Merry Christmas— still!

Merry Christmas! I know that technically Christmas Day has passed, but I also know that the Spirit and Gift of Christmas never ends! Even if all the gifts have been given and unwrapped, even if some have been returned or exchanged, and even if all the turkey and fixings are gone— the love of God, of the Spirit, of the Christmas child and resurrected King will always remain. May the unconditional love of Christ, our Christmas Gift, fill us with His joy, love, and kindness and grant us His peace, favor and blessings. 

I  hope you have a safe and wonderful New Year's celebration too

Repost: Read It to live It

Read It to live It

"If ever there were a time when we need to be soaking in God's Word, it's now! " And, coincidentally, right now as Binu Samuel says, "the Bible is more accessible than ever." It is a perennial best seller, available in hundreds of languages and translations, in paperback digital download or hardcover, you can have it on your desk, nightstand or on your phone, tablet, or PC. Yet, despite it's overwhelming availability, it is also being read and listened to the least of anything vying for our attention.

It's great to have a Bible in our home, or on our phone, and it is good to "read an occasional verse of the day," but unless "God's living, breathing, active Word" gets down deep, deep inside of us" we will not have the foundation to withstand the storm, or be able to experience victory in every area of our lives.

—— 

Quotes from BINU  SAMUEL

Open 24/7

Big chain store workers, diner waitresses, pharmacists, and convenience store employees aren't the only ones working24/7. Believe you me —24/7 the spirit and compassionate heart of The Everlasting One is with us, for us and working to infuse our lives with adventure, with joy and laughter, and with the hope of His love! 

May we focus our eyes on Him, believing with firm confidence and deep conviction that we will continue to be blessed by Him and blessed in Him— 24/7

Praying that...

Praying that we have the kind of joy that will cause generations to rejoice in and worship God. 

Praying that we will have the kind of faith that causes countless thousands upon thousands to put unwavering trust in God. 

Praying that we will have the kind of peace that causes many millions to run and abide in the shelter and peace of the Almighty. 

Praying with you and for you, that our extended family and individual family lines will be forever blessed, forever changed for His glory, and forever a part of retelling the story of God's goodness. 

Praying that His grace, compassion, mighty power, great faithfulness and everlasting love will abide with and follow you all the days of your life. 

May we believe in and hope in the God who loves us and save us, and have a wonderful day! Love you—Cassius

For the closed doors

TD Jakes said something like "its good to praise God for the doors he is opening, but some of us [dare I add most of us] ought to be shouting [like we lost our minds] for the doors God has closed." 

May we loose our mind in praise for the doors He closed on storms and trials, on friends that were really enemies, on addictions and generational curses, for jobs that we didn't get, for the people we didn't date, for the nonsense we weren't allowed to do, for the roads-to-nowhere that were blocked, and for the people God took out of our lives and the lives of our children. 

Yep, let's get crazy in praise for every open door and shout even louder for the closed doors that wouldn't take us to the good plans He has for us. 

 Have a wonderful day of praise! Love you—Cassius

Unsolicited advice ahead

If you’ve come this far, keep reading for some good, maybe great “Unsolicited advice”! 

“There are things worth holding onto, no matter the cost." But, whether it was for "nostalgia, convenience, just plain stubbornness," or a misguided and misdirected sense of loyalty— don't hang on to negative, messy people, one sided friendships, or those who spend more time tearing you down than build you up.

People who are no good to you or for you, serve no positive purpose, who only try to diminish your shine, or aim to distract you from God’s plans for your life should get your prayers, your well wishes, and some time away from your friendship. 

Double down on where it matters

It is hard— when our minds want to race forward into all the wrong what if's and our thoughts want to pace around in negativity and worst case scenarios, but hard as it may be we must grab our thoughts and drag them up to the light of His sovereignty and the truth that He is in control.

In fact, it is these times "when our minds are full and our souls feel empty," that we must double down on getting still before God and trusting in His presence.

"No matter what happens in the world, no matter what worries are on our hearts, God has already won the battle!" And He doesn't want us to figure it out on our own, and "[He] doesn't need us to be perfect or worry free. He just needs us to be willing in the midst of it all to remember who He is every day," to cast our cares and worries on Him, and to "turn our hearts to a place of worship."

May cares of ours become prayers to Him, and worries of our become worship songs of His majesty and sovereignty.

Tell yourself...

Tell yourself it's because He knows all your troubles, keeps track of all your tears. "You know how troubled I am; you have kept a record of my tears. Aren't they listed in your book (Psalm 56:8)."

Or tell yourself it's because any time of day, when you pray He hears your voice. "Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice (Psalm 55:17)."

Or say to your soul it's because He fights your battles. "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still(Exodus 14:14)."

Or tell your heart, confidently, that it's because He is a stay ready all-star, always ready to help you in time of trouble. "God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1)."

Or maybe just tell your mind that it's about being grateful for His overflowing goodness and mercy, and the wonder of His creation. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well (Psalm 139:14)."

Or maybe just say that you are going to do it because it's what you were told. "Let everything(A) that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6)."

No matter what you have to tell yourself, may you praise the Lord feverishly and fervently and always be ready to tell Him how good He is, how much you are glad that He longs to be good to you, and how His love gives you this undimmed, unquenchable hope in Christ. "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever (Psalm 107:1)." "For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations (Psalm 100:5)."

Grace and peace to you—Cassius 

In His way, in His time— He will make all things new

In His way, in His time— He will make all things new.

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18 NIV)."

Sometimes life deals us a crazy hand, a most unexpected blow that threatens to shatter our dreams, crush our hearts, and dash the last ounces of hope in our souls. And, some things (events, people, problems, break ups, and let downs, loneliness and heartaches) in life can wound us so deeply that it feels like our very hearts are broken in a million pieces and scattered to the wind...

When it feels this way, when it feels out of hand and beyond your strength, know that God sees you, is close to your broken heart, hears your plea, and will answer your prayers. In His time and in His way "God will breathe life into the shattered pieces of your story and create something new and more beautiful than ever before (Lysa TerKeurst)."

When you have arrived at the end of all your strength, trust Him. Trust Him to hear your prayers, and answer. Trust Him to to see your tears, and dry your eyes as He holds your hand. Trust Him to hear every desperate plea and trust Him to carry you through this day and this season. And then, thank Him for working on your behalf, even when you can't see it or feel it, and thank Him for bringing beauty and better days to your story.

Give yourself time, remembering that—"Forgiveness is a process. Healing is a long journey (Lysa TerKeurst) .”  And both are possible, in His way, and in His timing!

Be encouraged

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Here is what I know:

People can beat the best player, athlete, or prize fighter.  People can beat the best team, your favorite team, the mightiest militia, the special ops and any elite military on earth. People can beat the best coach, outwit the best strategic mind, out hustle the most ambitious, out fox the most clever, out man and out gun the most armored, out spend the most affluent, and out class the most sophisticated.  

But, no matter how many people there are against you, or how hard they try, they cannot beat, nor even come close to beating, THE ALMIGHTY GOD whose favor rests upon you. 

Be encouraged. Stay classy and confident. You are positioned for purpose. 

Grace and peace to you—Cassius

Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him

"Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven (Psalm‬ ‭148:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬)." 

 For every storm that we didn't have to go through this week— praise the Lord.

For every trial we triumphed over, every challenge we overcame and every battle won— praise the Lord.

For every door of opportunity that opened for us, all the endless favor and uncountable blessings, and for the gift of His love and His compassion— praise the Lord.

For the strength that has kept us, the hope that we can hold onto, the peace that comforts us, the hand that protects us and the love of family and of God— praise the Lord!! 

 May the exalted and enthroned One, worthy of praise, be gracious and wonderful to us and make this a fabulous day!  And when he does— let’s remember to rejoice and— praise the Lord!

Grace and peace to you—Cassius 

There is no alternative. There is no substitute.

There is no alternative. There is no substitute. There is none in all the world and no one else under the heavens. Only the enduring Name is able to save, bless, calm, favor, lead us in the way of life, and give us peace. 

"Jesus is the only One who can save [us]. No one else in the world is able to save us (Acts‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭NCV‬‬)." 

May the Triumphant Savior give us His hope and salvation, rescue, refreshing and restoration for our souls so that we have a life abundantly! 

 Grace and peace to you—Cassius

Today's Pastoral Service Announcement

Today's Pastoral Service Announcement

Make it a point today to forgive at least two people. 

1. Forgive yourself— for anything you've done out of anger, out of disappointment, out of previous hurts and brokenness, out of fear, or anything you have done that was out of line with your character, goals and purposes for life
2. Forgive the other person— for anything they've done out of malice, ignorance, anger or fear, out of their own disappointments, or out of their own hurt and brokenness.

Today, may we open our hearts through forgiveness to receive forgiveness and the healing ointment of joy and peace that true forgiveness brings. It may be hard, but forgiving yourself and them to receive God’s forgiveness is worth it.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Love ya—

My answer is E

Pop quiz (multiple choice):
1. The Everlasting God is __________!
(A) Awesome and Almighty
(B) Loving and Faithful
(C) Sovereign and Powerful
(D) Worthy and Wonderful
(E) All of the above and infinitely, indescribably and incomprehensibly more

May the One "who moves mountains and causes walls to fall," the absolutely, incomprehensibly, phenomenal God help us bask in His beauty and live boldly in His love. Because He is indescribable majesty and infinitely, unconditionally good we will have an amazing day! 

 Love you—Cassius

Seeing more good!

Just wanted to reiterate that while 2020 has been one crazy year (the pandemic, racial, equity and justice protests, fires and earthquakes, trials and tragedies, and the contentiousness and anxieties leading up to the elections), there have been a lot of good things happening. 

For one, we have learned we can live a less busy life and still survive, even thrive. We have taken health and wellness more seriously. We have learned the value of family and time together in text, phone, Zoom or FaceTime. For some we have even learned the value of alone time. 

And now more than ever, when so little of what we used to use to value ourselves by still exists (corner offices, bonuses, packed churches, busyness, and large social gatherings for me) we have realized that none of these things were ever determiners of our worth. 

But, the best thing of all is having the opportunity in all of this to once again start seeing ourselves as valuable and worthy; we are still loved and blessed and still God's children even in the storm, even without jobs or new jobs, even without the markers we once considered keys to our self worth, and even when we don't know what tomorrow will bring! 

So while many things may make us feel overwhelmed and anxious, take heart— God is still God, you are still blessed and favored, and LeBron is among the greats. Okay, so that last one was for levity, but you get the point. Shift your gaze up and let your hopes follow!

Take heart

"In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world (John‬ ‭16:33‬b MSG‬‬)." 

Sure, in this jacked up and crazy "world we will have tribulation and distress and suffering," but take heart the Father is with us. Jesus told us so. 

Trust the Truth that He is with us and "be unshakable and assured," "be courageous and confident, be undaunted, and filled with joy," and above all "be deeply at peace," because of Christ Jesus— He has conquered the world by the triumph of the cross. 

May we dwell in the hope of His "abiding victory." Have a great day!
(John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭AMP‬‬).
‭‭

Who to hope in?

"O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore (Psalm‬ ‭131:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬)." 

Not in an earthly king, candidate or president. Not in a Cabinet or Congress. Not in an office or set of officials. Not even in ourselves or our loved ones.   But, hope in God!

Hope in God— the Everlasting Father, the Eternal Monarch, the Triumphant Sovereign, the Prince of Peace, the Almighty God, the Grand Designer, the Alpha and Omega, and the Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent Architect! 

From this time and forevermore may follow His steps and walk in His path and place all our hope in the saving grace, precious wisdom, flowing forgiveness, restorative justice, tender mercy, and in the reckless and overwhelming and effusive love of the Lord God. 

Yes, hope in God till His Kingdom comes on earth as it is in Heaven!

The Just God reigns

Do not let the present circumstances cause you to lose hope, or forget who is sovereign, who is almighty, or who is God!  

And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf (Luke‬ ‭18:7‬ ‭AMP‬‬)?

  

May our just God, the righteous Judge, step in and work justice for us, His chosen people, who continue to cry out for help. May our God, the God of Angel Armies, defend, stick up for and avenge us, His children, who continue to pray for His help. May our God, the holy and just and sovereign God, have compassion and be merciful and give comfort to us, His children, who continue to ask Him for comfort, hope, joy and strength in the midst of our trials. 

 May we be persistent in faith, constant in prayer, vigilant in hope, and full of otherworldly joy because He will not drag his feet and He will not be late. 

Love you—Cassius
‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:6-8‬ ‭MSG‬‬

60 seconds

Take 60 seconds and seriously consider the majesty, and magnificence of the Almighty God— the One who moves mountains, makes a way out of no way, does the impossible, carries our burdens, heals our diseases, forgives all our sins, delivers, redeems and turns our lives around.  Sixty seconds to be in awe of the One who created the heavens and earth, and galaxies beyond what the eye can see. Take 60!  

Take 60 seconds more for the One who loves us even if, even when and even now, and let His friendship, majesty and joy bless, keep, and inspire you today! 

Love you—Cassius

Without Question!

Surely, certainly, definitely, without question, undoubtedly, indubitably, irrefutably, and without a shadow of a doubt we believe that the steadfast, faithful, and unconditional love of the Everlasting will follow us today, tomorrow and forever. May we dwell in His presence and enjoy His abounding and abundant goodness. 

Love you—Cassius

High and exalted... God is

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple (Isaiah‬ ‭6:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬)."

Tempting isn’t it?  To feel like the problems are too big, that hope has died, that this is just the way it is and the way it will be?  Tauren Wells said in his sermon on 9.6.2020, that when strength dies, when hope dies, when belief in your plans and power and abilities die— it is tempting to believe that that’s all she wrote. But, ... when our strength dies, when what we hoped for in ourselves comes to an end, when all our power has faded and our wills have been soundly defeated... it is then that we need to recollect and recall with clarity, confidence and conviction that God is with you, for you, and He is still enthroned on high and exalted. 

No matter wherever you are or whatever you may face you today, glorify and honor the eternal sovereign LORD— the King of king and Lord of lords, the One who is high and lifted up, and still exalted and enthroned forever! 

May today be loaded and filled with the unmerited treasures of joy and peace, comfort and strength, forgiveness and compassion, help and hope, and protection and provision that comes from the throne of grace of the Almighty God

Have a wonderful week! Love you—Cassius/Dad/Javier

Them too

Don’t cheap out on your worth

You were bought with a price, 

more valuable than silver and gold.  

1 Corinthians 6:20

Do not be deceived by the culture or tempted by the world's unholy desires. Do not be lured by their immortality or dragged into the shifting sands and dingy mud of cultural shifts to lust and pornography and unabashed sinfulness. Do not be weighed down by their pressures or dogged out by their dogmas.  

Let the forever love, steadfast goodness, and eternal faithfulness of God provide for and protect you. Let His "pure, replenishing" and vibrant power reveal and fulfill all the promises and good that He designed and predestined for your life. He has set His affection on you and has gone to extraordinary lengths to fill your needs, gaps, and desires— in Himself and in His will for you. 

May you live a life sold out to trust, hope, and belief in His forever goodness and accept no lesser alternatives no matter how good they seem in the moment! 

The struggle is real

"The struggle is real! Asking for help is hard" because it means being vulnerable to admit you don't have all the answers, and being vulnerable to put your trust in someone else, all the while you wondering, "What if they don't come through in the clutch?" 

Our God knows all too well our struggles, our struggles with trusting others, and even or especially "our struggles with trusting Him." He knows all too well our weaknesses in the trust and submission department, and our propensity to demand our own way. But, right now, in the hardest moment of today's struggle in the very eye of whatever storm, He invites us (me and you) to remember that He is the undefeated, omnipotent, never failing, good in the clutch and great at all times, on time God. 

May we fight ferociously and fervently against our natural distrust and wholeheartedly and wildly, passionately and fiercely embrace His love, power, strength and faithfulness in the clutch, the struggle, the storm and the still.

Breathe in

Let us breathe in grace and mercy, forgiveness and compassion, and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and breathe out every unfaithful, impure, contrary and evil thought. 

 Let us breathe in "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control
‭‭(Gal‬ ‭5:22‬ ‭ESV‬‬)," and breathe out fear, worry, anxiety and negativity. 

 Let us breathe in and inhale deeply the compassion and steadfast love of God so that we can endure difficulties, weather the storms, and persevere in the promises. May God give us every encouragement and the full measure of the blessings of faith in the Spirit of Christ Jesus! 

Grace and peace to you—Cassius

Valuable

"Forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity (Ps. 103:2–3 RSV)."


Reportedly, a pastry fan bought "Twenty boxes from the 'Great Twinkie Famine of 2000' for $5,150." Allegedly, The Royal Family of Qatar purchased one version of "The Card Players, a series of oil paintings by the French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne, for almost $300 million."  Supposedly, an "anonymous Malaysian businessman purchased the History Supreme Yacht, a yacht made from solid gold and platinum that also contains statues made out of real dinosaur bones, for  $4.5 billion."

But that's nothing compared to the actual price that the Author of time and eternity paid for us.  The One who owns every beast of the forest, all the cattle on a thousand hills, every bird of the air, all that moves in the field, every breath that we breathe, and the very universe and all that is within it, paid the highest price to purchase us from sin—  "for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬)."

May we never underestimate our sacred worth or His great love for us. 

——

Psalm 18:2

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm‬ ‭18:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬)."


In our, a world of storms and trials and challenges, far too often people find themselves preparing for storms, but building on the sand; hoping for solid ground while “clinging to loose gravel;” wanting stability and strength, but chasing after the wind.  And, all the while the One who is “impervious and unchanging truth,” a unrelenting hope and immovable anchor, calls to all creation to build upon Him and to take refuge in Him.

So how about from this moment forward we, you and me, start  building, fashioning, and anchoring our lives in Him— our “solid Rock,” “our Adamant”, our unmovable and unshakable and eternal God!

This is the work

Luke 22:41-44 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”

Praying isn't some nice pleasantry or spiritual platitude, nor some Boy Scout or Girl Scout badge of honor item, nor is it what we do for a celestial "pat on the back to cheer" us up. When we pray we are assembling ourselves and all of our faculties before the Commander of Angel Armies, surrendering our sensibilities and souls to His sovereignty, and no matter how smart or wise we feel we declare— “not my will, but Yours [O God] be done.”  In prayer we are answering the conscription notice to go to battle, recruiting and requesting the holy legions of angels, and we are listening up to get the battle plan and plugging in to download timeless and time tested wisdom and strategy.

When we pray, we are not being passive or lazy, and we are not delaying the work. In our secret closet we are preparing our hearts, minds, and souls for the rigors of the battle and we are doing the real work— putting on God's armor, linking up our shields together with others doing battle so that we move as one, “forming a barricade against the enemy,” heading to the front lines in the realm where the real scuffle is taking place against the principalities and forces of darkness.  In prayer we are fervently, zealously throwing ourselves into the fight and laboring mightily for the kingdom victory.  When we pray we are battling, clawing to claim and reclaim territory in partnership with Christ, giving our will to His in manifesting the victory.

And, this is why our Amen is so powerful. When we say “Amen” we are agreeing to do what we should and let God do what He needs to in order to manifest in this world the victory we already achieved when we prayed.

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever!"

"He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him (Daniel‬ ‭2:22‬ ‭ESV‬‬)."

 I do realize that the obstacles and challenges, afflictions and problems we are facing seem insurmountable and unbearable, but regardless of their size and their present difficulty we know that they will be destroyed with the rest of the works of evil and all the scourges and forces of darkness. May the life, light, and hope of the triumphant and risen Christ be our strength and our fortress to weather any storm and continually press into the victory.

This can have far reaching consequences

This can have far reaching consequences, that was the phrases that grabbed me and cast me back into the words I had just read earlier.

“The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."  Jeremiah‬ ‭31:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We are frequently, and sometimes almost entirely, sinister, eerily dark on just about every possible level, demonstratively and unnecessarily wicked, and yet live with the audacity to believe in that our momentary goodness, though it blighted with underlying motives and selfish intentions, gives us privileges.

Absurd! Yes, I know.

And yet, for His sake and for His glory, because of His unending faithfulness and unrelenting compassion, because He is pure and lovely, true and noble, kind and tenderhearted and forgiving, the Everlasting, goes through unthinkable extremes to have compassion on us, to reach our hearts and transform us through relationship, invite us to return and Shepherd our wayward selves back to lush pools, flourishing streams, and flowing rivers of living water.

Let that sink in. Let your heart be arrested by the truth that God's love for you, for us, is completely, utterly and undeniably unjustifiable. It is all gift! All grace! All unmerited and all initiated by Him.  We have not earned or deserved it, and have no right to deny it from or fail to turn this Love and Grace back to our fellow brother or sister, regardless!

May the truth that He is love and His love is entirely unearned have far reaching consequences in how we live, how we move and how we encourage and love others. And may we be ever mindful of the reality that it is because of His love that we have not all been consumed.

"But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation: It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. [Mal. 3:6.] They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. [Isa. 33:2.]"

‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:21-23‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

From Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

May the Spirit of the Lord God bind up our broken hearts, and set us free from any captive mindsets that keep us chained and bounded to anything less than His good and His perfect plans.

May the Spirit of the Lord God break every chain, and open every prison door (of hurt, unforgiveness, and anger) and proclaim liberty and freedom, and even moreover the Lord's favor upon us.

May the Spirit of the Lord God bring comfort to all who mourn, and grant to those who mourn "beauty instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning, and praise instead of a faint spirit."

May the Spirit of the Lord God bring us good and favor, make us strong like oaks, full of righteousness, and make us prosperous and flourishing like blossoming olive trees planted and tended in the garden of the Lord.

May the Spirit of the Lord God bring good things to us today and always so "that He may be glorified."


‭”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.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Unconditional Lovingkindness

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things 

(1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬).”

May we be ever reminded that His love is not swayed by time or circumstance, not altered in sickness or health or even death; not lessened in our poverty or increased by our wealth; unaffected by our better selves and not diminished or extinguished by our worst.  In spite of our imaginations to the contrary, His Hesed and agape is forever unmerited, undeserved, unrelenting, unending, unwavering, unconditional, unselfish, and unstoppable.  Period!  Amen!  

May your life, your waking and sleeping, your coming and going, your labor and your rest, be powered and empowered and inspired by Christ’s love for us and in us!

Love ya—Cassius

Four things you are likely taking for granted right now

Four things you are likely taking for granted right now:

1. Your last breath
2. You current breath
3. Your next breath, and 
4. The infinite God who gave and gives every breath to you. 

May we never take lightly that our God is Maker of heaven and earth, and every moments and every breath is His gift to us!

Proclaim His greatness

“For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! "The Rock, His work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He (Deuteronomy‬ ‭32:3-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬).”

We are loved by the One who is full of compassionate, loyal, faithful, and unconditional love. We are blessed by the One whose favor lasts for a lifetime, and blessings extend from generation to generation, even to our children’s children. We are known, fully known, by the One who is perfect, great, holy, righteous, without iniquity and in all His ways just.  He is a rock for us!

  Proclaim His greatness. Praise His Name. Worship Him!

 Have a wonderful day!  

Love you—Cassius

Pondering aloud

I Read:
https://www.bible.com/59/mat.20.2,15.esv

I Pondered:
(1) Do I begrudge His generosity?
(2) Do I underestimate the magnitude of His grace, and the reward of His calling?
(3) Do I ask too little of God?

I Prayed:
May our prayers to God be radical and bold, asking for enlarged territory for His glory like Jabez; pleading for His face to shine upon us and be gracious to us; claiming His blessings upon us and on our children to a thousand generations; and declaring, with faith unwavering and hope unending, that His compassion, generosity and grace, unmerited as they are, will be more lavish upon us than we can imagine and more spectacular than our souls can fathom!  May we be thankful for His grace to us and to others and rejoice always!

Love you—Cassius

To Him alone be all honor, glory, dominion, and power!

May the Ancient of days, the God of ages past and years to come, help us “remember that [He is] bigger and mightier than any infirmity or pandemic.”  

May the Shepherd and Savior, our “merciful Redeemer, Guardian, and Lord” of all “deliver us from the perils of stress, anxiety, fear, burnout, and fatigue” by His “supernatural strength, power, and grace.”  

May the “immutable God” our LORD “ignite hope in the midst of dark hopelessness,” and bring us an irrepressible joy and an unshakable hope for this time and all times to come.

To Him alone be all honor, glory, dominion, and power.  

His Good Pleasure...

I don't know what God will do today, but I do know what He has done, what He is doing, and what He delights to do. He has done great and awesome things— parting seas, stilling storms, multiplying bread, and giving us salvation (Manger, Calvary, empty tomb). He is doing miracles and wonders too numerous to count— breath in our lungs, clothes, food, shelter, protection, presence, and love with reckless abandon.

I don’t know all the ins and outs of what God has in store for us today.  But I imagine, scratch that, I know with faith and truth that what He will do today is in line with His promises, in accordance with His character, and in keeping with His steadfast love.

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke‬ ‭12:32‬ ‭ESV‬‬)." May the Father give us good things out of His faithful and generous spirit, and from His heart of eternal and loyal love!

Right now, in this very moment, God, our Lord and Father, delights in giving us His inescapable, unconditional, and irrepressible love, exuberant and eternal life, and a place and home in His Kingdom.

May the “King eternal, immortal, invisible,” incorruptible, “the only wise God,” whose deepest and good pleasure is to gladly give us the Kingdom—  also give us a day of delight, pleasure, gladness, purpose, impact, joy and a day fueled and filled by His inescapable love manifested in Christ Jesus. 

Love you—Cassius 

God has multiplied our blessings

“You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you!
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40:5a‬ ‭ESV‬‬).”

Great is the God of our salvation and hope, who does wondrous deeds too numerous to count, who multiplies our blessings more than the stars in the sky, and who lavishes thoughts of hope and goodness and kindness upon us in numbers more numerous than the sands on the shore. Great is the LORD!  None can compare with Him, and nothing can be better than the day He has prepared for us. Happy Monday!

“But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the Lord!"”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Yet,

One word.
Three letters.
Full of power and encouragement—

Yet!  

The sentence might start with betrayal, doubt, darkness, despair, fear, frustration, worry, and more, but this little word, yet, starts the flip.

Even though_______, yet...

Though they did________, yet...

The doctor said_______, yet...

The bank said________, yet...

You did _________, yet...

I did ________, yet...

The (insert noun) (insert verb) _________, yet!

I believe that little three letters word, yet, flips things. But, not just any yet.  The “yet” that makes the flip has to be tied to One who makes the flip worth hoping and waiting for.

Habakkuk says, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation (Habakkuk‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬)!”  Even though attacked. Even though defenses had failed. Even though failure and famine loomed. Even though wickedness prevailed. Even though it seemed like God had forgotten, he remembered the Sovereignty and wisdom of God, the faithfulness and steadfast love of God, the unshakable promises and justice of God and Habakkuk proclaimed what we can proclaim. Despite what I don’t like and can’t see, yet will I rejoice and hope in the God of my salvation.

 May we be encouraged that even though we go through the valley, God is with us and He is still worthy of praise.

Walk in His grip

“You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy‬ ‭13:4‬ ‭ESV)."

May we walk in the path of the Lord our God, the King of all the earth, worship Him with joy and gladness, hope and trust Him in the midst of trial and difficulty, obey His voice and heed His truths, and in every season—  run to Him, cling to Him, grip tightly His outstretched, nail pierced hands.  God is with us and we shall not be shaken.

Have a safe, healthy, and wonderful week!  Love ya—

Examine the record

“For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?  The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them (Psalms‬ ‭89:6, 8, 11‬ ‭ESV‬‬).”
Examine the record!  No one is as mighty as God— our God faithful forever, mighty beyond measure, incomparable in majesty and magnificence, eternally steadfast in love, and the sovereign ruler over all of Creation (the heavens and earth, light and darkness, the seen and unseen)!

Examine the record and give praise and honor, glory and worship to the King of kings and Lord of lords—

We are the powerful and the chosen

We are the powerful, chosen, highly favored, and abundantly loved children of the Most High God. The same "power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead," the same power that commands the universe and moves the heavens and earth— is in you, works through you, and works for you!

 Make up your righteous mind to—always—live in the abundance and power of Christ! Happy Monday!

Lift up your eyes!

“Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing (Isaiah‬ ‭40:26‬ ‭ESV‬‬).”  I need the God of power, of mighty, and of majesty to call me out and up!  I need the greatness of the One who created heaven and earth and calls all the stars by name to pull me out of the muck and mire, and tell me to lift my head and turn my eyes to heaven. I need God, the greatness of His might, the splendor of His majesty, and the strength of His love. And I’m willing to bet you do too!  May the God who redeems, rescues, restores, and rewards those who hope in Him, do all that we need, do more than we can imagine, and just be God right now and all up in whatever it is and wherever we are.

May the King, the Light of the world, the One who created heaven and earth, who calls all the stars by name without missing one, the One seated high and lifted up, the God of triumph, the undefeated One who demolished the power of the grave, the God who reigns in majesty, thunders in His might, yet whispers to our souls— may this God, my God and your God, be praised, worshipped, honored, glorified and called to bring us a better day and brighter tomorrow.

May God bless us with joy, presence, favor, healing, hope, and the power that comes whenever He does!

Be not one of them, or one with them

This world is full of hurt people who hurt people. Be not one of them, nor one with them.  Instead be firm in your love for God and His love for you, knowing and believing that “every child (that is every person ever born or created) is created in the image of God and, as such, has special dignity and value to God and for the world!”  Treat others like they are image bearers, and treat yourself that way too!

Be firm believing, without wavering or fear, that you are a child of God!  Believe without flinching that you are created in His image, and that you have dignity and value!  In confident assurance of His love and your worth, live with compassion, humility, love, gentleness, grace, forgiveness, and joy.

Treat yourself as an image bearer and child of God, and treat others that way too.   You, the very one with eyes reading or ears listening to this post, are special, created in the image of God, and have eternal value, immutable dignity, and sacred worth.  Believe it!  Live it!   And KNOW that you are loved forever, no matter what!

Today I pray

Today I pray that God will refill my tank, making moment by moment "deposits" into my heart, mind and soul from His bountiful, endless, and glorious riches in Christ, so that I endure and thrive throughout this day.

Today, I pray to have a "strong and vibrant spirit," to take time and pay attention to my mind, body, and soul so that I am more aware of "when too many withdrawals have been made" of my energy and emotions.

Today, I pray that my mind, body, and soul will be free from the "imaginary, unrelenting cycle to produce more, to make more or to try to outdo last week!"

Today, I pray that I will wake up and use "the certain amount of mental, emotional, and physical energy" I have been given to focus on being fully present in this moment and on this day with a passion and fire, to bring God glory.

And when I "have poured out everything I have to give," I pray that I will rest and pray again tomorrow.

Today I pray!