Blessings

March 4th – Job 5:17

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Job 5:17

Theologian John Owen is quoted as saying, “Love precedes discipline.” No one likes correction. But rather than being a punishment, God’s discipline is an act of love and grace from a loving Father to His wayward child. The Lord only wants the very best for us. And so He disciplines, leading us to repentance and complete dependency on Him. This in turn results in great blessings. Blessings including strengthening our faith, and spiritual growth. For as Hebrews 12:11 reminds us, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Although sometimes painful, we can find joy in God’s discipline. Because not only does that mean we are His, we can become better versions of ourselves and deepen our relationship with God.

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March 2nd – Ephesians 1:3

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Ephesians 1:3

Therapists agree that it isn’t healthy to expect one person to meet our every need. Because no one individual could possible be all things all of the time. But fortunately for us, we don’t have to rely on anyone to fulfill us. Because from His amazing grace, we have everything we could possibly need through Jesus Christ. Not only meeting our needs physically, God gave the blood of His precious Son to meet our needs spiritually as well. Christ willingly became our sin substitute, to offer us amazing, unmerited blessings. Forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with the Father, and the gift of the Holy Spirit are ours for the taking. Offered lovingly and freely when we receive Jesus as our Savior. And most wonderful of all,  because of Christ’s work on the Cross, eternal life. So praise be to God! And from grateful hearts give shouts of thanks for His abundant blessings!

March 2nd – Ephesians 1:3 Read More »

February 27th – Romans 12:10

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Romans 12:10

I love the saying humility doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. And there’s no better example of this than Christ. From start to finish Jesus, in humility and obedience, always put the will of the Father before His own. Never once seeking His own glory, His joy was found in serving God and others. As His followers, it is our job to cultivate that same kind of humility in our own lives. Because no matter how bad our circumstance, there is always someone worse off. And nothing takes our mind off our own troubles than helping someone else with theirs. Proverbs 22:4 says, “Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.” As Christians we are to put others before ourselves, and show love and respect to everyone we meet. And by doing so, not only are we bringing blessings into our own lives, we are reflecting the love of God and helping to make the world just a little more loving.

February 27th – Romans 12:10 Read More »

February 17th – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gratitude is a powerful tool in our spiritual warfare. And by remembering the goodness of God, His love, grace, and mercy, our hearts will be so overflowing with thankfulness, we can be grateful no matter the circumstance. For He is always faithful in meeting our needs. And out of that gratitude, we too need to meet the needs of others. Because seeing the struggles of others makes our eyes to open to His great love. Suddenly blessings once taken for granted, become greatly appreciated. And as a bonus, when we reach out to those less fortunate out of appreciation to the Lord, we bring gratitude into the lives of others. Becoming loving ambassadors of God’s grace and mercy. So whenever you feel yourself lacking in the gratitude department, remember this. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” (Eph. 1:4) Imagine that! Even before the creation of the earth, God knew and wanted each of us!

February 17th – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Read More »

January 23rd – Luke 1:25

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Luke 1:25

Year after year Elizabeth and her husband prayed for a child. And year after year their prayers went unanswered. Yet as the years passed and the waiting continued, never did Elizabeth gave up on God or on her life serving Him. Instead she continued walking in obedience and trusting in whatever plans He had for her life. And as He so loves to do, God rewarded Elizabeth’s faithfulness. At the age of around 60, she became pregnant with a son. Not just any son, but the promised messenger of God. The one who would proclaim the soon to be born Messiah and prepare the way of the Lord! (Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 3:1) Because of her great faith and obedience God not only blessed Elizabeth with a child, through her, He fulfilled a promise made to Israel hundreds of years before her birth. Isn’t that just like God! He loves to bestow upon His children blessings far greater than we could ever imagine!

January 23rd – Luke 1:25 Read More »

January 7th – Psalm 41:12

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Psalm 41:12

There is a quote that warns, “not everyone you fight is your enemy. And not everyone who helps you is your friend.” Throughout our lives we will experience hurt, betrayal, and disappointment at the hands of others. And in those moments we have a choice to make. Will that pain make us better or bitter? Better is using the hurt to grow closer to the Lord, and softening our hearts to the pain and needs of others. But bitter takes glee in retribution and seeing others misfortune. And it turns a blind eye to the suffering of another because its focus is only on self pity. We all fall short and sin daily against God. Yet from His wonderful love, He extends to us His unmerited grace and mercy. And He calls us to show that same grace and mercy. To repay evil with kindness, curses with blessings, and mistreatment with prayer. (Luke 6:27-28) And most importantly of all, if we see a need to meet that need. The way God meets all of ours.

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December 18th – Matthew 1:24

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Matthew 1:24

When we see the nativity scene, we are reminded of the precious gift of our Savior. But also found in that stable is a reminder of the faithfulness of a man named Joseph. A man who stands in the shadows, but whose obedience to God is a lesson for us all. Obedience is a daily struggle for me. Too often I find it easier to ask forgiveness for my disobedience than to be obedient in the first place. But not Joseph. When he found his fiancé pregnant yet still claiming to be a virgin, Joseph could have turned Mary away. But instead, when an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and commanded him to take Mary as his bride, Joseph obeyed. And as a result he was blessed with the awesome job of caring for God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Oh how awesome is our Father in heaven! When we deserve nothing, He blesses our obedience richly, and gives us everything!

December 18th – Matthew 1:24 Read More »

December 10th – Luke 1:45

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Luke 1:45

When I think of Mary, a young girl of 12 or 13, I’m always blown away by her faith and obedience. The angel Gabriel came to her saying she would soon become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. And without blinking an eye, she believed and obeyed. Because of her faithful actions, Mary received God’s great blessing of being the one to bring His precious Son into the world. We too will have times when God calls us to do something great. And our response is everything. Because our heavenly Father wants to bless us as greatly as He did Mary. And all we have to do is have the same faith as a young girl, believing and obeying. As followers of Christ, like Mary, we too are favored by God. So with the heart of Mary, be brave, faithful, and open to His calling. Because if we are, watch how God, through us, will do awesome and amazing things! Things greater than we could ever imagine.

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November 27th – 2 Corinthians 4:13

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2 Corinthians 4:13

I am thankful for a heart bursting to share the Good News of Jesus Christ 

In Matthew 12:33 Jesus says, “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” No matter how hard we may try to hide, whatever is truly in our hearts is revealed by the words we speak. Paul’s heart was filled with such faith in the Lord he declared, “If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:16) That’s the kind of faith I want to have. The kind that makes me want to burst if I don’t share the Good News of Christ and all of the wonderful things God has done for me. To tell of the endless ways He has healed, comforted, strengthened, and loved a sinner like me. We all have a testimony to give and we should be ready to share our faith and the reason for it. The Bible says one day we will all give an account for the words we speak. (Matt. 12:36) And as for me, the account I want to give is this. “I believed, so I spoke.”

 

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Hannah – Trading Bitterness For Blessings and Sorrows for Joy

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As the morning sun woke Hannah from her slumber, the familiar feelings of disappointment and discouragement welled up deep inside of her. It was the day of the year she dreaded the most. When she would travel with her family to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. Oh it wasn’t that she didn’t love God. Instead, it was the harassment that Hannah would face from her husband’s second wife, Peninnah, that her heart couldn’t bare. For God had blessed Peninnah with many children. But for Hannah, the Lord has closed her womb.

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Hannah – Trading Bitterness For Blessings and Sorrows for JoyRead More »

Hannah – Trading Bitterness For Blessings and Sorrows for Joy Read More »