Category Archives: God’s Love

Nov21

God’s Love in the Midst of Our Mistakes

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“Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.”

Psalm 7:15 – 16

Let’s face it. We all make mistakes at some point in our lives.  And sometimes the deep pit in which we find ourselves is a result of our own doing.  Improper judgment in relationships, mismanagement of finances, misuse of time, poor decisions about those with whom we associate, exploitation of power, substance abuse, gambling, adultery, lying, cheating, inappropriate media, etc.… can all lead to destruction in our lives. 

Scoop by scoop, the hole gets deeper and deeper.  Then when we wake up at the bottom of the slimy pit, which we dug with our own hands, we look up and try to blame God or others around us for our problems.  We wonder why God would “allow” this pain and suffering we are experiencing.  But the harsh reality is that our own decisions and actions caused the trouble in our lives.  Our greatest difficulties are often a result of consequences we bring on ourselves.

If you find yourself at rock bottom due to ramifications of your own mistakes, there is a brilliant ray of hope shining brightly into the dismal abyss. Regardless of what you might have done to land in the depths of this destruction, God stands ready with arms wide open to grace you with His blessed redemption.  His unfailing love and compassion for you is so great that you can never fall so far that you are out of His reach.  He holds the deepest valleys in His mighty hands, and wherever you find yourself, He is there. Yes, He will sometimes allow you to suffer the consequences of your bad decisions, but He’s always ready to redeem your life once you call to Him for help.

There is no pit deep enough to outmatch God’s unfathomable love for you.

Lift up your arms to the Lord because He’s already waiting to pick you up.   His eyes are full of grace, mercy, and compassion…not condemnation.  Call to Him for help, and He will hear your cry.  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38 -39

“I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit.
You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.”
You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

You, Lord, took up my case; You redeemed my life.”

Lamentations 3:55 – 58

Related Verses:

“For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”  Lamentations 3: 31 – 33

“In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”  Isaiah 38:17b

“Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Psalm 139:7 – 8

“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.” Psalm 71:20 – 21

“And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved. God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’ “ Job 33:27 – 28

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2

Nov13

Do Not Fear…God Is Here

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“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;”
I will help you.

Isaiah 41:11;13

My Precious Child,

No matter what you are facing, don’t be afraid or intimidated.  Don’t be discouraged or dismayed.  As you walk through the “wilderness” of the world, there’s no need to fear because I’m your God, your Heavenly Father, and I’m always watching over you.  Don’t panic.

I’m the Friend who will never leave you alone or forget about you.  I’m right here by your side.  When you feel too weak to go on, I will give you the strength you need to endure.  I will help you through this. I will hold you up and support you.  I won’t let you fall. I will hold your hand with My firm grip.  I’m not letting go!

Believe in My promises to you. You have nothing to fear.

Love, your Heavenly Father

Trust that God is big enough to supply anything you need:  comfort when you’re in pain or grieving, healing when you are sick, safety when you face danger, compassion when are heart-broken, friendship when you are lonely, support when you are weak, courage when you are fearful, provision when you are in need, and never-ending, limitless love and grace to all.

Nov10

God Listens

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DSCF0557I put all my hope in the Lord.
    He leaned down to me;
    He listened to my cry for help. 

Psalm 40:1 (CEB)

God listens.  He recognizes your unique voice and listens intently to what you say. When you speak, He’s paying attention.  In fact, the God of the universe cares so much about you that He leans down from heaven to hear you!  He is compassionately tuned into whatever you discuss with Him.  His ears are attentive to each sound you make…even your faintest, weakest whispers or cries for help.  Your voice matters to your Heavenly Father, and He’s never too busy or distracted to listen.

God doesn’t mind if your speech isn’t grammatically perfect or eloquent. He listens no matter what you have to say, even if you stumble over your words when speaking to Him.  Tell Him what’s on your mind.  Share with Him about the pain or sadness in your heart.  Express your fears to Him.  Verbalize your hopes and dreams.  Convey your desires, and ask Him to meet your needs.

He’s listening, and He cares.

Related Verses:

 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.

Genesis 21:17

 I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.  Psalm 40:1

 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  1 John 5:14

 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; Psalm 34:15

 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  Psalm 34:17

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Psalm 116:1

 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.  Psalm 145:19

Nov9

Above All Else

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Above all else,

guard your heart

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Your heart…is it’s protection your top priority?    Why should this be such an extremely important task?  Take a moment to let the meaning of these words penetrate your mind:

Above all else… Make this the most important priority in your life.  Use this instruction as a guide to filter your thoughts, actions, affections, desires, dreams and feelings.  If your heart’s desires are set on the best that God has in mind for you ~the very purpose for which He created you ~  then you will stay on His desired path for your life, and you won’t veer off course.

…Guard Your Heart…  You guard things that are valuable to you, things that you treasure, things that you want to keep safe from harm, and things that you want to protect.   Your heart is what drives you to action, and it is the essence of who you are.  It’s the core of your being, and with it you connect to God and others.  Watch over your heart with vigilance, and set up protective boundaries around it so that the desires which flow from within are pure and in line with God’s will.  Consistently examine the information you take in visually (through television, movies, internet, social media, print, video games, email, texting, etc…) and audibly (through radio, cd’s, or other audio sources.) Diligently monitor the relationships in your life, and make sure that those with whom you surround yourself also want God’s best for your life.  Do not give your heart to anyone who could cause you to stumble or lead you astray.  Put up virtual signs within your heart which read, “NO DUMPING ALLOWED,” and don’t allow any trash to enter.  You make time for the things that you love and enjoy, so make sure that the things cherished inside your heart are from God and in line with His will.  

…for it is the wellspring of life…. Imagine a pure spring deep within the earth.  Visualize its crystal clear waters bubbling up and flowing out to form the headwaters of a major river.  Similarly, your heart is the internal fountainhead, or wellspring, from which everything else in life flows.   If you fill your heart with pure, excellent and honorable things, those same types of  things will cascade out of it.  Don’t pollute the wellspring with dishonorable contaminants, because everything downstream will be toxic.

Your heart determines the course of life, and from your heart originates your destiny.  Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard and protect it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life ~ God’s best.

For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7a

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Aug30

God’s Divine Nature

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Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,

Your faithfulness to the skies.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,

Your justice like the ocean depths…

Psalm 36:5-6b (NIV)

Take a moment and meditate on the glorious attributes of our Heavenly Father.  Let the truth of God’s character sink into the crevasses of your mind and penetrate the depths of your heart.  Press the “pause button” on the busyness of your day, and simply reflect on His divine nature.

  • God’s unfailing love for you is everlasting; it is as vast as the heavens.  He has loved you before the beginning of time, and will love you into eternity.  He is the God of all Comfort who is kind and compassionate.
  • The Lord’s perfect faithfulness is forever; He is trustworthy, and His Word is reliable and true.  He always keeps His promises.
  • God’s righteousness is as majestic as the highest mountain peaks.  He is holy and pure.
  • The expanse of the Lord’s justice and fairness is comparable to the deepest depths of the ocean.

Even though we could never come close in comparison to the divine nature of our Heavenly Father, God has bridged the gap between our imperfection and His holy perfection.   Because of His grace, mercy and eternal love for us, He gave us His Son as an unblemished sacrifice for our wrongdoings, so that we may live with Him forever in Heaven.  Jesus is the Righteousness of God.  If we simply believe in Jesus, we are covered in His righteousness and adopted into His kingdom as children of God.  The Lord longs for you to spend eternity with Him, and He offers you the free gift of everlasting life through His son Jesus Christ. That’s a promise that you can hold onto for all of eternity.

 …“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.  Jeremiah 31:3a

 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

“And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, The Lord, compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness and rebellion and sin.'”  Exodus 34: 6 – 7

 

Aug29

Refreshment For Your Soul

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Peaceful Waters

“…He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.”

Psalm 23:2b-3a(NIV)

The 23rd Psalm beautifully illustrates our relationship with the Lord, describing Him as our gentle Shepherd who lovingly and tenderly provides for the all the needs of His sheep.  When we follow the lead of our Good Shepherd, He will guide us in the direction that is best for our lives. 

If you are weary from life ~ perhaps worn down from hard work, or weak from illness, or drained from mourning a loss, or exhausted from battling a difficult relationship, or tired from too many sleepless nights,or anxious from financial concerns, or fearful of dangerous living conditions ~ follow the lead of your loving Shepherd.  He is gently guiding you by peaceful streams so that you can take a long, cool drink of refreshment for your soul. He knows your every need, and He cares for you.  Follow Him to the path that directs you right into His loving arms.  Our loving Shepherd would never guide you to the stagnant waters of filth or corruption, nor dangerous, rolling rapids, nor a roaring, tumultuous sea.  His quiet waters are peaceful and calm.  He longs for you to take a soul-refreshing sip of His Living Water. Taste of His goodness and know the quiet contentment of His divine nourishment.

 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 42:2a(NIV)

 O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You;

my soul thirsts for you.

Psalm 63:1(NIV)

 Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Psalm 34:8a(NIV)

Aug27

Unseen Footprints

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Your path led through the sea,

Your way through the mighty waters

though Your footprints were not seen.

Psalm 77:19 (NIV)

Maybe you don’t have an army chasing you like the Israelites did after Moses led them out of Egypt, but you may find yourself ensnared by a situation in which you feel hopelessly trapped.  Perhaps you feel that your back is against the wall, and it is impossible to escape from your circumstances.

When the Israelites were cornered against the Red Sea, they were terrified and felt doomed.  Moses calmed their fears with these words, “Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today…The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.”  (Exodus 14:13a, 14)

If you feel doomed by your circumstances and see no possible means of escape, pray and ask God to intervene on your behalf.  The same powerful Hand that parted the sea for the Israelites can provide a pathway out of your trouble.  Don’t be afraid; don’t panic.  God can open up a way out for you.  Simply stand firm in your faith and watch the deliverance God will bring you.  Follow His unseen footprints…

“But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”  Exodus 14:29

Aug24

The Promise of His Presence

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IMG_9453“…for God [Himself] has said,

I will not in any way fail you,

Nor give you up

Nor leave you without support.

I will not,

I will not,

I will not

In any degree

Leave you helpless

Nor forsake you

Nor let you down.”

Hebrews 13:5b (AMP) 

Read the words above with this truth in mind:  God keeps His word.  He doesn’t break His promises.  If you are a child of God you can rest in the assurance that God will not leave you…ever!

In the book of Genesis we learn about the life of Joseph.  During one season of his life, Joseph’s jealous brothers stole his possessions and then threw him in a pit, then eventually sold him into slavery.  As a slave, he was falsely accused of a crime and imprisoned for over two years in a dark dungeon with vile conditions along side the worst of criminals.  Yet those who met Joseph along the way knew that no matter what God was with him.  Even in the midst of these terrible circumstances, God never left Joseph.  In fact, the Bible tells us that when Joseph was a slave, “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered…The Lord was with him and gave him success in everything he did.”  (Genesis 39: 2a, 3b)  And while Joseph spent time in the grim conditions of the prison, we are told that “the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” (Genesis 40: 21)  Even though he was in the most terrible situation of his life as a prisoner, “the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” (Genesis 40:23b)

Perhaps you can identify with one or more of the hardships that Joseph faced:  betrayal, financial loss, abuse, abandonment, false accusations, or even dire living conditions.   If so, remind yourself of God’s promise to His children:

I will never leave you…

Forsake you…

Abandon you…

Fail you…

Leave you alone…

Desert you…

Run away from you…

Forget you…

Leave you without support…

Give you up…

Let you down.

I will not relax My hold on you…assuredly not!

Joseph’s responses to each circumstance in his life give us a good example to follow.  His positive attitude transformed each of his setbacks into a step forward.  His lowest point was like a launchpad for his successful future.  After two years, Joseph was released him from prison and Pharaoh put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.  He quickly went from a dingy, dark prison to Pharaoh’s palatial palace.  During his lowest points, he didn’t dwell on asking, “Why are these things happening to me?”  In each situation he trusted in God and held on to the personal knowledge that God was with him.  Instead of asking why, he chose to ask, “What can I do now…”  His life was a testimony to others of God’s presence, provision, protection and blessing in spite of hardships.  He thrived in situations where others would have simply given up.

If you are find yourself in a “pit” in life, remind yourself that God will not leave you…ever!  Perhaps He is molding you and preparing you for greater things through these difficulties.  Allow God to transform your setbacks into giant leaps forward.  Although you face difficulties, it doesn’t mean that God has abandoned you.  He is true to His word, and He will never, ever leave you alone or helpless.

 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

for He who promised if faithful.”

   Hebrews 10:23

 

               

Aug23

Marvelously Made

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“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.”

Psalm 139: 13 – 16 MSG

You are a special creation ~ marvelously made in body and soul by God!  No one else on Earth is quite like you.  God shaped you from nothing into something, and knit you together, bit by bit, into the extraordinary individual that you are. Like an open book, He watched you grow from conception to birth; He knows the rhythm of your heart, every bone in your body, and every hair on your head.

God created you with a unique purpose in mind, and each one of your days on Earth have been ordained by your Creator.   In fact, the days of your life were all prepared for you before you even lived one day.  God knows you intimately, inside and out.

He was there from your beginning, and He is with you right now.  No matter what you may be going through in life, God loves you and is watching over you every single moment.

You are His Masterpiece!

Aug22

Absolutely Nothing Can Separate Us From the Love of Christ

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Can anything separate us from the love of Christ?

 

Can trouble

Suffering,

Hard times,

Hunger,

Nakedness,

Danger,

Or Death?

Roman 8:35 CEV

 

The life of a believer is not always perfect.  We face many of the same kinds of problems today that believers have endured throughout history such as hardship, trials, hunger, illness, suffering, heart break, abandonment, danger, and even death.   Difficult times could cause you to fear that Christ has abandoned you.  Yet His death on the cross is proof of His unconditional love for each one of us.

Romans 8: 38 – 39 gives us one of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life,

neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers,

neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (NIV)

 

Absolutely Nothing can stop Christ’s constant presence with us, and ~ nothing ~ in all of creation can separate us from His never-ending, unchanging, limitless, unfathomable, and eternal love for us.  If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will never fear, no matter what circumstances we face.