On this the first Sunday of Lent, here is the conclusion of Psalm 103.

Psalm 103:19-22  The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.  Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.  Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.  Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.  Praise the LORD, O my soul.

May you have a day of praise and thanksgiving to the LORD of heaven and earth.  May you attend services some place where you can worship and praise His Holy name.  May you find communion and fellowship with other believers.

Praise Him today,  He is Worthy of ALL our Praises.

See you tomorrow with a new Psalm.

Linda

Psalm 103:13-18  As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.  As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.  But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children– with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.  (NIV)

Lessons and Truths:

1.      God knows us, how we are formed and what we are- physically, spiritually and emotionally.  He is omniscient.

2.     Our days are numbered and fleeting but God is eternal.

3.     God’s love and righteousness are everlasting.  God’s character is unchanging, immutable.

4.     God remembers eternally those who faithfully follow Him.  God is faithful.

What part of God’s character speaks to you today?  His omniscience, His eternality, His immutability, or His faithfulness?  Today, reflect upon God’s greatness, His unchanging character, His trustworthiness and His ability and desire to remember you.  He created you and desires that you follow Him all the days of your life.  How wonderful it is to be loved by Almighty God and know that we are remembered by Him for eternity!    Praise God that He will and does remember each one of us, but not our sins.

Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (NIV)   God’s forgiveness of sin is and will be an everlasting reality!!

Prayer:  Thank you Jesus that you died so that I may be free eternally and that I will not have to bear the punish for my sins that I so deserve.  Thank you for saving me.  Make me clean within and fill me with your love and forgiveness for others.  Amen.

Walk forgiven in His love today!

Linda

Psalm 103: 1-5  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth his renewed like the eagle’s. (ESV)

This is one of my favorite Psalms and I will be using portions of Psalms or even whole Psalms as we walk through this season of Lent.  Here the Psalmist reveals the essence of God’s character in His forgiveness and redemption.  We are also reminded of God’s mercy and goodness as He satisfies the needs of our souls and renews us.

As you mediate on these verses today- focus on your iniquity and seek His forgiveness.  God desires that we are humble and penitent before Him.   1Peter 5:5b-6 “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”  (ESV)    Know that God can and will forgive you as you repent and turn to follow Him more closely.  As you pray claim these verses in Micah and know with assurance that your sins are gone.

Micah 7:18-20   Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?  He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us, he will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.  You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. 

Because of Christ’s work on the cross, we are His children and belong to His forever family. Praise God for His mercy and forgiveness.

Beginning with forgiveness,

Linda

The practice of observing Lent has been going on since before 1000 AD.  It is a time of fasting and penitence beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 days until Easter.    40 seems to be a significant number in scripture.  Here  are a few famous 40’s you’ll probably remember.  It rained for 40 days and 40 nights while Noah and his family were in the ark.  Jesus was in the wilderness fasting for 40 days and 40 nights and then Satan came and confronted him with various temptations.  After Christ ascension into heaven, it was 40 days until Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit.  40 seems to be number that shows a length of time that is not too short or too long but enough to reveal our character and devotion.

It is my intent to publish a daily blog during this Lenten season to help us focus on Christ’s sacrifice, His glorious resurrection and victory over death.  I would ask you to pray for me as I write and mediate on God’s word that I will be able to communicate helpful, though provoking and uplifting devotions that will help all of us to focus on Jesus, His sacrifice and His love for us.  Please pray that the devotions will be glorifying to Him.

Join me each day in His word as we seek to glorify Him during this special season.  I pray that this Lenten season be one you will remember as you strive to increase your love and devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Blessings as we prepare our hearts,

Linda

John 15:9-11  “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your  joy may be complete.”  (NIV)

Promise:  God promises that obeying His commands will keep us in His love.

Lessons and Truths:

1.    God desires obedience.

2.    To stay in God’s love requires obedience.

3.    The Love that God has for his Son Jesus is like the love Jesus has for me.

4.    Obedience brings complete joy.

God’s love is complete and unconditional.  We learn from Jesus that obedience and love go hand in hand.  We can’t say we love God and then turn around and purposely live a life of sin and disobedience.  Walking with God and staying close to Him, accepting His ways and will for our lives and striving to follow the pattern of obedience set by Christ will keep us in His love.  What better place is there to be???   We can then join Paul and say as he did in Romans 8:38-39  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (NIV)

In John 15: 9-11 Jesus is telling us about the constancy of God’s love and the hope and joy that will be ours when we walk in obedience to Him.  He says our JOY will be complete.  Have you experienced the joy of obedience?  Do you strive to please God with how you live your life?  Make this your prayer today and you will see your joy and the presence of God’s love more abundantly in your life.

Happy Valentine’s Day with the best love ever- God’s Love,

Linda

Jeremiah 31:3-4a  The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:  ” I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness,  I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt.”  (NIV)

Promise:  God promises His everlasting love and faithfulness to those who belong to Him  .

This promise was given to the nation Israel by the prophet Jeremiah.  He was trying to encourage the Israelites with assurances from the past as they faced deportation to Babylon in their future.  God had always been faithful to his people and Jeremiah wanted them to know that God will continue to love and support them in the future regardless of where they find themselves.

These ancient words of encouragement can be ours today!  God does not change His attitudes and actions toward those He has chosen,  Scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  Jesus tells us in John 15:19 that “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.   As it is you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.”   Just as the Israelites were chosen by God to bring his message to the world, so we are chosen by God to bring the message of hope and salvation though our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this month where we celebrate love, isn’t it comforting to know that we have the love of our heavenly Father and that His love stands for eternity.  God is faithful and will keep his promises to us.  Hebrews 10:23  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, as He who promised is faithful.  We can hold onto these truths and promises as we seek to show His love and kindness to others.  If you waver, take a moment or two and remember how God has been with you faithfully day by day and has strengthened and supported you.  He will give you the strength to continue and love for those around you.

In His Love,

Linda

Last week I was writing discussion questions to be used with my book Fearless Living and Psalm 31:9 from Day 4 came up in our study.  “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” (NIV)  We did a search for verses describing God’s goodness.  Here are a few of the verses we looked at:

Psalm 86:5  “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.”

Psalm 100:5 “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 145:9 “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Lamentations 3:25 “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him:

Nahum 1:7  “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble, He cares for those who trust in him,

Matthew 7:11 (Jesus is speaking)  “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Philippians 1:6  “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

1Peter 2:1-3 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Do these verse speak to you about God’s goodness?  We see that God in His goodness forgives and loves us. (Ps 86:5)   His goodness is eternal and will last from generation to generation.(Ps 100:5)   In His goodness He shows compassion on everyone and everything He has created. (Ps 145:9)  In His goodness He gives hope to those who believe in Him. (Lam 3:25)  His goodness provides care and refuge for the believer. (Nah 1:9)  Jesus said that God will give good gifts out of His goodness if we ask Him. (Matt 7:11)  God promises that the work He is doing in us is good! (Phil 1:6)  He promises that experiencing God’s goodness will cause us to move away from sin and grow up in the Lord. (1Pet 2:1-3)

I pray that you will let these verses sink into your soul and bring you Hope and Assurance of God’s goodness.  It is part of His character and cannot be separated from His being.  May you taste and see, experience in your own life, the goodness of God this week.

Blessings,

Linda

God’s goodness in evident in all creation.  Flowers on a garden wall near Gethsemane.

Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. (NIV)

Promise:  God promises strength and peace to those who belong to Him.

Lessons and Truths:

1.     God is the source of true strength.

2.     God’s peace is a blessing.

3.     God cares for me.

4.     God wants me secure and resting in Him.

Sometimes I just crave peace- peace of mind, peace and quiet, peaceful solitude, peace from conflict, or a bit of peace that is a rest in my day.  Each of these types of peace are fleeting as they will be interrupted by the busyness of life.  The peace that is spoken of by the Psalmist is peace of the soul, mind and heart.  It is given by God and is a blessed rest for our souls from our hectic daily lives.  Someday, God’s peace will be our eternal state as we fellowship and commune with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in heaven.  As for now, I need to relish and love God for the blessing of peace He brings into my life.  It shows He cares for me and will provide me a resting place, a refuge from the pressures of my life.  In addition, this verse promises that God will impart to me STRENGTH.  That is godly strength for my character and endurance for my body.  Knowing I will have His strength immediately lightens my load and gives me peace.  Jesus put it this way in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (NIV)  We have the best peace available to us through Jesus.  Be sure to access it this week!

Shalom (Peace) to you!

Linda

The Garden of Gethsemane a beautiful place of peace that Jesus and his disciples visited.  the Sea of Galilee was also a favorite of theirs.

 

 

1Thessalonians 5:23-24  “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”  (ESV)

Promise:  God promises that He is faithful and will sanctify me completely through Jesus.

Why is it important that I know this promise?

God’s character is revealed: He is Sovereign, Omnipotent, Forgiver, Master of the body, soul and spirit in His creation, Perfect, Savior, Faithful and Competent in all things.

Promise provides me with: assurance that God can and will create in me a new spirit that can be blameless, assurance that Jesus will return,  assurance that He can and will accomplish things in me and that He is faithful to keep His promises.

These words were penned by the Apostle Paul in a prayer for the Thessalonians.  He spoke with assurance and conviction that God is faithful and will fulfill the good works He started in us when we received Jesus as our savior.  I find great hope in this promise as I know for certain that God is working and will work in my life.  He will create a new being within me that is capable of walking with Him, being blameless in Christ and glorifying Him with my life.  God believes in us and the power that is within us through Jesus our Lord.  His faith in me gives me hope that though Jesus I can be the person He wants me to be.

Prayer:  Lord, create in me your good works with purpose and deliverance so that I may glorify you in all I say and do.  Thank you for the power you have given through the Lord Jesus and your indwelling Holy Spirit that I may walk with you and depend upon your faithfulness.  Guide me each day in the New Year to better serve and glorify you.  Amen.

Check out these additional verses this week that confirm this promise:    Acts 26:17-18, 1Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 9:13-14, Hebrews 10:23, Philippians 1:6 and Numbers 23:19.

Blessings as you live for Him this week,

Linda

 

The format I used for my advent blog (Dec. 1-25) listed the attributes of God that were revealed in the promise of the day.  Mercy was a prominent attribute of God’s character.  My question for today is:  What is God’s mercy and how have I experienced His mercy in my life?

Proverbs 28:13  “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and  renounces them finds mercy.”  (NIV)  Our sin deserves God’s punishment and wrath but in His mercy, He will forgive and restore us if we will acknowledge our sins and turn to Him.   1John1:9 puts it this way, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (NIV)    God in His mercy forgives our sins.

Lamentations 3:21-23  “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;  they are new every morning;   great is your faithfulness.” (ESV) God’s mercy is unending, new, fresh, complete and available to me each day.  What a blessed hope we have in His mercy.

James 2:13 ” Judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment!  (ESV)  This verse bothered me for quite awhile as I meditated on it.  But I came to the realization that God wants me to show mercy and treat others with forgiveness and love just as He has done for me.  God in His mercy did not give me what I deserved for my sins which is death but showed me His mercy.  As a follower of Jesus, He is expecting me to be merciful each day to those I deal with.    How can I show mercy?  Using a word of encouragement instead of a word of criticism, giving a helping hand instead of showing indifference or rejection and being open and loving with others.  Look for His mercy, embrace and accept His mercy and you will receive it .

How will you show God’s mercy this week?

Blessings,

Linda