Tag: faith

Faith: Hebrews 11:1-2

Heavenly Blue Morning Glory

 1-2 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.

Hebrews 11:1-2The Message (MSG)

Faith, to me, is personal a relationship with God. I think I’ve always had faith, but at times my faith was immature. It was more about what I wanted than trusting God. During my early years, I didn’t feel God’s love for me even though it was there. As I have grown and matured in faith, I now feel surrounded in God’s love. My faith has changed me from being needy and feeling alone, to basking in God’s love and wanting to share it. To me, faith is trusting in God, our firm foundation, our hope for things to come. Faith does make life worth living.

How firm is your foundation in faith?

Prayer: Dear Lord, teach us to put our faith in You. Help us to faithfully build our foundation on You and Your word. The beautiful colors of the “heavenly blue morning glory” look like the sun radiating out into the clouds and sky. Teach us in faith to reflect the radiating love and compassion of Jesus Son of God. Thank you for making our lives worth living. We praise you. Amen

Delivered: Psalm 34:3-4

3Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:3-4

David, the psalmist wrote, “I sought the Lord and he answered me.” Our first step is to reach out to God in prayer. God loves us and wants a relationship with us. Praying opens our communication with God. Prayer is an opportunity to give God our worries and fears. In turn, He delivers us, from our fears, and grants us peace. Let us praise and glorify our benevolent, loving God.

What fear can God help you with?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we glorify and praise you. We thank you for your forgiveness and grace. Like the bright rose petals, open and reaching toward the sun, teach us to open our hearts to You and our neighbors. Help us to shine brightly with Your light. In the name of Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen

Child of Light: Ephesians 5:8-10

autumn flowers

8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light— 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:8-10 (NET Bible)

Now we are light in the Lord, no longer part of darkness, we are children of the light. We need to focus our light and shine it in goodness, righteousness, and truth. Walk as a child of light, let your light glow and let it shine to illuminate the darkness. Spread God’s love and be a beacon of hope to all those around you.

In what way are you being God’s light and illuminating the darkness?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for bringing light into our world. Teach us to glow with Your light, like the mums and vinca glow in the sunshine. As children of light, help us to join together and present a glorious landscape full of goodness, righteousness, and truth. Our Father, thank you for enlightening us and showing us our path. In the loving name of Jesus. Amen

Confused: Proverbs 3:5

PJM Rhodendron – Early Blooms

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not depend on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ISV)

Often when I find myself confused, trying to figure out why things aren’t going my way, or things aren’t following my well-laid plans. I realize that I am relying on my understanding. Currently, the PJM rhododendron in my backyard is blooming, because autumn sunlight and temperature have fooled it into thinking that it’s spring. The spring flower bud has opened and the blooms have appeared, but it’s autumn. Often, I also get confused, not allowing myself to seek God and ask for His direction, to let Him guide me to make my paths straight. My goal is to learn to trust the Lord with all my heart.

Where are you confused, and need God to set your path straight?

Prayer: Dear Lord, teach us to trust you with all our hearts. Like the PJM Rhodendron, with its red autumn leaves and unseasonal pink blossoms, we are often traveling a confused path. Lord, we acknowledge your loving guidance and wisdom and ask You to make our paths straight. In Jesus’s holy name. Amen

Power: 2 Timothy 1:7

Orange Tithonia

6 I’m writing to encourage you to fan into a flame and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you. 7 For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Paul is writing to Timothy to encourage. It is necessary to let go of fear to feel the mighty power of the Spirit of God. To fan into a flame, rekindling the fire of the Spirit inside of us. To grasp courage and let go of fear. To hold tight to self-discipline and follow God’s path for us. To feel and share God’s love.

What fear are you ready release to let go of and let God handle?

Prayer: Dear Loving Father, We thank you for your many gifts to us. Like the bright orange sturdy Tithonian flowers, help us to be strong and stalwart in our faith. As the flowers shine and reflect the sun, teach us, Lord Jesus, to shine bright. May your mighty power propel us forward in courage, strength, and love. In Jesus’s holy name. Amen

I Will Praise You – Psalm 71:14

14 But as for me, I will always have hope and I will praise You more and more. 15 My mouth will tell about how right and good You are and about Your saving acts all day long. For there are more than I can know.

Psalm 71:14-15 (NLV)

Lord, we will praise you, more and more, for you are our everlasting hope. You are our light, our salvation, our stronghold in life. To you, we raise praises and songs of joy. We are thankful for your forgiveness, your love, and your abounding mercies. We proclaim and declare Your wondrous deeds.

How will you share the goodness of God?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for your many blessings. Like the petals on the wild sunflower, we aren’t perfect, but you love us with your everlasting love. Thank you for your forgiveness and grace. As these petals radiate around the flower center, teach us to let our praises radiate up to you. Lord our hope rests in you. In Jesus’s name. Amen

Hope Within: Hebrews 10:23

Garden Mums – blooming now

3 So now we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises! 24 Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.

Hebrews 10:23-24 The Passion Translation (TPT)

A while ago, I started a prayer journal. In the journal, I made notes of the people that needed prayer, personal requests, and worries I wanted to give God to handle. Looking back at the journal pages, what do I see? Hope! Hope from answered prayers, hope in God’s continuing protection, and hope within me to rely on God’s guidance through life’s storms. Yes, I am clinging tightly to hope, knowing that God always keeps his promises.

Where have you encountered hope?

Prayer: Dear Loving Lord, Like the mums in the garden, which faithfully bloom year after year help us to cling to hope and faithfully follow You. Let us be bright and beautiful like the blossoms. Teach us to have hope within and encourage and motivate others toward compassion and beautiful works as expressions of love. In Jesus’s holy name. Amen

Light of the World: John 8:12

Franklinia tree (named after Benjamin Franklin) for more info: https://bartramsgarden.org/explore-bartrams/franklinia-tree/

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (NIV)

Jesus said “I am the Light of the World.” We no longer have to walk in darkness because he is with us beside us. He shines brightly on us in us and around us. Let His light into your heart. Let it shine. Our job is to reflect His light into the shadows and dark areas around us.

Where will you shine God’s light?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, Light of the World, help us to bask in your sunlight and be illuminated like this Franklinia flower. Teach us to follow Your light when we feel surrounded by dark shadows. Like the Franklinia tree, which exists only in cultivation, not in the wild, help us to exist in You alone. In Your holy name. Amen

Praise: Psalm 13:5-6

5 But I trust in your faithful love.
    My heart is filled with joy because you will save me.
6 I will sing praise to the Lord.
    He has been so good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6 (NIRV) A psalm of David

Sing praises to the Lord, for He is good. Let your heart be filled with joy because he surrounds us with his extravagant, faithful love. His works are amazing, and the beauty of nature astounding. Worship His Holy name in praise! The photo and the scripture remind me of a favorite worship song of mine, “10,000 Reasons” by, Matt Redman. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E)

What fills your heart with joy?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we celebrate your love. We thank you for the beauty of nature that surrounds us. Teach us to let the blue skies and bright colors of the monarch butterfly bring joy to our day. Like the clustered blossoms of the milkweed plant encourage us to join together and praise you. Lord, you have been good to us. We thank you for giving us hope and for saving us. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Salvation: Titus 2:11-13

Azalea

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13 (NET)

The passage makes you want to shout with joy, for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all. We are redeemed. We are admonished to lead godly lives while we wait for the glorious return of Jesus. Our hope is alive built on Jesus’s love.

Where are you doing God’s work today? How are you preparing for Jesus?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for your grace to us. Like the clean white flowers, help us to be pure and bright, to reject worldly desires. Use the trumpet-like flowers of the azaleas to remind us to prepare for the sound of the trumpet that will proclaim your return. We thank you for your love and the promise of salvation. In Jesus’s name. Amen