Tag Archive | Love

That’s Not All Folks

Oct13

In the beginning God . . . — Genesis 1:1a

You know, truthfully, the Bible could have stopped right there. He is God from the beginning of creation. He is THE Creator of us and all things. He deserves our respect, honor and love. But that’s not all folks. . .

He gave us pages and pages of treasures to explore from Genesis to Revelation. Open the pages of your Bible and hear the voice of the Lord God sharing Jesus and His abounding love for us.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Jesus Loves You

Sep27

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

Jesus loves you, this I know
For the Bible tells me so.

The Word of God
A source of truth.
The truth.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Grace Be Yours

Sep21

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. — Ephesians 6:24

Hope your Sunday is filled with worship of our Lord Jesus Christ expressing your incorruptible love for Him. Grace be yours.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Do You Pray?

Sep17

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. — 1 Samuel 12:23
I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, — 2 Timothy 1:3

Do you pray for others? Prayer opens the door to share the gospel with others. Are you praying for your unsaved friend, neighbor, family member? Can your prayers make a difference in the lives of other people? Jesus is actively working to bring all to Him. In prayer we can see where God is working and be open to His calling. Pray for the salvation of others.

Do you pray for others? Do the burdens of others burden you? God cares and hears the prayers of His saints as they pray for others. Your love for God is demonstrated in your willingness to intercede for others just as Jesus intercedes for you.

Do you call upon the Lord on behalf of others? The battle is still raging and we need to pray for one another to stay steadfast in our walk with the Lord. Pray for strength for one another. Praying for one another builds community, unity and steadfast love for one another.

Do you count it a privilege to pray for others? Are you thankful for every opportunity to pray others? How is your intercessory prayer life? Are you fulfilling God’s call to pray for one another? Only you can answer that question but God already knows the answer.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

God is Awesome

Sep15

The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. — 1 John 3:24

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. — 1 John 4:13

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. — Romans 5:5

Thank you Lord God for Your Holy Spirit!! Pentecost must have been awesome, receiving the Holy Spirit just as Jesus had promised. We have the security of the love of God poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit. We have the security of knowing Him by the Holy Spirit that we received. What a blessing. God is so awesome.

Promise: You Are Mine

Aug28

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! — Isaiah 43:1

The Lord, our Creator who formed us says, “you are Mine”! As I read this verse I thought of my daughter who is about to deliver my first grandchild. When our granddaughter arrives my daughter will call her by name. This is a name that her and her husband picked out especially for her. Every time they call her name it acknowledges that they know her and she belongs to them.

My kids will protect her and when she fears I can imagine them saying, “Do not fear”. They would give their lives to redeem her. But as much as they would want to they will never be able to redeem her from her sins. Only Jesus can do that. Even though they will love their daughter with all they are, they will never be able to love her as God loves her.

No greater redemption or love will be yours except through Jesus Christ. So when you read the promise “you are Mine”, know it holds so many more promises for you. Every promise is yours that is written in the Word of God because “you are Mine”!!!!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Live in Grace

Aug17

And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain — for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.

God’s timing is always perfect and aren’t we glad that at the acceptable time He listened and helped us on the day of our salvation? Let us not receive this grace in vain. ”Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—

Let our talk reflect our walk and our walk give no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, especially the ministry of Jesus in us.

How do we do this? In everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God.
In much endurance by the power of God!

By the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, The armor of God (Ephesians 6:14-17) and prayer. (Ephesians 6:18)

By glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. In every second, minute, hour, day and night of our lives. Serving and encouraging others to live enduring lives, surrendered to Jesus.

we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. — 2 Corinthians 4:8-11

God’s blessing and strength as you put on the armor of God, pray and receive God’s grace and live it with no regrets. Let us not receive God’s grace in vain.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Ambassador for Christ

Aug14

God is love. — 1 John 4:8
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. — John 3:16
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; — 2 Corinthians 5:20a
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.– 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus loves us despite the fact that we are sinners and even though we don’t deserve it, He fulfilled God’s purpose. Jesus demonstrated His love for us, put into action that love, when He died on the cross paying the debt for our sin. Jesus fulfilled God’s purpose of redemption for all of mankind. Jesus out of love for the Father obediently saved mankind from the sin of death and gave us eternal life.

So what is our purpose? To be ambassadors for Christ, the righteousness of God in Him. Just as Jesus, our example, we are to love others even though they are sinners and demonstrate God’s love to others even if we think they don’t deserve it. We are to live for Jesus, drawing so close to Him that we become like Him. And like Him we love, demonstrate love, and let Jesus use us to draw others to Him so that He may transform them into the righteousness of God, ambassadors for Christ!

God wants to use you for great things. Are you ready to be an Ambassador for Christ? Draw close to God and He will draw close to you. Then you are ready to be an ambassador. Continue to seek Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Make Me A Servant

Aug12

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Matthew 20:26-28

Jesus changed the world by His radical teachings. Jesus came to serve. This was as contrary in Biblical times as it is today with so many people looking out for number one, themselves. “It’s all about me” mentality is the norm today. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. . . hmmm.

If Jesus is our example how are we to be in the world today? Servants to all — to those who say thank you for your kindness and those who don’t. Those who you think deserve it and those who don’t. Those who are lovable and those who aren’t. Our deep love and gratitude to the Lord God should fill our hearts with the desire to serve.

Our servant-hood in the world can make a change in those around us — those observing how we tend to others and those to whom we attend. Serving not for attention, acknowledgement or reward but for the glory of God and the changing of hearts toward God. And no good deed goes unnoticed by our heavenly Father. For He will make you great and first, exalting you for His glory. Jesus was exalted by the Father as He humbly served to the point that He gave His life for many!!! God was glorified and Jesus as well.

Lord, make me a servant I pray
Guide my feet in your way
As I serve others today
May they see Your glory
And follow You. Amen

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Be Careful Little Eyes

Aug6

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, — Romans 8:5-6

Remember the children’s song “Be Careful Little Eyes”? As I read this verse today this song came to mind. I have often wondered why this song is considered a children’s song.

For those who may not know the song:

Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little eyes what you see.

Be careful little ears what you hear
Be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little ears what you hear.

Be careful little feet where you go
Be careful little feet where you go
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little feet where you go.

Are not the things we as adults put into our minds as important as what children’s minds are exposed to? If we are honest with ourselves we would do so much better if we read, watched, listened to and went places that were not in contrast to God’s Word. What we fill our minds with will effect where our feet walk, what comes out of our mouths and our actions.

A few years back when my children were young, (okay, more than a few years back), I removed offensive movies from my house. I stood on the belief that if it wasn’t good enough for my kids to see, it wasn’t good enough for me to see. Since then I have wandered from that but was quite convicted today when I read this verse. Am I being careful what I feed my mind? What am I watching on T.V.? What am I reading? Would I be doing these things if Jesus were standing or sitting right next to me in the flesh? Hmmm. I wonder.

If I am to be obedient to God’s Word and bring Him glory through my life, then I need to be careful what I see, hear and where I walk.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. — Philippians 4:8

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon