GOD SEES YOUR TROUBLES

“How can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? Have you never heard or understood? Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out;’ he offers strength to the weak.”

“Even youths will become exhausted and young men will give up But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:27-31, NLT

Isaiah is God’s messenger, His prophet who foretells, in detail, the coming of Jesus Christ, the “suffering servant” who comes to save the world. Everyone.

“I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand.” Is 49:15, NLT

When God tells his people to wait for His best, then who are we to argue? Relax, knowing that we are in the care of the One who values and loves us most…because He created us. Take comfort in the One who listens and understands more than is possible for us to comprehend, even in our own circumstance. 

Dear Heavenly Father, When we think of how much you love us and how far you would go in proving how much we are valued in your eyes, we are humbled, brought low, to our knees in gratitude. Thank you, LORD for sending a Savior to redeem us. We will never forget your love for us. In Jesus Name, Amen

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GOD THINKS YOU ARE OF GREAT VALUE…YES, YOU!

GOD THINKS YOU ARE OF GREAT VALUE…YES, YOU!.

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GOD THINKS YOU ARE OF GREAT VALUE…YES, YOU!

No matter what I am, what I do, as imperfect as I am, God loves me and thinks I am valuable. When I was lost, I was loved and valuable to him, too. When I was found, but mess up, I’m still valuable and loved! Because God “so love the WORLD”, he thinks the same for You and everyone around you. Lost or not. Truth.

NO ONE who is lost has lost one ounce of value to God. Even if you don’t have a relationship with him, yet, you have immense value to God. Lostness implies value. Whatever someone is willing to spend to recover something that’s lost shows how valuable that item (or life) is.

Jesus explains our value in the most famous verse in the Bible…”God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). 

God loved us so much he sent his Son to earth seek and save us. Why? Because we are of such great value to Him. He loves us that much. 

Yes, YOU, too! …And the retail worker, the store clerk, the postman, the neighbor next door, the person sitting next to you at church, those you work with, the people you see while getting groceries, the person who waits on you at your favorite restaurant…God loves them all and has great value for all. This is the world, our “world” God so loves. Maybe we need to see the “world” through God’s eyes. 

Value. The world is looking for worth and value. Let’s tell them…after we realize how much we are valued and loved so our words are sincere and personal.

Thank you, dear Jesus. In Your Name, we pray with gratitude for being loved, of being of value to you, and of being found. Amen.

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WHAT COUNTS…

WHAT COUNTS….

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WHAT COUNTS…

“That counts!” Said a grandchild while playing a game. “No, it doesn’t!”, said another. And the argument began.

We do that, don’t we? We argue with God and others about what counts in life, in love and in relationships. What counts?

God uses Paul to settle an argument over a religious conflict in the new church, “As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world’s interest in me is also long dead.” Gal 6:14, NLT

“WHAT COUNTS is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. May God’s mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God.” 
Gal 6:15, NLT (Emphasis mine.)

As we gather for Christmas, families will disagree. This could be a GREAT teachable moment…to remember what counts. Believe and behave as people of God, forgiven. Be peace. Let everything else go. Be “what counts”. We win by making peace, not winning the war.

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” –Jesus (Matt 5:9, NLT)

Thank you, dear Lord, for your word that speaks volumes in “what counts” in this life. Help us to be different, to be peace. 
In Jesus Name, Amen

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PULL OUT THE COUCHES! JESUS IS AT THE DOOR!

PULL OUT THE COUCHES! JESUS IS AT THE DOOR!.

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PULL OUT THE COUCHES! JESUS IS AT THE DOOR!

MAKING ROOM!

The holidays bring families together in ways we wouldn’t do every day. We pull out couches. We build makeshift beds on the floor. We fill the pantry and fridge with more food. We make room for family from far away, into our homes, to live with us, so we can be with them. We try to meet all their needs for they are “family”. 

In the midst of all that, we learn new things about each other’s habits and routines that have been developed over the years. We see changes in each other. Our assumptions of each other are proven wrong…just by being together. Our relationship deepens in this experience of knowing each other. We find things out about each other that we would’t have known before…unless we had made room for them to spend the night with us. To live with us.

There is Someone else who would also like to be invited in…Jesus!

“Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” (Revelation 3:20 CEV)

We were created by Him, to be loved and to love Him back. Many ignore the knock and will not invite Him in…the most important relationship we could ever have! Just like the innkeeper in the first Christmas story (Luke 2), we don’t believe we need more guests. 
We think we have everything and everyone we need. 

One problem, that arrogant attitude will never help us fulfill His purpose for our life, which is far grander and more significant than we ever imagined.

But the good news is that it’s not too late. We can have a relationship with him no matter what has happened in our past, no matter how many times we have rejected him before. God made it so simple that anyone can understand. It’s only three words: Invite him in. 

MAKE ROOM for the Savior! GIVE him all the room He needs to love you, be with you and help you live, really live, with “higher ground” thinking and behaving, life to the full, with purpose and meaning!

Our prayer for the season for all of us…In Jesus Name, Amen!

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CREATED TO BE LOVED

CREATED TO BE LOVED.

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CREATED TO BE LOVED

God created us so He could love us, be with us (Emmanuel), and God is FOR us..always guiding and providing. Now, that is something to celebrate! This is the Christ of Christmas!

Need more proof than “For God so loved the world that he gave His Only Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would be saved” (John 3:16) message of hope and salvation?

Listen to this…and be excitedly encouraged:

“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD” Ps 139, NLT

God knows us better than we know ourselves…and yet HE STILL LOVES US! We were created to be loved.

“You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!” Ps 139, NLT “And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!”

God is WITH US! Always!

“If I ride the wings of morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” 
Ps 139, NLT

God is FOR US! He wants you and I to succeed in His purpose and will that He designed just for us. 

Why celebrate Christmas? To remind us that God loves us, is with us and is for us! Are we smiling yet? We should be smiling and glowing for God’s Word never fails us. HE never fails us.

Thank you Heavenly Father for loving us more than we deserve. In Jesus Name, Amen

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DO WE HAVE A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM?

DO WE HAVE A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM?.

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