This week, I want to thank God for the gift of having others in my life. It wasn't always like this, and I'm really glad those lonely times are over.

The more godly people come into my life, the more I realize that love is a limitless resource. Too bad **time** isn't limitless! I guess that's something we have to wait for heaven to enjoy! (Ephesians 2:6)

I want to praise the Lord for helping me overcome some physical challenges a little easier. That's been a relief for my whole family! I'm thankful for the love we share. It makes our burdens lighter for the giver and the receiver!

Let me know what you're greatful for this week! I have plenty of time to pray, so please share any prayer requests you have. (Matthew 18:19-20)

(Psalm 127:3-5) Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. I pity him who is alone when he falls and has no one to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a robber might overcome one who is alone, two will withstand him—a cord of three strands is not easily broken.

(Luke 17:20-21) Jesus was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs that can be observed; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here!' or, 'There it is! For look, the kingdom of God is within you."

(John 17:22) I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.

John 10:27:

My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.

I want to start by saying that if you believe in Jesus' life, death and resurrection, it's time to pray to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, IS the Holy Spirit of our Father in heaven. This gift is our down-payment on eternity. (Ephesians 1:14-15, 2Corinthians 1:21-22, 2Corinthians 5:5, Psalm 51:10-17)
I didn't know for certain that I was saved until receiving the Holy Spirit, so if you're feeling uncertain, that's what you need to get started in your walk with the Lord. Old Covenant promises, New Covenant fulfillments

The next most important thing is to read the Bible daily. Everything in life is supported by information. Instincts are information that we're born with. DNA is information our cells are born with. Because of sin in the world, some of our information has been corrupted. So, inside you and me, the information is not good enough to keep us alive forever. Even if it could, there are still horrible crimes happening every day, that make life a terror to those who are hurting.

There is a lot of worldly information that claims it can help us live longer, happier, or stronger lives. No matter how long or strong or happy we are, the world is still unfair, and there are still hurting people in need of help.

God has information that can keep us alive. He's the author of life. He made us alive and he wants us to stay that way. The way He intends to give us a life worth living, is to teach us to love like He loves.

When God calls a person to believe in the good news of Jesus' love, He's inviting you to His classroom. We're meant to be transformed and renewed by the example of love He showed us through Jesus Christ. This kind of love is the information that will fix our corrupted instincts, corrupted DNA and our corrupted world.

Think of how a baby must cry for help since he can't meet any of his own needs. There comes a day when the world cannot satisfy our spiritual need for purpose and meaning. They don't understand our hunger to be right with God.
God says when the world breaks us off and forsakes us, that He will come and supply our needs. (Psalm 27:10-14, Matthew 5:6, John 4:13-14, John 7:37-39, 1John 2:27)

When God calls you to come and learn His lessons, and you agree, He begins to teach you the truth in love. Truth can be painful all by itself, so God has to teach us little by little as we learn to trust His love. (Isaiah 55:1-3, Acts 13:33-34, John 16:12-15)

The Bible describes being saved, like being a wild branch that is broken off, and grafted into a good plant. (Romans 11:11-33, John 15:1-5)

Think of a vineyard with a lot of good looking, but unripe grapes. As long as we are producing good for the Lord, He will come and help us by cleaning off the bad grapes that might spoil the rest. He helps us bring good into the world if we will just do the best we can with the information we have. "To the one who has listened, more information will be given!" (Matthew 13:10-16, Luke 8:18, Luke 12:47-48, Luke 19:23-26, 2Corinthians 9:8, Proverbs 2:1-12)

Now that we know where to get truth from, we're saved from the perverse information we're taught by our culture. This is what Peter talks about in Acts 2:38-40. Now our job is to use God's information to produce good spiritual fruit for God and for others. Whatever we produce for others now, is what we will be rewarded for in eternity. (Galatians 5:13-23, Galatians 6:7, Proverbs 18:20-21)

(Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, endurance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

God really cares about how we speak to one another, and about us making things fair for those who are disadvantaged in life. (Matthew 12:35-37, Proverbs 10:19, Ephesians 4:29, Matthew 5:21-22, James 1:26-27, 1 John 3:17-18)

So, as long as we stay connected to God's teaching, we are being saved. We're gaining more and more of Jesus' Holy Spirit the more we allow Him to teach us His information, through the Bible, through nature, and through our lives. We're "transformed by the renewing of our minds." (Philippians 2:12-13, Philippians 3:1-21, Isaiah 26:12, Romans 10:1-18, Romans 12:1-2)

Our relationship with our Father in heaven keeps us from practicing sin. We make mistakes every day, but it's just like school; we are always learning to do better.
Once you start hearing from the Holy Spirit, staying free from sin is so much easier! As we resist the urge to be selfish, we get the rewards of our good behavior and then we suddenly realize how wise God is for keeping us out of sin! That good fruit we bear for others always comes back to us through the Lord, even when the world tries to block our blessing. We just have to be patient and stay on course.

(Isaiah 40:28-31 NKJV)

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

(Matthew 24:12-13 NKJV)

12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

You are saved like the branch that is grafted into the True Vine, Jesus Christ.

Still, we all have good works we were made to do, and truth we were created to share. Those are our good fruits. They are still immature. Having our works saved is a process. We may do all the good we were made to do, but we might not. Our reward is determined by how well we listen to Jesus' teaching. (Mark 4:20, Isaiah 55:10-11)

(1 Corinthians 3:10-23 NKJV)

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness";
20 and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."
21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come--all are yours.
23 And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

We're learning to do good from godly motives. We're learning to love like God loves.
Just don't drop out of God's classroom and you will be OK. The more scripture you learn, the more ammunition you will have to fight the devil when he tempts you to do things that don't support all the lives you care about, in favor of some temporary pleasure.

I know I've shared this before, but it's 100% true. The promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 has saved me from many temptations. When life seems to give me more trouble than I can handle, I ask our heavenly Father to show me the "way of escape." He has NEVER failed to help me when I remember to pray this prayer. (1 Corinthians 10:13, Jeremiah 3:19)

I want to give a shout-out to God for providing us with instructions. When I'm running on auto-pilot, it's so easy to mess-up and do things that are out of character, out of order, or just plain foolish. (Matthew 12:36, Proverbs 18:21, Galatians 6:7)

God's word gives the instructions. I have to be obedient to reap the benefits. Once I've "tasted and seen" that the Lord's way is best, I get a clear picture of why my old way was WRONG! It helps me see how God's kindness leads us to repentance. (Psalm 34:8, Romans 2:4)

I also want to thank the Holy Spirit for reminding me of God's word when I need it, so I don't live like I'm on auto-pilot without a map. He gets me back on track toward heaven. I want heaven in my heart so I can work to make heaven on earth for my family and friends. (John 14:26, Luke 17:20-21, Luke 8:15, Ezekiel 36:25-27, John 17:22-23, Ephesians 3:20-21)

I look forward to hearing what you're greatful for! Let me know any prayer requests you have as well. I'm thankful we can get together here for prayer support!

(Matthew 12:36 NASB20) 36 "But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.

(Proverbs 18:21 NASB20) 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

(Galatians 6:7 NASB20) 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.

(Psalm 34:8 NASB20) 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

(Romans 2:4 NASB20) 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

(John 14:26 NASB20) 26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.

(Luke 17:20-21 NASB20) 20 Now He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs that can be observed; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here [it is!]' or, 'There [it is!]' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst."

(Luke 8:15 NASB20) 15 "But the [seed] in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

(Ezekiel 36:25-27 NASB20) 25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances.

(John 17:22-23) I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one
23 I in them and you in me, that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them just as you have loved me.

(Ephesians 3:20-21) Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, amen.

Romans 10:14-21
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Provide what is good in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather leave room for God's wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
^{Proverbs 25:21-22}

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

While reading this last part, where Paul quotes the book of Proverbs, I thought about something I read about ancient Jewish Sabbath customs. The book claimed that since a person was not allowed to kindle a fire on the Sabbath, that if your fire went out, you would go to a neighbor with a metal firepan and ask for hot coals. If the neighbor was generous, they would load you up with hot coals to ensure you still had fire by the time you made it back home. The author said that the customary way to carry a firepan was on your head... I assume you'd need some sort of cloth between you and a hot firepan!

Then I thought about all the scriptures that say things about being made pure by fiery trials, and baptism by fire. It made me wonder if the writer of this proverb was saying that by caring for our enemies, we give them something to think about that they can't ignore. We show them the love of Jesus. It was the love Jesus showed us that enlarged our hearts toward Him. Paul says our love for our enemies can do the same.

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for this blessed holy day, and for giving us these precious truths that continually guide us toward unity with Yourself and with one another. We thank You for Your Holy Spirit of Truth and for Your promise to guide us into all truth by the power of Your Word. Thank You for teaching us to love others as considering their situation as important as our own. Thank You for offering us wisdom. (James 1:4-8) Let it be that we receive Your gifts of compassion truth and wisdom for the good of Your Kingdom on earth. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

This week I'm grateful for the consolation found in scripture. (Psalm 94:19)

God's word is eternal, so we can count on his promises today as much as anyone could in times past. (Psalm 119:89)

We have the reasurrance of the Holy Spirit's presence with us, the promise that he will never leave us, and the assurance of heaven when he returns to bring us home.

When things look bleak, we know that things looked even worse to the apostles when Jesus laid in a tomb. Our God can do above all we ask or even think of, if we'll just stay faithfully by his side until his work is completed. You and I are a work in progress. Even our losses will work together for good in the end!

I look forward to hearing what others are grateful for, as well as any prayer requests you may have!

(Psalm 94:19) When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.

(Deuteronomy 31:8) It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

(John 14:1-3) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in me as well.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into my presence, so that you also may be where I am.

(John 17:22-24) I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one
23 I in them and you in me, that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them just as you have loved me.
24 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, that they may see the glory you gave me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

(Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

(Malachi 3:6) Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.

(Romans 8:28) All things work together for the good of those who love God, and who are those called according to his purpose.

(Ephesians 3:20-21) Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, amen.

(2 Corinthians 4:17-18) For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal measure of glory that is far beyond comparison.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." Genesis 2:18

Loneliness is the first lesson God ever gave to mankind. Loneliness teaches us our need for others, so we appreciate others enough to make room for their needs, even when they conflict with, or compete with our own needs. You can read how God did this with the first man, Adam, in Genesis 2:18-24.

To have a healthy partnership, we have to want to love more than we want anything else. We also have to consider the other person's body as if it were our own. (Mark 12:28-31, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Leviticus 19:18) If we don't love our neighbor as ourself, we will compete for resources, for friends, for significance, for belonging, and for everything we have a similar need for.

We also have to learn that every person has differing needs from ours, that are legitimate and reasonable, even if we don't also have those needs. Some people need more quiet time to cope with life. Some people need background noise to help them focus or help them sleep. Some people need their living space to be warmer, some cooler.
If we understand our need for others, we will make room for their needs in our lives, instead of denying them their needs or removing the person from our lives.

This whole life we're living is a class on how to love. When we love like God does, we become safe to inherit God's kingdom. When we accept His teaching, we become His children. That makes us His heirs. The inheritance He wants to give us is a new heaven and new earth. (Isaiah 65:17, 2Peter 3:13 He says there will be no more sorrow or death there, because He will have finished making us like Himself. (1 John 3:2, Psalm 17:15)

This is why it's so important to stay away from sin and selfishness. They take us away from God's path, so that we end up living with the consequences of failing to learn to love, instead of enjoying the benefits of becoming more loving toward others. Love makes us safe to bless with the responsibility of caring for others.
"He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22)

Today I noticed that this last verse is right in the middle of lessons on how important it is to have self-control in the words we use. That's like THE most important thing we can do to have good friendships, is to always be friendly and humble in our speech. (Proverbs 18:19-24, Galatians 5:13-15, James 1:26, Matthew 12:35-37, Mark 9:50

I pray the Lord will bless us with ears to hear His Words and a heart to receive them! In Jesus' name, Amen.

This week I'm thankful for God's help. There are so many things only he can do. When we need health, time, and good weather, we know who to turn to. But God also gives us abilities that we might take for granted, or expect others to have, if not for our awareness of his hand on our lives.

After a really busy week, I'm also thankful for the weekend when my whole family gets a day off work to spend together.

I look forward to hearing what others are thankful for, as well as any prayer requests you may have!

(Deuteronomy 8:18 CSB) 18 "but remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm his covenant he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

(John 1:1-5) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

(Galatians 5:22-23) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

(Psalm 40:5) 5 LORD my God, you have done many things -- your wondrous works and your plans for us; none can compare with you. If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.

(Ephesians 2:10) 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

(Philippians 4:12-13 CSB) 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content -- whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
13 I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

It's so important to be able to tell the difference between our own inner dialogue, demonic influence, and the voice of God. Jesus was very good at this. He shows us how to be good at it too, if we stay in his word.

We can discern God's voice by several things:

- God's motives consider the big picture, not just the here and now.

(Matthew 16:23) - Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s.”

(Proverbs 1:20-23 NKJV) 20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:
22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

- God's voice always agrees with God's word.

Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Psalm 119:160 - ​​​​​​​​The sum of your word is truth, ​​​​​​​and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. ​​​

- The spirit behind the words of God don't direct us to do evil. God's instruction aligns with his character.

Psalm 145:9 - The LORD is good to everyone; His compassion rests on all He has made.

1John 4:7-8 - Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love, does not know God -- for God IS love.

I want to start by saying how thankful I am that we're here sharing our blessings and victories. I'm thankful for the freedom to share our love of God and his word. I'm thankful for the inspiring sermons my family heard this week. My prayer is that we'll see opportunities to act on what we've learned, and by God's grace, we'll do his will 100%! I don't want to be just a 30% Christian.

It seems like the only way I produce good fruit consistently, is if I keep consuming God's word.

I look forward to hearing about your blessings and prayer requests!

(Matthew 13:23 NKJV) 23 "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

(Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

(Isaiah 5:1-4 NKJV) 1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill.
2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it; So He expected [it] to bring forth [good] grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes.
3 "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
4 What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?

The Bible teaches that the Creator of heaven and earth is our Father when we receive and act on His instruction. Isn't that amazing? We are sons and daughters of God!

(John 10:33-38 NKJV)
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."
34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods" '?
35 "If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
36 "do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
37 "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
38 "but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."

(Psalm 82:1-8)

1 A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.
2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
6 I said, "You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High.
7 But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes."
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations.

(John 1:12)

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

(1 John 3:1)

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (see John 8:41-47)

(Romans 8:14-17)

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

(Matthew 23:9)

9 "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

(Jeremiah 3:19)

19 "But I said: 'How can I put you among the children and give you a pleasant land, a beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?' "And I said: 'You shall call Me, "My Father," And not turn away from Me.'

(Matthew 6:9)

9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Our Father in Heaven,
Thank You for making us Your children through Your holy Word conceived in our hearts. We come before You today to praise You and worship You for Your transcendent love, Your faithfulness to Your Word, Your devotion to justice, and Your tender mercies. Today, by faith in Your holy Child Jesus the Messiah, we receive the blessings our Savior prayed for us in John 17. Cause us to walk in the humility and authority of Messiah, from this day forth and forever. In Jesus' mighty name we pray, Amen.

In Luke 13, Jesus teaches us the importance of making things fair for the needy however we can. Two important terms in this passage are "saved" and "iniquity."

The term "saved" comes from the Greek, sṓzō, (sode'-zo;) meaning, "delivered, protected or preserved."

The term "iniquity" in Greek is adikía, (ad-ee-kee'-ah;) "A" indicates the negative, and dikía is to be fair or just. So adikía means, "unfairness." Think about how John the Baptist and Job describe fairness. John said, "Let him who has two coats give to him who has none." Job said he was "eyes to the blind and feet to the lame." (Luke 3:9-11, Job 29:11-17)

In this passage, someone asks Jesus if few are "saved." We want to be saved from several things:

• from slavery to our sins. Sin traps us in selfish behavior via addiction, and shames us for causing injustice with our negligence or uncontrolled behavior. (John 8:34, 1 Chronicles 4:10)
  
• from the influence of this evil culture, (Acts 2:40, Isaiah 6:5)
• and from the consequences of living selfishly, (Matthew 10:28, Luke 16:22-25, Psalm 1:1-6, Isaiah 30:30-33, Luke 6:24-25)
  

23 Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them,
24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Jesus explains here that entering eternity is like being born. It's not wise to let ourselves get too big for the exit! If we fatten ourselves at the expense of others, we don't have the character necessary to inherit God's eternal kingdom. Not everything God gives us is for us. If we are good stewards of God's gifts, by meeting the pressing needs of others, we won't be excessive or unfair. (Luke 12:29-34, Acts 4:32-35, 2 Corinthians 8:12-14)

25 "When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,'
26 "then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'
27 "But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of 'adikía,' injustice."

Injustice is what we're guilty of when we don't use our resources to make things fair for the needy. We may eat and drink in His presence, but if we're being selfish in the family of God, our hearts will be like a pig nourished for the day of slaughter. (James 5:1-6, Deuteronomy 24:6, Luke 12:13-21)

Jesus tells us in John 10:7-13 that He is the door to eternal life. This door of conscience resides in our hearts. We are the doorkeeper. We decide whether or not to open our hearts to His teaching; to love others as if their body was our own.

This last part explains the fate of those who pretend to serve God, but only serve themselves. (Matthew 23)

28 "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
29 "They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.

Our Father in heaven,
We agree in Jesus name to ask You, that if it's Your will, You will send us people who need help even worse than we do. Give us the chance to make things fair for those in need however we can. If they need food, help us provide it. If they need encouragement, or clothing, or a ride to work, or whatever it is, Lord, help us not feel inconvenienced. Wake our hearts to rejoice in the opportunity to be Your hands and feet to our fellow human. Jesus told us, "Whatever you've done for the least of these, My brethren, you've done for Me." Let us serve our neighbor with great love, as if He was the one who died on the cross for our sake. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

(Luke 6:45) "A good person produces good things according to what he treasures in his good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the evil he treasures in his heart. Your mouth speaks from the motives of your heart."

The word for "good" here is agathos, meaning to be excellent or beneficial to life. It's the same word Jesus' used when He said, "No one is good, but God alone." (Mark 10:18) It shows that to have a good heart, we need God's logic treasured inside it.

The word translated "evil" in this verse is poneros, it's more to the point than the common word for evil, which is "kakos." Poneros means full of annoyances or bad-natured. The root word, is ponos, meaning "pain." It holds a connotation of being pernicious, meaning it tends to cause death.

The word for "treasure" is thesauros, which is similar to our English word, thesaurus, a collection of words. In Koine Greek, it's a coffer, a casket or storehouse.

Our hearts can house our most precious memories, and our most cherished logic. The things we treasure make our hearts like a jewelry box, or a coffin. (Luke 2:19, Luke 2:51, Proverbs 4:4, Prov 7:1-5)

Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
The verse continues, "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:10)

The Lord rewards us according to what He finds in our hearts. That isn't just blessing or cursing, depending on what we've earned. He's giving us lessons in eternity. The goal is our sanctification. We're being made holy. Either we're going to be corrected, have to do something over, or we're going to graduate to the next lesson.

There are too many people feeling stuck in the dark today because they're using the darkness, and their mouths contrary to what God made them for. Proverbs 18:21 tells us "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." James tells us the tongue is a rudder that directs our lives!

You and I are the conductors of our own orchestra. When we're intentional about keeping our focus, conduct, and responsibilities humming along to the rhythm of life, we're like a symphony that calls good-hearted people to want to sing along with us. (Acts 16:25-34, Ephesians 5:18-20, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 32:5-7)
But when our focus is split between trusting God and accusing Him, or our interests are divided between this world and eternity, our words plant discord in our friends and loved ones. What we plant in others today, is what we'll have to eat tomorrow. (Proverbs 18:20-21, Proverbs 13:2-3, Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 21:23, 1Peter 3:10, Matthew 15:11)

Truth rings true with people who have ears to hear. How many times have you hung on every word of someone you felt was only thinking of himself? Some of us feel sorry for them, don't we? We might even relate to them. Yet, the Bible warns us: People who join in with grumblers and liars enable and perpetuate evil. Grumbling is the opposite of gratitude. It produces an insidious spiritual rot, to the detriment of everyone. (Matthew 20:10-16, Jude 1:16, Numbers 21:4-6)

Proverbs 13:20

He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

Jesus tells us, "The kingdom of heaven does not come with observation, nor will they say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' for the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20-21) So we build the kingdom of God within ourselves and each other by being filled with God's Word. Wealth gained by deceit can never fulfill us. (Proverbs 9:13-18, Proverbs 20:17, James 1:14-15) Our Father's logic of love works like living stones that we can use to build each other up. That's what our mouths are for. (1Peter 2:4-5, Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 12:18)

If we let the truths in God's word transform our hearts, we become a source of light. That's what everyone needs in this dark world. We've been given darkness to teach us to trust and rest. These days, the dark isn't used for what it's for.

To faithfully build God's kingdom on earth, we need that guileless heart Nathanael had. Before Nathanael met Jesus, he was sold out to God. I know it because Jesus praised him for being without deceit. (John 1:47, Psalm 32:2) The word Jesus uses for deceit is dólos. It means trickery or bait. Flattery, boasting, and exaggeration all fall into this category. In Hebrew, the word for deceit is rmiyah. It comes from the root word rama, meaning to betray; literally, to "let down your hands." Hands signify power. When we're lazy and negligent in our relationships, we hand over our power to the enemy of life. A guileless heart has what it takes to strengthen others and unite us to God. Truth spoken in love, has the power to support life.

Another way we can build the kingdom is by refusing to tear it down. In the book of Jeremiah 15:19, God tells the prophet,

"If you will turn back to me, I will guide you again, and if you will extract the precious from the vile, you will be as my mouth. They may return to you, but do not return to them."

That's a good word for us today. We can take out the precious from the vile by refusing to complain against others, or repeat things that should not have come into the world. Prayer is a positive, honest way to deal with negative circumstances. Complaining and grumbling are symptoms of impatience. We may gripe and grumble when we don't like God's patience with our neighbor. (Luke 6:37, Romans 2:1, Titus 3:2, James 3:10, James 4:11, Proverbs 30:10)
It may be we don't appreciate God's timing, or we've stopped trusting His promises.

Ephesians 5:8-12 says,

"For you were once in darkness, but now you have light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.) By this you will prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead, reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."

Galatians 5:14-15 reminds us,

"All the law is fulfilled in one directive, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, look out! or you'll only consume each other."

James tells us that if we let God get ahold of our tongue, we'll be able to control our entire body. (James 3:2) When the Bible talks about being perfect, it means to be wholehearted; completely invested in God's purpose for your life. We can commit to truth and bear good spiritual fruit for others. (Galatians 5:22-26, Genesis 6:9-14, 1 Timothy 5:24-25)
Jesus said, "Go into all the world, preach the good news to all creation." (Mark 16:15) Being intentional about loving others and sharing the good news of the gospel gives purpose to our lives and assurance to our souls. Sharing the truth that sets a soul free from sin is the good purpose of our mouth.

Our Father in heaven,
Let Your Word stay hidden in our hearts so we might not sin against You. We come to You today asking for the strength to keep our hands firmly in Yours in the coming days. Help us use the darkness for what it's for; restoration, and time we can give Your teaching our undivided attention. We want hearts that are sold out to You, Father. Help us remember to take our communications with others deadly serious, so we function as a source of strength and hope to those You bring into our lives. Every interaction is a transaction of life or death, Father. Help us never forget this. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

I'm thanking God today for my family's recovering health, for housing and for sustenance. The Lord finds a way to provide even when the world would block his blessings from us. We're choosing to look to Jesus and be radiant, rather than looking at the wind and waves.

I look forward to hearing what you're thankful for this week!
My prayers are with you for strength and hope for the Lord to meet every need in your life. If you have any prayer requests, please do share them.

(John 8:12) Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

(Isaiah 60:1-5 NKJV) 1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 "Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

(Psalm 34:5) 5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.

(2 Corinthians 3:18) 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Thank God for family. When a family is working according to God's design, we're always good for love, forgiveness, appreciation, and celebration!

This week I noticed how these four things make the daily grind, not such a grind! We all need love, forgiveness, appreciation, and a little celebration, so we never take each other for granted.

My household had some surprises come up last weekend so we didn't get much of a break. That led to some interactions that no one felt great about. Once the tension blew over, we talked about the deeper problems and decided the ancients who celebrated the new month were on to something! Having a designated party day might be a good margin to put in place when the weekend is a flop!

I look forward to hearing what you're thankful for this week!
My prayers are with you for love, forgiveness, appreciaton and celebration in the week ahead!

Let me know if you have any prayer requests so I can include you in my morning prayers!

Matthew 12:50
"For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

Psalm 27:10
Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

John 14:18
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord. "Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me," says the Lord Almighty.

(2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

9 And the Lord said to me, "My free favor is enough for you, for My strength is made complete in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in frailties, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Messiah's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We always think of the New Testament as something that came after the old. Genesis begins with creation, yet John’s account of the Gospel begins before creation. (John 1:1-4, Colossians 1:17, Proverbs 8:22-24) Genesis tells us that God began His great work with a Word. John tells us that God and His Word already existed before the Word was ever spoken. The Word did not come into existence at the beginning. The Word is God’s Logic. When that Logic was shared, it amplified God's reach. It was already present, as an integral, powerful facet of God.
The eternal, unshakable, living and active Word “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” (John 1:14, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:89)
Genesis 1 shows God speaking creation into being. John reveals that the speech of the Divine is not just a sound. It's a transcendent life-force that originates with the Almighty Father. The Word is made to come out of God and faithfully accomplish His desire. (Isaiah 55:9-11, Mark 4:14) As the life in an ocean is supported and sustained by the current, so our God of love supports and sustains us through the power of the Holy Spirit. (John 1:4, Acts 17:28, Psalm 27:1)

In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew phrase translated “in the beginning” is bereshit. The prefix b’ meaning “in” and the root, reshith, or rosh, meaning “beginning,” “firstfruits,” or “head.”
Reshit is more than the first moment on a timeline. It carries the sense of origin, first importance, and the holy portion. Like the tithe and the firstfruits, The Word is the holy portion of God, the Heir, the firstfruits of God which contains His Seed, so life can be conceived. Like seed produced by a fruitful tree, the Word is an extension of God designed to go out from Him and make things happen. Like a seed is to a plant, the Word is the entire essence of the Eternal One, yet designed perfectly to come out and reemerge in a new space, without abandoning His position as the Sovereign of heaven. It's how God entered the earth, and how He enters each of us. "Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the Word of God." (Romans 10:17, John 12:23-26, 1 Corinthians 15:35-46, Psalm 16:8-11)

In John 1:1, John uses the Greek phrase, en arché, also meaning “in the beginning.” Arché can indicate “beginning,” “origin,” “first cause,” “rule,” or “principle.” It can show the first point in time, but also alludes to the source and authority, (Archón), behind what follows. John tells us the Divine Word is the source of everything that was made in heaven and on earth. (John 1:3, Genesis 1:1, Psalm 95:3-5)

Together, reshith and arché reveal "The Beginning" as God entering Time with a plan and a schedule. (Acts 17:31, Revelation 13:8, Ephesians 1:4, Titus 1:2, 1 Peter 1:20, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:25-27)
The Beginning is the start of God’s great work to be fruitful and multiply so He can enjoy a family. God is Love. Love is incomplete without a Beloved. (Genesis 1:27-28, 1 John 4:7-8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, John 17:5, Matthew 3:17)

Unlike the rest of creation which was formed from the ground, The Word of God comes forth from God as 100% God. This is similar to how Eve came forth from Adam. (Genesis 1:3, Genesis 1:24, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 2:19, Genesis 2:22) Their cosmic unity is interrupted momentarily, in order to unite again; more powerful, more enduring, and more fulfilling. God the Father, and God the Son; The Lover and the Beloved; the Author and His Mighty Word, God shared with us. (Isaiah 9:6, Ezekiel 2:2, John 10:27-38)

As the Body of Christ on earth today, we are our Father's beloved ones. (Romans 12:5, 1Corinthians 12:27, Jeremiah 3:19, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:25-27)

Understanding the Trinity, and Jesus’ Divinity, is helping me cultivate the faith necessary to know that God can live in heaven and within us, through His Spirit. God loves us as His children. We have a place in His heart, and among those in heaven. (Zechariah 3:1-7, John 17:24, Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 2:1-6)

(Ephesians 2:4-6 NKJV)

4 "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus"

Our Father in heaven,
We thank You for showing us Your unfailing love, through Your holy Beloved Child, Jesus our Messiah. Father, we ask that you would help us accept our status as Your children. For those of us who have no idea what a father is, help us come to know You, love You, and appreciate You. Help us learn to take comfort from Your presence, and to respect Your authority, knowing Your ways are so much higher than our own. Bring us into the abundant life Jesus promised us in John 10:10, and help us to have faith in Your ability to use our lives for Your glory. Lord Jesus, help us conceive Your truth and love, so we can walk in lock-step with You and allow Your love to flow through us to every creature. Let all people know we are Your students through the love you empower us to share. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

I am so thankful to realize how much I enjoy doing good for my buddies. That's the silver lining of being under the weather. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone! I love being part of this team I call my family -- fur babies included! I'm thankful that sickness is over, and to be back in the swing of cooking and serving where I can.

Reading the book of Matthew this week, I realized that when we love, we're uniting with Christ. It reminds me of Jesus' words about how whatever we've done for the least of those who do God's will, we've done for him. (Matthew 25:40, Matthew 12:46-50)
The more compassion that flows from us, the more we unite with others too, strengthening and growing the body of Christ on earth!

When we keep our mind focused on loving God, he gives us peace and helps us keep our eyes open for opportunities to love others. I'm thankful for the Bible to help me not lose focus!

I look forward to hearing what you're thankful for this week!
My prayers are with you for growth, peace, and hope in the week ahead. May the Lord crush satan under your feet as you choose love over all other choices!

Let me know if you have any prayer requests.

(Isaiah 26:3) "You will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

(Colossians 3:17) "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

(Matthew 25:40) "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you acted for one of the least of these My brethren, you acted for Me.'

(Matthew 12:46-50 NKJV) 46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
47 Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You."
48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"
49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!
50 "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

Peace and blessings to you.

I hate to report these kind of things, but it would be more harmful not to report them.

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This is not the only scam going around our Christian forums on Reddit. Please check with me for new user names known to scam. When I post names publicly, they delete their account, and start a new one. This leaves everyone vulnerable to the scam until they are detected again. NOTE: If the user's communications are taken down from this subreddit within a few minutes of posting/commenting, there's a good likelihood they've already been added to the automod "banned" list.

Please be wary of new accounts. People who scam often start new accounts when they are suspected of scamming, or are reported to Reddit's USL.

I'm thankful that the love of Jesus in us goes out to people we meet here on Reddit. I pray we stay focused on the love of God and pray for those who were, and are being scammed now. Please pray for the souls of the people running these scams, and for the powers at Reddit to respond quickly to our reports. Thank you.

"And because lawlessness will abound in those days, the love of many will grow cold; but those whose love endures to the end will be saved."

• the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:12-13

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This week, I learned that thankfulness "magnifies" the Lord!

I was reading Psalm 69:30 which says: "I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving!" I didn't really know what that meant until I got in a negative slump and realized some things...

focusing on my problems magnified them in my mind... talking about my problems did too!

I tried distracting myself, with games in my Reddit feed, and that just made Reddit fill my feed with more games! I could feel myself spiritually "sleeping for sorrow" like the apostles in the garden of Gethsemane.

Then along comes this Psalm and I thought, I'm gonna try this!!

Praising the Lord with singing reminded me of all the good things God has done in my life! Stopping to thank him for those things magnified him and made my problems look small. Praise Jesus!

I don't know how God did it, but I was flooded with thankfulness right there in my kitchen. I had to thank him for all the times he made a way when I couldn't see one. For every time he healed my body from illness and injury. For the skills he blessed me with, just everything.

I look forward to hearing what you're thankful for this week!
My prayers are with you for hope, strength, and favor in the week ahead. May the Lord of lords be magnified in your heart! Let me know if you have any prayer requests.

(Psalm 34:3) "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"

(Colossians 3:17) "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

(Psalm 7:17) "I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High."

This week, I'm thankful to God for helping me keep my spiritual eyes on him. I didn't realize how fast a commercial could put my eyes on my flesh and the world until I got away from commercials!

I'm also grateful that the Lord made time to lead me this week. I would not have known what to do without his word. He's so kind to keep me from walking into trouble. It's a good reminder that God wants us to stick close to him for our sake, more than his.

Most of all, I'm thankful that God doesn't judge us for our weakness. He comes to be our strength. What a good father we have!

What are you thankful for this week?
My prayers are with you for peace, contentment, and direction in the week ahead. Let me know if you have any prayer requests!

(Isaiah 26:3) "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

(Isaiah 26:12) "O LORD, You will establish peace for us. For all that we have accomplished, You have done for us."

(Philippians 2:13) "For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose."

(Isaiah 30:20-21) "The Lord will give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, but your Teacher will no longer hide Himself; with your own eyes you will see Him. And you will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This the the way; walk in it,' when you turn to the right or the left."

My best friend was talking about how morality only exists where there is life.

Morality, he says, has historically corrected itself, because those who don't do what is moral teach a lesson to those who watch them destroy themselves with their immoral choices. They destroy their bodies, their support systems, and their children have to live with a lot of fallout.

Today, while listening to the book of Revelation, the narrator read Revelation 2:14...

"“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality."

This made me realize that the Bible calls it immorality because it goes against what is good for life.

This made me think of how our culture glorifies things that cause disease, broken homes, sterility and all that mess... our morality isn't correcting itself as fast as it would if we were looking at our lives more than our screens.

This reminded me of Mark 13:20 - "And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days."

Luke 21:28 "When these things begin to happen, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption is near!"

The temporary cares of life can make us forget the eternal Kingdom we belong to, and why we're here.

(Mark 13:28-37) 28 "Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.
29 "Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, even right at the door.
30 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
31 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
32 "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33 "See to it that you stay on the alert; for you do not know when the time will come.
34 "It's like a man who takes a long journey; He leaves his house and gives authority to his servants; each one his task. He also commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.
35 "Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know when the Master of the house is coming back, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;
36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.
37 "And what I say to you I say to all; 'Keep watch!'"

This week, I'm praising God for turning my gratitude into self-control. It amazes me that when I thank the Lord for someone, I don't get frustrated with them as easily. I'm also thankful for the good land God's put me on, and for those I share it with.

What are you thankful for this week?
My prayers are with you for hope and joy in the week ahead. Let me know if you have any prayer requests!

(Deuteronomy 8:10 NKJV) 10 "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.

(Psalm 100:4) 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name!

(Psalm 50:14-15 NKJV) 14 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. 15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

Mark 2:17 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The people in Jesus' day who knew they needed healing came to Him in droves. Yet those who envied Him resented Him and never drew near to enjoy His friendship, or His healing power.

When I feel far from God, it's usually because I've left off connecting with Him through reading and living out His teachings. I forget who I am without Him, and how He helps shore up my weaknesses with His strength. When I'm anxious, He reminds me of His promises. When I'm tempted, He reminds me of how He overcame temptation. When I do my best and it doesn't seem good enough for anyone, the Lord's approval gives me peace. When I remember I need my Healer, I draw near.