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

Love and Patience: 2Thessalonians 3:5

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NLT)

Paul is praying for the Thessalonians, for the Lord to direct their hearts. So they comprehend the steadfast love of God.
Paul encourages them to embrace the patience and endurance found in Christ. He is praying for them to be steadfast in God’s ways and to learn to be patient like Christ. May they have endurance while being conformed day by day more like Christ.

Have you embraced the love and patient endurance that comes from Christ?

Prayer; Lord, we thank you for your abundant love. Teach us to open our hearts and embrace your love. Guide us to follow Your word and path for us. As we grow in faith, teach us to be loving and patient. Like the heart-shaped leaves of the caladium brighten the environment, let our hearts be shaped by Your love and enlighten the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Clothe yourself:Colossians 3:12-14

13Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

When we accept Jesus into our lives, we are changed, transformed, and holy. As holy people, we need to emulate Jesus to put on a heart of compassion. Letting go of sin, pride, anger, and unforgiveness, clothing ourselves in patience, kindness, humility, gentleness, and compassion.
When we allow Christ to rule in our hearts our lives are transformed. We learn to act as Jesus did and forgive others as He forgives us. We clothe ourselves with love, learning to love one another as He has loved us.

12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG)

Are you clothing yourself by putting on kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace, compassion, and forgiveness toward us. Teach us to clothe ourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Help us to forgive others as you have forgiven us. Guide us, and teach us to clothe ourselves with love. Like the straw flowers are gathered close together, let us gather together with love in perfect harmony. In Jesus’ loving name. Amen

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Walk In Love: Ephesians 5:2

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:2 (ESV)

When we walk in love, or as some versions state, walk continually in love, we show we are followers of Christ. How do we walk in love? When we value others and treat all with respect and compassion. It is a Christ-like unconditional, unselfish, forgiving love; exemplified in our actions. To walk in love describes our actions, when we act like Jesus; we walk in love.

Our compassionate acts and loving deeds to others are considered a fragrant, sweet-smelling offering, to God our Father.

Wake Up from Your Sleep
5 1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (MSG)

Do you walk in love showing love and compassion to others in your actions and deeds?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, teach us to walk in love. May our actions be Christ-like and our lives characterized by love, compassion, and forgiveness. Let others see that we are Christians by our love. Like the bright yellow open coreopsis flower glows in the sun, let us shine brightly with your love and glow with compassion. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Freedom: Galatians 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13 (NET)

In the United States of America, today is Independence Day, causing me to think about freedom. Freedom through Christ. How are we free? By following the teachings of Jesus and by being His disciple; by believing in Him, and walking in obedience. We obtained freedom by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Through our faith in Christ, we live in freedom, freedom from the slavery of sin; our sins are forgiven. We belong to God; we are His chosen.

In freedom, we are allowed to make choices. Choices we will be held accountable for. Our freedom is not to be used as an excuse to indulge ourselves, but instead to serve one another in love.
As the Message bible version of Galatians 5:14 states: “For everything, we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.”

^13-14It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.
Galatians 5:13-14 (MSG)

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By God’s grace, we have freedom. Is your freedom as a Christian focused on self-satisfaction or on serving others in love?

Prayer; Lord Jesus, we thank you for setting us free from slavery to sin. We thank You for the freedom you have granted us through Your grace. Guide us to use this freedom to be more like You in our actions. As the Gomphrena, Fireworks pink blossoms with tiny yellow flowers spread outward in all directions; let us spread Your love outward to others, in all directions. Amen

Steadfast: 1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (NRSV)

Paul is addressing the Corinthian church, expressing his love, and asking them to be steadfast, immovable, and always excelling in the work of the Lord. Paul asks them to be steadfast, meaning faithful to the Lord, and firmly committed to His ways. He is entreating them to be immovable, firm, stable, strong in their beliefs, and uncompromised by their culture. The goal for their church and all churches; is to excel in the work of the Lord, doing His will, upholding Christian virtues, and spreading the gospel and love. Labor for the Lord is not in vain; it is to His glory and is rewarded in heaven.

Would you describe your faith as steadfast, immovable, and your behavior as excelling in the work of the Lord? How can you improve?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, help us be steadfast and immovable in our faith. Teach us to excel in doing Your work and sharing Your Word. Open our hearts to Your way, sharing Your love. As the crabapple blossoms enhance the tree, let our actions enhance Your kingdom. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Light of Jesus: John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5 (NIV)

Jesus, Son of God, came into the world; to be the Light of the world. When we accept Him and follow His Word, He illuminates our hearts and souls. Christ came as God’s light; to shine light into the darkness; to expel the darkness of sin.

As foretold years earlier by Isaiah;

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)

God represents goodness, light, truth, and salvation. Darkness is the absence of light and represents evil and sin. The light of Jesus glows eternally. He is the resurrection and the light.

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)

The darkness has not overcome Jesus’ light and never will. His light is ever shining, in the past, present and future. ◊

Have you opened your heart to the light of Jesus? Do you let the light of Jesus shine and illuminate the darkness?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the light of Jesus. Teach us to walk in faith and light. Jesus, Light of the World, guide us in Your truth. Like the trillium’s white flowers glow in the sunshine, let us glow with Your illuminating light. Amen

Peace of God: Philippians 4:7

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

Peace is something we all seem to search for. I just need a few minutes peace is an often-heard comment. How do we experience God’s peace?

When we put our problems in God’s hands, His supernatural peace calms our minds, getting rid of our anxious thoughts. How can we do this? When we are anxious, we need to reach out to God in prayer, letting go of our concerns; trusting Him.

New Living Translation
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Letting go of our worries and anxieties frees our minds; allowing us to focus on positive things. Trust lets us relax and experience God’s supernatural peace, a peace that transcends our understanding. We may not always get the result we want. However, God is with us and will help us deal with any inner turmoil.

Having Jesus Christ in our hearts and minds lets us focus on kindness, contentment, love, and helping one another, bringing peace to our relationships with others.

Who do you reach out to with your anxiety and worries? Do you reach out in prayer for the peace of God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and compassion toward us. Teach us to give You our worries and concerns. Let us prayerfully reach out, finding the peace of God. Like the beautiful open flowers of the anemone, may we be open-minded and open-hearted to Christ. Amen

Full of Light – Matt 6:22

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
Matthew 6:22 (NIV)

How is the eye a lamp to the body? When the eye is focused on worldly things, we see dimly; we don’t see the light and truth of Jesus. Our eyes are like a window. When the window is clean, light comes in and illuminates the room. When our eyes focus on worldly things, the window is dirty; the light is blocked, the room dark and dim.

But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
Matthew 6:23 (NLV)

When our eyes are good, our bodies are full of light; helping us to perceive what is true and right. Helping us to discern the correct path.
Our eyes are the gateway to our hearts and mind. They allow us to see when people are hurting, needy, or lost. Enabling us to help others and spread the light of Jesus.
When our eyes are open, and we seek His kingdom first, our bodies will be full of light; illuminating the darkness.

How is your sight? Are you seeing things clearly; is your body filled with light?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, may our eyes be healthy and fixed on You. May our bodies be full of light and our actions humble and loving. Teach us to perceive what is true and right. Like the Gerbera daisy glows and reflects sunlight, let us glow and reflect Your light. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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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. 🌺

Treasures: Matthew 6:19-21

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

In these verses, Jesus is explaining to His followers how to live and act. Our life 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, by loving our neighbor as ourselves, guarding against evil, helping the less fortunate, and loving the Lord with all our hearts.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37b

Where is your treasure? Is it on worldly success and building wealth?

If so, that’s where the desire of your heart is; what your heart is focused on.
If our focus is on heavenly rewards, our hearts are focused on honoring God; and enjoying that treasure forever.

Prayer; Lord Jesus, teach us to store our treasures in heaven. Help us to embrace the correct priorities in life. Encourage us to love God with all our hearts, and help us to love others as You have loved us. Like orchid blossoms are beautiful to behold, let our treasures be beautiful to God. Amen

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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. 🌺