Light of the World: John 8:12

Franklinia tree (named after Benjamin Franklin) for more info: https://bartramsgarden.org/explore-bartrams/franklinia-tree/

¹²When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 (NIV)

Jesus said “I am the Light of the World.” We no longer have to walk in darkness because he is with us beside us. He shines brightly on us in us and around us. Let His light into your heart. Let it shine. Our job is to reflect His light into the shadows and dark areas around us.

Where will you shine God’s light?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, Light of the World, help us to bask in your sunlight and be illuminated like this Franklinia flower. Teach us to follow Your light when we feel surrounded by dark shadows. Like the Franklinia tree, which exists only in cultivation, not in the wild, help us to exist in You alone. In Your holy name. Amen

Praise: Psalm 13:5-6

⁵But I trust in your faithful love.
My heart is filled with joy because you will save me.
⁶I will sing praise to the Lord.
He has been so good to me.
Psalm 13:5-6 (NIRV) A psalm of David

Sing praises to the Lord, for He is good. Let your heart be filled with joy because he surrounds us with his extravagant, faithful love. His works are amazing, and the beauty of nature astounding. Worship His Holy name in praise! The photo and the scripture remind me of a favorite worship song of mine, “10,000 Reasons” by, Matt Redman. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E)

What fills your heart with joy?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we celebrate your love. We thank you for the beauty of nature that surrounds us. Teach us to let the blue skies and bright colors of the monarch butterfly bring joy to our day. Like the clustered blossoms of the milkweed plant encourage us to join together and praise you. Lord, you have been good to us. We thank you for giving us hope and for saving us. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Salvation: Titus 2:11-13

Azalea

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. ¹²It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:11-13 (NET)

The passage makes you want to shout with joy, for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all. We are redeemed. We are admonished to lead godly lives while we wait for the glorious return of Jesus. Our hope is alive built on Jesus’s love.

Where are you doing God’s work today? How are you preparing for Jesus?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for your grace to us. Like the clean white flowers, help us to be pure and bright, to reject worldly desires. Use the trumpet-like flowers of the azaleas to remind us to prepare for the sound of the trumpet that will proclaim your return. We thank you for your love and the promise of salvation. In Jesus’s name. Amen

Great Love: Psalm 108:3-4

Columbine

³I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
⁴For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Psalm 108:3-4 (NIV)

Lord, we are blessed with Your great love which is higher than the heavens. All our days, Your faithfulness surrounds us; it reaches upward to the skies. Oh, Lord, you are our rock and redeemer to you we raise our praise and hymns. We give thanks for your grace and forgiveness.

Where do you see God’s love?

Prayer: God, like the columbine blossoms are upright and bright, let our face be upturned to you. Teach us to open our hearts to others and reflect your love like the colorful open petals. Lord, we thank you for surrounding us with your great love and faithfulness. In Jesus’s name. Amen

What I desire: Psalm 27:4

Clematis Vine and Flower

I have asked the LORD for one thing—
this is what I desire! I want to live in the LORD’s house
all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor.
Psalm 27:4 New English Translation (NET Bible)

What I desire, is to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life. My first response is Amen. Then when I continue and read the NIV version of this verse, it says, “to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” Wow! Yes, this is my goal, my dream, and my hope. Can you even imagine?

Who or what has influenced your growth in the path toward God’s kingdom?

Prayer: Dear Lord, let our faith be bold and bright like the clematis flowers. Like the clematis plant twines around its support, lead us to pursue your path, and to rejoice in your splendor. Lord help us obtain our desire to live in Your house all the days of our life. In Jesus’s holy name. Amen.

Do All: Colossians 3:17

Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’

Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!
Colossians 3:17 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Start your day and end your day with Him. Pray for His direction and His wisdom in all you do. Let your lip be drenched with the beauty of Jesus, share His love. Praise His holy name!

Prayer: Dear Lord, like the Gomphrena fireworks, flowers, shoot out in many directions, similarly, our life bursts forth in diversified directions. Jesus, help us to do all; words and deeds to Your glory. As the blossom tips appear to be rimmed in shimmering gold help us to glow and shine with Your peace and love. We praise and love You! Amen.

Delight: Psalm 37: 3-4

3Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness
⁴Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37: 3-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

Today delight in the Lord and do good. Praise His name and dwell in the land of faithfulness. Trust the Lord. When we delight in the Lord, He fills our heart with compasion and love.

What way do you delight in the Lord?

Prayer: Dear Lord you are our delight you bring sunshine and brightness to our days. Like these blossoms cluster together, help us to gather together to do good. The flowers are exuberance in color and form let us be exuberant in praise to God. In Jesus name. Amen.

*Special thanks to Matt at https://jesusluvsall.wordpress.com for nominating me for Sunshine blogger award. His site is great, new content daily, plus a lot of diversity, compassion, and fun.

*Special thanks also to Jacquie at https://joycottage.blog for nominating me for the Liebster Award. Her blog has great content, plus many thoughtful and encouraging articles.

Perfect Harmony: Colossians 3:14

¹²Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV)

Lord, help us to learn to practice kindness. Teach us to practice humility, meekness, and patience. Let compassion fill our hearts; love as our cloak. Lord, give us the wisdom to forgive and strive for perfect harmony.

Where in your life do you need to give forgiveness and put on love?

Prayer: Dear Lord, like these petals, turn inward toward the center help us to turn inward and be humble. Help us to be meek and patient like this immature blossom rather than brash, and worldly. Lord let your unconditional love be a model for us to clothe ourselves in love and find perfect harmony. In Jesus holy name. Amen

Psalm16: 8-9 The Lord is with Me

I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
⁹No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.^[b]
My body rests in safety.
Psalm 16: 8-9

Yes, the Lord with us always. He is beside us so we need not fear. All we need to do is call to Him for help. We need to let go and let God be in control.

I want to share with you the lyrics and the video of the song “Let Go” by, DeWayne Woods, he says it beautifully…

I couldn’t seem to fall asleep
There was so much on my mind
Searching for that peace
But the peace I could not find
So then I knelt down to pray
Praying help me please
Then He said you don’t have to cry
‘Cause I’ll supply all your needs
As soon as I stop worrying (soon as I stopped worrying)
Worrying how the story ends (When I let go)
I let go (And I let) and I let God (let Him have)
(Let Him Have) Let God have His way
(That’s when things) That’s when things start happening
I’ll stop looking at back then
I let go and I’ll let God have His way…

What do you need to release, to let go and let God have?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for always being with us. Just as the long stamens of the cleome bloom reach outward. Let us, in turn, reach out in prayer to You. As the cleome blossoms circle round the inner center encircle us with Your love. Jesus, we will not be shaken, for you are beside us. Our hearts rejoice in You! Amen

Light: 2 Corinthians 4:6-7

⁶God said, “Let light shine out of darkness.” He made his light shine in our hearts. His light gives us the light to know God’s glory. His glory is shown in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (NIRV)

God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light.
Genesis 1:3

Yes, the name of this plant is obedient plant. It is now in bloom in my front yard. In the photo, sunlight illuminates the flower petals, so they almost glow. God, in turn, made his light to shine to glow in our hearts. This light of love and the sharing of love spreads God’s glory. Let there be light and let it shine!

Where is your heart light shining to push back the darkness?

Prayer: Dear Lord, Let our hearts be inner lit with light and know God’s glory. Help us to be obedient like the name of this plant and follow your path. Lead us toward the glory of Christ’s face. As a strong stem supports the plant and blossoms, help us to be strong and steady during life storms. In Jesus holy name. Amen