He Completes His Work He Started

‘He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ Phil 1:6.

     When we come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus, He immediately picks us up, and begins our education. No, we don’t sit in a classroom, and we don’t get a diploma upon completion.

    What does happen is this: first, Jesus saves us, then He sends the Holy Spirit to live within us. He will be with us …until the end of time as we know it. And He will teach, correct, prompt, and convict, whatever the need. Yes, we have free will, so we can choose to listen and obey, or not. If we listen, we will grow in Christ. We will become the disciples He has commanded we be. We will learn to walk with Him, and our lives will have fulfillment and joy.

     If we choose otherwise, we will be tragically devoid of the greatest blessings God has for us, and sadly we will be of no use to the Kingdom. Saved, yes. Blessed, no.

     The Holy Spirit does not stop speaking. Never. Jesus will not shut the door He has opened. He does not force, but gently urges and encourages us to partake in the abundant life He has promised us. If we will receive all He has for us, He will pour blessings on us for all our days.

     This is how God works. He will continue until we go home to live with Him forever. He never stops in His quest to have companionship, fellowship, a truly intimate relationship with His own. This, my friend, is the continued good work Jesus will do in us until the day of completion. He is faithful!

Blessings!

‘The Lord God Has Opened My Ear

‘He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened my ear.’ Isaiah 50:4-5

Isaiah was wise, and harkened to the Word that came from his Lord. He knew from where his sustenance came. And he knew God’s power, might, goodness, and wrath was like no other.

His message to Isaiah in this scripture shows not only His anger and wrath towards those who have turned away, but also the redemption, grace, and mercy He bestows on those who turn back to Him. He is the same today as He was in Isaiah’s time. Therefore, He will respond to us the same today as He did then.

So allow God to open your ear! Learn from both scripture and what God does, or does not do, in and through your life. The lessons learned from the Master are the most useful, and blessed, that you will ever learn.

Blessings!

Something To Be Cheerful About!

God is good, and Heaven is forever. And if those two facts don’t cheer you up, nothing will. — Marie T Freeman.

Amen! Is this not a foundation of our faith? God is good…all the time! And yes, if we are trusting in Jesus, we will live forever in that glorious place called Heaven. No more worries, nor fears, nor tears, nor heartache. Only pure joy will be ours to experience.

God’s goodness is what He transfers to His children. We are the only ones blessed with the promise of everlasting life spent with Him, our loved ones, and our sisters & brothers in the faith.

Yes, we have much for which to be cheerful!

Blessings!

Just Seven Loaves?

‘He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”" Mark 8:5.

How many ‘loaves’ do you think Jesus has today?
Has He enough to meet your needs? The scripture goes on to say more than 4,000 were fed that day. And there was much left.

If God can feed 4,000 with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish, how much more can He do in your life?

Trust Him always. He is your provider. He has compassion, and He will bring you what you need, right when you need it. His timing may not be what you would expect, but it is always perfect. You will see that when your need is met.

Give praise to Him and thank Him for His provision at all times. It is indeed endless!

Blessings!

The Love of God

Love has its source in God, for love is the very essence of His being. — Kay Arthur

God created us in love. He watches over us in love. He works in and through us, again, in love. And what is the only thing He asks in return? Love.

Not only does God desire for us to love Him with all our hearts, our souls, and our minds (Matt 22:37), but He also has commanded that we love one another (Matt 19:1…9b) as well. When we have the love of God in our hearts, our ability to love others is infinite. We love our families, our friends, our Christian brothers and sisters, and even those who may appear unlovable, with a stronger, purer kind of love. And it is good!

Thank God today for loving so completely, and for enriching your life by instilling that love within your heart. For a heart full of His love is heart that will touch His own.

Blessings!

Rate this:

‘May every heart and every home continue through the year

To feel the warmth and wonder of this season of good cheer.’

Helen Steiner Rice

My favorite poetess hit it right on! This is my wish for you. No matter your circumstances, no matter your financial picture, no matter the ups and downs you face, look up, and give praise. What a difference our Savior makes in our lives. If we would just remember this, and let our hearts smile and be happy, this world would be impacted for Christ with joy and thanksgiving so much more. Jesus is indeed the reason for the season. And He is living today, and tomorrow, and forever more. He is the warmth and wonder that lives within us. Let’s show Him to everyone around us!

Blessings!

Kindness

Kind words have echoes that last a lifetime & beyond. — From 100 days of Prayer for Women.

Think about your words. Don’t rush with a criticism or harsh word, no matter the circumstance. Our words are powerful, and can either encourage or kill a person’s spirit. Weigh the meaning & tone & make a difference for an outcome that brings blessing rather than anger or hurt.

Be blessed!

From Living Water Daily Devotionals by Lili Richey Willard

Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Living-Water-Daily-Devotionals-by-Lili-Richey-Willard/190291087679936?ref=hl

 

Sad Days for The World

It’s not just sad for Americans…it’s sad for every people, every nation. It feels like the whole world is in chaos today.

However, we have a hope for the future. But it is up to us to bring this hope forward. This hope is called…Jesus.

We have lost four exemplary men this week. Men who served willingly, selflessly, men who died because they had a vision of peace. They saw a need, and they met it head on. And that is what is so sad. They died helping the very people they were trying to make life better for.

Does this mean we should all stop doing service to others? Have they died in vain? Not if the American spirit prevails. And even more so if we march forward in Christian love.

We can make a difference. Kindness can interrupt anger, even in those who are zealous. Continued caring attitudes can break down the walls that come between peoples, and religions, even when they are extreme.

Jesus said that if we do for another person, a drink of water, clothing, a meal, anything of service, then we have done it as if it was for Him. And it is. In response, He will make our paths straight, and He will bless our work, when it is done in His name.

So take heart, America. These are frightening times, but we knew they were coming. The Bible tells us so. And it tells us that God is our defender, our redeemer, our help in times of trouble.

So believe, put away the fear, and step forward and honor God with your service to others.

Just a little bit of love makes this world a better place.

Blessings.

Arise, LORD!

Do you ever wonder just where God is? Is He missing in action when you need Him most? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s YOU who is missing in action! Could it be?

Many times it is. It is with me as well. We get in messes and expect God to clean them up. We make our own beds, then refuse to sleep in them. And because He is our Father, and we know He loves us, and we also know the promises He has made to His children, then we think it is His responsibility to ‘fix it’.

Consider this: Perhaps it is not that He should fix things for us, but that we should take the responsibility to look after ourselves. Yes, that’s right. We might just need to step up to the plate, put the toast in the toaster, turn the light on the top floor on. It might be that we are supposed to be filled with integrity, not impropriety. We should display wisdom, not foolishness. We are to be willing to pay the piper for the mistakes we make, the ones that if we were paying attention, or taking our time to consider them, or praying about them before we do them, that we probably would not have made them at all.

Yes, God is our provider, our healer, our everything. And yes, He places His angels around us for our protection and guidance, and He wants us to come to Him with our concerns and troubles. But He also wants praise. He wants what any father wants…His children to show Him love, respect, and gratitude.

So step back, think about it, and quit complaining when things don’t work out the way you think they should. God is still in your corner, but He would like you to show that you can take what He has given you to figure out what steps you should take to get out of that corner, on your own. Give Him praise always, in the good and the bad. And never, ever take Him for granted. For we have been blessed to be called His children.

‘Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.’ Psalm 10:12

Are we ‘the helpless’? Sometimes, yes. But God did not expect us to be so. He has equipped us to be able to stand on His word, to share it, and to show His Son to the world. We are the salt and the light of the world, and He is with us always. How, then, could we ever consider ourselves helpless?

Arise, O my LORD!

 

 

 

 

Kindness Is For Today!

Lili Richey Willard, Christian Blogger, Devotional Writer

When someone does a kindness

It always seems to me

That’s the way God up in Heaven

Would like us all to be.’  Helen Steiner Rice

Make kindness a part of WHO you are, not just what you do. Jesus was kind, even when He was hanging on the cross.

There is a thief who saw His smile just before he died. He is in Heaven today. Show your smile, and have joy as you do so.

Blessings!