Bringing honor to our Lord Jesus Christ

As our Christmas celebrations have come to a close, the 12 days of Christmas (otherwise know as the Epiphany, representing the time between the birth of Christ and the Magi following the bright star to honor Him with gifts and their praise) continues through the 6th, and even when it's completed, I pray we never lose the excitement to bring Jesus the honor and our highest praise with gifts He places within our life.
God Loves unconditionally so let us love others in the same manner. Having received His Salvation freely, may we share this Hope in Christ Jesus with others freely as Jesus taught in Matthew 10:8. Our Heavenly Father loves to shower His children with loving kindness and blessings far beyond our highest imaginations. We never walk alone when we walk with God. Be blessed, dear friend, God loves you and so do I~~~

Out with the old, in with the new

Well, our New Year 2020 has arrived and 'auld lang syne' has been sung, the festivities from Thanksgiving to Christmas and welcoming the new year are over so we say goodbye to those things behind us as we prepare goals for a prosperous and happy new year. What will your goals be?.... to loose a few pounds, stress a little less, work less/enjoy life more, to be more accepting of others and less judgmental? Whatever you resolve to do, may you run your race in a manner worthy of our Lord Jesus so the words of your mouth and the meditation upon your heart is acceptable to Him in all things.

The Spirit impressed upon Paul in Hebrews 12:1(AMP), the necessity to "lay aside all weights that bind or distract him [to strip off all those things that tend to slow him down], along with the sins [whatever it is that easily trips him up and causes him to stumble] so he could run with endurance the race God has set before him" and today we are encouraged to do the same; to lay aside those things from our past that try to bind us and keep us from moving forward; we can learn from our past but refuse to allow it to weigh us down; as we persevere running our race.

Jesus knew the course He had to run for our deliverance and never lost sight of where He was headed. By keeping His eyes fixed on the prize awaiting His finish, He was determined to put up with anything along His way: the lies, the scandal, the persecutions, the shame, the torture, the Cross; what ever came His way He never lost sight of the goal set before Him. Day by day He drew strength from His early morning talks with His Father, just as you and I are encouraged to continue today.

Each new morning we are given fresh mercies to run our race. We don't need to save from yesterday or borrow from tomorrow; because old things are passed away and all things become new as He gives fresh mercies day by day. He encourages us that when we begin to feel our journey is too rough, to keep our eyes fixed on Him and look at every little thing He endured along His way to declare from His cross, "It Is Finished!" By keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus as our example, and staying focused so we can see where we are headed, we will finish our course and oh, what a prized welcome it will be when we hear Him say,"Well done, good and faithful servant."

He finished His course and now sits in the place of honor at the right hand of the Father, cheering you and me on through our daily race, and He knows we can make it if we just don't quit!
So whatever baggage we need to lay down to finish our race, let's throw it off and stay focused on that finish line, knowing that Jesus will be there to award our prize, Eternal life with Him for all eternity!
Have a wonderfully blessed new year, dear friend, knowing God loves you and so do I~~~.

Shaped by the past

Thankful for my past; the good, the bad, and the ugly because it has shaped my life into who I am today; and as I look forward to what God has planned for my future, I live this day in each moment; knowing He has me covered in the palm of His hands and is walking beside me along life's pathway.

During my devotion time this morning while reading from the NKJV and the NIV, I also read from the Amplified Bible which seemed to express in great detail these passages found in Psalm 37:23,"The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path]; and Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in [and rely confidently on] the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding; In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]."

So my only new year's resolution for 2020 is to acknowledge the Lord in all my ways and recognize that He is the Ultimate Authority over all things pertaining to my life; and I will rejoice and be happy in Him. May you be blessed this year as you proclaim Jesus Lord over all your ways as well, because God loves you and so do I~~~

LIFE CHANGES

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10,11 (NIV).
Every change in our life is meant to help us grow and nourish as we acknowledge the Lord and walk in His pathway. Learning to trust in God's Word brings a surety that He is in full control and will meet our needs in the best way and best time for our good. What He says in His Word, He will do as we lean on Him, trust in Him, believe in Him, and rest securely in our God who is forever faithful. God loves you and so do I~~~

Survival in the Valley of Decision

"So many times I've questioned certain circumstances and things I could not understand. Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision, and my frustrations get so out of hand. It's then I am reminded, I've never been forsaken; I've never had to stand one test alone; As I look at all the victories, the Spirit rises up in me; And It's through the fire, my weakness is made strong. He never promised that the cross would not get heavy, and the hill would not be hard to climb; He never offered, our victories without fighting, But He said help would always come in time; Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision, and the adversary says give in; Just hold on, our Lord will show up, and He will take you through the fire again. I know within myself that I would surely perish, but if I trust the hand of God, He'll shield the flames again, again; He never promised that the cross would not get heavy and the hill would not be hard to climb; He never offered our victories without fighting, But He said help would always come in time; Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision, and the adversary says give in; Just hold on, our Lord will show up, and He will take you through the fire again."

These lyrics by the Crabb family pretty much sums up circumstances I've been facing and I say,"Thank You Jesus" for allowing me to see and to feel you working on our behalf. Just knowing that when the fiery trials of life come upon us, all we have to do is Hold On, and God will take us through the fire time and time again; gives an assurance that we can't lose. No matter what comes against us, when all hope seems gone; if we just hold on to God's unchanging hand, He will bring us through victoriously every time. I find that there is nothing too difficult for Him to handle; no storm too great He cannot calm! The words of the psalmist filled with confidence writes, “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:29), then in Mark 4:39 we find Jesus being awakened by the disciples, fearing they would drown as the stormy waters were overtaking their boat; so Jesus simply arises and rebukes the storm,"Peace, Be Still" and the winds ceased and the waves became calm, stilling the storm to a mere whisper!

Wow! Our God is always on time, supplying the perfect answer to our need, as we see Him on the scene, in His time and in His way, and we are made stronger through it all. So as life's storms arise in our life, we don't have to fear but simply learn from them. Allow each storm to become a lesson that helps us grow our faith as we call on God for help any time, any where, and in any given situation. We will find He is ever present and ready to calm the storm and bring peace with a calm assurance. Psalm 46:1 reminds us "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble." As God's children, it is His desire to 'Father us'; to watch over us, and to pour out His love upon us as only He does best as we trust in Him. Jesus reassures us in 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."

So when your standing in your valley of decision and the storms attempt to take you under, just reach up and take hold of God's unchanging hand. I assure you that He will latch on to you and never let you go. You can rest assured, be secure, in the safety of His hands. He will keep you safe, even if He has to scoop you up in His arms and carry you until that storm passes by! It's in those valleys of decision that we learn to trust God and to rest in Him as He restores our soul, refreshes our spirit, and revives us from deep within. Trust Him to calm the storms of your life because God loves you and so do I~~

Beyond the Natural

Ever dream of being greater than you are now? Ever see yourself stronger and wiser than ever before? Are you someone who dares to believe in things beyond the natural as a little child whose hope is alive and well; or have you allowed the
cares of life to dampen your spirit and die out the hope that lies deep within?
Are you able to see beyond the natural and reach for the unobtainable by faith?
Prophecy has it that if we can just dare to believe it, we can have it! So can you see it within your grasp.
Jesus tells us in Mark 9:23, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Even our salvation is obtained through faith, not by sight nor by works, but simply by having a child like faith that allows us to see beyond the natural and grasp hold to life everlasting and free in Christ Jesus, Son of the Living God! 
Our God is a God of More than Enough! He is Greater than Great and He truly has a plan for each of us far beyond anything we can ever imagine, but we have to be able to look beyond what we see with our natural eyes and dare to look through eyes of faith. It's through those eyes of faith that we see God's desire to bless and prosper us as His Word declares in Jeremiah 29:11,"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future;"and it's by this same child like faith that we have proved Him to be Forever Faithful and we rejoice in the promise of His Word noted also in Matthew 19:26, "With man it may seem impossible, but with God ALL things are possible."
May you find His promises encouraging today because God loves you and so do I~~~

He is Life

"In Him was LIFE and that Life is the Light of men." 
John tells us that, "In the Beginning the Word Already Existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God and God created everything through Him and nothing was created except through Him." The Word gave Life to Every Thing that was created and brought Life to Every One; and The Light shined forth in the darkness and darkness can Never Extinguish the Light.
Who is your Life? Jesus! What is your Light? Jesus! Who is your Word?  JESUS! Jesus is the Light of this World! He is the Word made flesh Who came to walk and talk in our midst and Who gave His Life a ransom for the sins of All mankind! He is Our Redeemer! He is Our Deliverer! He is Our Savior and Lord over ALL!  In Him is Life and His life is the Light of all mankind.
So may each of us let our light so shine before others that they may see our good works and glorify our Lord Jesus and our Father which is in Heaven.
May you enjoy a wonderfully blessed day in Jesus; The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14:6). He is the Light that shines in your darkness and can never be extinguished!  God loves you and so do I~~~