Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)
Promise: God promises that I am saved through faith in Jesus and not by any work I’ve done or will ever do.
Why is it important to know this promise?
God’s character is revealed: He is Redeemer, Savior, Provider, Creator, Eternal and full of Mercy and Grace.
Promise provides me with: a way to salvation through Jesus, eternal plans for my life, work for me to do for Him, knowledge that I am a created work of God with purpose, that I am a recipient of God’s grace through Jesus, and the gift of salvation is free not something that I have to earn.
How have you appropriate God’s grace in your life? Have you accepted salvation through faith in Jesus? Have you acknowledged that God has a plan for your life and that He created you with purpose? Knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior brings fullness, purpose and hope into your life. Knowing that I am valued by God and that He wants to use me is something that gives self-worth to my being alive and hope to my struggles each day. Knowing that I can’t earn God’s favor or save myself though doing good works leads me to Jesus. Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” As our verse says today, by his grace we are saved. Praise God for His wonderful grace!
I pray that God’s grace will fall afresh upon you today and that you will seek His eternal plan for your life.
Blessings,
Linda
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
December 3, The wings of HOPE
Isaiah 40: 28-31 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (NIV)
Promise: God promises that placing my hope in Him will result in renewed strength, the ability to soar above my problems and to be able to endure the path of my life without growing weak or fainthearted.
Why is it important to know this promise?
God's character is revealed: His strength, sovereignty, omnipotence, comfort, guidance, salvation, caring and his eternality.
Promise provides me with: courage, endurance, knowledge that God is greater than any circumstance I face, guidance in life, strength to live each day for Him, comfort and HOPE.
I love this image that God will help me to soar above the problems and stresses of life that would pull me down. He reminds me that his endurance is eternal and everlasting. I don't need to worry that God will run out of energy or grow weary of helping me. He wants me to live with hope in Him knowing that he cares for me. As you go though your day, keep the image of God enfolding you in his arms and lifting you above all your earthy concerns. Place your HOPE in Him and know his care today!
Blessings,
Linda
Promise: God promises that placing my hope in Him will result in renewed strength, the ability to soar above my problems and to be able to endure the path of my life without growing weak or fainthearted.
Why is it important to know this promise?
God's character is revealed: His strength, sovereignty, omnipotence, comfort, guidance, salvation, caring and his eternality.
Promise provides me with: courage, endurance, knowledge that God is greater than any circumstance I face, guidance in life, strength to live each day for Him, comfort and HOPE.
I love this image that God will help me to soar above the problems and stresses of life that would pull me down. He reminds me that his endurance is eternal and everlasting. I don't need to worry that God will run out of energy or grow weary of helping me. He wants me to live with hope in Him knowing that he cares for me. As you go though your day, keep the image of God enfolding you in his arms and lifting you above all your earthy concerns. Place your HOPE in Him and know his care today!
Blessings,
Linda
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
December 2, Peace from Thankfulness
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
Promise: God promises to give me peace, guard my heart and mind and relieve my anxiety when I pray with a thankful heart.
Why is it important to know this promise?
God’s character is revealed: His accessibility, compassion, sovereignty, protection, peace and comfort.
Promise provides me with: peace within for both my body and mind, relief of anxiety, assurance of his sovereignty in all the circumstances I face, accessibility through prayer to the creator and God of the universe, and results.
So often in this hectic season, we crave just a little peace! I love this promise as it assures me that if I approach God with a heart filled with thankfulness I will receive peace. Why a thank filled heart? Thankfulness takes the focus off of all the needs and wants we are facing and retunes us towards God. He has made all that there is and knows what we are facing. Turning to God in thankfulness ‘reboots’ our hearts and minds to be open to his work and peace in our lives. Try it today- list things you are thankful for before you petition God for what is bothering you. He promises that it will result in peace of mind and body. Good news for this busy season!
Blessings,
Linda
Promise: God promises to give me peace, guard my heart and mind and relieve my anxiety when I pray with a thankful heart.
Why is it important to know this promise?
God’s character is revealed: His accessibility, compassion, sovereignty, protection, peace and comfort.
Promise provides me with: peace within for both my body and mind, relief of anxiety, assurance of his sovereignty in all the circumstances I face, accessibility through prayer to the creator and God of the universe, and results.
So often in this hectic season, we crave just a little peace! I love this promise as it assures me that if I approach God with a heart filled with thankfulness I will receive peace. Why a thank filled heart? Thankfulness takes the focus off of all the needs and wants we are facing and retunes us towards God. He has made all that there is and knows what we are facing. Turning to God in thankfulness ‘reboots’ our hearts and minds to be open to his work and peace in our lives. Try it today- list things you are thankful for before you petition God for what is bothering you. He promises that it will result in peace of mind and body. Good news for this busy season!
Blessings,
Linda
Monday, December 1, 2014
December 1, He is coming!
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. Matthew 1:20-25 (ESV)
Promise: God promised a savior would be born of a virgin, dwell with man on earth and save his people from their sins.
Why is this promise important?
God’s character is revealed: His sovereignty, omnipotence, love, compassion, forgiveness and hope.
Promise provides me with: forgiveness through Jesus, His desire for a relation ship with me (dwelling with me), knowledge that God has a plan to save me which is through Jesus His son and God’s control and planning of events are to result in my salvation and his glory.
December 1 has a special significance for me as on this day in 1982 my daughter, Liz, arrived from Korea. She was a long awaited and longed for child that has brought me much love and joy these last 30+ years. Just like the children of Israel, I did not think the day would ever come that I would hold my own child. They had waited centuries for the Messiah, Jesus, to come and save them from their sins. They expected a king not a humble baby and many of them missed his arrival and the work he did on the cross. Don’t miss His coming this year. Look for Jesus and claim the promise of a savior this advent season. Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.“
Have a blessed day!
Linda
Promise: God promised a savior would be born of a virgin, dwell with man on earth and save his people from their sins.
Why is this promise important?
God’s character is revealed: His sovereignty, omnipotence, love, compassion, forgiveness and hope.
Promise provides me with: forgiveness through Jesus, His desire for a relation ship with me (dwelling with me), knowledge that God has a plan to save me which is through Jesus His son and God’s control and planning of events are to result in my salvation and his glory.
December 1 has a special significance for me as on this day in 1982 my daughter, Liz, arrived from Korea. She was a long awaited and longed for child that has brought me much love and joy these last 30+ years. Just like the children of Israel, I did not think the day would ever come that I would hold my own child. They had waited centuries for the Messiah, Jesus, to come and save them from their sins. They expected a king not a humble baby and many of them missed his arrival and the work he did on the cross. Don’t miss His coming this year. Look for Jesus and claim the promise of a savior this advent season. Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.“
Have a blessed day!
Linda
Friday, November 28, 2014
Advent Calendar full of Promises
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
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
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
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