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

 

Proverbs 16: 3 and 9  “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” (NIV)

Promise:  God promises to bring success to my work and guide my way if I am committed to Him.

Lessons and Truths:

1.     God is sovereign and has a plan for my life.

2.     Serving God requires commitment and a love for Him.

3.     A life plan without God will not have a firm foundation to hold it secure.

When we begin a New Year, it is time to reflect on our goals, plans and direction for the year.  It is time to reevaluate what has been accomplished in the past year and plan for the future.  These verses remind us that whatever we do,  we need to consider our commitment to the LORD.  He is the one who ultimately directs our paths and will guide us in the decisions we need to make.  Is God the one you turn to when you are planning or determining your future work, investments, commitments, education, jobs, etc.?   These verses promise that consulting the Lord first will lead to greater success and a life that is rooted and grounded in the Lord.   Here are a few verses that confirm this promise:

Psalm 40:5 “Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done.  The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.” (NIV)

Jeremiah 29: 11  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   (NIV)

You can also read Psalm 37: 3-7.

Things to think about:  Am I asking God to establish, ground, and uphold me in life or am I headstrong and desiring to do my own thing?   Is the work I do in life motivated by my love for God?   Am I committed to Him?

Prayer:  Lord, guide me in this new year to make godly goals that uphold a firm commitment to You.  Establish my steps and give me a willing heart that is open to your leading.  Help me to set godly priorities and stand firm. Cause me to be humble and acknowledge my successes as a gift from you.   Amen.

May you walk in His steps with commitment in your heart,

Linda

** Do you have a special promise you would like to see featured this year?  Send me the Bible Address and maybe a word or two as to why this one is special to you.  Thanks for joining with me in this work.

I have been studying in Exodus about the building of the Tabernacle and the arrival of God to dwell with his people.  “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle…So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during their travels.”  Exodus 40:34,38  (NIV)

Have you ever wondered about this glory cloud  and how it’s presence must have comforted, illuminated, protected, led and ministered to the Israelites?  A definition I read said the glory of the Lord is the sum total of all God’s attributes.  His glory encompasses his love, compassion, omniscience, justice, mercy, hope, sovereignty, care, omnipotence, etc.  No wonder the Israelites were so comforted by the presence of the cloud.  Here are some other verses that tell us more about this attribute of glory.

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”  

Psalm 111:2-3 “Great are the works of the LORD they are pondered by all who delight in them.  Glorious and majestic are his deeds, forever.” 

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”  (NIV)

Looking at these verses I am reminded that I see evidence of God’s glory all around me.  I see it in my grandson’s smile, beautiful flowers, growing vegetables as well as mountain vistas and sandy beaches.  I can remember how God has provided for me emotionally when I’ve been down and He has sent someone with a word of encouragement or a hug.  I can remember how He has provided for me physically with just the right doctors, times of rest and monetary provision.  He has led me to see His glory in His word and deeper understanding of His love and mercy.  I know you will find evidence of His glory if you will look, think and remember His goodness to You.  You are loved by God and His glory surrounds you.

I pray that you will see it afresh today.

Blessings,

Linda

God’s glory in my world- wildflowers in Israel, the view from Mt Pilatus in Switzerland and my grandson playing at Pismo Beach, CA.   His glory surrounds me!

We are one week into our New Year- are you overwhelmed yet?  I know when I return from the holidays my own schedule seems to be bigger and more involved than when I left it.  I pray that the verses in Lamentations 3:21-23 have been a blessing to you and have given you a renewed hope for each day.  God is merciful, and we can count on His faithfulness each day!  If you missed the Lamentations blog, check out the January 1 posting.

For our second week I have chosen promises from Matthew 7:7-8.  They can also be found in Luke 11:9-10.  These words were spoken during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to his disciples and the gathered crowds.

Matthew 7:7-8  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  (ESV)

Promise:  God promises to respond when we voice our requests to Him and seek Him diligently.

Lessons and Truths about God:

1.     God is accessible.

2.     God desires that I pursue Him, and He guarantees a positive response.

3.     The God of the universe is a personal God and desires to communicate with me.

4.     I can rely upon God to faithfully answer my seeking.

This is a promise full of assurance for our New Year!  Jesus tells us that God can be counted upon to answer our pleas for help, guidance and understanding if we will only ASK.   How many things do I not have simply because I am ashamed to ask God for help?  Am I so sure of my own self-sufficiency that I’m to proud to ask?  What am I lacking because I’m seeking in the wrong places?  Jesus tells us to seek God and literally knock on His door.  How do we do that?  I think we can do this in prayer when we earnestly cry out to Him and lay our requests at His feet.  We are also knocking and seeking when we study His word as we actively look for meaning and understanding for our lives. These verses promise that God will respond.  You must not mistake God for some kind of cosmic bell boy. Jesus wanted to assure us that God knows our needs and we need to acknowledge Him and look to Him for our answers.  Seeking means to ask God with an open mind and heart being receptive to His answers.   Start by asking God to have a place in your life in 2015.  Take Him at His word- HE will Be found!!

Prayer:  Lord, guide me in this New Year to seek you in prayer and through your word.  Help me to put away my pride and seek your guidance and direction for my life. Cause me to be aware and open to opportunities to get to know you better.  Thank you for the assurance that you will answer me and that I can indeed find you.  Give me the courage to diligently seek you this year.

Blessings as we journey into 2015,

Linda

This is the Mount of Beatitudes as seen from the Lake of Galilee.  It would have been a wonderful place for the crowds to sit and listen to Jesus.  The next photo is a close up of the church located on the hill.  It is a beautiful chapel.

Happy New Year to you and yours!  2015 is a hard number to imagine.  It seems like only yesterday I was in high school, then college and then raising my kids.  Time seems to be flying by when I realize that my grandson is now 6!  Yet, looking forward with hope and determination is what God would have us do.  I have chosen to begin this New Year with one of my favorite verses in Lamentations.  I always like to begin the New Year with HOPE in Christ on my mind and a reminder of God’s faithfulness.  I have decided to continue using promises at least once a week with my other blogs in between.  This is a tall order for writing in the New Year but with God’s help I will be able to continue speaking to you though this blog.  As today’s verse tell us- GOD IS FAITHFUL!!

This is taken from my new book, Promises for Dynamic Living , that will be published in 2015!

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)

 Promise: God promises His love and faithfulness will never end and that His mercies are new each morning.

            What encouragement do you need as you start a New Year? God in his mercy gives us new hope every day. So many times I get discouraged after experiencing a long and frustrating day when things didn’t seem to go well. Maybe I was struggling with relationships, troubling circumstances, health or finances and at day’s end I was in need of rest and refuge. God knows this and gives me this promise to assure me that each day will be a new beginning, and there is refreshed HOPE in Him.

Lessons and Truths:

1.   God is my source of HOPE.

2.   God’s love is steadfast: firm, unswerving, constant, and resolute.

3.   His mercies are new each day and enough to supply all my needs

4.   God is faithful.

Prayer:     Lord, you are indeed the maker of each new day. You are sovereign and in control of all things. Give me hope in You and the ability to see your mercies that come into my life each and every day. As I begin this New Year with your promise on my lips and in my heart, help me to remember your faithfulness and to have a new sense of wonder about the possibilities and assurances that you have for me in your word.   Amen.

What is my response to God’s promise?

How has God been faithful in the past so I know I can trust in His faithfulness today? ________________________________________

Where do I need His mercies today? _________________________________________

The following verses reaffirm this promise given in Lamentations about God’s hope, mercy and faithfulness to us.

Promise Confirmation: Psalm 90:14, Isaiah 40:28-31, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:38-39.

Blessings today and HOPE for 2015,

Linda

John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  (NIV)

Promise:  Jesus promises peace in Him and that He will be victorious over all sin and oppression.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed:  He is Peace, Hope, Conqueror, Omnipotent, Sovereign, Ruler, Victor and  Lord of All.

Promise provides me with: assurance of peace for my mind, heart and soul in Jesus, eternal hope, knowledge that He will be victorious over all sin and will indeed overcome the world, assurance that in Him eternity is secure and that He is greater than any enemy we will encounter in this world and knowledge that though his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead He conquered sin and death for us.

For this Christmas Day,  I chose John 16:33 because it is important for us to remember that Jesus did not stay in the manger but came with a purpose and mission to save us from our sins that included a trip to the cross.  He made the ultimate sacrifice in leaving heaven to come down and become a man to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  He was truly human in his suffering and yet truly God in his perfection and power to redeem us.  When Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, he knew what lay ahead- the suffering and death on the cross and he knew the suffering and anguish his followers would face.  He wanted his disciples and all believers to know that He would be victorious and that peace was to be had though faith in Him.  As followers of Jesus, we too can have this confidence that He is stronger and more powerful than anything we can face today or tomorrow, that peace is available though faith in Him and that He will return as victor to totally defeat Satan forever.  Philippians 2:8-11 describes it  this way, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a  cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”  Praise God this Christmas for his perfect gift to all mankind, Jesus who came to bring us peace and to save us from sin.

Merry Christmas!

Linda

Matthew 2:5-6 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, ” for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ ”  (NIV)

Promise:  God promised to send a ruler that would shepherd the people of Israel and He would be born in Bethlehem.

Why is it important to know this promise?

God’s character is revealed: His Sovereignty, Longsuffering, Patience, Eternality, Love, Omnipotent, Ruler, King and Shepherd.

Promise provides me with:  knowledge that God planned Christ’s birth from the beginning of time, Christ is to rule over believer’s lives and be our shepherd, assurance that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to redeem us.

These words were spoken by the Wise Men that came seeking the Christ child when they met with Kind Herod.  They had seen His star in the east and knew the ancient prophesies written in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah.  They knew that God was faithful and would keep His promise to deliver the Messiah who would redeem, shepherd and rule over his people.  What about you?  Are you seeking to find Jesus this Christmas?   Is your answer the same as Peter’s in Matthew 16:15-16? “But what about you?” he asked.  “Who do you say I am ?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.”  Do you know why He came?  Titus 3:4-7 puts His reasons for coming this way:  “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”   Can you say with confidence that Jesus is the Christ and that He came to save you?  God promises in James 4:8a “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”   Call on the Lord this Christmas, come near to Him and He will come near to you.

Be wise and seek Him today!

Linda

These photos were taken in the stable/cave in Bethlehem where Jesus was born.  As we gathered in this sacred place we sang ‘Silent Night’.  It was a very moving experience.