A Word of Forgiveness

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A Word of Forgiveness

Christ’s first saying from the Cross ushers us into our basic need as fallen humanity. Listen in and reflect on the amazing love and grace of our forgiving Lord …

Alexander Pope (1688-1744), English poet, once said,To err is human; to forgive, divine.

So true...but we humans more readily echo what someone else has said,

To err is human, but to get even? THAT is divine.

We struggle so, with forgiving our offenders! Perhaps that's why we are amazed and awestruck to realize that Jesus' first words from the Cross were ones of forgiveness.

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Last Words: Hearing the Words of Christ

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Last Words: Hearing the Words of Christ

The last words of a dying person are significant. They are so final and so revealing of what is uppermost in a person's mind as he is leaving this earth to face his Maker.

I have been with several dying persons just shortly before their deaths. My grandmother died an untimely death. She had been hospitalized after a heart attack, but wasn’t expected to die. But she did die, just before being released. I had visited her from out of town just days before.

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Loving God for HIMSELF

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Loving God for HIMSELF

Sharing this once more before Valentine’s Day turns into Lent.
… As far back as I can remember, I have always loved God. I can’t remember when I had the very first loving thoughts and feelings toward God. But He has always been most important to me. …
My granddaughter Claire asked me one day,

“Babci, Who told you about God?”

My immediate reply,

“My mommy told me about God.” And she had because God was her life.

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A God Song: Wrapped Up in You (guest post by John Loyd)

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A God Song: Wrapped Up in You (guest post by John Loyd)

Love songs often sound like songs we could sing to God or even songs God could sing to us. Our human expressions of earthly love are shadows of a perfect love relationship we all inherently crave, but will never find in this world. Such a pervasive longing is evidence that a there is Someone who truly has loved us to the end.

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Romance: Loving Jesus

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Romance: Loving Jesus

… When my husband John and I were seniors at the University of Arizona, the Carpenters were at the top of the music charts.   We embraced them as “our group” who sang “our songs” as we were "a-courting."  Their mellow sound and rich melodies fed our romantic feelings toward each other and toward life in general.
… We have come to realize only an Almighty God could fulfill those unrealistic expectations….

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The Spirit HIMSELF: Reminding and Groaning

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The Spirit HIMSELF: Reminding and Groaning

 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God …Romans 8:16 NASB

. . . Thus far we have seen that Jesus HIMSELF has said He will never, ever, ever leave us, nor forsake us. And He HIMSELF is our Peace in the midst of turmoil and conflict. Then we saw that Jesus wanted His followers (including us) to know He is not the only one who loves us. His Father HIMSELF loves us.
Now we see the Holy Spirit HIMSELF reminding us when we forget something incredibly important …

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Epiphany! Shining Light or Drama Queen?

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Epiphany! Shining Light or Drama Queen?

… we are like the star that led the Magi to Christ … or we can be. We can, in our very person, be the light that points another to the King. You and I have the King of Kings living within us. But as always it is our choice whether we allow the King to live through us and manifest His presence to seeking hearts who are walking in darkness all around us.

Author Tim Chester, in his lovely Advent devotional on Philippians 2 The One True Gift, caught my attention when he pointed out from Scripture one way that God says we can shine like stars …

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Receiving God's WORD for 2024

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Receiving God's WORD for 2024

Here we are again, friends. Another year has past, and for many it’s a time for the infamous “New Year’s Resolutions.” But several years ago I turned away from that initially hopeful, but later, dreaded “setting yourself up for failure,” tradition to a new thing altogether.

Resolutions are no temptation to me anymore. I’ve given up trying to change myself by my own self-effort. The indwelling Christ is my “Game-changer” and my “Life-changer.” And a few years ago, He brought a lovely “new thing” to my attention … the idea of a word for my year.

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ADVENT (Week 4) -- Fullness of LOVE in Jesus: "the Smile that Destroyed My Religion"

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ADVENT (Week 4) -- Fullness of LOVE in Jesus: "the Smile that Destroyed My Religion"

When I think of God’s Love in Jesus, I no longer think,”Yeh, He loves me, but then sometimes He loves me not.” Do you feel this way?

For this very short 4th week of Advent, I feel compelled to share the most critical turning point in my spiritual life. and this turning point is all about the “fullness of the love of God” for me truly and totally.

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Glory-filled JOY: Hail, the Incarnate Deity!

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Glory-filled JOY: Hail, the Incarnate Deity!

I love this song and this blog. It is an excerpt from my Bible study/ devotional book, The Witness of Our God: Relationship in Every Dimension. (See below)
Enjoy the backstory of this amazing hymn and several renditions of the song.
Then dig into the bible study that amplifies each line of the song with scripture. …

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A JOY-Filled Morning Meditation -- GLORY!

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A JOY-Filled Morning Meditation -- GLORY!

… Year after year, I have meditated in Tim Chester’s magnificent Advent devotional, The One True Light: Daily Readings for Advent from the Gospel of John. And every year, it is fresh and “as if for the first time.”

This year one thought has just “jumped off” the page … and has given me great JOY….

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Morning Song: Waking Up Singing

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Morning Song: Waking Up Singing

The connection of JOY with singing for week 3 of Advent makes me think of a meditation from our newly published book of meditations, Glory in Disguise: Seeing God in our Every Day (see FREE offer below). Grabbing hold of Him who is the fullness of JOY throughout our day is easier when we “wake up singing.”
Enjoy this meditation with us. And may you be blessed to see there is JOY in the midst of what may be your very hard circumstances when your Source is Jesus, our Emmanuel.

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