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!

Words of Life

God always speaks words of life to our souls, and we can do the same.

"I said to myself, 'Relax, because the Lord takes care of you.'"

Psalm 116:7 (NCV)

Our Father God is always speaking good, soothing, life-giving and healing words to our souls. He always uplifts us and encourages us.  Because God has encouraged us, we can encourage ourselves and each other and pass along the grace and life God gives to us. Can you hear God saying words of life to your soul? Can you say to yourself or someone else words of life like these?

"You are a good and beautiful person, perfect just the way you are."

"Your feelings are valid. You have been through a lot and anyone who had been through what you have been through would feel the way you do."

"I am proud of you."

"You can rest and relax because God is carrying you through and He will take care of you."

"You are in a safe place."

"You are normal to feel the way you do. There is nothing wrong with you as a person."

"I believe in you."

"Everything is going to work out for the best. Everything will be alright."

A Thought: My words minister life because they echo God's words of life!

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.

Love's Gaze

One look in Your eyes, and I know I'm loved as I've always longed to be.

When we look at Him, when we look into those eyes, we see Love looking back at us, we see Grace shining out, we see the delight and wonder and joy that He has in us, we see the most tender affection, the gentlest look of kindness and care, the sweetest glance of friendliness, the most sincere gaze of understanding and empathy..we see the Someone we have looked for all our lives, the Love that truly accepts us without condition and will be loyal to us no matter what the cost...we see the Love of a lifetime, the Love of eternity, gazing back at us!

We find ourselves in that Love, in that Lover - we find our true identity - we are called "the Beloved," we are the Ones Jesus loves! We have never been anything but His beloved ones, and that is what we will always be!

"Our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful."

2 Corinthians 4:6 (MSG)

A Thought: I am the one Jesus loves.

Words of Grace, Not Law

Christ's words are always words of grace.

"And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them." 

Ephesians 4:29 (TPT)

Sometimes when we are down or suffer a failure, we can become self-criticizing or put ourselves down. But Christ always speaks good words to us that build us up and encourage us. He isn't judging or criticizing us so there's no need to judge or criticize ourselves. Christ never speaks law language of accusation, shame, condemnation or guilt. He speaks grace language of kindness, understanding, forgiveness, love and acceptance. Since Christ always speaks grace words to us, especially when we are down, we can do the same and speak kindly and gently to ourselves, ministering grace to ourselves and building ourselves up. And we can do the same with those around us, because when we are down or 'fallen' we need grace words more than ever!

Here are some grace words that we can realize Christ is speaking to us and that we can say to ourselves and others:

"You don't have to be perfect. The pressure is off."

"I understand."

"You're not a failure. Everybody makes mistakes. You're human."

"I forgive you."

"You are not defective or shameful. You are simply wounded and needing love and healing."

"Your behavior never determines or changes who you are. You are still a good person, in God's image and likeness."

"I will always love you no matter what."

"There is no judgment here, just acceptance."

"You are beautiful in my eyes."

A Thought: I will be a friend to myself and speak good and gracious words to myself.

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.

The Grace of Acceptance

"I [am] in the hands of God. I [can] live by grace.  I [can] lose all human support and not fall down. I [am] held and [will] not be dropped.  I [am] supported and [will] not sink.  I [am] held together and [will] not fall apart.  I [am] accepted and [can] not be rejected.  I [am] loved and [will] never be despised."

Lewis Smedes (verb tenses changed)

"My father and mother may desert me, but the Lord will accept me."

Psalm 27:10 (NIRV)

You are accepted. You may have just blown it, you may be at the lowest point of your life all through your own doing, but you are accepted. When noone else will take you, He will. Even if everyone else rejects you, He never will. Rejection is not even possible. Right now no matter what is going on, He loves you, He hugs you, He is ok with you. You belong in His family, you have a home with Him, and you cannot mess this up. That is what it means to live in the grace of God. You are accepted!

A Thought: I cannot fall out of His arms.

Nevertheless

Nothing at all can take my God from me.

"Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:23-26

We may feel rotten and think our emotions will overtake us.  Terrible circumstances may come.  Troubles may seem to overwhelm.  Confusion and fear may assail us at every turn.  We may be complete and utter failures at life.  We may condemn ourselves and berate ourselves.  Others may judge and reject us.  We may not be able to put two sane thoughts together.  Nothing may seem to make sense.

NEVERTHELESS! 

Let's have a holy rant about this: "Nevertheless I am STILL with Him and He is STILL with me!  I don't care WHAT happens, NOTHING can take my God away from me!   And NOTHING can take me away from Him!  I'm in Him, He's in me, and that's forever, no matter what, end of story.  So let trials, yucky feelings, problems, confusion and turmoil come.  So what!  Doesn't change a thing..Someone is still holding my hand, guiding me, taking care of me and everything that concerns me."

Our flesh and our heart may fail, but so what?  SO WHAT!  God is the hidden, inner strength of our heart, and God is our sure inheritance forever. We're just as close to Him, just as righteous, just as acceptable, just as beloved as we ever were. We're still more than conquerors through Him who loves us. And that doesn't depend on our not-dependable performance, and it doesn't change with our ever-changing circumstances.  It's set in spiritual concrete by the work of Jesus Himself, and His work is finished.  Done once, done right, done for all time!  Thank You, Lord!

A Thought: We are living in the "nevertheless" of God.

Bill Of Rights

Christ transferred us to His kingdom where love reigns, and we have all the rights and privileges of any citizen of that kingdom.

"He rescued us from the dominion of darkness (the sense-ruled world, dominated by the law of performance) and relocated us into the kingdom where the love of his son rules."

Colossians 1:13 (MIRROR)

We have some wonderful rights and privileges, and it's all because of Jesus' finished work and not anything we've done!  We can be bold and confident because of all Jesus has done for us.  Here's our Bill of Rights as God's beloved children:

• I have the right to never think about my sins again.
• I have the right to relate to God without any reference to my sin.
  
• I have the right to never be under judgment or wrath.
• I have the right to never be punished for my sins!
• I have the right to no more fear - of punishment, evil, wrath, etc.
• I have the right to fail and know that nothing has changed in my relationship with God!
• I have the right to never be put under obligation, law, and "shoulds."
• I have the right to be bold in God's presence.  
• I have the right to God's approval.
• I have the right to heaven.
• I have the right to stand before God unashamed.
• I have the right to call myself God's child and Christ's beloved.
• I have the right to know complete security in my relationship with God, no matter what.
• I have the right to feel no sense of condemnation.
• I have the right to enjoy total acceptance from God.
• I have the right to say I'm perfect forever before God.
• I have the right to enjoy God's presence at all times because there is no separation between us ever!
• I have the right to walk in victory over every problem, doubt and fear.
• I have the right to enjoy being loved by God 100%.
• I have the right to walk on this earth as a lovable and likable person.
• I have the right to enjoy God's smile even right after I just sinned.
• I have the right to testify that I am righteous.
• I have the right to accept and forgive myself.
• I have the right to share grace with others even though I sometimes fail and don't have things all together.
• I have the right to see the eternal and live from my dwelling there.
• I have the right to be over all the power of the enemy.
• I have the right to walk through this world in joy and peace no matter what my circumstances.
• I have the right to be myself and know that God delights in me just as I am.
• I have the right to smile today because He makes life worth living!

The Bill of Wrongs (the Law that condemned us) was nailed to the cross.  It's gone!  There's no Bill of Wrongs against us saying that we don't have the right to be in God's presence.  We are free!  Free to be with Him, free to relate to Him without fear, free to be loved!  Free to run, dance, sing, play and worship in His presence!  

A Thought: I have a right to be happy in God today!

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!

True Self

The True Self, the Real ME, is the inner essential me. It is in solidarity with all my hurting outer parts that ‘act out’ and yet beyond their actions and feelings..caring for all the hurting parts and soothing their fears with love and understanding. The True Self is spirit, always one with Christ's Spirit deep within.

"Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day."

2 Corinthians 4:16 (GW)

The True Self is the inner self, the spirit, one with God at all times. It is always firm and stable, always seeing Eternal Reality - always seeing the wholeness at the heart of everything, always aware of the good happy ending that is guaranteed to come, always knowing with that deep inner knowing that all is well. This True Self is continually being renewed, always fresh and never depleted, always true and never confused, always calm and never disturbed, always happy and never sad, always loving and good, always connected to God, part of God, made of God, one with God! 

In fact that Real Self is truly part of God’s wonderful Being, caught up as part of Him..our True Self is somehow one with God's Self..they are one!  We are flowing with Him at all times, always at peace, full of joy, part of that great reservoir of love and goodness who is our Papa, the Father of us all, the Source of all that is! 

We are always in perfect harmony with Him in our spirit!  One!  Flowing together as one heart!  No separation, no disturbance, no disagreement!  Right along with Him, we watch the drama of our lives and watch the acting out of all our addictions, struggles, plays for power, fear based mechanisms..and all is accepted, all is loved, nothing is judged 'unacceptable,' no part is rejected, no action is grounds for dismissal..all is loved, all is held, all is accepted, no matter what!  This is the Unconditional Love that we are part of, that we are held by, that we are caught up in, that we truly ARE in our Real Selves, forever!

A Thought: I am one spirit with Christ and that is the deepest and most authentic, real me!

God's Faithfulness

 "The big thing about God is His faithfulness. He never gives up on those He has made in His image. Even when they torture and kill each other, God doesn't give up on them. God continues to try and find us, by any means except force. Consistent and reliable, God never gives up on us completely. That's what history is all about: God's unending waiting for us to return to the Love that created us. Whether we realize it or not, God is with us always in this life and in the life everlasting."

Fred Rogers

"Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to Him so He can show you His love."

Isaiah 30:18 (TLB)

It's so wonderful that He will not give up on us. He is like the prodigal son's father, who never stopped scanning the horizon, watching for his beloved child to come home. He is like the shepherd that never stops searching for the little lost sheep till it is safe in His arms. He is always there, always waiting, always loving, always caring. He is always ready to talk, ready to listen, ready to help, ready to encourage. He will never give up on us. We are never too far gone for Him. We are never too far off from Him. For wherever we wander, He has gone with us. Whichever way we have turned, He is always facing us. He is accepting us at every moment as if we had never been 'away' from Him in our minds or behavior. He keeps on loving us back to healing and sanity, keeps on loving us back to His arms. And we find those arms have been holding us the whole time!

A Thought: His love won't fail us.