Tag: Inspirational Pictures

Jesus Loves You To The End!

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“Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end,” John 13:1

The love of Jesus is unwavering and our rock-solid truth to stand upon through the storms and trials of life.

Eventually, the love of friends fades.  As years go by, we grow up and move on with our lives.  Even some familial relationships can wane with the passing of time.  But there is one love that never quits on you.  His promise was to never leave you nor forsake you, Heb. 13:5.  He showed His devotion to His disciples right up to the end.  And daily, He shows His devotion to each and every one of us by continually being there for us, loving us, interceding for us, and hearing us when we call.

I am personally amazed at His undying devotion to us.  Through all of our faults, shortcomings, and mess, He still stays committed to us even “to the end.”  This is a source of comfort and reassurance for them that are His.  Despite the tragedies of life or how much we feel like we are not measuring up, we have a Savior, nay a friend that sticks closer than a brother, Pro. 18:24.

The times and tides of life may ebb and flow, come and go, but Jesus is our stable and trustworthy source never to be moved.  He is committed completely to you in love. Somebody once said, “It isn’t over ‘til it’s over!”  And since we are here today, alive and with breath in our bodies, it’s not the end.  Bolster your faith and encourage your heart today in the great truth that no matter what it may look like right now, Jesus loves you to the end! 

Photo Credit: Wallpaper4god

“A Good Steward”

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“And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability…” Matthew 25:15

So often when one speaks of the idea of stewardship the mind automatically travels down the road to finances. The overall idea of finances and stewardship has been linked together for ages, even since the Bible times – and that’s a correct assessment. I want us to look beyond the management of “talents,” looking rather to talents. Huh!

Well, we have the Bible definition to deal with and then we have our English definition. Talents in the Bible refer to 3,000 shekels of silver while one’s talent in the English refers to that special something that God had planted on the inside of each of us. That skill or ability that comes so naturally, it just flows from one’s being. I think the idea of stewardship or being a manager can nicely encompass those God-given delectables on the inside of each of us.

I really think it is something special that God created these two words, though spelled the same, yet have different meanings, and then, gave a management directive over both of them. Paul charged Timothy and said, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee,” (1 Timothy 4:14). Paul knew that God had bestowed something amazing on the inside of this young man, yet, if it were going to prosper and flourish in him, he would have to pay careful attention to guard it.

Ask any gardener about the care that they take of their land once the seed has been planted. There are many steps to ensure growth. Just as with Adam in the Garden of Eden, God has planted the seed but has given each of us the charge to nurture it. That’s what stewardship is all about. Being careful to manage the thing/gift that God has put me in charge of.

Do you know how much the world needs the unique stuff that God has placed inside you? There can be a million preachers. There can be a million teachers. There can be a million givers. There can be a million ushers, janitors, authors, or whatever! There can be a million of anything that can be fathomed, but nobody can do it like YOU!

You are special. You are unique. Stop hiding your talents, your skills, that special something that God put in you. Stop burying it (Matthew 25:18). Rather do as Paul instructed Timothy and pay careful attention to it. Do what you have to do to cause that seed that God planted in you to grow to the point that it is flourishing on the outside of you. Then, the whole body of Christ can profit from that great gift in you.

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same
one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God,”
1 Peter 4:10.

 

“Take it to the Cross!”

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Every worry and every fear, take it and leave it at the foot of that blood-stained banner that was raised for our freedom.

Every doubt and every hurt, take it to Him who is stretched wide upon those old rugged beams to experience fully the troubles we face.

Every sorrow and every tear, take it to Him whose nail-pierced hands flow with a life poured out for you and me.  He that endured the pain of the piercing knows of the rejection, the betrayal, and the indecency of evil we all face in this life.  He knows this and more for in His bearing, He held the crushing weight of all sin upon those beaten and slumped shoulders even as His heart cried out to the Father the agony of separation.

There is nothing we feel that He hasn’t already felt.

There is no experience so unique to us that He has not already carried the weight of.

There is no trouble we face that He hasn’t looked in the eye and gained the victory of it on that cross.

On that cross, He became authority and victor over all.  His kingship may have been inscribed in writing by man: “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS,” (John 19:19), but God declared Him Ruler over all through His atoning sacrifice of the blood on that cross (Revelation 1:5; Romans 3:25; Matthew 28:18).

Whatever you are facing, take it to the cross and trust Him who was hung there so that you may rise to a life of victory today!

Why take it to the cross?

It’s the place where the King would suffer for our healing: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

It’s the place where reconciliation takes place and hostility is put to death: “He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.” – Ephesians 2:16, CSB

It’s the place where we find the truest form of peace: “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” – Colossians 1:20

It’s the place where our sins were blotted out: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” – Colossians 2:14

It’s the place where we are given the opportunity to lay down the dead and pick up a life of righteousness: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24

And, it is the place where we experience true love: “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.” – John 3:16

Take it to the cross today!

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“Today, I Want to Be Me!”

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“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well,” Psalm 139:14

Oh, the creative power that took place for you to be here today.  From the moment of conception, and from the time cells began to divide within themselves, you were and are a product of beautiful design.  Uniquely, you are made just the way God intended.  And, since we know that He doesn’t make any mistakes, whatever we view as shortcomings in our lives may be there for a much higher purpose.  Our so-called defaults are part of the plan that God has laid out in your life.

What would happen if every Christian really armed themselves with this beautiful truth?  How would that personally make us feel?  How would it affect the way we live, the way we walk and talk?  More importantly, how would it affect the way we move in our Christian walk?  How much more would we be apt to express our faith knowing the value He places in each and every one of us?

I believe if Christians really got a hold of this truth they would turn the world upside down.  They would step out with a newfound faith knowing that they are something really special before God; knowing that their worth is not in how the world sees them; rather, how God sees them.  What does He think about me?

Let me tell you what He thinks about you. Jesus said in Luke 12:6-7, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”  “Ye are of more value!”  Humanity is the apex of all His creation.  He made sure everything that was created was put in the proper place and in the proper order for us.  We are the only part of creation where God claimed Himself, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion . . .” (Gen. 1:26).  Not only created but we were created in “His image.”  Not only in “His image,” but we are also created to have “dominion;” authority over all the earth including the thoughts that come to make us feel less than anything He said of us!

Today, I want to be me.  I want to walk like I walk.  Express me like only I can.  I want to relish in the wonderful thought that when no one else is taking notice of me, He is.  Because He designed me this way and I know the care that went into this design, I can rest and enjoy myself.  I can love me some me.  Even when it seems no one else does, I can love me, because He loves me.

If He says I’m good just like this then all I have to do is learn to work in what He gave me and just be me.  “Marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”  Does your soul know that you are a marvelous work of God?  Can you believe that today so that you can just enjoy being yourself?  You are so incredibly special.  Let no one rob you of the precious way that God sees you.

“Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves. . .” (Ps. 100:3).  I’m so glad I didn’t do this myself.  That would be impossible because there is so much that goes into this that we will never figure it out.  Then again, I don’t have to because He already did.  He stepped back and looked at creation and said, “It was very good,” (Gen.1:31).

I am good!  From the time that He has “covered me in my mother’s womb,” (Ps. 139:13), I am just the way He wants me to be.  So, today, I can be me!  Now, that’s something to 🙂 about!

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Powerless Flames!

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“And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.” Daniel 3:27

A lion without teeth and claws is no real threat and flames devoid of the power to burn and devour can do no real harm.

In Daniel 3, there is the very familiar story of the three Hebrew boys facing the fiery furnace.  Although familiar, the story begs us to look further into it because the fire should have killed them.  The fire should have burned every part of their being to ash with flames so high.  The fire should have disintegrated everything about these men and there shouldn’t have been even anything left over to collect, but it was not given the power or the ability to do so. 

What a miracle!

I must wonder, what did it look like for these men as they were standing in the flames and looking out without feeling the heat, just the safety of God covering them through it all?

Amazing! 

Fire eats up and ravages things every day but when God is in the midst, it has no power!

The enemy was left astonished . . .

No parts of the fire or the furnace experience had any effect on them whatsoever . . .

The only effect it may have had on them was to increase their faith all the more!

Somebody needed to be reminded of this today.  I don’t know what flames are trying to ignite against you today, but if He chooses, God can put it out or use it for His glory.  Either way, one can never go wrong by trusting in Him.

He will cause the enemy to be astonished before you, amazed that you are still standing.  Just like the three Hebrews boys, He will not only cause you to stand in the midst of the powerless flames, but He will allow you to walk around in it giving testimony to the power of the true God you serve.

Flames may be fierce, but God is fiercer!  The enemy will try to burn you up, but God can use those flames to promote you (vs. 30) if you will just worship Him, believe, and trust that He has you in the midst of it all, because when you are on God’s side:

“THE FIRE HAS NO POWER!”

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“Lead Me.”

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Lead me to the cross where
I can lay my burden down.
Lead me to Him who will
never let me drown.

Lead me to the Rock
that is higher than I.
Lead me to the One who
bottles the tears I cry.

Lead me to Him who knows
all my cares and sorrow.
Who holds my future and
all of my tomorrows.

There, I find solace in
the grip of His embrace.
So, lead me where I can rest
from this exhausting race.

He’s my source and my shield;
my covenant and mercy.
Lead me to God, whom I love
to the bursting.

When life is overwhelming and
I don’t know what to do,
Lead me to Your arms, O Lord.
Lead me to You.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

Father God, we need You.  We cannot find the strength or wisdom on our own to properly care for the things and adversities we face.  But this we do know, You are our Rock.  You are the peace we find in the midst of all that overwhelms us.  Take us by the hand and lead us to You – our safe sanctuary, our hiding place, from all these storms that blow our way.  In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

“If God opened our eyes…”

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“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them,” 2 Kings 6:16. (Read 2 Kings 6:8-17)

If God opened our eyes,
what would we see?
Armies of heavenly hosts
championed to defend me.

Armed and geared
in heaven’s glow and might,
commanded to protect
through the perils of the fight.

Unseen, yet seen,
through the eyes of faith.
Chariots of fire
to protect the way.

Real guards, by heaven’s charge,
stand at the ready.
Heirs of salvation to keep,
and help hold them steady.

In this fight,
we are never alone.
We see that God protects us
from His heavenly throne.

“And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

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Taking Care of House Mess

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when my house is a mess

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Some weeks can be like a crazy schedule gone wild. The rush from one thing to another can drain us of any free time and we fall behind in our daily upkeep. When that happens and you wake the next morning after all the rushing about, you realize the evidence of your busyness is staring you in the face. What in the world happened here! Do messes multiply at night while we are asleep because we really believe it did not look that bad the night before? It always amazes me how easy it is for things to get disorganized and cluttered when we’re not giving them the attention they deserve.

Disorganization throws me off big time. When I’m trying to concentrate on a task and I lift my head up to look around and am spattered with a mess, my mind keeps going to the mess instead of getting back to the mission. Clutter is its own monster to deal with because when schedules grow out of hand, and stuff gets tossed to the side, the clutter monster gets fed and continues to grow and grow. Then, I wonder, “Where did all of this come from?”

When I first got married many years ago, I used to be a perfectionist. While I’m not as uptight as I used to be about a messy house, I still like cleanliness. A place for everything and everything in its place. Calm. Peaceful. Quiet. Yeah, that’s how I like it! It’s an environment that supports what I want to do in life.

Our spiritual lives operate in much the same way. When we are going off in many directions and not taking care of our home, our “temples,” things become disarrayed. We become less focused on taking care of the “home” business, and in our pursuits, our spiritual house becomes a mess.

Inattentiveness will do that. There are so many things that can capture our attention in our day-to-day activities. We have to be diligent guardsmen of the temple that keeps everything running smoothly. Take a museum for instance. It is probably one of the cleanest and most orderly establishments I have ever visited. The stuff that it holds inside is very valuable and some of it could never be replaced. Because of that, there are guards posted everywhere to ensure that everything is kept that way. When the sign says no photography, the guard will make sure no pictures will be taken. Flash does something to some of the works. You will not eat, drink, touch, or sneeze on any artwork. Our local museum has a line around each item and you better be careful not to cross it, or else.

Being that the Spirit we have in us is of more value than any artwork, irreplaceable and priceless, ought we not to guard it with even more diligence? Shouldn’t we be concerned about any messes or clutter that could disrupt the Spirit’s flow of working within us?

Paul thought so. The concern is that since God’s Spirit resides in you, you have the responsibility to keep the house clean. This body is a rental. It’s not permanent. The last part of our above verse tells us, “And ye are not your own?” We don’t hold the deed: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s,” (1 Corinthians 6:20). But we are responsible for the upkeep of the property.

What mess of the spirit has us so cluttered and disorganized that we are less attentive to the things of God? When the spiritual house is a mess it’s hard to function and find peace to complete the task that God is leading us to. We need to respect this spiritual house as one does when visiting a museum.

How do we keep it in order? First, start by having a made-up mind to set priorities. Know that above all else your relationship with God has to come first. One way to do that is to find out what has been sidetracking you and make it fall into place. Then, change your focus of thought to allow the Spirit freer access to move. Unclutter your thought life from that which does not profit to something far better. The Bible advises us: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things,” (Philippians 4:8). Using this as a filter will help keep the clutter out and rampant thoughts under control.

In verse 9, Paul goes on to explain if they listen to this advice and follow his example, “the God of peace shall be with you.” That means the house is clean and uncluttered, free for Him to move!

If you feel like you are having a hard time connecting with God or you don’t feel the Spirit moving and leading like you once did, check the environment. If you find a need to pick some things up off of that spiritual floor and get things back in order, then do so. There is nothing more precious or powerful than God being able to work in a “house” unhindered, with no messes or obstacles in the way.

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It’s a Promise!

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“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth,” Genesis 9:13

This morning I was reminded of a day long ago when I woke up feeling, well . . . .  blah!!!  That day, I had a headache, no energy, and not feeling really with it.  It had been a hard week and it took its toll on my body.  That day, and the original post I wrote, came to mind this morning and I decided to share some of it again here.

I remember looking for something to wear and I reached into my closet and pulled out a white shirt (black and white shirts are a standby for me because they usually don’t have to be ironed 🙂 – telling on myself, I know).  But, even though it didn’t need to be ironed, I put it back declaring, in my dreariness that day that I needed a pop of color.

As I was going through the drudgery of ironing my pop of color, I wondered if that’s why God made His covenant with Noah and all the earth in the form of a rainbow.  After the rains and the storms of life, after the hardships and turmoils, after being tossed about to and fro, maybe we all need that promise in a pop of color. We all need that beautiful and colorful covenant to gaze upon to let us know that despite what we are going through, God’s got this and His promises never fail (Joshua 21:45).  

Today, I don’t know where life may find you or what you are going through.  I don’t know if you have rain and storms with the possibility of seeing a physical rainbow at the end.  I don’t know how your day begins or ends, but God does.  I don’t know how it will all turn out, but our Heavenly Father is still watching over His children.  He is sovereign, beautiful, and perfect in plans (Jeremiah 29:11), and He does all things well. 

Friends, the rainbow is just one of the beautiful reminders of God’s hand and promise in our lives.  Never are we left to fight these circumstances alone (Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:5).  Never are we left without the assurance we have in our God who is for us (Psalm 56:9; 118:7; Romans 8:31).  So today, if you need it, here is your promise in a pop of color.  

Blessings ~

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