23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24 (NIV)
The Holy Spirit lives in believers, enlightening, sustaining, and guiding us to be more Christ-like. We are given the Holy Spirit, a gift from God, to guide us in truth. The presence of the Holy Spirit can’t be seen but is exhibited in its effect on a believer’s heart and life; by growth in faith, love, and sanctification. A believer in Christ; lives in Him, and Christ lives in the believer; through the Holy Spirit.
Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24 (MSG)
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Does God live in you? When we believe in Jesus and love one another, God lives in us, and we live in Him.
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and grace. Guide us to live in You and love others as you have loved us. Teach us to listen to the Holy Spirit and find help and guidance. As the hardy geraniums glows with raindrops in the sunlight, let us glow with Your love and spread Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God a may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17(NIV)
In Greek, the word Theopneustos translates as God-breathed. Paul is saying that scripture is; divinely breathed into by God. Men penned the scripture, but the words were divinely inspired. Scripture written years ago is still relevant today; because God guides and counsels us through the ancient pages.
Scripture instructs us, points out sin, counsels, corrects us, and teaches us to accept and apply truth. Our God-breathed Scripture is for us; a firm foundation, the wisdom we can rely on, equipping us for good work.
Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (MSG)
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Is our God’s-breathed scripture your firm foundation?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank you for Your guidance and counsel. May your God-breathed scripture guide and direct our path. Teach us to go to the scriptures for clarity, counsel, and truth. Let us embrace Your Word, equipping us to do good works. May we cluster together like the spirea blossoms and spread Your love. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (GWT)
Love of money, an unhealthy desire for wealth, or covetousness; are worldly behaviors that lead to dissatisfaction and envy. Christians need to be thankful for what they have and not be anxious about worldly things. Our lives should not revolve around earthly treasures, which are easily lost or destroyed. Instead, we should store our treasures in heaven; by living the way God asks us to live. We should be happy and thankful for all God has given us; be content. For God says, I will never abandon you or leave you. An attitude of contentment brings heartfelt peace and leads to a positive outlook exemplifying Christian life.
5-6 Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,
God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?
Hebrews 13:5-6 (MSG)
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Are you worried about your status and keeping up with the neighbors; or content in the knowledge that God will never abandon or leave you?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your forgiveness and love. Teach us to be content with what we have, and realize what is important in life. Help us to store our treasures in heaven; rather than in material things. Like the zinnia flower reflects sunlight, let us reflect Your light and spread Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
David is celebrating his relationship with the Lord; he is confident; for he believes in God’s protection and promises. He feels secure, for the Lord is always beside him. The Lord is his instructor, friend, counselor, and his refuge from life’s storms. David’s heart rejoices even in the face of death; for his eternal destiny is assured.
8 Day and night I’ll stick with God; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
9-10 I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell— that’s not my destination!
Psalm 16:9-10 (MSG)
Are you confident and secure in your faith; does your heart rejoice in the Lord?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank you for being beside us, guiding us, and keeping us secure. Teach us to put our confidence in You. You are our strength and refuge. Let our hearts rejoice; as you guide and protect us. Like the red geranium blossoms bring joy to the garden, let us grow, blossom, and spread Your joy. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
Psalm 40:5 (NLT)
David’s song of praise to God; “Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us.” They are more than we can enumerate beyond what we can express.
You cannot count God’s thoughts of you. If he were only to think of us once, in tender mercy, that one thought would run on throughout eternity, for he does not retract either a thought that he thinks or a word that he utters. Instead thereof, one gracious thought is followed by another, swiftly as the beams of light flash from the sun, so that it is impossible for us to number them.
Spurgeon’s Bible Commentary
Your forgiveness, mercy, grace, and kindness surround us. Nothing can compare to God, He is Omnipotent, and there is nothing He cannot do. God is powerful, and He protects; He is gracious, He forgives, and; He is trustworthy; He keeps His promises.
Praise the Lord for His wonderful works, miracles, and His grace toward us! ⁂
God has performed many wonders for us; have you taken the time to respond with thanks and praise?
Prayer; O Lord, our wonderful Heavenly Father, we are in awe of Your majesty. We thank you for Your miracles and the many wonders You have done for us. No one can compare to You. Thank you for your grace, forgiveness, and love. As we marvel at the beauty of flowers, let us marvel at the beauty of Your grace and Your wonderful works, and give thanks. In Jesus’ holy and loving name.
16As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me. 17Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
Psalm 55:16-17 (KJV)
Fear, trials, and problems can be discouraging and overwhelming to us; however, the Lord is with us and hears our prayers. When we are afraid or worried, we can call upon the Lord. We can give Him our burdens and rest upon His promises. He saves us, protects us, sustains us, comforts us, and rescues us. We have no prayer limit; we can reach out as often as we want; for the Lord welcomes our prayers.
David had confidence in the Lord; He constantly reached out to Him in prayer and with thanksgiving. He knew the Lord heard His voice and would save Him. ⁂
16-18 I call to God; God will help me. At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs—he hears, he rescues. My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger Even while thousands are lined up against me.
Psalm 55:16-18 (MSG)
When you are afraid, weary, and overwhelmed, do you reach out to the Lord with confidence; in prayer?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for listening to our prayers and helping us. Help us to turn our concerns, fears, and worries over you; in prayer. God, teach us to reach out to you, rest on Your promises, and spread Your love. Thanks for hearing our prayers and rescuing us. Like the hidden daylily seeks sunshine, let us reach out for help and seek Your light. In Jesus’ loving name. Amen
In this verse, David is expressing joy that God is always with him. Since God is with him always, David feels secure and protected. Safe since the Lord is beside him as his guard, protector, and guide. The Lord is with us always; when we are worried or afraid, he is with us. We can reach out to Him anytime, in prayer; for help and guidance.
8 Because you are close to me and always available, my confidence will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every moment. 9 My heart and soul explode with joy-full of glory! Even my body will rest confident and secure.
Psalm 16:8 (TPT)
Like David, during times of uncertainty and fear, we can have confidence knowing the Lord is beside us. Or some versions say the Lord is at our right hand, a place of defense and honor. We shouldn’t be shaken or worried, for the Lord is with us, beside us guiding us, directing us, and instructing us.
God is with us, our hearts can rejoice, and our bodies can rest; with confidence knowing our eternal destiny is secure.
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Are you secure and confident, and acknowledge that God is with you always?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your compassion and care. Help us to grasp that You are with us always. Teach us to feel confident and secure in Your love and protection. Like the roses are leaning into and supporting each other, let us lean into Your strength and be confident in Your care. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:18-19a (NIV)
This verse is part of Pauls’s prayer for Ephesians (Ephesians 1:15-20). He is praying for their hearts to be enlightened, so they can comprehend and appreciate the hope and glorious inheritance they received by grace from God. To be enlightened, we must seek the Lord and study his Word to capture the glory of salvation and inheritance. By focusing on God and following His path, we can obtain the glorious way of life He has planned for us and tie into His endless energy and boundless strength.
15-19 That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
Ephesians 1:15-19 (MSG)
Do you feel enlightened? Are your eyes focused on Jesus; can you see what He is calling you to do?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and forgiveness. Open our eyes to our path and enlighten our hearts with Your love. Lord, we thank You for redeeming us and giving us a glorious inheritance. Like the zinnias grows and flourishes in the sun, let us grow in faith and flourish in Your Son’s light. In Jesus’ name. Amen
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)
We often try to control and fine-tune our plans to the way we want. Forming plans for the future is wise, but often our plans are limiting; God can direct us to achieve abundantly more than we ever considered. In humility, we need to realize that God is in control and determining our steps. The best way to plan is to commit our way to God, trusting him to direct us. He will guide us on the correct path, the way best for us, in this world, and eternally.
9 We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.
Proverbs 16:9 (MSG) ⁘
When in your life has God changed your plans for the better?
Prayer; Our loving Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love and patience. Teach us to open our hearts to You and to listen to Your direction. Help us to live in faith and trust You to determine our steps. Like the blossoms of the clematis are open reaching toward the sun, let us be open to Your guidance and reach out to You in faith. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
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10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.
1 Peter 3:10-11 (NIV)
To love life during hard times and trials requires a deliberate attitude of faith, trusting that the Lord is in control. These verses in 1 Peter are quotes from David’s Psalm 34:12-14.
12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:12-14 (NIV)
In these verses, David and Peter are encouraging us to have a positive attitude; to realize that God is with us always. Our job is to keep our tongues away from evil and our lips away from deceitful speech. Turning away from evil and doing good while pursuing peace causes the Lord to look on us with approval and be attentive to our prayers.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12 (NIV)
It is up to us to make the most of our time on earth, take time to love life, have a thankful heart, embrace good and turn away from evil. ⁘
During difficult times, struggles, and weariness, do you remember to thank God for His blessings, embrace His peace, to love life?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for watching over us and listening to our prayers. Help us grow in faith, hope, and righteousness, taking time to love life. Teach us to turn away from evil and do good. Like the pansies’ “faces” and bright colors bring smiles, let our smiling faces spread joy, happiness, and peace. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen.
I believe in the power of prayer. If you need prayer, I would be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page.🌺
Garden Faith 