Category Archives: Fellowship with God

God’s Glory

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 2 Cor. 3:16    I have always been under the assumption that I would see God’s Glory in heaven when I would “see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).  We see Him before that if we take the time to look.  When we come to know Jesus He lifts the veil over God’s Glory and allows us to see it…In the one who has lost a loved one  and is able to “show” God through the pain…In the one who has survived a life threatening illness and is able to tell others that God kept the fear away and allowed her to rejoice in His Power and Provision…In the parent whose child has made poor choices and as in Luke 15:11-31 waits with open arms to welcome them home…The Glory of our Lord is all around us. We need only look and listen to the stories of the People.

He Is Head Over Heals In Love With Us

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I’ve recently been giving a lot of thought to God’s love for us.  It must be something He wants me to do because I’ve seen books, reading articles, and listening to other Christians expound on the subject.  Why do I (we) think He can’t possibly mean me (us), even though He assures me (us) repeatedly in His Word.
In Genesis 1:27 we are told that we are created in His image.  Men and women look like God.  Think about it.  Don’t we all sometimes want to look like someone else?  Well, how about God.  Rather than comparing ourselves to others how about comparing ourselves to the One who loved us so much He gave His Son for us.

In Psalms 139:14 the writer is giving praise because he is aware of God’s love through being ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’.  He is in awe of the One who cares more about our well-being than anything else.God protects and sustains us from the time we are born until we have many gray hairs.  It’s truly something He wants to do. Don’t we want to protect and sustain those we love?  Of course we do.  It’s God’s love for us showing through us. (Isaiah 46:4)

Siescape-fetus

Siescape-fetus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let’s look at the book of Hosea.  The cycle is repeated over and over.  Hosea marries Gomer, they have a child, she cheats on him and has two more, he continues to forgive her and take her back.  So like God’s love for us; we sin, He saves us, we sin, He forgives, and the cycle goes on and on and on…

The Painting entitled "Jesus Blessing the...

The Painting entitled “Jesus Blessing the Children” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

John 1:12 says when we receive Him, believe in Him, and trust Him because of His name He makes us His children.  Don’t we make the choice from the moment of conception to love our children even when they are sometimes unlovable?  God does too.We are God’s chosen and dearly loved.  Like all who love others He has expectations for us.  We are to show compassion, kindness, and forgiveness (see Colossians 3:12-14 for the list).  Over all we are to wear a cloak of love.  A Japanese translation says it like this, “Love binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
He wants to love us.  Let Him!
Ah, Lord God, my King, my Shelter, my One and Only I do not deserve to be loved by You, yet You do!  You see my insides and my ‘out-sides’, You know my strongholds, my sins, my every part, yet You still love me.  Oh, Lord, help me to be loving to others, help me to love like You do, with compassion, kindness, and without thought to what it will ‘cost’ me.  What a Mighty God You are.     Make it so!

Psalm 86

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Psalm 86 is sub-titled ‘A Prayer of David’ in my Bible. Through prayer and focusing on God’s love David could put those who were tormenting him in the right perspective. Praying this psalm in my own words was very enlightening. Enjoy!
 
 
Oh, LORD, bend your ear down to earth so I can speak my needs directly into it.I trust you to keep me safe because You are my God.I send prayers to You 24/7. Hear and grant them.Help me find gladness in serving You.Many call upon You and depend on Your goodness, forgiveness and constant love.Hear my prayer and plea for mercy.When I am in trouble I come to You for the answer.Your works stand out, You are unique.Your creation worships You.You are the One and Only.Instruct me in Your ways. I am in awe of You.Thank You for being my God. I give You all the glory.Your great love sustains me. You are my Deliverer.Those who do not follow You have risen against me.Show Your mercy and grace, Your ‘always there’ love and faithfulness.

Give me strength and keep me safe.

Let those who hate You be shamed because You are my Helper and Comforter.

Heavenly Father, make it so!

What’s Missing

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“Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls.
Posessions can fill our houses but never our hearts.
Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love.
Children can fill our days but never our identities.
Jesus wants us to know only He can fill us and truly satisfy us.”
~ Lysa TerKeurst

While at a baseball game I watch the game and talk to the people around. At the grocery store or mall I shop.    During lunch with a friend I interact with her.  At worship I focus on my Lord.  At the movies I watch the show.  At work I focus on my job.  It seems that everyone around me has their cell phone or iPad with them constantly and their focus is on that and not on the present. 

What are they all looking for?  Is there something missing?  Is there such loneliness in the lives of those around us that there must be constant contact with someone or something? 

I use my cel phone only when traveling long distances for safety issues.  (I have Sync so I don’t have to take my hands of the steering wheel.)  I do not text unless I am texted and often don’t check my messages until I’m annoyed by the beep.  I use my lap top only for business and writing.  If I’m feeling lonely my go to person is God. 

In this lonely, rushing world the one verse that stands out to me is Psalm 46:10

                     BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Heavenly Father, Creator of all, Master of the Universe, You alone are worthy of my total attention.  In the hustle, bustle, and rush of this world you are my Quite Place.  You create the stillness that can be felt in the noise of life.  Grant me the privilege of knowing the ‘Peace that passes all understanding in Christ Jesus.’    Make it so

Words and Wants

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That darn snake!  Too often he gets into our minds and uses what he finds there to cause us problems.  It happened to Eve and has continued through history to us.  He is like a roaring lion that travels miles to find something to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8)  In the first part of that verse we are told to be self-controlled and alert.  Alert to what?  Perhaps our lack of self-control. Read Eve’s story in Genesis 3.  She had some self-control issues that we still deal with today.  First, how about the fact that we, and Eve, let our words get us into trouble.  If she hadn’t spent so much time talking with the snake she wouldn’t have determined that she was perhaps missing something.  God didn’t create us with two ears and one mouth for no reason.  He wants us listening carefully, He wants us being careful about what we listen too, and He wants us to simply close our mouths to unnecessary conversation.

It also seems that we, and Eve, have a really big problem with coveting that which belongs to another.  There is a commandment about that.  We really aren’t supposed to get ourselves wrapped up in what others around us have.  Jesus tells us plainly that the Father provides what we need and we need to be careful that we are not wanting more than He thinks we should have.

Lastly, we eat to much.  This is both a physical and figurative statement.  We certainly need real food, in appropriate proportions to nourish the body and keep us healthy.  We also need to be ravenous for the food that is provided in a daily diet of God’s Word.  He will feed our hunger for the answers to life’s questions if we take the time to learn what he wants for us.

Awesome and mighty Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of my praise.  Father control me.  Control my words, my wants and make me ravenous for Your Word.  Make it so!