Love without words

 

"The elderly gentleman next door had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the old man crying, his neighbor's four year old son went into the old man's yard, climbed onto his lap and sat there. Later, when his mother asked him what he had said to the old gentleman, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him to cry!'"

Doesn't this anecdote just capture your spirit? Here is the innocence of a child with an unhindered heart of grace.

Job too knew friends like this (at first).

"Then they sat on the ground with him (Job) for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was." (Job 2:13)

Silence can be the wise choice of an understanding friend. Silence with loving company can salve the injured soul and caress a saddened spirit. There are times when advice or counsel are, at best, hollow, as the moment, the depth, the emotion can never be plumbed by words. Feelings can reach far deeper than words can ever dive.

Our Father in heaven too knows this. He was the first one to know it.

He too has sent His 'four year old' to sit with us. This is His Holy Spirit - our counselor and comforter (Jn 14:16).

When we feel as 'the elderly gentleman next door' did, His Holy Spirit sits on our lap, won't say a thing to us unless invited to, and even says our prayers that we can no longer form."In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (Roms 8:26)

When words won't work for me, His Holy Spirit will.

 

This is one of the most remarkable, and yet one of the most disturbing verses in the Bible. It is remarkable because it shows us that God loves us, and that He has passed His characteristics to us (Genesis 1:27). However, it is disturbing because it reminds us that we only love others, because God loved us. We only love God, because God first loved us.

In fact, I think it is fair to say, that we all fall short when it comes to love, especially loving God. We are told that love is patient, it is kind, it is not easily angered, and I think a lot of us look at these characteristics and pat ourselves on the back... but Paul continues to describe love by saying, "it is not self-seeking... Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." (1 Corinthians 13:5-6)

When it comes to our lives, we have all put ourselves first, made our desires a priority over God; we have all broken the first commandment- the greatest commandment- by worshiping our desires before His Word (Exodus 20:3). We have all failed to rejoice in truth, and to condemn our evil desires... we have failed to remember that Love is not self-seeking.

And yet, despite this, despite our failure to love, God still loves us (Romans 5:8). He is willing to forgive us (Micah 7:18) so that we may have a deep, intimate relationship with Him.

As we get closer to Valentine's day, there is a lot of talk about what love is, and how to show it. We talk about buying candy and flowers for our sweethearts, or a nice romantic dinner... but somehow the founder of love, God, gets left out of the picture.

We focus so much on the love that we have with others, that we forget that true, perfect love which only comes from God. We forget what He has done for us, and how He has, and continues to show His love towards us.

Today, think about what you can give God for Valentine's Day... think about how you can show your love to God everyday... and ask yourself, when was the last time you said "I love you" to God.

Waiting on God

Waiting is hard for me. I read of Sarah waiting for Isaac, Anna waiting for the Messiah, and Elizabeth waiting for John, and I’m amazed. I mean, can you believe Sarah waited about thirty years for a baby? Thirty years?

I have a hard time waiting for my nails to dry!
But God’s Word is clear that we’re to wait, to be still, to remain in Him.

• Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
• Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7a
• Remain in me, and I will remain in you. John 15:4a

We know we need to find time every day to be in the Word. Bible study, word studies, and Sunday school lessons are great ways to grow closer to the Lord, but in order to truly rest in Him, we must learn to wait.

And that’s the hard part. But it’s in the waiting that we hear God’s voice.
I have to admit, there are times I can’t hear God. I pray and pray and read His Word, and yet, I don’t hear a thing.

It’s not His fault.

I realize now the problem is not in His speaking, it’s in my listening. After all, I have my list of prayer requests–all good things, you understand, and most are for other people. I faithfully go down the list one by one, telling God what I’d like Him to do. And then it’s over. I’m off and running, cramming in all the important things I have to do that day.

And God is left alone. There He was, just about to tell me what He wanted me to know, but I didn’t have time to listen. He wanted to tell me to take the job or to turn down the volunteer position or to mentor the young teen at church. But I couldn’t hear Him . . . because I wasn’t there. Because I didn’t have time to wait on Him.

But His answer is in the waiting. It’s all in the being quiet and listening for His voice. God wants us to rest in Him. He wants to speak to our spirits and let us know He’s really there. He’s just waiting for us.

What are you waiting for? An answer? A healing? A speaking opportunity? Could you be like me? Could God be trying to tell you something, but you’re too busy to hear His voice? Oh, friends, this is a constant battle for me, and I know it is for many of you. Will you join me? Instead of just “spending” your time reading a quick devotion and running down your prayer requests, will you commit to sitting and waiting on Him? It won’t be easy. It’ll take focus and determination, especially when the days are long and the sleeps are short.

No agenda, no lists. Just us and God, relating to one another. I know we’ll be amazed at what He has to say when we’re quiet enough to hear His voice.

I know it will be worth the wait.

Love Lessons from God

 

“Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.” –1 Thessalonians 4:9

Wherever we go, we’ll find brothers and sisters in Christ in need of love just as we are. How do we love them? Let’s look at Jesus to count some ways:

 

1. He gave up everything to give us a tangible glimpse of God. When we live for God, we do the same.
2. He healed the sick. We can pray for such while offering comfort and care.
3. He welcomed little children. We can lead them His way.
4. He forgave the adulteress, though He was without sin. We must forgive, for we were born in sin.
5. He cleansed the temple of the cancer of greed. We can prayerfully (and carefully) offer loving correction when it seems a Christian brother is stepping off of Heaven’s path.
6. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. We can befriend non-Christians, too, that they may see God’s love in us and want it for their own.
7. He died and rose again to save us from our sins. We may never be called upon to die for our faith, yet we can stand firm in obedience to God. By doing so, we encourage other Christians to stand as well. We also prove to non-believers that our faith is something real.

God, thank You for sending Your Son to show us how to love each other. As I study His Life through Your Word, help me to absorb the example and live life as He taught. Amen.

 

 

Psalm 34:8

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

I think of the difference between looking at a shiny red apple and tasting it. No matter how tasty the apple looks on the outside, the only way that I will truly experience its goodness is to take a big bite out of it!

It is when I sink my teeth into it, that I will be able to taste and see that it is really delicious. Looking at an apple will never sustain us. We could be surrounded by an entire orchard of apples and yet die of starvation if we don't eat the apples.

I believe that God is extending an invitation for us to not only behold His goodness from afar, but to come close and taste and see that He really is good. In some Christian circles, looking for an experience with God might be seen as undermining the importance of believing without seeing. I am not suggesting that we base our entire Christian walk on experience, but I would suggest that experience is part of any relationship that we have.

While faith (Hebrews 11:6) is still the foundation on which we relate to God, I believe that He wants us to experience Him in every facet of our being. I pray that today, each and every one of us will taste of God's goodness in a very tangible way that will give us a greater insight into our Lord's heart.

 

God Loves You

 

 

John 17:23

I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one;
that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.

I can understand that God loves Jesus completely and without reservation because Jesus is His perfect Son. But to think that God the Father loves me exactly the same way that He loves Jesus? Wow!

The truth is that when we became born again, we were united with Christ in every way. In today's Bible verse, Jesus describes it by saying... "I am in them, and you in me." When our God and Father looks at you, He sees you through the finished work of Jesus Christ. In Galatians 2:20, the Apostle Paul said "No longer I that lives, it is Christ that lives in me". Because I am in Christ, and Christ is in me, the love that the Father has for Jesus is exactly the same love He has for me!

The truth is that there is nothing that we could do to make God love us any MORE than He does right now... And on the flip side of the same coin... There is nothing that we could ever do to make Him love us any LESS either! Don't try to understand God's love, just receive it like a little child! God is your Father and He loves you even as He loves Jesus!

 

AGAPE love

AGAPE is true and genuine love. AGAPE love is not sexual love as between a man and a woman. Love is the very nature of God. The ultimate expression of AGAPE LOVE is God giving His only son to die on the cross for our sins. This kind of love comes to us by God through His Son Jesus Christ. We have AGAPE love in our hearts as a result of knowing that God loves us with no strings attached and that His love for us never changes. We show our love for God by the commitment of our heart, soul and mind to our Lord. This is TRUE AND GENUINE LOVE!

How many times in life do we find ourselves in a position of just needing someone to love us? This is when we need AGAPE love because we need the caring and comforting love that only the Lord can give. Remember, He gave His life for you. What greater love is there then this?

AGAPE love means that God first loved us and we are to love God first and then to love others. It is the love from Christ that compels us to act, on Christ’s behalf to share Christ’s love to someone (II Corinthians 5:14). It is a love that never fails (I Corinthians 13:8). It is a love that made Jesus say to His disciples in John 21:7, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” In Romans 12:9-10 (above verse), Paul defines AGAPE love as being sincere and being devoted to one another in brotherly love. Sincere love is not selfish. When we have AGAPE love we will honor others above ourselves.

This AGAPE love can only be felt by one that has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you want to experience AGAPE love then make that decision today.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE. This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I John 4:8-10.

Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment” Matthew 22: 37-38

Love must be sincere --- be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:9-10.

For His Glory

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

— Ephesians 4:1


Are you living your life well? That is an important question, because you never know when your life will end.

In a broad sense, life for the Christian will never end. There is an afterlife. There is a heaven. And ultimately, there will be a new earth where we will rule and reign. But according to Scripture, what we will do then is connected to how we live now. So we want to think about our lives and how we are living them today.

We all assume we will live a long life. Maybe you are a young person just getting started. Maybe you have lived many, many years. Maybe you are middle-aged. Whatever age you may be, you don't really know where you are in life's journey. And that is the thing we all have to think about.

We live our life as a story that is being told, and, for some of us, we may be further along in that story than we realize. So we have to ask ourselves questions like, "What purpose does God have in mind for me now that I have committed my life to Jesus Christ?" And, "What will the legacy of my life be? How will I be remembered?"

We are here to bring glory to God—nothing more, nothing less. So the objective is not to be the most successful or to have the biggest this or that. It is to be faithful to what God has set before each of us.

It is not for us to look at another person's success and say, "Why not me?" Nor is it for us to look at our own suffering and say, "Why me?" Instead, it is for us to simply say, "Lord, how can I best glorify You with my life?"

God… Please don’t wipe away all my tears!!

Revelations 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Dear Father God,


I’m so glad that you’re going to wipe every tear away from my eyes one day…but I don’t want all my tears wiped away. I do want the bad tears wiped away…the ones that came from my suffering…but there are some special tears that I hope you collected and will never get rid of….they are….my tears of love for you! My God….I love you so much and in my prayer times I have cried so hard because I love you so so much.


My wonderful, merciful and caring God…these are my good tears and I don’t want you to wipe them away. Every tear of love I shed for you are from deep within my heart. My heart aches for you and each tear represents the depths of that love.


Please don’t wipe my love away. How will I be able to tell you how much I love you when I get to heaven? Will there be a way? Can I pour oil on you? Will I have hair to wash your feet with? I know you are a spirit so how will I pour my love out on you?


Luke 7:38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.


Please tell me how I will worship you and I will be so happy. Father God…when I get there… will there be room for me to lay before your throne in adoration of your Holiness and your love that you have shown to me. I think a lot about what I will do in your presence. I’m going to want to hug you tightly and say thank you for making me, forgiving me, saving me, loving me and accepting me warts and all. Yes these tears God…that I have on my face right now…they are for you….don’t wipe them away.


God there are no words in my mouth and in my mind right now…only my tears of love…my human expression of passion for you. My tear’s are my worship Father…don’t wipe my tears away. You’ve given me so much and my good tears are all I have to give you….they are…my love. They are symbolic of my heart’s cry of worship and praise to you.


Will I remember these times of prayer and intimate fellowship with you? They are precious to me! Will my love for you be lost in the history of your many other blood washed children? I know I’m asking so many questions…but I don’t want my good tears to be gone from my memory of you….I cherish my good tears and my good times with you.


I know when I get to heaven….you’ll be waiting for me and I’ll have a glorified body and I’ll be like you and things between you and me will be on a whole different level…..but I still have to say this while I’m still down here…..Don’t wipe my good tears away….they are my joy, my happiness and my love that I have for you! I love you!!


From your tearful daughter… good tears,

Operation Fragrance

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” –2 Corinthians 2:14

Trees and other plants rely on small animals to help them survive. Bees carry pollen from flower to flower in Spring. Squirrels take acorns and other nuts from place to place. Birds move the seeds from fruit trees to new locations where there may be more room for seedlings to grow. In turn, the animals get the food they need from the plants. God planned for the plants and animals to help each other in this way.

In a similar way, we carry the fragrance of the knowledge of God with us wherever we go. We plant seeds of God’s love in others, nourishing them spiritual and helping God's kingdom to thrive. As we go where God leads, He goes with us, filling us with His Spirit, His strength. This is God’s plan for us. We are triumphant so long as we rely on Him.

Holy Spirit, fill my life with the fragrance of Your love that others may know You wherever I go. Amen.

Will We See The Savior?

“Sovereign Lord … you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation …” -- Luke 2:29-30

The religion page of a local newspaper carried a story called “Divine Encounters.” It was an account about three women who had what they called life-changing moments when they experienced God in a special way. One of the women talked about a time when she had lost all hope because she was full of pain and despair. She had decided to end her life. At that moment she saw Jesus standing in front of her, and she heard him say, “I love you. I love you so much that I died for you. And I want you to live for me.” It was the beginning of a new direction in her life. It would be easy to dismiss her story as a product of her imagination. Most of us have never seen the Savior standing in front of us. But whether it is through physical eyes or through eyes of faith, our Savior wants us to see him.

Simeon, after years of waiting, could finally say, “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

And later on, Peter wrote, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

Have you seen your Savior? Ask God for eyes of faith to see his impact on your life. You don’t have to see him physically, but it’s possible to see his work in your life so that you know, beyond doubt, that he is there. Ask God today to open your eyes so you can see Jesus.

“Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.” Please give us a glimpse of your presence and reassure us that you are with us always. For your name’s sake, Amen.

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. – Psalm 32:1-2

The Lord’s Prayer For Today

My Father who lives in Heaven, may Your Name always be kept Holy and revered in my life, may your Kindgom, Will, Plans and Purposes be accomplished in my life today as it always is in Heaven.

Give me today my daily bread, finances, health, joy, and shalom and forgive me of all my sins, financial debts, wrong thinking and times of doubt that I questioned You, as I have forgiven all those around me that has ever done me wrong or misunderstood me.

Do not lead me into any hard testing and trials beyond my ability to withstand them, but protect me and keep me safe as Your child from the evil one and his authority, for Your Kingdom existed forever and Your Power and Glory reigns Supreme for all eternity.

I am in agreement to Your Will and let it be so in my life today.

REACHING OUT ( A Vision )

Today I was praying and I saw several men and women in vision. They had one thing in common, they were all reaching out. Each one was reaching out for someone or something that was missing. One man was reaching for his wife, but she was gone, another woman was reaching for her husband but he was dead, another woman was reaching for her child, but the child was gone, another man was reaching out for his mother but she was dead. Every one of them was reaching, reaching, and only gaining emptiness. The Lord told me that they were reaching in vain because all that they thought could comfort them was gone, and He wanted to comfort them, but instead of reaching out to Him, they continued to reach out to only memories of those things they imagined were comforting. The Lord told me that if His people would reach out to Him that He would delight in comforting them in every circumstance. He said that when people reach out to Him, they are filled with His comforts to such a degree that they are able to give those comforts to others.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.   2-Corinthians 1:3-4

The Story of Christmas

The story of Christmas dates back over 2000 years. During this era, Rome was a great empire ruled by Caesar Augustus and Israel was governed by King Herod.

The Story of Mary and Joseph
In the small village of Galilee in Nazareth, Israel, lived Mary a young virgin who was engaged to be married to Joesph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited Mary in her dream who told her she had been chosen to bear a Son of God and his name was to be Jesus. And thus, it happened that when Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. When Mary told Joseph, naturally he felt betrayed, but an angel visited him in his dream and verified what Mary had told him to be true. He thus took Mary to be his wife despite a possible public disgrace.

Mary and Joseph leave Nazareth for Bethlehem
At that time, Caesar Augustus declared that a census should be taken of every person in the entire Roman empire. And, everybody had to go to the place to which they belonged to register. As Joseph, was of the line of David, he and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to register. Joseph and Mary left Nazareth for Bethlehem. Mary who was with child, and close to the birth, rode on a donkey while Joseph walked beside her. They traveled for many days and only rested at night.When they reached Bethlehem it was night. They looked for a place to rest but there were no empty rooms when they reached the inn. As they were being turned away Joseph mentioned that his wife was with child and close to birth. The inn keeper took pity on them and told them of some caves in the nearby hills where shepherds would stay with their cows and sheep.

Jesus is Born
So Joseph and Mary went up into the hills and found the caves. In one cave was a stable room. Joseph cleaned it and made beds of fresh hay. He found a feeding trough which he cleaned and filled with hay to use as a crib. The next night Mary gave birth to a son and they named him Jesus, as the angel had said.

The Shepherds
When the child was born a shining star appeared over Bethlehem that could be seen for miles around. In the fields nearby were shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep. An angel appeared to them surrounded by bright light. The shepherds were frightened and tried to run.

"Fear Not," said the angel, "For I bring you tidings of great joy. For unto you is born this day in Bethlehem - a Saviour who is Christ the Lord."

"And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

Suddenly the sky was filled with angels, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men."

After the angels departed the shepherds set out for Bethlehem. When they reached the cave they found the stable and inside was the child wrapped in swaddling clothes. The shepherds left, praising the lord and soon spread the news about this miraculous child who was to be the Savior of the world.

The Three Kings
As the star shined over Bethlehem, three kings of the east saw it. They knew it was a sign and they set off to follow the star. There was Caspar - the young king of Tarsus, Melchior – the king of Arabia who was a long bearded old man, and Balthazar - the king from Ethiopia. They traveled on camels for many days over mountains, through deserts and plains always following the shining star.

When they finally arrived in Bethlehem they found the child in the manger. The three kings bowed to the child and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They stayed the night in the cave and returned the next day to their lands to spread the news.

Merry Christmas

Spiritual Gifts

Every believer should go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to release these 9 gifts through them anytime that He will want to do so. Let God know that you will be a willing vessel for the manifestations of these gifts, and that you will give Him a full and solid green light to manifest these gifts though you at anytime that He will want to do so.

Wisdom Seeing life from God's perspective.

The gift of wisdom is the wisdom of God. It is the supernatural impartation of facts; it is not natural. You can't earn it. It is received from God through prayer (Ephesians 1:17).


Knowledge The supernatural comprehension of Christ and His Word.

The gift of the word of knowledge is the transcendental revelation of the divine will and plan of God. It involves moral wisdom for right living and relationships, requires objective understanding concerning divine things in human duties, and refers to knowledge of God or of the things that belong to God, as related in the Gospel.

The gifts of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge function together; knowledge is raw material and wisdom builds on it.


Discernment Recognizing what is of God verses the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Discerning of spirits is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to perceive the source of a spiritual manifestation and determine whether it is of God (Acts 10:30-35), of the devil (Acts 16:16-18), of man (Acts 8:18-23), or of the world. It is not mind reading, psychic phenomena, or the ability to criticize and find fault.

Discerning of spirits must be done by the power of the Holy Spirit; He bears witness with our spirit when something is or is not of God.



Faith  Function on the behalf of the believer to perform something impossible by ordinary human efforts. God intervenes with His sovereignity and glory to work this miracle for us.

The gift of faith is the supernatural ability to believe God without doubt, combat unbelief, and visualize what God wants to accomplish. It is not only an inner conviction impelled by an urgent and higher calling, but also a supernatural ability to meet adverse circumstances with trust in God's words and messages.

This gift not only operates in healings and in miracles, but in the realm of the impossible as well. Saving faith produces the active faith of the fruit of the Spirit which, in turn, produces the gift of faith. When the gift of faith is empowered, the results are miraculous!



Healings Removing diseases from the spirit, soul, and body.

The gift of healings refers to supernatural healing without human aid; it is a special gift to pray for specific diseases.

Healing can come through the touch of faith (James 5:14-15); by speaking the word of faith (Luke 7:1-10); or by the presence of God being manifested (Mark 6:56; Acts 19:11-12).
The Bible speaks of "gifts" of healing because there are three types of healings: physical (diabetes, blindness, cancer, deafness, etc.), emotional (jealousy, worry, discouragement, and other destructive attitudes), and spiritual (bitterness, greed, and guilt, etc.).


Miracles Natural or supernatural events with precise timing to bring glory to God.

A miracle is the performance of something which is against the laws of nature; it is a supernatural power to intervene and counteract earthly and evil forces.

The gift of miracles operates closely with the power gifts of faith and healings to bring authority over Satan, sickness, sin, and the binding forces of this age.
Miracles can also be defined as supernatural intercessions of God. God exhorts us with energy to do something that is not natural or normal to us. Just as the ministry gift of miracles is the expression of prayer, so is the function of the Holy Spirit to direct our prayers (Romans 8:26).



Prophecy Bringing to light secret motives of the heart.

Prophecy is divinely inspired and anointed utterance; a supernatural proclamation in a known language. It is the manifestation of the Spirit of God - not of intellect (I Corinthians 12:7), and it may be possessed and operated by all who have the infilling of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 14:31)

Intellect, faith, and will are operative in this gift, but its exercise is not intellectually based. It is calling forth words from the Spirit of God. The gift of prophecy operates when there is high worship (I Samuel 10:5-6), when others prophets are present (I Samuel 10:9-10), and when hands are laid on you by ministers (Acts 19:1-6).



Diverse Tongues Glorifying God through language and music.

Supernatural utterance through the power of the Holy Spirit in a person that manifests as spiritual language. The Holy Spirit energizes the tongue to edify believers through language and music.

Diverse tongues is the most misunderstood and dynamic gift. It is not your prayer language, but it can surface through intercession, conference, or through the individual.


Interpretation of Tongues A supernatural verbalization and subsequent interpretation of the diverse tongue.


Interpretation of tongues is a supernatural verbalization and subsequent interpretation to reveal the meaning of a diverse tongue. This gift operates out of the mind of the Spirit rather than out of the mind of man.

The Word of God says that if you pray in tongues, you should pray that you will also interpret - not only for the benefit of others - but for your own benefit as well.


These 9 gifts are a tremendous help and aid to not only you in your own personal walk with the Lord, but many of them can be also used to help other people out as special needs and circumstances arise in their lives.

Jesus has been here, He is coming again

Jesus has been here, He is coming again, below are some of the differences between His two appearances.


1st time - only 1 star in the sky points to Him

2nd time - all the stars will fall for Him.


1st time - no room for Him on earth

2nd time - all the room of the universe is His


1st time - only a few will worship Him

2nd time - all will bow down to Him


1st time - came in humility

2nd time - comes in glory



1st time - comes in peace and joy

2nd time - comes in punishment and judgement



1st time - defeats evil

2nd time - removes evil


1st time - came in a womb

2nd time -comes on a cloud



1st time - left alone

2nd time - leaves with ALL His friends


Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. (Matt 24:24)

A Home for God's Child

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” –Mark 10:15 and Luke 18:17 (see also Matthew 18:3)

When grown-ups move from one home to another, their children move with them. They don’t get a vote. They may not understand why. They may not even like or want the change. When their parents move, however, children move, too, because for children, home is where their parents are.

If we are the children of God, therefore, and He is our Father, home for us is where He Is. Since God is everywhere, in a broad sense, that could mean that home is anywhere. But anywhere doesn’t bring up images of the comfort and security and context of home. No. In more personal terms, I think home for us is where God sends us, where God wants us, where God takes us, wherever God leads.

Jesus, God’s Son, was sent to Earth by the Father. Our world became His home. Then He was taken back up to Heaven, His eternal home. And there, He is creating an eternal home for us.

For now, however, just like it was for Jesus, Earth is our home. We are God’s children. Our place is to obey and go wherever we are sent, wherever God’s Spirit leads. As we do what God tells us to do, we find that we are where He Is—and that means we’re always at home.

Does that make sense?

Obviously, I’m playing with the title of this blog a little bit. But I love, love, love that home is not only where God sends us, but also where He takes us. He Is with us wherever He tells us to go. And because we’re His children, that’s what makes the place He moves us to our home.

Beloved Heavenly Father, Home for My Heart and Soul, I am ever thankful You’ve made me Your child. As You lead me all over this world, help me to remember my home is not really a physical place. Home is living in loving obedience to You. Wherever You want me is where I want to be. In Your Presence, I am home. Amen.