He spoke, and set a whole world in motion. What kind of world do we set in motion by the words we speak? Remember, He said we were created in His image. That was before there was a Jew or Christian, Muslim, Hindi, etc. He gave us authority over everything. What do we do with that authority?
There is inherent beauty in all of us. What do we confess about our selves? Do we believe God or the enemy? There is one who is trying to destroy the image of God, and trying to make us believe a lie. He wants to keep our light hidden from ourselves and others.
Your words have power. Shout it from the rooftops! I am the image of God! As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Come out! come out! Wherever you are! Let your light shine. God is good! He is on our side. If God is for us, who can be against us?
Say it! I am more than an overcomer! He is for me, not against me! I am created in the image of God! If I start believing I evolved from an ape, I'll start acting like an ape! I've got nothing against apes, or those who want to believe that way, but I'm not one of them. I am created in the image of God! Praise His name forever! 1 John 3:1 Luke 11:28
Love in Him, a work in progress.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
CREATED IN HIS IMAGE
Why are we so offended when we see abuse? Evil, murder, babies being killed by the thousands, even if it is the law of the land. Because even without Christ, we inherently know that that's not how God created us to live. Why do we train our children not to lie, cheat, or steal. We try to teach them to do good, to live good productive lives. Why? Because somewhere there is a good, loving, patient God that created us to live a life that reflects who He is We are offended by anything less. Romans 8:39.
Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. We are created in His Image!
Love, a work in progress.
Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. We are created in His Image!
Love, a work in progress.
AS A MAN THINKS, SO IS HE!
The image. Created in the image of God. John 14:12.
The works that I do, he/she will do, and greater. Dare we believe? Dare we speak? What are we believing for in our life? How will we think and speak in heaven? Can we start here?
We are learning a new way to think and speak. Created in the image of God. Amazing! Have we ever stood in front of the mirror and spoken to ourselves who we really are?
What the Bible says we are: We are washed clean. Paul said, forgetting the past, he pushed on toward the goal. We are the light to the world. Poor world. Speak to that image in the mirror, plant the seed. We are gardeners. Plant the seed in your garden till it becomes that good fruit. Look yourself in the eye and tell yourself the truth as God sees it. We are clean. Righteous with His righteousness. New creations. We have authority. There is such amazing beauty in our Gardener. Let's pull any weeds. A beautiful garden needs to be worked to truly bring out the beauty.
Is our God beautiful? Patient. Kind. Forgiving. Loving. Full of joy. Peace itself. Faithful. Instead of going before the mirror and seeing the wrinkles and all the things we think need to be improved on, let's look at the beauty that is the Image of God in us.
Satan would mar that beautiful image. God has said it! Let us make them in Our image. Then He gave us Jesus. The perfect image of God. Jesus is our mirror. Keep your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
Man, God so good! So are we! We are more than we could ever imagine. Speak the truth to yourself: I pray His image be released in all of us.
Let the Light shine! Hebrews 3:1 Genesis 1:26-31 1 Corinthians 2:9 Hebrews 13:5
In His love, a work in progress.
The works that I do, he/she will do, and greater. Dare we believe? Dare we speak? What are we believing for in our life? How will we think and speak in heaven? Can we start here?
We are learning a new way to think and speak. Created in the image of God. Amazing! Have we ever stood in front of the mirror and spoken to ourselves who we really are?
What the Bible says we are: We are washed clean. Paul said, forgetting the past, he pushed on toward the goal. We are the light to the world. Poor world. Speak to that image in the mirror, plant the seed. We are gardeners. Plant the seed in your garden till it becomes that good fruit. Look yourself in the eye and tell yourself the truth as God sees it. We are clean. Righteous with His righteousness. New creations. We have authority. There is such amazing beauty in our Gardener. Let's pull any weeds. A beautiful garden needs to be worked to truly bring out the beauty.
Is our God beautiful? Patient. Kind. Forgiving. Loving. Full of joy. Peace itself. Faithful. Instead of going before the mirror and seeing the wrinkles and all the things we think need to be improved on, let's look at the beauty that is the Image of God in us.
Satan would mar that beautiful image. God has said it! Let us make them in Our image. Then He gave us Jesus. The perfect image of God. Jesus is our mirror. Keep your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
Man, God so good! So are we! We are more than we could ever imagine. Speak the truth to yourself: I pray His image be released in all of us.
Let the Light shine! Hebrews 3:1 Genesis 1:26-31 1 Corinthians 2:9 Hebrews 13:5
In His love, a work in progress.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND
There's a new, very old saying: "Change your thoughts and you change your world." I'll write out the original long version:
Meditate on these things: whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are of good report. If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. It will bear fruit. So will all the negative things we continually ingest.
Just one new thing each day will change our world. Children especially thrive on a diet of good., It's easy to digest.
Walk along with me, the best is yet to come: Mark 9:23.
Love, a work in progress.
Meditate on these things: whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are of good report. If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. It will bear fruit. So will all the negative things we continually ingest.
Just one new thing each day will change our world. Children especially thrive on a diet of good., It's easy to digest.
Walk along with me, the best is yet to come: Mark 9:23.
Love, a work in progress.
VALENTINE'S DAY
Have you ever meditated on chocolate candy, taken a bite and tried to figure out what it actually tasted like? What you taste is sweet. If you take the sweet out of chocolate, you have bitter. The sweet AND the bitter makes a very pleasing creamy treat.
Is it the same with love? God is love. Without love, we are nothing. Noise. It profits me nothing. Bitter. Love suffers! Long! And is kind. Nice to be on the receiving end. Sweet. It is not self-centered. It rejoices in the truth. It looks for truth. It loves to rejoice. It bears all things, believes, hopes, endures. Love never fails. It is given and received.
Meditating on love--true love--is like meditating on chocolate. It is a combination of bitter and sweet. The more you have, the more you want. Love. We all need love. Love grows. It has a life of its own. Love bears good fruit. God gave love. He said to love your enemies. Pray for them. Make them a part of your life even if they don't want to be there. Maybe the sweetest part of love is to learn to give it. Or maybe the sweetest part of love is to meld the two together--the giving and receiving.
Like chocolate--sugar and cocoa. Meld it together till it all seems sweet. Bitter and sweet, and you no longer want one without the other. It takes time to make good chocolate. It takes time to make good love.,
Make it all sweet. Love is putting away childish ways.
Phil. 4:4-8. Chocolate and love can be messy.
God is love. It's who He is!
Love, a work in progress.
Is it the same with love? God is love. Without love, we are nothing. Noise. It profits me nothing. Bitter. Love suffers! Long! And is kind. Nice to be on the receiving end. Sweet. It is not self-centered. It rejoices in the truth. It looks for truth. It loves to rejoice. It bears all things, believes, hopes, endures. Love never fails. It is given and received.
Meditating on love--true love--is like meditating on chocolate. It is a combination of bitter and sweet. The more you have, the more you want. Love. We all need love. Love grows. It has a life of its own. Love bears good fruit. God gave love. He said to love your enemies. Pray for them. Make them a part of your life even if they don't want to be there. Maybe the sweetest part of love is to learn to give it. Or maybe the sweetest part of love is to meld the two together--the giving and receiving.
Like chocolate--sugar and cocoa. Meld it together till it all seems sweet. Bitter and sweet, and you no longer want one without the other. It takes time to make good chocolate. It takes time to make good love.,
Make it all sweet. Love is putting away childish ways.
Phil. 4:4-8. Chocolate and love can be messy.
God is love. It's who He is!
Love, a work in progress.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
BEING THANKFUL TAKES WORK
Finding it hard to be thankful? I was laying in bed the other night, and I complained to the Lord, "I can only breathe out of one nostril!" That still, small voice said, "That's why I gave you two!"
It's not hard to thank Him for the big things. We do that. But our lives are mostly made up of the small things. Giving thanks on a continual basis lifts us to a higher level. It teaches us what its like to be in this world, but not of it. We belong to another realm now. Here's another one: let's see how many small gifts of thankfulness we can give Him. It snowed. Thank you, Lord for a house and heat, and this wonderful cup of hot coffee!
We can't focus on two things at once, so why not teach ourselves to focus on something good?
Lord, it's so nice to sit in this quiet place. Or, if you have kids, thank you, Lord for my kids....thank You for the giggles, energy, health. Thank you that I have indoor plumbing--with 7 inches of snow, it wouldn't be too good to go outside! Thank you for my husband, who shovels the snow--I'll pray for you, sweetie!
Let's walk through every room of our house and look for things to be thankful for., Look out the window and see the frozen ice on the trees and grasses. I would never have experienced crystal trees shining with multicolored ornaments. Fields that look like fields of glass with the sun shining on them!
See what I mean?
Thank God I have two nostrils. We will never run out of things to be thankful for! Especially that still, small voice. Look at your loved ones, friends. Look for the good, pure, lovely, honorable. The world has taught us to look at all the boo boo's and make mountains out of molehills. Let's turn that around and make the small good things into the mountains of our lives. I pray the still small voice will always remind us we can still breathe with one nostril! Thank you, Lord! God is good all the time.
In His love, a work in progress.
It's not hard to thank Him for the big things. We do that. But our lives are mostly made up of the small things. Giving thanks on a continual basis lifts us to a higher level. It teaches us what its like to be in this world, but not of it. We belong to another realm now. Here's another one: let's see how many small gifts of thankfulness we can give Him. It snowed. Thank you, Lord for a house and heat, and this wonderful cup of hot coffee!
We can't focus on two things at once, so why not teach ourselves to focus on something good?
Lord, it's so nice to sit in this quiet place. Or, if you have kids, thank you, Lord for my kids....thank You for the giggles, energy, health. Thank you that I have indoor plumbing--with 7 inches of snow, it wouldn't be too good to go outside! Thank you for my husband, who shovels the snow--I'll pray for you, sweetie!
Let's walk through every room of our house and look for things to be thankful for., Look out the window and see the frozen ice on the trees and grasses. I would never have experienced crystal trees shining with multicolored ornaments. Fields that look like fields of glass with the sun shining on them!
See what I mean?
Thank God I have two nostrils. We will never run out of things to be thankful for! Especially that still, small voice. Look at your loved ones, friends. Look for the good, pure, lovely, honorable. The world has taught us to look at all the boo boo's and make mountains out of molehills. Let's turn that around and make the small good things into the mountains of our lives. I pray the still small voice will always remind us we can still breathe with one nostril! Thank you, Lord! God is good all the time.
In His love, a work in progress.
WHAT ARE OUR RIGHTS?
What are our rights in the Kingdom? Luke 6:27-31.
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (keep doing good).
Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. Turn the other cheek. Do not stop him/her from taking what they want--in fact, give it to them. Give to everyone who asks. Do not demand it back.
Do not judge. Do not condemn. Forgive. For with the measure you use, it will be given to you!
Be careful what you see and hear. The Holy Spirit will give you what to say when you're in a tight spot.
You are the light of the world.
Do not resist evil
Enter through the narrow gate; and narrow is the road, and only a few find it.
This is my thought on the subject of fighting for our rights in this world. In our schools today, there are more and more religions, and they all want a spot. If we fight to have our faith in the schools, won't other parents of other religions do the same? What do you want your children taught in school? May be better to teach them at home. Could it be that God, in His own way, may be protecting our children by keeping religion out of schools, where children are most vulnerable?
We live under a different code of standards. One of them is, do not resist evil. I believe God is our protector, and has a great plan and path for us to follow. No one can stop love in schools! No one can stop light from shining. No one can stop salt from preserving!
Love - Shine - Preserve!
John 3:16. A work in progress.
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (keep doing good).
Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. Turn the other cheek. Do not stop him/her from taking what they want--in fact, give it to them. Give to everyone who asks. Do not demand it back.
Do not judge. Do not condemn. Forgive. For with the measure you use, it will be given to you!
Be careful what you see and hear. The Holy Spirit will give you what to say when you're in a tight spot.
You are the light of the world.
Do not resist evil
Enter through the narrow gate; and narrow is the road, and only a few find it.
This is my thought on the subject of fighting for our rights in this world. In our schools today, there are more and more religions, and they all want a spot. If we fight to have our faith in the schools, won't other parents of other religions do the same? What do you want your children taught in school? May be better to teach them at home. Could it be that God, in His own way, may be protecting our children by keeping religion out of schools, where children are most vulnerable?
We live under a different code of standards. One of them is, do not resist evil. I believe God is our protector, and has a great plan and path for us to follow. No one can stop love in schools! No one can stop light from shining. No one can stop salt from preserving!
Love - Shine - Preserve!
John 3:16. A work in progress.
HE GAVE ALL, HE ASKS FOR ALL
"NO EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS HEARD, AND NO MIND HAS IMAGINED WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." 1 Cor. 2:9
"Even in asking for all, you do not ask for much." The life we've lived on our own has been filled with the miserable uncomfortable bed we made for ourselves. The more we fill our lives with our own choices for happiness, the more miserable we become. Pride destroys. Is this what Paul was talking about in Rom. 7? But then he starts again with, "Who will save me from this body of death? Praise be to God through Jesus Christ!" He has done it!
Is all of this what He wants me to give Him, little miserable me? That's why I can say, He doesn't ask for much when He asks for all. There's nothing there except what Paul called rubbish. I will not be a hoarder. Paul gave it all up for the sheer worth of knowing Christ Jesus, his Lord. (Phil. 3:7-16)
It seems to me it's an unfair exchange, but if that's what He wants, if that's what His love demands, it's all I have to give Him, and ask Him to take what I cannot give because it's just more trash.
Love demands all so I can live the life with Him that He wants me to live. ( John 17) perfectly righteous. Amazing exchange! Thank you, Jesus! Would any of us give all our riches (Donald Trump?) for someone's trash? "Love as I have loved you." Amazing. Psalm 73:26
To God be the glory! A work in progress.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
OBEDIENCE
"If you love me, you will obey me." What emotion does that statement bring out in you? When you were a child, and daddy told you to do something, how did you respond? What was your attitude?
It's going to be a choice. How silly for a child to think it knows what's best for it. When you're in a store, restaurant, or airplane and a child is screaming to get its way, how do you feel? What do you want to do? Life would be so much better if the child knew how much the parent loved it. Such peace and enjoyment.
So what does this love and obey me come down to? "Love as I have loved you." It comes down to knowing the Father. Knowing Jesus and His great love for us. That He loves us and wants only the best for us. Then you know what He tells you to do is preparing you for something big. You trust Him and love to do what He tells you to do. No more fighting. No more having to have your own way. No more child rebellion. But sweet relationship, knowing Him intimately, personally, is the key to giving up and trusting and obeying. Not questioning His motives. You can trust this One with your whole heart and learn not in your own understanding. And then He can direct your path. Then you can not only love Him, but obey Him.
John 17. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Isa. 40:31 - "Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles."
Love, a work in progress.
It's going to be a choice. How silly for a child to think it knows what's best for it. When you're in a store, restaurant, or airplane and a child is screaming to get its way, how do you feel? What do you want to do? Life would be so much better if the child knew how much the parent loved it. Such peace and enjoyment.
So what does this love and obey me come down to? "Love as I have loved you." It comes down to knowing the Father. Knowing Jesus and His great love for us. That He loves us and wants only the best for us. Then you know what He tells you to do is preparing you for something big. You trust Him and love to do what He tells you to do. No more fighting. No more having to have your own way. No more child rebellion. But sweet relationship, knowing Him intimately, personally, is the key to giving up and trusting and obeying. Not questioning His motives. You can trust this One with your whole heart and learn not in your own understanding. And then He can direct your path. Then you can not only love Him, but obey Him.
John 17. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Isa. 40:31 - "Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles."
Love, a work in progress.
DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED - LUKE 21:8-9
I ask Him, "How could I not be frightened if I have a child in my arms, and a war and revolution is going on around me?"
It seems we have been taught what to be frightened of. Everyone is not afraid of the same thing. What am I afraid of? Jesus says not to be frightened. What can I do? I have a number of different options., Think, what are yours? Fear paralyses. Fear shuts you down. How can He say, "DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED"! Fear not. But He also says, "I am with you always."
What is prayer to you? Is it hit and miss? Hope God hears, or is it a knowing He is with you and hears every beast of your heart? He says, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." It doesn't take great faith on your part. It takes faith the size of a mustard seed. It takes Jesus' own faith in you. Faith and trust must be practiced. Your mind must be taught to do what you expect of it. I watch Dog Whisperer, and my mind can be so unruly. What does he do when the dog is misbehaving? He sure doesn't give up. He distracts the dog's mind immediately. It's amazing how it changes the actions of the dog. Could that be what the Lord means when He says we must renew our minds? Bring our thoughts and fears into line with His word. Simply distract them from what they've always thought and reacted to. Some dogs are harder to train than others, but patience and kindness, never giving up, produces results. It produces faith an d trust in the master.
Could the answer to the problems of our minds be hidden in the pages of our Bibles, and in intimate relationship with the living God who created us? Too simple? Jesus never meant for it to be so hard that the simplest couldn't possess it. Matthew 11:28-30. The way is narrow. But Jesus says, "I am the way." He also says "My yoke is easy, my burden is light."
Believe Him or not, He is all we have. John 17! He loves us so!
Love, a work in progress.
It seems we have been taught what to be frightened of. Everyone is not afraid of the same thing. What am I afraid of? Jesus says not to be frightened. What can I do? I have a number of different options., Think, what are yours? Fear paralyses. Fear shuts you down. How can He say, "DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED"! Fear not. But He also says, "I am with you always."
What is prayer to you? Is it hit and miss? Hope God hears, or is it a knowing He is with you and hears every beast of your heart? He says, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." It doesn't take great faith on your part. It takes faith the size of a mustard seed. It takes Jesus' own faith in you. Faith and trust must be practiced. Your mind must be taught to do what you expect of it. I watch Dog Whisperer, and my mind can be so unruly. What does he do when the dog is misbehaving? He sure doesn't give up. He distracts the dog's mind immediately. It's amazing how it changes the actions of the dog. Could that be what the Lord means when He says we must renew our minds? Bring our thoughts and fears into line with His word. Simply distract them from what they've always thought and reacted to. Some dogs are harder to train than others, but patience and kindness, never giving up, produces results. It produces faith an d trust in the master.
Could the answer to the problems of our minds be hidden in the pages of our Bibles, and in intimate relationship with the living God who created us? Too simple? Jesus never meant for it to be so hard that the simplest couldn't possess it. Matthew 11:28-30. The way is narrow. But Jesus says, "I am the way." He also says "My yoke is easy, my burden is light."
Believe Him or not, He is all we have. John 17! He loves us so!
Love, a work in progress.
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