Light to Shine: John 12:46

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.
John 12:46 (NLT)

In this verse Jesus is speaking to a group of people in Jerusalem. The Hebrew people associated light with truth, knowledge and goodness. Darkness was associated with ignorance, error, sin, and misery. Jesus was sent to earth by God as a guiding light to all who sit in darkness, a light to shine in this dark world. Whoever believes in Him is called out of darkness into his wonderful light.

John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the true light.

6A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world
1 John 1:9

Jesus, the true light, shines the light of faith into the dark world. He came to save the world and show us the path of peace and the way of truth.

^44-46Jesus summed it all up when he cried out, “Whoever believes in me, believes not just in me but in the One who sent me. Whoever looks at me is looking, in fact, at the One who sent me. I am Light that has come into the world so that all who believe in me won’t have to stay any longer in the dark. ^47-50“If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn’t take it seriously, I don’t reject him. I didn’t come to reject the world; I came to save the world.
John 12:44-46 (MSG)

Jesus is the true light, the light to shine; is he shining in your life?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son the true light. Teach us to let His light shine in our lives and brighten our path. Direct our feet on the path of peace and the way of truth. Like sunflowers, follow the sun and reflect its light; let us follow Your Son and reflect His light. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Finding Jesus

If You Look for Me at Christmas…

Poem by: Jan Mahannah

If you look for me at Christmas,
you won’t need a special star;

I’m no longer just in Bethelehem,
I’m right there where you are.

You may not be aware of Me
amid the celebrations.
You’ll have to look beyond the stores
and all the decorations.

But if you take a moment
from your list of things to do,
and listen to your heart, you’ll find
I’m waiting there for you.

You’re the one I want to be with,
you’re the reason that I came,
and you’ll find Me in the stillness,

as I’m whispering your name. Love, Jesus

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Peace, Joy, and Merry Christmas! ✨

Have a healthy and happy New Year! Blessings!

🌺 I am taking a short break from blogging, returning in January.

A Great Light: Matthew 4:16

the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
Matthew 4:16(NIV)

Matthew is repeating a quote from Isaiah 9:2, showing Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, written about the Messiah.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.
Isaiah 9:2 (WEB)

Jesus is the great light; He is the light of the world (John 8:12). His light shines in the dark, and darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5). Christ came to the people residing in the area known as the land living in darkness, located around Capernaum, an area vulnerable to attacks. He also comes to save people whose trespasses and sins have them living in darkness.

Jesus is the light of the world; whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12).

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 4:17 (NIV)

Jesus preached for us to participate in God’s kingdom, we must repent of sins, change the direction of our lives, and follow Him and His ways.

People sitting out their lives in the dark saw a huge light;
Sitting in that dark, dark country of death, they watched the sun come up. This Isaiah-prophesied revelation came to life in Galilee the moment Jesus started preaching. He picked up where John left off: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
Matthew 4-16-17(MSG)

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Are you living in darkness, or have you found the great light, Jesus?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for Jesus, a great light You brought into our lives. A light to save us from our sins and direct us on our path. Help us to change our lives and follow Jesus. As the flowers of the Jerusalem artichoke grow together, reaching for light, let us grow in faith, reaching for the great light, Jesus. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Yes in Christ: 2 Corinthians 1:20

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20(NIV)

Yes, in Christ, through Jesus is God saying yes to all the promises he has made. God’s promises for deliverance and salvation are found in Jesus. Our loving God, through Jesus, offers us redemption, forgiveness, and a glimpse of God’s glory. By accepting Christ, we are claimed as children of God.

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26 (NLT)

The definition of Amen is to express solemn ratification, as an expression of faith, or heartfelt agreement and approval. (Merriam-Webster) God says yes, in Christ, and we say Amen.

20Certainly, Christ made God’s many promises come true. For that reason, because of our message, people also honor God by saying, “Amen!” 21God establishes us, together with you, in a relationship with Christ. He has also anointed us. 22In addition, he has put his seal [of ownership] on us and has given us the Spirit as his guarantee.
2 Corinthians 1:20 (GWT)

Our Heavenly Father adds His seal, His pledge to us by giving us the indwelling Holy Spirit; our guide and guarantee of what is to come.

God, through Jesus says yes to us, and we reply with heartfelt Amen!

Amen, to the glory of God!

20-22 Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit, he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (MSG)

Prayer: Lord, we thank You; You are our rock, strength, and caring Father. Thank You for Your son, Jesus, who was crucified for our sins and upholds your promises. Teach us to stand firm in faith and be guided by the Holy Spirit. Like a geranium plant that blooms spring through autumn, let us spring forth with gratitude and respond with a heartfelt grateful Amen. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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God’s promises are stamped yes, with Christ. Have you accepted the yes of Christ?

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Greatly Rejoice: Isaiah 61:10

Click for a free Download print of “greatly rejoice” flower with scripture photo.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 (NRSV)

Isaiah greatly rejoices in the Lord; his whole being exults God. He is joyfully praising the Lord because the Lord clothed him in salvation and covered him in a robe of righteousness. We have been clothed in the beauty of His grace as a bridegroom and bride adorn themselves.

What joy to know the blessings of God, His love, forgiveness, grace, and salvation. We are saved by grace; through faith in Jesus. We greatly rejoice in the Lord, singing with joy. Let us celebrate our Lord with worship and praise.

I will sing for joy in God,
    explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,
    he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo
    and a bride a jeweled tiara.
Isaiah 61:10 (MSG)

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Do you greatly rejoice and lift your voice in joy in praise and worship to the Lord?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father; we thank You for Your forgiveness, promises, and grace. We greatly rejoice and praise You for our salvation through Jesus; and His sacrifice for us. Teach us to be righteous and exhibit justice and love. Like the lily flowers are open, reaching toward the sun, let us be open-hearted and reach out toward and follow Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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Run With Endurance: Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

The writer of Hebrews acknowledges faithful people in the past as; huge crowds of witnesses with faith. They are examples of people persevering despite hardships and problems but continuing to trust and obey the Lord. To encourage church members to maintain their faith and to rid themselves of anything that hinders Christian life. To persevere and avoid sin, striving to do God’s will.

To run with endurance the race God has set before us, we should follow the supreme example of persistent faith; Jesus. He did not give up but endured the cross for us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)

To run with endurance, we need to run our correct path; with patience, faith, and our eyes focused on Jesus.

12 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Hebrews 12:1-3 (MSG)

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Have you lost your focus, or are you running with endurance and faith?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, help us to rid ourselves of any hindrances to our walk of faith. Teach us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and to run the race you set before us with endurance and perseverance. Like the hosta flower are upright reaching toward to sun, let us be upright in our ways; focus on and reach out toward Your Son, Jesus. Amen

Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!

Everything We Need – 2 Peter 1:3

3We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (CEV)

In this letter, Simon Peter is writing to the churches in Asia Minor. False teachers were leading them astray. He explains that following Jesus and the Word of God; gives us access to everything we need to live a life that pleases God.

1 This letter is from Simon[a] Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness[b] of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. 2 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:1-2 (NLT)

The Lord’s divine power is available to believers who embrace Jesus and His lifestyle. God’s power gives us everything we need to lead the life He is calling us to. When we believe, God equips us with the skills we need. These God-given gifts; are our’s; we need to choose to use them.

4 God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.
2 Peter 1:4 (CEV)

God’s strength is available to us when we reach out in prayer. His promises are true; He gives us eternal life through His son, Jesus. Grace, peace, and God’s great promises and ours when we believe and follow Jesus escaping the corrupt influences of the world. God gives us everything we need.

3 Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! 4 We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you – your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (MSG)

Prayer; We thank you, Lord, for loving us; and giving us everything we need to live a life pleasing to you. Teach us to follow Jesus, guide our path, and keep us away from evil. Like the yellow gerbera daisy brightens the garden, let Your spiritual gifts brighten our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Enlightened – Ephesians 1:18

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

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Jesus, Our Salvation

(Save the World) – Jesus didn’t come to condemn or judge people; He came to save the world. The whole world, Jews and gentiles. He was on a saving mission, showing God’s love for all His people.

https://gardenfaith.com/2021/05/10/save-the-world-john-317/

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(Jesus is Lord) – By His grace, God offers salvation to all who believe in Christs’ resurrection from the dead. For all who believe in their heart that Christ is our Savior, that he died for our sins, you are made right with God.

https://gardenfaith.com/2021/11/08/jesus-is-lord-romans-109-10/

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(Take Heart) – Take heart Christ died for us; He paid the price and overcame the world.

https://gardenfaith.com/2021/04/05/take-heart-john-1633/

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(Truth) – Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) We need to take time to know Jesus, accept Him, and remain faithful to his teaching. His Word, the truth, will set us free; from the bondage of sin.

https://gardenfaith.com/2021/05/31/truth-john-832/

A re-share of a few Jesus posts. May you feel His peace, joy, and love this week and always. 🌺

God is love: 1 John 4:7-8

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4: 7-8 (NIV)

Love comes from God; it flows from His heart to us. Since God is love, when we accept Him, we grow in love. Knowing God teaches us to love. You can’t know God if you don’t love. God loved the world so much that he gave us Jesus.

We love because he first loved us. God so loved the world He gave us Jesus.
John 4-19

God gave us His one and only Son; so that we could have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Jesus loves us like God the Father loved Him.

Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you;
John 15:9a

Jesus came to save the lost, to heal the sick, to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.(Mark 10:45)

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:10 (NIV)

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
John 13:34

For God is love. 💖

Are you recognized as a Christian by your love?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for Your love. Help us to be better Christians, to grow in Your love. Teach us to love one another as you have loved us. Like the blossoming, open flower of the peony, let us blossom in Your love and be open to Jesus’ commandment to love one another. Amen