Years ago when I was still raising my children, I struggled with my health. There was little known at that time about the mysterious symptoms I suffered. Because of that, it was hard to find anyone to believe me. I felt alone, judged by God and man, and despairing.
Read MoreAs I was walking one day, listening to a mixture of songs on my ipod, one of my old favorites by Steve Green came on, He Holds the Keys. This song dates back to the era when Steve was singing big songs about our big God! It was also during the time that I was beginning to experience Jesus as my Life in a deep way!
Read MoreToday I awoke with this thought, this scripture, and this song:
REST, enjoy His love …
Jesus came to give us His rest of spirit, so we could enjoy God’s love):
Read MoreI praise You, Father …
Today I awoke with this thought, this scripture, and this song:
REST, enjoy His love …
Jesus came to give us His rest of spirit, so we could enjoy God’s love):
Read MoreI praise You, Father …
Let all that you do be done in love. Sounds so easy, doesn’t it? But we know it’s often very hard.
In fact, Paul's words in verse 9 nail it on the head, don't they:
...there are many adversaries...
That's right! Enemies, opposition, struggles! All against loving...why?
Read MoreThe people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. (Daniel 11:32 ESV)
The above verse became familiar to me when I began to lead Precept Upon Precept Bible Studies back in "the day." Kay Arthur would often punctuate her messages with this gem of truth. And yes, it made me want to know my God even more.
And over the course of my life I have benefitted by teachers and trainings, workshops and witness, conferences and conventions. But now I'm slowing down and realizing that it's really all about my Abba Father GOD. It's all about my Lord Jesus CHRIST. It's all about my indwelling HOLY SPIRIT ... my Triune GOD. And I want to know HIM purely and fully, more than ever ... as much as a human on this earth has spiritual capacity to do so. How about you, my friend?
If so, here is a short devotional by a formerly unknown, but now beloved, devotional writer of the past. This may be a good way to begin a new week or to walk a new path. It may also be helpful in decisions to soon be made about registering for upcoming conferences or studies. Is it God's appointed time to meet Him there or is it just frenetic busyness and not wanting to "miss out"?
Read MoreAs I was walking one day, listening to a mixture of songs on my ipod, one of my old favorites by Steve Green came on, He Holds the Keys. This song dates back to the era when Steve was singing big songs about our big God! It was also during the time that I was beginning to experience Jesus as my Life in a deep way!
Read MoreI was reading in my devotions the other day...actually looking for something else...when the Holy Spirit arrested me right here:
open door
...a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries... Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men [spiritual adults], be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:9, 13-14 ESV
Let all that you do be done in love. Sounds so easy, but NOT!
In fact, Paul's words in verse 9 kinda nail it on the head, don't they:
...there are many adversaries...
That's right! Enemies, opposition, struggles! All against loving...why?
love
And the love Paul is talking about is GOD'S LOVE...not our touchy-feely kind that comes and goes. It 's unconditional, sacrificial, others-oriented. And that's not only hard, but impossible apart from God Himself.
So what are the adversaries that we typically struggle with?
Try these for a starter:
fear...it's risky to love! We may be rejected!
comparison...with its companions: jealousy, competition, pride (if we think we're better) or self-rejection (if we feel inferior)
unforgiveness...it eats away at our souls and begins to leak out on all our other relationships (See Matthew 18:21-35, especially verse 34)
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are totally loved and accepted by our Father God. So we can pass this God-Love on to others. We can love with HIS love.
How? By letting the Living, Loving, Indwelling Christ love through us today.
But, you might say, that's all well and good, but I am not particularly feeling loved myself today. Maybe the place to start is by letting yourself be loved by the Father. He's always loving you, searching you out, whether you feel it or not! Bask in the Father's love...and then don't hold back! Let it flow out...or as I like to say, let it rip!
Because...
love, heart, candles
Love Will Find A Way Steve Green
Love will find a wayTo follow where you runLove will cover youAnd shield you from the sunThis will all be doneJust to heal you, to heal youLove will lift the veilYou try to hide behindLove will kiss your tearsAnd turn them into wineThis will all be doneTo reveal you, reveal you
REFRAINLove will take your shameLove will lift your headLove will take the blowThat was meant for you instead
Love will take your shameLove will lift your headLove will take the blowThat was meant for you instead
Love will never leaveNo matter what you sayLove will look beyondYour brokenness todayThis will all be doneJust to name you,This will all be doneTo reclaim you, reclaim you
REFRAIN
Love will find a wayTo follow when you run
awesome God
Years ago when I was still raising my children, I struggled with my health. There was little known at that time about the mysterious symptoms I suffered. Because of that, it was hard to find anyone to believe me. I felt alone, judged by God and man, and despairing.
It was then that God's love broke through to me. I began to know HIM as my LIFE, not just as Someone way out there...throwing down a little help now and then if I asked correctly.
This song was popular in Christian circles in those dark days. God used Steve Green's big songs about a big GOD to help lift me out of depression into His marvelous light and LIFE.
Worship Him with me:
GOD AND GOD ALONE
God and God alone
Created all these things we call our own
From the mighty to the small
The glory in them all
Is God’s and God’s alone.
God and God alone
Reveals the truth of all we call unknown
All the best and worst of man
Can’t change the Master’s plan
It’s God’s and God’s alone.
Chorus:
God and God alone
Is fit to take the universe’s throne
Let everything that lives
Reserve its truest praise
For God and God alone.
God and God alone
Will be the joy of our eternal home
He will be our one desire
Our hearts will never tire
Of God and God alone.
Janet Renner Loyd has been a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ most of her life. Her formal education includes a degree in education from the University of Arizona and also a degree in Bible & Theology from Moody Bible Institute. For more than thirty years, she has been involved in teaching and leading women’s Bible studies, retreats, and meetings…most notably Precept upon Precept and various studies that she has personally developed. Professionally, Jan recently retired from teaching language and writing to GED and adult ESOL students.
About her life, Jan says, “The most important thing about me is my relationship with my Father God through my Lord Jesus Christ. I am forever grateful to Him for His love, mercy, and grace to me and my family and friends...and the world.”
Jan has been happily married to John Loyd for more than forty years. They have two adult, married children and five lively young grandsons.
