More Than We Can Comprehend

God loves us more than we can comprehend. 

Even though we fail daily at following His commands, He loves us and forgives us. He welcomes us with open arms and comforts us. 

I cannot fathom the kind of love that sends a perfect Son to the cross for a wretch like me. However, that is the love God has for us!

Please know God loves you and cares for you more than you can ever imagine!

Love

Love is not something that you fall into or out of. Love is a choice. Love is an action, not a feeling.

John 15:12, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."

How did Christ love? 

He loved with actions. 

He had compassion on people. He healed people. He provided for their needs. 

Choose to love today. Put feet to your love and actively participate!

Love

I have been convicted a lot recently about true Christian love. I have come to realize that there are some people in my life that I truly struggle to love. This saddens me because God has such tremendous love for me that I should be able to pass that on to others. 

1 Corinthians 13 tells me that even if I do good things for God's kingdom, if I do them without love, then it means nothing. I can have great faith and hope in God, but love for others is even greater.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 KJV 

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Showing Love to Others

National Hugging Day

Tied With Love

He Cares for Us!

Psalms 144:1-15 KJV

1 <> Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: 2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. 3 LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! 4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. 5 Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them. 7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children; 8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. 10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword. 11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: 12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: 13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: 14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. 15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

God is worthy to be praised!

He is our strength. He is our deliverer. WE can trust in Him and rely on Him.

Even though He is far above us, He still cares for us!

To the human understanding, we are so lowly that the great Almighty King of kings shouldn't even take notice of us . . .yet He does!

Not only does He take notice of us, but He cares for us!

He provides for our needs. He protects us. It is because of His great love for us that we can be fruitful and multiply. It is because He cares for us that we can experience true happiness and eternal life.

Never Forget

Love's Strength

Smile!

From a Loving Heart

Live Differently

Matthew 5:43-48 KJV

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

God calls us to live differently from the world. We must stand out from everyone else and since God is love (1 John 4:8), showing love when the world wouldn't, definitely causes us to be different. Evil can only be overcome by love. We can change others by the love we show even when the world says we have the "right" to withhold love. May we rise to the standard God sets for us and demonstrated to us through the life of Jesus Christ.

Resist Evil

Matthew 5:38-42 KJV

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Our human nature (and the world) says that if someone hurts us, they deserve to be hurt the same way, but christ is all about love. We are not to seek revenge, but show love. We don't strike back, we give more than what they are asking, and we don't turn away someone in need.

Is it easy to live this way?

NO!

Our fleshly desire is to say that it is our right to be angry and to fight back, but as Christians, we are called to love. We can resist evil with love.

Celebrating 18 Years Together!

It is sad that I had to go back to our last anniversary
to get a picture of us together! I'll have to make a
better effort to take more pictures!

Today, my husband and I are celebrating 18 years of marriage! While it hasn't always been easy, I wouldn't have wanted to endure them with anyone else. Even now, we wonder at the miracle that God worked by bringing us together and guiding us through the many difficult times. To say that it has always been easy or fun would be a lie. We had many tough times, and even some times where we would have divorced if we hadn't been so stubborn to stick to our statements that divorce wasn't an option, but God was gracious and brought us through those times stronger than ever.

As I ponder over how much we both have changed in the past 18 years, I have to say that it was only by God's grace that we have become the people we are today and pray that God continues to mold us and shape us into who He would have us be.

I am linking to some previous posts that I have written on our anniversaries because what they say still ring true.

17 Reasons I Love My Husband

14 Things I’ve Learned During 14 Years of Marriage

Pray for Marriage

I was awoken last night just after having a dream where I was standing in the road trying to warn people of danger ahead. I was trying to get them to slow down and be careful through the treacherous road that laid before them. When I woke, I asked God of what danger I was warning people. Immediately, a few couples came to mind. These couples are all having difficulties in their marriages.

Marriage is a sacred union. Most people enter marriage with the traditional wedding vows which are:

Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?

Even if couples vary from the above vows, they hold many of the same thoughts. Let's look at these vows.

"Love him"-Love is a choice which is why you promise to do it. If it was just a feeling you could fall in and out of, there isn't any way you could promise to always do it. It isn't always going to be easy, but you need to make the choice to love your spouse.

"honor him"-Again, choosing to honor isn't always going to be easy, but you promise to do it on your wedding day. How does honor look? Well, it could be by not saying negative things about your spouse to others. It could be choosing his likes over your own. It definitely is submitting to his authority and God-given role in your marriage.

"for better or worse"-Life isn't always going to be a breeze and your marriage won't survive if you only love and honor in the best of times. Again, those are choices that you have to make and make them even when times are tough. The tough times won't always stay. In fact, the tough times don't seem so tough when you do choose to love and honor and work together as a team.

"for richer or poorer, in sickness and health"- Again, life isn't always going to be easy, but we need to stand with our spouses. We need to be there for them in the good and bad times. It is easier to endure trials with the support and love of another person. "For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."~Ecclesiastes 4:10

"forsaking all others, be faithful only to him"-Most people only think of this in terms of adultery, but it is much more than just a physical relationship with someone other than your spouse. There is what people call emotional adultery where you seek comfort or emotional intimacy with someone other than your spouse. Also, there doesn't necessarily need to be a physical relationship as just talking with someone else and fantasizing about someone else can be just as detrimental.

In addition to these vows, most people begin their marriages with a wedding where they stand in a church and vow before God to keep these vows. When you do that, you are entering a covenant with God so you aren't just promising your spouse, but God as well.

Satan hates anything that God loves which means that he hates marriage and is going to do all that he can to destroy it. He will use any of the areas mentioned above to attack. We need to be in constant prayer for not only our marriages, but the marriages of those around us. We need to stand and fight the attacks of the devil and we know that defeating him can only be done in the strength of Christ.

Please join me today praying for your marriage, praying for the marriages of your friends and
families, praying for the marriages of those who follow this blog, and for marriages in general. If you know of people who are struggling in their marriages, pray for them. If you know people who seem to have a strong marriage, still pray as they may not actually have a strong marriage or they may have some rough roads ahead. Pray that couples will lean on Christ for strength and seek to draw closer together by drawing closer to Him.

God tells us that where two or three are gathered, He will be in the midst of them. Let us join together and pray!

Dear Heavenly Father, You created the institute of marriage and made it holy. I pray for all couples. I pray they seek You personally and seek Your strength and wisdom to help them in their marriages. I pray they will make You the center of their marriages. I pray they love one another. I pray wives honor their husbands. I pray they endure through the hard times as much as they enjoy the good times. I pray for faithfulness not only to their spouses physically and emotionally, but also faithfulness to You. I pray for openness of feelings and thoughts. I pray for unity in each marriage. I pray for communication. I pray for intimacy-both physical and emotional. I pray for my own marriage in all these areas as well. Lord, may You strengthen and encourage couples in their walk with You and each other. May You be glorified in relationships that are healed and restored. I also pray that if we can be of help in any way to the marriages around us that You would show us how best to do that. Help us be the people who stand and warn others of the dangers ahead. Help us know how to advise them through the potholes they will encounter. You are a good and faithful God who only desires the best for His children and You love each and every one of us. In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Kindness

Love Needs to Come First

Revelation 2:1-7 KJV

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The church of Ephesus was commended for many good things. If we look at the church of Ephesus from a worldly perspective, they were a "good" church. However, Christ had one complaint (and it was a big one).

They had left their first love.

Who is their first love?

Jesus Christ!

They were doing good works, but for the wrong reasons. They were no longer doing them out of love for Christ which means they weren't doing them out of love for others because Christ calls us to love.

This passage is evidence that we must always do what we do out of love. If we have deeds but not love, then it is meaningless.

Love needs to come first. Love needs to be always at the forefront.

Redeem the Time

Ephesians 5:1-17 KJV 

1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

The list of things that are unacceptable to God that appear in verses 3-4 seem to describe America today. So many people not only participate in these things, but also try extensively to get others to also participate, or at least condone them, through the cry of tolerance.

Let's look closer at what those are.

     fornication=harlotry, adultery, incest

     uncleanness=impurity-physically or morally

     covetousness=fraudulent greed or extortion

     filthiness=obscenity

      foolish talking=silly talk, buffoonery

     jesting=vulgar witticism

How are we to act when confronted with these behaviors?

     In love! (vs. 2)

However, what does walking in love look like?

     1. Don't be deceived (vs. 6)

     2. Don't partake (vs. 7)

     3. Walk in the light (vs. 8)

     4. Don't fellowship with those that do partake (vs. 11). Notice it says fellowship; it doesn't say not          to associate with them or show them love. Fellowship means, "to share in company with, i.e.              co-participate in:--communicate (have fellowship) with, be partaker of."

     5. Reprove them (vs. 11). Reprove means, "of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish:--convict,            convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove." By reproving them, we are bringing them to light.

We are to be wise and walk (act) wisely. Don't be foolish and think that by ignoring it or letting everyone do their own things that things will get better or that it won't affect you. Redeem the time--turn people from evil and towards wisdom. What is wisdom? The will of God!

Love in Deed and Truth

Ezekiel 33:1-32 KJV

1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? 11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. 13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live. 17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways. 21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. 22 Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. 23 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24 Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. 25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? 26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land? 27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. 28 For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. 29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. 30 Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. 31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. 32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

God has convicted me.

I have been praying for months that I would have a meek and quiet spirit.

1 Peter 3:4 KJV 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

A few weeks ago, I started reading Homeschooling with a Meek & Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell.

I realized that 90% of what I read, I know. I know it, but I am not doing it. It is in my head, but not in my heart.

When I opened my Bible to Ezekiel 33, I was drawn to verses 31 & 32.

31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. 32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

I talk about love, but do I truly show it? When it comes down to it, a large motivation for what I do is selfishness and not love. I do them for how they benefit me. Do I do things out of love? Yes, but that is not always my motivation and it should be.

My love for God should be so great that all I do is out of love. I need to stop fearing man (what will they thing of me?) and focus on my fear (awe & love for) God.

True Love for Valentine's Day