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.

Never Alone

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.

Prayer for Replacing Fear With Faith

Abba God,

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.

Be Anxious for Nothing

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!

Healing the Wounds of 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. to try to numb the pain and forget the past. 

The second try to pull themselves up by the boot straps choosing to bury and rise above 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 

I Will Not Be Afraid

 

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!

.

Nothing Is Impossible For Our God

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.

Releasing 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.

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.”.

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.

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.

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.

Think On These Things

It can be challenging in our humanity to rid ourselves of the clutter in our thoughts. Complex situations and struggles can evoke powerful emotions within us that can be difficult to cope with. 

To achieve His promised peace, it takes an active, conscious effort to partner with God in the valleys - to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ - to think, practice and dwell on truth, and that which is holy and pleasing unto Him...

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ..." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

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.'"

When Others Hurt Us

People even in the church can behave in very unloving and ungodly ways. They can act out in pride and holier than thou attitudes or lash out in anger, addictions, slander and malice towards others grieving the Holy Spirit in whom we were sealed. It’s easier to judge the sinful attitudes and behaviors on the surface without taking a step back and gain God’s perspective on the matter. But doesn’t Scripture tell us that God judges the heart and not the outward?

People don’t wake one morning with a hardened heart. What could have happened to an individual who acts out so negatively, rudely and hurts self and others? What kind of hurts are they carrying around inside? Please understand that whatever hurts are buried deep inside a hardened heart does not excuse the sinful behavior. God hates sin, and we are allowed to hate it too. Nevertheless, by peering into the heart of God and seeing things through His eyes, it will help us understand the reasons why people act out and will help us gain compassion and not personalize the sinful behaviors of others.

Painful wounds in our hearts can always be traced back to the effects of sin, whether our own or someone else's. Disguising pain with either good or bad habits, or addictions create a vicious cycle of guilt and shame. Whatever the coping mechanism, until the root of the hurt is dealt with the wound will continue to fester allowing sinful negative behaviors to continue. God wants to heal your broken heart. No matter what you have been through, God is bigger than anything you have experienced or are experiencing now. No matter where you’ve been, what you have done or what has been done to you … the Master Healer, Jehovah Rapha, can transform your innermost hurts into conduits of His blessings. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead can heal and restore you. He only asks one thing…”Do you want to be made well?” Healing is a choice.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:30 

The Healing Power of Facing the Truth

Nothing hurts and nothing heals like the truth. Facing the truth is sometimes like getting a shot from the doctor. Facing the truth sometimes brings a sting, but eventually healing will come and we will feel better. The truth heals us and restores us when we place our life in the hands of God. Without placing our life in Christ's love and grace, the truth can only hurt us and there are even times when the truth can maim and traumatize us.

However, God has organized things in such a way as to bless us and heal us when we are with Him and when we rejoice in knowing the truth. The truth heals and restores our soul because when we live and immerse ourselves in the truth, eventually the truth will lead us to God. We are healed and restored by the truth because the truth always leads us to a place where we find comfort and love in His presence. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is this…God loves us beyond our ability to fully comprehend. All the hurt, trauma, and tragedy of this life can be washed away in the truth of God's love and grace if we are willing to be His child.

This washing away of our darkness is how the truth heals and restores us. After we are washed clean by Christ's love, we find ourselves being wrapped up in His arms. In the washing away of our lies and deceptions, we begin to see clearly our Savior who stands by us every second of our life. We also see He wants us to join Him in Heaven after our mission on earth has been completed.  

Prayer for Heart Healing

Lord God,

I come before You with a heavy, yet willing and obedient heart. I am in pain, Lord God, and I need Your guidance, courage, and strength.

I surrender my whole heart to You and only You...I seek You and only You...I choose You and only You as my Lord and Master.

Abba Father,

Cast the Light of Your Truth into the darkened shadows of my heart...identify, expose and excise the seeds and weeds of deception...the sources of pain the enemy has placed within my heart and utilized to cheat and derail me from the authentic path ordained by You for my life.

Please give me the courage to face the pain of my past...the lies, sin, shame, guilt, doubt, violations, unmet needs, injustices, rejection, fear, abandonment, abuse, pride, denial, anger, addictions, bitterness - all things the enemy has whispered into my life and utilized to create a false belief system. Father, deliver me from this bondage and reveal to me how to truly receive Your Grace...to replace the darkness with Your Everlasting Truth and Love.

As I earnestly seek Your cleansing of the corrupted soil of my heart, I realize the enemy may retaliate, but You have promised to tuck me under Your Wing, graciously giving me Your divine spiritual, emotional and physical protection, as You are The Lord of Hosts and Ruler over all principalities.

I praise You, Lord God that You are faithful and will not allow me to endure what I am unable to walk through...that You love me and will not forsake me. 

I pray all these things in The Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

What Giants Are You Facing Today?

Would it make any difference if you just stopped...got still with God...and considered that your conflict is not against flesh or things seen, but against spiritual wickedness in high places?

Would you get on your knees in obedience...align your will with His...and surrender it to The LORD of Hosts, Jehovah-Sabaoth?

Why place your faith or trust in something less than the All-seeing, All-knowing, Almighty Creator? Why take on the battle without The Lord when there is so much power in His Name alone?

Do not fear. Do not be dismayed or discouraged. Stand firm in your faith at the feet of Jesus. He is always with you and will NEVER leave or forsake you!

HE IS RULER OVER ALL principalities and powers, seen and unseen. He is bigger than any giants we will ever face. And the battle belongs to Him!

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

2 Chronicles 20:15

...Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

1 Samuel 17:47

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Psalm 20:7-8

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

Deuteronomy 31:8

The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Jeremiah 10:6

No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in a

The Good Shepherd

He knows His sheep and we hearken to His voice.

He goes before us and carefully prepares the way; we follow Him in faith, as He is the way, truth, and life.

He is the restorer of our soul; the keeper of The Holy Spirit.

He nestles us close to His heart and carries us when we are broken; He mends, heals, and reveals to us who we are in Him.

He laid down His life for His flock; thus, we shall not want for eternity.

The LORD is our Good Shepherd...and we are His forevermore.

John 10:14

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.

1 Corinthians 8:3

But whoever loves God is known by God.

John 10:4

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Isaiah 40:11

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

1 Peter 2:25

For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." John 10:11

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Psalm 23:1

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 

Create In Me A Clean Heart

Father God,

Create in us a softened, clean, healed, whole heart... A heart that is cultivated and fertile to receive Your Word and Truth... A heart that is filled with the full measure of Your unconditional, merciful love and grace.

Weed out and remove the things that bind us and cause us to separate ourselves from You, Lord.

Plant Your seeds in the soil of our hearts, Father, and grow our roots deep...nourish and flourish us with Your Living Waters.

And let us bear an ever-increasing yield of fruits of The Spirit, according to Your Will for us in Jesus Christ.

May we all have ears that hear and a penetrable heart, for Your Glory... In The Name of our Holy and Righteous Savior, Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Mark 4:3-9

"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

.

Matthew 13:23

But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop--a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.

Rest In Jesus

When we receive Jesus as our Savior, one of the first experiences we have is deep peace. Having surrendered, we are no longer fighting against God.

Our Heavenly Father wants to give us peace and rest from the storms of life. Yet, how few of God’s people really know and experience that perfect peace that passes all understanding.

Maybe it’s because we don’t believe His promise. Like the children of Israel, we let the Giants in life keep us from taking all that God wants to give us.

Many of you are still in the wilderness; you still struggle with the flesh, and you're not gaining ground or conquering anything. You are not walking in victory.

That may be because, in our unbelief, we don’t trust Him to do the things He promised He would do. God is saying, “You have been in the wilderness long enough. It's time to move into the Promised Land. It is time to go in and conquer the land.” Take the victories that God has for you and begin to experience the richness and the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. Experience His rest.