Good News

Monday, June 20, 2016 (7:06 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

I look to You for Good News this morning.

(8:07 a.m.)

Oh my yes!

Yes, please. Blessed Jesus, teach me more of Your Good News.

I love You. I long to serve You. Guide, direct, empower, embolden me to freely sharing the glorious gift of Your Blessed Good News.

Yes. Please. I love You. I thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(70 words ~ 8:14 a.m.)

life-giving tree

Saturday, June 18, 2016 (7:19 a.m.)

Loving Jesus,

Thank You. Mm. Yes. Thank You. I have tears. I truly didn't expect that.

Looking in The Hymnal for Worship & Celebration under CHRIST – Grace, Love and Mercy I came across ♫May the Grace of Christ, Our Savior♫ listed under BENEDICTIONS.

Blessed Lord Jesus, thank You that You love us so very much! Thank You that we are able to readily turn to Your Word to learn more about Your great love for each of us.

Fully expecting to have this CLOSING OF SERVICE hymn cite 2 Corinthians 13:14 as the corresponding verse, I was surprised in reading Revelation 22:21 referenced. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people.”

Thank You Jesus that it is through this book we get to be reminded that You are the victor over all. “All that You said will come true, all that You taught will be proven right” (The Life Recovery Bible introduction to Revelation).

Reading in verse 19 of the life-giving tree and holy city mentioned in this book, I am again reminded that it is in You that I am to have my roots. Faith, hope and trust in You and You alone. And right there starts another song for me!

♫In Christ alone My hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song...♫ Thank You Jesus! Thank You that it truly is in You alone that we are to stand. All other ground IS sinking sand!

The Life Recovery Bible comment for the last two verses of the entire “Book of Books” sums up Your power and Truth quite hopefully.

“It is unhealthy to harbor unrealistic dreams about a future that will never come about. But it is healthy for us to anchor our new life and recovery in the certainty of Christ's return. By trusting Christ with our future, we can better deal with our past and live a more productive present.”

Oh yes please! Let us truly live our days here believing, trusting, hoping in Your blessed return. You give us life and hope. “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20b). Let Your grace be with us all (v. 21) as we wait!

Thank You. Praise You. Bless You. Keep You. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(381 words ~ 9:08 a.m.)

and live

Friday, June 17, 2016 (7:07 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

You are good. We are grateful. Thank You that we get to come unto You. Mm. And live. Yes! We sing of it in Chris Rice's ♫Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus)♫

Mm. Yes. Thank You. Thank You that even though I tend to get quite caught up in the devastating news of this world, it's when we put our focus back on You that we really, truly come to life.

Blessed, Precious Jesus, continue Your work in me I pray. Reading of You washing Your disciples feet (John 13:1-17) I take a deep breath and some added time to more fully grasp the significance of Your action.

Jesus, thank You for once again changing my thought pattern. In Your shocking reversal of roles, The Message tells us You said, “I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it – and live a blessed life.”

I don't pretend to understand what You are telling me, that is why I must repeatedly come to You. Sing to You. Fall on You. Cry to You. Dance for You. Fly to You... and live.

Yes please. Let me live this day as though I truly believe You to be more than my own understanding of You. I love You. I need You. I want You. I trust You. And I thank You. Use me this day. Exactly as You wish. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(275 words ~ 8:27 a.m.)

perfect peace

Thursday, June 16, 2016 (6:18 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

Forgive me please. I have intentionally avoided You. I didn't want to sing, or smile. Not stay. Or stretch. Instead I've sat. Stewed. And watched in horror as heartbreaking events continue.

Jesus, I call upon Your name. Yes. Turning to Your Word. Calling on Your name. YOU are the Way of overcoming evil in this world!

In recognizing my resistance to even considering anything being ♫well with my soul♫ it was only in actually turning to The Hymnal that I once again started hearing Your Truth singing within. Thank You Jesus.

Thank You that You allow me my faults. Thank You that You love me in spite of myself. Thank You that I can behave stubbornly and You will continue working to remind me the Truth You spoke to Your disciples. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrow. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

So very often I forget, even refuse, to look to You in all things. I want circumstances to make sense in ways that I can understand. Thank You for forgiving me my faults.

Thank You that as soon as I am willing to ♫Turn my Eyes upon Jesus, Look full in Your wonderful face, the things of earth DO grow strangely dim In the light of Your glory and grace♫ Thank You Jesus! Praise Your mighty name!

Thank You for singing another song to me just now. ♫All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all♫

While I still look at the recent events in Orlando, refusing to declare any of them good, thank You for helping turn my focus back to You. YOU are good! Always. We don't understand. We want different. Better. Your best.

Yes please. Remind us often to sing the Truth of Isaiah's Song of Praise to the Lord (Isaiah 26). “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, whose thoughts are fixed on You!” (v. 3). Yes, Jesus. Please!

Fix my thoughts on You that I will once again smile. Sing. Stay. And Stretch. Trusting. Depending. Believing.

Thank You that with every single bit of Your Truth that comes to mind, more follows. Right now I am again reading Romans 8:26-30 and being reminded that “We have the confidence that whatever enters our life is designed for good, that we might grow toward likeness to Jesus and our destiny” (Illustrated Bible Handbook).

Mm. Yes. Jesus please. Keep us in Your perfect peace that we would indeed become the people You would have us to be. I love You. I thank You. Use me this day. Exactly as You wish. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(480 words ~ 8:24 a.m.)

Light and darkness

Tuesday, June 14, 2016 (6:21 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

Thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your life. Thank You that You are good and You did not come into this world to condemn it, but to save it (John 3:17).

As I get to read Your Word I am grateful. Grateful that You love us. Grateful that we can come to You with our hearts and our hurts.

Thank You Jesus. Thank You that You are the Light of the world (John 3:19; 8:12). In reading this Truth, my heart and soul start singing ♫Light of the world You stepped down into darkness...♫ Thank You.

Thank You that it is Your Truth, Your Light to which we turn in times such as this. The Learning Bible tells us “Light and darkness are important images in JOHN. The first thing God created was light (Gen 1.3). In the Bible, light is used to describe God or God's Word (1 John 1.5; Psalm 119.105)... Darkness refers to places of pain and suffering (Psalm 107.10) or confusion (Ecclesiastes 2.14)”.

Thank You that The Living Bible teaches, “His life is the light that shines through the darkness – and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

Too often we see the darkness and feel overcome by it. Thank You again that You came into this world to save it (John 3:17). The Voice says, “Here's the point. God didn't send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.”

Yes! Please! We love You. Save us. Thank You. Amen.

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

over all

Monday, June 13, 2016 (7:42 a.m.)

Blessed Three-in-One,

Grace-giving Jesus, Loving God and Comforting Holy Spirit, there is more tragedy. You know every single detail. It is heartbreaking. You, Holy Three-in-One, are over all.

Yes. You alone are over all (2 Chronicles 20:6). We look to You. We ask Your blessings. We seek Your will. We knock on Your holy door (Matthew 7:7). Blanket us with Your loving protection. Lead us. Teach us. Guide us. We love You. Long to serve You.

You are God over all. Good. Holy. Mighty. Worthy. We look to You. Depend on You. Thank You that You are greater than all tragedy. Work Your holy will here Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

(123 words ~ 8:54 a.m.)

You love us anyway

Tuesday, May 31, 2016 (6:17 a.m.)

Jesus,

Our Perfect One Who never changes. Yes. That's who You are. Perfect. Unchanging. Thank You that You are.

I am experiencing technological confusion again this morning. Thank You for reminding me that I don't want to waste precious time fussing over something I don't currently understand.

Thank You Jesus for Your Word. Thank You for Your Truth. Thank You for Your promises. Thank You that I get to come before You exactly as I am and You work in and with me.

How I thank You for the way You worked to change my heart and attitude yesterday. I seemed bent on behaving badly. Surly. Ill-mannered. Thank You for taking the one tiny fragment of willingness I offered You and changing my entire attitude.

Thank You for being all that You are and doing all that You do. For us. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Father. Thank You Holy Spirit.

Thank You for taking an ill-tempered, often spoiled brat and reminding her who she is in You. “Better than” my actions. You came to deliver us from ourselves. How grateful I am.

Thank You for the reminder just now of Joseph's response (Genesis 50:20) to the brothers who had sold him into slavery (37:18-36). “... You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best...” You do that for us.

You know our hearts. Our souls. Our minds and our strength. You know every single thing we may try desperately to hide from others. And You love us anyway. Mm, yes. You love us anyway.

Thank You Holy Three-in-One. Thank You for all You are and all You do. Thank You that You are able to use all things for Your best for us. Thank You. Use me this day. Make me willing. I love You. Amen.

(308 words ~ 7:52 a.m.)