New prayers for the New Year!

Dear Lord, I ask that You will make it a life-changing year in 2016. Please reveal Yourself to us and fill us deeply with Your Holy Spirit. Give us unbridled wisdom, unblocked vision, unconditional love, and the unmatched strength we need to live in Your will and trust in Your promises everyday. 

May this year be our best year yet.  Amen.

OMIP - 7.2015

God of creation and new creations make new opportunities and new roads for you and your family today. May the wilderness become a flourishing city, the dry ground a flowing stream, and the blocked path a detour to greater heights and hopes. Blessings to you and enjoy the new things God is doing for you

The same Almighty God who slung a billion stars and galaxies into space, knows and cares about you!  Trust Him with your week and enjoy the pleasures and promises of His steadfast love for you.

God is bigger than any problem or enemy we could ever face. He will take care of us and He will see to it that His name is magnified as it should be.

The LORD is willing and able to conquer the enemies of His glory and His people.

Empower us, by Your Holy Spirit, to live transformed into Your image, and strengthened for the journey. We live covered by grace and showered with blessings.

God is mighty, strong, unbeatable and unstoppable and I am praying that God will bring His power to bear upon your week and make it great

"The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth" (Exodus 34:6). God bless you today and this week with the fullness of His mercy, grace and lavish love. An awesome week Is taking shape. I pray that you will have a great week!

OMIP 12.28.2015

Monday - Tuesday
Focus on the power of the Almighty and find the strength, courage and power to push through difficulties, press on pass pain, and climb even the highest and hardest challenges. Praying that you will find victory and surpassing triumph in the arms and grace of the Glorious One. Have a great week! Love ya, Cassius

Wednesday - Friday
When you feel discouraged, remember the past blessings of God, dwell on His faithfulness, recall that His promises and His power never fail, and realize that "this too shall pass." May God bless you always, giving you hope, mercy, grace and endless love. Have a great week! Love ya, Cassius

Saturday
Find your strength in the One who is eternally strong divine strength and peace. Build your hope on Him! Have a fun and fantastic day! Love ya,  Cassius

Sunday
From Joanne Groff :
"May our Loving God, give us good things always. When we are overwhelmed, may He gently remind us of all our blessings."  Rest in the presence and promised blessings of our Savior, God.

Merry Christmas

Isaiah 9:6 (The Voice)

Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams, a child is born, sweet-breathed; a son is given to us: a living gift. And even now, with tiny features and dewy hair, He is great. The power of leadership, and the weight of authority, will rest on His shoulders. His name? His name we’ll know in many ways— He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Dear Father everlasting, ever-present never-failing, Master of Wholeness, Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas - 2015

The heart of Christmas is Christ Jesus!

Hope isn't a feeling, but the reality of God's promises

"When we can't fix our own problems, when we feel control slipping away, and when we feel hopeless, turn to God."

Because of God’s great love we always have hope! "We can endure difficult struggles, we can submit to God’s will, we can wait quietly for his deliverance and we can rest in the promise that his love will carry us through," give us victory and "make all things new!"

As the author of one of the devotionals said, "Hope isn't a feeling, but the reality of God's promises!"

We have hope!  God is with us always!

~ Sources: ODB, Upper Room, NIV Daily Bible Devotional

Prayer - journey with trust

Prayer
Faithful Father, thank you for the hope of the second coming of Jesus Christ in glory and power. Help me to live in anticipation of his coming.

Help me to trust you in the things I do not understand. And when life seems to be a mess, help me to remember that your work here on earth remains, for the time being, an unfinished project, and that you always complete what you begin.

Help me to cultivate an eternal perspective as I journey through this temporal arena. May I learn to pursue the eternal reality of the unseen future over the current reality of the visible present.

And may you always be the object of my deepest love so that I will pursue you above all else. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

Taken from Once a Day 25 Days of Advent

Prayer and Promises - Christmas week

I  hope and pray that you are doing well and ready for the blessings of this joyous Christmas week.  May God bless you with showers of His love; a love that is steadfast and pure.  May He fill your week with thanksgiving, grace, praise and the sweet love of those who love you.  May the hope, joy and eternal promises of the Christ child be born anew for you and all those you love.  Have a great Christmas!

OMIP

May we all receive greater knowledge of our freedom and forgiveness in Christ. And may we experience the wonder and joy of both.  May all of heaven's goodness and beauty flow down upon us.  May the kindness, compassion and mercy of our God break through in our darkness, showering us with The bright shining Sunrise.  And may God quench our longings with His kindness, compassion and the ceaseless goodness and beauty of heaven.

Luke 1:76-78

Life is hard. God is good!

Remind yourself of these two truths in the storm:
Life can be hard.
God is good!

Remember it this way: still or storm, God is Sovereign and God is good!

So, "when something doesn’t go your way, remind yourself  of God’s track record and  start watching for the next opportunity that will uncover God’s ultimate plan through the process.

God's track record is unblemished.
Countless victories - zero losses
Infinite success - zero defeats
Numerous miracles - zero failures

God is never stopped, never defeated, never fails, never unable to do what He intends to be done. 

Faithful is He... He will bring it pass.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (ESV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)

And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” Numbers 11:23 (ESV)

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John4:4 (ESV)

God, our help in ages past and our hope for years to come, anchor our lives and very souls in the truth of Your Word and power of Your love.  "Help us today to see more of you and less of our problems."  Help us to remember that you are always good, always faithful, and always the God who loves us. Grant us a "stubborn, unrelenting determination not to let the hardships of life downsize or diminish" the truth that You are God.  Let nothing block our view of the majesty, grandeur and "bigness of our God."  Amen.

Quotes adapted from "Good Things, a 5 Day Devotional," by Kevin Gerald

Today's forecast

Today's forecast: bright rays of wonder mixed with frequent showers of joy and gladness. We will have a 100% chance of blessings, with strong winds of favor blowing all day. A steady and continual warm front of love and grace are blanketing our area and it is blocking off the cold of despair and shame. By all indications this will be a glorious day!

Great news!

Here is some great news: We are chosen and loved by God, adopted by the King, heirs to grace through Christ, and destined to be made holy, righteous, and blessed forever.

Ephesians 1:4-6 ESV

Riches in Christ

God in Christ has lavishly given us love, redemption, forgiveness and the ability to forgive, the richness of His grace, all wisdom and understanding - all b/c He is good, He is God, and we are His.  Ephesians 1:5,7-9

Timely reminders

One day all suffering will end. Our tears will dry up permanently, and we will be safe in God's arms forever (Rev. 21:4). Until then, we can depend on God's love to support us when we suffer. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

"When you evaluate the blessings in your life, you have to consider the big picture. Don't look at the momentary, day-to-day things. Look at your family overall. Blessings come in a variety of ways."

Infinite and Gracious God, help us today to live in Your love and believein your goodness.  Come what may, help us believe in the better things that are yet to come.  As we enjoy the good things that you are giving us now, we are even more excited and grateful for the better things to come.

Prayers from a [once, twice... many times] weary soul

God help you speak these realities into your heart:
You are His beloved child, beautiful, blessed and tremendously loved.

The Lord God push His love into your heart to crowd out fear, worry, and doubt.  The Lord pile favor, grace, mercy and victory on you so that despair and anxiety are crushed under the weight of His boundless joy and bright shining appearance.

The blessing of the Lord Almighty be like a divine hug; comforting, enjoyable, delightful, familiar, calming and wonderful.

The Mountain Mover never sleeps, never fails, never grows weary and is always ready to conquer, defend, and move mountains.   May God move mountains and demolish obstacles so that you understand and experience His love, His  glory and His gift.

May God’s face always and forever turn toward us to bless us with wholeness and complete well-being; shalom.

Get up and continually stand in the warmth of God's love, delight, His graciousness, security and care of you.  This day is blessed, enjoy!

When we find ourselves in situations that threaten our physical, spiritual, or emotional well-being, we can be tempted to despair. Instead of despair, look up and around to see a big, faithful, wonderful, and all powerful God who is able to save, is guarding your heart and has already come near to give us aid.

A reminder for the weary and downtrodden from Timothy Austin (Turkey ):
If  we’re not careful, we can miss the help God is sending our way. A timely message, a scripture verse, someone to listen, the prayers of a friend — even the outstretched arm of a friend to pull us out of the water — are just a few of the ways God can come to our aid."  When you are down, run to the wide open arms of the Savior,  Healer, and Lover of broken, wounded, and desperate children.

He never will

He’s thinking of you, sustaining you, comforting you, giving you strength. He doesn’t mentally check out. Whatever challenge you’re facing isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you. The worst that could happen would be for God to forget about you. But he hasn’t yet, and he never will.

Isaiah 49:15-16New International Version (NIV)

15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me.

OMIP 12.7.2015

The Lord is with us; he is our helper. We will triumph over our challenges, we will thrive in the storm, amd we will see the goodness and surpassing power of the Almighty God. This is going to be a fabulous day. Have a victorious and triumphant week!

On Worship - C.S. Lewis

God wills our good, and our good is to love Him (with that responsive love proper to creatures) and to love Him we must know Him: and if we know Him, we shall in fact fall on our faces. If we do not, that only shows that what we are trying to love is not yet God—though it may be the nearest approximation to God which our thought and fantasy can attain.

From The Problem of Pain Compiled in Words to Live By

OMIP (Thanksgiving Monday)

The God of a million stars, the One whose love is all-consuming, endless and awesome is inviting us to enjoy Him and the fullness of His joy and grace. Have a stellar week, and a blessed Thanksgiving. Love ya, Cassius

Thought for today: No replacement

There are no replacements or substitutes for the happiness, joy, peace, and contentment of God

Case for Christ

God gives us just enough evidence [of Him, His reality, His Sovereignty, His truth and His love] so that those who want Him can have Him.

On difficult people [From Randy Kilgore]

Eternal God remind "me that there is beauty in even the most difficult person if I can get close enough to discover it, and the pain they’re giving out may be reflective of the pain they are feeling. The apostle Paul says in Romans, 'If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone' (12:18). So I ask [you my God] to help me be patient with the 'hard side' [difficult, obnoxious, arrogant and unpleasant] side of others.

As we encounter difficult people, by God’s grace we can see and love them through His eyes.

By Your grace, Lord, help me to live peaceably with others. And help me to recognize when I’m the difficult person in other people’s lives and need Your intervention. Give me the will and desire to change."

Eternal God, you are gracious and merciful, and I pray that you would redeem these difficult relationships, teaching, training and enabling me to love more, and that unconditionally.  Help me to see the best, the future beauty, the upside, the brilliance, the hopes and yet unleashed potential, and the goodness in others so that we experience victory.

Quotes and prayer taken from Randy Kilgore Our Daily Bread, 11.12.2015.

The Strong God still reigns

Trials, challenges, difficulties and trouble will not prevail against you and the storm shall not wash you away. You, O child of the Most High, will flourish, find peace, have hope, know joy, win victory, and experience triumph. You, who are beloved of God, shall have great success, blessings and favor.

The Lord our God who walks before us, holds us up, and has won the victory on our behalf will see to it that your day is an amazing display of His wonder working power, amazing grace and endless mercies.

Have a great day!

The stonghold of God keeps me

The Lord is our stronghold. God is our stronghold when we are poor, and when we are needy and in distress. He is a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat (Isaiah 25:4).

The Lord make our week great as we attack and conquer it from the strength of The Stronghold.

OMIP 10.9.15

May your hope remain unshaken, firmly grounded in the blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, the God of all consolation, the Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth.

We are loved by the One who is still Sovereign. Have a great day!

We all need reminders... again and again!

Remind yourself that you are loved, blessed, gifted, strong, mighty, courageous, bold, great, amazing, victorious, resilient, hopeful, helpful, joyful, faithful, bright, witty, funny, beautiful, highly favored and a wonderfully created, fearfully made child of the Everlasting God. You are destined!

"That they may serve me..." - Exodus 9.1

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord , the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. Exodus 9:1 ESV http://bible.com/59/exo.9.1.ESV

We are freed, redeemed, saved, delivered, and called God's people so that we may serve Him, bring Him glory, praise Him, and call on Him alone as Lord, God, and Savior.

My answered prayers are for His glory. My deliverance is so that I will worship.  My rescue and redemption are done by His great love so that I may freely and willingly aerve Him with joy and great gratitude.

Thank you Lord for saving me, let my life sing praises to Your holy name.  May my life be Yours, I am your servant.

Thanks be to God

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 7:24-25 ESV http://bible.com/59/rom.7.24-25.ESV

God be with me

The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 1 Kings 8:57-58 ESV http://bible.com/59/1ki.8.57-58.ESV

What I really want and need

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
- Psalm 73:25-26 ESV
http://bible.com/59/psa.73.25-26.ESV

God, awesome, holy and righteous, all I need, want and desire is you, Your wisdom, love, grace, presence, peace,  joy, promises, and goodness.  May all I desire on earth and in heaven be you and Your love.

All means "All"

"And we know that all things works for the good to those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8.28)"

As Joyce Meyer says that means, "Every situation, every moment, every encounter, every trial, every frustration and everything in between - God promises to work it all out for your good!"

Scripture confirms this promise when it says, "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? (Numbers 23.19)"

And Luke reminds us that what seems impossible to man, is possible with God ( Luke 18.27 ). 

In trials or triumph remember that He is able and  "He is ever faithful...- Nora Hughes"

God bless you richly according to all He has promised and by His eternal and mighty power.  May He transform everything for your good, and His glory!

In God I have found refuge...

In you, O Lord , do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!

Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord , from my youth.

O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!

I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 71:1, 3-3, 5, 12-12, 22 ESV

http://bible.com/59/psa.71.1-22.ESV

God is my help.  The great God who has done countless and exceedingly marvelous things is my refuge and stay.  I wake to praise Him for His faithfulness,  goodness, nearness and ever-present love.

Hold fast to hope

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:20-21 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.4.20-21.ESV

Do not waiver, hold fast to hope, trust and believe that the God of glory and victory shall do all that He has promised - granting us deliverance, final victory and eternal life.

Be encouraged by the cloud and the refuge

"Trust God in the face of dangers, trials, risks and the seemingly intimidating aspects of life. Be assured that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Heb 12.1), that God our refuge is with us (Ps 46.1)."

In Christ, you have the strength and courage to throw off every weight and move forward in love, confidence and trust, believing that this will be a great day and wonderful week!

~ Quotes taken from the "NIV COUPLES DEVOTIONAL BIBLE STUDY," September 5, 2015

Like a mighty tree...

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3 ESV http://bible.com/59/psa.1.3.ESV

The truth is we are fruitful...

I am "like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that I do I will prosper" ( Psalm 1:3).

I speak and believe that I will prosper, increase, and find favor, victory, joy, peace, strength, health, courage, thriving, and ultimate triumph.

I will meditate on the hope and promises of God - the true, noble, just, lovely, pure, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy promises from the Word of God

OMIP

The Great and Awesome God keep all His promises to you; anointing you, loving you unconditionally, showering you with goodness and mercy, lifting your burdens, releasing grace upon grace and freeing you from all bondage. May you be freed to enjoy The Eternal and the wealth and freedom of His kingdom. Have a great week!

All His

Yours, O Lord , is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord , and you are exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV http://bible.com/59/1ch.29.11.ESV

Give God your heart and watch how he orders and provides all that you need. - NIV Devotions

Faces, smiles and beauty

Love you...

[ Psalm 116 ] I love the Eternal; for not only does He hear my voice, my pleas for mercy, But He leaned down when I was in trouble and brought His ear close to me. So as long as I have breath, I will call on Him.  Psalm 116:1-2

God, incline your ear to my words of prayer, spoken and unspoken.  Minister to, attend to, and take care of all my needs.  Grant unto me in this time of great need healing, health, wholeness, deliverance, forgiveness, joy, freedom, happiness, contentment, security and peace. Hear my cries and pleas and help me quickly. Amen

On Monday I prayed - 08.10.2015

If God cares for the sparrows, and "You are so much more precious to God than a thousand flocks of sparrows, and since God knows you in every detail—down to the number of hairs on your head at this moment—you can be secure and unafraid (Luke 12:6-7)," confident and hopeful that you will have a blessed and beautiful week!

On Monday I prayed - 8.10.15

May the obstacles in your path become opportunities for succes.  May the the trials lead to greater and higher heights of triumph and victory.  Above all, may the love and grace of God bring about good, joy, and a resounding peace in your week. 

Have a great week! Love ya, Cassius

Live

Live with joy, serve without fear, and rejoice always b/c the "Blessed Lord God of Israel, has redeemed his people showing mercy as promised, bringing deliverance, visiting us from on high, and guiding our feet into the way of peace." (http://bible.com/59/luk.1.68-79.ESV)

Good is coming

"Despite the trials we sometimes endure, ... trust that God is working to bring good from every trial and every situation (John Bagdanov)." God is working it out for your good and His glory. This week will be exciting and excellent. Love ya, Cassius

☆ One goal. Press on! Phil3.14

Where is your hope

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God - Psalm 146.5

Hope in God and let  the blessings of His presence, love and compassion be your help in time of storm and source of hope in all of life.

Restoration

Restore us to yourself, O Lord , that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— Lam.5.21.ESV

God be merciful as ever and always, and renew our health, strength, and desire for you.  Draw us into your presence, into your divine arms where we find life! 

I have trusted in the Lord

Psalm 13.5-6 (ESV)

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord , because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Be blessed

"May [you] be blessed by the Lord , whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead (~Ruth 2.20)!" The Almighty Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, giver of all good things bless you with everlasting kindness and unconditional love.

The most beautiful and amazing Lord, the Sovereign and Holy, contend with those who contend with you, shelter and protect you, and in so many wonderful ways reveal his presence and power to you.

☆ Have a great day!

Blessings and pleasures... in Him

Psalm 16:11 "You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Prayer

I am asking God to minister to you, speaking a blessing over you, encouraging you, healing you and declaring His glorious love over you. I am asking God to give you opportunities, affirmation and the courage to accomplish great things this week. Have a great week!

☆ Our source of strength is Eternal

Grace has rescued

May the Lord keep us from ever believing that our goodness is something we've worked up from within. May we realize again that whatever goodness lives in us is the goodness of God shining through . . . the One who gave His Son to give us life. And to save us from ourselves. - Dennis Rainey

The evil we so often see in others, is in us too.  If it were not for grace we...

Break out into abundance

God reveal and remove any thing of the enemy that is ripping us off or blocking us from "the freedom You want us to experience and the life" of abundance and joy You want us to live.

I pray God "will give us wisdom, strength and healing. God bless us with the peace that passes all understanding and the joy that can only be experienced in relationship with Him. In your name, Jesus, Amen (~ Adapted from Sherri Rose Shepherd)."

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart.   Try me and know my thoughts.  And see if there is any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! 

☆ Our ultimate objective: Knowing God

A great comfort

The One who died for us also walks with us, step by painstaking step. —Tim Gustafson

Great is the Lord

"We serve a God whose ingenuity has no peer, whose power and might and knowledge overwhelms with its sheer magnitude (Dennis Rainey)." His love blows us away and will make this week a story of great triumph, unmerited favor and immense joy!

☆ Our ultimate objective: Knowing God

Many names, but what do you call him?

They said, "Teacher, prophet, master, Rabbi, physician, priest, Elijah, John the Baptist, an apostle, a great man, and even rebel."  Now, the real question is: "do you call him Savior?"

The gravy

I poured out my heart to God, and I have the assurance that God has heard me, is with me and knows my struggles. I am encouraged to keep trusting and hoping in God. And even now, I am praying and believing God for a beautiful break-through today. I have hope today and look forward to enjoying every moment of the rest of this week. I am focused on the Lord's peace and calm.

And the gravy, the best part, is that on top of all the goodness God has for me this week, I still have the future promises of eternity with Him.

☆ Trust God w/ your life!

Stop that... trust Him

Matthew 6:25-34 6:25

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 6:27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 6:28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 6:29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? 6:31 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' 6:32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 6:33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Stop all that worrying n and "what if'ing" and put all of your trust and hope in Him - your heavenly Father who loves you!

Favor

http://bible.com/59/jos.24.13.ESV I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’

God’s favor, grace, generosity and love give you a place and home, food and provisions, and rest. 

These big veggies are fresh from the garden.  

To find rest for your souls...

http://bible.com/59/mat.11.29.ESV

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A prayer for this week

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May God be with you, for you and against your enemies. 

 May God's love give you strength, courage, hope and an unfettered joy.

May the Eternal help you grow in grace, excel in wisdom, 

and fully experience the richness, depths and vastness of the steadfast love of God.

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Oh snap... Tuesday is about to explode

Oh snap, I just got this feeling that today is about to jump off in the most amazing way. Get your shouting shoes on and happy dance ready, b/c God is about to bring the joy, bring the success, bring the victory, bring the fun, pour over us the favor and give us reasons to shout, "Glory! Hallelujah! Yes and amen!"

Bring it Lord Jesus... I'm ready for a terrific Tuesday! I hope you will have a great day!

☆ Feed your faith, starve your fears!

My hiding place

"You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance (Psalm 32:7)."

God you surround me with comfort, strength and love. In your arms I rest and have peace. Deliver me from snares, danger, trials and troubles. Preserve my life and give me life according to your love and riches.

I will sing praise to you for your deliverance!

☆ Feed your faith, starve your fears!

Moved to hope

But, God promises us a rest, a day when tears will be no more, and where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary do find rest. Pray on and we shall be victorious in Christ.

Psalm 46.1

☆ Feed your faith, starve your fears!

Grasping His love

Ephesians 3:16-19

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Blessings of worship

"And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them" Deutoronomy 28.13

God is making all things new.   May the blessings of worship and the rewards of a life in righteousness be upon you and me. 

Love does it...

The glorious, unending, and steadfast love of our heavenly Father bear us up, help us endure, give us unfailing hope, and make this day spectacular!

Seeing The Lord Everlasting

From Mart DeHaan

Father, in the details and distractions of our spiritual journey, it is so easy to look right past You and Your Son. May we see You today in a new and fresh way.

Lifting eyes

Lift your "eyes from the challenges, trials and circumstances" and encourage your heart "to see the power, presence, and faithfulness of the Lord. Whatever has happened, the Lord invites you to find healing, hope, and new life in Him. - David McCasland

 The grace of God hold, calm, and love on you all day.

[ God is faithful, never changing]

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

In Christ I pray:

The Lord Almighty give you beauty instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning,  praise instead of a faint spirit; that you may be firmly rooted and strong, and that He may be glorified.  God's enormous love comfort you.  His infinite grace and mercy make this day episode upon episode of divine favor. 

Blessings to you always, journey on...
   

Psalm 57.10

57:10 For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

Be more concerned with what God thinks...

Consider Solomon I believe Jesus calls all of us to let go of the desire to appear good, to give up the appearance of being good, so that we can listen to the word within us and move in the mystery of who we are. The preoccupation with projecting the perfect image . . . leads to self-consciousness, sticky pedestal behavior and bondage to human respect.  - Taken from NIV Ragamuffin Bible

A reminder for me to be more concerned with true righteousness, and what God thinks of me, and what God  has planned for me.  And to be less concerned about what others think,  and even less concerned with trying to fit their ever changing mold and opinions.

God do all this and more for us.

He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. Deutoronomy 7.13

It can't stop you...

Whatever it is, sickness, fear, doubt, worry, finances, trials or troubles cast them all on the Lord.  He is able to handle it and he cares for you enough to listen, understand, and act.

Tell yourself the truth that "what is impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18.27)."  Let the truth of His Word and the might of His unmatched power give you strength.   And then, take up that strength He gives you and worship, praise, give thanks, share with others the comfort and grace you have received, and live life abundantly in Him.

Remember: Whatever it is, it can't stop you from being awesome and living a life of triumph, victory and power!

"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
- 1 Peter 5:7,10

Proverbs 1.33

Proverbs 1.33.ESV "but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster."

God's Spirit and Word speak to your soul to give you rest, security, and the peace that passes all understanding. May God bless you and give you grace for the journey!

[God always welcomes us back]

To the King

Amen. 

Drink deeply and enjoy

May God make your heart rejoice and your soul prosper greatly as you dwell with Him, "drink deeply with delight" from His "glorious abundance," and enjoy the riches of His mercy and love. Your heart shall rejoice; You shall flourish. This will be a great day!

[ Jesus loves you always! ]

A powerful reminder... from C.S. Lewis

The doors of Hell are locked on the inside. - C.S. Lewis

All who are in hell, have chosen to be there by their actions and rejection of the Savior.  

They have enjoyed their demanded freedom from the reign of Christ,

 and for eternity their hardened hearts and staunch independence, 

will never allow them to even think to reach for the latch.

Jesus is...

So if you believe deep in your heart that God raised Jesus from the pit of death and if you voice your allegiance by confessing the truth that “Jesus is Lord,” then you will be saved! Belief begins in the heart and leads to a life that’s right with God; confession departs from our lips and brings eternal salvation. Romans 10:9-10

Jesus is Lord!

I haven't seen this enough

"Lord, you created me for a purpose. Every day of my life was recorded in your book and laid out before my life even began. I choose to take comfort in this knowledge."

"May I understand the depth of your love for me all the days of my life."

Taken from Once a Day Bible Promises

A prayer for character and Christ like integrity

God of glory, you want what is best for me. Yet, I attempt to control my own life, and I sabotage the peace and joy that come from submitting to your will.

Help me to remember that it is in the small decisions of life that my character is forged. Small acts of hypocrisy always lead to larger acts of infidelity.

Give me the wisdom and humility to seek accountability and honesty with a few people, so that they can protect me from myself. Keep me from being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. In your Son’s name I pray. Amen.

-  Taken from Once a Day 40 Days to Easter

He is risen

http://bible.com/59/mat.28.6.ESV

[Jesus, God's perfect gift.]

Prayer

God I want an unhindered and unbridled trust in you, a devout passion for your word and your will for my life.  Forgive my sins of manipulation, ingratitude, selfishness, pride, and unfaithfulness.  And lead me to your open arms of forgiveness, freedom, and steadfast, unconditional love.

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Prayer adapted from Marion Stroud (odb.org post March 25, 2015)

Lord, I don't want to be a complainer anymore. I want to be a person who overflows with thankfulness for others and for You. May I accept whatever You give me in Your time. Show me how to start today!   

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Be attentive to us... and give us success

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O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”  Nehemiah 1:11 (ESV)

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Lord, let your ear be attentive to my prayer, the prayer of your servant, 

and to the prayer of all your servants who delight to fear your name.  

Give success to us today, grant us mercy in the sight of others, 

and make your name great.  God, our Lord and Great Father,

in love hold us close, give us your tremendous grace

 and lead us to victory in all things.

A good reminder

In the Upper Room devotional, author Kathleen Buskirk reminds us that, "The promise of Easter changes everything."  

With the promise of Easter I pray that the Loving God fill your heart with joy, love and peace.  The passion of His risen love transform and bless you.

Throughout your day, your week, and the journey of faith, may God remind you of the power, the hope, and the joy of His steadfast promises.  And with this hope, joy and power believe with full assurance and steadfast tenacity that your life will be one of victory, prosperity, success and an abounding joy.

God give you a power that perseveres and overcomes.  The Almighty give you a strength that is bold, courageous and conquering.  The Everlasting give you a spirit that brings you love, joy, peace, patience and a the all the things that you need, want and still more than you imagine. 

Easter changes everything!  

Remember that God, is our powerful sword and shield. The mighty One continues to be the strength, joy and all powerful source of victory in this life and the life to come.  Just as He did on Easter morning, the Almighty God rise up in His full power, glory and unsurpassed strength and bring us salvation.  May God deliver us from trials and tribulations, defend our cause, and bring us a full and overflowing joy, and above all grant us the best according to His love and grace.

He gives what is best

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Be of good cheer, 

God, the victorious and overcomer, 

is orchestrating events according to His sovereign plan. 

 Even in the midst of trials and pain, 

God, whose heart is kind beyond all measure

will give you what is best. 

 God himself lovingly give you comfort, 

strength, peace and eternal life.

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Prayers

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God is Creator, Maker, Redeemer, Judge, Consuming Fire, Sovereign King, the one who knows all things including how to bless, provide and give you strength for today. He is God; holy, mighty, and awesome. You are loved by Him, may you love Him.

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On Monday I prayed - 10.27.14

Monday
Grace and peace to you from the Eternal and Everlasting God.  I challenge you today to accept and stand firm in the unconditional and steadfast love that God has for you.  I dare you to live your life as one of God's beloved children, according to His promises to be with you always,  in the assurance that He will protect you in every trial, and in the faith that GOD gave you abundant life.  

Tuesday
Nothing can stand in your way, shatter your hope, corrode your faith or in any way stop, slow down, or hinder God's love and promises for you.  Stand firm in the faith and hope that comes from knowing that God is always with you!

Wednesday
God loves you!  He truly and deeply loves you!  God cares for you and your life, and He will always be there for you.  God's tender love and unfailing compassion bless your week and give you encouragement to be and do your best.  Have fun and achieve the greatness you were destined for

Thursday
God speak blessings to you and over you.  May God bring you good news, anoint you, comfort and heal your hurts, soothe your fears, give you true freedom, crown you with beauty and splendor, and cover you with favor (Is 61).  May your week overflow with love and joy.

Friday

Seek your joy from the bottomless well of living water; find your encouragement in the promises of the Eternal; be satisfied in a love that is ever present, everlasting and in every way longs to be with you.  God's blessings to you for a phenomenal week. No matter the challenges or trials, the Love and Truth of the Eternal will protect you (Ps 40:11-12) and lead you into a great week.

Saturday
The Everlasting and Faithful God is always at work bringing about something beautiful in our lives.God is rich in love and mercy and I pray that this week will feature His great power on full display and hard at work on your behalf.  God show you vividly and personally the fullness of His
incomparable riches of grace as expressed in Christ Jesus (Eph.2). May all go well with you and your family.

Sunday
God loves you and I hope you let that love set you free to enjoy this phenomenal life!  Rest in the arms that created you, loves you and longs to welcome you into eternal life.

REPOST: ODB.ORG from March 17 2015: Unwelcome visitors

James wrote, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work" (James 1:2-4).

We are not expected to enjoy trials or to celebrate suffering. But when these unwelcome visitors arrive, we can look for God's hand in them and trust that He can use them to make us more like His Son. —Bill Crowder

Thank You, Father, that You give to us each day what You know is best. We're thankful that we can trust Your heart, which is kind beyond all measure.

Trials may visit us, but our God is always with us.

God let your face shine

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Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! Psalm 80:3, 7, 19

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God, let your face shine on us.   God let your goodness, mercy, joy, love  and blessed kindness wash over us.   God, restore us to yourself and your loving presence.   God of hosts, lover and giver of life bless us, our loved ones, and  all your people to be saved.

God loves you

I found this tucked neatly in the blog post from Sherri Rose Shepherd.  I have no idea how, or when I signed up to receive her newsletter, but on many times the blog has been a real blessing.  The prayer and quotes below were adapted from the Gospel truths found within her blog.

"God longs to be closer to you.  He is never too busy for you, because you are His beloved child."  May you hear the still small voice that calls to you, tells you that you are enough, and reminds you that you are beautiful, smart, funny, lovely and valuable. "Turn off the things around you that try to drown God out of your daily life."  And respond willingly to His invitation for peace, purpose and everlasting joy.  God loves you! 

- Adapted from Sherri Rose Shepherd 

Love you always! Dad

Confessions of a sinner

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Psalm 51:10-17 (ESV)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, 

and renew a right spirit within me.  

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 

and uphold me with a willing spirit.  

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; 

a broken and contrite heart, O God, 

you will not despise.

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God be merciful to me a sinner!  

Give me a clean heart so that I will praise you, 

live through your power, 

forgive myself, and 

live a life of forgiveness.  

God cleanse me and fill me with your spirit. 

Amen.

On Monday I prayed - 2.2.15

Monday

From 2 Chronicles 1:1-12: The Awesome and Almighty be with you, show you the full measure of His greatness and the enormity of His compassion and grace.  May the Sovereign and Wise God make your week exceedingly great, shower you with His great and steadfast love, and give you wisdom and knowledge in abundance.  May your week be filled with riches, joy, love, victory, and honor like no other.  Have a great week!

Tuesday

PSA 27:14 Wait for the Lord ; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
May your day be filled with grace, truth, love and beauty.  May your week be a ton of blessings piled high, pressed down and overflowing.  May God give you strength, courage, and a holy boldness and may His compassion answer your patient waiting with love.  Have a terrific Tuesday!

Wednesday

Praying that you have a week ripe and full with thrills of anticipation followwd by boundless displays of the greatness of the Almighty.   May the new blessings, divine love, and unmerited favor of the Eternal sweep you off your feet,  leave you breathless in amazement, and speechless in joy.  Have a joyful and beautiful rest of the week!

Thursday

The Gracious and Compassionate Lord surround you in an atmosphere thick with His love and make your day delightful.  May the intense, intoxicating, magical, never ending and unconditional love of Christ be with you for strength, hope and unceasing joy. Have a great week! Love ya, Cassius You are awesome. Don't doubt it for a moment. You are awesome and you are deeply loved and always will be. May God bless you so that you will believe in yourself and in His great love for you.  Have a great, great day!

Friday

Keep going.  Keep thriving.  Keep being awesome!  Most of all keep believing the truth that you are loved by God, made for a purpose and you will do great things this week.  Have a ridiculously awesome weekend!

Saturday/Sunday

From 2 Chronicles 1:1 The Sovereign and Beautiful make His presence known to you, be with you in all things, prepare you for the week,  and make your day exceedingly great. May your week be established and grounded in the promises, favor and love from heaven that never ends and never ceases to amaze.  Have a wonderful weekend.


God you are so amazing.  Make our hearts joyfully expect the great things that you have planned for us.  Amen.

The Ditch

Luke 10:33-35: But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' 

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The Ditch:  The place where life as you had hoped meets the reality that you had hoped to avoid.  The place where life gets off track and your own strength is useless to save or rescue.  The place where you are cast off by others, broken, wounded and left for dead.

When you are down and feeling defeated so called friends, strangers and well intention family "will tell you to get up, man up, suck it up, get up" and stop whining. But, not so with the Everlasting and Eternal God.  

God sees us in our ditch and comes over to us in our broken, dirty, filthy, despairing and lonely state and "he pours his grace and mercy on us." He loves on us and pours his love over us and then helps us to our feet.  He carries us to safety at His side, the comfort in His presence, and the place of refuge.  He stays with us to give us strength and comfort.

- Quotes from Pastor Stephen Altrogge

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God we are so often broken and dirty, fallen and in need of help.  

Though others pass by us, thank you for seeing us in the places we have fallen or been cast aside.  Thank you for doing all the lifting, saving, cleansing, redeeming, restoring, and healing.  

We offer to you our thanks and praise.

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God speaks...

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God speaks:

God speaks in the thunder, rain, lighting and the howling winds of the storm.  He speaks in the rumble of the quakes and the thunderous crash of the waves.  He speaks in the warm rays of summer suns, and gently gleams of midnight skies.  And He speaks in the gentle whisper where He says, "I love you and I am with you always!" 

 May the joy and presence of God remind you

that you are His, you are unconditionally loved, 

and He will bless and keep you.

Through every situation, trial, test and storm - Jesus!

Jesus: eternal, unending, and the True God bless you always.

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You can be!

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Things in the world want always be awesome, 

but you still can be. 

People won't always treat you kindly, 

but you still can be.

Be the reason someone dances this week. 

Spread wonderful today. 

                                                        - Kid President

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Gorgeous original

A prayer for fresh strength

May fresh strength, vigor, boldness and power flow to you from Christ Jesus and help you pursue true success; that of knowing God and obeying His will!

May the Divine architect build you up, give you vision, grant you wisdom and understanding so that you obtain everlasting victory.

For my girls

Trust in God, place all of your hopes and dreams in Him. Do your best always and know that God loves you unconditionally. Let His great grace, compassion, kindness and tender mercy penetrate every fiber of your being so that you may continue to overflow with praise and enjoy Him forever. Always know, remember and call to mind that your mom and I love you and God loves you. Have a great day and week! 

Love you, Dad / Javier

[ God is God. He is enough! ] 

Psalm 91:9-16

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
 "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."