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God Hears

I sat quietly alone on my loveseat with the gas fireplace roaring beside me. Though the TV was on, it was set to mute as I considered my next move. I glanced at my injured foot which was now in a “boot” resting on the coffee table in front of me. I sighed. No one else was home. I just wanted something cold to drink but knew how difficult it would be to hobble with my crutches into the kitchen and return with a cold satisfying drink.

So, my dilemma, as simply as it was: Should I relax my newly broken foot or did I really need a refreshing drink. To myself, yet out loud, I said in despair, “there is no one here to help me”.

Immediately my mind raced to the story of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda. It is found in the 5th chapter of the Gospel of John. Apparently the sick, the lame and the blind would sit by a pool of water. It was said to have had healing powers when it was stirred – some translations state that it was stirred by angels.

Some scholars believe the pools were at a pagan shrine or temple honoring the Greek god or demigod Asclepius, the god of medicine or medicinal powers. It was said that the healing snakes stirred the waters. And the scholars contribute the medicinal powers and stirring of the water from bubbles that arose from the mineral springs. Others debunk this theory.  Regardless, a man sat by this pool of water for 38 years with no one to help him get in. He must have come to a place of despair.

It reads like this from the NIV translation:

Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.  One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. John 5:1-9

What I found interesting about this story is that Jesus walked into the midst of a pagan shrine (if that was the case) not caring about the “protocol” of the day. According to scripture he only approached one individual and healed him, on the Sabbath mind you, which was also against Jewish tradition.

He heard the man’s heart even though the man never asked the Lord to help him. We have heard other stories where people called out to the Lord, but not in this circumstance.

God’s mercy and compassion for those in need, for those who cry out from their heart, is amazing.

It made me realize that he hears, even when we don’t speak. He hears even if an individual doesn’t realize who they are calling upon.

I don’t care if you are:

in a prison cell
amid a war-torn country
in a COVID ward
on center stage
looking in the wrong direction for help
rich and famous
poor and alone
amongst friends
amongst enemies
feeling lost
in a church family
in a cubical
homebound
living on the street
a drug addict
hopeless
or seem to have it together…. God hears the heart that cries to him.

Where do you find yourself today? What is your situation?

I am telling you DO NOT GIVE UP. DO NOT LOSE HEART. GOD HEARS!

Isaiah 65:24, “Before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking, I will hear.” (NIV)

Psalm 139 explains that he knows everything about you and cares. He knew you before you did. And Romans 8 states that NOTHING can separate you from the love of God.

What are you waiting for? What can you lose?

Dear Lord, Hear those who are crying from their hearts, those in despair, those who are in need and even those who do not realize yet that they need you. Amen

By the way: I was able to grab that drink. I just had to guzzle it right there at the refrigerator. And then I hobbled on my crutches back to the loveseat to rest my foot on the coffee table.  And soon my family returned home. I am grateful that I have something to drink, a couch to sit on in a warm house, and for those who are caring for me, as I heal.

I am mostly grateful for God who will never leave or forsake me, who took the time to go out of his way to heal a paralyzed man thousands of years ago when he had no one to help him. God is the same yesterday, today and forever and so I am grateful that he continues to heal today.

Remember: He cares about every detail of your life…and loves you.

God bless.

It is well.

I could hear the sound of his heartbeat and the thunder of his voice echoing as I laid my head on his chest. Nothing mattered. I was in good hands. I was safe and secure. And so, I rested in his arms unafraid, without worry; filled with peace.

I must have been 3, 4 or 5 years of age at that specific time. Whatever age I was, that incident stuck with me. There were times that my parents would be visiting friends past my sister’s and my bedtime. I would fall asleep on the couch. Before leaving, my dad would pick me up and continue visiting while I was in his arms. As I lay my head on his chest his heartbeat and voice soothed me.

Today the Lord brought this memory back to my mind. He reminded me that He is my Father. I can rest in him as he wraps his arms around me. I like how the Passion Bible translates Psalm 91:4.

“His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.
You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.
His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm” Ps 91: 4.

I can lay my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat and his gentle yet thundering voice guiding my steps. But I cannot do that unless I spend time quieting my thoughts so I can listen to his voice with my heart.

During these times, more than ever, we must be able to hear the heartbeat of the Lord. We must be able to hear his voice thundering in our souls, so we can heed his leading.

“These are trying times.”

I have heard that statement and read it in different places on websites or store signs.

There are riots, lies, fear and anger that fill the airwaves, social media, stores, the workplace, and the streets. Hardened criminals are being released, innocent people are being harassed and our economic society is being squashed. This is not the land I remember as a child. This is not the land that people traveled to searching for a better opportunity, looking for refuge and hope. Instead it has become filled with unrighteousness, selfishness, jealousy, and controversy.

I, for one did not see this coming. Thankfully, God knew it in the beginning of time. He is taking this opportunity to teach us to trust him and prepare the hearts of the lost.

Learning to trust him with our personal lives is just as important as learning to trust him for our society at large.

Even our best made plans can take twists that we do not expect. It is there that we could begin to lose hope. Perhaps you lost a loved one, a job or a dream and your hope has begun to fall and wither away like leaves in an autumn wind.

The Lord spoke to my heart recently, “Do you love me even when your plans are not what you expected? Do you love me even when you thought things would be different than what you see? Do you? Do you trust me when the land you are standing on gives way, literally and socially and economically? Do you trust me? Can you rest?”

As I was driving to work the Lord put the song, “It Is Well With My Soul” on my heart. I listened to it everyday on my way to work for quite some time and wept as I began to understand what the Lord was asking. I realized that my circumstances personally and the circumstances of our great land cannot and should not dictate our hope or peace.

I have shared the song, “It is Well with my Soul” before on this blog. But if you are not familiar with the story behind that song let me share a short synopsis. In the 1870s Horatio Spafford and his wife had lost their young son to pneumonia while living in Chicago. He sent his wife and four daughters back to Europe with intentions to follow shortly. The ship he sent them on sunk and their four remaining children perished. Traveling the same route back to Europe and viewing the spot where the waters unforgivingly took his children’s lives, he wrote the lyrics to the song, “It is Well With My Soul”

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billow roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.”

I don’t even understand that kind of tragedy. But was I willing to surrender my life, my loved ones, my dreams, and my plans to Him and completely trust him? Could I really say, “whatever my lot, it is well with my soul?

I go back to the image of me resting in the arms of my father when I was a little child. I remember that peace and security. Our heavenly Father longs for each of us to trust him, to rest in him, to lay our heads on his chest and to hear his dreams for our lives. He longs to share his heartbeat for this world. He has not lost hope. His heart beats for you. His heart beats for the lost. There are still souls to win.

Can you hear his heartbeat? Can you hear his voice thunder from his chest telling you, “I love you. You are in my arms. Trust ME.”

Listen.

Psalm 91:1-2
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will REST in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I TRUST.”

God Bless

COVID-19

As I was thinking about the virus that has been sweeping the world, one nation at a time, the first thought that came to me was the scene in the Old Testament of a pole with a snake on it. I’m not sure why but that scene has not left my mind.

“But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.  The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So, Moses prayed for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.” Numbers 21: 4-8 (NIV)

According to https://biblestudentdaily.com bronze represents human nature. The Lord had Moses make a bronze snake (snake representing sin) on the pole. All that looked on it would not die from the poisonous snake bites that the Lord had sent because of their sin of speaking against Him. It wasn’t that the bronze snake itself, had any power, but God saw the repentant and obedient hearts. Faith rose up in the hearts of the people and healing and life sprung from that.

Even Jesus used the example of the serpent on the pole as he spoke about himself. He said in John 3:14, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness so the Son of Man must be lifted up that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (NIV)

He spoke of how he would die. Anyone that looks on him and BELIEVES will be saved from eternal death. I believe John 3:16 must be one of the most popular verses of all time.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES on him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

He was sent to the cross to save us because we sinned against the Lord. He came to bring life out of death.

Then in Numbers 16 a plague came to the children of Israel again because they grumbled and opposed Moses and even God who was leading him. This time the Lord told Moses to direct Aaron to take his censor (which I might add was also made of bronze) and put incense in it along with burning coals from the altar and run into the midst of the assembly to make atonement for the people so the plague would stop. Aaron did as he was instructed and stood between the living and the dead and the plague stopped. But 14,700 died.

You might ask. What does this have to do with this virus that is creeping across the nations? This was thousands of years ago. Is the Lord sending this plague because of sin and unbelief? I am NOT saying that. It would be very dangerous for me to make that assumption.

BUT what I am saying is that the Lord CAN and will stop this virus IF we call upon him! There is power in prayer. There is power in coming before the God of creation and calling on him to intervene.

When the plagues hit Egypt, it was the blood of a sacrificed lamb that was posted on the doorway of each Israelite household that signaled the angel of death to pass over them. No one in that household would die.

There is so much more power in the blood of the LAMB. The blood that Jesus shed. I do not think we understand the power of the blood of Christ. It was by his stripes that we can be healed.

As the old hymn goes,
“There is power, power, wonder-working power in the blood of the Lamb.
There is power, power, wonder-working power in the Precious blood of the Lamb.”

I had a dream years ago that a lion was roaring in the forest. He was sniffing for people to devour. I knew my children were in that forest. I prayed that the Lord would cover them by his blood. I saw the lion come right up to them, sniffing, but he could not smell them, nor see them, because of the blood of Jesus.

It reminded me of the verse found in 1 Peter 5:8. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”

So, what is the takeaway?

  1. Run to the Lord. Look to him, like the Israelites looked at the snake on a pole. He is your protector. He is your deliverer. He is your savior. He will heal you. NONE of this is catching him off guard one single minute. He sees it all.
  2. There is POWER in prayer. There is POWER in the blood of Jesus. Believe it and stand firm in prayer. Pray for your family, your neighbor, your city and nation. And if there is sin: repent.
  3. “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) So rest in him. Trust him. He has you covered.

ABOVE ALL remember this scripture:

 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” John 14:1 (NLT)

It is a season of REST

In a world where you see so much violence, in a land where the political realm is almost dangerous, this word keeps entering into my soul: REST.

There are many descriptions of rest but these best explain what is on my heart:

  1. peace of mind or spirit
  2. free from anxieties and disturbance
  3. to remain confident (trust)

How can we discover this rest?

“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you REST.”  Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

“And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you REST.” Exodus 33:14 (ESV)

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will REST in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91 (NIV)

It requires God’s presence.

  1. Come to the Lord
  2. Stay in his presence
  3. Dwell in him

It doesn’t matter what news you may hear, whether in the world, in the nation, or in your personal life, you can still rest and experience peace as you stay in his presence.

Yes, we do need to pray earnestly for our government, for those around us and even for ourselves. But ultimately the battle belongs to the Lord. In spite of what we might see, our confidence must rest in his faithfulness.

As believers we should always stay vigilant in prayer and reading the Word, because the enemy seeks to bring destruction. But in the midst of this: REST.

I was thinking about the season of King David. While he remained king it was a season of war and conquering. When his son, King Solomon reigned it was a season of peace.

I feel that this isn’t just a season that the Lord is giving to me personally, but it is a season that the Lord is granting anyone who desires it.

God has heard our prayers. Like he heard the cries of the children of Israel when they were slaves in Egypt, he will bring deliverance to us, as well. Though we see turmoil in this world, God is doing great miracles of deliverance in the realm of the spirit for each of us individually and in our nation.

Remember the story of Martha and Mary? Martha was busy doing what needed to be done, but Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet. And what was Jesus’ reply when Martha began to grumble about her sister’s apparent laziness?

“Martha, Martha, you are getting worried and upset about too many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has made the right choice and it will never be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

If you have been diligently praying about a situation, he has heard your prayers. Make the choice to sit in his presence, listen to his words and REST in his faithfulness.

It is a season of REST.

God bless.

 

‘

 

War in prayer

Lately I have been reposting. I guess it is because I have been reading so many great articles that it is hard to not want to share, and in some cases, need to share. This article was taken from the website: hiskingdomprophecy.com

The author resides in Ireland and has had several dreams about America that she believes are God-inspired, as do I. I know we are to test “prophetic words”. I do not take them lightly.  Yet, I believe it is important to at least listen to the word or in this case, read it and then judge for yourself.

I just want to preface it with 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV)

Also Matthew 5:45b – “He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust.” (GWT)

And finally we should remember to pray for each other, especially as we travel through difficult seasons. Prayer -or as this article states – “waging war” changes things. Pray for those walking through hardship and pray that each person may find hope through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

God Bless.

 

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America, California: Two great moves of God are coming!

California, God has taken hold of the land and He is shaking all things loose, that which is good will stand, but that which is not of Him will be utterly destroyed!

Watch and pray, for we have entered into a season of sudden and violent shakings in the nations.

These shakings are taking place both physically and spiritually.

This is the time to be stationed high upon the walls of our cities, that we may know how to wage war effectively and know how to be fully prepared for what will surely take place in the days ahead!

As I went to bed last night, I had not been asleep very long when I was woken with an urgency to pray for the American State of California and for the nation of America.

As I began to war in the spirit, I was shown that the State of California is earmarked for two great shakings, both physical and spiritual.

I saw two mighty earthquakes taking place over the land in the days ahead.

Just as we are seeing the fires raging across the land, so there will be a fire of His Glory and revival that will rage across the land.

But as I looked at the fires in the physical, I saw a great shifting or movement taking place deep underground all over that state.

I saw the movement of underground plates running right across the land right up to the coastline.

Then suddenly I saw a great and sudden earthquake taking place in the physical over the land.

But as I looked at the nation being shaken violently, I saw that the landscape of the nation was being totally realigned and transformed.

Then I saw in the spirit yet another great shaking coming upon the land.  But it was a spiritual shaking and I watched as the spiritual landscape of California and the nation was realigned and totally transformed.

RHEMA REPOST:

An Urgent Word for California, America!

Posted on April 26, 2018

An urgent word for California, America!

“California, California repent and return.

For the hour of great calamity and sudden catastrophe shall come upon the land.

For have I not said, he who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without hope or remedy?”

In the very early hours of this morning I was caught up in a very powerful vision where I was taken in the spirit over the land of California, America.

Now in the vision I encountered a warring Angel of the LORD.  Now amazingly, I have encountered the same warring angel when I received a word of warning a few months back concerning the nation of Australia, where I saw and was shown a great earthquake coming suddenly upon the land. (See “Pray for the Nation of Australia“.)

In the vision last night, as I stood before the warring angel, I heard these words coming out of the heavens, “California, California repent and return, for the hour of great calamity and sudden catastrophe shall come upon the land.

For have I not said, he who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without hope or remedy?”

On hearing those words, suddenly the Angel of the LORD unraveled a golden scroll and set it before me as he had done before.

Written upon the scroll were the words of (Ezekiel 33).  As I looked again at the scroll, the numbers 333, and 111 were highlighted to me.

Then suddenly the warring Angel of LORD left me and I came out of the vision.

Please read Ezekiel 33:1-11.(below) and take special note of the 11th verse of this chapter:

“Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.  Turn!  Turn from your evil ways!”

Just over the last few weeks I have been lead to study the following numbers and the correlating scriptures, I believe prophetically they reflect the season we are now in.

Numbers: 333

See Jeremiah 33:3  “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”

In this hour, there is a call to deeper intercession as the hidden mysteries and revelation of His Glory is being made available to all who are seeking, knocking and asking.

Ask of the Spirit in this season for a fresh infilling for heaven is indeed releasing fresh, new Revelation and strategy for the current-season and circumstances in the earth.

Numbers: 111

These numbers talk of spiritual awakening.

A few months ago I had a dream where I could hear the sound of trumpets and bells ringing across the face of the earth and I heard these words, “The sound of a divine wake up call is now being released into the nations of the earth!”

Listen friends, prophetically, we have entered into a season of great awakening.

Many are beginning to experience the supernatural favour and extravagant provision of heaven over their lives.

It’s time to take new ground and take hold of the promises of God like never before.

We are crossing over.  We have entered into a time of divine transition and realignment, revival, restoration and reformation in the earth.

The resurrection power of God is bringing forth new life.

The sound of rattling can be heard coming out of the valley of dry bones, all that has been dead are now coming back to life.

I see divine encounters being released in greater measure.

Many are now receiving deeper spiritual clarity, strategy, wisdom and revelation.  Many are being awakened to the sense of greater Kingdom identity and purpose in God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now advancing upon the earth.

“in that day the lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people…”   Isaiah 11:11.

I Prophesy:  The remnant is rising…!

“After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “our friend lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up,”   John 11:11.

I Prophesy:  The power of resurrection life is now awakening the Body of Christ to greater Kingdom identity and destiny

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent take it by force!”   Matthew 11:11.

I Prophesy:  This is the 11th hour.  The Kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent take it by force.

Watch!  For the 11th hour warriors of heaven are emerging who will take the kingdom by force!

“But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven,”   Deuteronomy 11:11.

I Prophesy:  We are crossing over into the land of manifest promise and prosperity.

Pray for the land of California and to for the nation of Australia.

A great and sudden shaking is coming to the land.

Cry out to The LORD for mercy in midst of great judgement.

“Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.  5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life.  6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’
7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.  8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.  9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?”’  11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’”   Ezekiel 33:1-11.

 

Blessings to you all.
~ by Veronika West

This is a new day.

I haven’t been blogging for some time. So much change is happening in my life that I have not had a moment to sit down and write. Our family has made a major move and we are still in the realm of this transition — and might be for a while.

I have often written about trust, about faith, about remembering the hand of God in our lives, to bring encouragement. We all need hope.

Recently I have had that trust and faith tested as I walk out my hope of the promises of God. We cannot always see with our eyes all the promises that he has made to each of us. It seems the enemy is always trying to distract us with something else, whether it is poor health, poor decisions or just simple daily chaos.

Do you remember the movie, “Patriot“? In one of the clips it appears that the regiment of Carolina patriots are being defeated by the British military. The regiment feels defeated and is about to retreat when Benjamin Martin, played by Mel Gibson, picks up the flag and screams, “Do not retreat.”  He carries the flag as he runs with the last bit of energy he has left. Instead of retreat, the regiment is revived with hope and strength.

When a person feels defeated sometimes they want to retreat. That is when it is important to remember our position in Christ and that we are ALREADY the victor. When Jesus said, it is finished, he meant it. He defeated the enemy. Like a flag flying in the sky, he was lifted on a cross. How much greater of an encouragement is it to serve our Lord who died for our sins and rose from the dead with the keys of death and hell in his hands. We aren’t suppose to retreat- but run as a victor with trust and faith as our guides.

We are soldiers cloaked in the armor of God with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the word of God.(Ephesians 6:14-17) We are marching in victory with the captain of the hosts by our side. And he isn’t a weak defeated captain.

This warrior that fights with us and for us is found in Revelation:

“He was wearing a robe that reached his feet. He wore a gold belt around his waist. His head and his hair were white as wool — like snow. His eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like glowing bronze refined in a furnace. His voice was like the sound of raging water. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His face was like the sun when it shines in all its brightness.

When I saw him, I feel down like a dead man!  Then he laid his right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last, the living one. I was dead, but now I am alive forever. I have the keys of death and hell’.” Revelation 1: 13b-17 (GWT)

Sometimes I think we forget who our Lord is. Instead we look at circumstances or the way we use to do things or the way the world would expect us to react and we plan our future with that knowledge, instead of with his wisdom.

I heard an interesting testimony from someone lately which stuck with me. Apparently this individual had a vision. They saw themselves riding on a horse, but instead of facing forward they were sitting on their horse backward. And the Lord asked them why they were riding their horse backward and looking so intently on things in the past?

God does not encourage us to look at our past. He wants us to remember HIS faithfulness in our past but to let go of OUR past, whether it was past mistakes or simply the way things use to be done. Instead he encourages us to look into our future. Though he is the same, yesterday, today and forever, we should not remain the same since he has been working in our lives and taking us from glory to glory.

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it (perfection in the Lord) but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God , through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

So though I have some great memories and it is fun to reminisce about them and share stories of victory, I do not want to dwell in my yesterdays — good or bad. This is a new day. Instead I want to be as Paul and press on to what lies ahead. I trust that my God will walk me through transition. As a caterpillar is hidden in a cocoon before it has changed into a butterfly that soars in beauty and freedom, so I rest in his goodness and grace as He opens these doors of transition.

Then I will fly a bit higher in HIM. Amen

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)

How can I love?

LOVE is a strong word yet used so freely in our society. Young girls think they LOVE a pop star, little kids think they LOVE candy, a tired employee thinks he LOVES a vacation. (Well that one might be true to an extent. LOL). Expressions and explanations of  LOVE could fill a book. Even website meanings are slightly different as the word seems to evolve and conform to different circumstances. It is like it is alive and takes on many forms.

When I attended a Sunday school class in my junior high years our teacher read the “love chapter” from the Bible. If you have been a follower of the Lord for any amount of time you have probably read it or at least heard about it. It lists what love is supposed to look like and what it is not. The love message is found in the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. The explanation goes from verse 4 through the first part of 8.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.  (NIV)

After my teacher finished reading the material she asked us to insert our names in the place of love. Well, that was disappointing. I suppose she was trying to prove how far we are from loving others. She did a good job because I fell extremely short.

Eons later and that message has never left my mind. Still whenever I read that chapter I tend to put my name in it and again it seems to have the same effect. I suppose it is similar to the commandments. It shows our humanity and our need for a savior.

The message of love is obviously not contained in that one chapter. It is riddle throughout the Word of God. It is the purpose God created us and sent his son to this earth. (John 3:16) It is the purpose Jesus died for our sins–stole the keys of sin and death from satan– and THEN came back to LIFE. It is the purpose for our lives.

In the gospels we find one of the teachers of the time wanting to test Jesus and asked him what the greatest commandment was. Again the word LOVE appears.

Jesus answered him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Matt.22:37-39 (GWT)

What struck me was AS you love yourself. Hmm. How much do I love myself? I mean, I take care of myself, right? The question is: do I take GOOD care of myself? Do I want what is best for me–not selfishly– but do I actually feed myself what is healthy, am I careful what I watch, what I agree with, or who I hang out with? I think the thought of loving oneself has been considered selfish at times. But how can we really love others IF we don’t even love ourselves.

In Ephesians we read that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for the church. It continues by stating that husbands are to love their wives as they love THEMSELVES.

A man who loves his wife loves HIMSELF. Eph 5:28b (GWT)

So to love others really we must begin by loving God. Then continue the process by loving ourselves. Out of that will flow love for others. So I regress to the “love chapter”.  Instead of putting my name in place of LOVE, I actually checked to see if I even love myself. I began by stating, “I am patient with myself, I am kind to myself.”  It is obviously important to the Lord to learn to love ourselves so that we can love others.

But back to the greatest commandment: to love God with ALL our heart, soul and mind. That sounds wonderful. And I want to love him. But really even that is a gift from God. We can’t even love without him giving us the ability to do so in the first place.

1 John 4:19 ” We love BECAUSE God loved us first.”

In fact, though we state we love others, things or events those statements are just a show of affection towards something else. Perhaps LOVE is not just a show of affection. Perhaps it just is. Perhaps instead of a verb or even a common noun it is a proper noun.

LOVE = GOD. God isn’t just showing affection. But he IS the affection. It isn’t JUST one of his attributes, but WHO he is. The Word states as much in 1 John 4 :8b and 16b.

“GOD is LOVE.”

So back to “love chapter”. Replace love with GOD.

GOD is patient.
GOD is kind.
GOD is not envious, nor boastful or proud.
GOD does not dishonor others, nor is self-seeking.
GOD is not easily angered, nor keeps record of wrongs.
GOD does not delight in evil, but rejoices with truth.
GOD always protects
GOD always trusts.
GOD always hopes.
GOD always perseveres.

GOD NEVER FAILS.

I know I fall short of the above description of LOVE but I also know that when I surrender myself to my heavenly Father he covers the area of my failures and begins a beautiful work in me. We are always being changed into his image as we allow God to work in our lives. It is a process. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Lord,
Thank you for your love. Teach me to love as you do. Teach me to love myself. Teach me to love others. And ultimately teach me to love you with all of my heart, soul and mind. Amen.

God bless.

And, now these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)