Dearly Loved, that’s me!

March 13, 2019March 29, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have the Father’s love. Knowing you are loved gives power, affirmation, hope and joy. Knowing you are love by God the Father fills us with confidence, hope, security, and comfort. Scripture speaks frequently of God’s love for us. Jesus was talking to the disciples about God’s love and his imminent return to the Father shortly before His death in John 16:27-28. “For the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. ²⁸Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.” Jesus said I am dearly loved by God because of my love for Him. God loves that I love Jesus! When you think about one of your loved ones, aren’t there things you really love about them. Maybe it is the way they smile, maybe that they always hug you so tightly or say loving things to you for no reason except that they love you. This little portion of scripture gives us a glimpse into God’s character and love. He loves us dearly- not a little bit of love but a special love that is close to His heart. The motivation for this dear love is because I love His son. Isn’t that like a good Father? As earthly mothers and fathers, we love the kids that love our kids. We cherish them and want our kids to associate with them. Being a good Father, God loves and cherishes us with a special love because we love Jesus. What a privileged and heart warming thought to ponder today!

Linda

Suggestion: Think about your love for Jesus. How has He brought you to faith, and provided you with hope, joy, security and comfort. Know that the things you love about Jesus makes God the Father love you even more.

I have the keys to a home in heaven. Thank you Jesus.

March 12, 2019March 29, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have a place in heaven. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about my eternal home in heaven because I’m usually so preoccupied with life in the here and now that it seems distant. However, the older I get the more I have pondered what this home will be like and who will be there with me. I realize now the urgency for telling others about Jesus and His saving power, so that they will not be left behind.

Today’s scripture comes from John 14. It is a familiar passage about the home Jesus is preparing for us and gives us great hope. I like the extra meaning the Amplified version John-14-2 gives John 14:1-4 ““Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe[confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.²In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.⁴And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.” We are not to be afraid because through faith in Jesus we know that He is preparing our eternal home and that He will come get us when the time is right.

Another passage in Ephesians reassures us that through faith in Jesus and because of God’s great love for us, we will be seated with Christ. It is truly by God’s grace, His unmerited favor, that He made such a place for us, as we did nothing to earn the riches we will receive. Ephesians 2:4-7 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

In our eternal home will have a place of honor that is prepared for us by Christ himself, and we will be with Him for eternity. My finite mind can only try to imagine such provision, but I know I only need to believe in Jesus and His saving work on the cross for it to be mine.

Linda

Suggestion: Give some thought to heaven today and make a list of at least 5 things you know about it. Need some help- read Revelation 21 or go back and reread today’s passages. They are filled with promises about our heavenly home. Hint- one of my favorites is Revelation 21:4

Given by Christ, Righteousness. Thank you Jesus.

March 11, 2019March 29, 2019 nofearlinda1 Comment

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have Christ’s righteousness. Christ was a man while on earth, pure, holy, without sin, filled with integrity, virtuous in behavior, humble and the list could continue. Most importantly He was sinless and therefore in right standing with God the Father. God cannot look upon sin so unless we are pure and holy we cannot be in a relationship with Him. By saying, “I have Christ’s righteousness” I am proclaiming that I am in right standing with God. I can know and communicate with Holy God. Romans 5:19 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 explain how this happened for us through Christ’s work on the cross. Romans 5:19 “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners (that was Adam), so also through the obedience of the one man (Christ) the many will be made righteous.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Through faith in Christ, I can have His Righteousness and come into a relationship with Almighty God. Without Christ, we have no way get rid of our sin. We can never do enough good works. We can never clean ourselves up enough to come before God. Ephesians 2:8-9 puts it this way,“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.” What a precious gift Christ’s righteousness is to me!

How do we process this for Lent? Recognizing that our position before God is totally dependent upon Jesus and His redeeming work on the cross and resurrection from the dead should give us pause and create in us a sense of gratitude and humility.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus that through faith in your work on the cross I am able to come before You in prayer, study Your word with understanding and be indwelt by your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on my behalf. Amen.

Linda

Suggestion for today: Pray David’s prayer from Psalm 51: 10,12 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Sometime today, instead of taking credit for something good you are doing or did – give the praise to God. Have a willing spirit that desires to please Him. Acknowledge Him with your thoughts- He knows your heart and spirit.

1st Sunday of Lent

March 10, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Lenten Sunday’s are a time apart to get recharged and worship our Savior. These last weeks I have been studying King David’s life and was brought to my knees by Psalm 51. David wrote this psalm after his great sin with Bathsheba and the ordering of the death of Uriah, her husband. David’s confession is real, heartfelt and gives us hope that God can indeed forgive all our sins and restore us. Be restored and seek God’s forgiveness as you meditate. Psalm 51: 1-4, 10-12, 17

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
²Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.

psalm 51 10 David acknowledges his sin and knows God can forgive and wash him clean.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

David knows God can restore, renew and bring joy where there was sorrow over sin.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

David’s humbly offers God is his broken and sorrowful heart.

Prayer: May it be so with me too. Forgive my sins and create in me a new restored, resolved and committed heart to serve you. Amen.

Linda

Suggestion: attend a worship service really focusing on the praise and worship of God, so that you can soak in His restoring power.

Do you have what it takes to survive Lent?

March 9, 2019March 29, 2019 nofearlinda1 Comment

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have a spirit of power, love and self-discipline in my life. When you begin something new it takes time for your mind, body and spirit to accept your new commitment. You often doubt you have the resolve to see it through. However, God’s Word tell us that when we accept Jesus as our Savior and His Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts and minds, we have a new type of power living within us. 2 Timothy 1:7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Today thank God for the spirit of power He has put within you, for the love you have for yourself and others and the self-discipline to see things through. We are not to be timid and shy away from difficult commitments but bold and filled with His Holy Spirit to contend with the world and the challenges it presents to us each day. Take heart from Revelation 21:7 “He who overcomes [the world by adhering faithfully to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior] will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”

Linda

Suggestion: work on your self-discipline today as you continue with the self-denial you chose on Ash Wednesday. Today will be easier than yesterday. Watch your self-discipline grow daily as we journey through Lent.

Hope, now and for eternity. Thank you Jesus.

March 8, 2019March 29, 2019 nofearlinda1 Comment

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have hope. Lent it a time of reflection and I was thinking what life would be like if Jesus had not come. I would be dead in my sins without hope. I would face eternal punishment because there would be no way to approach holy God. Jesus’ death on the cross changed all that. Praise God! Thank you Jesus! Here are some verses to offer up in praise for the work of our Savior.

Psalm 62:5 “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.”

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

1 Peter 1:21 “who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

Because Jesus came, died and rose again, I can have hope for a life lived by faith today and a hope of future glory. That is a blessed hope! Thank you Jesus.

Linda

Suggestion: Today as you consider the hope you have in Jesus, express to someone something you are hopeful about and why. It could be as simple as “I hope you have a good day” to “I am hopeful because of Jesus.” Show someone you possess hope. If they ask you why you have hope then you can explain, as today you have the answer! Jesus.

Mercy is ours. Thank you Jesus.

March 7, 2019March 29, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, I have received mercy. What mercy have I received? By definition, mercy is kindness or compassionate treatment; relief from suffering. Before I knew Jesus as my Savior, I was a condemned person. Romans 3:23 tells us that we are all sinners before a holy God. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 6:23 tells us that sin has to be atoned or paid for and Jesus paid the price for my sin and treated me mercifully. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I did nothing to deserve His act of mercy towards me. Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Peter 1:9-10 explains this state of mercy I received because of Jesus in a beautiful way. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. How glorious it is to be the recipient of God’s mercy. He treats me with His loving kindness and rescued me from eternal condemnation.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for giving and treating me with your eternal mercy and loving kindness. Open my eyes today to receive your marvelous light and treat others as you have treated me. Amen.

Linda

Suggestion: Try to grab hold of God’s mercy today in a new way. Pray for an opportunity to do a random act of kindness or mercy towards someone. That means look for ways to act with kindness/mercy when it would be unexpected, like going out of your way to help someone without them even asking for help. Be open to giving out mercy in God’s name today.

Lent- let it begin with my heart, mind and soul

March 6, 2019 nofearlinda2 Comments

Lent is a time of reflection, fasting, praise, worship and thanksgiving as we walk daily towards the cross. The number 40 is used in the Bible to signify a time of testing and trial. During your Lenten journey which is from today, Ash Wednesday, to Good Friday when Jesus died on the cross, we are to think about the price Jesus paid for our sins through His own death. How we do that can take many forms. Daily devotions with prayer and scripture, fasting for a meal or even a whole day can bring your focus on Jesus to a greater height. Or you can choose to let go of something you really like to do, say or eat as a form of penance or identification with Christ’s suffering for you and your Pope Lent sin. Last year, I found this quote from Pope Francis and it brought a new perspective to fasting during Lent. It isn’t just denying myself chocolate or alcohol, it is denying myself in other ways. I love his suggestions to fast from stress and pressure by being intentionally more prayerful, or letting go of bitterness and focusing on love.

Today as you think about Christ and His suffering and the price He paid for your sins- think about ways you can honor Him in the next 40 days. Each day at the end of my devotion I will have a suggestion of what you might do that day to honor Christ by doing for others in love as Christ did for you at the cross. My daily blogs will focus on what we have in Christ because Jesus died on the cross and rose again. I pray that my blogs and suggestions will help you to gain greater love and appreciation for your Lord and Savior and be prepared in your heart, mind and soul when Good Friday and Easter arrive.

Let the journey begin today in your heart as you set your mind towards the cross.

Linda

Suggestion: attend an Ash Wednesday service or spend some time reflecting on your own sins. Take a piece of paper and write them down. Then take that paper place it before you as you pray and ask God to take those sins away and fill you anew with His love and devotion. Symbolically placing your sins on the cross of Christ helps us to see that He died for me and my sins. Romans 5:8 “But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Lent- are you ready?

March 5, 2019March 5, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Join me during the Lenten Season beginning tomorrow March 6, Ash Wednesday. I will be blogging daily for the 40 days leading up to Easter, April 21. 40 is a biblical number that signifies a period of trial or testing. You can begin a new habit and in 40 days it will have become second nature to you. Begin each day with a message from God’s Word. Begin each day with a desire to do an act of kindness towards others. Begin each day by carving out time to listen, pray and reflect on what Jesus did for you at the cross. It will prepare your heart for Easter in a new way and deepen your walk with the Lord.

Last year, I was mightily bless as I wrote each day about who I am because of Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection. This year I am going to focus on what I have because of Christ’s death and resurrection. I am looking forward to all God will teach me through His Word during these next 40 days.

Join me on this Lenten journey to the foot of the cross.

Linda

Are you Seeing blessings in your life? Take a look!

March 5, 2019 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Being a blessed believer I’ve discovered has many layers. I began weeks ago with a definition of what blessing is in man’s eyes: a gift of divine favor, good wishes or approval, anything that gives happiness or prevents misfortune. Then I looked at scripture to see what God calls blessedness. All of God’s examples show divine favor towards us and His divine ways of having His blessings in our lives. Which ones have you seen, are seeing or hope to see in your life? When you do- you can count yourself blessed!

Blessed is the believer who: walks in His ways. Psalm 1 *whose’s sins are forgiven. Psalm 32:1-2 *who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8 *who trusts in the Lord. Psalm 40:4 *who wisely listens, obeys and accepts the Father’s discipline and instruction Psalm 94:12 *who fears (reveres) the Lord and delights in His Commandments. Psalm 112:1 *who is blessed through his children (physical or spiritual). Psalm 127:5 *who fears God and walks in His ways. Psalm 128:1-2 *who does what is right based in His righteousness. Isaiah 56:1-2 *who is deep rooted in Him, standing firm in all seasons of life. Jeremiah 17:4 *whose sins are forgiven, dependent upon God for His righteousness in Christ. Romans 4:6-8 *who is steadfast, persevering and awaiting reward. James 1:12 *who is humble, sorrows over his sin and dependent upon God for forgiveness, hungers after God’s Word, merciful, has a clean heart before God, is a peacemaker, is persecuted for His sake. Matthew 5:3-10

What a list to take to heart and meditate upon. If you are not seeing some of the blessings God provides for believers, take that to heart, pray about it, search scripture and ask God what He would have you do so that you might partake in His divine blessings!