I pray that you had a blessed Thanksgiving. Our celebrations was filled with lots of family, fun, laughter and way too much food. Now we turn our thoughts and activities towards Christmas. I have been pondering how to best focus on the birth of our Savior and not be caught up in all the festivities and actions of the season both religious and secular. It can be difficult to keep the primary reason for the season, which is the coming to earth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I remembered how much my grandson and before him my children loved the advent calendar I posted each year. We would tie a new ornament on the calendar each day and watched the tree fill as we neared Christmas. It heightened our awareness and excitement as Christmas approached. Using that same idea, to help myself and you, my readers, to keep our focus centered on Christ I will be posting a promise each day from God’s word to keep in mind and reflect on during your hectic days.
Promises help us to know assurances that we have from God’s word and to keep the world that swirls around us in focus. I have been working on my next book, Promises for Dynamic Living, and have seen what a great blessing focusing on God’s promises can have in my daily life. I pray that a promise a day will keep you living fearlessly this holiday season and more that ready spiritually when Christmas Day arrives.
2Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
Blessings,
Linda
Friday, November 28, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Giving Thanks
This weekend I a got a thank you note from a friend and she had written at the bottom several verses from Psalm 136. I looked the verses up and was gripped by the message of this Psalm. It is a long list of things the LORD had done for the Israelite nation. They would have sung it as a hymn of thanksgiving to the LORD. After each line of thanks the reader is reminded that “His steadfast love endures forever.” This is a powerful reminder that God is motivated by his great love for us. Unlike earthly love, God’s love is eternal and boundless and because God is immutable he will not change his mind about loving us. That is an assurance we can count on for eternity.
I pray that the words of the psalmist will encourage you and broaden the scope of your thanks, especially during this season of Thanksgiving. They are words that cross time and are as meaningful today as they were when King David penned them.
Psalm 136 verses 1-9 and 23-26
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever.
To him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever.
to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever.
to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever.
the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever.
It is he who remembers us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever.
and rescues us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever.
he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. (NIV)
Read this Psalm out loud and let the words sink into your soul. God is indeed good and his steadfast love never ends. Praise Him!
Blessings,
Linda
I pray that the words of the psalmist will encourage you and broaden the scope of your thanks, especially during this season of Thanksgiving. They are words that cross time and are as meaningful today as they were when King David penned them.
Psalm 136 verses 1-9 and 23-26
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever.
To him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever.
to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever.
to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever.
the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever.
It is he who remembers us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever.
and rescues us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever.
he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. (NIV)
Read this Psalm out loud and let the words sink into your soul. God is indeed good and his steadfast love never ends. Praise Him!
Blessings,
Linda
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
A Picture of Sacrifice
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some pictures of the beaches and cemetery at Normandy. This was place of great sacrifice during World War II. Thank you to each Veteran on this Veteran’s Day for your service and the sacrifice of all those who have died to preserve our freedoms. I am most grateful.
In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. (NIV) These brave men and women paid the ultimate price and they did not even know me. I am humbled by their patriotism and sacrifice on my behalf.
In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. (NIV) These brave men and women paid the ultimate price and they did not even know me. I am humbled by their patriotism and sacrifice on my behalf.
Linda
Monday, November 3, 2014
Fatima, a place of prayer
On my recent trip to France, Northern Spain and Portugal, I visited the small village of Fatima, Portugal. This out of the way place was not even on my religious radar as I was unfamiliar with the visions that occurred there. In the early 1900’s the Virgin Mary appeared to 3 young children and gave them prophetic messages to share with the world about World War II and beyond. Two of the messages have already come to pass and the last deals with things still future to us. The children were illiterate yet spoke about things that they could not have known . In addition to the messages, the children were told to pray for the future. Two of the children died several years later, but Lucia lived to become a nun. The Virgin Mary appeared to her many times throughout her life. Prayer for the future and the lost were the central themes.
How diligent are you to pray for the events of the future? Jesus instructed us to pray in Matthew 6:10 “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and in 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ I am to pray for the things of earth to align with God’s will and purpose. I know He has a purpose for me and desires that my life align with his will. Through prayer the Holy Spirit can minister to our hearts and attitudes so that we can recognize those things that God wants for us in our lives. As we praise God, confess our sins, and thank Him for the blessings that are evident in our lives, we allow God to mold and reshape our thinking and create in us a ‘clean heart’. Psalm 139:23-24 gives us a clue as to the process that God uses to mold our hearts. Search me, O God , and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Are you willing to have God mold your heart in prayer?
Satan is alive and well on planet Earth and will be until the Lord returns, so we also need to pray for protection from the evil one. God is greater than Satan and is more powerful than anything Satan can throw our way. We just need to be prepared and pray. God promises us battle armor in Ephesians 6: 14-18 so that we can stand firm against Satan’s attacks. Are you wearing the helmet of faith, the breastplate of righteousness, carrying the sword of truth- God’s word, and praying in the Spirit? God wants us prepared for the spiritual battles that come our way. So, suit up and do as 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 suggests. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Then you will be ready and prepared for the future, regardless of what lies in your life’s pathway.
The children also heard a plea for prayers for the lost- those that do not know Jesus as their savior. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to me by which we must be saved.” Pray for open hearts of those you love, that they may hear and believe. Lucia’s first message from The Lady of Fatima was a vision of hell. Not a pretty site and not one you would want anyone to experience. Separation from God would be a horrible fate. The Lady told her to pray for those that do not know Jesus to come to a saving faith. Isn’t that our prayer for the lost too?
I am comforted and encouraged that our brothers and sisters in Christ are praying continually at Fatima. They pray and process each evening with their eyes and hearts on the future so that we can be in alignment with God’s will and for those that do not know Christ to come to faith.
Blessings as you pray,
Linda
How diligent are you to pray for the events of the future? Jesus instructed us to pray in Matthew 6:10 “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and in 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ I am to pray for the things of earth to align with God’s will and purpose. I know He has a purpose for me and desires that my life align with his will. Through prayer the Holy Spirit can minister to our hearts and attitudes so that we can recognize those things that God wants for us in our lives. As we praise God, confess our sins, and thank Him for the blessings that are evident in our lives, we allow God to mold and reshape our thinking and create in us a ‘clean heart’. Psalm 139:23-24 gives us a clue as to the process that God uses to mold our hearts. Search me, O God , and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Are you willing to have God mold your heart in prayer?
Satan is alive and well on planet Earth and will be until the Lord returns, so we also need to pray for protection from the evil one. God is greater than Satan and is more powerful than anything Satan can throw our way. We just need to be prepared and pray. God promises us battle armor in Ephesians 6: 14-18 so that we can stand firm against Satan’s attacks. Are you wearing the helmet of faith, the breastplate of righteousness, carrying the sword of truth- God’s word, and praying in the Spirit? God wants us prepared for the spiritual battles that come our way. So, suit up and do as 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 suggests. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Then you will be ready and prepared for the future, regardless of what lies in your life’s pathway.
The children also heard a plea for prayers for the lost- those that do not know Jesus as their savior. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to me by which we must be saved.” Pray for open hearts of those you love, that they may hear and believe. Lucia’s first message from The Lady of Fatima was a vision of hell. Not a pretty site and not one you would want anyone to experience. Separation from God would be a horrible fate. The Lady told her to pray for those that do not know Jesus to come to a saving faith. Isn’t that our prayer for the lost too?
I am comforted and encouraged that our brothers and sisters in Christ are praying continually at Fatima. They pray and process each evening with their eyes and hearts on the future so that we can be in alignment with God’s will and for those that do not know Christ to come to faith.
Blessings as you pray,
Linda
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