Too Much Of A Good Thing

 You have heard that statement before? Too much of a good thing" 

Usually meaning someone has over indulged in something that, when used in moderation is generally good or at least not harmful. However, some of it may not have been "good" in the first place.

But, there is one thing that you can never have too much of....that is love from our heavenly Father. 

His love for us is plentiful.

📖 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

    slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm.103:8

It has always been...

📖 We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

It is...

📖 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying “I have loved you with an everlasting love;  I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.  Jeremiah 31:3

And always will be...

📖 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a

Too much love???

📖 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, 

I think NOT!

it came with a plan!

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Because He created us for HIS pleasure. 

📖 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created.” Revaluation 4:11 (KJ21)

 And purpose 

📖 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:2-4

Too much of a good thing? 

An abundance of the BEST THING! 

POUR IT ON!!!

📖 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:5-8

🙏🏼 Our gracious God of Love, I pray that each one holds their hands high, tips their heads back and cries out to You; " Pour it on Dear Jesus, POUR IT ON!!!" Amen!♥️

Sometimes Needs To Be Every Time

 Some weeks I wait to write after an inspiration comes. Every once in a while there isn't one....and I just have to start writing because I KNOW God will inspire and move. 

It isn't that God is quiet and has nothing for me...it is me....have I been quiet enough? Have I taken the time to spend with Him? 

I see Him all around me all the time, and I acknowledge and am grateful. 

But we are also supposed to take time out of our ever increasingly busy schedules to be with Him. In any friendship or relationship, IF we don't make any time specific for that person, the relationship isn't going to grow or be strong ..it may just be a relationship in name only. 

I DO NOT WANT THAT for any relationship I have, but especially with my Lord and Savior!

📖 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

In the study on prayer we are doing in our Sunday school class  How To Pray; a simple guide for normal people.  By Peter Greig the first chapter talks about your "thin place"; that place you go to spend time with God. 

Wherever you find your chair, try to visit it daily. Let it become your thin place, a sacred space that helps you walk and talk with God through the many twists and turns of life pg 11 How To Pray; a simple guide for normal people  Peter Greig

📖 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, ...Jeremiah 24:12-14a

He is there!  

The author, Peter Greig, pulled out something interesting from Acts 2.

📖  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit... Acts 2:1-4a

Isn’t that an interesting progression? The Holy Spirit filled the place before he filled the people. Pg 9 How To Pray; a simple guide for normal people  Peter Greig

It isn't like we have to search and search for the place that He is in.  It is where we are when we seek Him. We turn our hearts toward Him. We quiet the noise and desire His presence, His voice.

📖  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. . 2 Chronicles 7:14

Now, I am going to my " Thin Place" and commit to show up there everyday...because He will!

And I will meet you back here next week!

🙏🏼Lord God, please prompt, urge, pull me to that place everyday. Forgive me for not running to it and You every morning. My heart wants to meet Yours! Amen♥️

When Things Dont Go As Planned

 As we learned to trust in God when....

📖 Psalm 56:3 "When I am afriad I put my trust in you."

Vacation Bible School is always a time of lessons... not just what is taught for the children's benefit!

This year was Camp Firelight; learning to trust God in all circumstances....and boy did that ever get played out for the week!

We started on a Sunday, which makes for a low number to kick off with.  We ended up doubling our Sunday number.Twenty one  kids enrolled by the end of VBS. Twenty helpers!  However, that was a fluid number, and people were bounced to different stations as needed and were fantastic about it!

Behind the scenes, we had several of our workers having their own stuff going on. 

And come closing night...which was July 3rd, all the children were up front, around the "camp fire", to show their families what they had learned. We had sung one song and talked about one story when...my computer froze.  As the kids stood and parents watched, I did what I could....which amounted to nothing.  We went off script, the puppet ad- libbed and I finally just used my phone to play the songs from YouTube. We talked about each story and then played some songs (sans PowerPoint words)!  I had spent quite a few hours plus, adding fun photos for parents to see and editing trivia video. 

But, in the end, it was what it was. We closed and went outside to the waterslide and bounce house and cotton candy and snow cones!  

Trust God in ALL situations! 

I am grateful for the patience and understanding of the parents and those helping!

Now, this wasn't life or death hanging in the balance or a major life event. 

But it was our big thing at that moment. 

And we went forward and did what we could. Still a big thing in our world at the time.

I pray that the children (and adults) saw our VBS put into action. Trusting God to; go with us, lead the way, share wisdom, give us peace and spark joy! 

He did...gave me the idea to use my phone..and when to stop trying with the computer.  Peace in the situation and we could have joy even when it didn't go as planned.

Apparently, it was a success, as some children have said they "wish it could go on all summer!" 😳

What is true "success" is that those there learned about Jesus and learned what it means to trust God, not just in every situation but with their hearts and lives as well.

📖 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

🙏🏼 Lord, I thank You for lessons that You teach us everyday. I thank You for each person involved with Vacation Bible School and for each person reading this. I pray each one chooses to trust You today in all things! Amen♥️

Freedom Comes At A Cost

 This was originally published July 4, 2017. Freedom Isn't Free.

I have reworked it some and updated it.

The independence we celebrate today we all hear, see and know comes at a cost.  Those who have and do serve in our nation's military sacrifice  much, so that what we know as America and her freedoms are protected. They sacrifice comforts, family, security, safety, health, and sometimes their lives....much more than some of us will ever know.
and for that I am grateful!

There is another freedom, greater than the freedoms we have in this country...a freedom that is yours no matter what country you live in or what circumstance you find yourself in.
And that is the freedom we have in Jesus Christ.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

That came at a cost too.... an only Son was given  to do battle for us, fighting the biggest enemy this world has known. 
 ^📖 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

He was wounded, tortured, beaten and  even gave His life, BUT HE WON THE BATTLE and He won our freedom!
📖 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11

He did not stay dead!  He rose again....that is how HE won and why we can have victory too!
📖...just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

With that victory comes the freedom from the penalty that comes with sin.  The ultimate penalty for our sin is eternal death, separation from our God.
📖 For the wages of sin is death,
BUT because Jesus, our Warrior, took that penalty for us, we can claim freedom!
📖 but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
IF we claim Him as our Lord and Savior!!
📖 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Romans 6:7-11
Freedom in Christ gives us:
the ability to approach God with confidence
 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.  In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:10-12
Freedom to read and understand God's word....and the freedom to put God's word into action.

^📖  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25

Freedom to show mercy, God's mercy

 ^📖 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13

Freedom to serve God and to respect and love those God puts in our the path of our lives

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:16-17

Freedom to love, worship and walk with the Lord God

 May your unfailing love come to me, Lord,    your salvation, according to your promise;
then I can answer anyone who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.
Never take your word of truth from my mouth,
    for I have put my hope in your laws.

 I will always obey your law,
    for ever and ever.
I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts.
 I will speak of your statutes before kings
    and will not be put to shame,
for I delight in your commands
    because I love them.
 I reach out for your commands, which I love,
    that I may meditate on your decrees. Psalm 119:41-48

Freedom from a sinful life.  Freedom to live a holy life...

 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.  What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ...

...a life that will lead to eternity

...But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.   Romans 6:19-22

🙏🏼I pray that you find freedom in Christ today!♥️
📖 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free... Galatians 5:1

God's Blessing

 This weeks blog was inspired by a short message given at our annual Ecumenical Baccalaureate service. In our community the churches in our school district honor our graduating class with a service. Music, scripture, a message and prayer are what we share.  Each church has a representative take part. All seniors, their families, school staff and faculty are invited. We never know how many will attend, but we pray that the love of Christ is evident to those who are there. 

This year one of the pastors had the task of Blessing the Seniors using Numbers 6:24-26

I don't have total recall. But what she said inspired what follows. (thank you Belle!)

God's blessing.

📖  “‘“The Lord bless you

    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’  Numbers 6:24-26

He blesses us with favor, protection, prosperity, peace.

 God gifts us with His blessings of:

Favor...His love. God offers His love to ALL!

📖 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Protection..in His love . Not freedom from hurts or tragedy but He protects and keeps our soul.

📖  You are my hiding place;

    you will protect me from trouble
    and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7

Like the line from the old hymn "He hideth my soul in the cleft odnthe rock..."

Prosperity...in the form of provision.  

Our daily bread, not necessarily stores for years, or unlimited wealth or even everything we want. He provides for our needs. 

📖 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Peace...His peace ... it doesn't mean ease, it means His perfect inner peace

📖 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

📖 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

God's blessing is there for each of us..

We just have to receive it.

🙏🏼Our gracious Lord, thank You for Your mercy, grace and generosity. May each person accept the blessings You offer them today. May they use them to spread Your love. Amen♥️

Good Good Father

"You're a good good Father it's who You are

I am loved by You it is who I am"

A line from the Chris Tomlin song Good, Good Father.

As I listened to the song on Sunday a nugget of truth caught my attention. 

No matter what our earthly father was or is like... even the greatest of Dad's are still only human. 

Our Heavenly Father is perfect in all of His ways.  He IS goodness.  That is who He is. PERIOD.

📖 As for God, his way is perfect:

    The Lord’s word is flawless;
    he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30

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

and also regardless of who we are and what we have done...we are loved by Him.  That is who WE are ..and nothing we can do changes that.

📖  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

You may choose to disregard it, ignore it, or flat out deny it.  BUT it does not change the fact that you are loved by HIM.

He waits.

📖   The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Do you see?!....God is goodness itself...He invented it. It is who He is. 

And He loves YOU. 

All you have to do is accept His love and love Him in return.

📖   If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:15-16

🙏🏼 Our amazing Father, thank you for loving us so much. Thank you for our fathers here on earth, regardless of their human faults. It is because of all our flaws that YOU gave Your Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Help us to recieve that love and pass it on to others. Thank you for being the good, good Father who loves all unconditionally.  Amen♥️

🎵 Good Good Father. Chris Tomlin

For His Pleasure

 Something I heard while listening to my book..

"We were created for His pleasure "

"We were created for Him"

Caused me to want to find in scripture where it might be.

📖 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11 (KJV)

📖  Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the ends of the earth
7 everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.”    Isaiah 43:5-7

📖  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers o authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

He delights in His creation!

📖 He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:19

📖 the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:11

 

🙏🏼I pray that today you believe He is delighted in you. That you know you were created for Him and His purposes. And you can trust His purpose is good!♥️

📖  for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  Philippians 2:13