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Donna's stream is @ : www.flickr.com/photos/shedriver/
Explore, 7/30/2008
Have a super weekend everyone. xoxo
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Prayer: Love the One Who is with You
by Judah Smith, from Jesus Is ____.
He loved us first.
The One You Love
In John 11, we find a moving story about three siblings: Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Most scholars believe Martha was the oldest sibling, Mary was the middle, and Lazarus was the little brother. Interestingly, Lazarus was never recorded as saying one word in Scripture. Apparently his big sisters said it all. Poor guy.
In this passage, Mary and Martha are in the heat of the moment. Their little brotherโs life is on the line. The Bible puts it this way:
Now, a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore, the sisters sent to Him saying, โLord, behold, he whom You love is sick.โ When Jesus heard that, He said, โThis sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.โ Now, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. โ John 11:1-5
Besides His disciples, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were perhaps Jesusโs best friends. Jesus loved them deeply.
The fact that Jesus had friends at all might surprise a few people who think He floated around two feet off the ground and only had time for healing people and preaching. He was a normal-looking and normal-acting guy. Except He healed the sick, raised the dead, and never sinned. And He was God. Minor details.
In this story, Lazarus is hours from death. He is on the doorstep of death. And Mary and Martha, true to form, are speaking on Lazarusโs behalf. They need to get Godโs attention. They have one shot at convincing Jesus to come. They need to come up with their best argument, their most airtight appeal. So they write Jesus a note. It has to be a good one โ their brotherโs life depends on it.
Itโs the heat of the moment, and they arenโt thinking about being polite and courteous and wordy. What they really believe is about to be revealed. How are they going to appeal to Jesus? What will their plea be?
Now, if we were Lazarusโs siblings, a lot of us would have started out by listing all the good things Lazarus had done. We would have talked about how much he loved and admired Jesus and how he was a model citizen who didnโt deserve to die.
Not Mary and Martha. They knew what moved Jesus.
Lord, the one that You love is sick.
That was the realization that welled up from deep within their hearts. Jesus loved Lazarus. It wasnโt their love for Jesus, or Lazarusโs love, or his good deeds that moved Jesus. It was pointless to recite a laundry list of their brotherโs achievements. That wasnโt what moved the heart of Jesus. It was His own love that motivated Him. It was His own desire to bless and heal and restore.
The story goes on to say that Jesus responded to Mary and Marthaโs request and went to their home. But by the time He arrived, Lazarus had died. That didnโt bother Jesus โ He knew it was going to happen. He simply raised Lazarus from the dead. It pays to have friends like that.
John, one of Jesusโs disciples, recorded this story. John understood the importance of Jesusโs love. Five times in his book, John calls himself โthe disciple whom Jesus loved.โ He doesnโt even use his own name. He just flaunts that he was Jesusโs favorite.
Was he Jesusโs favorite? We donโt know. It doesnโt really matter, because he believed he was. And there is something strangely healthy about that perspective.
We are all Godโs favorites.
Some might call Johnโs statements arrogant, but John didnโt care. Neither did God, apparently - itโs in His Book. John defined his identity through Jesusโs love. I find that fascinating. A few decades later, John wrote several letters that are also part of the Bible. The letters are manifestos of Godโs love toward us. Hereโs one example from 1 John 4:9-10:
God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love โ not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
John figured something out by watching Jesus. Itโs not about how much we love God. Itโs about how much He loves us.
That little truth will change the way you think, the way you talk, and the way you pray. For too many of us, life is all about how much we can accomplish. Itโs about our plans, our work, our merit, our achievements. Thatโs gratifying to the ego, but ultimately itโs a dead end. We find ourselves in situations we canโt get out of, in need of favors we donโt deserve. We lose our perspective very quickly when we make life all about us.
Mary and Martha were some of Jesusโs closest friends. John, according to scholars, was probably Jesusโs closest disciple. It seems the people nearest Jesus had an overwhelming awareness of His love for them. Maybe we should take a hint.
Let Me Count the Ways
The message Mary and Martha sent was a plea, a prayer. And notice the basis of their prayer: โthe one You love.โ
You can find out a lot about what you really believe when you listen to yourself pray, when you listen to what you say in the heat of the moment. How many times have I prayed prayers like this:
Oh, God, I need help. Iโm faithful. I help people. Iโm generous. Iโm holy. I read my Bible. And Iโm praying really, really loudly, with big words and Bible verses and lots of praise. So come, Lord, and help me with my need.
In other words, โLord, based on what Iโve done, now please do...โ We think that moves God. No, what moves God is His Son. What moves God is His love.
One of the most famous love poems of all time, Elizabeth Barrett Browningโs Sonnet 43, starts out: โHow do I love thee? Let me count the ways.โ
Donโt count the ways you love God; count the ways He loves you. Your love pales in comparison to His. So when you pray, pray like Mary and Martha: โJesus, the one You love needs You.โ
I was tired the other afternoon, for instance. Maybe not a big deal, but I had some things I had to accomplish that evening, and I really needed strength. So, I got alone for a few minutes, and I said, โLord, the one You love is tired. Give me energy.โ
It was such a refreshing, healthy way to pray. It was incredible. I started thinking, Whoa. That was crazy. That felt good.
Heโs moved by His love. Remind Him of His love for you.
โLord, the one You love is out $250 this month. I canโt pay the bills. But Iโm Your favorite. Iโm the one You love, so help me with my bills, Lord.โ
Thatโs far better than trying to talk God into something based on our own works or our own merit.
Maybe you are thinking, I donโt really know Jesus. Iโm a poor excuse for a follower of Jesus.
Nobodyโs an outsider when we pray this way. Itโs on the basis of His love, not ours. We have no idea how profound His love for us really is. No matter who you are, no matter what you need, try praying that prayer. And I pray that your heart erupts with an understanding and revelation of His amazing love for you.
โGod, because I am the object of your obsession, because Iโm the one You love, come now and take care of my needs.โ
What is the focus of the Bible? Man loving God, or God loving man?
Many of us would answer automatically, โItโs about man loving God. Itโs about humans leaving a sinful lifestyle and turning to God.โ And even if we didnโt say it, we believe it - just look at how we pray and how we act.
We would be wrong.
All sixty-six books of the Bible, all forty-plus authors writing over the course of sixteen hundred years, point to the same thing: Godโs love for humanity.
If youโre like me, you find yourself time and time again obsessing over your own inconsistencies and inadequacies, over your own love or lack of love for God. But if we spent more time in the Bible, we would discover that it is overwhelmingly about Godโs love for us. In fact, Godโs love created our love.
Hereโs a crazy thought: Godโs love is so extravagant and so inexplicable that He loved us before we were us. He loved us before we existed. He knew many of us would reject Him, hate Him, curse Him, rebel against Him. Yet He chose to love us. God loves us because He is love.
The message is clear in Scripture. The gospel is about God loving man, whether we reciprocate it or not. John, the โone Jesus loved,โ spelled it out:
We love Him because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19
The reason that we are even interested in God is that He is hot on our trails. We are His favorites, and He is passionately pursuing us. He doesnโt just love us like a friend, like an aunt or uncle, or even like a dad. His love is far more perfect than any earthly love.
Really, we wonโt fully comprehend His love until we enter eternity with Him. And when we get to eternity, we will be undone. We will be overwhelmed and overcome and consumed with the enormity of His love.
Picture that the next time you pray, the next time you fail at something, the next time you are facing a tough situation โ it will revolutionize everything.
Go ahead and try to describe the height of His love, the length of His love, the width of His love, the depth of His love. Our metaphors pale in comparison. We have marriages, we have children, we have adoptions, we have friends, but nothing compares to Godโs love for us.
Iโve never met a person who exaggerated Godโs love. Never. Itโs impossible. He loved us first, He loves us best, and He will love us forever.
How does He love me?
Iโll spend the rest of my life counting the ways.
Excerpted from Jesus Is: Find A New Way To Be Human by Judah Smith, copyright Thomas Nelson.
I just want to state one thing: Just because I entourage everyone and anyone who reads my descriptions, to try and bring strangers who I love to God's love, I just...Don't think that I'm perfect, 'cause I mess up every day too. Just because I'm always talking about how great my King is doesn't mean that I'm any higher than anyone. Just wanted to get that straight.
When I took this picture I thought it was pretty clever but now I've realized it means a lot more than that. A seed is what I am. Their are roots going deep in me, but their are thorns around me. I don't think things through, and mess up but I believe its better to realize right away that what I'm doing is wrong than just keep sinning and thinking I'm okay doing it. I haven't been acting the way I should be, but I believe its better to actually ask my Father for help when I'm honestly sorry for what I've done because are you really sorry when you say you are, or do you just not mean it? You just...After you've realized what you've done terribly wrong, calm down. Sit alone quietly and just tell Him all about it, He'll be right there listening and just let Him know that you messed up. It will be okay. All the pain and heartbreak will dissolve, just believe that He can help you, with all your heart; don't just know in your head that He can, know in your heart. I'm just trying to be a better Christian, no one every said it'd be easy.
~Best three mile: 23:26 ;)
Best three point one mile: 24:03
Yea baby. OH YEA.
~This thing came on t.v and it was talking about how gay people aren't allowed to be in the army or navy. How messed up is that? I mean, what happened to The Land Of The Free? Personally, I don't believe in being gay but if you are, hey that's your own choice and good for you for doing something that you want to do. But how dare a woman or man be kicked out of the military for fighting for their own country?! How wrong is that? Ugh, good gravy.
Their's paint on this jar by the way, if you were perhaps wondering what those little, colorful specks were.
~Wanna know something. The God of the universe, the One who created everything you see, everything you enjoy, everyone and everything you love, loves you. The God who knows what you'll think and say next, knows your past and every single thing about you even if you don't. He says: "You are a great worth in My eyes. You are honored and I love you." ~Isaiah 43:4 Crazy right? (:
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God's loves never fails!
His love endures forever!
#HeLovesYou #Hisloveenduresforever #ashepherdsheart #faith #bible #oregon #Portland #europe #asia #africa #australia #newzealand #usa #Russia #southamerica #canada #northamerica #Jesus #Christian #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #inspirational #inspirationalquotes #inspire #hesharesthetruth
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ashepherdsheart: @naomi.noel Amen! Yes ma'am. The truth! :)
The Skrulls have a simple message: Embrace Change. Only then can Earth experience an era of true peace and harmony. For more information, check out the Wikipedia entry for Secret Invasion.
Taken for the PIP Shocktober Project: Masked Mayhem.
Setup: Acrylic paint (green, blue, burned umber, yellow green). Strobist: SB800 camera right, full power, placed inside green Coles shopping bag. SB600 camera left, with yellow gel. Alien prosthetics courtesy of Photoshop's Liquify tool. :-)
No matter what...Trust the Lord.
#faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #trust #peace #dontworry #GodIsGood #Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #Heiswithyou #HeLovesYou #HeIsYourStrength #encouragement #encourage #inspirational #inspire #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart
You might think that you're alone, but you are not, Jesus is with you all the time, even if you forget about Him, He'll never forget about you, because He loves you, He was able to die for you, please remember this, Jesus is knocking in your hearts door, just open it, He wants to live inside of you.
Everything you face in this life, the trials, the valleys, the struggles, anything... He is bigger than them all! Trust Him and rely on Him each step of the way!
He will see you through!
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#faith #trust #peace #dontworry #GodIsGood #Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #Heiswithyou #HeLovesYou #HeIsYourStrength #encouragement #encourage #inspirational #inspire #inspiration #christian #Christianity #christfollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart
Happy Valentine's Day my friends!
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Praise be to God for His great and unconditional love for us!
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We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 ESV
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Because of Him we have the capacity to truly love because He first loved us!
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#love #HeLovesYou #Jesus #HolySpirit #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart #encouragement #encourage #inspirational #inspire #inspiration
No matter what you're facing, remember that if you are in Christ,He is on your side.
There is no problem too big that He cannot resolve or bring you through. There is nothing that He doesn't already have a solution for well before it takes place. Even in the midst of troubles and trials God is at work for His glory and your good.
Trust Him my friend...He never sleeps or slumbers and always and forever will be at work in and through you.
#faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #trust #peace #dontworry #GodIsGood #Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #Heiswithyou #HeLovesYou #christfollower #christian #Christianity #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart
Don't think for a moment that God doesn't care about every aspect of your life!
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He knows your innermost thoughts, fears, hopes and dreams.
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Are Facing a tough decision?
Are you doubting yourself?
Are you in need direction?
Are you fearful?
Are you troubled by something?
Do you need someone to listen?
Do you need someone to talk to?
Are you sometimes afraid He doesn't care about what you have to say?
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Whatever it is...Just talk to Him!
He does want to hear from you!
He cares about you!
He loves you!
There's nothing He can't handle!
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#talktoGod #hope #Heisforyou #HeLovesYou #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #joy #peace #strength #Jesus #HolySpirit #encouragement #encourage #inspire #inspiration #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength
Ever have moments when you feel unloved? Or when someone says something that makes you feel unloved or unlovable?
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Whether you do or not...here's a reminder for all of us that...He loves you and I with a perfect and unconditional love!
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Read John 3:16-17 and other passages whenever you need a reminder!
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Then reject the lies you think, hear, or feel about whether or not you are loved as God and His Word are the final authority!
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He loves you, period!
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#HeLovesYou #perfectlove #john316 #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #encourage #encouragement #inspire #inspiration #Jesus #HolySpirit #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength#ashepherdsheart
God goes before you, protects you and empowers you! He is stronger and more powerful than anything that you will ever face!
No giant can overcome you as He will conquer every giant that comes to challenge you because nothing is too difficult for Him!
#GodIsGood #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #hope #power #strength #Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #Heiswithyou #HeLovesYou #Heisgrester #Bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart
Happy Valentine's Day my friends!
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Praise be to God for His great and unconditional love for us!
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We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 ESV
_
Because of Him we have the capacity to truly love because He first loved us!
_
#love #HeLovesYou #Jesus #HolySpirit #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart #encouragement #encourage #inspirational #inspire #inspiration
Focus on the Lord your God who is the Eternal One...instead of your problems. You can trust Him to provide the solution and way through any of the problems that you face!
#faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #GodIsGood #Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #Heiswithyou #HeLovesYou #HeIsYourStrength #strength #encouragement #encourage #inspirational #inspirationalquotes #inspire #hesharesthetruth #quote #quotes #bible #Godsword #scripture #Bible #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart
As human beings, there are just simply some things that are beyond our control. Period. Have confidence in the assurance that God loves you, and knowing that there is nothing that is beyond His control. Control what you can, and trust Him to work out all the things that you canโt, for your good...today!
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โGrant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.โ (Reinhold Niebuhr)
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#john1427 #joshua19 #romans828 #morningthoughts #positivity #Helovesyou #trustHim #zerodean #stressfree #serenityprayer #sanityprayer
Sometimes we can forget God's goodness and provision no matter what season we're facing in life. Furthermore, we tend to also remember the "big" times of provision but we forget that He provides for our every need "big" or "small".
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We need to remember that God cares about us and knows our every need.
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May we never lose sight of how God provides for us in the big and "small" ways each day.
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God provides...Period. Be encouraged by this truth.
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Read Matthew 6:25-34 and remember His Goodness.
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#GodIsGood #HeProvides #HeLovesYou #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #encourage #encouragement #Jesus #HolySpirit #bible #scripture #GodsWord #heart #mind #soul #strength #christian #Christianity #christfollower #ashepherdsheart
With Christ, never doubt that you are more significant than anything in the universe...anything in His creation!
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He knows and calls the stars by name but more importantly...He knows you by name!
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#HeKnowsYourName #HeLovesYou #Heisforyou #faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #encourage #encouragement #inspire #inspiration #Jesus #HolySpirit #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #ashepherdsheart
Trust. If we're honest, it may not always be easy to do including relinquishing control of your life.
God loves you and will show you that you can trust Him to see you through anything!
Let's pray and ask God to help us shift our focus off of our problems and onto His promises / solutions instead!
#faith #hope #truth #wisdom #life #GodIsGood #Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #Heiswithyou #HeLovesYou #christfollower #bible #scripture #Godsword #heart #mind #soul #strength #encouragement #encourage #inspirational #inspirationalquotes #inspire #ashepherdsheart
#MadeWithPixlr
In US we trust!
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Faith can be quite challenging when our trust is really in our own talents, jobs, and governments. Stop leaning on your own understanding and trust Him...today!
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โSuch love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love.โ
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#1john418 #proverbs35 #Helovesyou #morningthoughts #positivity #loveHim #trustHim #fearnot #โญ๏ธ๐โ๏ธ #inuswetrust
Amen! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain in Jesus Christ! Cling to Him always!
#Heisforyou #HeIsSovereign #Heisyourshelter #HeLovesYou #salvation #bible #Godsword #scripture #wisdom #truth #life #hope #faith #joy #peace #Christian #Christianity #ChristFollower #inspirational #inspirationalquotes #inspire #hesharesthetruth #quote #quotes #ashepherdsheart (special thanks to @kiwis.art for the use of this photo that is featured in the background!)
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ashepherdsheart: Thank you for visiting @motivate.inspire.today! Thanks for your encouragement! Here to encourage others. Be blessed!
ashepherdsheart: Thank you also for the follow @motivate.inspire.today!
benifitnesspt: Great :)
kauffmangail: Amen!