Before the Sun Goes Down – Ephesian 4:26

26“In your anger do not sin” d Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesian 4: 25-27 (NIV)

In some versions of the bible, Ephesians 4:17-31 is subtitled, living as Children of Light, in others, a New Life in Christ. As Christians, we are called upon to put away bitterness, malice, and unforgiveness and not dwell on anger or let it sit unresolved. Uncontrolled anger can lead to revenge and sin.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”d Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. – Ephesian 4: 25-27 (NLT)

We are to act more Chirst-like and not let anger control us. Anger is not an excuse to sin; it should be dealt with quickly in God-honored ways. We should be merciful and forgive others.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

The Holy Spirits work within us, turning us away from our sinful actions and helping us develop the fruit of self-control.

Paul says don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry. In other words, deal with anger; make that a priority, and don’t go to bed angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. – Ephesians 4:26-27 (MSG)

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, help us to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. Teach us to forgive others as you have forgiven us. Guide us in Your truth, Your light, and Your love. Teach us to deal with anger quickly before the sun goes down. Like the lovely smell of lavender fills the air, let us be filled with love and forgiveness and fill the air with praise. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Depths of the Sea – Micah 7:18

You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea. – Micah 7:19 (NET)

Micah was an Old Testament prophet. He was upset with the moral decay in Judea and admonished his people to return to God. He denounced the evil that had taken over his land. He warned that God’s judgment would destroy Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah stated, “Faithful men have disappeared from the land; there are no godly men left.” (Micah 7:2)

He encouraged the people to come to God in repentance and faith. In verses 18 and 19, Micah extols the greatness of God; He is a God of forgiveness, mercy, and love.

There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever, but delight in showing loyal love. – Micah 7:18

Micah extols God; there is no other God like Him. For our God is willing to forgive us and restore us, for He loves us and wants to free us from the bondage of sin. If we repent of our sins, He will forgive us and not hold those sins against us.

You will once again have mercy on us; you will conquer our evil deeds; you will hurl our sins into the depths of the sea. – Micah 7:19

God will have mercy on us; He will hurl our sin into the depths of the sea. Our sins will be out of sight, never remembered, completely removed, and forgiven.

Our God has compassion and mercy; He loves us and forgives us.

Where is the god who can compare with you—
wiping the slate clean of guilt,
Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear,
to the past sins of your purged and precious people?
You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long,
for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most.
And compassion is on its way to us.
You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing.
You’ll sink our sins
to the bottom of the ocean. – Micah 7:18-19 (MSG)

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for mercy and grace. Thank You for Your compassion and forgiveness of our sins. Teach us to reach out to You and confess our sins, that You will forgive and sink to the depths of the sea. As an open blossom of a water lily flourishes in the water, let us be open-hearted and flourish in Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Greater than All – John 10:29

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. John 10:29 (NIV)

Great is our God! How great is our God? He is greater than all! He has incomparable, unmatched power. He created heaven and the earth, and He is loving, merciful, and forgiving. He is great, greater than all; all creatures, angels, and men.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. – Psalm 145:3 (NIV)

By God’s authority, the ones who know Jesus’ voice (His sheep) are given to His Son, Jesus. God has placed us (Jesus’ sheep) under Jesus’ care. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross saved his followers, giving believers eternal life.

God is greater than all and more powerful. No one can snatch believers away from Him.

My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.” John 10: 27-30 (MSG)

No one can snatch believers away from Jesus, for Jesus and His father God are one, one in heart and mind. ⁂

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, You are great greater than all. We thank You for Your grace in sending Your Son to save us sinners. We are in awe of Your power and strength that keeps us safe in Your hands. Like the flowers of the Viburnum are opened and gathered together, let us be open to Your love and gathered safely in Your mighty hands. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

I am taking a short break from writing – back in a couple weeks. 🌺

Once and Forever – Hebrews 7:25

24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. – Hebrews 7:24-25 (NLT)

Jesus was raised from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God. Where He is available to intercede for us eternally. His priesthood is unending. Jesus saves us once and forever. Other versions say Jesus saves completely, now and always, and for all times. Before Christ, the priesthood was temporary, imperfect, and ending with death.

Jesus’ saving grace will be with us always; He will never abandon anyone who believes in Him. He will never leave us or forsake us. He has the power to save us from sin and offer us forgiveness. Jesus lives forever, intercedes for us forever, and saves us once and forever.

23-25 Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus’ priesthood is permanent. He’s there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them. – Hebrews 23-25 (MSG)

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank you for Your son Jesus, who died for our sins. Help us understand that Jesus is our Savior, our eternal Interceder, who saves us once and forever. He will never abandon or forsake us. Like the Anemone flower opens and follows the sun, let us be open and follow Your Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Light of Mankind – John 1:4

In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. John 1:4 (NET)

In verse 4, John states, in (Jesus) was life, spiritual life. When you believe in Jesus, you have the gift of eternal life. You have life, a new life in Jesus Christ.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET)

In John 1:1, John explains that Jesus is one with God; He is fully God. He is the source of life.

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. 2The Word was with God in the beginning. 3All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. John 1:1-4 (NET)

John also refers to Jesus as “The Light.” Jesus is the light of the world, the light of truth, and the giver of eternal life.

Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12 (NET)

Jesus is pure light; in Him, there is no darkness. He is our light, saving us from darkness and illuminating our path.

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Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are thankful for your love, grace, and mercy toward us. When we were sinners, You died for our salvation, bringing new life and light into our lives. Like the dogwood flower-like bracts glow and reflect the sun, let us glow with love and reflect Your light. Amen

Humble and Gentle: Ephesians 4:2

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. – Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

In this verse, Paul explains how to live in a way that honors God. He is urging believers to turn away from their prior lifestyles and embrace a new Christian lifestyle. As followers of Christ, we are encouraged to emulate Jesus. Jesus lived a humble life He was born in a manger, entered Jerusalem on a donkey, and acted like a servant washing His disciples’ feet. He extends grace and mercy to all, regardless of social standing. We need to follow Jesus, set aside our pride, be gentle, and humbly serve others.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. – Matthew 11:29

Jesus exhibits gentleness. He treats people with compassion, forgiveness, and love. He shows kindness to sinners, heals the sick, and treats people with respect and love.

As Christians, we learn to follow Christ’s example by being humble, and gentle, serving others, and treating everyone with compassion and love.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your mercy and grace. Help us to become more Jesus-like in our actions. Teach us to act humbly and be gentle in our actions. Like the petunia blossoms are open to the sun, let us blossom in faith and be open-hearted, following Your Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Freedom – 2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)

The veil separating us from God is lifted by our faith in Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, revealing God’s glory and giving us freedom.

We were redeemed and freed from the bondage of sin by Jesus’ death on the cross. Upon believing in Jesus, we have forgiveness of sin. The veil, which represented the gap created by sin between God and humans, is lifted.

The Holy Spirit inside us, empowers us. Empowering us to accept God’s will while helping us to follow Jesus. The Spirit in our hearts transforms us. The Spirit works within our hearts, transforming us and drawing us closer to Jesus.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your forgiveness and grace. Guide us in Your truth and your light. Thank You for your love and our freedom through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Like iris flowers grow and blossom in spring, let us grow closer to You and let our faith blossom. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Unfailing Love – Psalm 36:7

Click to download a print of the unfailing love photo with scripture.

5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 36:5-7 (NIV)

In the first few verses of Psalm 36, David talks about the sinfulness of the wicked; they plot evil and are deceitful. In contrast, in verses 5-7, he focuses on the loving-kindness of God. God’s quality of unfailing, loyal love for us goes far beyond what we deserve. His love for us is priceless, also referred to as precious, and excellent in other bible versions. God’s love is a transformative force; a force that transforms hearts and brings us hope and peace.

God’s people can take refuge in the shadow of His wing, finding comfort and protection. Our Lord is faithful, just, and righteous and loves us with an unfailing love.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for your unfailing love for us sinners. We are in awe of Your loving-kindness, compassion, and mercy. Your love transforms our lives and brings us hope and peace. Like the tulips grow and acclaim spring, let us grow in love and acclaim Your name. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Heart, Soul, and Mind – Mark 12:30

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:30 (NIV)

To love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength means to put God first in your life. Making Him the center of your life. How do we show our love for God? We show our love by obeying Him, focusing on Him, and doing His will.

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
2 John 1:16

The word love in this verse comes from the Greek word agape. Agape love is showing, goodwill and compassion, delighting in and acting on another’s behalf. With agape love for God, we recognize Him as being true, honorable, and trustworthy. We trust in Him and want to follow His direction and to love others as He loves us.

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
Psalm 119:2 (ESV)

When we love God, we obey Him, follow His commands, and strive to do His will.

To seek the Lord with our whole hearts means to pursue with priority and commitment and to keep our focus on Him. When we love God, we yearn to be more like Him, to grow closer to Him in thought and deed.

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Prayer: Lord, we thank you for Your grace, mercy, and love for us. Teach us to love You with our whole hearts. To love You, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. To follow Your commands and strive to do Your will. Like the bleeding-heart plant blooms and grows in the spring light, let us bloom and grow with love in Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Live by the Spirit – Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Romans 8:9 (BSB)

God gives his Holy Spirit to every believer. Christians have the spirit of God inside them; they are guided and led by the Holy Spirit. In other words, Christians are controlled and influenced by the Holy Spirit rather than flesh. People controlled by the flesh are self-serving, following the influence of corrupt desires.

In Christians, the Holy Spirit indwells, teaching us to become more Christ-like in our actions. Guiding and directing us, encouraging us to bear fruit. With the Holy Spirit, we grow in grace and produce fruit, fruits of love, joy, peace, goodness, and gentleness.

¹⁹The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-25 (NIV)

People who live by the flesh are self-reliant, led by sexual immorality, impurity, hatred, discord, and jealousy, instead of by Christ. Christians live by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, sanctifying and teaching us to be more Jesus-like. As children of God, we need to be spiritually minded Christians.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your son, Jesus. Who died for our sins. Teach us to listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction so we can grow in grace and produce fruit. As the chrysanthemums glow with sunlight, let us glow and bear fruit in Jesus’ light. Amen.

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