Author: Jeanne

You Protect Me – Psalm 139:5

5 and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side. Psalm 139:5 (CEV)

David is explaining his confidence in God that God guards us on all sides. When we feel weak, the Lord strengthens us, protecting us from despair and anxiety. God is Omniscient; He has knowledge of all things and is Omnipresent everywhere we go He is present. He is always with us.

5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Psalm 139:5 (NLT)

God’s hand of blessing on our heads shows God’s compassion and gentle care. God’s hand of blessing upon us brings us grace, comfort, and strength. Our God is a loving Father who cares for, protects, and sustains His children.

6 I can’t understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me.

Psalm 139:6 (CEV)

David continues in verse 6, stating God’s greatness, power, and knowledge is too vast for us to understand, too wonderful to take it all in. However, we can relax and put our trust in God.

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we are amazed by Your strength, power, grace, and love for us. We thank you for Your protection, compassion, and care. We are in awe of Your power and that You are with us everywhere we go. Like the hydrangea flower head, the little florets are not alone but gathered together; we are never alone, for God is with us and places a hand of blessing on our heads. We praise and worship You, our Omniscient, Omnipresent Lord. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

🌺

God of Creation – Romans 1:20

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. – Romans 1:20 (NLT)

People have the opportunity to know God, revealed through His creation. What kind of power would it take to create the world and solar system? Eternal power, the power of God, manifests in His creation, miracles, and salvation. God’s invisible qualities are visible when you look at what God has created.

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known. – Psalm 19:1-2 (NLT)

As David says in Psalm 19, heaven proclaims the glory of God, and the skies display His craftsmanship. After partaking in the majesty and beauty of the world, there is no excuse for not knowing, honoring, and worshiping our God of Creation.

But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.  Romans 1:19-20 (MSG)

Here is a link to God of Wonders -Documentary John Whitcomb, Dan Sheedy, Don B. DeYoung. This documentary details how the natural universe shows God’s creative genius, His power, majesty, and wisdom. It is beautiful and touching.

⁂

Prayer: Our powerful, mighty, and loving Heavenly Father, we worship You, God of Creation, God of Wonders. We thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace toward us. Let us be open to Your guidance and authority. As the Fireworks Gomphrena flower glows with beauty, let us radiate peace and glow with Your love. In Jesus, holy name. Amen

🌺

My Strength, My Song – Isaiah 12:2

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 (ESV)

Isaiah describes God’s goodness and that He is trustworthy. Isaiah has a deep faith and trust in God. For God keeps His promises and can protect and save us.

God is our strength; He gives us strength to endure our trials. Trust in Him dispels fear and brings peace. God is the embodiment of strength and joy.

The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. – Psalm 118:14 and Exodus 15:2a (ESV)

The Lord is our strength, a source of joy, praise, and song.
He is my salvation, my strength, and my song. Let us sing praises to Him!

2 “Yes, indeed—God is my salvation.
    I trust, I won’t be afraid.
God—yes God!—is my strength and song,
    best of all, my salvation!” – Isaiah 12:2 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, You are our hope and salvation. Teach us to trust You and follow Your path for us. You are our strength and song. Guide us, teaching us to rely on Your strength and power instead of our understanding. Like the Anemone flower brightens spring, let us shine bright with Your light and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen

🌺

Faith to Faith – Romans 1:17

For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” Romans 1:17 (NET)

The gospel tells of God’s “good news”; everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is saved and gets a new life. Faith starts with belief in Jesus Christ, realizing He died for our sins; He is our Lord and Saviour.
Faith spurs spiritual growth and transformation. The righteous will live by faith, an ongoing process of growing spiritually and learning to trust God. It is a continual journey that shapes our thoughts, priorities, and actions. From faith to faith, we grow spiritually, learning to trust God by having faith in His promises and righteousness – by starting in faith and ending in faith.

It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.” Romans 1:17 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace while we were still sinners. Help us grow in spirit and faith. Guide us, transform us to be more Christ-like. Like a rose blooms from bud to flower, let us grow from faith to faith. Amen

Pray in the Spirit – Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. -Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

Paul is writing to the Christians in Ephesus, in prior verses, urging them to take up the full armor of God to stand firm against evil. This verse stresses prayer is important in spiritual battles. Prayer is our way of communicating with God and connects us to the power of God.

Praying in the Spirit is praying in the power and as directed by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will never lead us to pray in a way that is contrary to the Word of God.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

Prayer is not just for our needs and issues; it is also important to keep praying with all kinds of prayers and requests for God’s people.

Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

We must be alert, pray often with perseverance, and pray without ceasing.

God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

-Ephesians 6:18 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, teach us to stand firm against evil. Guide us to put on your full armor of protection, stand strong in faith, and pray in the Spirit. Help us to pray often and with perseverance. Like the flowers on the rhododendron, gather together; let us gather together in love, praying for one another. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

🌺

Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23

New International Version
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

Paul is explaining behaviors that Christians should have in their lives when they let the Holy Spirit lead them. These behaviors or attributes reflect Christ. Nine characteristics make up the fruit of the Spirit. They are not separate fruits but one indivisible spiritual fruit.

These nine traits or behaviors are found in a child of God and display the nature of Christ.

To live by the fruit of the Spirit believers, have power and compassion to lead with love, and serve others with patience, kindness, and goodness. Spiritual joy gives strength and rejoicing during difficult circumstances. Peace is inner tranquility, freedom from anxiety found through faith. Self-control is not being easily provoked but being patient, forgiving, and forbearing. Gentleness is being kind, tender, and caring for one another. Faithfulness to others is being reliable, dependable, and honorable to others. These spirit-filled attributes make up the fruit of the Spirit.

Through the fruit of the Spirit, being motivated by love will lead us to care, kindness, goodness, forbearance, self-control, and gentleness, in service to others.

22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Galatians 5:22-23 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and love. Help us to follow Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit. Let us be Spirit-lead and manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Like the geranium grows and flowers in the light, let us grow in faith and spread Your light. In Jesus’ name. Amen

🌺

All Things – John 3:35

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. – John 3:35 (ESV)

God (the Father) has an eternal extravagant love for His Son, Jesus. Jesus was born of Mary but came as a divine messenger from heaven. He is a teacher, healer, and miracle worker. He is our Saviour; He died for our sins.

Those who believe in Jesus Christ are saved and have eternal life. Jesus is God; the Trinity is composed of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (ESV)

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. A person must accept Jesus for salvation; He is the one and only way to heaven and to God the Father.

God the Father has given and entrusted all things into Jesus’ hands. He has the full authority of the Father over all things.

34-36 “The One that God sent speaks God’s words. And don’t think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly. He turned everything over to him so he could give it away—a lavish distribution of gifts. That is why whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever! And that is also why the person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn’t see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that”. John 3:34-36 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love and grace. For You so loved us that You gave us Your only Son, Jesus. We are saved and blessed for He died for our sins, and we realize You have placed all things in His hand. Like the camellia flowers glow and shine against winter skies, let us glow with love and shine with Your light. Amen

🌺

Abba, Father – Galatians 4:6

4But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT)

God sent his only Son to earth to redeem us. Belief in Christ frees us from slavery to sin and the law. His death on the cross allows believers to receive the Spirit of adoption, becoming children of God.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15 (AMP)

God sends the Spirit to live in us, his adopted children. The Spirit of His Son moves into our hearts, guiding and helping us communicate with God in prayer, praise, and calling out, “Abba, Father”! God is our Abba, Father; we are not slaves but children of God and heirs.

4-7 But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. Galatians 4:4-7 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: God, we thank You for sending us Your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, who died on the cross for our salvation. As we celebrate His birth, let us realize He set us free from sin, allowing us to be adopted by You and call You Abba, Father. Like the blooms of the Chrysanthemum grow and blossom every fall, let us grow in faith and blossom with love. Amen

Path of Peace: Luke 1:79

78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:78-79 (NIV)

These verses are part of Zechariah’s Song, his joyful song of praise and prophecy after the birth of his son. The previous verses, 76, and 77, are about his son, John the Baptist.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, – Luke 1:76-77

Due to God’s compassion and tender mercy toward us, He sent the rising sun from Heaven. The rising sun; His son, the Messiah, came to earth. To save those living in the darkness, of sin and wickedness, living in the shadow of death. Jesus came, bringing light – directing, reviving light of spiritual comfort and salvation.

Jesus came to save us, transform our lives, direct and guide our feet on the path of peace.

Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
    God’s Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
    those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
    down the path of peace. Luke 1:78-79 (MSG)

⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your compassion and tender mercy toward us. Thank you for loving us and giving us Your son Jesus. Let us follow Him and have Him guide us on the path of peace. Like a rose blossoms and grows in the sun, let us blossom with love and follow Jesus, the Rising Sun. Amen

🌺

Reverence and Awe – Hebrews 12:28

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28 -29 (ESV)

The kingdom that cannot be shaken is God’s eternal kingdom. God’s kingdom is given to us when we believe in Jesus. We need to place our hope and trust in His kingdom, not worldly things. This requires us to let go of the things of this world that impede us and fix our eyes on Jesus.

God loves us, forgives us, and guides us. We, in turn, need to show gratitude and reverence and be thankful for all God has done for us. Worship Him with reverence and awe, opening our hearts and lives to Him. Praising God by lifting our voices in gratitude and thanksgiving while living in a way that pleases and glorifies Him.

Verse 29 explains God’s wrath is on those who defy him; he is a consuming fire. His fire burns away impurities, refines, and purifies until all is clean.

28-29 Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! Hebrews 12:28-29 (MSG)

⁂

Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your many blessings. We are grateful for Your grace and for sharing Your unshakable kingdom. We praise and worship You with reverence and awe. Teach us to store our treasures in heaven rather than in earthly things. Like the beautiful hollyhock flowers are open wide to the sun, let us open our hearts to You and follow Your son, Jesus. Amen

🌺