He Will Direct Your Path

It is easy for us to get carried away in our thinking about what we want. We tend to plunge into the waters head first before first consulting with our Lifeguard...you know, the One who walks on water.

Regardless of our desires and plans, we should bring it all to the full counsel of God; present our petitions and align our emotions with His truth. We must lean into Him for understanding and ask Him to lay on our heart what His will is for our circumstances...and for our life.

When we bring Him into our decision-making, we receive the full measure of His promises. Only our Creator can lead us on our authentic and ordained path, as He is the Architect who designed it! He delights in the innermost desires of our heart and will guide us in the way that is holy, righteous and pleasing unto Him.

Praise The Lord that His plans, ways and thoughts are not like our own! He is the eternal resource with every correct answer. He is able to produce results far beyond what we can achieve alone. Complete surrender to His way is not always the path of least resistance, but we are assured peace as we progress...and to always receive what is His best for us. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding."(Prov 3:5)

Guard Your Heart

 Conflict can arise in the best relationships. People are flawed and often will do and say things that wound us. Holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness causes walls to go up around our hearts that separate us from God, self and others leading to intimacy issues. Give and receive forgiveness.

Don't let your heart get hardened. It will effect every area of your life. Are you carrying around a stony heart? Run to the only One who can soften, change, heal, and shape it. He will leave His fingerprints all over it. 

“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”

Mathew 15:18

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”

‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭11:19‬ ‭

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:14-15‬ 

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:23-24‬ ‭

Nothing Will Separate

You are not unwanted. You are chosen. You were to die for. You are not alone. You are His! 

No matter where you are, where you have been, what you have done or what's been done to you,  no matter the trial, circumstances, past or present sins, failures or hurts - you are covered in His grace. You are loved! Don't let the enemy lie to you. None of those things define you. You belong to Jesus. You are a child of the living God - precious, cherished and adored!

Let Jesus -  The Balm of Gilead heal your heart so you can walk in victory anchored in the truth of who you are in Him!

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭

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 Is Jealous for You

God's jealousy differs from the sinful jealousy we typically succumb to in our humanity.

God is not envious of nor coveting something that does not rightfully belong to Him.

His jealousy, just as all that He Is, is born from pure agape love...

He is jealous of anything compromising our surrender of our whole heart to Him...something that rightfully belongs to Him anyway, as we were created by Him and for Him.

He is jealous of us placing anything before Him because He is all-knowing and all-seeing...He desires to spare us the danger, misery and sin that follows as a result of not placing Him first in our lives.

He loves us completely, zealously, and divinely - and His godly jealousy for us is rooted in that as well.

Consider Paul's example, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

We have ONLY One God, One Master, One Groom...let us prepare diligently for that day and surrender our whole hearts to our betrothed, as we wait in confident expectation and anticipation.

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7)

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God..." (Exodus 20:5)

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.." (Colossians 1:16)

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

God Has Not Given Us A Spirit of Fear

God’s Word tells that us He has not given us a spirit of fear. Walking in a state of perpetual fear is bondage; a spiritual battle only conquered through God and His truth.

Reacting to protect ourselves from eminent danger is a healthy fear response. In contrast, being a slave to fear produces crippling hopelessness, doubt and uncertainty...all strongholds of the enemy. False emotions beget a faulty belief system, which robs us of our peace and derails us from our authentic path of freedom.

As with any darkness, a spirit of fear is demolished by light and truth...and that Truth is The Word of God. We must don the Sword of The Spirit...read, believe, absorb and apply The Word. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

Praise The Lord that He has called us into His marvelous light and that He is with us always!

Joshua 1:8-9

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

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.

Romans 8:15

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"

.

The Bond of Perfection

Our greatest need is for love. In order to love we must be carriers of it. Oswald Chambers said “No love of the natural heart is safe unless the human heart has been satisfied by God first.”

Only the love of God satisfies. If you are desperately trying to get your need for love met in anyone or anything outside of God, then you will live in constant disappointment. But, the love of God never disappoints. Run to Jesus and let Him fill you with His love - perfect, satisfying, unfailing - the bond of perfection.

1 John 4:8

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:16

And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Psalm 107:9

For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Psalm 63:1

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.

1 Corinthians 13:8(a)

Love never fails..

My Help Comes from The Lord

What a magnificent and comforting truth it is to know the Creator of ALL things, seen and unseen, loves each one of us specifically and individually...and cares enough to give and fulfill His promises to us.

He is the help, hope, refuge, rock, and strength to all of those who seek Him!

Psalm 89:11

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them.

Psalm 147:4

He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.

Psalm 59:16

But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your loving kindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.

Psalm 62:7

On God, my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Psalm 62:8

Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Stand Firm

Brethren, we must stand firm on God’s Truth. It only takes one waking day in this decaying world to recognize the perilous times at hand. There is an increasing urgency in our commission as we prepare for our beloved Groom.

Everything true and just is found in God’s Word. His precepts and promises are immutable and He is seeing it all through to fulfillment. Lest we fall slaves to the deceit and bondage of this world, we must don the sword of the Spirit and guard the precious Truth entrusted to us.

His Truth is holy, pure and without compromise. With it, we are fully equipped to live a life that is righteous and blameless in His sight...as worthy vessels for the priceless cargo we carry for our beautiful Lord and Savior. His Word contains every perfect instruction to serve honorably in our faithful race.

Beloved brothers and sisters, He IS the way...and the gate is narrow. Stand firm...be encouraged...and always be prepared to share the source of your hope. Speak truth boldly and without shame, but always with the love of Jesus..

Oh, how blessed are those who receive Christ into their hearts! For, they shall walk in truth, love, light and freedom...and unto them is the imperishable crown of eternal life!

Psalm 40:2

He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

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.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

Mark 13:31

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

James 1:12

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

Sealed!

 The next time Satan whispers in your ear and reminds you of all those painful past memories and mistakes, remind him of your future... For those who are believers in Christ, their names are written in The Book of Life and eternal salvation is theirs... This is eternal victory and your forever future!

Rejoice and live in abundance today, for you are sealed and His forevermore!

 "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Revelation 21:27)

 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

(‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭1:21-22‬)

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.“ (Revelation 3:5)

Promised by God

Speak these promises of Truth over your life if, for even just a moment, you feel hopeless, unwanted, unworthy, worn down, or uncertain. Remember to Whom you belong, and cling to The Father’s Truth concerning who you truly are:

You are God’s treasured possession; the praise of His glory!

You are adopted by The Father as one with The Son! .

You are promised the imperishable crown of eternal life!

You are a citizen of Heaven!

You have received an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade!

Your purpose has been anointed, ordained, and secured!

You are sealed and blessed with the covenant of Grace and Eternity!

You are rescued, ransomed, redeemed, renewed, sanctified, and more fully transformed into The Lord’s image with each passing moment!

You are chosen, holy, special - a royal priesthood - called out of the dark and into the marvelous Light of the Living God! .

Hallelujah!

Malachi 3:17

"They will be Mine," says the LORD of Hosts, "on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.

Ephesians 1:5

He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Ephesians 1:14

who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession, to the praise of His glory.

Romans 8:14

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

John 1:12

But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--

Romans 8:17

And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ--if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

He is Holy

Our Lord God is the Holiest of holies, far beyond anything else in existence. Yet, regardless of our human condition, our Heavenly Father desires an intimate relationship and fellowship with each of His children! 

He desires for us to choose, honor and obey Him; to receive His sanctification and transformation into holiness. God created us in His likeness and designed us to spend eternity with Him! So much that He gave His only Son to accomplish this!

Let us approach His Holy Realm with humility; honor our time with Him on Holy Ground. Let us choose, praise, glorify, obey and worship our Abba Father in the manner that He is worthy.

Our Lord God is high and lifted up...and He Is Holy, Holy, Holy!

Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.
~Psalm 99:3

There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
~1 Samuel 2:2

...and they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 
~Isaiah 6:3

...and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.
~Revelation 4:8

And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
~Exodus 3:5

The Author of Peace

God brings order out of chaos, even the chaos we create ourselves.

If there is conflict and confusion in your life today and you lack peace, chances are you are looking at the relationship, situation, or problem through the eyes of the world. Doing so brings about impatience, disorder, and anxiety, which can cause us to lash out unlovingly at others.

But when you shift your focus through God’s lens, His peace begins to reign in your heart. God is able to help you respond to others in love, patience, and forgiveness; thus, maintaining peace with those around you. It’s your choice – you can live in confusion or chaos, or you can live a life marked by peace.

Proverbs 16:7 
When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Isaiah 26:3 
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

John 14:27 
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33 
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Breaking The Bondage of Seeking Approval

It’s been said that if you live for the acceptance of others, you will die from their rejection. If your sense of self-worth is based on the approval of others, your value is at the mercy of what others think about you. Your identity, who you are, how you see yourself is determined by how others see you and respond to you.

In our brokenness, we tend to give people a lot of power. People on the outside control my thoughts, feelings, and my will. They own me. I don’t know who I am, and I live in fear of failing to meet their approval and being rejected.

Only God is allowed to have control over our lives. We need to give our fear of rejection over to the Lord. He created us and established our worth. When we let His love pour into us, we learn to trust Him, and He will turn our fear into faith, and we will find full acceptance in the arms of our precious Savior.

If you believe that you may be living for the approval of others, evaluate the following statements and see if you identify with any of them.

”I am not good enough.”

“I have to try harder.”

“I have to earn love.’

“I flatter people so they will like me.”

“I have to be perfect.”

“I always feel less than.”

“I know what I think is not important.”

“I know that I am not likable.”

“I never feel like I belong.”

“I don’t measure up.”

If you can relate to any of the above chances are that there is a deep root of rejection driving your need for approval and acceptance from others. Please understand that just because you have been rejected in the past, you don’t have to walk in fear that you will be rejected again by others. We can be so crippled by the fear of being rejected that without realizing it we can push others away, or create situations where we will be rejected fulfilling a self-imposed prophecy that causes us to continue to believe lies about ourselves and feel alone and rejected

Purify Me, Lord

 Holy and Heavenly Father God,

I pray that today and every day You will partner with me in a thorough examination and cleansing of my heart…reveal, heal and deliver me of all the strongholds I am bound by in my life.

LORD, please expose with Your Truth and Light all the pain, fear, shame, guilt and sorrow that is hidden within dark places of my heart...all the things that prevent me from living a life of freedom, peace, and joy that come from a transparent relationship with You.

Father, please show me how to come before You in faith, trust, obedience and submission …and in this exchange, please reveal to me all the lies I have received and believed in my life…partner with me in replacing my deformed belief system with Your Word and Your Truth, which is infallible and endures forever.

Teach me Your Ways, LORD, and show me how to find freedom in forgiveness of self and others…to embrace myself as a new creation...to put away the former things and live each day in the way You designed and ordained long ago...and to see myself through Your eyes, as Your precious child and joint heir with Christ in Your Kingdom of Heaven.

Show me, LORD, how to receive Your Fatherly Forgiveness, Great Grace, Limitless Love and Marvelous Mercy…lead me to bathe in the peaceful, still waters of renewal and sanctification…anoint me with Your Holy Spirit until my cup runs over.

Write a new story on my heart, LORD…one born of The Holy Spirit and guided by the power of Your redemption and restoration...please bless and comfort me with a holy wholeness of healing that is only possible through You, Jehovah-Rapha, my LORD Who Heals.

Abba Father, I praise You for all that You Are, yesterday, today and tomorrow, and pray all these things in the Name of my Savior, Jesus Christ...

Amen.
Be of good cheer. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace. (Luke 8:48)

God Is Love

God is the author and originator of love. HE IS LOVE. It is because of His love that we exist and are also able to love.

There is absolutely nothing that can alter The Father's pure, authentic, unconditional love for His precious children. He will never leave or forsake us. His love cannot be earned; the debt has already been paid in full. His love is based on Who He is, not who we are or what we do or think.

Choose His love. It is a holy, perfect, perpetual gift that guarantees grace and freedom. And it can be unwrapped every day...for eternity.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

1 John 4:9
This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?

Romans 8:39
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I Am Fearfully And Wonderfully Made

There is NOTHING wrong with me. I was created in the image of God and I am who I am by His Grace.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:13-16

“By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭71:6‬ ‭

The Heart of the Matter

 "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

— Matthew 9:13 (NIV)

God desires humbleness, submission, compassion, right action, just behavior, all stemming from an authenticity — the condition of the heart.

Without heart, all that's left is sacrifice, and Jesus didn't come for sacrifice — He was the sacrifice — He came for the heart.

A person who sees their own wrong, they see that they're a sinner. If that person is you, look up and be blessed.

"For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

—Luke 5:32 (NIV)

Your heart searches for mercy, and if you accept, God is there to give you grace.

"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

— Mark 2:17 (NIV)

Made Well

I pray that today and every day You will partner with me in a thorough examination and cleansing of my heart…reveal, heal and deliver me of all the strongholds I am bound by in my life.

LORD, please expose with Your Truth and Light all the pain, fear, shame, guilt and sorrow that is hidden within dark places of my heart...all the things that prevent me from living a life of freedom, peace and joy that come from a transparent relationship with You.

Father, please show me how to come before You in faith, trust, obedience and submission...and in this exchange, please reveal to me all the lies I have received and believed in my life…partner with me in replacing my deformed belief system with Your Word and Your Truth, which is infallible and endures forever.

Teach me Your Ways, LORD, and show me how to find freedom in forgiveness of self and others…to embrace myself as a new creation …to put away the former things and live each day in the way You designed and ordained long ago...and to see myself through Your eyes, as Your precious child and joint heir with Christ in Your Kingdom of Heaven.

Show me, LORD, how to receive Your Fatherly Forgiveness, Great Grace, Limitless Love and Marvelous Mercy…lead me to bathe in the peaceful, still waters of renewal and sanctification…anoint me with Your Holy Spirit until my cup runs over.

Write a new story on my heart, LORD…one born of The Holy Spirit and guided by the power of Your redemption and restoration...please bless and comfort me with a holy wholeness of healing that is only possible through You, Jehovah-Rapha, my LORD Who Heals.

Abba Father, I praise You for all that You Are, yesterday, today and tomorrow, and pray all these things in the Name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

A Contrite Heart

Blessed are those who mourn with Godly sorrow...who have a contrite, humble heart and revere The Word of The Lord...for, to them comes repentance that leads to salvation.

The Lord looks to them...they receive forgiveness and and are promised comfort and cleansing through the indwelling of The Holy Spirit.

They know Jesus Christ as The Savior for their sin and confidently approach The Throne of Grace without shame, fear or regret. They are reconciled unto God The Father, and their heart is filled with joy and peace; they receive rest and have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Blessed are those indeed who mourn and have repented...they are forgiven and hidden in Christ...for them there is no condemnation and they will dwell in The House of The Lord forever.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Isaiah 66:2

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.