acceptance

Wednesday, July 29, 2020 (6:36 a.m.)

Holy God,

You started me singing and then praying over five hours ago. Thank You Lord.

♪I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned…♪ followed by ♪Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of my heart♪ And then of all things ♪There’s A Tear in My Beer♪

You never cease to help me smile Lord. Especially when I just follow along. Not trying to figure anything out. Is that acceptance?

(8:29 a.m.)

Yeah. Is it?

Thank You for the request for help that just came in. Time to listen to and pray with a loved one. To be reminded of Your goodness and Your grace. Aware of the strength in Your mighty power.

Lord, how I pray healing in the hurt of relationships. Physical, emotional, mental, even spiritual pain. And right there… another song!

♪Jesus Is Lord of All…♪ Who knew [besides You] how many different songs there are with this title? Yet my heart is truly singing Your Truth. You are the Lord of all!

Let us share Your Lordship with others this day. Fully. Freely. Generously. Lovingly. Respectfully. Forgivingly. And then do it all over again.

I love You Lord. Keep working Your loving acceptance into our lives that we would truly come to love You, others and ourselves with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength (Mark 12:30-31). You are so good. All the time.

We need You. We want You. We turn to You acknowledging that You ARE Lord of all. Use us exactly as You know is best. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

Right here I must add another song. The one I was really thinking of earlier. ♪He is Lord, He is Lord! He is risen from the dead and He is Lord! Ev’ry knee shall bow, ev’ry tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord♪ Yes Jesus. Philippians 2:9-11. Yes!

The Life Recovery Bible comment for Philippians 2:5-11 reminds us that Jesus was humble and obedient. “Our thoughts, attitudes, and actions are to be patterned after Christ.” Do all You must in each of us to this end Blessed God.

Thank You. We love You. And again we say, “Amen!”

(376 words ~ 8:50 a.m.)

allowing God

Tuesday, July 28, 2020 (5:55 a.m.)

Holy God,

Good morning. Hello. Greetings. Thank You. Praise You. I’m here. Where do we go?

Proverbs 31:25. Tell me more please.

Yes. Here it is. An honest, genuine “Thank You.” Found in verse 26. And in The Life Recovery Bible comment for verses 10-31.

The Message. “When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.” What would it be like to truly use my words and attitude well? How I ask You to guide me on this path Dearest Lord.

The comment mentioned above encourages women to recognize the wife described here as ideal. “A wife should not fall into the perfectionist’s trap of striving to measure up to these ideal standards.”

That isn’t even where the thank You began. No. After mentioning the frustration and despair that can come from trying too hard to unrealistically measure up, Your Truth rings out once again.

“Instead, a woman should accept herself for who she is and commit to allowing God to transform her more and more into His likeness. As she grows to be more like Him, she will naturally exhibit many of the characteristics of this ideal wife.”

Oh Dearest Blessed Father. How I ask You to do all You must in, with, by, through and for me that I would truly come to fully esteem and revere [fear] You (v. 30) as You know is best. Yes Lord.

Let my children respect and bless me as my husband joins in with words of praise (28). Yes God. I long to allow You to change me as You wish.

I love You. I need You. I want You. And I ask You. Do all You must to Your good and to Your glory. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(306 words ~ 7:04 a.m.)

PRAY!

Monday, July 27, 2020 (7:02 a.m.)

Holy God,

You reminded me to pray this morning. Sometime after 2. Following an especially unsettling dream. My thoughts went first to doing something. Offering to help. Asking personal questions. Then it occurred to me… PRAY!

Mm, yes God. Pray. And pray hard! Thank You Lord. Praise You Father.

Directed now by an e-article [“Pray Hardest When It’s Hardest to Pray”] I turn to Psalm 34:17-18. Exodus 14:14-15:27. And finally Ephesians 3:20.

Holy God, my time here with You this morning is short. My love for and trust in You is not. You are so very good. Kind. Loving. Merciful.

Your Word has so much to teach us. How I ask You to keep us desiring more of Your presence. And Your peace. We love You Father. And we long to serve You as You know is best.

“Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope” (Ephesians 3:20). Oh yes Lord. Infinitely more!

Do all You must Father. In us. With us. By us. Through us. And for us. As only You alone knows is best. Thank You. Praise You. We love You. Amen.

(219 words ~ 7:49 a.m.)

M.A.G.I.C.A.L.

Sunday, July 26, 2020 (6:12 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

You keep giving us examples of Your enduring, everlasting love. I thought I was coming here to speak of Your grace. Then I remembered Your mercy. Thank You Lord. When I put it all together it truly is something magical.

Yes Jesus. M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Mercy And Grace In Christ’s Abiding Love. Thank You.

Holy, Holy God. Thank You for the way You take control of my thoughts and direct me where I otherwise might not go. Into Your Word to read more of Your hope and Truth.

Lord, You are so very good and we are truly blessed by Your goodness. You’ve been teaching me so much these past few days. To look up. Be aware of every single gift You send our way.

Like the family celebration yesterday of a beloved mother’s birth. Organized by her much loved daughters-in-law. A parade of decorated cars, trucks and vans filled with her sons, their wives, children and their children’s children. Truly a love and respect that spans the generations.

Holy God, how we thank You for their example. Never ceasing to remind us of Your love. At its best!

Today I turn again to Lamentations. CHAPTER 3 Hope In the LORD’S Faithfulness. Holy God, You just do not disappoint!

Every time I read and am reminded of the hope we have in You I learn something new. Just like now.

My pattern is to stop reading at verse 26. Today I turned the page and saw that it continues through verse 66. Illustrated Bible Handbook titles this chapter as Call for Renewal. That’s what You’ve been doing in us Dearest Lord. Renewing us. Praise You God!

Again I see myself described in The Life Recovery Bible’s comment for “3:27-39 God disciplines us because He loves us. When we are following a dangerous path, we need to be stopped. Sometimes the only way God can get our attention is by knocking us down. Though we may get angry at God for His discipline, it is an opportunity for change. We should take a moral inventory to discover the root of our problems. Then we can turn our problems and sins over to God and seek to live according to His program…”

This is what we have been working our way through these past weeks Lord. Dangerous path. Knocked down. Discipline. Change. Moral inventory. Root of problem. Your mercy and grace in Christ’s abiding love!

Use us Father. Exactly as You know is best! Loving You, others and ourselves with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength (Mark 12:30-31).

“Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day” (Lamentations 3:23). Oh! Just look at this next verse. “I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance therefore, I will hope in Him!’” Yes! Hope in You. Thank You God.

Praise You Father. We love You. Amen.

(494 words ~ 7:36 a.m.)

constructive speech

Saturday, July 25, 20020 (6:16 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Good morning. Thank You for sleep. Thank You for hard work. Thank You for hope. Communication. And better language.

Yes Lord, You are absolutely convicting me of being aware of the language I use. Thank You!

Father forgive me for the degree I had fallen into using foul, unwholesome words. Readily. Automatically. Almost gleefully. Truly unaware of the negative effect it was having on my whole being.

Thank You for reminding me Lord. You are cleaning out my heart of the bitterness and resentments I have allowed to fester for at least the last three years. Hurtful words resulting in name calling does not glorify You in any way.

I long to be one Living as Children of Light (Ephesians 4:17-32). I desperately want to ‘no longer live as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused’ (v. 17).

All these months I have been hopelessly confused! Carelessly trying to affect positive change while behaving badly.

Verse 24 tells me that I ‘must display a new nature because I am a new person, created in God’s likeness - righteous, holy, and true.’ My speech has in no way been representing You well. Forgive me Father.

I fell hard into a trap of hurtful maliciousness. All the while believing myself to being kind, compassionate and forgiving. Thank You for pulling the covers off that line of deceitful thinking.

Your Word cautions us that “anger gives a mighty foothold to the devil” (27). And I haven’t been heeding the warning. Thank You for continuing to guide me in Your Truth.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (vs. 31-32). Praise You Jesus for Your love and Your teachings.

And now? The verse that brought me to this Truth giving section. Ephesians 4:29. “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Yes Father. Please. Continue Your work in making me into the woman that You would have me be. Loving. Joyful. Peaceful. Patient. Kind. Good. Faithful. Gentle. And self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23a).

Do all You must Dearest Lord. In, with, by, through and for me. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(413 words ~ 8:05 a.m.)

the transforming power of God

Friday, July 24, 2020 (5:00 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

How I thank You Lord! Truly, deeply, genuinely thank You. Yes, Lord. Thanks.

It wasn’t until confessing my language to You yesterday that I realized how easily angered I had become. “Short” was the word used to describe me ten days ago. My joke becoming “I’m much too tall to be short.”

Forgive me Father. I had become short. In my heart. My soul. My mind. And even my strength. I was doing more. But caring less. And I truly couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

Blessed Lord, how truly I do thank You! It’s Your work in our hearts, souls, minds and strength (Mark 12:30) that brings us back to loving, caring, thinking and doing as You would have us. Completely according to Your will.

I have gentle tears this morning Father. Reminding me of Your presence. And my flaws. I had shifted so far off Your mark. Again I ask and seek Your forgiveness.

How perfect that the song I woke up singing and the Bible verse I just came across all tie together so completely. Yes! Your complete perfection Lord.

I actually used Your name yesterday. When I was again in the midst of calling out a derogatory name I gently whispered, “Jesus” instead.

Thank You for the tears You keep bringing up in me. Thank You for again making me aware of the blessings You have for each of us.

The apostle Paul wrote of his own struggle with sin (Romans 7:14-25). His devotion to You and the Truth of Your promises gives us hope. My heart is splayed wide open here Lord.

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin” (vs. 24-25).

The tears are again at the forefront. Just waiting for any reason to fall. Reading The Life Recovery Bible devotional regarding this section I am once more faced with my own character flaws.

While addressing the brokenness of our humanity we are reminded “we also have a reason for great hope. By trusting Christ and recognizing our helplessness against the power of sin, we open our life to the transforming power of God.” Oh thank and praise You Lord!

♪Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; There’s just something about that name! Master, Savior, Jesus, Like the fragrance after the rain; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Let all Heaven and earth proclaim; Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, But there’s something about that name!♪

Lord, how I ask You to continue Your refining work in me this day. Remove all the defects of my character that keep me from loving You, others and myself as You would have me. With all of my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30-31).

Thank You. I love You. Use me. Amen.

(516 words ~ 6:44 a.m.)

name calling

Thursday, July 23, 2020 (4:56 a.m.)

Holy God,

You don’t mess around, do You Lord?

I know I’ve needed to talk to You about my less than attractive habit of name calling and “Bam!” here You are. Taking me directly to Matthew 5:22. Not mincing any words.

“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.”

Thank You Father! What I originally thought a harmless habit of muttering under my breath has gotten out of control. Yes Lord, all these years later and I am in way over my head.

Here again I look to You. Seeking Your grace. Asking that You would do in, with, by, through and for me all that I am unable on my own. 

Anger now comes easily. Impatience? Readily. Sullen silence almost automatically. This is not Your best for us Father. Do all You must to change that which I am unable. My heart longs to be freed from the contempt and disrespect it has been harboring for so long.

You are so good Father. Loving. Forgiving. Necessary.

I come to You. Truly broken. Seeking a complete overhaul. Asking that You would do all that only You are able. Changing my heart. From the very inside out.

Yes Father! ♪Change my heart, O God, Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God, May I be like You. You are the Potter, I am the clay; Mold me and make me, This is what I pray. Change my heart, O God…♪ Yes. I want to be like You.

Psalm 51:10-12. “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence, and don’t take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You.” Oh yes, Blessed God!

The Life Recovery Bible comment for these verses ends with this Truth, “If we try to hide or deny our sins, we are in grave danger of judgment. But if we are sensitive to our sins and humbly seek God’s forgiveness, there is hope for us, no matter how great our past sins. God will remove any taint of guilt and restore our joy.”

Oh most dear and blessed God, this is truly what I seek. Your forgiveness. And restored joy.

I have been fumbling around in the dark for so long now. Do all You must to return me to Your right track. And pace. Empower me to live this day exactly as You would have me. With no malicious and negative name calling.

Let my new habit become that of calling on the name of the Lord. Yes. Yes. Oh yes!

An e-article by Bible for America states clearly, “After our initial salvation, by calling on Jesus we can continue to enjoy our full salvation in Christ. This includes daily salvation from many negative things, such as anger, depression, impatience, sadness, discouragement, and anxiety, to name a few.”

Wow God! Again I say, “You don’t mess around!”

As the article continues its teaching on the importance of making the “calling on the Lord’s dear name” a life-long practice we are reminded that when we do so, “we contact the Lord who is dwelling in our spirit as the life-giving Spirit. And when we call on Jesus, He saves us by imparting more of His divine life into us.”

Oh how desperately I am in need of Your divine life. Yes Lord. I am in such need!

“Christ wants us to enjoy His riches in our daily lives. Christ is rich to us when we call upon Him, He is rich to us as comfort, peace, love, hope, patience, kindness, endurance, longsuffering, strength, faith, and more - what riches are in His name!”

Oh, how I long to replace my horrible habit of crude, negative name muttering with truly calling on the name of Jesus. “Calling upon the Lord Jesus is like drawing refreshing water from a deep well that never runs dry. We receive Him as a fresh, satisfying supply. Our human spirit yearns for the pure riches we receive when we call on the Lord’s precious name.”

Mm, yes most blessed God! Make it so in me.

The more I read, the deeper my yearning. Introduced to a new to me hymn by John Newton I am AGOG by the corresponding Bible verses. Father how deeply I thank and praise You for Who and all You are!

♪How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole And calms the troubled breast; ’Tis manna to the hungry soul And to the weary, rest♪

Dearest Lord and Savior, You DO supply our every need! Thank and praise You.

Reading the abbreviated Scripture for this hymn in The Celebration Hymnal I am excited and eager to tell others what Your Truth has to offer. “To those who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 1 Corinthians 1:2-3.”

Let this become my practice Lord! No more negative name muttering. Replace it with my true calling upon Your blessed name, “Jesus!”

Thank and praise You. I love You. Amen.

(946 words ~ 7:06 a.m.)

blessings

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 (5:38 a.m.)

Holy God,

Talk with me this morning please. My thoughts are all over the place.

Mm. Thank You Lord. Yes.

As I think so many thoughts, I am aware of blessings. Mm, yes Father. Blessings. Thank You!

I recognized an intense negativity yesterday. Right in the middle of the irritation. It didn’t escalate to any further degree of impatience. Because You reminded me not to go there. Praise You God.

You held me in check. Made me fully aware of how my thoughts were affecting my attitude.

Father God, how deeply I thank and praise You. You quickly brought me back to my senses by prompting me to remember that people think and work differently. Not right. Nor wrong. Differently. Thank You Lord.

I confess to You the “my way or the highway” approach I have in so many areas. Holy God, too many times my thinking is so distorted. My mind latches on to what I believe to be correct only to later find out how far off I really am.

So here I am. A brand new day. Asking You. Seeking Your way. Knocking on Your glorious door of grace. Yes Father. Grace is something I don’t offer very often.

Hmm… work in me here. And You do! Again. A verse I usually pass on my way to the others. Philippians 4:5.

Explained in Illustrated Bible Handbook under “Chapter 4. Joy in the Lord A Plea for Perspective; 4:2-9. Paul speaks of joys that are found through relationship with the Lord (4). In Christ we have release from anxiety, for we can express every need to God and experience peace (5-7).”

That’s what happened to me yesterday Lord. Right in the middle of calling another’s character into question, You stopped me. Demanding I look at my own.

Our work ethics are quite different from the other's. One strives for an “A++” while the other is perfectly happy with a “C”. This example was a game changer for me, Lord. YOU know what motive is underneath the effort! Praise You Father.

The blessings You provide us are available every time we pause long enough to look for them. You are Who is working in, with, by, through and for us. Thank and praise You God.

Philippians 4:5. “Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” This one verse is said so many different ways.

Forbearance. Gentle spirit [graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, patience]. Reasonable. Kindness. Considerate.

Huffy is absolutely the word I would use to describe my attitude. No where near kind or considerate. Thank You for blessing me with a genuine attitude adjustment Lord.

Here from The Message. Let this be my approach and end result this day Dearest God and Father.

“Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in Him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up at any minute!” (Philippians 4:4-5).

Mm, yes Lord. You provide us blessings every single day. Let me use them to Your good and to Your glory. Always being considerate. Yes Father. Do all You must to this end.

Thank You God. Praise You. Use me. I love You. Amen.

(567 words~ 7:12 a.m.)

all these things and more

Tuesday, July 21, 2020 (4:56 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God

Thank You. You are good. You are kind. You are loving. Righteous. Forgiving. And because You are all these things and more we get to sing to You. Readily. Freely. Unabashedly. Thank You Father.

♪When my heart is overwhelmed I will look to You alone God my Rock, God my Rock, God my Rock♪ Mm yes Lord. You are our Rock. Thank You.

As I think of all the things You are to us I sit. Pondering. Reading. Hoping. Praying. Yes Father. I am asking where in Your Word we should go this morning.

Oh most dear and Blessed God, I am never ceased to be amazed by the ways You speak to me. Often breaking me wide open. Like just now.

Reading Romans 8:37 in The Passion Translation the very next thing I know I am directed to Song of Songs 4:9. Holy God my tears just won’t stop rolling.

The ways You speak to and teach us truly overwhelms me Lord. The music in my head is coming at me from all sides. And all I can do is cry. Tears of pure joy.

♪There were walls between us By the cross You came And broke them down… There were chains around us By Your grace we are No longer bound… You called me out of the grave You called me into the light. You called my name and then my heart came alive Your love is greater Your love is stronger Your love awakens Awakens Awakens me♪

Yes! Sing. Read. Agree. Sing. Read. Agree. It is Your love that brings us back to our senses Father. Praise You.

Boy, talk about being AGOG Lord. I can’t even read Your Word without crying all over the place.

“Yet even in the midst of all these things [trouble; calamity], we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and His demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!” Yes Lord! Your love, our victory! Thank You.

Turning to The Book of Romantic Love [Song of Songs] I am truly undone by the passion and emotion described here. Lord You know us so much better than we know ourselves.

The RECOVERY THEMES listed in The Life Recovery Bible speak of the beauty and healing that are found in the expression of the physical love that You designed. Blessed Father God, how deeply we thank and praise You.

Attempting to keep all of my emotions in check I ask You Father to keep Your loving hand on each of us. Leading. Guiding. Overseeing our hearts and attitudes.

The Beauty of God’s Creation. The Joy of Committed Love. The Realities of Love. Conflict Should Lead to Recommitment. ♪What a love we found Death can’t hold us down We shout it out We’re alive Cause You’re alive Your love is greater Your love is stronger Your love awakens Awakens Awakens me♪

Oh yes most Blessed God! Use Your love in awakening us to the hurts and needs of one another. That we will truly come to the point that we will readily place another’s wishes ahead of our own.

Here from Your lesson to me on conflict leading to reconciliation as exemplified by Solomon, “Any long-term relationship will include conflict. If we learn to face our conflicts and communicate about them, we will find that doing so leads to reconciliation, recommitment, and refreshed romance. We must not let walls grow between us and the people we love. We need to face and deal with the problems before they become too large to manage.”

Thank You Father. Praise You. You always have our backs. Thank You for directing and guiding us every step of the way. Use us as only You know is best. We love You. Amen.

(644 words ~ 7:20 a.m.)