Abiding in Christ

 

Salvation comes in stages. If we happily camp around the salvation of our spirit, we miss the glory of the sanctification of our soul. One day we will also experience the glorification of our body when Christ appears for His Saints (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Once we realize that the divinity of Christ and all of the power of the complete triune Godhead live within every Born Again Believer, a new enthusiasm produces constant praise from our lips to God’s ears (2 Peter 1:3).

We no longer view our self as a grubby worm inching around in the world of selfishness and sin. Instead, we see our self as beautiful butterflies soaring in the Heavenly, spiritual realm of life.

God calls His elect and then reveals Himself to and in us. He has a purpose for each of our lives (Ephesians 1:11). He loves us with His abundant, unfading and everlasting love (Psalm 25:6; Jeremiah 31:3).

We are totally dependent upon Jesus for our direction, health and provision moment by moment throughout the day (Ephesians 1:9; Philippians 2:12-13). Through our connection to the Vine, the life of Christ flows through us by His Spirit and we produce much fruit for the Kingdom of God (John 15:8).

Through our union with Christ, we shed the shackles of our sin nature and submit to the dealings and leadings of God's Spirit in our life (1 Corinthians 1:30). As branches in the Vine of Christ, we experience God as our husbandman.

He prunes the flesh from us so more spiritual fruit may grow (John 15:1, 5). We walk out of the bondage to carnality and into the glorious freedom of the sons of God (Romans 8:21).

Jesus is our center and God is the focus of our life. We seek to do His will in our job, community, church, extended family and home. If we walk in the darkness of self and sin, we stumble and fail in all of our attempts (John 11:10).

As we walk in the light of Christ, we find fulfillment in living out His will for our life (1 John 1:7). God’s wisdom, grace, love and supernatural abilities reside within us in Jesus Christ and are always available to meet all of our needs and to walk in God's will for us (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Prayer:

Father God, as we abide in You throughout the day, Your wisdom, grace, love and peace manifest in our life and out into the world around us. As we abide in You, You provide us with a dedicated life full of the wisdom, strength and Godly conviction, which we need to further Your Kingdom in our world.

We look forward to the day when we can also walk in Your power, so You can make a true difference in others through our life. As we make every effort to walk in peace with You, You renew our soul and make us blameless and spotless at Your coming (2 Peter 3:14). Our perseverance in our walk with You, guarantees that we will not stop short of Your glorious riches, which You prepared for us before time began (Romans 9:23).

Thought for the Day:

Undistracted devotion to God allows us to tap into all of His power and majesty in order to live our life as Elijah, Moses and Enoch did; and we will steadily walk into complete maturity in Christ. - James 1:4

God's Little Love Letters

God tells us in innumerable, specific ways throughout the day that He loves us as His special children. He uses different signs and symbols that speak to the individual’s heart. For instance:

• God used butterflies to signal his love to my friend Ginny. They appeared during every milestone of her battle with cancer.

 

• Teresa felt God’s love whenever she found a heart-shaped stone or shell.

 

• Larry said that every time he noticed one of his shoestrings untied, it was God’s way of saying He was watching out and protecting him.

 

• Peter said that lightning demonstrated to him that God was giving him divine power to preach his sermon.

 

• When they find a penny on the ground, some people say it reminds them that God is their provider and in Him they put their trust.

 

• Becky felt God’s special love for her when she saw a male Cardinal in her window, or staring at her from a tree branch as she approached the tree. It’s vibrant color and distinctive melody warmed her heart and she felt the arms of God giving her a cherishing hug.

 

• One day as I waited for the shower water to warm up, a thin sheen of water covered the shower floor except for one spot. For no scientific rhyme or reason, that spot was in the perfect shape of a heart. It remained dry until the water was warm enough for me to get in, and then it slowly filled with water as well.

 

• A sunrise or sunset is very meaningful when we realize that God is giving us a new day. Then we realize He was protecting and providing for us all day as the sun sets again that night.

 

• A rainbow is a sign of God’s love, mercy and safety to many Christians.

 

• When I go out to walk the dog and Orion’s Belt is centered above me in the night sky, I am reminded that our mighty Savior is watching over and protecting us.

 

• As I walked across the parking lot at First Baptist, a perfectly shaped heart leaf blew across my path and settled at my feet. I grinned from ear to ear and felt God's love pouring over me like waterfall. As I bent down to pick it up, a wind gust blew it from my grasp. I heard the Lord's gentle reprimand..."No, my child, I want to bless others with this leaf as well."
  
Coincidence? A skeptic might think so; but a Believer sees the hand of God in all the little things He does for us each day.

Numbers not only have mathematical significance, but each one is a symbol with a meaning. For instance,

One = unity with God

Two = confirmation/witness, support
Three = completion
Four = relating to flesh/earth
Five = grace
Six = mankind
Seven = perfection
Eight = a new beginning
Nine = Fullness of blessing
Ten = Human government/laws; etc.

Most of the time I could not care less what time it is. For the most part, the minutes of my day are scheduled out for me. Therefore, when the Spirit directs me to look at the clock, God often uses the arrangement of the numbers to leave little love letter for me. I know it is God, because if I glance at the clock a minute before or after He directs me to do so, the numbers would be different. It is amazing how often during the week He uses one of these combinations to speak to my heart.

1:11 = is three one’s = complete unity with God.

2:22 = is three two’s = complete confirmation/ support.
2:55 = is one 2, and two five’s = confirmation of grace.
3:33 = is three three’s = total completion (Colossians 2:10).
5:55 = is three five’s = complete grace.
God uses all sorts of combinations to leave little love notes for me.

What does God use to show you His special favor and love? Maybe you never took the time to notice. Maybe you noticed, but did not understand why it was significant. Pay attention from now on and watch for God’s little love notes to you throughout the day. If you get a chance, send me an email and share with me about your little love letter from God. God bless you now and always, kat

kathleenbrdly@gmail.com

Thank you, "God Still Performs Miracles Everyday", for the use of your photo.

Living in Joy

Read: Psalm 92:1-5

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” – Psalm 59:16

Living in the present moment keeps us from fearing the future and taking life for granted. As we pay attention to what is going on right now at this moment, we find joy in:

... the rising and setting of the sun,

... a butterfly floating on a breeze,

... the air we breathe,

... the laughter of little children,

... modern conveniences,

... dogs barking in the distance,

... the tick of the clock, 

... the whir of the dishwasher or lawn mower, 

... the flowers blooming along the roadside, 

... rain for our garden, 

... toes to balance our body, 

... clothes to keep us warm, 

... soap and shampoo, 

... singing birds,

... the sound of a neighbor starting his car or a loved one returning home, 

... the antics of a pet, 

... the glitter of the sun on the water, 

... the shape and color and scent of flowers, 

... the shape and texture of the clouds in the crystal blue sky

... and for a roof that does not leak! You can add your own blessing to this list.

As we tune in to God's joy all around us, we start to notice a change in the feelings within our own soul. We take our negative emotions to God and learn how to heal them. We also learn to multiply the positive feelings we experience each moment of the day. As we put our trust in Christ, we live in abiding peace and joy ~ not only in our spirit, but deep within our soul (our mind, will and emotions) as well.

Prayer:

O Lord our God, save us and gather us from the nations. We give thanks to Your holy name and we glorify and praise You (Psalm 106:47). The works of Your hands are faithful and just; all of Your precepts are trustworthy (Psalm 111:7). I meditate on all of Your works and consider what Your hands have done for the children of men (Psalm 143:5). I will tell everyone about Your kindnesses, O Lord. We praise You for Your deeds and for Your compassion and many kindnesses (Isaiah 63:7).

Thought for the Day:

Remember…Every tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life.

The Rocky Road to Peace

Read: John 4: 10-14

“Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  - John 7:37-38

Today I was listening to my nature music with sounds of a gurgling brook in the background. As I absently dusted the living room with my feather duster, I visualized myself sitting next to that gurgling stream, with wildflowers tickling my arm in the slight breeze and butterflies swirling overhead.

As I moved into the bedrooms with the duster, I changed scenes in my mind and pictured myself in a raft, lazily drifting with the current along the scenic view of that same rivulet. I felt so much peace and tranquility fill my soul. I started to sing praises to God along with the instrumental music and I thanked Him for giving us nature to enjoy. 

After putting the feather duster away, I snuggled into my recliner with the music still playing gently in the background. I sat quietly, listening for the Lord. God reminded me that most streams have rocks and even boulders in them that the water must traverse around!!! Yet, the water continues to flow unhindered by these obstacles. He reminded me that our life also has obstacles in it; and if we allow them to, they will impede our progress.

However, as we rest in Jesus, who is our eternal, Living Water, we will drift smoothly around every hindrance in life. We will not only experience peace and joy ourselves, but we will also share our tranquility with everyone God leads to come rest by our side!

PRAYER

Lord, give us a fresh filling of Your Holy Spirit with each new day (Genesis 41:38). Allow Your Living Water to fill our souls with refreshment and give us peace, not as the world gives; but that peace, which circumvents every obstacle in life.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. - Isaiah 12:3