Our Defender

"Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He has overcome all the negativity. He has already overcome everything that is against you in the world."

Graham Cooke

"My God is my protection, and with Him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; He defends me and keeps me safe."

Psalm 18:2 (GNT)

I used to always feel like I was going through all my troubles alone.  I felt so vulnerable.  I felt like I could get squashed by some crisis at any moment.  I felt like I was always getting overwhelmed by fear, anxiety and trouble. I felt I was in a boxing ring without any gloves, a puny little runt standing there facing a giant.

But God renewed my mind with His wonderful Spirit.  He showed me that I am not alone.  I am not vulnerable!  I am not alone in that ring.  In fact, Someone has entered the ring to fight for me on my side, a Super Gigantic Giant God is with me that makes the 'giant' problem I'm facing appear small.  He is there, a Strong Advocate, to defend me against the 'giants' that come against me.  In fact, according to Him the fight is already over and He won! As Romans 8:31 says in The Message translation, "With God on our side like this, how can we lose?"

I have learned that the word for the Holy Spirit, Paraclete, means advocate, or one who comes by our side to take our part.  He comes to enforce the victory He already won for us.  To uphold our end and be our strength for us.  This makes me feel so safe, secure, and loved -  not helpless anymore or vulnerable.  It makes me feel like laughing at the enemy! 

A Thought; There is Someone with us, to fight for us, to stand up for us, to defend us, to give us hope, to lift our burdens and carry them for us, to keep us when we can't keep ourselves, to bring us through, to be what we could never be in and through us, to laugh and cause us to celebrate, because the victory is already won! 

Our Shepherd

Jesus takes care of me.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

Psalm 23:1

Sometimes it is good to put scripture in our own words in order to see it in a fresh way. Here is Psalm 23 in my own words:

He takes the best care of me.

I never lack, I'm complete in Him.
He causes me to rest in the green meadows of His grace,
He brings me to float peacefully in the river of His love.
He gives me back my life and I feel renewed just being with Him.
Even in the worst situation, there's really nothing to fear
Because You're there with me.
You put Your arm around me and comfort me, make me feel safe and secure.
You've put so many blessings into my life, I feel like a princess at a banquet..
Even in the midst of opposition - opposition can't stop Your blessings from being upon me!
You shower me with love and accept me as I am,
I feel greatly loved, my life overflowing with You!
Your goodness and grace will be upon me always,
And I'll always be with You, at home in Your heart!

A Thought: Thank You for supporting me in every possible way!

Nothing Is Wrong, Everything Is Right

Even when we feel that something is wrong with us or that something is wrong between us and God, God is reminding us of reality - that nothing is wrong, and that everything is right!

"And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and reach full spiritual stature]." 

Colossians 2:10 (AMPC)

Let's have a holy rant: Nothing is wrong with me - I am PERFECT before Him, since by one sacrifice Christ perfected me forever! 

And nothing is wrong with the relationship between God and me - Jesus has brought me into this grace in which I stand.  That's where I always am, in a perfect grace relationship with God.  Actually, I have been put into the midst of the relationship of the Father and the Son - now THAT'S a perfect relationship, one that is never lacking or "off" in any way!

There's nothing missing, nothing "off", nothing lacking, nothing incomplete between God and me.

I am perfect and complete before Him, in a perfect and complete relationship!  Whether I always feel it, realize it, experience it, or not!

Because of Christ, NOTHING is wrong with us and EVERYTHING is right with us!

Because of Christ NOTHING is wrong with our relationship with God and EVERYTHING is right with our relationship with God!

We walk around today as perfectly loved and perfectly righteous saints in a perfect relationship with the God who perfectly acts on our behalf!

We've got it so good...  Oh, what a happy gospel!  That means when I have those old lying feelings of lack and condemnation, I can just rejoice in the truth that EVERYTHING is really fine between God and me.  I can just ignore those lies and keep enjoying the perfect fellowship I have with Him in the Spirit, because that fellowship hasn't been disrupted or changed at all, no matter what thoughts or feelings may have insinuated.  I love it!  Thank You, Lord, for reminding me of this..

We are living in the Spirit in PERFECT fellowship with Him today.  There is nothing between us.  We are so bonded with Him that we are ONE forever.  Our Perfect Friend is in perfect relationship with us forever. Nothing is wrong; everything is right!

A Thought: Thank You, Holy Spirit, for being that perfect, always understanding, always present, always uplifting, always loving friend to us!  You never stop pouring out that waterfall of love and grace upon us!  Hallelujah!

Our Origin

"Man began in God. You are the greatest idea that God has ever had!"

Francois du Toit

"...Adam, the son of God."

Luke 3:38 (NIV)

Who do we come from? We are the human race and say we are sons of Adam. But scripture tells us that we go back farther than that, for Adam was the son of God. We are from God! He is our source, origin, and ultimate father. We were created in Christ Jesus and partake of His nature. We are in the image and likeness of God and truly His children. Our origin isn't dust, or atoms, or stars, for it is truly divine, coming from the mind and being of God. So we can see that we truly belong to God and truly have a good nature of love, just like our heavenly Dad! We can know that we have dignity, worth, beauty and goodness, for we are children of the Most High God, we are royalty. We come from God, exist in God, and are always connected to God! We are thus connected with all Christ (God incarnate) did, and we are pulled along with Him through His death, resurrection and ascension. All that He has flows to us and all that He did applies to us. He is the true head of the human race, not really Adam at all. He defines us, so we are not defined ultimately by Adam's sin but by Christ's righteousness! We are not just earthly beings, we are also heavenly beings and heaven is our true home. Since we are all tied and connected to Him, Christ draws us all back to our home inevitably. What an origin we have in God, and what a destiny we have in God! We can truly celebrate that we are of God!

A Thought: My origin is in God.

Bubbling Up Inside Us

"Life is extraordinary! Even in the saddest of times, there's a joy that runs deeper. In the darkest, we're lit from within! In the angriest, there's beautiful mercy, and in grief, there's resounding joy. In the most trying of times, there's abounding, exceeding grace, empowered by a God who fuels us. There may be a reason to be downtrodden, but frankly, I prefer to dance!"

Therese Reece

"He will fill you with refreshment even when you are in a dry, difficult place. He will continually restore strength to you, so you will flourish."

Isaiah 58:11 (TPT)

He is bubbling up inside us like a fresh, pure spring of refreshment. All through life we find He has always been there inside us. He has been there in every moment, whether we sensed Him or not. In the times of sorrow He has comforted us. In the happy times He has celebrated with us. He has had just the right word to calm our anxiety. He has carried us through the challenges. And in the coldest moments when we felt nothing inside at all, He was still there with us like a friend who sits with us in silence, just being there with us. He is the still small voice that keeps reminding us of His love and nearness. He is the living water that just keeps on bubbling up within us, always abundant, always refreshing, sustaining us through every moment of our lives, strengthening us with His joy, His love, His life!

A Thought: His life in me is triumphant over everything.

Love is the Whole Purpose of God

"In love did He bring the world into existence; in love does He guide it during this its temporal existence; in love is He going to bring it to that wondrous transformed state, and in love will the world be swallowed up in the great mystery of Him who has performed all things; in love will the whole course of the governance of creation be finally comprised." 

Isaac the Syrian (c. 613 - c. 700)

"And in LOVE he chose us before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great LOVE, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with an unstained innocence. For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous LOVE that cascades over us would glorify his grace —for the same LOVE he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure!"

Ephesians 1:4-6 (TPT)

Love was God's whole purpose for bringing this world into existence, for bringing us into existence. He planned to lift us up into the family circle of the Trinity, to share in the life of the Godhead. He planned to shower love on us, to enjoy fellowship with us, to have a family that included us. He had such wonderful hopes and dreams for us all, and they all come true through Christ! His finished work of salvation brought eternal life to us all and the joy of knowing God face to face as His innocent children forever. He will manifest the wonderful love He has for us every moment for all eternity. He did it all for us, and He did it all for love! Love is the ultimate meaning behind it all. Love that always delights in us, love that always embraces us, love that always values us. We will know His beautiful, tender, infinite, joyous, perfect, heavenly love forever!

A Thought: All He wants to do is love us forever!

He Is Salvation

Salvation is not a system or a doctrine; salvation is a Person.

"God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life."

1 John 5:11-12 (ESV)

God gave us the Son. Christ came to us, became incarnate, made Himself one with us in the flesh. We have the Son. So we have the life. We have eternal life, life knowing God, life in union with God. To have Him is to have salvation. Salvation isn't a plan or belief system. It is a Person. He is one with us, He is in relationship with us on the inside of us. We don't have to worry about believing all the right things or maintaining good works or anything like that. It's not about all that. It is just about Him! We have the Person, Jesus Christ. So we have salvation, we have life. He is the Life in us. He is the peace in us. He is the joy in us. He is the security in us. Because we have Him, we have all that. Because we have Him, we are safe. 

A Thought: Because I have You, Jesus, everything is alright!

Dear to God

Do we really know how dear we are to Him?

“My dear, dear son, my child in whom I take pleasure! Every time I mention his name, my heart bursts with longing for him! Everything in me cries out for him. Softly and tenderly I wait for him.” GOD’s Decree."

Jeremiah 31:20 (MSG)

He is the One who watches over us while we sleep. He is the One who cries with us when we are sad and celebrates with us when we are happy. He is the hand on our shoulder when we feel alone. He is the One who sends us flowers on our daily walks and rainbows after the Spring rain just to make us smile. He is the One who loves to hear all our thoughts and laughs at all our jokes. He is the One who can't stop thinking about us, whose heart flips at the mention of our name, who loves being with us. He is the best Father, the best Friend, the best Companion one could ever have. Do we really know how dear we are to Him?

A Thought: Right now, you are adored by God.

The Spirit at the Center of the Universe

"I believe that at the center of the universe there dwells a loving spirit who longs for all that's best in all of creation, a spirit who knows the great potential of each planet as well as each person, and little by little will love us into being more than we ever dreamed possible. That loving spirit would rather die than give up on any one of us."

Fred Rogers, Life's Journeys According to Mister Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way

"Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone."

Ephesians 1:12 (MSG)

God, who is Love, is the secret center of the universe and all of history, and He is working out His beautiful love plans for all of us. Plans for a future so bright and wonderful, plans for joy and love and happiness, plans for communing together with Him and having fellowship with others, plans for living in His glory! He won't give up until that future comes true for us. He will keep loving us, blessing us, wooing us, supporting us, helping us, till He brings that glorious future to pass. He wants us to fully experience the love union that is our birthright as His children in fullness of joy. He's working this plan out in everyone and everything, bringing everyone and everything to the best possible state and best possible life. He wouldn't be happy till that happened for every one of us. We have everything to look forward to in Him!

A Thought: Because Love is at the center of it all, everything will be the very best it possibly could be for us!

Heaven on Earth

"When I think about heaven, it is a state in which we are so greatly loved that there is no fear and doubt and disillusionment and anxiety. It's where people truly look at you with the eyes of Jesus - the eyes of an advocate who sees you as good, valuable, and lovable."

Fred Rogers

'Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Matthew 6:10 (NIV)

Heaven is a place of complete safety and lack of fear. Everyone is accepted, loved and cherished, and honored. Everyone is treated well. Noone feels left out or misunderstood. Pure love saturates the heavenly atmosphere. And we are already part of that reality in Christ and can spread that reality here on earth. We can treat others with kindness and dignity. We can accept others as beautiful creations of God and look on others with the eyes of Jesus, seeing them as good and worthy of care. We can share the love of Christ and speak the words of Christ to people, words that uplift and encourage. We can give a taste of heaven to people here on earth!

A Thought: When I love people, I am bringing heaven to earth.

Holy Appreciation

I believe that appreciation is a holy thing - that when we look for what's best in a person we happen to be with at the moment, we're doing what God does all the time. So in loving and appreciating our neighbor, we're participating in something sacred."

Fred Rogers

"Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."

Romans 12:10 (TLB)

We are accepted, included, appreciated, loved, safe and well no matter what. This is the gospel! This is the message we all need to hear so badly.

This good news is the most healing and life-transforming message in the world, for it fills our deepest need to be loved and accepted and valued. Once we find out how loved we are, we can relax, we are okay, we feel the pain start to subside. For we are not alone, we are accepted in our mess, we don't have to be perfect, we are embraced, we are special, we are safe. We are even beautiful and special in the midst of our mess. And we can start to see others that way as well and let them off the hook - they don't have to be perfect either, they are okay  and beautiful even in their mess as well. For perfect behavior is not required in the presence of Perfect Love; Perfect Love doesn't even look at behavior. Noone has got it all together, but we are all special, we are all equally valuable, we are all His dear children, we are all one in Him.  We are all in this journey together, walking along with Him together. We can appreciate each other, celebrate each other and encourage each other. We can value each other, see the best in each other, see God in each other, because we are all one big family of God, all beloved children of God. We're in a 'holy appreciation society' where we just appreciate each person for their uniqueness and belovedness, because of how healing is love is for us. Judging goes out the window when acceptance flows in! Everything else melts away in the presence of the One who is Perfect, Unconditional LOVE. In His loving gaze, we see the ultimate value in ourselves and every other person. And all that flows out of us and among us is love.

A Thought: Thank You, Papa! I love the way You heal our hearts with Your grace and love!

Building Ourselves Up

God always has a good word for us!

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

God asks us to always build people up instead of tearing them down, because that is how He is. Every meeting with God is uplifting! Every word He speaks to us brings life and healing. He always builds us up, never tears us down. And Christ within us is doing the same thing, building up people, saying uplifting and encouraging words to each person we meet. And Christ is doing that within us, saying kind and uplifting words to us always. So along with Christ we can speak to ourselves kindly, never putting ourselves down or demeaning ourselves but always building ourselves up. We can speak good words to ourselves, saying "You are important and valuable. There's nothing wrong with you. You are never alone. You are always loved. You are a good person. You are God's child. You are beautiful just as you are."

A Thought: I will build myself up because that is Christ-like - that is what Christ does with everyone, including me!

Loving Ourselves as God Does

It's okay to forgive yourself, to be kind to yourself, to love yourself. In doing so, you are being just like God.

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." 

Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)

We are called to be kind and loving, tenderhearted and forgiving, because that is how God is towards us. He looks at us so tenderly and is so gentle and kind with us. He has freely forgiven us all our sins and has such understanding and compassion for us. Together with Christ, we can love and forgive others, and we can even love ourselves, be tender to ourselves, be gentle with ourselves, forgive ourselves. We can say to ourselves, "Hey, it's okay that you just blew it. I love you and I'll stick with you. I understand why you acted that way. I know you have been through a lot and I care about what hurts you. I understand. I just want you to know I'm here for you and accept you as you are. You are safe and you are known and you are loved."

A Thought: I have compassion on myself for all I have been through, and I forgive myself for all I have failed at. 

Loving with Unconditional Love

We can embrace every part of ourselves because God does.

"We love because He first loved us."

1 John 4:19 (NIV)

God invites us to love with unconditional, perfect love..THAT is exactly how HE loves..how HE loves US!  God loves us with His whole heart, His whole soul, with all of His mind, and with all of His strength..with all that He is..He loves us as Himself. 

Wow!   He loves the hurting and wounded people, loves the littlest and the least, loves the ones others have forgotten, even loves the one we try most to forget and deny, the part of ourselves that we may call 'enemy,' the part we are ashamed of and may despise or try to hide- our own needy, helpless, hurting and hurtful selves!  He loves that part of us that is wounded and little and lashing out in fear and bitterness, who has forgotten how to love, forgotten what it ever felt like to be loved..that is the one He loves, the one we think is our 'true inner selfish self'...when in reality it is only the hurting and confused and tormented mind, not the deepest part of ourselves at all. Who we are at our core is part of God, one with God, and therefore always perfectly lovable and loving!  

We love with an infinite, unconditional love because that is Who we came from and are part of, that is how we were always loved and always will be loved, that is the swaddling blanket we are eternally wrapped in, that is the core of our existence, that is the hub of our universe and the center upon which all of time and eternity is grounded..that LOVE is WHO WE ARE, Who we came from, and Where we are going to be forever! 

A Thought: He loves all of us, every part of us, in sunshine and shadow, waking or sleeping, rising or falling, living or dying..HE loves us and holds us and that is the ground of our whole lives.   

Carried

The message of grace says to me that whatever you do or have done, wherever you go or have been, whoever you are or have become, it doesn't matter, because no matter what, God carries you, and He will carry you all the way home.

"Since the day you were born, I have carried you along. I will still be the same when you are old and gray, and I will take care of you. I created you. I will carry you and always keep you safe."

Isaiah 46:3-4 (CEV)

You never did have to carry yourself or your life..this life was never 'all up to you,' was never in your hands to 'make or break.'  That's law, anyways, and HE has always been Grace!  He has always had your life in His hand, always had the end safely wrapped up from the beginning. You could never have messed this up!  You have never been in any real danger.  You have always been SAFE in His arms.  This God has been our Home for all eternity, from all eternity TO all eternity!  From everlasting to everlasting He is our God, the God who carries us, who daily bears our burdens, who believes all good things about us, who never lets us down, who is faithful and true even if we are not, who never fails even when we fail!  

So what if we fail!  When we fall, we fall right into His strong arms, for underneath us are the everlasting arms, holding us up no matter what!  It was never up to us to fail or succeed, or even believe or doubt - it was always up to God, who shows mercy, compassion, heartfelt love and kindness that never ends but is new every morning, surer than sunrise!  It was always all about Him, and HE never quits, never gives in, never fails..He is the Love that lasts forever, goes on without end!  If it were up to us, things would be in doubt..but since it is up to God, it's DONE!  Love never fails!  Love is always there to catch us, hold us, bring us through anything..Love always will always carry us through!

A Thought: I have always been safe in His hand and I always will be.

God as a Little Baby

He is as gentle as a baby with us.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7 (KJV)

When God wanted to reveal Himself to us in our world, He wrapped Himself in the soft folds of baby skin, coming as the most lovable, innocent, sweet and non-threatening being you could imagine - a newborn baby, a little tiny baby! 

A baby couldn't harm anyone. He came to show us He means us no harm.  Love does no harm.  He came to show us He loves us, He just loves us, He ONLY loves us.  That His plans are always good, to give us hope and a future, NEVER to harm us or hurt us. 

A baby has no agenda.  God came to show He has no agenda from us. He doesn't want anything from us.  He's not exacting, demanding, or pushy.  He is good and kind.  He just wants to be our friend.

A baby is non-threatening.  God wants us to know we are in a safe place with Him.  Safe in His arms.  We are safe with Him.  Secure and wrapped in love.

A baby is endearing.  God is so endearing.  So attractive and sweet!  He is the most delightful, happy-making, smile-bringing being we could ever meet!  All He does is bring laughter and joy and delight, just like a baby's laugh brings delight to us when we hear it!

A baby is innocent and pure.  God is so pure.  There's no dark side to Him.  His words, actions and ways with us have to hidden agenda.  He wants nothing from us, loves with no expectations or conditions, gives asking nothing in return.  He is simply pure light in a radiance of love for us, pure joy in His delight with us, pure grace in His generosity towards us, pure cherishing in His care for us.

A baby is lovable.  Vulnerable.  Open and friendly.  Sweet and gentle.  Soft and pure.  A delight and a joy.  A treasure.  God is all these things and more!  Our God is so lovable, gentle and soft.  He's so delightful and fun and happy.  He such a treasure!

A baby is the expectation for new life, for long and happy life, for a beautiful future together as a family.  God gives us that same hope and expectation.  He came as a baby to bring us a smile, a hope, a joy, a life better than we ever had before, a life in the family of God forever!

A Thought: He chose to be a vulnerable baby to show us He means us only good, not harm!

Infected with Life

Christ infects us with life!

"A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy."

Matthew 8:2-3 (NIV)

When a leper came up to Jesus, Jesus reached out and touched him. And the leper didn't contaminate or taint or infect Him..He infected the leper with perfect health! Jesus' life trumps all forms of sin, corruption and death. He dissolves death and sickness and pain and impurity whenever He touches it. Because of the incarnation where Christ joined with our human flesh, He has absorbed and dissolved all our sin, pain, suffering, brokenness and death, and we are filled with all Christ has - holiness, life, understanding, wholeness, wellness, and strength.

A Thought: Christ joined Himself with humanity, infecting us all with life and purity and wholeness!

Announcing Freedom

The good news is the announcement that He has saved and delivered and freed us!

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has chosen Me to bring good news to the poor. He sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come for the Lord to save His people."

Luke 4:18-19 (EASY)

Jesus quoted from Isaiah a prophecy about the Messiah's deliverance and then said that the prophecy had just been fulfilled as He read it! The kingdom had come, the Messiah had come, deliverance had come! Jesus had not even started His earthly ministry yet, but just by being present He brought salvation and deliverance to all humankind. He joined with humanity in the incarnation, taking on flesh, and thus united God and man and brought all His righteousness, healing and life to man, while also dissolving all sin, oppression, and brokenness. We have the Son! And whoever has the Son has life, and has it more abundantly! He is here and that means all is well and whole and safe! We are delivered, we can see, we are freed, we are healed, we are alive, we are saved, in and through Christ Jesus our Lord!

A Thought: Jesus is present, all is well.

Forever Family

"God is love. Jesus united Himself to mankind and brought us up into His relationship with Abba in the fellowship of Holy Spirit. This is the life I was looking for. Turns out I was IN their Triune love the entire time. You are INCLUDED too....You can be authentic here without judgment. All are welcome. Here we are concerned about love alone not how people behave."

Matt Anglin

"Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you."

John 14:19-20 (NLT)

Through the resurrection, Jesus brought humanity into His resurrection life with the Father and Holy Spirit. What kind of life have we been brought up into? It's a wonderful family circle, a place of true belonging and true other-centered love. It's a place of no judgment or shame, a place of complete acceptance. It's a place of love and healing, not criticism and blame. It's a place of joy and laughter, of smiles and real happiness. It's a place of security and overflowing abundance. It's a real home, it's a party, it's a family. It's what we've always longed for, the life we've always wanted. We're included in the very warmth and intimacy and mutual adoration that the Father and Son have. We find that the Son is in the Father, and we are in the Son, and He is in us! We are truly IN with no way to be out, forever, and even more, we find we have always been IN, since forever! And all we will ever know is love, forever!

A Thought: I am in the family I have always wanted. I belong here and always have!

No Fear of Punishment

"You can feel safe and secure in the Arms of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

Matt Anglin

"Love will never invoke fear. Perfect love expels fear, particularly the fear of punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been completed in love."

1 John 4:18 (VOICE)

God is perfect love. And love expels fear, especially the fear of punishment. Love expels fear of punishment because love doesn't punish. Wow! Love doesn't punish! God, who is perfect Love, all love and only love, does not punish. He doesn't do anything that would cause us to fear Him. He is always taking away fear, never causing it. That means we are truly safe with God!

A Thought: I never have to be afraid of God because He will never harm me, send evil on me, or punish me. He is love, and love doesn't do that.

Finished Work

"The evangelion of God (which we call gospel, and New Testament) [is] joyful tidings; and as some say, a good hearing published by the apostles throughout all the world of Christ...how that He hath fought with sin, with death, and the devil, and overcome them; whereby all men that were in bondage to sin, wounded with death, overcome of the devil, are, without their own merits or deservings, loosed, justified, restored to life and saved, brought to liberty and reconciled unto the favour of God, and set at one with Him again; which tidings as many as believe laud, praise and thank God; are glad, sing and dance for joy."

William Tyndale (1494-1536)

"But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us...It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come - an eternity of life! You can count on this."

Titus 3:5-8 (MESSAGE)

William Tyndale, the first person to translate the scriptures from their original languages into English, wrote a beautiful summary of Christ's finished work for all of us. Christ did the work of salvation completely, for all humanity, once and done, for all time. He did this work fully and perfectly. And He did it without our help, even before we were born! As the representative and head of the human race, He took us with Him beyond humanity's broken and sin-filled life into His eternal resurrection life. We are loosed from sin's hold, we are justified and declared right and righteous, we are freed from the condemnation of the law, we are made alive and brought to completeness, we are reconciled to oneness and perfect relationship with God! That's what Jesus did all by grace and His work is finished! Seeing this, believing that this really happened for us and to us, makes one feel like praising God and jumping for joy! 

A Thought: Christ saved us! Hallelujah!

God Inside Us

"Jesus Christ is the most addictive substance in all of existence...The romance and beauty He has brought mankind fully into is breathtakingly beautiful. You can feel Him right now. You can experience His bliss and love whenever you decide to be aware of Him. If you don't know Him ask Him if He lives in you. Noone is separated from God. He lives in mankind. He's not partial to Christians or to anyone. He is love. In Him we learn how to be fully and completely ourselves."

Matt Anglin

"I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "God lives with humans! God will make His home with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God."

Revelation 21:3 (GW)

Sometimes we think we have to do something to get God to come to us. But He is already here. He is with us always. He is around us filling every space in creation, and He is also within us, loving us, being with us in our journey and sustaining us in life. We can simply become aware of Him inside us. Deep down haven't we always known He was with us, always been aware of Him? Life with Him is simply to enjoy. Life with Him is simply to have beautiful moments together. Life with Him is so simple and so sweet! And it's already happening now and now and now.

A Thought: I don't have to go anywhere or do anything to find God. He is already here inside me as He has been all along!

God's Wonderful Promise

He promises to always love us, always bless us, always take care of us, always be at peace with us, always hold us, always support us...forever!

"Even if the mountains heave up from their anchors, and the hills quiver and shake, I will not desert you. You can rely on My enduring love; My covenant of peace will stand forever. So says the Eternal One, whose love won't give up on you."

Isaiah 54:10 (VOICE)

Isaiah 54 is such a beautiful promise from God, truly a love letter written to us! It comes right after the prophecy about Christ's work for us, and it is such a beautiful expression of all God has expressed in Christ. Here is that chapter in loose paraphrase:

"You've been empty and barren, but now you will be full of life!  What you could never produce on your own, you will have.  You will grow.  You will have a great inheritance.  Everything in your life that is dead will come alive in a new way, and everything that was lost will be found.

"No more shame and disgrace for you  -  the shame of your former life will be forgotten.  Your are accepted!  I am on your side!  I am for you!  In fact, I love you and you are My bride!

"I have redeemed you.  I gather you into My arms with compassion.  I love you with a sure, faithful, forever love.  I will never be angry with you!  I will never rebuke you!  I will never take away My love for you, never stop loving you.  There will always be peace between us.

"I will be faithful to you.  You feel so lonely, so confused, so troubled, but I am holding you and won't let go.  That is your sure foundation.  Our life together is beautiful!  And I think you are beautiful!  We'll always be together, and with Me right there with you, nothing can get to you.

"Terror can't come near you, for I protect you.  I will never attack you or hurt you.  And noone else who ever attacks you will succeed.  Noone can accuse you.  Anyone who accuses you will be put down.  I back you up fully.  Your rightness comes from Me!  And you are perfect for Me!"

A Thought: God's promise to love, save, keep and protect me will never fail!

Perfect Love Defined

God is the definition of Perfect Love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

If anyone in this universe truly typifies Perfect Love, it's truly our wonderful God.  Many of the characteristics of Perfect Love are listed for us in 1 Corinthians 13.  Going through this list,sometimes it seems the common view of God has been the exact opposite of what the Bible says He is like, being Perfect Love.

We may have seen Him as impatient, yet 1 Co. 13 says He is patient with us, bearing ill-treatment from us and never giving up on us.

We may have seen Him as harsh, yet 1 Co. 13 says He is kind and gentle with us, with a kindness that melts away our own harshness.

We may have seen Him as pushy, even rude.  Yet 1 Co. 13 says He does not force Himself on me or others; He leaves us free.

We may have seen Him as using us as pawns for His own ends, treating us as expendable tools to bring Him "glory", since it's "all about Him".  Yet 1 Co. 13 says He is not self-seeking, pursuing selfish advantage, or demanding His own way; He cares more for others than Himself.

We may have seen Him as easily provoked, irritable, exasperated with us, and quick to take offense.  Yet 1 Co. 13 says He is not touchy or quick to fly off the handle but instead calm and longsuffering.

We may have seen Him as keeping a record of sins we committed.  Yet 1 Co. 13 says He takes no account of the evil done to Him and pays no attention to a suffered wrong.

We may have seen Him as not putting up with our poor behavior, willing to give up on us if we didn't perform well.  Yet 1 Co. 13 says He puts up with anything, bears up under even our poor performance, is always supportive, never gives up on us, and is loyal to us no matter what the cost.

We may have seen Him as looking for the worst in us, constantly noticing our faults and being disappointed in us.  Yet 1 Co. 13 says He is ever looking for and assuming the best about us, with unfading hope for us no matter what the circumstances.

We may have seen Him as someone whose love for us could run out if we messed up too much.  Yet 1 Co. 13 says His love endures everything without weakening, can outlast anything, always perseveres, and never looks back but keeps going to the end.  His is a love that will never fade or come to and end.  It's the one thing that still stands when everything else has fallen.  His love for us will last forever!

A Thought: He is so much kinder, gentler, more loving and more beautiful than we could ever imagine!

Tree of Life

We're not on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil but on the Tree of Life, Christ Himself.

"Christ is your life."

Colossians 3:4 (NIRV)

Isn't it wonderful that God has located us IN CHRIST, who is Life!  Christ is the Tree of Life!  And God has put us in Him, chosen us in Him from before the foundation of the world. That tells us that we are forever in Life, not in Law or Performance (which is what the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is all about - our efforts to do good and avoid bad, to be good enough, thinking of right and wrong and evaluating or judging based on works).  We are off that performance tree for good, we are never defined by our performance; instead, we are on the life tree (Jesus, who is Grace - free acceptance and favor and love with no regard to our efforts or performance) and on it for good, forever defined by Christ who is our Life.

He frees us from the 'right' vs. 'wrong' legalistic thinking into the wonderful 'beloved child in His presence' thinking! It is amazing to think that God didn't choose the tree of knowledge of good and evil - Adam (humanity) did. He never intended for us to function in a right vs. wrong, good behavior vs. bad behavior mindset. He has always seen us through the eyes of grace, which isn't even on the performance scale at all; it is a totally 'other' place, a grace place where there is NO scale or measure - we are ALL seen as His little beloved children, apart from any works or performance, even apart from how 'good' or 'bad' our believing or thinking is.. He isn't obsessing over our behavior (law) but obsessing over our loveliness as His darling children (grace/life)!

A Thought: I am always nourished by the Tree of Life, Christ, because I am in Him and He is in me.

Grace = Rest

Our life in Christ is lived from a place of rest.

"Anyone who enters God's rest will rest from his work as God did."

Hebrews 4:10 (NCV)

Grace means that we can breathe a sigh of relief, get off the endless merry-go-round of seeking, works and struggle...and rest!

We don't have to do anything..don't have to get anything..don't have to become anything...

We already ARE!

We already are who we have always wanted to be, where we always wanted to be, one with the One who is everything.

We can rest.  Nothing is required of us, nothing is asked of us, nothing is expected of us.  We are perfect just as we are, and our life is perfect just as it is..with any inconsistencies, confusions, lapses, or contradictions..

Just as we are right now, just as it is right now, in this very moment, without changes a thing or ever needing to do so, we are PERFECT.  Perfect to Him, perfect for Him, perfectly with Him!

We don't have to wait for tomorrow to have that special relationship with God we've been longing for and looking for. We don't have to wait for some super spiritual state to come before we can have that deep bonded closeness with Him. We don't have to wait till we've solved all our issues and made our life work perfectly before we can REALLY have the good life with God..the good life with God is NOW!  And we are already all we seek to be, already at the place we long to be - IN HIM.

A Thought: In You, O Lord, I have all I was looking for.

Already in Heaven

"For “the Sun of Righteousness”… has changed sunset into sunrise, and through the Cross brought death to life. And having wrenched man from destruction, He has raised him to the skies, transplanting mortality into immortality, and translating earth to heaven…."

Clement of Alexandria (c.150- c.215)

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,  that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus." 

Ephesians 2:4-6 (NLT)

We have all been raised with Christ through His resurrection from the dead. And we have been brought to heaven through His ascension and have been seated with Him in the throne room of heaven. We are not looking up trying to find heaven, we are looking down from heaven onto earth. We don't have an earthly viewpoint but a heavenly one. We are already safe in heaven in Christ. Our problems and struggles have already been resolved according to this heavenly perspective. We are already complete, whole, perfect, sinless, strong and wise in the perspective of heaven. From our position in heaven, everything is already new, all victory is already won, and all is well!

A Thought: Thank You, dear Jesus, for taking me with You in Your resurrection and ascension to heaven!

All-Mighty, All-Wise, All-Love

"Some of us believe that God is all-powerful and may do everything; and that He is all-wise and can do everything; but as for believing He is all-love and will do everything, there we hold back. In my view nothing hinders God's lovers more than the failure to understand this."

Julian of Norwich

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but rather a spirit of power and of love and of wisdom."

2 Timothy 1:7 (NCB)

Often we hear descriptions of God - that He is all-mighty (omnipotent), all-wise (omniscient), and all-present (omnipresent). And these are true. But it seems that in past times, the three descriptions of God were that He is all-mighty, all-wise, and all-love. And 2 Timothy tells us this exactly - that the Spirit given to us is all-mighty, all-wise and all-love. So we see that not only is God strong enough to help us, and wise enough to help us, but He is also loving enough to help us. It's because He is all-love that we can know for sure that all will be okay in the end, that this story has a happy ending. He will right all wrongs, heal all hurts, bring reconciliation in all situations, wipe away all sorrow, restore all that was lost, reverse all trauma, end all strife, bring all the children home, reunite all loved ones, eradicate all evil, and renew perfect innocence and love and harmony in all ways. He is all-powerful and able to do this, and He is all-wise and knows how to do this, and most wonderfully, He is all-love and WILL do this! Everything is going to be okay!

A Thought: He will make sure that all will be healed and whole and well, because He is ALL-love!

Glorious Good News

The good news we are meant to share is that God loves us and is looking out for us no matter what, and that nothing we do, even killing His Son, could ever drive Him from our side. 

"We know that God loves us."

1 John 4:16 (NIRV)

The good news is a message that God is love and nothing else, love and nothing BUT love!  And that He's got us all in His hand and is bringing us safely through everything, that everything really will turn out fine for all the whole universe.

Sometimes people make it all about how bad we are and how angry God is, all about sin and payment and wrath, when really it's all about LOVE.  Love only sees the best, only sees us as pure little children.  Love bears all things we could possibly do, Love believes in us no matter what, Love endures to the end of all our misguided acts, and Love never fails us!  Love loves us when we can't love ourselves and keeps on saying that we are innocent and 'don't know what we're doing' no matter what we do. 

His mind just isn't on sin or punishment at all, is it?  For He has never seen us as anything but innocent.   Love just doesn't see or think or dwell on sin - Love thinks no evil.  Love thinks no evil of US!  Love thinks only good and beautiful thoughts of us, thoughts of compassion and care, thoughts of blessing and peace, thoughts of giving us the future we hope for..Love thinks of us as "my beloved children, in whom I am well-pleased!"

And He would never harm us..He would never hurt or wound His dear little children..That is the FARTHEST thing from the mind of a good father; on the contrary, a good father is wanting to PROTECT his child at all costs. 

The good news is that He is always protecting you and will never let anything fatally, eternally, happen to you to damage you in any way.  He even took on human flesh to prove this in the ultimate demonstration of love!

It's as if He is saying to us, like the best father would (and of course, He IS the best):  "Don't worry, little one...I'm holding you, I'm protecting you..I will always be there for you, I will always save you.."

This is the message of the gospel, the good news of great joy which is for all people, the message of peace from God towards all on earth, and of God's good will toward mankind. "I WILL ALWAYS SAVE YOU!"

A Thought: He's got us in His arms and won't let us go..

Loved into Trust

"The Gospel doesn't demand faith. The Gospel supplies faith!"

Francois du Toit

"Faith comes from hearing the Good News."

Romans 10:17 (NCV)

If we don't have faith or find it difficult to trust in God, He doesn't reject or punish us. Instead, He works even more to convince us of His love. The Holy Spirit works to show us how good and kind He is, so we can relax and trust Him. He keeps on sending us flowers, blessings, joys.  He keeps on loving us. He loves us into trust!

A Thought: Even my faith and trust turns out to be a gift from You, dear God!

A Fairy Tale Come True

"There is a weightlessness about grace. It has the feel of a fairy tale; what makes it a very special fairy tale is that it is true."

Lewis Smedes

"Through this man we all receive gifts of grace beyond our imagination."

John 1:16 (VOICE)

What if God were making no demands on you, had no expectations of you today?

What if God saw you as perfect and righteous because you really were that way?

What if God loved you with a love that you could never erase, no matter how rotten you acted or how many doubts you had?

What if God carried you through every problem of your life, whether you trusted Him all the time or not?

What if God never ever thought about your sin?

What if God had as His goal for your life not to "use" you but to simply love on you and watch your face light up when you saw that love?

What if God is never anything but totally delighted in you, never disappointed in you?

What if God was actually working to turn every rotten thing you've gone through into something good and beautiful for you?

What if God never ever punished you or was angry with you?

What if God held you in His hand and there was no way you could ever fall out, no matter what you felt, doubted, or did wrong?

What if God put absolutely no rules or conditions on you, allowing you to run free?

What if God accepted you completely - as you are - with no possibility of rejection, ever?

What if God called you His friend and loved to just hang out with you, doing whatever you enjoy doing?

What if all this is not  an "if" but truth?  Grace shows us that God is so much better than we have ever imagined, so that the life of grace seems almost like a fairy tale. Yet grace is a fairy tale come true, and the life we could ever only dream of having with God is actually reality!

A Thought: Grace seems too good to be true, yet IT IS.....!