...the Lord has chosen you

“For you are a holy people… 
the Lord has chosen you.”

(Deuteronomy 14:2)

Those of us that have a heart for God, and make choices likewise, become set-apart, holy, full of God’s glory and light; we become, … more than conquerors in Christ who loves us. (Rom 8:37). My goodness, we are special to God, and we must grab hold of Him and run this race in life. 

You are chosen.  Yes, you are set apart, hand-picked, to live! Realize that with Christ in you, you are able to trample and demolish all the darkness in front of you, from glory to glory ((Malachi 4:1-3; 2 cor. 3:18), until Heaven’s mighty door opens up for you and Jesus calls you into His everlasting kingdom. 

Live because He lives in you.

Blessings

Know God? Then live like it!

"And [said Jesus,] I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away." Luke 19:26 AMP

Know God, and spend quality time with Him on a consistent basis?  If so then this life that you live now will prove to be fulfilled in ways that bring ease to your heart and joy to your soul.  You will come to the end of your life filled with Jesus; peaceful, joyful, satisfied, blessed, and loved.

Don't know God, and aren't taking the time trying to know God?  If not then this life that you work so hard trying to obtain all of your goals and dreams in will only prove to be tireless, never-ending, works that will never fully satisfy.  You will come to the end of your life worn out, unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and, more than likely, alone and heavy burdened.  

Therefore, get to know God more and more ~ make this life you are living one to be lived for!!

Where you are right now is God's place for you

... Where you are right now is God’s place for you.

...so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.”

1 Corinthians 7:17, 23-24, 29-31 MSG

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Frustration, stress, anxiety – all the forces of darkness – are from Satan, hence, the world.  However, peace, love, joy – all the forces of blessings and light - come from God.  

Take a moment to describe your life.  Does it fall more towards darkness or more towards the light; is it full of ease and peace, or full of frustration, anxiety, and the like? Is the description of your life what you want to live; is it what you are living for?  If not, now is a good time to redefine your life, yourself - now is a good time to make some changes.  

So whichever way you choose to live, make sure it is the way that works for you and the way in which you choose to live.  If you do choose (and I hope that you do) to live out your life for God, then ask him to help you – he will guide you to the paths in which your life should go. 

The Lord loves you so much.

God can

“… God had plunged them into a sea of joy; he had changed the mind of the king of Assyria to back them in rebuilding the Temple of God, the God of Israel.”  
Ezra 6:21-22, MSG

You may not be able to change someone’s mind, but God can!!

Strength for, and through, all things.

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me…”
Philippians 4:13 AMPC

Whatever situation we face, whatever challenge we encounter, whatever obstacle falls across our paths, we can be sure of one thing:  As God’s precious children, we will have the strength to overcome all of them.

Grab onto God, never let go, and there will be no mountains too big for you to conquer.

Our God is all-powerful

“…Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool...” Isaiah 51:7-8

Mortal men come nowhere near in comparison with our great God! So, do not fear them, not even for a second!  No, instead, hand them over to God and let Him give you the power to be the victor in any unfair/cruel situation. 

Remember, our God is all-powerful; man is no competition for Him.

God's eyes are upon HIs children!

"... no oppressor or demanding collector shall again overrun them, for now My eyes are upon them... even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you." 

Zechariah 9: 8, 12

Maybe in your past, you have lost everything; survived traumatic and hurtful events, made big mistakes, fell away from God, or had no part of God what-so-ever, so now you are afraid to try again.  However, God is a God of second chances, third chances, fourth chances...a million chances, so settling where we are out of fear is not an option; we aren't called to just live a mundane life because it feels safe, we are called to live a life of stepping out toward God where we feel He is calling us - even if we've done it before and failed -  friends, we need to do it again!  

Our God is a God of great abundance and blessing, but we first have to be children of great faith and hope.  Therefore, if something is pressing on our hearts, and we are working on a continual basis to strengthen our relationship with God, then we should go for it!! Yes, we should go for it!! We ought to take a huge step of faith, and from there, God will do the rest.  

Therefore, cling to Christ and go for your dream!  The only thing you have to lose is fear, and you don't want any of that anyway.

The army of God

1 Samuel 17:45-47The Message (MSG)

"David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies... whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me... The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he’s handing you to us on a platter!”

There is only one man you need on your side no matter what the situation -God Almighty. He will protect you, fight for you, and give you victory.  So, have faith like David and know that God is all you ever need to win in life.

The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Our own, personal bodyguard.

“… I will contend with him who contends with you… and I will make those who oppress you consume themselves…” Isaiah 49:23, 25, 26

 I truly feel sorry for anyone that messes with any of God’s children, because their sinful behavior is about to turn their lives upside down, leaving those around them stunned at their sudden misfortune and in awe and amazement of the miracle that happens to the child of God they are trying so hard to oppress.

So no need to worry about those who seemingly keep getting the good breaks although lying and cheating are involved, because their time of superficial favor is rapidly coming to an end – and no one who knows God will want to be a part of that!  

Do you want to become well?

“When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you want to become well?...”

John 4:6 AMP

This verse gets me every time!  I love it because I believe it’s the Lord asking me, “Do you want to have a better life; do you want to live a victorious life?”.  It makes me realize the things I’ve been complaining about, the excuses that I’ve used, the anger that I’ve not let go, and the forgiveness that I have yet to give to someone I may be upset with.  It makes me get off of my pity-pot!

Now, let me ask you, “Do you want to have a better life; do you want to live a victorious life?”.  If your answer is, Yes, then join me and GET UP!!  Our lives our too short to be focusing on the darkness in our lives; to be focusing on what or whom we think we need to blame for our problems.  Let's get off of our pity-pots, move on from the darkness, and take a hold of this blessed life that Jesus so brutally died to give us!  

Yes! Today, we begin afresh and anew, and we begin to live like we’ve never lived before – and all of this in the glorious name of Jesus.

 

America - Wake up!

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God: Our Guardian, our Angel, our...

"No, my strength comes from God,
     who made heaven, earth, and mountains.

He won't let you stumble,
     your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life!  Israel's
     Guardian will never doze or sleep.

God guards you from every evil,
     he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
     he guards you now, he guards you always.

Psalm 121: 2, 3-4, 7-8

Our God:  

Our Guardian, our Angel, our Strength, our Help 

---- 

Our Everything

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What is salvation?

 

What exactly is Salvation?  

Well, I think that +Eugene H. Patterson, author of The Message, sums up the meaning of Salvation exceptionally well: 

 

"The most comprehensive term for what God is doing to get us out of the mess we are in is salvation. Salvation is God doing for us what we can't do for ourselves." 

(The Message, pg. 90) 

Thank you for the image +https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwidmt_s3uDLAhUEwmMKHb3YC9IQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchristthetruth.net%2F2013%2F09%2F11%2Ften-thoughts-on-salvation%2F&psig=AFQjCNGfbDiX30ROlIccSTYXYVl-O8EKNg&ust=1459163788107433&cad=rjt

Living lives worthy of God

“…encouraging and charging you to live lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and the glorious blessedness [into which true believers will enter after Christ’s return].” 

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Are you living a life worthy of God?  
If you are unsure or can only answer half-heartedly, then I encourage you to do what needs to be done to make your answer an emphatic "Yes!".  

If you are reading this, you are called, which means if you aren’t living a life worthy of God, then you will miss this call, you will miss your chance at living the blessed life that God so desperately wants you to live.  

Therefore, make some changes, take some bold steps for Christ, and step into the life He is so ready to give you.

With God, there are no rules

"... There's no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army.  No one can stop God from saving when he sets his mind to it."  

1 Samuel 14:6 MSG

With God in our lives, there are no rules when it involves as to how He saves and blesses us.  There is only him - the only Rule   - and he is the one and only rule necessary to follow in order to be saved and set free!

Think on these things...

Whatever is true, worthy of reverence and honorable, just, pure, lovely and lovable, kind, winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things - fix your minds on them.  Adapted from Philippians 4:8

Do your thoughts fall in line with this verse?  If not, and I know some of mine don’t, then new thoughts are in order! I truly believe that if we can change our thoughts for the better, not only will we help ourselves, but we will help many of those around us.  So, keep your thoughts in line with this verse, not only will your life change for the better, but the lives of those around you will as well.

 

Every step of the way

“Go assured.  God’s looking out for you all the way.” 
Judges 18:6, The MSG

When you feel you are living your life as best you can, unto God, and you love God with all your heart, then, ‘Go assured’; move forward with what is in your heart – God is looking out for you every step of the way.

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Grounded in faith

“Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith…” Colossians 2:7 AMPC

Faith in God will keep you grounded during the storms of life, and spending daily time with Him will build you up so that when the forces of darkness come against you, you will be able to conquer them with ease.

 So make God your first and foremost priority because your life truly depends on Him.

The healing power of God's love

“Then said the Lord to me, Go again, love [the same] woman [Gomer] who is… an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods…” Hosea 3:1 AMP

Although it can be quite difficult and challenging to do, as children of the Most High, we are called to love the unlovable.  Love them enough to make a difference in their lives; love them enough to break down and destroy the pain that they have let build up inside of them.

You and I have been blessed with the healing power of God’s love, and now we need to share it to others.  So, don’t turn your back, don’t ignore, and don’t avoid someone who is in need of love – you may be the one person that changes their outlook on life; you may be the one person that shows them what love really is.

Waste nothing! Treasure everything!

“Enoch walked steadily with God. And then one day he was simply gone.  God took him.”  Genesis 5 MSG

Treasure every day!

Treasure every one!

Take advantage of nothing and no one!

Let others know how much you love them!

Remember, every day is a gift; so live it out to the fullest, because in the blink of an eye, and before you know what hit you, you or your loved one could be gone.

Hold on! Hold on tight!!

"And I will bring back the exiles of My people... they shall build... and plant... they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them.  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be torn up out of their land which I gave them, says the Lord your God." Amos 9:14-15 AMP

Don't give up!! You may be at wit's end! You may have lost everything! You no longer feel as if you have the strength, faith, or determination to do it all again, to start at the beginning, but God is here with you! He has a plan for you, and if you will just keep your faith in Him, dig in with both feet, believe like never before, and have the faith of a thousand men, then the breakthrough you thought would never happen, will happen!  It is going to happen at just the right time, at just the right place. 

So, hold on! Hold on tight, my friend, because the doors of His glory are getting ready to burst wide open, and your entry into a grand, sparkling new beginning is about to come to pass.

Praise God - Hallelujah!

Take hold of God's strength

“…let them take hold of My strength and make complete surrender to My protection, that they may make peace with Me! Yes, let them make peace with me!” Isaiah 27:5

Everlasting peace is yours when you grab hold of God’s strength, letting go of your own; when you surrender yourself to only Him, letting go of your confidence in the world. 

Yes, when you put yourself in the strong arms of God, peace begins to surround you, fill you, burdens begin to lift, worries become the worlds, and your life becomes more meaningful. So, let God be your strength - your protector - and really begin to experience the meaning of constant and perfect peace. I’ll bet that if you do, the environment and people around you will soon follow suit, making life that much more of a treasure to embrace.