Power of God: 1 Corinthians 2:5

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:3-5 (KJV)

Paul didn’t have dazzling delivery or lofty speech for the people of Corinth. Instead, he used the power of God; by speaking healing words of truth as the Holy Spirit directed. The dynamic speech of humans; can be enticing and cajole, but when based on the wisdom of men rather than the power of God, it is limited and falls short.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV

Paul wanted to share his message of faith, highlighting Jesus’ love and salvation for them. He spoke with the power of the Spirit to encourage growth in understanding, faith, and appreciation of the power of God. ⁘

What do you rely on; the enticing speech of the worldly or the wisdom and power of God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, open our eyes and teach us to be guided by Your wisdom. Help us to grow in faith and listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Like the small trumpet-like flowers of the lilac spread out in all directions, guide us to avoid the diverse directions of the world and follow the true direction, the power of God. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

Path: Isaiah 30:21

21 Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.
Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

As Christians, it is important to determine which way to go; which path to follow. We need to discern God’s plan for us to determine the correct direction to go. How do we know which path to follow? By trusting in God’s promises, following His Word, and listening to His voice, the voice behind us, to find our correct path.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Worldly distractions can influence and divert us from His path for us. We need to keep our hearts open to God, seek His will and take time to listen to His direction. He will tell us which path to take. We may be fickle and disobedient, but God stays beside us, telling us which way to go. God promises never to leave us or forsake us. We can rely on His promise to be with us and to tell us the way to go, whether to the right or left. ⁂

When you are faced with changes, uncertain choices, and are confused about the path to take, who do you listen to?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your guidance and direction. Teach us to listen to Your voice and follow Your path for us. Guide us by turning us away from worldly distractions and help us focus on Your voice. Like the Stella D Oro daylily flowers, bloom in all directions around the plant; help us to grow, blossom, and follow Your path. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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Let me know – 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. 🌺

Peace of God: Philippians 4:7

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

Peace is something we all seem to search for. I just need a few minutes peace is an often-heard comment. How do we experience God’s peace?

When we put our problems in God’s hands, His supernatural peace calms our minds, getting rid of our anxious thoughts. How can we do this? When we are anxious, we need to reach out to God in prayer, letting go of our concerns; trusting Him.

New Living Translation
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Letting go of our worries and anxieties frees our minds; allowing us to focus on positive things. Trust lets us relax and experience God’s supernatural peace, a peace that transcends our understanding. We may not always get the result we want. However, God is with us and will help us deal with any inner turmoil.

Having Jesus Christ in our hearts and minds lets us focus on kindness, contentment, love, and helping one another, bringing peace to our relationships with others.

Who do you reach out to with your anxiety and worries? Do you reach out in prayer for the peace of God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and compassion toward us. Teach us to give You our worries and concerns. Let us prayerfully reach out, finding the peace of God. Like the beautiful open flowers of the anemone, may we be open-minded and open-hearted to Christ. Amen

My Hope: Psalm 62:5-6

5Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
6Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-6 (NIV)

Psalm 62 is a psalm of David. It is a psalm of confidence, of trust in God. David has bitter enemies, but he has confidence God could and would deliver him. When our souls find rest in God, we give up our worldly concerns and trust God.
Where does our hope come from; our hope comes from God. He is our rock, our salvation. Meditation and prayer strengthen faith and build a strong foundation in the Lord. Like David, we can learn not to be overcome by worries but to stand strong in faith unshaken.

When worldly issues are overwhelming, is God your rock and your hope?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, You are our rock, salvation, and our hope. Thanks for being our strong foundation and our shelter during life storms. Teach us to let go of our worldly concerns and put our trust in You. Like the full rose blossoms make a lovely garden, let us be full of hope and reflect Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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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. 🌺

I pray for the Ukrainian people, I pray for peace, and I pray for the end of war.

Seasons: Ecclesiastes 3:1

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

In my area, it is the season of winter. Normally our winters are mild, with occasional small snowfall. This Saturday, over 11 inches of snow fell. I managed to cover my blooming camellia before the heavy snow.

Indeed for most flowers and gardens, there is a season, a planting season, a growing season, and a blooming season. In life, our seasons can be times of trials, times of growth, times of change, and times of blessings.

Through all seasons, God is with us, guiding us. We can trust in God He’s sovereign; He is in control.

This Rachel Carson quote has always been a favorite of mine:

There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.
Rachel Carson

In all season’s do you place your trust in God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for guiding us through the seasons of our lives. Help us to follow your path and to rely on your guidance. Teach us to turn to you when we are overwhelmed, confused, or feel lost. Like the out-of-season bloom on the camellia, remind us to set our eyes on You when life is confusing. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

Waiting for Spring…

Winter can be a season for play.

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

Come Close to God: James 4:8

7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
James 4:7-8 (NLT)

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. God is waiting for you to knock on the door, to reach out to Him. God is waiting, ready to accept us with open arms. When we reach out to God, He welcomes us and draws near to us. Pride causes resistance to God; being humble brings us close to God.
Washing; cleaning our hands means reforming our ways, ceasing to do evil, and amending our actions. A pure heart is free of evil desires and false teachings and is focused on God. It is a heart full of love, compassion, purity.
Our prayer should be; “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (NIV)
Our loyalty is to God. Our hearts are not pure when divided between God and worldly things. A pure heart fully trusts in God.

Will you come close to God, follow His word, praise Him, and go to Him in prayer with a pure heart?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, guide us in Your truth. Help us to come close to You, and cease to do evil. Create in us a pure heart, O God focused on You. Like the open and bright flower of the Gerbera Daisy, may our hearts be open and shine brightly with Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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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. 🌺

The Lord Rules-Psalm 96:10-12

O nations of the world, recognize the Lord;
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
Psalm 96:7 (NLT)

10 Say to the nations, “The Lord rules.”
The world is firmly set in place. It can’t be moved.
The Lord will judge the people of the world fairly.
Psalm 96:10 (NIRV)

11 Let the heavens be full of joy. Let the earth be glad.
Let the ocean and everything in it roar.
Psalm 96:11

12 Let the fields and everything in them be glad.
Let all the trees in the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:12

The Lord is glorious and strong. We are to proclaim to the world that the Lord rules. Make known that God’s work is lasting and good. He has firmly established the world; it is immovable and lasting. God is good! Let us tell the world of His glory and His salvation.
God is a righteous judge, fair, and ruling with justice. In praise, all creation rejoices, the heavens are full of joy, the oceans roar, the fields are glad, and the forests sing for joy. For the Lord rules, He is glorious, strong, and good. We rejoice and worship Him with love and thanksgiving.

The Lord rules, He is loving, forgiving, fair, and good. Are you thankful for His providence, grace, and mercy?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we are in awe of Your works and amazed by Your grace. We thank you for your justice and love. Teach us to proclaim to all that the Lord rules. Let us praise, rejoice, and be thankful for Your forgiveness, love, and provision to us. May nature and Your people sing for joy. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

In America, we celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday. May we count our blessings every day and always be thankful. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

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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. 🌺

Faithful Love: Psalm 147:10-11

10 He doesn’t take pleasure in the strength of horses.
He doesn’t take delight in the strong legs of warriors.
¹¹The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for him.
They put their hope in his faithful love.
Psalm 147: 10-11 (NIRV)

The Lord takes pleasure in strength and perseverance in faith; rather than in strength in physical ability. He delights in worship, prayer, and obedience rather than the strength of warriors.
Many versions of verse 11 state, “The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” The Lord delights in those who fear Him or, perhaps better stated as those in awe of Him who acknowledge, His power, justice, and wisdom. Who respect Him, follow His Word, place hope in Him, accepting His promise of faithful, unfailing love. God is good; His steadfast love endures forever.

Where do you find hope and strength during stressful times? Is your hope found in God’s faithful love?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your faithful love and abundant mercy. Teach us to listen for Your direction, respect Your laws, follow Your ways, and spread Your love. Help us to grow in faith and to put our hope in You. Like delightful oriental lilies brighten our days, let us delight in Your Word and brighten the world with Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Love One Another: 1Peter 1:21-22

²¹Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. ²²You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
1 Peter 1: 21-22 (NET)

Jesus, Son of God, was crucified for our salvation. God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him in heaven. Jesus’s victory over death into glory brings trust; we trust in God, He sacrificed His Son to save us. We have faith and hope in God’s promises and His plans for us. With belief, our hearts are open to the truth of God’s Word and His love. We need to embrace Christ’s commandment “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34). When our hope is in Christ, we are born again, and we can love one another earnestly, sincerely, and with a pure heart.

Is your heart open to love one another as Christ loved us?

Prayer; Lord, Jesus create in us a pure heart. Help us to forgive, accept, and love one another. Open our heart to Your truth and direction. Teach us to love one another earnestly, sincerely, and with a pure heart. Like the gentle, glorious beauty of the rose, let us be kind and gentle and spread Your glorious love. Amen

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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. 🌺