“The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.”
Proverbs 29:25 MSG
Mankind’s definition of surviving is:
God’s definition of surviving is:
My prayer for you today is that you choose God’s way of surviving instead of yours.
“Love never gives up.”
1 Corinthians 13:4 MSG
So much can be communicated through a small touch.
A reassuring pat of the hand.
A hug.
A gentle tug on the elbow of someone who you want closer.
Holding a hand.
A small touch can make a bad thing okay, an okay thing good, and make a good thing great.
Small touches are difference makers in a relationship and in our lives.
They can be the first thing we unconsciously give and the first thing that we unconsciously withhold.
When we struggle, when we are angry, when we are hurt, we withhold the small touches.
It’s easy to forget how important they are to us and to those we love until we can’t give them anymore.
For your loved ones in your home, hug them, hold them, touch them.
For your loved ones outside your home, save them up, and send virtual hugs until it is safe to embrace them.
Today is my virtual hug to you.
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
2 Peter 1:2-3
All relationships have to be give and take in order to be healthy.
This includes your relationship with God.
Your “give” to God: to journey with Him and hold nothing back.
So what is your “take”?
Your “take” is to partake of God’s promises, dwell in His presence and walk in His power in every area of your life.
This taking is not a selfish act, it is a trusting one.
How is your relationship with Jesus today?
What do you need to recieve from Him?
What is He asking you to give?
“For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV
In California, we had a fireplace in our little living room that we would use to warm the house during the few cold, damp winter months. I loved the warmth but what I really loved was the ambiance that it created. I loved how it looked but had a terrible time keeping it going. My husband was fabulous at it. I would watch him carefully build it, pay attention to it, poke at it, feed it and adjust it until it was a blazing fire warming the whole house. There were days when he would get the fire started for me in the morning and then leave. I would gaze into the flames for a few minutes and then get engrossed in writing. I would forget about the fire until I realized it was only a smoldering pile of half-burnt wood. It gave me an appreciation of what “fanning the flame” means.
When God gives you a gift, it comes as a spark. A small light with great potential but will not grow unless it is fed, prodded, poked and paid attention to.
Jesus gives your gifts to you.
He expects you to fan it into a fire.
God gives you the gift but you grow it.
How?
God knows that fear is the number one reason we don’t step out in faith and use the gifts He has given us, so He gives us something more powerful than fear: He gives us Himself.
His gives us His presence.
And with His presence comes:
Don’t focus on your fear, my friend.
Focus on the wonderful Spirit of God within you to help you fan the flame of what has been given to you.
What has God sparked in you?
Are you growing it?
What is stopping you?
Why are you here?
Not to collect more things.
Not to become an expert.
Not to be happy all the time.
Not to look good all the time.
Not to feel good all the time.
“Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God.”
Philippians 2:14 MSG
You are here to be a light.
A witness.
A glimpse of God living through you.
A glimpse of grace-living.
A breath of fresh love-laced air in the sin-stained world.
That is why you are here.
Don’t get so caught up in yourself or in the present circumstances that you miss your God-empowered purpose for today: SHINE.
My prayer for you is that you are so filled with the Light of Christ and that it spills out of you in every way possible, to every person you meet, in every moment of darkness or discouragement or overwhelming circumstance, in spite of the current crisis, through the present obstacle. May the Light of His Love be uncontainable and contagious through you today.
“..and in truth.”
1 John 3:18 NIV
God will never ask you to love someone and lie to them at the same time.
He does not ask you to avoid the truth or use His love as a cop-out to deal with the truth.
He does not ask you to stay locked in a silent prison of fear while you “act” love out.
Sometimes it is harder to love in truth than it is to love in action.
Whether that means talking or listening, truth is the only foundation of love.
Be brave.
There is no such thing as “us” and “them.”
There is just us.
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
Luke 5:31 NIV
One who has been touched by grace will no longer look on those who stray as “those evil people” or “those poor people who need our help.” Nor must we search for signs of “love-worthiness.” Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are.
– Phillip Yancey
We are all in need of the grace and mercy of God…everyday.
Give some to yourself today and give some to someone else too, I guarantee they need it.
God’s love is so expansive that there is room enough for you and room enough for every person you know.
The cross does not have a “Limited Space Available” sign on it.
Jesus stretched out His arms for all.
God has embraced you and placed you within the unearned luxury of His love.
“But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am.
And I’m not about to let his grace go to waste.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 MSG
Don’t let fear hold you back from living in and giving God’s grace.
His grace is strong enough to deal with whatever you are facing today.
“And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
Romans 11:6 NIV
Live every moment of your life in the grace of God through Jesus.
You are saved by grace so that you can:
Love by grace,
Forgive by grace,
Grow by grace,
Give by grace,
Work by grace,
Eat by grace,
Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead so you can have full access to it.
Let the grace of God be the fuel that drives your life today and every day.
“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” – Psalm 139:5-6 NIV
You may feel like you are on your own to deal with the stress of life.
That you’re on your own to make it happen, whatever “it” is, but you are not on your own, you are God’s beloved child.
You are surrounded by LOVE.
His love goes before you and His grace follows behind you.
You are cherished and provided for, guided and anointed to walk confidently in God’s love.
God goes before you to make a way where there seems to be no way.
He sets up divine appointments for you to walk in and He brings people across your path that need you.
He blesses you with what you need, to do what He has called you to do.
His hand of blessing is on your head. He has hemmed you in His love.
That means in ALL that you do, big or small, His hand of blessing is on it- because His hand of blessing is on you.
My prayer for you is that you will begin to see yourself in the light of God’s passionate love for you:
He has chosen you.
Rescued you.
Provided for you.
Forgiven you.
Equipped you.
Goes before you.
Follows up after you.
God’s love is not like man’s love. He is not controlling you, He is surrounding you with Himself and there is more freedom in His presence than anywhere else in the world.
“For in him we live and move and have our being.”
Acts 17:28 NIV
In Jesus, you have permission to live fully in God’s grace and walk confidently with His hand of blessing on you.
You are surrounded by Him. Set your fear aside and walk confidently in His love today.
