Grace: Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

It is not because we are good or deserving that we are saved. God doesn’t only accept good people. By, His grace, His freely given blessing, His gift, we all can be saved.

Grace can be described as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Christ died for our sins. We don’t need to be “good enough” for salvation, we just need to believe and have faith, in God and Christ’s goodness. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, faith: is belief and trust in and loyalty to God.

10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Good works are not the cause of salvation; good works are the purpose of salvation. God saves us to do good works in His name, which brings Him glory.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for Your love and grace. Let our faith and trust in You direct our lives. Guide us to follow Your path, and do good works, to glorify Your name. Like the mallow flowers are open and illuminated by sunlight, let us be open to Your Word and illuminated with Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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If you need prayer, I will be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page. 🌺

Jesus is Lord: Romans 10:9-10

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

Paul was sharing the doctrine of salvation with the Romans. Explaining how a person is transformed and redeemed when they accept; Jesus is Lord. Telling them by His grace, God offers salvation to all who believe in Christs’ resurrection from the dead. For all who believe in their heart that Christ is our Savior, that he died for our sins, you are made right with God. By openly declaring your faith in Christ, you are set free from the guilt of sin, acceptable to God. Jesus is Lord; He is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through Me (Jesus). (John 14:6)

Are you lost, caught up in a sinful life, need forgiveness? Open your heart, accept Jesus is Lord believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, openly declare your faith, and receive salvation.

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we are in awe of Your forgiveness and grace. We thank You for the gift of salvation, bought by the blood of Your Son, Jesus, who died for us. Help us to openly declare our faith to others and share Your Word with others. Teach us to love one another as You have loved us. Like the lily is covered with bright, joyful blossoms, let us shine bright with Your light and joyfully proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Amen

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If you need prayer, I will be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page.🌺

God filled life: Titus 2:11-14

11-14 God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.
Titus 2:11-14 (MSG)

Salvation is available to everyone through the grace of God. Christ Jesus died for our sins; His sacrifice freed us from darkness and brought us into the light. The light of Jesus a shining, illuminating life, freeing us from our dark, sinful world. He transforms our life, bringing peace, hope, and direction. He opens our hearts to love and teaches us to turn our back on a godless, indulgent life, to lead a God-filled, God-honoring life. A life that reflects the life of Jesus; be self-controlled, upright, godly, and doing good works. A God-filled, God-centered life while expectantly awaiting the glorious return of Jesus.

Through God’s forgiveness and grace in Jesus, salvation is available to everyone. Is your life God-filled and God-directed?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we are in awe of your grace, forgiveness, and love. You have made salvation available to all who believe in Your Son, Jesus. We thank you for Jesus, who has brought love and light into our world. Teach us to let go of worldly things and live a joyful, God-filled life. Like the allium flowers are gathered together, open to the sunlight, let us gather together, open to and transmitting the light of Jesus. Amen

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Need prayer? I believe in the power of prayer and would be glad to pray for you. Leave a comment or message me on the contact page. 🌺

God is My Rock: Psalm 18:2

Cactus flower

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

David wrote this after God rescued him from his many enemies.
The Lord is our rock He protects and shelters us. He is our fortress, a place of protection, and a refuge from the storms of life. He is our strong tower of strength, hope, and stability. His salvation is like a bright shield that protects us from evil.

We can face unknown situations with confidence because God is with us. When has God been your rock, a refuge?

Prayer: Our Father, our refuge in the storms of life, we thank you for your protection. Teach us to call on you when we feel overwhelmed. Like the open cactus flower leaning against the stones, Lord, help us to lean on you. You are our rock when we are lost, afraid, and confused. We praise and worship You. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Saved: Romans 10:12-13

African Violet

¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:12-13
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21
And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; Joel 2:32a

Many undertakings have difficult and complicated steps to achieve approval. The Lord, however, doesn’t require difficult and complicated procedures from us to be saved. Paul states in Romans and Luke states in Acts, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
In Luke 23:42-43, a criminal on the cross beside Jesus calls to Him, “… “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

To call on the name of the Lord means to reach out to Christ, in faith seeking salvation. God, our Father, richly blesses all who call upon Him. Today, take time to thankfully praise God, our Father, for His grace, compassion, and love. For, we are truly loved and blessed.

When in distress, who do you call out to for help?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for richly blessing us and answering our calls for help, protection, direction, and strength. Let our faith grow and blossom like the African violet’s numerous blooms. Help us to turn away from sin, call on Your name, and embrace Your gift of salvation. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

I Will Praise You – Psalm 71:14

¹⁴But as for me, I will always have hope and I will praise You more and more. ¹⁵My 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

Salvation: Titus 2:11-13

Azalea

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. ¹²It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³as 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