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.
If
you knew how valuable and treasured you are, you would do all you can
to lift others up when they are down, and not want to put them down or
try to find fault with them.
If you knew how valuable and treasured you are, you would always encourage others and never discourage them.
If you knew how valuable and treasured you are, you would help people
see beyond their present circumstances into a bright and shining future
filled with hope because all of us have a bright and shining future
anchored in the hope we have in Christ.
If you knew how
valuable and treasured you are, you would see people through their
brokenness and not their faults because that is how your beloved Father
in heaven sees you.
If you knew how valuable and treasured you
are, you would pray daily for others, especially the lost, and the
unlovable who are seldom on anyone’s prayer list. You would understand
that hurting people hurt people and often lash out because they don’t
know what to do with the pain they carry inside.
If you knew
how valuable and treasured you are, you would know that it is impossible
to love others unless you receive God’s love first. We love because He
first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Precious child of the living God, when
you know your value and worth in Jesus, you will go from a head
knowledge relationship with the lover of your soul to a heart knowledge
relationship overflowing with love, mercy, and grace that will freely
pour out on others.
You are His treasure! Of so much worth! “See how
very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that
is what we are! (1 John 3:1)
Thank
You for encouragement and truth in Your Word and Your promise of
sufficient grace. I thank You for creating me the way I am and for
showing me how to accept even my weaknesses...for this is where You fill
in the gap with Your grace and Your power is magnified.
I pray for less of me and more of You....reveal to me new areas where I need refinement of character...sanctify me with Your Holy Spirit and maturate me spiritually, as You bring me from faith to faith...from glory to glory.
Show me Your Ways, Lord. Take all of me and shape me according to Your
perfect will...partner with me today and every day, so that others will
see You in me...all for Your glory and Your kingdom.
I praise
You for Your redemptive gift of Christ so that I may freely receive
grace and walk in freedom...in my true, authentic identity. Thank You
for Your ongoing transformation in me and for bringing me to where I am
today. I praise You, Lord, for all the ways You have chosen to bless
me...and I pray that You will enable me to open up even more of my heart
to the work of Your hands.
Keep me on Your lighted, anointed
and ordained path for my life, Father...and thank You for Your comfort
and grace when I lose my footing. I need You...I love You...and I fully
trust Your plan and purpose for my life, which belongs to You alone.
I pray this all in Jesus Christ's Holy and Righteous Name,
Amen.
1 Corinthians 2:5
...so that your faith would not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
2 Corinthians 12:5
I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.
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...
2 Corinthians 13:9
In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in
hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I
am strong.
Do
not be afraid. God will not allow the enemy to swallow you up. You are a
child of the Living God. He will deliver you, honor you, and will be
glorified through you. God is faithful. Even your enemies will see His
power.
He will keep you in sickness, and in death. He will be
your comfort. He will walk you through the valley, and you will fear no
shadow. Hold on to His promises.
Like a compass on a ship set your course and find your way by the
promises of God. They will lead you, comfort you, and guide you through
the most treacherous path. They will give you direction and wisdom and
open up your own understanding to His inerrant Word.
Study
God’s Word. It abounds with nuggets of courage. It will strengthen you
and help you, and fill you with everlasting life and peace.
Matthew 6:13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
1 Corinthians 1:9
God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who
keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation
with those who love Him and keep His commandments.
When
others criticize us, as difficult as it may be to accept, God may be
using them as ‘heavenly sandpaper” to teach, correct, and refine us.
But constant harsh criticism, the kind that leaves us feeling demeaned,
discouraged and devalued can cause emotional wounds, strain
relationships, and stunt emotional growth especially when it comes at
the hands of those we love and trust the most. We are called to build each other up not tear each other down.
Sadly, those who have a pattern of tearing down may be acting out
modeled behavior of harsh criticism from early childhood. Don’t
personalize a person’s critical spirit. They are acting out of
woundedness causing them to sin against you. Guard your heart against
believing lies about yourself, set healthy boundaries to protect
yourself, don’t retaliate, hold fast to God’s truth, pray for your
offender and release them to Jesus.
You are His precious
child. He will lift you up dispelling the lies with the truth of His Word. Let the Balm of Gilead bring healing to your heart.
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing
with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint
against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Colossians 12-17
Consider
this....sharing your own experience of God's Glorious Grace may lead
another to seek and receive The Marvelous Mystery of Christ...
In Luke 8:38-39, after rescuing a man from the demons afflicting him,
Christ commissioned him to go tell everyone what He had done for him.
Shouldn't we also be following this example in our service by testifying
about the joy, hope, healing, and peace
we have experienced in our own deliverance? There is no testimony
without a "test" and your healed scars are proof to others of the
redemptive and restorative power of Jesus. All who are in Christ have
something useful thing to share for God’s kingdom! Partner with Him and
He will transform your former "mess" into a powerful message!
May you share your story with courage, love, and humility, in Christ's
Name, all for His Glory...and The Son will also acknowledge you before
The Father in Heaven.
Psalm 66:16
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Matthew 10:32
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mark 5:20
So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Psalm 71:15
My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure.
Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of
their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Are you making time to not only acquaint yourself with, but to sincerely have an intimate relationship with your Abba God?
Have you discovered the peace, sufficiency, strength, sovereignty,
love, healing, and mercy...the attributes and essence of your Maker?
Do you trust in His omniscience, receiving His grace and endurance when you run to Him, your Strong Tower of Strength?
Do you grasp how He planned your existence long ago and loves you so
dearly that He provided the most holy and atoning sacrifice - HIS SON -
so that you may be reconciled fully unto Him, sealed in His Book of
Life?
Do you know that He is The God of all comfort, who
lingers over the deepest desires of your heart; that He longs to work
things together for your good, according to His Will for you in Christ?
Do you understand that He is the Most High, All-knowing, All-seeing,
Self-sufficient, Healer, Provider, Banner, Sanctifier, Peace, Shepherd,
Protector, and Lord over all, who is ALWAYS THERE?
If you knew
Him more deeply would you approach The Throne of Grace with more
confidence and trust in His Will? Would your faith, therefore, be
unshakeable? Would you have peace that surpasses all understanding,
regardless of your circumstances, because you know your God?
Oh, friends, let us seek Him with an insatiable desire so that we may
more fully understand our LORD, and praise the inexhaustible abundance
and omniscience of our Holy Father! That in Him, we may thrive and
glorify Him...as we are made more fully complete into His likeness. For,
from Him and through Him are ALL things, and all glory is to Him,
forevermore!
Job 28:24
...for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
Isaiah 44:24
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself...
Psalm 139:1-4
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
Job 37:5
God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
