*Happy New Year and New You*

It's New Year's Eve

and

we ARE a new creation in Christ. 

The old has gone, the new has come! 2 Conrinthians 5:1.  

What better point to dwell on than this for the New Year! 

No matter what we have going on in our lives, God is more than able,

through Christ in us. 

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,"

 John 10:10. 

So........

* Happy New Year and New You*

Lynne :)

The Joy of Now

 

Living 100% in THIS moment gives God full opportunity to prepare us for the next.  Living ahead of this moment, interferes with God's working in us and distracts us from the joy of NOW.

 

Have a blessed NOW :D

Light's Opportunity

And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.

Galatians 6:9

There are days that are harder than others.  Sometimes we lose heart and energy.  But, as we continue to press on, doing what we do for the Lord, not ourselves, He will rejuvenate us.  Life is short here on earth, so every single moment of every day is an opportunity to let God reign in us, so that others might see Him - especially when times are tough.  What better opportunity and time to let God show His peace and trust to a world who needs Him?  It's those tough times that are special, because that is when God's light can stand out in a crowd of darkness!  

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men....

Galatians. 6:10

"YOU are a light to the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 5: 14,16

Have a blessed day everyone :)

Search Me, Oh God

I know most of us have read the following verse many times:

".....if My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14

It doesn't matter who is named as leader of a country, it matters what the country's people are doing.  God promises to heal the land of those who come to Him and honor Him.  Throughout the Old Testament, God reordered entire nations in a moment when people would honestly repent and come before Him. 

It all starts with each one of us:

"Search me, O God, and know My heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139:23,24

God relates to each and every one of us individually, therefore, as we come before Him, honestly seeking Him, for His sake, we will be filled with His power and joy that HE may accomplish His will on earth through us.

God bless us, everyone.

More Than Prepared

Sometimes we face tough people that can unnerve us.  But no one faced a tougher crowd than Jesus.  Everyone expected something from Him and also watched from the sidelines, waiting for Him to make a mistake so they could accuse Him.  His disciples faced the same thing and so do we today. 

But that's OK, that just puts us in Good Company :)

   

God knows we won't be perfect, that's why we have Jesus.  But, because we do have Jesus, we also have His Spirit living in us.  He told his disciples this in preparation for the days they may be accused:  

"....do not worry about what to say or how to say it.  At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you," 

Matthew 10:19,20.

        What a glorious promise, that applies to us all! 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, Hebrews 13:8. 

Therefore, we are more than adequately prepared for this day and anyone whom GOD wants to speak to through us! 

Amen! 

You will keep in perfect peace Him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal, Isaiah 26:3,4.

It's an Opportunity

Sometimes it's hard to relate to those who don't know the Lord, especially when they are hurtful.  But, what better opportunity for God's unconditional love to shine through us?  It's easy to show God's love to the easy to love, but it is an act of God in us, to show His love towards those who hurt us. 

There are times when we just need to go to a room, close the door and pray, not letting ourselves get sucked into someone else's issues, so that GOD can be our ultimate comfort, while He works to touch the other's heart.  We need to pray fervently for those who hurt us, never taking things personally.  Then, we will actually gain more compassion and insight towards those people, and even joy, knowing that God does indeed work all things together for our good and His glory, and that we are MORE than conquerors in Him.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12:21

"....pray for those who persecute you,"

Matthew 5:44

Overcoming Power

    We live in a sin-filled world and Satan would like nothing more than to distract us, so that we will get caught up emotionally with it's temptations and troubles.  Satan can't steal our salvation, but his distractions can render us useless, to the point that others can't see the Promise that lives within us.......

that is, if we let them.

   

 Jesus said we would experience trouble in this world, but not to worry, because He's overcome the world.  His overcoming power lives in us and when we simply let go of Self and set our minds on Him, His power is released in us for His glory and our peace.

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. 

In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! 

I have overcome the world." 

 John 16:33

         No, in all these things we are more than conquerors

through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:37

                                                                                                                                                                                        



To KNOW

To know who a person really is, you must meet him, instead of listening to everyone else's opinion about him.

Jesus says:

I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:20

THIS is the Day!

 THIS is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

God has impressed upon my heart that THIS is the only day there is and to absolutely make the most of it!  We don't have to worry about tomorrow or think too much about yesterday.  We just have to LIVE TODAY.  There is nothing that God doesn't know or care about in our lives, and He lives in those who have received His Grace.  Therefore, He is fully capable of working in us, but ...... it's one moment at a time.  God never tells us to formulate plans, instead He says to commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16:3

So, today is today :) 

Let God speak to you today and you will have all the wisdom you need for this moment. 

He will then prepare you for the next moment, and the next, as you simply enjoy Him NOW. 

America's Healing

So many are calling for collective prayer that our nation may be healed - but we are a nation of individuals.  God created us to have individual, uninterrupted relationships with each one of us.  So, to pray for our nation's healing, we must be open to personal healing as well.  For we cannot expect God to heal America, if we Americans will not allow Him to heal us. Therefore, let us come before God with open and honest hearts, and begin to pray for our nation with this:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,

(Psalm 139:23,24).

And with this, let us seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, (Matthew 6:33).

God has richly blessed America to be a nation where we have the absolute freedom to know and enjoy Him.  So, let us each humble ourselves, that God may lift up America to truly be One Nation Under HIM.

Be Still

Sometimes we get so caught up in busyness, thinking that as soon as we get this or that done, then we can sit down and relax and maybe even spend some quiet time with God. Unfortunately, it seems that the more we do, the more we find to do.  It honestly can never end - until we decide to simply STOP.

Jesus always had something to do. People were always needing His time and attention, but even He knew when to stop. Even when people were clamoring around Him with all their wants and needs, Jesus would simply stop and walk away. Sometimes he would get in a boat and row to the other shore to be alone with God and rest. Other times He would receive an invitation to someone's house and just enjoy the fellowship. Even God in human form needed to stop and rest.

So do we.

Ironically, when we make ourselves just stop and rest and spend time with God, we can actually feel more energized and relaxed at the same time.  Priorities are sometimes rearranged and we get more done. Nothing on this earth can be done more effectively without God.  So, to actually put Him before all our activity, makes us more productive and joyful all the way around.

 

"Be still, and know that I am God;" Psalm 46:10

 

Dependent Security

We all want to be loved and appreciated, we want to feel secure. As long as we look to, or rely on others for this, our dependence falls on fallible human beings to fulfill this yearning. Even if there are those who make us feel this way, we still tend to suffer from the fear that it will one day end, which robs us of the very security we seek from them. We can become too reliant on others for our own happiness, which ironically drives us further into self and fear.

It is only when we let go of self and purposely dwell on God that we will find all that we have been searching for. God made us to know Him and searching outside of Him leads us further away from the very thing we want ~ unconditional love. God promises that He'll never leave us or forsake us. There is total security in Him alone. We may not always feel His presence, but that never alters His Presence. He is constantly with us, our feelings don't alter His existence. The key is what, or Who, we choose to think of. Our dwelling on God and His promises open the door to our awareness of Him, our fulfillment with Him and our ultimate ability to freely love others because of Him. God's own love is meant to dwell in us, we were created to experience His love and be free to give it out to others. Then we will be free indeed.

But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

He doesn't wait until we are good enough, He loves us just as we are.

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5

God bless your day in His unconditional love for YOU :)

With Freedom and Confidence

Some of my friends and family have suggested that I start a Blog.  There are times that I get so excited about something I have learned, or inspired by spiritually, that I have to share it.  Also, there are times that I feel very convicted to express viewpoints concerning our country and it's direction.  Either way, when inspired, it's a wonderful thing that we have a voice to spread our joy and convictions!

My Blog is called Freedom and Confidence.  It comes from Ephesians 3:12.  I believe, with all my heart, that we can live in complete freedom, so that we may fully realize all we are meant to be from the beginning of time.  God has created us all as individuals and there was never a you, or me, before us, and there never will be after us....we are it!  It's exciting to realize that we are that special to our Lord.  So, the first post simply explains how much we are loved by our Lord, which is the beginning of Freedom and Confidence.

Everyone wants the same thing ~

to be totally known for who we really are, faults and all,

and then

to

still be loved! 

Psalm 139 in the Bible describes this very knowledge and love concerning every one of us:

All we think and do is important to God.

O Lord, You have searched me and You know me, You know when I sit and when I rise,

You perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord, (v. 1-4).

 

He took great care in creating us.

For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb, I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body, (v.13-15).

And He never quits thinking about us!

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with You, (v. 17,18).

God knows it ALL and still loves us.  There are no conditions.  He knows we sin, we stumble and sometimes we fall, and yet He is always waiting to pick us up.  We simply need to call on Him.  He won't force us to come to Him, and He also doesn't wait until we are good enough either. 

Romans 5:7,8 says: Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us.  Jesus sees us just as we are and says:  "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me," (3:20).

Because of this great, unconditional love, each and everyone of us may approach God with freedom and confidence, (Ephesians 3:12).  Jesus simply stands at the door, knowing everything about us and hopes we will receive His love and open the door.

In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:12