Simple Devotions

Tag: love

  • nothing between

    I was raised to understand the God of the Universe who created all things and then made man in His image is also The One who wants nothing between Himself and His children.

    I know this is true because I have experienced a continued favor in my life. Because of this I raised my three children to know He loves them just the same, and at the young ages when we would load up to go anywhere in the car – I would ask them ” do you have your seatbelts on?” They would say ” yes ” and then I would tell them “ok now lets put on our spiritual seatbelts ” and we would stop and pray.

    I believe that in this life we are subject to all kinds of possible accidents and it’s those accidents that would discourages us from believing that God cares, I’ve heard it said often “if God is love…”

    What we fail to understand is there is this great conflict of { Good verses Evil} this is very much the reason for all the tribulations; trials and heartache.

    This is not because God doesn’t care or love – just like driving safely doesn’t keep you from all the possibilities of an accident. We are subjected to other drivers, their distractions; their lifestyle choices.

    There is a great need for you to trust and obey the Word of God. In order to survive the daily assault’s by the evil one. If you believe in God and His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior then you have become an enemy to the liar and deceiver. You are at war daily to stay closer to the path of righteousness.

    But you need not fear, only respect and trust that whatever is born of God {confessed sinners made new } overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ( 1 John 5:4)

    We also need to realize Jesus ~ who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. ( Galatians 1:4)

    He who came and died for you will hear the desire of the humble; He will prepare your heart; He will hear.

    Friends, don’t stop praying let nothing come between you and the Savior – the reward is great.

    In Christ love, amen

  • abide in Christ

    To paraphrase 1 John 2;28-29; 3 :1-9

    We need to have a confidence in the Son of God so strong that even in times of hardships and disappointment we can endure due to the hope we have in Christ.

    To abide in Christ means you look forward to His coming and can stand before Him unashamed. You believe in your heart that Christ is righteous and that learning to live by His standards makes you partakers of the truth of His word.

    The way to sin is by breaking the laws of God, as you know Christ came to die for our sins, not His, He had no sin. Because of this selfless love of His, we are given a path to follow after Him knowing that even when we fail, He will help us to make it right.

    He will still love us because that is who He is.

    To receive His love, is to chose to not continue living selfishly but instead draw closer to Him.

    These are the ones who love Him, those who abide with Him.

    But to keep living sinfully is to deny His ways, and chose not to abide in Him. This is because of the influence of the devil, who from the beginning has been sinning and influence God’s children to do the same.

    However if we are born of God~ there is a seed that grows as we nurture it with the truth of God’s word, it’s then His Holy Spirit which gives us power to overcome sin because of what Jesus Christ did.

    So abide in Christ – and live.

    In Christ love, amen

  • all over the map

    This devotional post today is about a journal entry I wrote five years ago.

    I was prompted to share by a gift of envelopes with the words “Open When you want a devotional prompt..” so when I opened it up and it read:

    “How my spiritual life was 5 years ago compared to now and what changed ? “

    What a great question and as you will soon learn timely also.

    I hoped to be able to look back at my journaling to find something recorded. I went in search of my old journals and found one dated January of 2021. Truthfully I got excited because I wasn’t to sure I was actually writing during this time.

    It gets more interesting, I had only done 14 days of entries that month and the the next entry was in March 21, 2021. So now I’m very curious what was going on then.

    And here’s what I learned, it was the day I started writing and didn’t put it back down again for any stretch of time.

    It was actually the year I picked up the sword “the infallible Word of God.” and started working with it to cut away fears and doubts of my faith. He became my shield because I purposely through prayer and study started to trust Him.

    The Lord walked with me through many paths of uncertainty and here’s what I wrote about that started it all.

    ______________________________________________

    All over the map..

    You wake me with the words “Pray..pray.. “

    I heed Your voice looking to say that which is pleasing and You provided the Word, reminding me that:

    Ish 54:17

    “No weapon formed against you will prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the hertiage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me. says the Lord.” … And their righteousness is from Me.”

    Todays verse of the day happens to be 1 Thess 5:17

    “pray without ceasing”

    I watch my kids drive all over the map(on Life 360)

    I pray for their safety every day. For the Lord God their Father to protect and guard them from harms way. Your Word gives me comfort to know You will and have!

    I pray for protection against the evil and harm the enemy seeks to do – and know that this is only possible if it is Your will Lord – but also there comes a time according to Your Word where Your arms are shorten because we choose to turn away, Numbers 11:23 :( – I seek to change this !!!

    Even now You provide my own hearts cry?!

    I find a note from my daughter stuck inside my bible just for this moment. THANK YOU!

    Psalms 13:5 ” But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”

    The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Please be near Hunter..

    ________________________________________

    I just shared with you the very intimate moment when I realized I didn’t want to shorten the Fathers arms towards me any longer. Because we have “free will” this happens as a result, not because He doesn’t’ hold out His arms, No, it’s because we limit Him with our free will.

    We struggle and try to do everything ourselves and even at our best this is a pride and sin problem.

    This is why Jesus said dying on the cross “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” because we continually live in sin and don’t even know it.

    He has always provided for my needs, He knows my hearts desires. He will never leave nor forsake me, I may be all over the map but He is not.

    He is the only right direction giver, He is the true North.

    Pray continuously for the Lords leading – give Him first place every day, while you walk, when you sit or lie down – take hold of His hand and let Him lead you all the way.

    You can trust Jesus, He is the Son of God and all power and dominion was given to Him, He is The Alpha and Omega, The Word and The Final Authority over all things. This is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No other like HIM.

    While you learn to abide in Him – your life will never be the same.

    He will reveal to you all truth – you will learn to trust Him.

    He will never leave you nor forsake you – He is able to do more then you could ever ask or imagine.

    He is the only way – to eternal life. No other way but Jesus Christ.

    Friends take action today, give Him your life completely. This is where I was five years ago today, uncertain and scared. Today I have this hope that burns within my heart, hope in the coming of the Lord I am loved by Him and I am assured of His promises. Friends one day soon He will come again and He wants to know you and receive you into His Kingdom. But the choice is yours.

    In Christ love, Amen

    ( The words in the picture) 5 years ago ..I started to journal about God’s Word. I have written many days of pages getting to know who He is and what I needed to do to be in one accord with Him.. today He reveals the reality of this walk with Him and His great LOVE.

  • law of love

    Daily writing prompt
    If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why?
    View all responses

    So in the Word of God, there are these principle rules deeply rooted throughout the Old and New Testament.

    In essence these laws reveal the importance of love, love to God and love to others, which is written as the fulfillment of God’s laws.

    These are known as the commandments found in Exodus 20. And these laws were not nailed to the cross as some have said of Christ fulfilment. The ceremonial laws; sacrificial laws is what ended at the cross of Christ. Those are the ones He fulfilled.

    For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matt 5:18

    Christ{JESUS } the son of God came to fulfill the law and He did. Matt 5:17 He became the ultimate sacrifice for all sins, because He{JESUS } is the perfect lamb of God. John 1:29 But this does not mean we only live by faith now and not have to keep them, no, quite the opposite. Rom 3:31

    Here’s another way to experience these laws, the first four are “how to love God” and the last six are ” how to love your neighbor”.

    And according to the word in Gal 5:13-16 all the law is fulfilled in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

    Remember the golden rule growing up?

    Treat others the way you want to be treated.

    Can we all agree this is grossly missing today?

    What civil laws can we apply or change to help humanity see the need of this?

    None.

    It’s very clear by all standards, there’s your way, my way and the right way.

    The right way is{JESUS }the truth that gives light.

    This world is filled with a growing darkness, hearts of humanity are becoming stone cold, civil laws have no power over a heartless creation.

    The only thing that is more powerful then this, is the one power that can melt a stone heart and this is God’s laws of love.

    I realize not everyone agrees, however this is the answer to the question about the law(s) I would improve upon and my why.

    If you struggle to accept them, at least take them into account of how humanity could benefit from them.

    But really, it’s all useless, unless we believe in who this love is that comes from God which is the perfect fulfillment of the law, Jesus.

    Follow me as I paraphrase these scriptures to reveal a deeper truth as I have come to understand in studying His Word.

    I Corinthians 13:2 (NKJV)

    And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not {JESUS }, I am nothing.

    I Corinthians 13:3 (NKJV)

    And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not{JESUS }, it profits me nothing.

    I Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)

    And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is {JESUS }.

    I John 4:8 (NKJV)

    He who does not love{JESUS } does not know God, for God is love.

    I John 4:16 (NKJV)

    And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in{JESUS } abides in God, and God in him.

    Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

    But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, (His son)Christ{JESUS } died for us.

    Ephesians 3:17 (NKJV)

    that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in{JESUS },

    I Peter 4:8 (NKJV)

    And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “{JESUS }will cover a multitude of sins.”

    Proverbs 10:12 (NKJV)

    Hatred stirs up strife, But {JESUS } covers all sins.

    Friends, God shows no favoritism to any nation, tribe or peoples. He has given creation the choice to serve Him and obey His laws And accept Jesus as the Savior of this dark filled World or not, but lets not ever forget God’s laws are the laws of LOVE= JESUS.

    In Christ Love, Amen

  • writing the words of life

    Daily writing prompt
    What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
    View all responses

    If you know, you know.

    But if you don’t you should.

    Writing about the Word of the Savior, son of God, Christ the Lord is my favorite thing to do.

    He is life and His word gives it more abundantly then you could ever ask or imagine.

    I could quote all the verses in the bible to prove which is true and most accurate but today I want to share personally why I believe in Him and His love.

    I am a daughter, a sister, wife and mother. All have special meaning to me but the one title I have that means the most is being called a child of the most High.

    Every relationship has it’s ups and downs. We all struggle with expectations from each other and this can often cause disappointment. Letting each other down in our own selfish tendencies is not a foreign concept.

    These positions we are given are even at times limited and not always secure because it’s takes two individuals to work to support one another’s role. Many relationships end because this work wasn’t being done.

    There’s so many conditions – it’s very conditional.

    But with the Heavenly Father – it’s forever.

    And because of His devotion towards me, it makes me a better person in each of those roles I have carried in this life.

    So life is sweeter, because all goodness comes from Him.

    He knew and formed me in the womb and He knows how to speak to me, teaching me what I need to know.

    It is because of Him I am able to read and understand His words, and then write about the hope and inspiration He gives.

    It’s because of who He is and what I mean to Him that has taught me to trust and obey Him. It’s His love for me that gives me the desire to share with others in this way.

    If you are on the fence about who HE is, and why you should even consider allowing Him into your life, I want to appeal to this question with another.

    What do you have to lose?

    Seek The Lord, ask Him and the answers will be given to you.

    In Christ Love, Amen

  • His Word

    Daily writing prompt
    Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?
    View all responses

    The question “when have you felt loved..” is one I can answer by personal experience I have in reading and studying the Word of God. The Bible.

    Love is a word many use to describe an emotion. But the real use of the word is an action word. To understand what true love means is to know what it does.

    In the book of 1 Corinthians 13 it is written what love is and what it does. It’s also known as “the greatest gift”.

    In Romans 13:10 Love is described as the fulfillment of the law – to love your neighbor.

    1 John 4:7 says everyone who loves is born of God.

    As I sit here writing , thinking how I have felt it personally from Him ~ His words are love in the truth He teaches me. His words are life giving and freeing. This love He bestowed on the world when He gave Himself a sacrifice John 3:16-17 shows me in action what I mean to Him.

    His words of instructions leads me to safety.

    His love is everlasting not temporary but always – never ending.

    How do you describe a love that never ends a feeling that is a constant companion. His word brings rejoicing to my heart because in it I have seen how deeply He cares for His people. No one and no thing has ever given me all the feels.

    His words are the life, the way and the truth.

    His words are Love.

    In Christ LOVE, Amen

    In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 1 John 4:9