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Archive for the ‘Love’ Category

Merry Christmas

Posted in Jesus, Love on December 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.   Luke 2:10-11

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas.  I had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.  As I reflect on the meaning of Christmas, I am always amazed at how people try to be their best during this season.  Even though Christmas has become very commercial, and Jesus is not discussed as much it is still my favorite holiday.

There are those that argue Jesus was not born on December 25th, that we are foolish to celebrate the holiday.  It is during this time of year people give the most of their time and money.  Retailers love this time of year because usually they do almost 50% of their business in the last quarter in holiday sales.  I love it because it really does bring people together.

I am so thankful to God for my family and friends.  I remember some Christmas’ when I was single that I either was alone or was at work.  I remember one particular Christmas that I spent all alone and I was miserable.  So I treasure these days now because I am no longer alone and find such joy in giving gifts.

What is your favorite thing about Christmas?  Jesus may not have been born on December 25th but it is important that we acknowledge and celebrate Jesus.  It is a time to celebrate friends and family.  So make sure you tell your loved ones how important they are.  Jesus was a gift given to us by God, and it is the gift that keeps on giving.

Merry Christmas!

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Gift Giving

Posted in Love, The Father, Uncategorized on December 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:11

This is the first Christmas that my children (6 years old and 4 years old) are excited about the holiday and have asked for a specific gift.  In the past we just bought them things based on what they liked.  My 6 year old son is asking for one gift.  Every time someone asks him what he wants he mentions this one gift.  When we purchased the gift my husband said our son will be so happy.  We are looking forward to seeing his face when he opens the gift.  He doesn’t know we have already bought it but lets us know everyday what he wants for Christmas.

I began to meditate on the above scripture because there is nothing more than I want to do is give our children the desires of their heart.  I couldn’t imagine depriving my son of the one gift he wants, or buying him something he does not like.  So if I know how to give good gifts to my children how much more will our Father in Heaven give what we ask of Him?

The fullness of the earth belongs to God.  God takes great pleasure in giving us gifts; every good and perfect gift is from God.  He even gives us gifts we do not ask for but knows what is best for us.  I think of my own children, at times they want something that is not good for them to have.  I will not give them what may hurt them but will give them something even better.  Also, there are times I wish I could fulfill all of my children’s desires but sometimes I don’t have the ability.  However, God has the ability to give us good and perfect gifts.

My son doesn’t exactly know when he will receive his gift.  He knows it will be on Christmas but doesn’t fully understand when Christmas will come or even if he will get the gift he wants.  But I know when he will get his gift and I know it is what he has wanted for the past few months.  I’m holding onto his gift until the right moment.  God does the same thing.   He has what we want and knows the exact time we will receive what He has.  He is just as excited as we are and possibly even more excited anticipating our response to His goodness.

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When Healing Does Not Come The Way We Want

Posted in Healing, Love, Salvation, The Father, The Righteous on December 21, 2010| 2 Comments »


15“For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.

16“They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat;

17for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”  Revelation 7:15-17

This past weekend I received news that a boy we prayed for during our mission trip in Uganda died.  We met this 16 year old boy and his mother during our mission trip in Kumi, Uganda.  This boy was malnourished, mentally disabled, and had spent a lot of the time tied by the neck with a rope so he wouldn’t run away.  The Lord led us to pray for this boy, baptize him and rename him Peter.  We prophesied to Peter and His mother that God had great plans for him.  Peter gave His life to the Lord.  As we walked away God said the greater miracle of salvation took place.  I knew that even the angels in heaven rejoiced.  We looked forward to see what God was going to do in Peter’s life.  Unfortunately, sometime later Peter died.

There are times that physical healing does not come like we want.  We pray for family members to become well but there are those who do not make it.  I do not know why everyone does not get healed but I know God is a healer.

This past year, I know several people who lost their loved ones (parents, spouse, children) to sickness even after prayer and having faith that God would heal them completely.  As I reflect on Peter I am reminded about where Peter is and that is heaven.  The above scripture gives me such comfort in knowing that Peter is home.  I have no doubt that our meeting Peter was a divine moment orchestrated by God because on that day, Peter gave his life to Jesus, was baptized, and was renamed by God.  Today he sits in the very presence of God without pain, no longer hungry or thirsty, his suffering has ended.

I don’t know why Peter died.  I don’t know why others died even after the prayer of the saints.  I have learned to rejoice even in the death of the believer because their life has not ended but they simply have passed from this life to the next.

We must remember that God is always concerned most about the condition of a man’s soul.  Salvation is greater than any physical healing that can take place.  What if Peter was physically healed and hadn’t given his life to Jesus would he really be better off?  No.  That is why I rejoice because God chose to save Peter’s soul.  The day Peter gave his life to Jesus was the day death lost its hold on Peter’s soul.

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God is Looking For You!

Posted in Grace, Jesus, Knowing God, Love, Salvation, The Father on November 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »

20“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  Luke 15:20

Often times our view of God is that He is just sitting on His throne watching the world go by, not really involved unless we engage Him.  Jesus showed us the Father when He was here on earth.  Jesus did not show us an aloof God but a Father that loves His children.  In Luke 15 Jesus tells of three parables dealing with the lost sheep, lost coin and the prodigal son.  In all three parables the person is looking for what has been lost and rejoices when they have found the thing they are looking for.

God is like the Father in the parable of the prodigal son.  When the son left with all his money, his father did not disown him but waited for him to return.  He probably looked out the door and window many times hoping his son would return.    When the son began to make his way back, the father saw him off in the distance and began to run toward his son.  God is the same way.  He is always looking for us and seeking after us to return to Him.

Unfortunately, we think God doesn’t care and many times washes his hands of us when we have sinned again and again or when we have wondered far from Him.  God loves us because He created us.  He created us in His image and breathed life into each one of us.  When we became separated from God, He sent Jesus to bridge the gap and to atone for our sins.  Through Jesus we have redemption and our relationship with God the Father has been restored.

See God is looking for you and wanting you to come home.  He doesn’t care where you have been or what you have done, just come home.  Even if you lost your way, He will find you – just call and He will come running.  As you approach God’s throne of grace, He will come embracing and kissing you just like Jesus tells us in the parable.

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Grace

Posted in Grace, Jesus, Love, The Father on October 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'”

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.  John 1: 14-17

Grace has many definitions.  One way grace is defined is God’s unmerited favor and love of God that is freely given.  We find this in the above scriptures.  Jesus was given as a gift to man from God the Father.  Jesus came full of grace and truth.  God so loved us that He gave us His only begotten Son Jesus Christ; through Jesus we have received God’s unmerited favor and love.

Before Jesus we had the law.  The law was given to us by Moses.  It was impossible to earn God’s favor and love by observing the law.  Jesus fulfilled the law but Jesus did not come to teach us to exist only by the law.  Jesus came to give us grace so that we may experience the love of the Father.  It is also this grace that enables us to live according to God’s word and purpose for our lives.  God never intended for us to live apart from Him and His word; that is why we have Jesus – God’s gift of Grace.

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