This morning I woke up thinking about how thankful I am.  This is a particularly difficult time for me- I’m moving, teaching, watching my grandson several afternoons a week, keeping up with various studies and just trying to do laundry and cook occasionally.  It all seems so overwhelming and yet, God wants us to have a thankful attitude in all things.   Here are a few reminders God brought to my mind today.

James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always;  pray continually;  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Prayer:  Lord, create in me an attitude of thankfulness no matter what circumstances I face today.  Keep my mind fixed on you- praying and thanking you with joy. Please give me the peace you promised- peace that will setting my mind and keep worries away.  Thank you Jesus for caring for me in all things and in all ways.  Amen.

Looking to Jesus with a thankful heart,

Linda

This last weekend I had the privilege of hearing great teaching from the book of Colossians.  Verses 3:1-3 reminded me of our Lenten journey and our desire to reflect on what we have in Christ.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” 

Knowing Jesus our place with Christ is assured, we already have victory over death and a place in heaven with Him.  Since that is the case, our ‘job’ so to speak is to reflect Him in all we say and do.  We need to set our minds on things above-moving towards sanctification or growing more and more like Jesus.  To help us in this process Philippians 4:8 gives us more specific directions “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.  Filling our minds with good things helps us to rise above quarrels, dissensions and worldly pursuits.  Try this today- fix your mind on good things and don’t let yourself be dragged down or embroiled in conflict.  Choose a verse of scripture to meditate on, pray short arrow prayers throughout the day or call a friend and talk about Jesus.  Any of these will help to keep your mind on things above –setting your mind on things above.  We have a promise from Jesus that our life is now hidden in Him!  Know it and claim it today.  Let yourself hide in Him, not hide away but in and covered by Jesus.  He will protect and shield you from worldly things that would seek to keep you from bringing glory to your Lord.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, keep my mind occupied on things above today that I may rise above the earthly quarrels and pursuit that surround me.  Help me to focus on You so that I may know You more fully and glorify You in all I say and do.  Only in Jesus, Amen.

Desiring to set my mind on things above and to stay hidden in Christ,

Linda

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden like a spring whose waters never fail.  Isaiah 58:11

This verse comes up again and again as I think about how God treats me and cares for me.  Claim and cling to the promises God gives in this verse.  He promises to guide me, meet my needs, strengthen me when I encounter adversity and treat me with special care like a gardener does his favorite plants.  Which of these promises are you in need of today?  Are you trying to make decisions and need guidance? Do you need strength in your body spiritually, emotionally or physically? Are you facing a difficulty situation?  Being in a sun-scorched land can be intense and draining.  Turn to your eternal gardener as He promises to make you into a well-watered plant in His garden.  He has the caring touch you need today.  Turn to Him and Trust Him.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to see how you love and care for me. Increase my faith and trust as I walk with you today staying on the pathways you have lined out for me. Thank you for Jesus, the well-spring in my life who gives eternal rest and salvation to my soul.  Amen.

Resting in His garden,

Linda

Psalm 95:1-6  “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belongs to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.  Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

Enjoy your worship of our LORD today with song, praises and thanksgiving.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for time to praise and thank you for all the many blessings both physical and spiritual that you have shower upon me.  Help me to live with gratitude in my heart today.  Amen.

Blessings,
Linda

“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”  Psalm 16:5-6

This verse came to mind this morning as I am attending a Leader’s Retreat for Bible Study Fellowship in Southern California.  God is gracious to bring me to pleasant places so that I may worship Him more fully and learn more about Him.  As I struggle to understand the hard things of life, I am secure in the knowledge of who holds my future and where He has placed me is exactly where I need to be today.  God has made the boundaries of my life and this is a promise that I can claim with HOPE!   If we do not understand the events of our lives, we can  rest assured He knows us and our inheritance is secure.   I love the message of  1 Peter 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us a new birth  into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you.”  

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for keeping me in just the right place at just the right time.  Help me to rest in the assurance of your boundaries on my life and the hope I have in Christ.  Thank you that my inheritance in Christ will never end, spoil or be faded by things of the earth.  Help me to trust in your boundaries today.  Amen.

Loving pleasant places with Him,

Linda

I I have been referring to this verse all week and just realized the blog I wrote never got published. Here’s my starting thoughts on Micah 6:8.  I pray they will bless you even if I got a bit mixed lip.

On your Lenten journey, are you feeling Jesus in your life each day in a more real way? Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you , O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of  you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  That seems so easy to say-right?  To feel Jesus in a more profound way I need to do as He says- strive to act justly toward others- even when I don’t feel like it.  To feel Jesus in a more profoundly  I need to love mercy- that means giving others the benefit of the doubt, treating them like they deserve my kindnesses towards them and not judging.  To feel Jesus more profoundly I need to walk humbly with God- be unassuming, loving, not boastful, prideful or taking credit for what God is doing.   The thing is – none of this is possible without Jesus in my life.  He is the one who enables me to act justly, love mercy and walk with Him in an attitude of humility.  Thank you Jesus.

Prayer:  Lord, you know the desire of my heart is to live for you with just actions, love and mercy for others and to have an attitude of humility.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may live for you and bring honor to your name.  In Jesus all things are possible, so I ask you to work these things in my life for your glory.  Amen.

Striving to walk with you daily,

Linda

Since we have been considering Micah 6:8, how does one walk with humility?  Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  He describes himself as humble.  As we desire to grow more and more like Jesus so we too should strive to be humble.  I found a few scriptures that describe a humble person for us to think about.

Proverbs 27:2 “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth, someone else and not your own lips.”  Jesus did not brag on himself.  He spoke of himself truthfully.  He did not try to convince other of His greatness or the greatness of His works.  His Words and Works stood for themselves.  We likewise do not need to brag, or seek adulation for what we have done.  God knows and will reward us.  His praise is far better than mans!

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”  Jesus came to seek and to save.  He did not come seeking glory or the praise of men. He considered himself a servant even though He was greater than all He served.  Do I do things out of selfish ambition or simply for self gain?  Where are my motives truly placed?   If I am a leader, am I a servant leader?

1 Peter 5:5 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time.”   Jesus totally submitted to God’s plan and went to the cross.  He was lifted up for you and for me at the hand of the Father.  Am I submitting to what God wants for me or am I rebelling and desiring to do things my way?

Let humility be your food for thought today.  Join me in looking at our motives, our words, and our actions and reviewing them in the light of Jesus.

Prayer:  Father, show me your ways today.  Keep words of boasting out of my mouth and  help me to examine my motives.  Give me the ability to submit to your will with grace and joy.  Guard my steps today that I may walk with Jesus all the way.  Amen.

I need to remember this quote by the famous theologian C.S Lewis as I walk with Jesus today,

Linda

This morning I was thinking about my walk with Christ and His desire that I act justly, love mercy and be humble.  What does it mean to love mercy?  Mercy from God is not getting what I deserve which is death as payment for my sins.  Romans 3:23 “for the wages of sin is death.”  God in His mercy provided a way of atonement for me in Jesus.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16   God’s mercy involves giving me a way to be right with Him through Jesus, forgiving my sins and giving me a place in His family where I am continually filled with His Holy Spirit.   Those are God’s actions towards me but His Word tells us we are to love mercy.  My questions today is-What does that look like in my life?  How am I a lover of mercy?  Do I go out of  my way to be right with others- even when it costs me personally?  Do I forgive easily or do I hold grudges ?  Do I accept others in the name of Christ and welcome them into God’s family of Christian believers?  Do I do acts of mercy towards others in the name of Jesus?  God says I am to love to do merciful acts and to love being merciful toward others and myself.  Today I want to think about mercy and look for ways to show that I  love mercy.  God gives us the power we need to accomplish His work if we depend upon Him.  I found this definition poster convicting.

Prayer:  Lord, you desire that in my walk I be one that loves mercy.  Help me to see how I can be merciful to those around me in Your name and how I can have a forgiving attitude and heart towards those I need to forgive.  Give me a heart that is filled with mercy and not judgement.  Thank you Lord for your indwelling Spirit that gives me the power to live loving mercy. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Desiring to walk with mercy today.

Linda

Yesterday I wrote about Micah 6:8 and what God wants for us- to act justly, seek mercy and walk humbly with Him.  Saying those words or reading them do not put them into action. Today I want to leave you with verses that show us HOW to do this in our lives.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”    

According to Solomon, a walk for the Lord involves trusting Him with everything in our being and acknowledging that His ways are best. I looked up the definition of trust-a firm belief in the honesty, integrity, reliability and justice of another, confident expectation and to commit with confidence to be cared for. Does that describe the relationship you have with God?   We are also suppose to acknowledge God in everything we do- acknowledge means-to admit to being true, confess, recognize the authority or claims of , to express thanks for and affirm as genuine. Do you recognize God’s authority over your life?   Do you thank Him for His genuine ways that protect and defend you?   The last line in the proverb talks about God making our way straight.  This means walking with God on His pathway we won’t be lead astray, waste time doing things that have no eternal value or will not glorify God and He will remove obstacles that would keep us from our appointed goal for God.   A life that achieves walking in love, justice and humility must be based on full trust and acknowledgement of who God is and His power to direct and guide us.

Prayer:  Father, I desire to follow you each day.  Help me to trust you more fully knowing that your are completely trustworthy, reliable and just.  Help me to acknowledge you in all I do by telling others of your truth and submitting to your authority over my life.  Thank you for the knowledge that being guided by You will bring You glory and achieve the purpose You have for my life.  Only in the power of Jesus, Amen.

Desiring to walk trusting  Jesus,

Linda

How would you measure your faith?  Is it small and growing?  Is it large, well established and firm? Or is it medium with the ability to go up and down depending upon how it is tested?  In Titus, Paul describes his faith as “a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” Titus 1:2  He knew that what he believed in conjunction with what he knew about God had to be based on Christ and his hope was in the promise of Christ- eternal life.  Paul knew that he could trust this faith in Christ and the promised eternal life because God said it would be so from the beginning of time and God does not lie.  God can not lie as He is truth (John 4:24).  Hebrews 6:18 tells us “God did this so that , by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.”  Just like Paul and the author of Hebrews, I am greatly encouraged by the hope offered to me through faith in Jesus and assured by the fact that my God is truthful and incapable of lying to me.  What about you?  Is your faith rooted and grounded in Christ?  Are you encouraged by God’s promises in Christ?

Prayer:  Father, give me faith that is growing and knowledge of you that is expanding each day.  Hold me in the palm of your hand so that I may know you are real and feel the truth of your being within me.  Thank you for the hope I have in Christ that you set in motion from the beginning of time knowing that I would be in need of a Savior. Help me to grab hold of that hope today and put it into action towards others.  In Jesus, Amen.

Living with hope with God’s promises,

Linda