The Unforced Rhythms

In life we can be going in one direction and realize that it’s the wrong way. If we are embarrassed and keep heading that way we will find ourselves completely lost. We simply just need to ask for directions and we can be well on the right path in no time.

God made us to be in constant communion with Him. He created us to bear His image. Because of His image each one of us is intrinsically valuable. However, when the world became upside down we lost that connection and our way; but we never lost our value.

God looked to us like a loving parent to a child and saw His image. He couldn’t leave us lost, He sent His precious son to earth to rescue us and restore us back to Himself. Jesus gave His life for ours in the great exchange, so we could receive His right standing with God; and be His children upon whom He lavishes His love.

As we receive Jesus, we receive the beautiful Holy Spirit as our guide. As we spend time in prayer and reading the Word of God, we will find that we are led in the direction that God has for us. Our guide will make course corrections when we get off course and He will lead us into our divine calling. The more we fix our eyes on Jesus and stay in communion with Him, the more we will be able to effortlessly flow with Him into the unforced rhythms of grace that lead to our destiny.

Matthew 3:2, Genesis 1:26-28, John 3:16, 1 John 3:1, John 16:13, Matthew 11:28, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Ephesians 2:10

 

Envision More!

In life we can find that we are under qualified and under resourced to pursue the dreams in our hearts. However, if we get enough vision in us to propel us forward we will find that we are well equipped and resourced along the way.

God made us for love, family and mission. Even when we became disconnected to God He sent Jesus to earth to restore us. Love Incarnate left Heaven for earth and dwelt among us. He embraced sinners, healed the sick and set the captives free. He laid down His life for you and me, so we could be children of God

As we receive Jesus into our heart, we are reconnected with our purpose. As we spend time with our Heavenly Father in prayer, we will find that He lavishes His love upon us. As we meditate on this great love, our lives will look brighter and more beautiful each day. And as we cultivate this relationship with Him, we will more and more resemble the Altogether Lovely one.

As we spend time in prayer with our Heavenly Father, He will awaken the dreams that lie dormant in our hearts. We may think we don’t have what we need naturally speaking to accomplish our dreams, however the truth is we are well able because everything we need is a prayer away.

Hebrews 13:21, Genesis 1:26-28, John 3:16, 1 John 3:1, 2 Corinthians 3:21, John 15:5, Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 7:7

Growing Brighter and More Beautiful

We can try really hard to change ourselves. We rely on our own willpower to diet, to exercise, to spend money wisely, to be patient with people and all of that is good. However, the truth is if we approach change simply from the outside in we will find that it is often short lived.

Organic beings grow effortlessly and then multiply when they have the right elements to thrive. When a tree is planted in good soil, near water with access to sunlight it bears fruit. It does not have to strive or stress to produce anything.

As we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are reconnected to the source of life from the beginning. We become children of God upon whom the Father lavishes His love. Now we can cultivate our relationship with our Heavenly Father in prayer and be led into the right elements to flourish.

The Holy Spirit will lead us to the community of believers. As we plant our lives into the healthy soil of the local church our roots will grow down deep and we will become sturdy and secure. As we daily receive the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in prayer and the refreshing water of the Spirit of God, we will begin to transform from the inside out. Our lives will gradually become brighter and more beautiful as Jesus enters our lives and we become like Him.

Romans 12:2 (MSG), Psalm 1:3, 1 John 3:1, John 15:5,

Psalm 92:13, 2 Corinthians 3:18 (MSG)

Love is Always the Answer

We can find in life that we feel empty, so we try to feed our souls with all sorts of things such as romance, status, the accumulation of money or things. The truth is these things are temporal and only last for a while. What we are made for is lasting; we were made for unconditional love.

God made us in His image which makes us intrinsically valuable. He shaped and fashioned us for love, healthy relationships and mission. He plucked us from eternity and placed us on earth to grow, develop, flourish and thrive.

When the world became upside down and we lost our way, God never gave up on us. He sent His precious only son to earth for us. Love Incarnate dwelt amongst us. He embraced us, healed us and set us free. He gave His life for you and me, so we could become children of God.

As we receive Jesus we become children of our Heavenly Father upon whom He lavishes His love. This love is radical, relentless, extravagant and unconditional. Now when we feel empty we can go to  prayer and receive a fresh outpouring of this unfailing love. As we fill ourselves up, we will walk restored and whole and be led into the purpose and plans that God has had for us since the beginning of time.

Genesis 1:26-28, John 3:16, 1 John 4:8, Ephesians 2:10

Catapulted to Destiny

We can become discouraged in life when our dreams do not come to pass when we think they should. We can want to give up on our destiny. However, the truth is the plans that God has for us will take longer than we expect, be greater than we dreamed and impact more people than we could imagine.

The Bible is full of ordinary people who prayed to an extraordinary God and saw their lives radically changed. Joseph was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery and he became second in command of all of Egypt. Esther was an orphan in a country not her own and she became queen over that country. Ruth was a widow in a strange land and she married the most sought after bachelor, Boaz. David was a shepherd who stood up to a giant and became King over Israel. Saul was the chief persecutor of the Church of Jesus Christ and he became Paul, the chief apostle to the faith.

All of these people had one thing in common: An omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent King of the Universe who was there for them, who never gave up on them and in His perfect timing catapulted them into their destiny.

As we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts, we come into relationship with the God of Hope. We become children of God upon whom the Father lavishes His love. Now when we feel hopeless, we can come boldly to the throne room of grace for help in time of need; and receive peace that transcends understanding, fullness of joy and a confident expectation of good.

As we stay focused on the Altogether Lovely One we will find that we are being transformed from the inside out. As we stay seated and at rest in Jesus, we will find that He orchestrates our circumstances to our advantage. As we trust in Jesus and His perfect timing we will find that we begin to effortlessly step into all that God has for us to do and be.

Ephesians 3:20, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 3:1,  Philippians 4:9, Psalm 16:11, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:28, Romans 15:13, Romans 12:2 (MSG)

Soar Above

In life we can be bogged down with many problems and issues. We can be so discouraged that we consider giving up. The truth is, the challenges we face don’t have to stop us, they can make us.

God built us to grow, develop, flourish and thrive. He created us for an intimate connection with Him. We are significant because we bear His image and in our DNA are His purpose and plans.

Even when we lost our way and wanted nothing to do with God, He never gave up on us. Love Incarnate came to earth and embraced us, healed us, and set us free. Jesus gave His life in exchange for ours so we can be forever connected to our Heavenly Father.

As we receive Jesus in our heart we have endless life. Now when the obstacles and challenges come, we can go the throne room of grace in time of need. We can know that God is with us, for us and on our side.

As we run head on to whatever obstacles oppose us, we will find the abundant supply of grace that causes us to soar over them. Our challenges will be our food, and we will find as we overcome every one, we will grow into the conqueror we were made to be.

Numbers 14:9, Genesis 1:26-28, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:16

Against All Odds

In life we can face insurmountable odds. We can be tempted to give up on our dreams, our purpose and our destiny. The truth is, anything worth having is worth fighting for.

God created us for love, relationship and mission. He shaped and fashioned us uniquely in HIs image and placed us on the earth to steward His purpose. When the world became upside down and we were disconnected from God, He never gave up on us.

God put into place a plan by sending His only son to earth to rescue us. Jesus left Heaven for earth and moved into the neighborhood. Jesus who is full of grace and truth came to save us not condemn us.

Jesus overcame the world by laying down His life for ours in exchange. He gave us the right to become children of God. As we receive Jesus and His finished work on the cross we not only become children of God, we become more than conquerors in Him who loves us.

Now we can ask the question: if God is for us, who can be against us? Whatever odds we face pale in comparison to God’s radical love for us. If God would not spare His own son for us, then what else would He not do for us? As we keep our focus on the Altogether Lovely One, we will find the ease and grace that we need to step into all that God has created for us to do and be.

Genesis 1:26-28, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 8:32-8:38,

Romans 12:2 (MSG), Romans 5:17-18

Deepest Waters

In life we can play it safe and never take risks. If we never take risks then we will be sure not to fail, but we also will be sure never to succeed at anything important.

One day while Jesus was ministering to the crowds, He sent the disciples ahead of Him on a boat to the other side of Galilee. Jesus climbed the mountain to spend time in prayer with His Father.

After a while the boat was far from the shore and Jesus walked towards the disciples on the water. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water they cried in fear thinking that He was a ghost. He told them not to be afraid and identified Himself.

Peter called out to Jesus and said that if it is you Lord, command me to come out to you. Jesus said “Come.” As Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he walked on the water. However, Peter began to feel the wind and looked at the waves, and then he began to sink.

Peter cried out for help and Jesus pulled him out of the water and saved him. They got back in the boat and Jesus asked Peter why he went back and forth between following Him and fear. The disciples were amazed and worshiped Jesus. They acknowledged that this must be the Son of God.

As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was able to defy gravity. As we daily cultivate our relationship with Jesus in prayer, we will be led by His beautiful Spirit. The purpose and plans that God has for us will always seem bigger than we can imagine.

As we keep our eyes on the Altogether Lovely One we will soar over obstacles and challenges. We will be led into the “super abundantly above, all that we can think, hope, or imagine,” because with our God all things are possible.

Matthew 14:22-34 (The Voice), 2 Corinthians 3:18,

Romans 12:2 (MSG), Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 19:26

Love Wins

In the beginning we had a God-kind of life. God shaped us and fashioned us in His image. He placed us on the planet to steward His purpose.

Tragically the world fell and became upside down. We were on our own to find our way in life without a connection to God. God look to us and saw His image. As a loving parent looks upon His child, God loved us. His love could not give up on us so He sent His only son to earth to rescue us.

Love became flesh and moved into the neighborhood. The exact representation of the glory of God revealed His heart for people to us. Jesus loved us, embraced us, healed us and set us free. He laid down His life for you and me, so we could be restored to God’s endless life that we had in the beginning.

As we receive Jesus into our hearts, we are connected to the life source and we receive the Holy Spirit as our seal of guarantee. The beautiful Spirit of God is our guide and He leads us into all truth. God is now in us, with us, for us and on our side. No matter the circumstances we face or the obstacles that come against us, we cannot lose because God plus one is always the majority.

Genesis 1:26-28, John 3:16, John 1:1-18, Hebrews 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:22, Romans 8:32

The One Thing

In life we can get caught up in climbing the ladder to success. If we do not take a moment to evaluate where we are and where we are heading, we may get to the top of ladder and realize it is on the wrong house.

There were two sisters who were very close to Jesus. Mary and Martha were expecting Jesus to visit their house. When Jesus arrived Martha continued to serve Jesus while Mary sat with the rabbis at His feet.

Martha became indignant. She was frustrated with Mary for not helping her, and frustrated with Jesus for not sending Mary away. Martha rebuked Jesus for not sending Mary to help her. Jesus told Martha that she was worried about many things, but Mary had chosen the one thing, which is the better, and it would not be taken from her.

Later in the Gospels when Jesus was headed to the cross Mary brought a costly anointing oil and poured it over Jesus. Again a disciple became indignant because the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus rebuked him and said that ‘she did this for my burial.’

After Jesus died on the cross many women went to the grave site to anoint the Lord’s body for burial. Their hearts were in the right place, but Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet had already anointed His body; and we know that Jesus’ body wasn’t at the grave site anyway. He had already risen from the dead.

Those who sit and receive of Jesus will be led into His mighty works. As we sit and rest in our Lord Jesus, we will find that the Lord leads us into our calling and destiny. As we look to Jesus, we will be transformed from the inside out by the Spirit of God from glory to glory. As we wait upon the Lord and rest in Him, we gain strength. We will run towards all that God has made us for to do, and not grow weary.

Luke 10:38-42, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Isaiah 40:28-31