God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.John 3:16, NKJV
For God so loved you that He gave His Son,
His only Son, the Son Whom He loved -
He gave heaven's most precious Treasure -
He gave everything He had - in order to offer you eternal life.
Do you doubt the love of God? Why?
Because of the bad things that He allows to happen to good people?
Because of the unfairness and injustice and unkindness and misery
and suffering and pain and cruelty of life?
Some questions we won't have answers for until we get to heaven.
But one thing we can know for sure is that God loves you and me.
How do we know that? We know it by just looking at the cross
where He proved His love for the world that mocks Him and
ignores Him and despises Him and scorns Him and rejects Him.
We look at the cross and see "I love you" written in red - the red of Christ's blood.
Blessings,
Anne Graham Lotz
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
The Spirit of Truth
When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
John 16;13, NIV
The Holy Spirit is so identified with the Bible, one of His names is Truth! In fact, Peter reveals that the Holy Spirit is the inspirational Author of the Old Testament Scriptures. (2 Pet. 1:20-21) And Paul wrote to Timothy, encouraging him to stay in the Scriptures because, "all Scripture is God-breathed," referring once again to the Spirit-inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16, NIV).
Have you been trying to work up some kind of emotional feeling? If you lack "it," have you felt you didn't have the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, which means He always works according to and through the Word of God whether you feel Him or not. Have you been seeking some ecstatic experience, thinking that would be the Holy Spirit? Remember that He never acts independently; He always works through the Truth - the living Word of God, Who is Jesus, and the written Word of God, which is your Bible. He is never spooky or silly or superficial or self-promoting. He is the Spirit of Truth.
Blessings,
Anne Graham Lotz
God's Powerful Word
The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword; it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit.
Hebrews 4:12, NIV
One of the primary reasons we need to be in a disciplined study of the Scriptures is so we can saturate ourselves in the truth. When we know the truth and we are presented with that which is false, we will instinctively recognize it. Measuring philosophies or theologies or opinions or sermons or books or doctrines or counsel by the Word of God is like exposing the crookedness of a stick by placing a straight stick beside it. The ultimate compliment an audience can pay me is to bring their Bibles and follow along as I speak so they can double-check what I say against what God says. I am authentic as a Bible teacher only in proportion to my faithfulness to God's Word.
And in order to give God's Word out so that others can hear His voice in their ears, I must - it's not an option - I must read it, study it, understand it, and live by it. And when I do, His Word makes a lasting impact and bears eternal fruit, because it's powerful.
Blessings,
Anne Graham Lotz
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Full of Grace and Truth
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
Today countless people look for a god within themselves or in crystals or in trees or in a former life or in some statue or in a religious experience or in the stars. But John declares the awesome truth that the glory of God is not confined in any of those things, just as it is no longer confined on a mountain or in a Tabernacle or as a cloud or fire or as a reflection on a face. Instead "the Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
John is saying emphatically, "I have seen Him!"
"I've seen Him when He was alone."
"I've seen Him when He was surrounded by a crowd of people."
"I've seen Him dead,"
"I've seen Him buried,"
"I've seen Him risen,"
"I've seen Him ascended."
And in every situation I have seen Him full of grace and full of truth! I have seen the face of God-in the face of Jesus!
Blessings,
Anne Graham Lotz
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Prayer - Philippians 4:4-7
Recently, I was gathering up prayer requests of several of my new sisters in Christ. As I started to pray for each person, I remembered reading earlier in the day in my devotional that there is power in God's Word and to use scripture in my prayers. So I was immediately drawn to Philippians 4:4-7, because there was a common thread within all the prayer requests, anxiety and worry and the need for peace.
So I took those verses and turned them into a very personalized prayer for all of my friends.
Here below is a condensed version of the prayer, I hope everyone who reads it, finds encouragement and strength in it!
Dear Father in Heaven,
I thank you for blessing me with this study of your precious Word! And for these new sisters in Christ, for bringing us together to uplift and encourage each other in our walk with you, Lord! We are so blessed Father, you lavish us with your love and comfort, your mercy and grace and forgiveness, so much more than we deserve. But we are weak Father and our spirit battles with our flesh. Please give us all strength,Father, to conquer over our flesh! So that we can be all that you have created us to be, walking in righteousness, so that we can bring honor, glory and praise to you and you alone!
I pray for all my sisters in Christ, who are all struggling with worries and concerns and are uneasy about their health, their husbands, their children, their unsaved family members, their fellow co-workers, their jobs, and their own strength and faith within their Christian walk.
Please remind us to rejoice! Again, I ask you, help us, remind us daily, of how awesome you are and how much you love us, so that we always remember, to rejoice in you, our Lord! Lord, you are near! And may we always realize you are so very near, so very present, in every aspect of our lives! I ask you Lord to lay your hand on each of these women, as you know each of their hearts and the issues they struggle with, remind them they are not to be anxious about anything! But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to present their request to you, God. And through our prayers, Father God, fill us, as you have promised, with your peace God, which transcends all understanding, and guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus!
Remind us over and over, each day through scripture, through fellow believers, christian songs, devotionals, by whatever means, Father, that you are so very near and waiting for us to turn our worries over to you and let you take care of them, as only you can, and we cannot. Teach us daily Father, to truly surrender all our burdens to you! I pray in Jesus precious name, amen!
Over 300 times in the New Testament, God commands us not to be anxious!
Philippians 4:4-7
"Rejoice in the Llord always. I will say it again; Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
God Bless and have a wonderful day!
So I took those verses and turned them into a very personalized prayer for all of my friends.
Here below is a condensed version of the prayer, I hope everyone who reads it, finds encouragement and strength in it!
Dear Father in Heaven,
I thank you for blessing me with this study of your precious Word! And for these new sisters in Christ, for bringing us together to uplift and encourage each other in our walk with you, Lord! We are so blessed Father, you lavish us with your love and comfort, your mercy and grace and forgiveness, so much more than we deserve. But we are weak Father and our spirit battles with our flesh. Please give us all strength,Father, to conquer over our flesh! So that we can be all that you have created us to be, walking in righteousness, so that we can bring honor, glory and praise to you and you alone!
I pray for all my sisters in Christ, who are all struggling with worries and concerns and are uneasy about their health, their husbands, their children, their unsaved family members, their fellow co-workers, their jobs, and their own strength and faith within their Christian walk.
Please remind us to rejoice! Again, I ask you, help us, remind us daily, of how awesome you are and how much you love us, so that we always remember, to rejoice in you, our Lord! Lord, you are near! And may we always realize you are so very near, so very present, in every aspect of our lives! I ask you Lord to lay your hand on each of these women, as you know each of their hearts and the issues they struggle with, remind them they are not to be anxious about anything! But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to present their request to you, God. And through our prayers, Father God, fill us, as you have promised, with your peace God, which transcends all understanding, and guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus!
Remind us over and over, each day through scripture, through fellow believers, christian songs, devotionals, by whatever means, Father, that you are so very near and waiting for us to turn our worries over to you and let you take care of them, as only you can, and we cannot. Teach us daily Father, to truly surrender all our burdens to you! I pray in Jesus precious name, amen!
Over 300 times in the New Testament, God commands us not to be anxious!
Philippians 4:4-7
"Rejoice in the Llord always. I will say it again; Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
God Bless and have a wonderful day!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Devotional - Beware of the Amalekites!
For he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have
war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
E X O D U S 1 7 : 1 6
By Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby
The Amalekites were the persistent and relentless enemies of the Israelites. When the Israelites sought to enter the Promised Land, the Amalekites stood in their way. Once the Israelites were in the Promised Land and seeking to enjoy what God had given them, the Amalekites joined the Midianites to torment the Hebrews in the days of Gideon. It was an Amalekite that caused the downfall of King Saul. The Amalekites continually sought to hinder the progress of God’s people and to rob them of God’s blessing. Thus God swore His enmity against them for eternity.
As you move forward in your pilgrimage with the Lord, there will be “Amalekites” that will seek to distract and defeat you. God is determined to remove anything that keeps you from experiencing Him to the fullest. If your commitment to your job is keeping you from obedience to Him, God will declare war against it. If a relationship, materialism, or a destructive activity is keeping you from obeying God’s will, He will wage relentless war against it. There is nothing so precious to you that God will not be its avowed enemy if it keeps you from His will for your life. King Saul mistakenly thought he could associate with Amalekites and still fulfill the will of the Lord. You may also be hesitant to rid yourself of that which causes you to compromise your obedience to God. Don’t make the same mistake as King Saul. He did not take the Amalekites seriously enough, and it cost him dearly.
war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
E X O D U S 1 7 : 1 6
By Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby
The Amalekites were the persistent and relentless enemies of the Israelites. When the Israelites sought to enter the Promised Land, the Amalekites stood in their way. Once the Israelites were in the Promised Land and seeking to enjoy what God had given them, the Amalekites joined the Midianites to torment the Hebrews in the days of Gideon. It was an Amalekite that caused the downfall of King Saul. The Amalekites continually sought to hinder the progress of God’s people and to rob them of God’s blessing. Thus God swore His enmity against them for eternity.
As you move forward in your pilgrimage with the Lord, there will be “Amalekites” that will seek to distract and defeat you. God is determined to remove anything that keeps you from experiencing Him to the fullest. If your commitment to your job is keeping you from obedience to Him, God will declare war against it. If a relationship, materialism, or a destructive activity is keeping you from obeying God’s will, He will wage relentless war against it. There is nothing so precious to you that God will not be its avowed enemy if it keeps you from His will for your life. King Saul mistakenly thought he could associate with Amalekites and still fulfill the will of the Lord. You may also be hesitant to rid yourself of that which causes you to compromise your obedience to God. Don’t make the same mistake as King Saul. He did not take the Amalekites seriously enough, and it cost him dearly.
The Armor of God
We believers face battles everyday, against evil. The enemy wants us to turn away from God, and attacks us especially when we are most vulnerable.
There are attacks from the world, and there are also battles we fight within ourselves.
The below verses spoke to me this week in powerful way regarding these battles we face. I am sharing with you, so when you come up against these battles, you might also be equipped to defend and concur victoriously in Jesus!
Sometimes the battle comes in the form of those who don't yet believe...who don't yet understand, and "attack" us and our faith. We have to remember that it is not the person, it's the enemy feeding them lies...
In those times of "persecution" from others remember to respond in love! (nobody can make an argument against a loving response!) Just as Jesus would do! Then immediately pray to God so you can draw from his strength and put on the armor He provides! Then turn to His Word (dive in deep!) for wisdom, strength and encouragement...it's the only way to triumph! **See Ephesians verses below**
Ephesians 6:10-18
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of god so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Then there are other times when the battle comes from within ourselves. Whether it be a sin we struggle to overcome or falling prey to the enemy's lies.
When battling within ourselves, remember that we can do everything through Him who gives us strength! We need to choose not to give in to the weakness, but draw on God's strength. We have the power of the Holy Spirit in us, who with His breath, raised Jesus from the dead! We just have to draw from that power! We need to reject any unholy thoughts and ignore the lies we are told, and read aloud the truths we find in His Word!
**See 2nd Corinthians verses below**
2nd Corinthians 10:4-5
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
I pray we all continue to stand firm on the rock of Christ always!
In Christ,
Jennie
There are attacks from the world, and there are also battles we fight within ourselves.
The below verses spoke to me this week in powerful way regarding these battles we face. I am sharing with you, so when you come up against these battles, you might also be equipped to defend and concur victoriously in Jesus!
Sometimes the battle comes in the form of those who don't yet believe...who don't yet understand, and "attack" us and our faith. We have to remember that it is not the person, it's the enemy feeding them lies...
In those times of "persecution" from others remember to respond in love! (nobody can make an argument against a loving response!) Just as Jesus would do! Then immediately pray to God so you can draw from his strength and put on the armor He provides! Then turn to His Word (dive in deep!) for wisdom, strength and encouragement...it's the only way to triumph! **See Ephesians verses below**
Ephesians 6:10-18
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of god so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."
Then there are other times when the battle comes from within ourselves. Whether it be a sin we struggle to overcome or falling prey to the enemy's lies.
When battling within ourselves, remember that we can do everything through Him who gives us strength! We need to choose not to give in to the weakness, but draw on God's strength. We have the power of the Holy Spirit in us, who with His breath, raised Jesus from the dead! We just have to draw from that power! We need to reject any unholy thoughts and ignore the lies we are told, and read aloud the truths we find in His Word!
**See 2nd Corinthians verses below**
2nd Corinthians 10:4-5
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
I pray we all continue to stand firm on the rock of Christ always!
In Christ,
Jennie
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