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

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

Psalm 27:4 Dwell

I’m asking the Lord for only one thing.
    Here is what I want.
I want to live in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life.
I want to look at the beauty of the Lord.
    I want to worship him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4 (NIRV)

This beautiful passage gives us a path to follow. The path is to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our life. Travel it and feel His loving presence. Follow His word, ask for His wisdom, and find peace. Praise and Worship Him always!

Where is God’s path leading you?

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for Your beauty. The three flowers pictured bring to mind the Holy Trinity. Our guides, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Like the petals of the flower which are open and sun-touched, let us be open and touched by the Son. Lord, let us dwell in Your house forever. In Jesus name. Amen

Great Works: Psalm 92:4-5

⁴For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
⁵How great are your works, Lord,
how profound your thoughts!
Psalm 92: 4-5

In my garden, often songs of joy fill the air, emanating from a small wren. The Lord’s handiwork is manifested in gardens, by the natural beauty of the flowers, the rustle of the gentle wind, and the piping song of the birds. Today, find time to tell God of your joy by prayer and song.

What in the natural world makes you want to thank God and sing with joy?

Prayer: Dear Lord help us to have faith that is bright and open like these flowers. Help us to lead lives centered on you, like the dark vivid center of the mallow’s bloom. Let our songs of joy be lifted to You daily. Thank you, Lord, for your great works and wisdom. In Jesus name holy name. Amen

Peace and Joy: Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 (NIV)

Trust in God, give Him your worries, listen to Him, and love Him. This brings hope. Today, may this hope from God fill you with joy and peace. May you walk in trust with Him and feel His love.

When do you feel God’s peace and joy?

Prayer: Dear Lord, let our trust in You, be bold and bright like these blooms. Like the shiny leaves glow, let us shine with joy. May our peace grow and blossom. Thank you, Lord, for your grace and abundant love. In Jesus Holy name. Amen.

Strength: Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4:13… And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty. – The Passion Version (TPT)

Philippians 4:13 for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. – Living Bible (TLB)

Are you afraid, weary, or confused? You can receive strength from Christ. You just need to take the first step. Let go of worry and accept Christ’s strength. I love the wording of the Passion Version which states, “the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.” All I can say is Wow! The Living Bible version states, “for I can do everything God asks me with the help of Christ…” Do you need strength today? Ask Christ.

What is God asking you to do?

Prayer: Our Father help us to spread our wings like the monarch and use your strength to conquer every difficulty. As this flowers bright blossoms reach upward help us also reach out for Your help and guidance. Dear Lord, we thank you for your power, grace, and love. In Jesus name. Amen

strength-phil-4-1 Download

Poured Out: Romans 5:5

Now this hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:5 (ISV)

Prayer: Lord, like these flowers glow in the sun, let your love glow through our actions. Let our hope remain open and bright like the coreopsis blooms. Let us blossom in your love. In Jesus name. Amen.

Devotional: Our God is awesome, He is a God of Love. He not only loves us, but He is Love. God loves us because of who He is not because of who we are. In the Bible, God showed His love for sinners. He healed them, ate with them, and forgave them. Jesus never turned away anyone who came to Him for forgiveness. When we confess our sins, He forgives us. We often put roadblocks into place by not feeling worthy of His love, but God is love!

What roadblocks are blocking you from hope?

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Patience: James 1:19

Hearing and Doing the Word
James 1:19You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger;

Hot days, busy traffic, and impossible schedules can lead us to frustration and anger. How great it would be if we would be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

What helps you to calm down and listen during this busy season?

Today’s prayer: Oh Lord, we are so busy running that we hardly take time to stop and listen. Help us to find peace in nature and let our love blossom like the glorious flowers you have given us. Let our hearts be open like the trumpet-shaped blossoms. Help us to listen to and love others. As the Mandevilla vine winds and stretches upward likewise give us the wisdom to reach for and listen to Your Word. Let us by our actions be good examples to others by really listening, by taking time to think before speaking, and by being slow to anger. In Jesus holy name. Amen

Peace I Give to You: John14:24

John 14:²⁵(NIRV) “I have spoken all these things while I am still with you. ²⁶But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.

Dear Lord, We give thanks to you for all you give to us. Thanks for the wonder of nature. Especially, the beauty of flowers that reflect and glow in Your light. Let us be like these flowers and glow with Your inner light. Let our light shine in the dark places that need illumination. Help us to have a strong foundation in Your Word. A foundation which upholds us like the straight strong stem supports the sunflower. Let us reach upward with prayers to you as the sunflower reaches for the sky. This we ask in Jesus Holy name. Amen.

Where in nature do you feel God’s presence?