23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24 (NIV)
The Holy Spirit lives in believers, enlightening, sustaining, and guiding us to be more Christ-like. We are given the Holy Spirit, a gift from God, to guide us in truth. The presence of the Holy Spirit can’t be seen but is exhibited in its effect on a believer’s heart and life; by growth in faith, love, and sanctification. A believer in Christ; lives in Him, and Christ lives in the believer; through the Holy Spirit.
Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24 (MSG)
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Does God live in you? When we believe in Jesus and love one another, God lives in us, and we live in Him.
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and grace. Guide us to live in You and love others as you have loved us. Teach us to listen to the Holy Spirit and find help and guidance. As the hardy geraniums glows with raindrops in the sunlight, let us glow with Your love and spread Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
20We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.
21In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.
Psalm 33: 20-22 (NLT)
My hope is in the Lord; my soul waits for Him. What is hope? A dictionary definition is a feeling of trust. There is a close connection between hope and trust. Biblically, hope can be defined as a confident expectation of God’s promises. A confident expectation in what God has promised, and belief in God’s faithfulness, gives us hope.
The Lord is our help, shield, and salvation. Trusting in His holy name and unfailing love causes our hearts to rejoice.
Verse 22 is a closing prayer; Dear Lord, let your unfailing love and loving devotion surround us; for our hope is in you alone. Amen ⁂
When you have problems and concerns, where is your hope; is your hope in the Lord?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, You are our strength, help, and shield. We thank You for your grace, compassion, and unfailing love. You are our hope Lord; our hearts rejoice in Your faithfulness. Like bulbs planted in the Fall grow and bring joy in Spring, may our faith grow and our hope be in You alone. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
David is celebrating his relationship with the Lord; he is confident; for he believes in God’s protection and promises. He feels secure, for the Lord is always beside him. The Lord is his instructor, friend, counselor, and his refuge from life’s storms. David’s heart rejoices even in the face of death; for his eternal destiny is assured.
8 Day and night I’ll stick with God; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
9-10 I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell— that’s not my destination!
Psalm 16:9-10 (MSG)
Are you confident and secure in your faith; does your heart rejoice in the Lord?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank you for being beside us, guiding us, and keeping us secure. Teach us to put our confidence in You. You are our strength and refuge. Let our hearts rejoice; as you guide and protect us. Like the red geranium blossoms bring joy to the garden, let us grow, blossom, and spread Your joy. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
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
In the morning let me hear of your gracious love, for in you I trust. Cause me to know the way I should take, because I have set my hope on you.
Psalm 143:8 (ISV)
David is praying to God for protection and deliverance in Psalm 143 and; appealing for guidance. He requests: Lord hear my prayer; listen to my cry for mercy.
Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.
Psalm 143:1
He continues in verse 8; Wake me Lord; every morning; Let me hear of Your gracious unfailing love. For weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Lord, in You I trust.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 (NIV)
Lord, my hope is in you; let me know the path I should take; guide me. Teach me thy will, and help me to understand and live accordingly. My hope is in You. In the morning, I will rest in your gracious love; for great is thy faithfulness. ⁂
Do you reach out to the Lord in the morning, embracing His gracious unfailing love?
Prayer; Lord, we trust in You; we pray with hope and thanksgiving. We ask for Your guidance and direction. Hear our prayer for protection and deliverance from evil. Teach us to listen each morning and hear your promise of unfailing love. You are our hope, Lord; direct us on the path we should take. Like the ivy geranium flowers are open and bright, open our hearts to Your direction and let us brighten the world with Your light. In Jesus’ holy loving name. Amen
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.
Psalm 40:5 (NLT)
David’s song of praise to God; “Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us.” They are more than we can enumerate beyond what we can express.
You cannot count God’s thoughts of you. If he were only to think of us once, in tender mercy, that one thought would run on throughout eternity, for he does not retract either a thought that he thinks or a word that he utters. Instead thereof, one gracious thought is followed by another, swiftly as the beams of light flash from the sun, so that it is impossible for us to number them.
Spurgeon’s Bible Commentary
Your forgiveness, mercy, grace, and kindness surround us. Nothing can compare to God, He is Omnipotent, and there is nothing He cannot do. God is powerful, and He protects; He is gracious, He forgives, and; He is trustworthy; He keeps His promises.
Praise the Lord for His wonderful works, miracles, and His grace toward us! ⁂
God has performed many wonders for us; have you taken the time to respond with thanks and praise?
Prayer; O Lord, our wonderful Heavenly Father, we are in awe of Your majesty. We thank you for Your miracles and the many wonders You have done for us. No one can compare to You. Thank you for your grace, forgiveness, and love. As we marvel at the beauty of flowers, let us marvel at the beauty of Your grace and Your wonderful works, and give thanks. In Jesus’ holy and loving name.
Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”
Hosea 6:3 (NLT)
Hosea was encouraging the people to know the Lord, to make an effort, to strive, and to press on; and know the Lord. In verse 1, he calls for repentance, for there was no faithfulness, and no love, or acknowledgment of the Lord; His people had turned away from Him.
Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us.
Hosea 6:1 a
Verse 2 follows,
“In a short time He will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.
Hosea 6:2
When we press on and strive to know the Lord, He will respond to us as surely as the sun rises. He shall come to us like the rains of spring that water the earth and brings fruit for harvest. God will restore us, heal us, and guide us when we turn to Him. Hosea had full confidence in God, in His love, promises, and His power to restore. God wants us to know Him and love Him. As Jesus said, this is the greatest commandment:
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)
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Are you striving to know the Lord, embracing His love, power to restore, and promises?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your patience and love. Help us to draw closer to You, to press forward and know You and Your ways. Lord, we are grateful for Your forgiveness and Your willingness to restore us, heal us, and guide us. Like the petals on the Gomphrena, Fireworks blossom; radiate around its center; help us to draw nearer to you, and radiate your love to others. In Jesus’ loving name. Amen
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:5 (NKJV)
In this verse, David asks the Lord to guide him in His truth, to teach him His ways. Psalm 25 is a prayer; earlier in the psalm, David describes God’s ways, which include praying, waiting on the Lord, being teachable, humble, and obeying the Lord. It means relying on the Lord to guide and teach, looking to the Lord continually for direction, and trusting with a trust not shaken by worldly circumstances or concerns. For You are my God, My Savior, and I will wait all day long, trusting, hoping, and relying on You. ⁂
Where do you look for guidance? Do you ask the Lord to guide and teach you?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your guidance and love. We ask You to guide us in Your truth and teach us Your ways. Lord, teach us to trust and rely on You. You are our salvation; our hope is in You all day long. Like the balloon flower’s balloon-like buds grow into star-shaped flowers, Lord, guide us to grow in patience and hope. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Psalm 34:5-7 (ESV)
In Psalm 34, David is praising the Lord, for the Lord answered his prayer for deliverance. This psalm was probably written by David, in praise, of his escape from the Philistine king, Abimelech.
Reaching out to the Lord in faith, with prayer during troubled times, we find hope. Our demeanor changes; we become radiant, cheerful, and calm. If we keep our eyes centered on the Lord, we will not walk in shame.
David describes a poor man (not in wealth), but desperate and afraid, who cried out to the Lord, and the Lord saves him from his troubles. The Lord is our strength, our hope, our light, and our joy. He will send His angels to protect us.
No longer downcast, when we take our troubles to the Lord in prayer, we glow; we are radiant.
5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. 6 When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. 7 God’s angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray.
Psalm 34:5-7 (MSG)
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When you go to the Lord in prayer, do you trust in Him and feel peace and radiant?
Prayer; Our holy loving Heavenly Father, teach us to release our fears to You; reaching out to You in prayer. Help us to grow in faith, trust You and be radiant with hope. Like a sunflower turns to the sun and glows, let us turn our worries over to You and glow with Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen
You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
2 Samuel 22:29 (NIV)
Chapter 22 in 2 Samuel is a hymn from David, a hymn praising God and thanking Him for deliverance. David called out to the Lord, asking for help, protection, and deliverance from his enemies and Saul. The Lord heard David and helped him, protecting him, guiding him, and saving him from his enemies. The Lord was his lamp; brightly shining forth light; illuminating the darkness of wickedness, depression, loneliness, and despair. The Lord is our lamp, illuminating our path and brightening our lives with His light of understanding, hope, and peace.⁂
Is the Lord, your lamp? Do you reach out to Him on dark days, letting Him turn your darkness into light?
Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your protection, help, and care. You are our lamp; teach us to reach out to You in our darkest times. Help us to trust you to shine Your light on our worries and fear. Teach us to be patient and trust in Your strength and power. Like flowers grow, flourish, and glow in the sunlight; let us flourish and glow in Your light. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen
Garden Faith 