Tag Archives: God’s Love

Aug24

Sometimes God Calms the Storm…

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Sometimes God calms the storm..

                                                                                                                                                                   (Quote by Leslie Gould ~ The Amish Nanny)

“He stilled the storm to a whisper;

    the waves of the sea were hushed.”

Psalm 107:29 (NIV)

When facing a storm in life, most of us prefer that God would simply speak and hush the storm to a whisper. But instead, “sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child…” And if you ever witness God’s unfathomable greatness in action during times of extreme distress, you gain a divinely deeper understanding of His limitless power and love than you would if He simply calmed the storm.  In turbulent times, your faith is stretched and expanded to new limits and you receive a marvelous insight: when hope in God is all you have left ~ that’s all you really need.  His grace, protection, and provision are sufficient to help you weather any tempestuous circumstances.

Lately it seems you can’t turn on the news without hearing about many terrible crises taking place around the world (or even in your own town).  The latest headlines consist of a multitude of “bad news” items including ~ natural disasters, viral epidemics, political unrest, terror threats, volatile conditions and horrific violence.  It might be that things in your life are going well, but when you hear the dreadful reports, you become engulfed with fear and anxiety .  If you find yourself suffering from a feeling of worry or despair over world events or your own life events, remember the words of Jesus, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” John 16:33 (AMP)

So as His child, allow His words to penetrate your heart and give you perfect peace and confidence, so that you will be calm in the midst of any storm you face.

 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  James 1:2 – 3 (NIV)
 
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 (NIV)
Aug21

The New You

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
 

Like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly, you are divinely transformed into a new creation when you become a child of Christ. At the moment you place your trust and faith in Jesus, you are emptied of the old self (the old has gone) and divinely reborn as a child of God (the new creation has come)! And just like the caterpillar after its mysterious metamorphosis process, that old life of yours is gone ~ it exists no more. Your newborn soul is fresh and unique, crafted by the Creator of the universe for His glory.  You are a brand new person, re-created on the inside, not simply an upgrade of an older version. Your mind, thoughts and purposes become God focused.

Don’t let the shame of your past or the guilt over former mistakes hold you captive ~ or cocooned ~ and keep you looking back with regrets. Through God’s unfathomable love and grace, your shame, guilt, and mistakes were nailed to the cross with Jesus.  Your Savior’s blood covered each and every sin so that you could become a new creation through Him.

Each time you see a beautiful butterfly, remind yourself that you are a marvelous new creation in Christ ~ the old has gone, the new is here!

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” Revelation 21:5(NIV)
 
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Jun11

Before You Decide

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“The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the BEST pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.'”
Psalm 32:8 (NLT)
 

Are you facing a major decision in your life?  Do you feel overwhelmed and mentally exhausted with weighing all the pros and cons of each possible scenario?  Is every thought interwoven with a thread of uncertainty?

Wouldn’t it be an incredible feeling to know with absolute certainty that you are moving in the right direction? Imagine the relief of not questioning each step you make, worried that you might be heading in a trajectory that is completely away from where you should be going with your life.

You can relax and rest in God’s promise to you:  Your Heavenly Father will guide you along the BEST pathway for your life, and He will advise you and watch over you along the way.  Here’s a simple prayer that you can pray to God right now:  “Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you” Psalm 25:4-5 (NLT).

While you are listening for God’s answer, spend time alone with Him, free of distractions and away from your daily routine.  Often His answer comes in a gentle whisper to your spirit, and the “noise” in your life can drown out His voice. Place all your hope in the One who has written every chapter of your life, the One who has your name inscribed on His palms, the One who knows the desires of your heart, and the One who knows the reason for which you were created.

Allow Him to show you the best pathway for your life and trust that He will watch over you every step of the way.

May16

Creation Points Us To the Creator

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As you do not know the path of the wind,
    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV)

Each tiny piece of God’s beautiful creation exemplifies the work of a master artisan. Take a few moments today to get outside and observe some of the intricate details in nature, and you’ll be amazed at the magnificent workmanship of God ~ The Maker of all Things.  There are so many awe-inspiring mysteries in nature that we will never fully comprehend ~ like how a baby’s body is formed in a mother’s womb or how a caterpillar metamorphosizes within a cocoon into a beautiful butterfly. Nature plays a very important role in God’s grand plan.  In fact the very first verse of the Bible tells us that “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1 (NIV)  And since the very beginning, He has used the creation to point us to the Creator.

“For ever since the creation of the world, His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks).”  Romans 1:20 (AMP)

The marvelous creation not only teaches us about God’s divine nature and infinite wisdom, but it also glorifies God on its own.  That fact should inspire us to do the same through worship and praise of our Heavenly Father.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness.  There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard.  Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon. In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun. Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber; like a strong man it enjoys running its course. It emerges from the distant horizon, and goes from one end of the sky to the other; nothing can escape its heat.” (Psalm 19:1 – 6)

The Creator takes great care in watching over His creation, yet nothing in all of creation is more valuable to Him than you.  He designed you as a one-of-a-kind original, and He knows each detail of your life…including your name and number of hairs on your head!  Never doubt that God loves you dearly and  is watching over each moment of your life.

Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.  (Matthew 10:29 – 31) 

May4

God Keeps His Promises

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God has made great and precious promises to His children, and you can have faith that He will remain true to His word. Few things hurt worse than the bitter sting from a broken promise by a close friend, but your Heavenly Father will never falter in His promises to you.  God is the ultimate Promise Keeper ~ You can confidently hold firmly to  your hope in Him.

 

God is no mere human!
He doesn’t tell lies
    or change his mind.
God always keeps his promises.
Numbers 23:19 (CEV)
Apr18

The Good News of Good Friday

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IMG_7286 - Version 2“~ the message concerning faith that we proclaim:  If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord  will be saved.”

Romans 8b-10, 13 (NIV)

Faith is not something we do. It is a response to what God has done already on our behalf…

The message of salvation is beautifully simple:

1. Believe in your heart and

2. Say with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the risen Lord.

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”  2 Corinthians 9:15

Apr16

God’s Help When We are Powerless to Help Ourselves

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What a wonderful God we have—
He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the source of every mercy,
and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials.
And why does he do this?
So that when others are troubled,
needing our sympathy and encouragement,
we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 – 4 (TLB)
 

“I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through…We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again.”  2 Corinthians 1:8 – 10 (TLB)

Have you ever been in a perilous situation where you felt “crushed and overwhelmed,” where the circumstances were so dire that you feared you might not live through it, and you were powerless to help yourself?  It’s these types of extreme difficulties that drive us to our knees…because we have no where else to go.   At some point we come to the end of ourselves, and we have nothing left to cling to except God Himself.  During severe trials, our faith is stretched beyond the limits, and it emerges on the other side of the hardship much stronger and deeper than ever before.  When we experience such extraordinary suffering, we learn to rely not on our own strength or abilities for deliverance, but only on God.  We learn to set our hope on Him alone and trust that the One who raised the dead can surely save us too!

It is our precious Savior who says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”  He graciously speaks peace into troubled souls, calms our raging fears, comforts with His tender mercies, binds up the broken-hearted, heals the most painful wounds, strengthens the weak, and provides hope and joy during the heaviest of sorrows.  We must learn to put everything in the capable hands of our Heavenly Father who loves us and who alone can save us.

Feb23

God Bends Down To Hear Your Prayers

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I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and answers them.
Because He bends down and listens,
I will pray as long as I breathe!  
Psalm 116:1 – 2 TLB
 

Imagine this scene:  “He bends down and listens”…the Creator of the Universe bends down from heaven to hear the prayer you whisper from your lips…the King of Glory stoops down from His throne to incline His ear to your request…your loving Heavenly Father leans down close enough to listen to the words of His precious child….

This awe-inspiring scene is actually our reality.  The blessed truth is that your prayer will always reach God’s ear.  He knows your unique voice, and He hears each plea, request, and petition.  He listens carefully to each prayer of adoration, thanks and supplication.  Not only does He hear your prayers, but He also answers them. He doesn’t always answer them exactly how we think they should be answered, but He answers them according to His best for you.

If you are lonely, God is near.  If you are discouraged, God is listening.  If you are worried, God is attentive to your cares.  If you are afraid, God hears your pleas for help.  If you are heartbroken, God is leaning close enough to hear your cries.

“I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and answers them…”  Because of this amazing truth, “I will pray as long as I breathe!”

Feb14

Love Never Fails

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And so faith, hope, love remain
[faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things;
hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation;
love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us],
these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (AMP)
 
 

LOVE

is patient.
is kind.
does not envy.
does not boast.
is not proud.
does not dishonor others.
is not self-seeking.
is not easily angered.
keeps no record of wrongs.
does not delight in evil.
rejoices with the truth.
always protects.
always trusts.
always hopes.
always perseveres.
never fails.
(1 Corinthians 13:4 – 8a)
 

Love never gives up.  It is kind and puts others first.  Love is not jealous or envious and doesn’t brag or boast.  It doesn’t force itself on others, nor fly off the handle. Love doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, and always takes pleasure in the truth.  Love always protects and trusts.  It always looks for the best in others and never looks back. Love keeps going to the end.  Love never ends.
 
“Whoever does not love, does not know God, because                             

God…is love.”

 (1 John 4:8)

Feb13

Are You Listening?

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God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;

He does great things beyond our understanding.

He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’

and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’  

Job 37:5-6 (NIV)

“…Are you listening?

                              Have you noticed all this?

                                                                   Stop in your tracks!

                                                                                             Take in God’s miracle-wonders!

Do you have any idea how God does it all, how He makes bright lightning from dark storms, how He piles up the cumulus clouds—all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind?”  Job 37:14-16 (MSG)

Nothing can compare to God.  By spending time observing the majestic scenes and intricate details of God’s creation, we are reminded of His awesome power in every aspect of our lives.   Life always creates more questions than we have answers, and we must continually turn to Our Heavenly Father for answers, guidance and fresh insights.  When He speaks, we must be ready to hear His message.

Take a moment to “stop in your tracks,” find a quiet place and listen to the marvelous voice of God.