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The Blessing of God's Everlasting Love

2/13/2022

On this weekend before Valentine's Day, I want to share this bit of truth with you. Someone needs to hear this.

God loves you perfectly, forgives you completely, and cares for you constantly. His love for you is not based on your behavior or the amount of faith you have . . . His love for us is based upon His character which is unchanging. He declares His love for us in so many ways - most amazingly through redeeming us by giving His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin. He loved us SO MUCH that He GAVE . . .

That's what love does, it draws us, it gives, it redeems, it covers, it restores, it never gives up. Yes, His lovingkindness is FOREVER! Never doubt His love for you no matter how unlovable you may feel.

I love how The Message reads in Jeremiah 31:1-3:
This is the way God put it:
“They found grace out in the desert,
these people who survived the killing.
Israel, out looking for a place to rest,
met God out looking for them!”
God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will.
Expect love, love, and more love."

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A Prayer of Thanks

2/10/2022

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The older I get the more I realize this world is not my home. The restlessness within me is not for more "stuff" but more of Him. The prayer in this graphic has gripped my soul often over the past few years. I often stop and pray it phrase by phrase. May He speak to you through this prayer of thanks as well.

On this Thankful Thursday, what are you thankful for?
Peace and rest to you my sweet friends.

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Create In Me a Clean Heart

2/6/2022

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SUNDAY PRAYER:

Lord, help me to live today in the power of Your grace. Help me to know love and show love. Guide me by Your spirit so that I may walk in Your will. Restore to me the Joy of my salvation, and may I willingly sing of Your righteousness and give thanks to You. Lord, I lift to you my life, may it be an acceptable sacrifice and pleasing unto you. I ask that you break my heart for what breaks Yours for You will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Empty me of self, cleanse my sinful heart, and renew Your Spirit within me.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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Lord, Quiet Me With Your Love

2/2/2022

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A few years ago during a morning snow, I heard a beautiful song being sun. There amid the snow-laden branches was a male cardinal singing to his mate a few brances below.
She sat attentively and at peace as she listened to her victorious warrior quieting her with His love song. He flew from branch to branch, still singing, but she never moved, her heart was at rest.

I wish I could be more like her in the midst of the storms in my life.

"The LORD our God is in your midst, the victorious warrior, He will rejoice over you with joy; He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

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Hello February!

2/1/2022

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Hello February and Happy New Year!
January was not a month for me to even TRY
to begin anything new. So, here's to enjoying
every moment the Lord gives me and pursuing
only the things that really matter.

Today is a brand new day and a brand new
month. It's a new opportunity to live fully,
thankfully, and triumphantly in Christ.
The moments we have in this day will not come
again. Chose to be a light in every one of the
moments you've been given.

"You can show others the goodness of God,
for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:4. NLT

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Jehovah Nissi - The LORD is My Banner

9/8/2020

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Flags, we love to display them to commemorate and celebrate victories and freedom. Some even play an outdoor came called, Capture the Flag where the goal is, of course, to capture the flag of the opposing team. When a person is tagged by an opponent, they stand frozen until someone from their team comes and frees them. The winning team captures the flag of the enemy and replaces it with the conquering team’s flag declaring their victory and control.
Several years ago, my husband and I visited the birth and burial place of one of America’s most decorated war heroes, Sgt. Alvin C. York. During WW1, he single-handedly captured 90 German soldiers. In a time of war and chaos like the world had never seen before, he was given the option to forgo serving in the Army by having his pastor send a letter stating he was a conscientious objector. Instead, he chose to “render unto Caesar that which is Caesars.” He never looked upon himself as a hero; he was only doing what he felt God was calling him to do to show his love and honor of God and country. By surrendering to God’s best for him, he helped win a mighty battle. He knew God was with him and gave Him the glory, and he brought honor to the American Nation.

In Exodus 17:8-16 we see another great battle, one in which God revealed Himself to Moses as Jehovah Nissi, THE LORD IS MY BANNER. After the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, Israel found itself wandering and vulnerable in the wilderness. Enter the enemy, Amalek. While Moses’ young apprentice, Joshua, was leading the Israelites into battle, Moses positioned himself at the highest point he could find to pray. His brother Aaron and another man, Hur, accompanied him. As Moses lifted his hands and prayed, the Israelites were winning the battle, but as he grew weary, and his arms came down, Amalek would be winning the battle. When Aaron realized the need for Moses’ arms to stay up while he was praying, Aaron and Hur positioned Moses on a rock, and they held his arms until the battle was won.

Upon conquering the enemy, God told Moses to record what had happened and read it for Joshua to hear. God knew the time was coming when Moses would be gone, and the leadership of the Israelites would be handed over to Joshua. He would become the one to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land and defeat Jericho. There were still plenty of battles ahead of Joshua and God wanted him to remember back to this particular battle so he would see it was God who won the victory.

As was the custom, Moses built an altar as a place of remembrance. It was at this altar that Moses called God Jehovah Nissi. God revealed to him that God Himself is our banner, our victory, the one who wins our battles. There were still battles to be fought, more enemies like Amalek, who would seek to destroy and conquer them. God’s message to Moses, Joshua, the Israelites, and us, is to gather under Jehovah Nissi as your banner; trust Him in the outcome of all our battles. There will always be war; don’t be surprised or paralyzed by it. The ultimate victory belongs to the Lord.

Life’s battles and victories are more than a fun game of Capture the Flag. It’s more like Sgt. York who surrendered his right not to fight and chose to get into the battle out of obedience to God. He is still Jehovah Nissi today. He fights battles on our behalf and provides the victories. What are you battling today? Drugs, sex, abuse, anger, unforgiveness, fear, a false sense of identity? Whatever it is, God will fight this battle with you and give you victory. Do you trust Him? Are you willing to surrender control of your out-of-control life, and place your battle into His hands?

Jehovah Nissi,
You are my banner, my victory. I place into Your hands my battle with _______________ . I surrender it to you. Remind me to trust that You are fighting the battle for me, You are the only One, who can give me victory in this. I surrender my will to You. I know I can’t fight this battle alone, I need you to fight for me. Thank You for giving me the victory.
It’s in Your Strong Name I pray, Amen.
Keep praying. Keep lifting up the name of the Lord our banner, Jehovah Nissi. You never have to fight alone. Our Father never expected us to have to fight alone. He is here to fight with us. Give it to Him and He WILL give you the VICTORY!

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My Life Journey Chapter 2020

1/1/2020

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Page 1 of chapter 2020 is a new beginning of the story God is writing in my life's journey. It speaks of resolve, an impending knee replacement surgery in February, and some other changes while focusing on God's blessings in my life rather than the losses of 2018 and 2019. It also speaks to examining my life for potholes that need to be fixed. I'll never be perfect this side of heaven. For me, the sanctification process is this broken person's journey on a broken road in a broken world that will ultimately lead me to Him. As I go through life, by His grace and transforming power, I'll fix the fixable and trust Him for the results. I've given Him the broken shards of my life, and I marvel at how He's continually brings healing and transforms my life into a life of abundance; of teaching me to give to others out of my brokenness. Thank You, Lord, for this page in my life. Continue to write Your story in my Book of Days.

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Jesus In a Box

12/31/2019

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For most of us, it all comes down this week. All the festive decorations get packed in boxes until next year. The warm fuzzies fade, and the reality sets in—work, school, appointments and paying the bills. Personally, I don’t like packing away Christmas, and I also don’t like keeping “baby” Jesus a baby or relegating Him to a box.

The simplicity surrounding the birth of Jesus woos us—it feels safe, warm. Who can resist a story about a sweet infant lying peacefully in a manger? Visualizing Him small and helpless makes Him easy to control.

At the beginning of Luke 2 we see Him as the infant in a manger, but He doesn’t want to remain a baby in our lives. By the end of the chapter we see He grew in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). He was born full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He came to be our Savior, who desires all of us to see His majesty and power, to fall to our knees and worship Him as Savior and Lord. To relegate Jesus to a box of our choosing, (i.e. legalism or humanism) is like thinking we have life under our control. We negate His grace given to us freely—grace upon grace (John 1:16).

Several years ago I started keeping one Christmas decoration out on prominent display for the entire year. It’s a visual reminder not to put Jesus in a box, but to see Him for Who He truly is, our Savior and Lord. This picture is the ornament I'll be keeping out this year.

So as you take down and put away Christmas, reflect on Who it is that came as a baby in the manager. He’s our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Jesus is infinitely more than any box could ever contain—He’s uncontainable, full to overflowing with grace, truth, and a lavish love for all of us.

Lord, Thank You for sending your Son. I don’t ever want to attempt to put You in a box. I pause right now and recognize You as my grown-up Savior and Lord, out of the feed box and on the throne of my heart. Help me to always keep You there. May I continually meditate upon who You are. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Christmas Day from Heaven's Perspective

12/24/2019

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Christmas fills us with warm fuzzy thoughts of love and peace on earth. Our sweet little Christmas pageants acted out by children in bathrobes and headpieces; we all smile and giggle as “Mary” kisses her plastic baby Jesus and Joseph standing off from Mary because “he doesn’t like girls or baby dolls.”

Then we read the nativity accounts of Matthew and Luke and see angels singing, shepherds kneeling and a quiet and reflective Mary looks on.

John offers another perspective in the Book of Revelation. As the curtain is drawn back, he sees what happens on earth and in heaven. Here we see the cosmic impact of what was going on behind the scenes at the moment of Jesus’ birth.

Every inch of this planet is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan. We normally experience only the visible, everyday effects of this struggle. We feel it, for example, when we make a choice between what we know is wrong and what is right. But, as we are living out our lives on earth, the supernatural universe is simultaneously at war. Revelation draws the contrasts sharply: good versus evil, the Lamb versus the dragon, Jerusalem versus Babylon, the bride versus the prostitute.

Sometimes the “war in heaven” can break out into actual violence on earth, as it did when Jesus came. What a picture verses 5 and 7 paint, Satan himself standing there waiting to catch Jesus as He comes forth from Mary so he can kill him. And we see Michael and his angels waging war in the heavens to prevent it from happening.

He brought peace into the world that night because the battle was won in the heavenliness. Nowhere do we see Joseph or Mary rebuking Satan to bring peace. This was not their battle, it was a cosmic war waged in the heavenlies. Michael and his angels made certain that Jesus would be delivered safely into the arms of His waiting earthly parents.

“A great sign appeared in heaven…and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth…And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child…And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron…and there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.” Revelation 12:1,2,4,5,7

Prayer

Oh Almighty, Everlasting God and Father, as I read these verses I tremble. There is so much I don’t see out there. I admire the blue sky by day and the dark velvet, starlit sky by night, but I don’t see the wars being waged in the heavens. Lord, I thank You for your mighty host of angels that protect me day and night. Even more importantly, I’m thankful that the war in the heavenlies the night Christ was born was victorious paving the way for Him to ultimately bring salvation to the world. In the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

Mary did you know?

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Breathing In the Exhaled Breath of God

12/22/2019

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Bethlehem was a busy place that day. People coming and going, brushing against one another on the crowded streets, they barely had room to breathe. Everyone was caught up in the chaos of finding a place to stay while going through the process of registering for the first census decreed by Caesar Augustus.

Enter weary Joseph and Mary. No vacancy signs everywhere. Mary could barely breathe herself…birth pangs. The only act of compassion was for them to be given shelter in a stable. As Mary laid there, she took in one more breath of air, winced and exhaled to give her final push, and the Breath of Heaven arrived. He came to breathe new life into lives caught in the stranglehold and chaos of sin.

Today, the chaos of daily living leaves us with barely any room to breathe. We’ve got a chronic lung disease that’s slowly robbing us of the ability to take a breath and don’t even realize it. We desperately need the Breath of Heaven to breathe new life into us; to renew us, to restore us, to heal us of the pollutants we’ve inhaled physically, spiritually, emotionally in a week’s time.

Enter the Sabbath. . .a designated time to make room for God. . . to breathe in the exhaled Breath of Heaven.

A time of Sabbath does not necessarily need to be on a Sunday. In actuality, we are in need of times of sabbath rest on a daily basis. Here’s my Sabbath blessing/prayer for each of us as we seek to prepare our hearts and make room for the Breath of Heaven. I paraphrased the song by Amy Grant, “Breath of Heaven.”

Breath of Heaven, hold us together as we struggle under the load we each bear. You are Emmanuel, God with us; we pause and acknowledge You are with us now. We have no need to walk this path alone. Bring light to the dark areas, expose our sins so we may be holy for You are holy. Lord, we are frail, but we offer all that we are to You. Have mercy upon us, strengthen us, help us breathe in You and exhale You in order to bring life into a world that is cold and lifeless. We pause now, Lord. . .breathe new life into our chaotic mess of a life. For the sake of Your Son, Amen.

Are you or someone you know experiencing a December Kind of Grief and finding it hard to breathe?

I'd like to suggest clicking over to my post called, A December Kind of Grief. I would love to pray for you. Please feel free to contact me here. Your request will be sent to me as an email and will not be posted as a comment.

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Forward>>

The Blessing of God's Everlasting Love

A Prayer of Thanks

Create In Me a Clean Heart

Lord, Quiet Me With Your Love

Hello February!

Jehovah Nissi - The LORD is My Banner

My Life Journey Chapter 2020

Jesus In a Box

Christmas Day from Heaven's Perspective

Prayer

Mary did you know?

Breathing In the Exhaled Breath of God

Enter the Sabbath. . .a designated time to make room for God. . . to breathe in the exhaled Breath of Heaven.

Are you or someone you know experiencing a December Kind of Grief and finding it hard to breathe?

The Muser

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Prayer

Mary did you know?

​Enter the Sabbath. . .a designated time to make room for God. . . to breathe in the exhaled Breath of Heaven.

Are you or someone you know experiencing a December Kind of Grief and finding it hard to breathe?

The Muser

Categories

Archives

Have each new post to this specific blog page emailed to you, or use your own RSS Feed Reader.

Please Respect the Muser's Work

Enter the Sabbath. . .a designated time to make room for God. . . to breathe in the exhaled Breath of Heaven.