1 Corinthians 1:8 "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. "
Lord, Sweet Lord, You do not give me all spiritual gifts and keep us strong to the end just so I will bring You glory, but it is so I can be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ!
When You stood before Pilot, he had to tell the crowd would have You crucified, "I find no fault in this man." (Luke 23:4) In the book of Daniel when the satraps (governors) were trying to find fault in him, all they could charge him with was that he was praying to You three times a day. Oh, that if I was standing in front of a judge that would be said of me!
Lord, I praise You today because it is Your precious blood shed on my behalf that even allows me to be before THE judge without condemnation (Romans 8:1), and because of that, I can confess and repent when I do sin and be restored to service! (1 John 1:9-10)
When I was presented to my beloved husband on our wedding day, I was not blameless and spotless. When I stand before You, my Heavenly Bridegroom, along with Your church, we will be blameless without spot or wrinkle! Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
We Have All We Need In Him
1 Corinthians 1: 7-8a "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end,"
Lord, how can Iever say that I have need of anything? You have, and will, give me all I will ever need to serve Your purpose here in this world until You return. I have no excuses for slacking! My spiritual gifts and the strength to carry out Your will are already mine; and not just for today...but to the end!
My Sweet Savior, I long for Your return like a bride awaits the return of her husband from a long military deployment. In her case, however; she knows he may not return to her, so every day she prays and waits in hope. I have the PROMISE that You WILL return! What a blessed hope, Lord! It is so encouraging to know that all of Your promises are true no matter what happens down here. Thank You!
Standing on the promises of Christ my king,
Through the eternal ages may His praises ring!
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God!
Lord, how can Iever say that I have need of anything? You have, and will, give me all I will ever need to serve Your purpose here in this world until You return. I have no excuses for slacking! My spiritual gifts and the strength to carry out Your will are already mine; and not just for today...but to the end!
My Sweet Savior, I long for Your return like a bride awaits the return of her husband from a long military deployment. In her case, however; she knows he may not return to her, so every day she prays and waits in hope. I have the PROMISE that You WILL return! What a blessed hope, Lord! It is so encouraging to know that all of Your promises are true no matter what happens down here. Thank You!
Standing on the promises of Christ my king,
Through the eternal ages may His praises ring!
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Enriched in Every Way
1 Corinthians 1:5-6 "For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all
your knowledge--because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you."
O Lord! In You I have been enriched in every way! You have made my life so full that I honestly do not want any more of what this world has to offer, only more of You.
I wish that all of my speaking was enriched in You, but alas Lord, that is one of our unfinished imperfected projects. You have made great strides though, and I thank and praise You for the work done so far. You are still working on the all knowledge part as well, as You teach me more and more each and in every day all day.
Lord, my desire is to be like You in every way:
To have Your heart for people, giving grace and mercy
To give loving exhortation or rebuke when You prompt to encourage others in holiness and godliness
To show them Your unconditional love and holiness through my life
Only through Your power will I be able to accomplish these things. I desperately want Your testimony to be confirmed by You in all areas of my life.
O Lord! In You I have been enriched in every way! You have made my life so full that I honestly do not want any more of what this world has to offer, only more of You.
I wish that all of my speaking was enriched in You, but alas Lord, that is one of our unfinished imperfected projects. You have made great strides though, and I thank and praise You for the work done so far. You are still working on the all knowledge part as well, as You teach me more and more each and in every day all day.
Lord, my desire is to be like You in every way:
To have Your heart for people, giving grace and mercy
To give loving exhortation or rebuke when You prompt to encourage others in holiness and godliness
To show them Your unconditional love and holiness through my life
Only through Your power will I be able to accomplish these things. I desperately want Your testimony to be confirmed by You in all areas of my life.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Because of His Grace
1 Corinthians 1:4 "I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. "
Lord, Dictionary.com defines grace:
Grace:
Lord, Dictionary.com defines grace:
Grace:
elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action: We watched her skate with effortless grace across the ice. Synonyms: attractiveness, charm, gracefulness, comeliness, ease, lissomeness, fluidity. Antonyms: stiffness, ugliness, awkwardness, clumsiness; klutziness.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment: He lacked the manly graces.
3. favor or goodwill. Synonyms: kindness, kindliness, love, benignity; condescension.
4. a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school. Synonyms: forgiveness, charity, mercifulness. Antonyms: animosity, enmity, disfavor.
5. mercy; clemency; pardon: He was saved by an act of grace from the governor. Synonyms: lenity, leniency, reprieve. Antonyms: harshness.
favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.
7. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses.
8. Theology:
a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.
9. moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.
10. a short prayer before or after a meal, in which a blessing is asked and thanks are given: Grandfather will now say grace.
Lord, the definitions I have learned for grace are:
G od's
R iches
A t
C hrist's
E xpense
Grace- God giving us what we do not deserve.
Mercy- God withholding what we do deserve.
Grace- Unmerited favor with God.
Lord, however it is defined, we are unworthy of it. Without You, we are debauched, despicable, selfish, rebellious, Hell bound sinners from birth because of the sin of Adam,whose best works are as filthy rags to You. Without Your sacrificial act of grace on our behalf at Calvary, we have no hope.
That day You, the Spotless Lamb, GAVE Your life to save MINE! You paid MY sin debt so that I might go free. If that is not grace, Dearest, Sweet, Savior and Lord...I don't know what is!
Thank You for Your grace to me and to all. Lord, it is available to all who would truly believe: trust and have a changed life because of what they believe. Hallelujah, what a SAVIOR! I am so glad that the antonyms here are not true of You. May they not be true of me either!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Grace and Peace: The Twin Towers of Christ Followers
1 Corinthians 1:3 "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. "
Lord, thank You ever so much for Your grace and peace! We all need them both along with Your mercy every moment of every day. I need to speak them into the lives around me when You prompt me to do so.
During finals week at Liberty U, the Student Advocate Office always serves treats to our students. On this past Thursday, it was my turn to do so. I saw many students who were blurry eyed and stressed from too much 5 Hour Energy (TM) or coffee and too little sleep as they crammed for their finals. You prompted me to pray for some of them. As I held them in my arms, I prayed for You to replace their stress with the peace that passes understanding. I could feel the tenseness relax and a couple of them shed tears of relief. You do work mightily in our lives.
I may meet other folks in the store, in the hallway or offices at work, at church, or in parking lots. Lord help me to yeild to Your prompting to pray for them (if they are on the road or out of reach), or with them if they are within my reach so that You can impart these "Twin Towers" into their lives as well.
Lord, You have given so much to me through the trials of my life: Grace, Mercy, Peace, Strength, Wisdom and Patience beyond anything I would have been able to muster on my own and I am still so unworthy or them; but I thank You and bless You for being willing to pour them out in buckets to me when I ask. I love You, Lord!
Lord, thank You ever so much for Your grace and peace! We all need them both along with Your mercy every moment of every day. I need to speak them into the lives around me when You prompt me to do so.
During finals week at Liberty U, the Student Advocate Office always serves treats to our students. On this past Thursday, it was my turn to do so. I saw many students who were blurry eyed and stressed from too much 5 Hour Energy (TM) or coffee and too little sleep as they crammed for their finals. You prompted me to pray for some of them. As I held them in my arms, I prayed for You to replace their stress with the peace that passes understanding. I could feel the tenseness relax and a couple of them shed tears of relief. You do work mightily in our lives.
I may meet other folks in the store, in the hallway or offices at work, at church, or in parking lots. Lord help me to yeild to Your prompting to pray for them (if they are on the road or out of reach), or with them if they are within my reach so that You can impart these "Twin Towers" into their lives as well.
Lord, You have given so much to me through the trials of my life: Grace, Mercy, Peace, Strength, Wisdom and Patience beyond anything I would have been able to muster on my own and I am still so unworthy or them; but I thank You and bless You for being willing to pour them out in buckets to me when I ask. I love You, Lord!
Friday, May 4, 2012
To Those Sanctified in Christ Jesus and Called to Be Holy
1 Corinthians 1:1-2 "Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the
will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth,
to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all
those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and
ours:"
Lord, I know that Corinth was the largest and most prosperous city in Greece at the time Paul wrote. It was also the most immoral and corrupt. They worshiped two gods: Poseidon because of the 2 sea ports they had and all of the wealth they produced, but also Aphrodite, the goddess of love. A lot of the wealth came from the female prostitutes in her temple. We could change the names of the gods to "Wealth" and "Sex". It was to this city that You sent Paul to establish a church. He stayed there for eighteen months. Now, he is writing to them to settle some issues he has learned about that plague that church.
Unfortunately, these two false gods have taken precedence in our beloved America that once worshiped You and they are worshiped all day every day everywhere. Satan's "fishing lure" has not changed in all of these years. He uses our human base sins of pride, envy, greed, and lust to defeat and destroy us. He is using these self same lures even in our churches today. One young Christian told me the other day that they were being told by other "Christians" that if they wanted to find a mate and good friends, even within Christianity, she would have to compromise. WHAT EVIL RUBBISH! Right here You tell us that those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus are called to be holy because we call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! There can be no compromise and there are no loopholes for true Christ Followers!
Lord, I bless Your Holy Name this morning! Thank You for Your Word that speaks so plainly to me in 2012 as it did to those in the time that Paul wrote. You and Your Word are eternal and never changing. Hallelujah! It is our guide and our marching orders as Christians!
Lord, I know that Corinth was the largest and most prosperous city in Greece at the time Paul wrote. It was also the most immoral and corrupt. They worshiped two gods: Poseidon because of the 2 sea ports they had and all of the wealth they produced, but also Aphrodite, the goddess of love. A lot of the wealth came from the female prostitutes in her temple. We could change the names of the gods to "Wealth" and "Sex". It was to this city that You sent Paul to establish a church. He stayed there for eighteen months. Now, he is writing to them to settle some issues he has learned about that plague that church.
Unfortunately, these two false gods have taken precedence in our beloved America that once worshiped You and they are worshiped all day every day everywhere. Satan's "fishing lure" has not changed in all of these years. He uses our human base sins of pride, envy, greed, and lust to defeat and destroy us. He is using these self same lures even in our churches today. One young Christian told me the other day that they were being told by other "Christians" that if they wanted to find a mate and good friends, even within Christianity, she would have to compromise. WHAT EVIL RUBBISH! Right here You tell us that those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus are called to be holy because we call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! There can be no compromise and there are no loopholes for true Christ Followers!
Lord, I bless Your Holy Name this morning! Thank You for Your Word that speaks so plainly to me in 2012 as it did to those in the time that Paul wrote. You and Your Word are eternal and never changing. Hallelujah! It is our guide and our marching orders as Christians!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Only God, Our Savior!
Jude 25 "All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All
glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the
present, and beyond all time! Amen." NLT
You, O Lord, are the ONLY God and Savior! There are many gods in this world and many will claim to be a savior either politically, economically, socially, educationally, or through a man made religion. NONE can save mankind! All other gods require the man reach up to and appease them by works of good or evil. YOU reached DOWN to US in love! All glory goes to YOU alone because You were the appeasal for our sin, reconciling us with the Father because You LOVE us!
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all! You alone are deserving of all glory, majesty, power, and authority, as well as praise, adoration, service, obedience, and submission in all things,
I praise You for what You did before the ages, for what You are doing in the present, and for what You will do in the immediate future and forevermore! Amen!
You, O Lord, are the ONLY God and Savior! There are many gods in this world and many will claim to be a savior either politically, economically, socially, educationally, or through a man made religion. NONE can save mankind! All other gods require the man reach up to and appease them by works of good or evil. YOU reached DOWN to US in love! All glory goes to YOU alone because You were the appeasal for our sin, reconciling us with the Father because You LOVE us!
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all! You alone are deserving of all glory, majesty, power, and authority, as well as praise, adoration, service, obedience, and submission in all things,
I praise You for what You did before the ages, for what You are doing in the present, and for what You will do in the immediate future and forevermore! Amen!
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