hospitals that are always half full….  How do I answer?

I begin to read in Genesis and how much God loved the first man and woman and how beautiful He made their their home. The Garden of Eden was flawless. Trees and flowers bore their fruit and food. Adam and Eve met with God everyday; they walked with Him in the garden. Life was beautiful. Until the enemy convinced them that what God gave wasn’t good enough. That they weren’t REALLY satisfied and surely they wanted more.  The fall of man was ingratitude. Here is the story:

The Fall  Genesis 3:1-19

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”  The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”  The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals!  You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.  And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;  He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.”

To the woman He said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.  Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

To Adam He said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

God didn’t mess this world up…we did.  He saw that we needed help so He sent Jesus to die with all this sin on Him, so that we don’t have to. Jesus was the sacrifice to save us.  God is good and all He gives is good. There is beauty that comes from the ashes of all this hard.  We may not actually see the good that comes or the one person that was saved through it…but God does and that is enough.  Yes, this world is suffering but there is a day when there will be no more bad…only good. But until that day, let’s keep encouraging each other, praying for each other, and reaching out to those who don’t know Him and together we can change lives for Him.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Do you know Jesus?  Have you ever asked Him into your life?  Oh friend, He is waiting. Will you pray with me?

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner, I need forgiveness.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and the Savior of the world. I believe that You sent Him to die on the Cross so that I can live free and in eternity with You.  I ask Jesus today to come into my life and be my Lord.  Please walk with me and guide me and direct me.  Thank You for loving me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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