Free Will

God created us as free-moral-agents. We are free to choose eternal life or death...free to choose Fruits of The Spirit or the "forbidden fruit" we may be confronted with each day...free to choose Him.

Praise God that when we exercise our free will and choose Christ (the authentic path designed for us long ago), we experience the HIGHEST FORM OF FREEDOM!

In His love for us, Abba God not only gives us freedom of choice, but also offers a plan when we get derailed! He stretches out His arms from afar and promises forgiveness, mercy, grace, redemption, and restoration. What love!

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom

Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Luke 15:20-24
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.

Heavenly Hope

May The Lord ordain, anoint and order our steps as we press toward a new world.

May He bless us with a fierce faith, strengthening and sustaining our hearts, as we fight the good fight and run our race...

And may we be filled with Heavenly hope in our high calling, with our eyes on the prize of eternity with Jesus.

1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.

2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not because of our own works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time eternal.

Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your minds on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

2 Timothy 2:10
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.

2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

1 Corinthians 9:23
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Truth and Mercy

May our hearts be softened to receive and reciprocate the truth and mercy of The Gospel of Christ.

For, when we allow this to be written in our hearts - truly receiving what He has so freely given to us - we will extend this same mercy, kindness, forgiveness, hope, help, compassion and love to others.

When we cling to and walk sincerely and diligently in His truth and love, our lamps burn bright as a beacon to God's hurting children, that they might also be led to His truth and find comfort in the arms of our Father.

It is, after all, the way of Christ...for He is steadfast in His love, grace and mercy to us us...forevermore.

John 1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Psalm 89:33
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Eternal Perspective

A key factor in achieving peace in the midst of adversity is maintaining our eternal perspective. This strengthens our resolve as we wait patiently on The Lord. We focus on our Lifeboat, Who provides a refuge of still waters, regardless of the surrounding stormy seas.

Eternal perspective is gained through prayer and intimate fellowship with The Father, help from The Holy Spirit, saturation in the scripture, and by consciously removing our gaze from the worldly temptations Satan surrounds us with.

Eternal perspective lends a Godly view...the REAL big picture...and assists us in overcoming temptations and weathering storms, while maintaining perfect peace of mind.

When we look through the Christ lens, we experience love and grace, and we extend the same to others. We have everlasting peace, because we understand we were carefully crafted with purpose; that God intends for us to live an abundant, fruitful life, not one constantly tainted with misery, regret and uncertainty. As our faith is strengthened in the presence of our Savior, we glean more of Who our God really is and we gain a more personalized understanding of His design for us.

Our eternal perspective is founded in God's truth and is steeped in His cherished promises. We are enabled to make each day count for our King, because we have our eyes on the prize. So, at the end of an enormously tough day or season, we know with all that we are, it is virtually non-existent when compared to the reward of an eternity with Jesus.

Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!

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.

John 14:2
In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your minds on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Revelation 3:21
To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

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.

Philippians 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ...

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.

2 Samuel 22:31
As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

Strength In His Grace

Father God,

I pray that today and every day we will become more aware of who You Are...Your Grace, Sovereignty, Power, Protection, Eternal Love and Mighty Mercy. May we learn to not place limits on You and what You alone can do in us and through us in order to accomplish Your purpose and perfect plan.

I pray that in those moments when we are at our weakest, we will have a willing and sincere heart to receive all that You are; to partner with You, and walk in Your unwavering peace and mighty strength.

Remind us, Lord, that we are already overcomers through the redemptive blood of Christ...and may we become more aware every day of our true, authentic identity...our sealed, eternal inheritance.

We praise You and thank You, Father God, for all that You are today and every day...for Your precious promises...and for our adoption into Your glorious Kingdom.

In Jesus Christ's holy and righteous name...Amen!

2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Ephesians 3:16
I pray that out of the riches of His glory, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

1 Timothy 1:12
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure.

Ephesians 1:5
He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Ephesians 2:19
Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints and members of God's household.

Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.

1 Corinthians 8:3
But the one who loves God is known by God.

1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim 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.

Draw Near To God

Let us call upon The Lord with a sincere heart and steadfast faith...seek Him earnestly and delight ourselves in Him.

Let us trust in His promises and take refuge in our Rock, Stronghold and Shield...find safety, strength and fruitful seasons in Him.

Let us draw near to our Deliverer in truth and transparency, finding that He is never far away...that our cries are readily received by His Heavenly ears.

And may we come away with a new song in our heart...rejoicing and praising Him forevermore!

Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

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

Psalm 18:6
In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:31
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God,

Deuteronomy 4:7
For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him?

Jeremiah 23:23
"Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "And not a God far off?"

Acts 17:27
God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

Acts 14:17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."

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.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

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.

Call Upon The Lord

Approach The Throne of Grace with a sincere, obedient, confident heart...feel the omniscient presence of The Lord.

Make your requests known to Him...share the innermost depths of your heart with Him...for He is close to the broken-hearted and hears the cries of His children.

Call upon The Lord in truth and transparency...lean into Him...and He will draw near to you and hear His servant's prayers.

Psalm 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

1 Kings 8:28
Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, LORD my God.
Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

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

He Is With You Always

Let not your hearts be troubled, dear brothers and sisters, for you are never alone. If even for a moment you feel lonely, abandoned or rejected, speak God's truth into your life.

The Sovereign Lord of Hosts and The Creator of ALL things will never leave or forsake you! You are not orphaned; you are not rejected; and you are never alone in Him. You have a family, an eternal inheritance and an identity sealed by the Author of love and life.

Through the intercession of Christ and the gift of The Holy Spirit, our Father is with us ALWAYS...in this temporary dwelling place and beyond. This is His eternal promise to His precious children!

John 14:16-18
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:3
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

John 14:17-19
that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.…

Hebrews 13:5
because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Matthew 28:20
"and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age"

We Walk by Faith Not By Sight

Thank the Lord our faith depends on what HE can do, and not on what we can do. If you're walking by faith with some things in your life right now, don't stop, friends. Don't let go of His outstretched hand. All God asks is that we trust Him. Trust Him with all that we have. Trust Him to fulfill all our needs. And allow HIM to be our All in all. Don’t lose sight of the Truth. God is a good God. His heart is pure. EVERYTHING He does has purpose, and as hard as it is to remember sometimes, everything He does is filled with perfection. He is not leading you to leave you desolate and alone. He won’t allow you to go the wrong way if you are seeking Him and His will for your life. Trust that! Hold on to it! 

When we remember who He is, we can stand with confidence in what He is doing. We can know that He IS who He says He is and, that He is a GOOD GOOD God. A God who loves you so much, and if you could only see what HE sees, you would understand everything. You would understand His timing. His ways. His words. His direction. Don’t turn from Him when you are feeling lost or confused – turn TO Him, and He will bless you. 

He loves you with an everlasting love. As much as the cross signifies that, He will go into even greater depths to show you all the more in this season of your life. Why? Because He loves you. Because YOU matter to Him. Because there is only one of YOU, and He longs for YOU to know His heart. To know His love. To know how valuable you are. 

So rest in knowing that He sees you. He has His hand on you. He hasn’t forgotten about you, and where are you are at is not a surprise to Him. Trust Him. He is working. He is faithful and, He will show you. He will show you He is in control. He will show you His great love. He will do, the impossible.

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act." Psalms 37:5

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

by Sarah Armstrong

Intercession

Intercessory prayers reflect the very essence of God's own character...rich in unconditional love, grace and mercy.

Praying for others enables us to look beyond ourselves and increases our empathy, concern and compassion for others.

Think about this...who do you want to spend eternity with? Are there people you care about who do not know Jesus? Are you praying for them...interceding without ceasing?

Then, consider this...love and pray for your enemies. This is truly putting on the compassion of Christ and going beyond yourself in interceding for them.

Remember, prayer is sweet smelling aroma that pleases Him (Revelation 5:8). The Father desires our prayers! Prayer strengthens our faith and increases our intimacy with Him! In it, we are reflecting and glorifying Jesus!

Let us pray with sincere hearts and without ceasing on behalf of God's hurting children...that they will have a heart change and receive Jesus...that they will share in our eternal inheritance...and experience the riches, hope, glory and everlasting grace freely given by our Abba Father!

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

His Mercy Never Fails

Lord God,

We praise You for each and every promise,
including those brand-new today.
We pray to walk with You and know You,
in every single way.

You are a great and faithful Father
to those who fear and follow You;
So, to Thee we lift our praise...
Thank You for loving us completely, as only You can do!

In Jesus Christ's Name,
Amen.

Psalm 103:10
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Malachi 3:6
"For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

Psalm 105:8
He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations.

Psalm 106:45
And He remembered His covenant for their sake, And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.

Psalm 69:16
Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me...

Psalm 63:3
Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we confess, for He who promised is faithful.

Lamentations 3:24
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him."