May the Lord be Praised-Psalm 40:16

May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you! May those who love to experience your deliverance say continually, “May the LORD be praised!”
Psalm 40:16 (NET)

May all who seek the Lord rejoice and be glad, be happy, and praise You. God’s love, promises, and truth bring joy and are reasons to celebrate. David wanted people to focus on the goodness of the Lord and rejoice.
Different versions have different worded rejoices; may the Lord be praised, may the Lord be magnified, and let the Lord be exalted, all praising the Lord for all He has done for us.

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!”
Psalm 40:16 (AMP)

Thanks to our God of all mercies, comfort, and salvation. May the Lord be praised! He has delivered us from slavery to sin and promises to be with us always. May the Lord be magnified! Let us rejoice, for God loves us, has mercy on us, and gives us grace. May the Lord be exalted!

Constant worship clears the debris from our hearts. Praise is the cleansing element that flushes the trash of worry and anxiety.
Max Lucado “Help is Here”

The Lord has given us much to rejoice over and be glad about. Let us remember; to joyfully thank and praise the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do. ⁂

Do you take time to focus on the goodness of God and rejoice?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, God of grace, mercy, and salvation, we praise You! We exalt you, Lord, and thank you for your mercy, care, and protection. Teach us to be happy and rejoice; in your promises. May the Lord be magnified! As the flowers of the orchid are colorful and spread joy, let us rejoice and declare that the Lord be praised! In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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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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Rescued: Colossians 1:13

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14 (NASB)

These verses are a portion of Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church. In it, he encourages them to give joyful thanks to God the Father. Reminding them that they were rescued by God, from the domain of darkness, from the bondage to sin, and delivered them into the kingdom of light.

12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 1:12 (NASB)

The kingdom of light; is the kingdom of God’s beloved Son, Jesus. Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we are redeemed from the power of sin and death and have confidence in our eternal destiny. ⁂

Have you embraced the truth and light of Jesus? Are you rescued are, your sins redeemed?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we are in awe of Your love, grace, and mercy. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our sins. Let us shine with Your light and spread Your Word. Like the cardinal plant glows in the sunlight, teach us to glow with your light and shine it into the darkness. In Jesus’ holy and 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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Just and Good: Psalm 33:5

4For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does. 5He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the LORD fills the earth.
Psalm 33:4-5 (NLT)

Psalm 33 starts with;

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful.
Psalm 33:1 (CEB)

The following verses give reasons to praise the Lord. We can trust in Him, for the Word of the Lord is true; we can believe the truth of His Word (verse 4). We can rejoice because God loves righteousness and justice. He is good and wants us to be like him, moral and good. We should rejoice and praise the Lord for His goodness and unfailing love for us (verse 5). As His love fills the earth, let us rejoice and show love to all. ⁂

Our Lord is good, just, true, and righteous. He forgives our sins and loves us. Have you taken time to praise, rejoice and worship Him today?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we rejoice in Your goodness, truth, and justice. We praise You for Your patience and forgiveness of us. We thank You for Your grace, mercy, and your unfailing love for us. Like the sunflowers grow and glow in the sunshine, let us grow in faith and glow with Your Son’s light. Amen

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I believe in the power of prayer. If you need prayer, I would be glad to pray for you; message me on the contact page.🌺

God is Righteous: Psalm145:17-18

17 Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.
18 God’s there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.
Psalm 145:17-18 (MSG)

These verses in the Message bible are beautiful. The trademark of God in all his works is love. A wonderful truth. God’s love shines in all He does! The Lord is righteous in His ways, holy in His work, and forgiving to us. He is merciful and gracious; He listens to our prayers and guides us. He is close to us and knows us by name.

In Psalm 145, David mentions the characteristics of God; He is righteous, praiseworthy, good, compassionate, and trustworthy. We are blessed to have a righteous, loving, listening God.^⁎

God is righteous, loves you, and listens to your prayer. Have you reached out to Him in prayer today?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your compassion and grace. We are in awe of your righteousness, kindness, and love. Teach us to take our worries to You in prayer. Like the visual beauty of the flowering dogwood, guide us in the beauty of Your Word. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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. 🌺

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

God Is With Us: Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

God is with us, and He loves us with an everlasting love. He rejoices over His people with gladness. The Lord’s love encompasses us which brings tranquility and quiet peace. God takes delight in His people. God’s love is unconditional He freely gives it to those who humble themselves and seek Him. Put your faith in Immanuel, God with us, Almighty and powerful, who can save us and rejoices over us when we do good and seek Him first above all things.

God is with us and takes delight in us when we seek Him. What is hindering you from feeling God’s love?

Prayer: Lord, help us to seek You and follow your Word. In times of trouble teach us to realize that You are with us and love us with an everlasting love. Like the bright yellow pansies seem to smile with joy, let us realize that You are for us, and rejoice over us with joy. Lord, teach us to put our faith in You and find peace. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Abounding in Love: Psalm 103:8

waterlillies

⁸The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Psalm 103:8-9

With the start of the new decade, much has been written about change. However, with God, there is a constancy he is unchanging. Our Father has been and is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger. As David said, “He is abounding in love.” The best change for us this new year is to follow God’s wisdom and be abounding in love.

Where could you share God’s love today?

Prayer: Our Father, we thank you for your many blessings and your abounding love toward us. Like waterlilies flourish in the water, help us to flourish by being compassionate and spread Your love. May we also learn to be slow to anger and accepting of others. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen