Tag: heaven

The Heart of Christmas

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Christmas will be so very different for so many this year.

Our gatherings will be smaller, quieter or possibly alone because of this virus and we all look forward to the family traditions that make Christmas feel like Christmas. Maybe this year we will look less to the family traditions to make Christmas feel right and look to the heart of it. The why of it. The promise of it.

The heart of Christmas is hope for the world in Jesus.

The why of Christmas is because God didn’t want heaven without you.

The promise of Christmas is that no matter who you are, Jesus came so that you could be in a thriving relationship with God today and for every day after until you step into eternity.

Christmas will look different this year but is may also mean more to us because of it.

God With Us

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Immanuel.

God with us.

The Second Person of the Trinity, eternal, all-powerful, left heaven to add humanity to His deity.

He came to earth to bring heaven to humanity.

He came to bring heaven to you.

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign.

Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”   

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

May you have a moment today where the awe-inspiring truth of Christmas captures your soul and remember that God did it all for you.

Unlimited and Glorious

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Monday
“I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.”
Ephesians 3:16 NLT
God has glorious and unlimited resources for you today.

You have His strength to love, to walk, to work, to hold on to hope and let go of fear.

You have His grace to cover your mistakes and feed your compassion.

You have His joy to see the ordinary beauty of humanity that is all around you.

You have His kindness to be gentle with those who are closest to you.

You have His vision to see others as He does and love them appropriately.

You are empowered to live loved as a child of God and do His will on earth as it is in heaven.

Not by your strength but by His.

Not from your limited resources, but from His unlimited and glorious resources.

Not so you will “look strong”  on the outside but so that you will “be strong” on the inside.
Receive it.
Rest in it.
Walk in it.
You have so much more at your disposal than you realize.
You have Jesus and He brings all heaven with Him.

God With Us.

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God-With-Us-Title-1-1080x675
Immanuel.
God with us.
The Second Person of the Trinity, eternal, all-powerful, left heaven to add humanity to His deity.
He came to earth to bring heaven to humanity.
He came to bring heaven to you.
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”   
Isaiah 7:14 NLT
May you have a moment today where the awe-inspiring truth of Christmas captures your soul and remember that He did it all for you.

Daily Routine

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Make worshiping Jesus a part of your daily routine.

Wash your face.

Brush your teeth.

Worship Jesus.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.    

Hebrews 12:28 NLT

When you worship, you open your heart to be filled with His unshakable kingdom. A kingdom not of this world that changes the world.
When you worship and see Jesus for who He is, you see the world around you through His eyes.
And you love more, hope more, give more.
Worship fills you with the wonder of heaven and an awe for the one who left it to rescue a lost world.
And when you are full of heaven, it overflows to the earth.
May you be so full of heaven today that it overflows in moments of awe on the mundane moments of your day and make them…heavenly.
You were made for this. 

Heaven

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Earth is not our home- heaven is.

What does heaven look like? What does it feel like? I don’t know. But I do know what the Word says about the atmosphere God creates in the place that He dwells:

“Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place.”

1 Chronicles 16:27 NIV

I may not have the details of what it looks like but I know that it is magnificent. More than that, joy and strength permeates the air and fills its rooms. Truthfully, wherever God is, He brings these attributes with Him. They are a part of who He is.

Where He is, strength abounds and joy lives.

Heaven is a real place and someday you will be there.

Until then, may you experience God’s presence here on earth and be filled with such peace and deep joy that it makes you homesick for heaven.

My Personal Bravery

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“The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army;”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

God knows what you are facing today.

He will give you what you need.

He will stand with you, fight for you and pour courage into you so you can to get back up when you fall down.

Worship Him.

Get lost in the music of heaven.

Let Him remind you that you are His.

When you worship, your circumstances don’t change but they will not have the same effect on you. Instead of causing fear to well up, worship will pour out of your heart.

Because you are God’s, your circumstances will not stop you from going forward but they will be a catalyst to your new life in Christ.

Don’t look to the world to give you what you need. They don’t have it. 

Look to Jesus.

Ask Him to be your personal bravery and give you strength to climb the heights facing you today.

Have a wonderful day spending time with Jesus and drawing from Him what you need.

A Christmas Moment

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God-With-Us-Title-1-1080x675
Immanuel.
God with us.
The Second Person of the Trinity, eternal, all-powerful, left heaven to add humanity to His deity.
He came to earth to bring heaven to humanity.
He came to bring heaven to you.
“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”   
Isaiah 7:14 NLT
May you have a moment today where the awe-inspiring truth of Christmas captures your soul and remember that He did it all for you.

Heavenly Peace

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As you count down the days to Christmas, take a minute to focus on what is important and in the craziness continue to refocus on your Creator.
It is His love you are celebrating.
This miraculous gift of the Son, this unquenchable love of the Father, this daily guide of the Spirit.
“for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬
Instead of replaying past moments or creating perfect scenarios in your head of the near future, let it be what it will be. 
Enjoy the imperfections of this day and those to come.
Know that everything “being perfect” will not create the feeling of fulfillment you are looking for.
You are looking for love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness…. and these are fruits of the Spirit (not fruits of the season). 
May you be filled with the Heavenly Peace of God’s Spirit as you walk among the complicated chaos of the humans around you.

Daily Routine

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dc1b49f726fb24cf86061f6088d05727

Make worshiping Jesus a part of your daily routine.

Wash your face.

Brush your teeth.

Worship Jesus.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.    

Hebrews 12:28 NLT

When you worship, you open your heart to be filled with His unshakable kingdom. A kingdom not of this world that changes the world.
When you worship and see Jesus for who He is, you see the world around you through His eyes.
And you love more, hope more, give more.
Worship fills you with the wonder of heaven and an awe for the one who left it to rescue a lost world.
And when you are full of heaven, it overflows to the earth.
May you be so full of heaven today that it overflows in moments of awe on the mundane moments of your day and make them…heavenly.
You were made for this.