I am extremely grateful to our Father God for a very special gift he lent to us for 34
years.
Tag: blessings
Sword Fighting Class – An Eternal, Personal Relationship with God
God is doing an awesome thing as he helps us memorize Romans 8! This is a long and difficult chapter to memorize but God is blessing our efforts as we repeat his words over and over and over.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because, through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin sacrifice. And so he condemned sin in sinful man in order that the righteous requirements of the law be fully met in us who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what nature desires but those who live in accordance with the spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s laws nor can it do so.
Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are 
controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit when the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
Thank you, God! Here is the next verse:
“And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, through his Spirit who lives in you.”
When we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, his Spirit lives in us. He gives us an eternal, personal relationship with God. When we let him transform us, he gives us a new nature filled with grace and faith.
Thank you, Abba Father.
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A Discerning Heart
Wisdom.
W e can use all the wisdom we can get.
So many decisions to be made.
So many options available.
Things are moving and changing so quickly…and its all just going to get faster.
We need wisdom.
Solomon asked God for a ‘discerning heart’ and he got wisdom. God made him the wisest man who has ever lived.
God tells us in the book of James that he will give us a generous amount of wisdom if we ask for it.
So let’s ask:
Dear Father. Thank you for giving your Word to us. Thank you for guiding our steps through your truth. We are asking for your wisdom, God, so we will do things and say things that honor you. Please help us know and understand your truth so that your wisdom can grow inside of us. Change us, dear Father. Transform us. We are your children and we are asking for wisdom for today. And more wisdom for tomorrow. Please help us grow wise, Abba Father. In the awesome name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
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Psalm 100, 2016
All of the earth shouts because you bring us so much joy, LORD!
We worship you with smiles on our faces!
We sing praises to you because of the joy you give us!
We know you are God. You made us. We are yours.
We are your people. We belong to you.
We are so grateful that we have the privilege of having a personal relationship with you, God!
When we come together in your house, we are filled with praise!
Thank you, Father!
You are so good to us! Your love will never end.
We praise you for your faithfulness to us and to our parents and our grandparents and everyone that has lived before us.
And we praise you for your faithfulness to our children and our grandchildren and all of those who are yet to come.
We know we can always count on your faithfulness, dear God.
Thank you, Abba Father.
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Psalm 19, 2016
Just look around!
Creation shouts out how awesome our God is!
Look up in the sky!
This was all created by God.
Every morning as the sun rises, it proclaims the faithfulness of God.
Night after night, the moon and stars reveal God’s protection over us.
They have no words – yet their voice goes out over all of the earth.
The sun appears each day at God’s command and crosses the sky to give warmth to all of God’s creation.
God’s law is perfect – it gives us peace and joy.
God’s word can be trusted to make us wise.
God’s directions are perfect for us.
God’s commands light our way.
When we respect and obey God, our lives are lined up with him.
God’s directions are always correct and they never change. They are more precious to us than anything else.
When we obey, there is great reward.
Forgive us for our disobedience, dear Father. Sin that we know about and those we are unaware of. Help us stay away from sinful desires and actions so that loving you can be the most important desire we have in our lives.
May our words and thoughts please you, Lord.
Our Rock and Redeemer.
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Psalm 23, 2016
My Lord protects me.
I have everything I need.
He provides for me and fills my life with his supernatural peace.
He gives me joy and strength for each day. Through his Word, he directs my choices and decisions.
Even when I am going through tough trials and situations, I am not afraid. I know God is right beside me.
Guiding me.
Comforting me.
No matter what is going on, I know God loves me.
And provides for me.
And protects me.
I am precious to him. My heart overflows with thankfulness.
I know, Abba Father, that your love and goodness will never end. You will be with me all of my days here on earth. And you will be walking right beside me when I leave earth to enter heaven.
Where I will be with you…
Forever.
Thank you, Abba Father.
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Everything Is Yours
Everything we have comes from God.
Do we really believe this? Do we let this fact change how we manage our treasures, time and talents?
If we do, then we are the path to becoming good stewards that God is looking for.
One of my favorite biblical mental pictures is from 1 Chronicles 29 when David is amassing huge piles of gold, silver, bronze and precious stones to be used in 
building the temple for God.
I see David standing in the middle of this fortune with his hands raised to the sky as he acknowledges in front of everyone that all of this – and everything – comes from God.
Let’s join him –
We lift up our praise to you, Lord, our God and Father, forever!
You have all the greatness..
all the power…
all the glory…
all of the majesty..
and all of the splendor!
Everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
You, oh Lord, own everything and are in control of it all!
Any wealth or honor we have comes from you.
You rule over everything!
Only you are able to give strength and power to us.
Now, our God, we give you our thanks and we praise your glorious name!
Thank you, Abba Father!
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Psalm 63, 2016
There is a burning desire within me to know you better, my God!
I feel such an overwhelming thirst.
But no water can quench this thirst – only you.
No where and no thing but you.
Oh, yes! I have experienced your power and your awesomeness!
Your love is what makes this life worth living!
I just can’t stop talking about how great you are!
When I lift my hands up to you, I feel your touch as you reach down to me.
Only you satisfy me. There is no food that fills this craving inside of me – only you.
You are magnificent!
In the darkest and loneliest part of the night, I think about you.
You are always ready to help me.
You hold me in your arms and I sing for joy!
You love me.
You protect me from harm.
You fight my battles for me and make the wrong things right in my life.
All the liars will be silenced!
Let everyone be glad because our God is here!
All who believe in God will experience his goodness.
Thank you for your goodness, Abba Father!
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The Giver
He gives us everything we have.
Our families.
Our jobs.
Our skills and talents.
Where we live.
Joy!
The air we breathe.
Our next heartbeat is a gift from him.
The Giver.
This is one of my favorite names for our Father God.
Because he gives…..
and gives.
He never get tired of giving the very best things to us, his children.
He gave us his only Son –
that we might have redemption and purpose here on earth followed by eternal life in heaven with the Giver.
In 1 Samuel 8, Samuel starkly contrasts the differences between earthly kings (and governments) and our heavenly king. The earthly kings (and governments) just keep taking –
taking sons to serve in the army.
taking daughters to cook in the kitchens.
taking the best of the land and a tenth of all crops.
The earthly king takes a tenth of the flocks as well.
Eventually, everyone is a slave working for the earthly king.
Unlike our heavenly king who has given us everything.
Yes, he asks us to give some back.
But not because he needs it.
He knows we need to be able to give it. We need to be able to put God’s kingdom before the other things we want to do with our money, time and possessions.
He knows whats best for us. He wants the best for us.
Let our gratitude grow as we think about all God has given us!
Thank you, Abba Father!
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Redeemed
Renewed.
Reconnected.
Reaffirmed.
Readjusted.
Reassured.
Realigned.
Rearranged.
Re-born.
Resurrected Lord!
Easter is – by far – my favorite holiday.
There are definitely fewer distractions from the main reason for the holiday than with Christmas. A visit from the Easter Bunny just isn’t that exciting.
Easter comes in the spring when the plants are blooming, the sun is shining and the cold, dark days of winter are behind us. Yes, I live in Phoenix now so I’m not describing our beautiful, warm winters :). But I grew up in the freezing northern area of the midwest, so I know all about dark winter days, weeks and months.
And then comes Easter! We celebrate the redemption that Christ Jesus gave us by dying on the cross and rising again! Hallelujah!
Satan thought he had won – what a fool!
It is finished. The grave is empty and Jesus gives us victory over sin and death! (picture is of an empty garden tomb in Jerusalem which is the right type and in the right place to have been Jesus’ tomb).
Thank you, Father! Thank you, Jesus!
Come with me on a Journey through the Bible 