Unfailing Love & Grace:

How merciful God is. He could look at our behavior and condemn us. He could read our mind and reject us. He could exact a thousand different punishments for all that we have done, but instead He has chosen to see us through the eyes of His unfailing love.

It is so hard to imagine what that really means. It is so foreign to the way we operate. We hold grudges, seek revenge, or at least try to get even. But not God. He does not give up on us. He sees us desperately in need of His grace. And even when we are unlovely, thoroughly lost because of our willful disobedience, He shows us the way back.

What makes this so tragic is that we don’t really believe it. We still think we need to wear the mask of our false self. You know, the self that thinks it earns God’s approval. the self that tries to please God through vain attempts at righteousness.

Today throw the mask away. You don’t need it. God sees you through His unfailing love, and He loves what He sees. As we go forth in the New Year, commit to accepting His love and let Him direct your path.

Lamentations 3:22-24
The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies, we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" (NSAB)

1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (NIV)

Psalm 25:7-8
“Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.” (NLT)

The Greatest Gift

May we forever be clothed in grace and mercy; love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable.

May we honor our Heavenly Father by abiding in the ultimate expression of His righteousness and the greatest gift of all...

John 13:34
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another.

Romans 13:8
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.

Galatians 5:14
The entire Law is fulfilled in a single decree: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

1 Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I Will Not Leave You Orphans

Heavenly Father,

We praise You for the promise of Your refuge and the covering of Your comfort...for the promise of Your balm on the broken hearted and crushed in spirit.

Lord, we claim the victory that we are never alone, never orphans...that You have prepared a way for us to dwell with You eternally...and we pray for Your guidance and protection in our temporary dwelling place.

Lord, we praise You that You are always near, and we call upon You in truth for healing in our hearts...in our homes...in our communities...in our world.

Lead us by still waters and bless us with strength and endurance; keep us on Your ordained and anointed path of light and love...and we praise You that because of Your plan, we have purpose!

Jesus, we need You every minute of every day! We pray for Your Kingdom...for You to remove all sorrow and wipe the tears from our eyes...for the day when every knee bows to You, Almighty Father God! For You are worthy!

Thank You, Lord, for deliverance and for making Your home in our hearts. Cleanse and purify us, according to Your will.

In The Name of Jesus Christ, our precious Savior, we praise You and pray these things,

Amen.

Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit

Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Psalm 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

Psalm 73:28
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.

James 4:8(a)
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Romans 14:11
It is written: "As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God."

Revelations 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.

Joy Comes In The Morning

Take heart brethren, for no matter what temporary trials are troubling your heart today, it is in no comparison to the glorious paradise that awaits those who are in him.

Keep the faith...fight the good fight...give it to our Abba God...and readily receive His grace. For, His mercies are unending and everlasting! He will refresh, restore and strengthen you, according to His promises.

Be confident and unashamed, boldly approaching The Throne of Grace. And may incomprehensible, everlasting joy be yours every morning...forevermore!

2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Romans 8:18
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Colossians 3:4
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Titus 2:13
...while we wait for the blessed hope--the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ...

1 John 2:28
And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

1 John 3:2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Overcoming Anxiety

Anxiety disguises itself. It may appear as a twitch or a pain. It causes headaches. It’s tightness in the chest or an uncontrollable shakiness in the legs. It is a fear that’s unnecessary and yet, like a puppy freed from its leash, anxiety is impossible to control once it takes over your mind.

We are commanded in scripture to trade worry for prayer. Start today. Every time an unwanted thought intrudes, block it with a prayer. Even speaking the name of Jesus in such moments has great power. Jesus does not want you to be weighed down and burdened by worry. He asks you to release your cares to Him and let Him take care of you.

Day by day, hour by hour, even moment by moment, learn to trust Him more. He will always come through, and in the end, you will see that the worry did not change things – but prayers did!

Lord,
No one knows the secret fears that I carry around in my heart. No one but You. May I lay down fear and pick up confidence instead. You are my confidence and peace.

In Jesus, Name, Amen!

Replacing Fear With Faith

Abba God,
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I pray that today and every day You will teach us how to replace our fears with faith...

That we will cast our anxieties, fears, doubts and uncertainties upon You and allow Your Perfect Love to drive out those feelings that are not born of The Holy Spirit....that we will surrender our troubles to You, our Holy Heavenly Father, who is ALWAYS GREATER than any rejection, failure, criticism, emotion or enemy we may face today or tomorrow.

I pray that we will grow an enormous and abundant faith in You...an all-knowing, ever-present, always-loving God...and walk in the confidence and sound mind that comes from knowing who You truly are. I pray that our trust in You will produce in us a faith that will enable us to let go of things that ensnare us...give these strongholds to you, and receive peace beyond measure in our hearts and minds.

I pray that we will cling to Your Truth and Your Promises, and find refuge in You when we encounter the wilderness...place our trust in You, our Tower of Strength, for You, LORD, are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. And, You have repeatedly assured us that You are for us and will keep us in peace!

Father, we thank You and praise You for Your Grace, Love, Mercy and Sovereign Protection in our lives! We thank You for the atoning Sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, so that we may be reconciled unto You. We praise You for our adoption and citizenship in Your Kingdom, and for the security, peace, and comfort that You provide in our authentic identity in Christ!

In Jesus Christ's Holy, Righteous Name...Amen!

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

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

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control.

Healing from the Past

Many believers are able to let go of the past and live and thrive in the fullness of a new life in Christ. Sadly many cannot because they have been wounded and crippled emotionally in one way or another. So instead of running the race with endurance – they limp along the way.

There are two types of emotionally wounded believers – The first turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms,-negative behaviors – addictions, immorality, anger, etc.

The second try to pull themselves up by the boot straps choosing to bury and rise about their past through self-efforts and busy themselves with many things including work, ministry, volunteer work, charities, always doing -  often out of a need to be needed and valued rather than a healthy heart to serve. The problem is they have never dealt with the pain and believe that they are living free but are still living in bondage because deep inside they still believe the lies behind the pain.

Both are hurting, and both are in denial. They may have different coping mechanisms but one thing in common….they have never fully accepted the Grace of God into the deeply wounded areas of their hearts.Both are hindered from living the abundant life that Jesus spoke about in John 10:10

How do they move forward? The past must be dealt with in order to move forward. Burying it doesn’t work, stuffing doesn’t work, pretending it's not there doesn’t work….sooner or later it unravels….the stuffing comes out in negative behaviors or even seemingly good behaviors, but at the root, there is something entirely different going on.

Give your hurts to Jesus. Stop running and hiding from the past. Let God heal your hurts and replace the lies with the truth of who you are in Jesus. Let go. Put the past behind, reach ahead and run the race with endurance and assurance of God’s calling on our life.

“Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:1-2

Anxiety

Father God,

My anxiety often causes spiraling thoughts and sleepiness nights.

Help me to remember that there is only one true comfort and that is YOU.

Help me to remember that you are always with me.

Help me to remember that you will never leave me or forsake me.

Help me to remember that when I realize that my anxiety and fear are covered by YOU…what else is there for me to fear?

Help me to replace those things which make my anxiety worse with thoughts that correct my thinking and eliminate worry, anxiety, and fear so that I can confidently declare as it says in Psalm 51:3 – “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

In Jesus, Name, Amen!

My Times Are In Your Hands

There is a fascination in this culture with wanting to know the future. The truth is people don’t understand the reality and the pain of knowing the future. Jeremiah knew this pain well. God gave Him the ability to see into the future - the devastation, captivity, and disaster God’s people would face as a consequence for their idolatry and disobedience. He was grieved to the core for his countrymen and the nation of Israel. So much so that he is known as the ‘weeping prophet.”
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We should be grateful that we don’t know what is coming around the bend in our life. There are enough trials, tribulations, hardships, losses, betrayals, and bitter blows that will have us grieving and weeping too.
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Comfort yourself knowing that our God is already living in the future, sees all and already turning things around for your good because He loves you.
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His grace will be sufficient each day to help you thrive and live out the fullness of the abundant life Jesus came to give God’s children and when we are ready to go Home, He will be there guaranteeing our safe arrival in heaven and into His everlasting arms of love.

The Ban Aid of Bitterness

When we are hurt by others, the fastest way to stop the emotional bleeding is to put on the band-aid of bitterness. It keeps us from feeling the pain and on guard of being hurt again. It also keeps us from feeling God at work in our lives or His call to do His work.

God’s word warns “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springs up and cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” (Hebrews 12:15) Once bitterness has taken root it causes the wound to fester and grow. Anger, depression, anxiety…all grow out of bitterness.

To get rid of the ban aid of bitterness we need to allow God to come in and clean the wound so that it can heal properly.  Because even though it’s been covered up through various coping mechanisms, is still there and it still hurts. Just like a cut that got infected, emotional wounds have to be cleaned so we can get rid of the infection and heal.

Like poison bitterness can slowly kill us. It can harden our hearts to where when God points it out to us we turn our back on what we need to do to get rid of it. The good news is that we have a Savior who can heal our broken hearts and bind up our wounds so that we no longer have to pretend that everything is okay and stop putting on a happy face when we are crying on the inside.

Take your hurts to Jesus. He can clean out the wound causing the infection of bitterness that is making you heartsick and preventing you from giving or receiving forgiveness and living in the fullness of His love and grace.

Exchange

There is absolutely nothing too great for our God.
There is no sin He cannot forgive, no problem He can’t resolve, no relationship He can't repair. There is no hurt in our heart that He cannot heal.

Our job is to relinquish our control; partner with Him, and exchange whatever “it” is for His yoke instead. With this sweet, obedient surrender comes the promise of Grace...His incomprehensible peace...and rest for our souls.

LORD God, we praise You that You are limitless and Your burden is light. We place You on Your rightful Throne in our lives, and surrender to You all the ways we are trying to fix our brokenness and bondage. We invite You in for deliverance and healing in The Name of Jesus. We claim the victory of Your Grace, mercy, peace and rest. Father, we want Your best for our lives today and everyday. Lead us, LORD, in the way of Your righteousness, all for Your Glory. In The Name of our precious Savior...Amen!

Jeremiah 32:27
I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Jeremiah 32:17
Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Matthew 11:29-30
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Exodus 33:14
And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 2 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

He Binds Up The Broken

Let this promise for the lost, wounded, hurting, sick and wandering fill you with hope. God fulfills His promise to those who cry out to Him. He pursues with His steadfast and unwavering love.
Understanding how He longs to mend, heal, and restore you will fill your heart with joy.

No matter what has happened in your life, what you’ve done or how far you have wandered, our Good Shepherd will find you, restore you, and bring you home.

Psalm 23:1-3
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures; He leads be beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Isaiah 40:11
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Psalm 100:3
Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 'he will lead them to springs of living water.' 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'"

God Restores

Brokenness is a heart condition. Jesus is the remedy...and His cure guarantees eternal life!
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When we invite in The Great Physician to perform His spiritual surgery, we receive a heart healing that includes redemption, restoration, rest and peace...beside the still waters of everlasting love.
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Won't you cry out to The Balm of Gilead? That He may bind and heal your wounded heart? .
Psalm 30:2
O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
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Psalm 107:20
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
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Psalm 103:3
Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;
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Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
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Matthew 9:12
On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
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1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
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Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead,
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no recovery
For the health of the daughter of my people?
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Isaiah 53:5
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Cure for the Troubled Heart

May we turn to The Lord when our hearts are heavy...for He alone is The Rock and the source of our joy, rest, peace, healing, and everlasting salvation.

The Father designed, created, and breathed life into us; only He knows our need and has the capacity to fix and fill us eternally. He is faith and hope perfected...and we can absolutely trust Him to shield and strengthen our heart. 

Run into the arms of the God of all comfort...invite Jesus into your troubled heart. He sustain you and fill you with incomprehensible, eternal peace. Selah!

Psalm 61:2

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. 

Nehemiah 8:10

Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I will thank Him with my song.

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Philippians 4:7

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.