Awareness of Oneness

"True worship is simply our awareness of our oneness."

Lydia du Toit

"Then you will know I am one with the Father. You will know you are one with Me, and I am one with you."

John 14:20 (CEV)

Oneness with Christ - Christ in each of us and each of us in Christ - is so beautiful and makes everything so easy and delightful! When we see we are one, all struggles cease, all longings are fulfilled, and our whole being comes to rest in awe at how beautiful He is and how beautiful we are to Him.

A Thought: I am one with Christ.

As Christ Accepted You

"To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now." 

Fred Rogers

"Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you."

Romans 15:7 (WE)

Jesus honored God the Father in His life. And the way He honored God was by loving and accepting all people. Jesus welcomed sinners and seekers. He ate with outcasts as well as Pharisees. He warmly embraced everyone - whether children, lepers, tax collectors or fisherman. He spoke with the rejected and noticed the forgotten. He met people right where they were and accepted them. 

And He is doing that with us right now, in every moment. Every moment we are accepted completely, just as we are, with all our hangups and struggles, dreams and quirks - accepted and loved, valued and cherished. That is what it means to be truly loved - to be taken in, embraced, valued and accepted just for who you are. 

And because we have been so loved, we can accept ourselves, just as we are right now. And we can accept others just as they are right now, too. We are freed to take off our masks and let others know they can take off their masks, too. We are freed to extend understanding, to give people grace, to look past defense mechanisms, to love people just for who they are. We are freed to see the uniqueness of every person, honor their dignity, and celebrate their true beauty. For that is just how Christ has treated us! 

A Thought: May the love of Christ, that is nonjudgmental acceptance without the possibility of rejection, keep spreading to more and more people!

Not Judging

I am never being scrutinized or judged by God. I am always being embraced and accepted by God!

And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

John 12:47 (NKJV)

Jesus came accepting and embracing every person. He accepted those who believed in Him and those who did not believe. His great heart welcomed all people. He didn't come here to judge; He came here to heal, to help, to serve, to love, to save. He came to calm our fears of being judged by God, showing us instead a God who is our Daddy rather than our Judge.

Acceptance and non-judgment! This is what God gives us and we can pass it along. Knowing He doesn't judge us but instead accepts us unconditionally helps us to give the same gift to others, the gift of acceptance and non-judging. Judgment is really the 'wrong tree' isn't it? Acceptance is the tree of life! Jesus is acceptance, not judgment, what a relief! He is grace, not law, always and forever!

A Thought: Because He accepts me rather than judging me, I am freed to accept myself and others without judging.

Always Our Friend

"The mercy of God and the forgiveness is in order to abate and consume our wrath, not His."

Julian of Norwich

"Love... keeps no record of wrongs." 

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

We can see sin and offense, guilt and blame, forgiveness and reconciliation. We can think God is keeping a record of our wrongs and that we must 'do' something about them to get back on His 'good' side, get Him to be okay or favorable toward us again. But that is our human story. That is not God's story. 

God's story is all love, gentle, embracing, accepting love. This love keeps no record of wrongs. That means God is not offended by our wrong acts. He is not turned away from us or holding back His favor till something is 'done' about sin. He doesn't list, keep track of or remember any of our sin. He sees no sin on us! He says, there is nothing to forgive. He is always facing us, always loving us, always favoring us, always seeing us as innocent children. He is always our friend, never angry with us, never changing in His total embrace of us.God's story is that we are friends and nothing can change that. God's story is of a perfect bond of love between us that can never be broken. God's story doesn't even see sin; it only sees goodness and purity and oneness! 

We are the ones needing help getting past the sin issue, with its shame and blame, not God. God isn't playing the shame and blame game! His only game is love!  After all, at the cross God was in Christ reconciling us back to Him, not reconciling Him back to us. So the forgiveness we feel is to help us get over OUR shame and blame. He pours out a waterfall of forgiveness and reconciliation through Christ to reconcile OUR minds back to the truth of His forever friendship with us, to appease OUR wrath at ourselves and others, to take away OUR blindness to His love! What an amazing God and what an amazing Friend!

A Thought: Thank You, Jesus, for never being angry with me, never turning away from me! Thank You for always looking at me with friendship and love!

Eternity in the Heart

We naturally long for love, long for God.

"He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God].."

Ecclesiastes 3:100 (AMP)

He is the only One who can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. We find within ourselves a deep longing, a "knowing" of the eternal. There is something placed in us by God Himself that naturally knows the truth, knows of God, longs for and wants God. When we hear the truth of His love, when He speaks to us, we find something deep within us leaping up in joy as the truth resonates in our hearts, and we know this is the One we have always longed for! Deep down we all long for God and we all know love is the truth of God.  Deep down we all know that we truly belong with Him. Deep down we all want God. His love finds us and satisfies this deep longing of our soul. The creature hears the voice of its Creator and finds the place it has always belonged!

A Thought: Hearing about God's love for me awakens my heart to God and I know deep down it is true!

Pouring Forth Love

He keeps on loving us.

"Lord, You're so kind and tenderhearted and so patient with people who fail You! Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness."

Psalm 103:8 (TPT)

His love is always pouring over us, like a waterfall flowing, always, no matter what. Nothing we do will ever change His pure love for us, delight in us, or approval of us. It doesn't matter how many times we fail or how many ways we let others down, we will never fail in God's eyes and never let Him down, because He constantly sees us as His pure, perfect, sweet little innocent children. He is always seeing us that way, always flowing with love towards us, always smiling at us with such pride and joy. He is an ever-bubbling, overflowing fountain of joy and peace and sweetness and kindness. 

A Thought: He is a river of delight that is flowing with love for me, His innocent child.

No Conditions At All

What unconditional love means is that there are absolutely no conditions on His love for us. That means there is no condition at all that could ever stop His love from flowing to us.

"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love."

Romans 8:38 (NLT)

Love says, "You are always with me, and I'm always with you - I'm sticking with you no matter how you treat me, no matter what you give or don't give in this relationship, I'm in for keeps and I'm holding onto you, supporting you, on your side no matter what!... And ALL that I have is yours, right now, no conditions, no questions asked..I lavish ALL of myself and ALL of my love, support, blessing, help, and care on you, whether you ever love back, whether you ever commit yourself wholly to me or not!"

His love has no conditions...it is freely poured on us all, all the time, in every way, before we ever surrender and even if we never do have perfect surrender, trust, behavior, or commitment. Love gives because that's what Love does! Love is giving of oneself to the other, without any stipulation or expectation!

A Prayer: Praise You, Papa, you love us without asking a thing from us! That is a love I CAN trust, that is a love I CAN commit my whole being to, that is a love I CAN sink down into and rest in - forever!

Already Full

You are already full of God.

"Be filled with the Spirit."

Ephesians 5:18 (NIV)

You don't have work, try, struggle, pray, believe or do anything else in order to be full of God. You already are full! You have all of God inside, filling you to the brim. You are complete and full in Christ, filled with God through your union with Christ.

Be filled with the Spirit, the scripture says. It doesn't require any effort to just be! Be! Exist just as you are - full of God, filled with the life and presence of God.

No other person has more of God than you.You have just as much of God as anyone else - with no work or effort needed! You wake up filled with God, face everything in your day filled with God, and go to sleep filled with God. He's filling you at every moment. He is living inside you, filling every nook and cranny of your being. You cannot get any more of God or get any more filled with God.

A Thought: Be yourself - a beautiful person full of God.

Like the Sun

God radiates only love towards us, all of the time.

"All sunshine and sovereign is God, generous in gifts and glory."

Psalm 84:11 (MSG)

The sun is only one way - it is always radiating light and warmth, with no darkness or coldness. Our wonderful God is like the sun. He is only one way - always radiating light and warmth, always pouring out gifts, grace, and love. There is no dark side to God, no cold side. Only tenderness, gentleness, friendliness, peace, love and joy are coming from God. At all times He is loving us, helping us, embracing us! He is only one way: LOVE!

A Prayer: O God, You are my constant: You will always be on my side, You will always be smiling at me, You will always be loving me!

The River Within Us

God is an ever-flowing stream within us!

"There is a river whose streams bring joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High lives."

Psalm 46:4 (GW)

We are the sacred dwelling place of God. He lives inside us, and flowing out from Him is a river of life, the Holy Spirit pouring forth constantly in an ever-flowing stream. It is a stream of blessing, a stream of love, a stream of strength, a stream of wisdom, a stream of peace, a stream of joy. We do not have to work up enough good deeds, determination, or even faith to get this stream to flow. It is already flowing. It is always flowing! He is taking care of all our concerns right now. He is being more than enough for all our situations. All that we need is found in Him, and He is pouring forth all that He is in us right now. He is bringing us His fullness of joy, His fullness of peace, in the midst of everything we are going through in this life, and nothing can stop the flow of His life in us, welling up in such joy and peace. And He will keep on gushing forth in us, pouring Himself out for us, no matter what.

A Thought: God is pouring His overflowing blessing, comfort, strength and joy in my life at all times, like a stream whose waters never fail.

Just To Be Loved

"Perhaps you were born just to be loved."

Rachael Cannon

"Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love."

Ephesians 1:3 (MSG)

We think that we are here to be servants and serve God, doing our duty. But Jesus said He came not to be served but to serve us and give His life up for us in self-giving, other-centered love. We think we must revere, honor God, yet He reveres and honors us, calls us precious, adores us.  We think we must be humble and grovel before God, yet He humbles Himself to take care of us, even to the point of washing dusty feet. We hear the command to love God and others, but He says that we only love because He first loved us. 

Long before the world began, long before time began, we were already the object of His affection. We were already loved. That is the whole purpose of our existence - not to work for God as His servants but to be loved by God as His children. All He wants is to love on us! We are loved, just as we are, with no conditions, forever and always, with the infinite love of a Perfect Father. 

A Thought: I exist to be loved by God!

The Freedom of Grace

"The lightness of grace...sets loose the lightest feeling of life: being accepted; totally, unreservedly accepted."

Lewis Smedes

"You live under the freedom of God's grace."

Romans 6:14 (NLT)

There is such a freedom to living under God's grace.  It is the freedom of knowing we're completely secure in His love.  It is the freedom of total acceptance. It is the freedom of knowing that nothing we do could ever change what Jesus did for us. It is the freedom of knowing that nothing can take us out of Him. It is the freedom to simply be ourselves without fear of rejection or judgment. It is so safe here. We can relax. We can laugh, run, play and dance in the sunshine of God's forever love. We can know His smile is always upon us, and we can fall asleep in the warmth of His embrace, totally at rest, knowing we are completely understood, unreservedly taken in, and loved with no possibility of being unloved!

A Thought: I am free to be myself in His presence.

Love, Not Punishment

God's love and mercy towards His creation triumph over any notions of judgment or punishment. 

"Mercy triumphs over judgment."

James 2:13

People may hear that "God's justice demands that He punish sin." Actually, His justice (righteousness, fairness) demands that He heal sin, since He is responsible for creating this world and allowed the option to sin to exist here, thus allowing sin and suffering and death to happen. If God allowed sin to happen in His creation, it would only be fair and responsible that He repair the damage caused by sin to His creation. So whatever goes wrong with us humans, who were just born into this broken world, He is responsible for bringing restoration and healing. God is a good, kind, committed caretaker of His creation!

The truth, then, is that God is Love. And His Love demands that He heal and remove sin from His beloved humans and His beloved creation! There is no way He would let sin keep hurting us, His created children who are called His own offspring. There is no way He would let confusion, lies, and suffering keep His created offspring from enjoying Him and His presence!

A Thought: God's love demands that He liberate us from sin, and it is only just and fair for Him to do so.

Safe with God

I can be vulnerable before God because He would never hurt me. He would only help me.

"God is a safe place to be." 

Psalm 62:8 (MSG)

God's heart is a haven of quiet rest from the rebukes, pointing fingers, and rejection found so often in this world.  He will never belittle us, ridicule us, or think us odd. We are totally accepted by Him with all our thoughts and emotions.

He is a safe Person.  We can dare to open up to Him and share our real feelings without fear of a rebuke or rejection of our feelings.  He won't be mean but kind.  He wants to build us up, not tear us down.  He always leaves us feeling better, not worse.  He words don't wound, they heal.  He doesn't rebuke but affirms! 

We have been so used to thinking all He wants to do is angrily point out what's wrong with us, but He is busy pointing out what is right with us!  We wait for the "hammer" to fall, but instead grace falls like a waterfall, love pours down like rain, assurance washes over us like a river.  Jesus won't preach law to us but will minister grace every time!  With Him we are truly safe.  His heart is the safest place in the world! 

A Thought: His love makes me feel safe.

Sea of Grace

There is an uplifting quality to God's grace. It is like floating in a vast sea of peace and love that constantly buoys you up.

"He will sustain you."

Psalm 55:22

We are floating in the sea of grace, floating in our Father's endless love. We are light and carefree, buoyed up by His life, resting in the peaceful rolling waters of the living Holy Spirit. Everything is good. Everything is right. We are just where we are supposed to be - in His presence, in His great loving embrace. We have no worries, no cares, no troubles. God takes care of everything. We are floating in the sea of grace.

A Thought: I'm swimming in the ocean of God's love and will never come to the end of it!

Like a Forest Sanctuary

No matter how crazy life gets, we are always in the peaceful presence of God.

"God is our refuge."

Psalm 62:8 (ESV)

We are in the sanctuary of His love, like being in a cathedral of trees deep in the forest. It is peaceful here, shady and cool and refreshing. There is no danger here. His giant love towers over us like the tree sentinels, sheltering us, shielding us from harm. We are safe and protected, cared for and enfolded. We are enfolded in God like being enfolded in the hovering branches of the trees, gently touched by His love like the streams of sunlight gently touch us through the dappled leaves. We are in the quiet place of His presence. We are in the sanctuary of His love.

A Thought: We are always sheltered by God.

One Thing

Thinking about His love for me is so much better than thinking about my problems and worries.

"There’s only one thing you need."

Luke 10:42 (GW)

Worries sometimes swirl about us, cluttering our minds with fear and stress. Our minds can start racing, trying so hard to analyze and solve our problems. We can be like Jesus' friend Martha, worried about so many things, when really only one thing is necessary. We only need one thing, and that is the position of Martha's sister, Mary - she sat with Jesus and listened to Him. That is all that is needed - just to be still before Him and hear His words of life to us, soaking in the truth of His grace, love, peace, joy and wisdom. It's wonderful to know we don't have to 'fix' our problems or spend all our time thinking about them. He is taking care of our concerns, so we can sit with Jesus and think about happy and heavenly things, soaking in His words to us of love and grace. And the even more powerful thing to know is that we don't have to 'get' into that position of sitting before Jesus and looking at Him..we can simply know we are already there, for through Christ's finished work, that is exactly where He has placed us permanently! We are permanently in the position of Mary, permanently in the circle of Love of the Trinity, continuously looking onto the face of Christ, hearing His words of grace as He continuously pours love and encouragement onto us!

A Thought: I hear His word to me, and that is all I need.

Peace Be Still

"He makes me live without worry."

Rachael Cannon

"My peace I give to you."

John 14:27 (NKJV)

At times it can seem like worry overwhelms us and that it is impossible to live without anxiety. But Christ is never worried or anxious. Though the storms toss our boat in life, He is resting and peaceful in our boat! And He is standing up in authority and calming the stormy seas of our life and of our heart. He is always working to bring peace to us and to let us feel the peace He has within us. It's true, Mr. Peace Himself is within us. His peace in us is big enough and strong enough for any situation. It is not up to us to find, access, stir up or deserve this peace. It is already here, for He is already here. He will manifest His peace in us without our help, without us doing one solitary thing! It's His job, not ours. We can simply BE in His presence of peace while He takes care of everything!

A Thought: Right now Jesus is saying to my heart, "Peace, be still."

A God Who Serves

"When Jesus wraps a towel around his waist and washes the feet of his disciples he gives us a portrait of the unseen Father, who holds all things together—visible and invisible—as an unassuming, humble servant...God is....kneeling on the floor of the universe, towel in hand, ready to do the menial work that holds all things together, the work of a love that does not seek attention, does not boast, is not rude or jealous, that keeps no record of wrongs, that does not fail..."

Kenneth Tanner

"I am among you as one who serves."

Luke 22:27 (NLT)

We do not need to ever fear our God, because He came to us as a vulnerable, helpless little baby, and He always lived in tenderness, humility and service - holding little children, taking time for outcasts, washing dusty feet. Jesus came and showed us what God is really like - a humble caretaker of humanity, meeting our needs and always pouring out love and devotion on us. He is a God who does not seek the spotlight but works behind the scenes to take care of us all. He identifies with the poor, the lonely, the vulnerable, the weak.  He stoops down to love, dignify and serve the littlest, the lowest and the least. We are safe in the care of this gentle God!

A Thought: God kneels down to serve the world!

Christ in Every Moment

"Christ is there inhabiting every moment.. He's leading you beside still waters..making you lie down in green pastures..He's restoring your soul. And He doesn't do anything halfway."

Therese Reece

"My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

There is a place of absolute stillness and peace inside us, and it's in Christ. We can stop at any moment and look to Him within. We look to Him and our faces are radiant. We look to Him and we are living in glory while still walking on earth. Our weary souls are refreshed in Him, our troubled hearts are soothed in Him, for everything is fresh and new in His eternal reality, like a fresh spring morning. He tells us the words we need to hear. He renews us with His loving presence. He brings us to perfect peace. And He gives rest to our soul as He hugs us close to His heart.

A thought: In every moment, He is everything I need Him to be.

Greater

"There is something inside of you greater than you."

Therese Reece

"The Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world."

1 John 4:4 (MSG)

There is Someone inside us stronger than we could ever be, stronger than our problems could ever be. That Someone is perfect peace that goes beyond our comprehension. That Someone is joy that can't be put into words it is so full of glory. That Someone is the Light that overcomes all darkness, the Life that overcomes all death, the Love that overcomes all fear. You do not have to figure everything out. You do not have to be strong. You do not have to go through anything on your own. He is here inside you saying, "Just look at Me, not at the problem." He will handle it. He will carry you through. He is here in you. He is holding you. He is sustaining you with peace and joy. You are safe in His arms!

A Thought: He is greater than anything I face today.

The Ultimate Reference: Christ and His Cross

The ultimate revelation of God is in Jesus Christ. And the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ is the cross.

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

1 Corinthians 2:2 (ESV)

There are so many confusing passages in the Bible. There are verses that make God seem harsh and wrathful. There are accounts of events that seem vindictive and unkind. There are even sections that can cause people to be afraid God will judge, punish or reject them. But the truest understanding of God, the most perfect revelation of Him, is Christ. And the epitome and ultimate revelation of Jesus is at the cross. At the cross, when people killed God's own Son, that Son cried out for His killers to be forgiven. That is what Jesus is about, that is what God is about: self-giving, other-centered, forgiving, vulnerable, unconditional love. It's a love that keeps no record of wrongs, a love that only pours out goodness and friendship, a love that extends kindness to the unkind, a love that embraces all with open arms, having peace and goodwill toward every single person, no matter what! When we come across confusing passages in the Bible, we can remember the highest truth and reference point is the love of Jesus displayed on the cross. Other parts of scripture are incomplete pictures; Jesus' amazing love at the cross is the complete picture! Every other portion of scripture yields to that revelation!

A Thought: I will interpret the Bible through the love I see in Jesus at the cross.

His Own Life in Us

His life in me is the source of everything.

"God has now made [us] to share in the very life of Christ."

Colossians 2:13 (PHP)

We have Christ's own life in us to be our very life. We have Christ's  own peace as our peace, Christ's own joy as our joy, Christ's own love as our love! We're not trying to work these things up. We are full of these things because we are one with Christ, full of Christ, sharing in His very life, and He has all those things naturally and in abundance! We are riding the wave of His life as He lives it in and through us, enjoying the peace, the joy, the love that bubbles up in Him at all times. Everywhere we go, we are expressing that life of Christ to others, with all His love and presence and glory exuding from us! This is our natural state. 

A Thought: I am full of God and He is shining through me to light up this world.

Best Friend, Holy Spirit

"I've found a Friend who is all to me, His love is ever true;

I love to tell how He lifted me and what His grace can do for you."

Jack Scholfield

"The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you."

2 Corinthians 13;14

The Holy Spirit within us is our wonderful Best Friend who loves us like we've always dreamed of being loved.  What a grace gift - the gift of God's own Spirit to dwell inside us, to be the heart of our heart, to be one with us, to be in perfect relationship with us!  We've been given a Best Friend always within. What a relief that we do not have to try to 'get' the Holy Spirit to be with us. We simply find our beautiful Best Friend there inside us, like a spring continually bubbling forth in our innermost bring..

Present, never leaving us alone, always available..
Supporting, always having an uplifting word for us, always helping us..
Never holding a grudge, never offended, humble, gentle..
Perfect, always acting in grace, always on our side..
Strengthening and empowering us, always building us up..
Sympathizing, listening, encouraging, always caring about our needs..
Always speaking truth to us when we're confused..
Joyful, bubbling over, ever happy with us, delighting in us..
Calming and comforting, peaceful, a shelter in the storm..
Fighting for us, standing up for us against the enemy..
Accepting us no matter what, freeing us to grow and thrive and bloom..
Safe to open up to, not put off by our problems or doubts..
Kind, beautiful, sweet, wonderful, loyal to us, faithful and true..
Loving without any conditions or expectations..

A Thought: The Spirit of Christ dwelling within us is the Best Friend we could ever have!

Not Trying, Just Resting

Rest, rest, rest.

"Rest in the Lord."

Psalm 37:7

We don't ever have to try.
Not try to stop sinning.
Not try to do good.
Not try to have faith.
Not try to "let Him live through us."
Just rest.
Rest, rest, rest.
Rest in His arms today.
He takes care of it all.
Always has for us.
Always will.
He's been carrying us since our birth.
He'll still be carrying us through all our tomorrows.
Rest and even slumber in His arms.
And wake refreshed to look into His eyes
As He says, "Rest, my dear little child.
I've got you.  I hold you.
Always have.  Always will.
Rest."

A Thought: God is taking care of everything, so I can relax and rest.

Holy Rant: Hope

There is no hopeless situation with God.

"Through Him we have confidently entered into this new relationship of grace, and here we take our stand, in happy certainty of the glorious things He has for us in the future."

Romans 5:2 (PHP)

Things aren't hopeless.  Satan isn't winning.  And it isn't all up to me to be some victorious Christian with my amazing faith or acts.  No, the truth is that it's all up to God to work, and that He IS working. I don't have to assume that despair will control me.  Nor do I have to try to fix all my problems.  He is responsible for our life now.  We're in His hands.  And He is doing something good! 

He gives me hope and joy, not as a result of my efforts, but as a grace gift.  My problems may not immediately go away, but they shrink in proportion to the bigness of my God.  I have never been alone. In the Spirit, there is just me and Him in union, and everything is okay in that place.  Nothing can touch that union.  Nothing can touch the perfect way He sees me.  Nothing can affect our relationship.

There is hope in my life. There is the possibility and even the reality of joy and peace, dancing and exuberance. I can embrace life! Life is worth living because He is in it. I am NEVER alone in facing any problem. He is there to fight the fear, the anxiety, the despair, the loneliness, the anguish. He is there in every situation to bring me through. Nothing is difficult for Him; everything is easy! He has already conquered ALL my problems and will bring that victory to light!

A Thought: HE is our hope!

Assessing Based on the Tree of Life

"If the judgment of God on our lives had to be on what we have done or should not do, then He would be submitting Himself to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the very thing He said that we should not do..."

Colin Lagerwall

"The Judge Himself has declared us free from sin."

Romans 8:33

God doesn't judge or assess us based on our DOING. His assessment of us is always based on our BEING. God is not all about the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; God is all about the Tree of Life. Christ is the Tree of Life, the Life of God expressed. We are truly connected to Him, found and sheltered in Him and in loving union with Him, complete and perfect in Him, therefore pure, holy and free from sin at all times. It's so wonderful that God only sees and assesses us in Christ, who is our life, the source of our being!

A Thought: God's assessment of me is not about whether I do good or evil, whether I perform well or not. God's assessment of me is that I am one with Christ and therefore perfect!

Free to Be Real

You are allowed to fail. You are allowed to be real. You are allowed to be you!

"[True] wealth...it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God."

1 Timothy 6:6 (MSG)

We can fail and still be safe and secure with God, for it's all by His grace that we are fine and well and safe, not by our own doing or keeping.  We are free to be ourselves, admit our weaknesses, have problems and issues.  We are free to take risks, free to try new things and sometimes not succeed, free to be fallible and free to be wrong, free to not understand everything, free to even have erroneous beliefs or doctrines about some things.  And free to be human, to be weak, to be emotional, to be real, to be genuine!  For no matter what we do, where our thoughts and acts take us, what lies or traps we fall in, what confusion we have, or what lies we believe, He has saved us, He has accepted us, He has embraced us just as we are.  And therefore we ARE safe, forevermore!

A Thought:  No matter what, I am safe with God.

Road to Heaven

No matter where I find myself, He is always the bedrock under my feet and I am always on the pathway to heaven.

"The Lord will rescue me from all harm and will take me safely to His heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to Him forever! Amen."

2 Timothy 4:18

He has got this whole salvation thing wrapped up in His perfect work and faithfulness!  His is the initiative, His is the work, His is the responsibility, and His is the resolve...so we are safe, we are secure, we are assured that we'll forever be snug and cozily at home with Him!   He will not fail us.  We may think we've just fallen too far to ever come up again, yet right in the deepest pit of all we find that God is there with us.  We suddenly find that by His grace, the pathway that seemed to be going down is actually going up, and the hellhole turns into heaven!  Because HE is there!  HE is with us, no matter where we end up, and HE keeps us.  He makes the dark places light and the crooked places straight, flattens mountains into plains and turns the storm into calm.  No matter what, He makes it all come out for good.  Thus, we cannot get lost, because anywhere we go or even run from Him, there He is, holding us, saving us, blessing us, keeping us, carrying us to heaven!

A thought: No matter what, we are still on the road to heaven.

Powerful Love

"So...'Love never fails...' Doesn't that mean Love DOES win?"

Sarah Anne Howell

"Love never fails."

1 Corinthians 13:8

How powerful His nonviolent, nondemanding, nonjudgmental the Father's love is, how strong is His love that moves, not by force and threat of punishment, but by total, unconditional acceptance and kindness, gentleness and affection! Love is stronger than death. God's weakness and vulnerablity is stronger than any of man's strength to resist His love. And His grace is more powerful and salvific than any power or system that tries to entrap us or keep us down in lies of inferiority, shame or alienation.

Love conquers all...love never fails! Love never bends or breaks down: rather, all things eventually give way to love, all barriers eventually disappear like rocks persistently worn down by waterfalls, waterfalls of grace and tenderness and affection. His kindness leads us to repentance, His grace saves us all, His love pulls every single lost child home, Christ and His cross drags the whole world to Himself!

A Prayer: Love always wins...Love will win all hearts in the end.

God Does Not Recall Our Sins

"At this very moment, your blameless innocence before God is not a goal … it is the reality of what Jesus achieved for you. At this very moment, God is not holding anything against you … in fact Heb 10:17 says “This is final: I have deleted the record of your sins and misdeeds. I no longer recall them.”

Andre Rabe

I will be kind even when they do what is not right, and I will never remember the wrong things they do.' (WE)

Hebrews 8:12

We are to be like God our Father, and God our Father has forgotten our sins.  They are blotted out and never remembered. God is not thinking of our sins at all - they are never on His mind. This is His promise! And since we are to be like God our Father, we too can forgive and forget our sins. We can stop thinking about them, obsessing over them, feeling guilty for them, or trying to fix or stop or make up for them. At the cross Christ deleted our sins and all record of them was erased. Those sins are gone! We are innocent! Let's stop thinking of our sins and start thinking of our blameless innocence in Christ, because that is what God is thinking of today and always!

A Thought: It pleases God when I forget my sins and focus on my righteousness in Christ.

Included in His Love

"Love includes."

Sarah Anne Howell

Your love is a treasure, and everyone finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 36:7

God has never excluded or rejected us, and He never will. He loves us, His dear creations, made in His own image. He always has a heart of loving acceptance towards us. His heart holds the whole world in it, and every single person is held in His embrace. There is a special place for each person on earth in the sheltering love of God. This love doesn't divide people into 'in' and 'out' or 'accepted' and 'rejected.' This love includes everyone, is open and friendly to everyone, sends blessings on everyone, takes care of everyone - both the just and the unjust. You are included in God's loving embrace. You have your own special place of shelter under His protective wings, just like a little chick snuggling up to its mother hen. You have just as much right to be with God and under His care as anyone else on this planet. It is your birthright as a human being to be loved and adored and helped by God!

A Thought: God has always included us all in His family, in His love, in His blessing, in His heart!

Enjoying Union

We are in union with Him who IS Life.

He Himself has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5

We are always in His presence!
We are in perfect and intimate communion.
We are never alone or abandoned but always with Him.
We enjoy unbroken fellowship!
We enjoy the smile of God upon us at all times.
We enjoy complete acceptance and unconditional love.
We enjoy His beautiful, wonderful, joy-filled and happy-making Presence at all times.
Face to face with Him!
Our spirit and His Spirit are one forever. 

Forget about sin, failure and struggle.  In His eyes, it's gone.  

Enjoy the union! 

A Prayer: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your indescribable gift of Yourself, Your very Spirit, to be with one with us always!  Your presence alone gives us rest!  Nothing will ever separate us from Your presence. We will never be apart from You.   Thank You, Lord!

Holy Rant: Peace

God is our peace forever.

Jesus said, "MY peace I give you."  (John 14:27)

Let's testify and have a holy rant about God's peace in us: "My peace in Him CAN'T be removed.  In Him I AM at peace!  He has a covenant of peace with me that won't be removed - He promised.  (Is. 54:10)  His promise of peace for me will never be broken!  His peace not only surrounds me, it's in every fiber of my being and it guards my heart, pushing back every fear and lie and anxiety.  His peace is a wall around me.  I am at peace with God because of the finished work of Christ who took away ALL my sin forevermore, and NOTHING can change that!  Nothing I do, think, say, or feel will ever come between us.  I'm acceptable forever because of Jesus.  HE is my peace!"  

A Thought: Christ is being peaceful in me, holding me in His peace, right now and always.

Holy Rant: Joy

God's joy in us lasts forever.

Jesus said, "You will rejoice, and NO ONE will take away your joy."  (John 16:22)

Let's testify and have a holy rant about the Peace of God that we HAVE forever in Christ: "My joy in Him CAN'T be taken away!  I'm happy in Jesus forever, and that's untouchable.  No circumstance, problem or evil can ever touch my joy in Christ.  It is my permanent possession because it's HIS joy in me.  He looks on me and sees someone He's perfected forever, His dear child and the apply of His eye.  He's happy with what He made - me!  He's smiling at me RIGHT NOW and that is a joy to me!  My Jesus is delighted in me forever and He's sticking with me forever.  Nothing can break that up!  My emotions can go up and down and life can be crazy, but that's all only on the surface.  Under the surface in my spirit is a deep calm joy in HIM!" 

A Thought: His presence in me makes me full of joy!

Being Kind Is Our Nature

You are a kind person.

"As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience."

Colossians 3:12

We all want to be nicer people, but we can all see areas where we are not kind. We may put ourselves down for being selfish or uncaring, rude or judgmental sometimes. But God doesn't see us as selfish and uncaring! He sees us as made in His good image of love and kindness. It's our nature to be kind, even though sometimes we act in the opposite way! We can all think back to a time in early childhood when we showed tenderheartedness and love, whether it was for a beloved pet, a parent or grandparent, or a friend. That is our true self - a little child full of innocent love and sweetness. We are tender-hearted and kind just like our heavenly Dad, and He remembers and sees us that way even if we have forgotten and started to act otherwise! Christ has come to show us who we are as God made us and to fully liberate us to act according to that true, God-given good nature within. Knowing His love for us empowers us to just go out and be ourselves in kindness, generosity, and acceptance towards those around us.

A Thought My heavenly Dad is holding me in His lap right now, reminding me that I'm His good and beloved little child, and that it is my nature to be kind!

At Rest

We are resting in His love.

"My soul finds rest in God alone."

Psalm 62:1

We are at rest in God right now. No matter what the turmoil of our feelings and thoughts, deeper than that is our spirit, resting in God. At our deepest core, we are one with God's Spirit, face to face with Him, being loved and being held, totally at rest. We are resting in Him, having all of His love, favor, and support without having to strive for any of it. There is nowhere to go, nothing to strive for. We are already at the destination and we already have everything. We're not struggling with God and He's not struggling with us. God is at rest in us and we are at rest in God. All is at rest and all is well.

A Thought: No matter what I'm feeling, no matter what I'm thinking, deep down I am always in the most peaceful place of all - God's arms.

The Easy Life

"The Christian life is easy - I just let Him live it."  

Source Unknown

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose."

Philippians 2:13

Nobody can live the Christian life.  Nobody but Christ.

We were never meant to live this life on our own, by our efforts, or even with His help.  We were meant to express His life, which means to me that He lives it through us.  It looks like us.  But it's Him flowing through.

The Christian life is easy if I don't have to live it.  It's easy if I don't have to stop sinning on my own power.  It's easy if I don't have to figure out every detail of my life's direction.  It's easy if I don't have to handle my problems.  It's easy if I can rest.  It's easy if He lives it for me, as me.  It looks like me.  But it's Him.

I think we are constantly being brought back to the reality that we can't live this Christ-Life, but that He can and will.  I find He constantly brings me back to looking to Him within to handle every problem, every situation, every temptation, every fear or worry that comes, every decision.

There is nobody in us but HIM.  The evil one isn't there, our sin is dead and gone and not there, the old man isn't there.  He alone fills this cup.  He will pour out!

The Christian life is easy when we let HIM live it!  Because Jesus can handle anything.  Easily!

A Prayer:   Jesus, You will have to handle this life of mine.  Because I see, and You've taught me, that I can't handle it.  Praise You that I was never meant to.  I am not an independent agent, out there to fend for myself.  I am ever linked to You!  Yoked together, we are so ONE in spirit that we're inseparable.  You will have to live this life.  And because we're yoked together, I will be living it too, but we'll both know that I'm only a vessel.  The wine is You.  The Life is You.  You are the One who does it all!

He Carries Me

I used to try to lug around Jesus. Now I see He carries me.

"Throughout your entire journey, until you reached this very place, the Lord your God has carried you just as a parent carries a child."

Deut. 1:31 (CEB)

I used to try to get myself closer to Him or seek to keep Him close.
Now I see He is with me, never to leave.

I used to try to maintain my Christian life and my faith.
Now I see He maintains all in me.

I used to try to keep myself from falling.
Now I see He keeps me.

I used to think this life was all up to me.
Now I see it's all up to Him.

I used to feel so alone in my problems.
Now I see He's with me to handle all my problems.

I used to try so hard to pry my eyes off the storm and onto Jesus.
Now I see He by grace pulls my gaze to Him.

I used to try so hard to get over all my struggles.
Now I see He HAS overcome for me and will manifest that victory.

I used to try to do it all.
Now I see I can trust Him to do it all.

I used to try to walk on the water by myself, all alone.
Now He holds my hand and we walk over the waves together!

A Thought: God takes care of everything.

Sunshiny Day

He wakes us from a dark, rainy night to to a bright, sunshiny day!

"With God on our side like this, how can we lose?" (Rom. 8:31 MSG)

God in His grace has a way of clearing the air, doesn't He?  We learn that all we ever wanted and hoped and often worked for is ours for FREE through Christ's perfect work.  We realize we now have the love and acceptance and freedom and life we've been searching for all our lives.  We find ourselves under the blue sky of God's presence and love!  I think He loves waking us up to what we already have in Christ.  I think He loves seeing us open our eyes to the bright sunshine, realizing we're not in the dark anymore ever again!  I think He loves breaking away every lie to show us we now have God's very Life inside, which automatically trumps every sin, problem, fear, and evil.  We are IN Life and we're never going out!  

A Thought: He has made it an eternal sunshiny day for us in the spiritual realm, where we are seated with Him in the heavenly places forever!

Normal

Focus on new creation reality.

"Now, in the light of your co-inclusion in His death and resurrection, whoever you thought you were before, in Christ you are a brand new person! The old ways of seeing yourself and everyone else are over. Acquaint yourself with the new!"

2 Corinthians 5:17 (MB)

We are normal. Not broken, or messed up, or damaged. Whatever we thought was wrong with us was taken down into the grave with Christ and it didn't come up! But we came up out of the grave with Him, fresh and clean and new. We are simply new creations in Christ, and that is all we are! We are good, strong, full, clear-minded, loving, complete, and solid. We have a spirit of power, love and a sound mind, not one of weakness or fear. We are on top of any problem, not under it. We are well and whole, not broken down. We are just as Christ is. All that He is, we are, because we are in Him and He is in us. We are actually seated with Him in heaven. That's how great things are for us. We are normal!

A Thought: There is nothing wrong with me; everything is all right with me!

In His Eyes

When we dare to look into His eyes, we find only love there!

"And Jesus, looking at him, loved him." 

Mark 10:21 (ESV)

He's looking at us right now, loving us. What do we see in His eyes? In His eyes, we see the endless affection He has for all the world.  In His eyes, we see the delight He feels when He looks at us. In His eyes, we see His infinite compassion for all our pain and suffering. In His eyes, we see the beauty of unconditional love. In His eyes, we see that the Father is all kindness and no wrath, all light and no dark.  In His eyes, we see the tenderness and vulnerability of His wide open heart towards us. In His eyes, we see ourselves, just as He has always seen and known us, His innocent little children simply needing love. In His eyes, we see we are like Him, in His image and likeness, beautiful and pure. In His eyes, we see we have always been His own dear ones and always will be. In His eyes, we see we are one with Him and will never be alone or forsaken. In His eyes, we see we are safe, nurtured, comforted, and held for all eternity. He's looking at us right now, loving us!

A Thought: In His eyes I see how much I am loved.

Free from Sin

Because of Christ we have no association with sin.

"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."

Romans 6:18 (NIV)

Free from sin! We died to sin with Christ and are now alive to righteousness.  That means we don't have to sin if we don't want to. And the good news is, we don't want to! We are in God's image of love and goodness, and we naturally hate sin and love righteousness. We are free from sin, not enslaved to it, not bound to it, not at its mercy, not helpless before it. We are actually slaves to righteousness. We WILL be be righteous. We just can't resist it! It's our very nature to trust, to love, to be a good person. And not only that, we are seated with Christ in heavenly places right now. We rule and reign with Christ. We reign in life, we rule over sin, we are master over it in Christ. We naturally say no to sin and yes to goodness and kindness. And the Holy Spirit rises up in us to affirm and express that, in power and love and peace!

A Thought: Because Christ has a hold on me, sin has NO hold on me!

Living in Union

Inside my skin, there are two - Christ and me - face to face at all times, moving as one, going through life together, in constant companionship and love. Inside my skin, there are two, yet we are one.

"God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 6:23 (GNT)

We are living life in union with Him! In union, there is no distance between the two. They are perfectly united as one. In union, there is no barrier, no distance, no separation. Nothing is ever amiss or off-kilter. The two are knit together as 'one heart' in unity, transparency, mutuality, sharing and real communion! Christ is in union with us in our spirit, spirit to Spirit we are bonded as one, and nothing can ever come between us! We are safe, we are melded with Him, we are so close together that we are IN each other!

A Thought: I am one with Christ, so close that we are one heart, one mind, one life!

His Spacious Heart

 

There's room in His heart for all the universe, and room in His heart for me.

"He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—He is supreme in the end. From beginning to end He’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmony.."

Colossians 1:18-20 (MSG)

There is room for us in His great big heart..room for all our problems...room for all our doubts...room for all our questions...room for all our inconsistencies...room for all our pain...rooms for all our worries..Absolutely anything and everything that concerns us is welcomed, embraced and healed in the great big heart of Christ. In fact, He is holding and healing the whole of creation in His beautiful heart right now!

A Thought: He holds us in His heart.

No Record

 God never thinks about sin when He thinks about you!

"Love keeps no record of wrongs."

1 Corinthians 13:5b

We see our sins and we feel guilt, shame, and regret. We feel we deserve to be punished. We fear God's judgment and anger. But even though we may think about our sins a lot, God isn't thinking about them. God is Love, and love keeps no record of wrongs. God doesn't have His mind on evil. God has His mind on good. He isn't seeing evil when He thinks of you; He is only seeing good, because you are made in His image of love. If you feel you deserve punishment for what you've done, look to Jesus and take His death as yours. Let that be enough 'punishment.' God doesn't need that punishment, that sacrifice for sin. It was we who needed it, and He graciously allowed us to take Christ's death as such, so we could deal with our guilt and shame. But God, Love, always loves and accepts us and does not keep a record of wrongs. So why would He punish them? Why would He judge them? Why would He even need to forgive us, since He keeps no record of our wrongs at all! Our failures don't exist to God! He only sees the person He made, in His image of Love, and nothing we do can change that!  As Julian of Norwich wrote, "What a powerful love that no trespass can break!"

A Thought: God takes no account of my wrongs. He only takes account of His love for me!

Healing Love

"I was so messed up and broken. I expected God's wrath. But all I got was His love, and that's what changed me!"

Susannah St. John

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!"

Isaiah 30:18

God's justice isn't like the human way of justice. God's justice is part of His love, and His way of doing justice is to heal us with His love. No matter what we do, no matter what regrets we have, His love embraces us, engulfs us in tenderness and kindness, with grace and compassion.  He is not judging us but rather accepting us. This acceptance that comes to us no matter what we have done, heals us!  He is not about punishing wrongs but about righting wrongs by healing hearts! His love reaches deep into our hearts and mends all the broken places, heals all the wounded places.  What a wonderful justice to be healed by love!

A Thought: Your love heals all my hurting places.

God's Spitting Image

We are in God's image and likeness and the mirror image of Christ.

"He already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children."

Romans 8:29 (GW)

I had a dream. In this dream I was holding my little child, a tiny little girl, and I was saying, let's just look at you! And I looked into her face and she looked just like I did as a baby! I mean I could have been looking at my own photo from those baby days - she had the same hair, same eyes, same expression, everything. And I was so proud, my heart swelled with joy, I felt such a connection to this little one, and I loved her so much..I ADORED her! And I was thinking, she's my spitting image!

If He sees us anything like I saw that child in my arms in the dream, He must ADORE us! I just feel the intense love He has for us, the pride and joy He has when He looks at us. When He sees us He sees someone He ADORES just as much as He ADORES Christ our Brother! We bear the family likeness; we are His spitting image!

A Thought: God sees Himself in me because I am in His image.

Inner Light

The true Light, God Himself, is shining within us.

"God is shining in our hearts to let us know that His glory is seen in Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:6 (CEV)

The Quakers call Christ inside the Inner Light. He is a Light inside us that can't be extinguished, a Light that has already overcome all darkness. He is a Light that will always guide us from within and light our path all the way home. He is the Light of pure Love that has no darkness in Him - He is only kindness, friendliness, and goodness, with no trace of evil or wrath. This beautiful Light, Christ Himself, is there within, His face glowing with glorious radiance, shining forth and waiting for us to remember that He has been here with us all along, He loves us like noone else, and He will never ever leave us.

A Thought: I am filled with the Light of God, not any darkness.

Within Us

Christ is within every person, like a seed waiting in the soil, till the water of the Word comes to give each one the message of "Christ in you, the hope of glory!" 

"He was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so I could proclaim Him in the nations."

Galatians 1:16

Little children seem to instinctively know God is with them and seem to find it easy to trust God. They seem to know what adults often forget - that God is in us. Paul said that God revealed Christ in him, not separate from or outside of him. And Paul said he wanted to proclaim Christ in the nations, that is, in everyone. We can look at ourselves and at every person and see that Christ is within. He is not far from each of us. We live and breathe in Him, and we also find Him deep within us, in our heart of hearts, where He waits to be seen and experienced, waits to burst forth in love for us and abundant life through us!

A Thought: Christ waits to be revealed and known in every person.