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Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

The moment we hear and believe, we are given the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our salvation and things to come. It is God’s signature as in a signed contract, a guarantee of what is to come. The Holy Spirit is our little part of heaven for now. God did not leave us alone until we go to heaven for eternity. He left us the Holy Spirit, a part of Him.

Many do not know how to walk with the Holy Spirit. Plus, we want our own way. To take our own path. He is resisted (Acts 7:51).

The Holy Spirit is here for many reasons. He is to teach us (John 14:26). Do you pray before reading the scriptures and ask for understanding?

The Holy Spirit will guide us (Romans 8:14). He speaks (John 15:26; 2 Peter 1:21). He intercedes for us (Romans 8:26). The list goes on, but you must walk in the spirit. Think and understand how to move with Him.

One of the most beautiful things about the Holy Spirit, is when you worship God and he lets you know if it was accepted by God. Or when you sing praises, He fills you up with His spirit.

Oh Beloved, how He holds you when you are hurting, is so precious that you come to cherish those times. I do not know how people can go through life without His presence, without His arms around them. I saw many without the Spirit of God when I was at Children’s Hospital during my daughter’s battle with cancer. When she died, like many others there, the Holy Spirit gave me the peace I needed.

Do you have peace and guidance, through your journey while here on earth? Beloved, I pray that you have the GOD, who came to earth to be tortured and nailed to a cross to die for you and the bad things we all have done. He loves you so much. Who else would do that for you?

Life can bring a person much despair. One of my first real losses of all hope was when my 14-year-old daughter lost her battle with cancer at the age of 14 years old. In the midst of this sorrow, a powerful peace would enter my heart. Each day this comfort would last longer. God never left me, although, at the beginning of that time, my sorrow blocked my feelings of His comfort most of the time. God never abandons His children. Each day His presence became more real. The more I allowed Jesus to comfort me, the more the emptiness grew smaller.

In Psalms 34:18 it says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (NAS) Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (NAS)

These living words of God, He breathed into my soul. His Spirit-filled this empty spot that was left and will be filled again when I see my daughter in heaven. But that spot will be overcome with the presence and glory of God. I will be overcome by His perfect love.

I John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him (Jesus) and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

I John 2:17 And the world is passing away, and also its lust; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

I John 2:18-19 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrist have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.

Verse 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they been of us, they would have remained with us (faking the new life); but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.

(NAS)

Photo by Diana

It seems that many of us compare ourselves to other people and other people to others. God made each of us unique. God compares us to no one else. Jesus loves us and we can trust His thoughts toward us. No matter how we may react to our circumstances, He will still love us. Jesus may be disappointed in how we handled a circumstances, but Jesus will never stop loving you. Remember, God is training you, so we may have to repeat a lesson. In the second time around, we may take our circumstances to Jesus first and not try to handle it on our own. Repeated circumstances should deepen our prayer life. By repeating lessons, they help us to see and give mercy and love.

Just let your delight in the Lord shine forth at all times, no matter the circumstances. God loves us so much that He made a way to love Him and be a part of His divine nature. Pray that your nature becomes like HIS.

In my previous post, I spoke about hope. Our lives are to bring about glory t to God and the salvation He brought to us when He came to earth. If we do bring glory to God and tell others of His goodness, God is faithful to help us find joy no matter the circumstances. As though those things may be little or grand, they are meant to draw you closer to God. God knows your name. It is written in the palm, of His hand.

I don’t generally share my health problems, but I want to share a day with you. A day that will show a loving God and how He affirms not only by the Holy Spirit within you but by outside sources.

I woke up this morning in a lot of pain and vertigo. There was a sharp pain and numb tingling feet. My legs were painful with sharp shooting pains. If I touched them, the pain increased. The lower back and hips hurt. If I stood for more than 3 minutes, the pain became unbearable. Also, under the left shoulder blade was a sharp constant pain. The arms felt like the legs, but not as bad. I don’t get hungry often, but I was that morning. I can not stand long enough to fix myself a meal, so my husband fixed me something to eat. He then left for work. I ate, took my pills, and rested. After resting, I decided to take a hot shower to help the pain. While showering, I began to wonder if I would be able to get out of the shower without trouble.

My Lord Jesus Christ took care of the possibility that I could fall while getting out of the tub. My husband decided to swing by the house. So my dear husband helped me out of the tub and helped me dress.

I rested again for about 20 minutes. Then two of my grandsons, ages 25 and 18, stooped by to feed my horses and peafowl that I had left from when I bred chickens, ducks, and peafowl Later, my 29-year-old grandson dropped by for about an hour for a visit. I am blessed.

By the time my husband came home from work, my pain level was down to a 3 or 4 while sitting with sharp pains hitting now and then. Everything was good, especially when he brought home a chocolate-covered donut.

A little later our power went out. I do not know why. There were no storms. So we lit some candles and I picked up a book I wanted to read. It talked about how God will give you surprises to lift you up on your bad days and to give you hope. It even mentioned your grandchildren visiting you. These small things remind you that God is there wrapping his Love around you and giving you hope. God confirmed He was with me. God’s gifts are so good. I am thankful for them and they give me hope for tomorrow, for He has already been there.

If you give God what you have, He will give you all you need…

No matter how difficult your circumstances or how severe your situation, God will never leave you without hope. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

There is always an open window with strength to endure or a window of blessings. That window may be open for knowledge to change your circumstances or it may be a window for escape. But always remember, our hope is our eternal life with Jesus in heaven where He has gone before us, to prepare a place for us.

We must continue to give God our love and wait patiently. Trust in Him and His word. Look for that open window. Pray and don’t give up on a miracle. You can expect no less than little gifts along the way to the inheritance of His kingdom. Let Him do it His way. Let Him surprise you. Look for those loving surprises. He will give you something that you did not expect. He will bring His love and hope too.

What matters the most to you? Do you give any thought throughout the day if God is pleased with what you have said or done? Was it your best? Did it bring glory to God?

Wherever you go, you are in His presence. As a Christian, He is within you. You may be quenching Him, but He is there. He is with you in every step you take. He hears every word you say.

So God is there within you. Don’t nurture any anger. He feels your anger. God (Matt. 5:5).

God knows your name. Call on Him to forgive and cleanse your heart. He is the one who can raise you up to do great things in serving Him.

Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days of your life is the day that you were born and the day you find out why.”

So what purpose did God make you for in this world?

John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.

If you are not spending time with the Lord, you may not recognize His nearness or question who you heard. “Was it the Lord or me?” Beloved, know Him before you need Him.

When you do not recognize the Lord’s love and care, this can damage your heart. Your heart can become hardened toward the things of God, especially His word.

Being in this state makes it harder to love others. So loving Jesus causes our love to be complete in others.

Isaiah 49:15-16 Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will never forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.

Remember, those nails went through the palms of His hands for our sins. Where your name and my name were inscribed. How can we not love Him and spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alexander Raleigh once said, “God is love…he puts his love into promises to give our dull minds something to look at, and our unready hands something to hold.”

God has given us so many words of hope and love. There are a few we need to keep in our hearts no matter what is going on.

Titus 1:2 …in the hope of eternal life, which God, who can not lie, promised long ago.

John 14:2 NAS In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, if it were not so, I would have told you, for I go prepare a place for you.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His lont begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

A lot of people take promises out of the bible and try to accomplish their desires. Our desire should be on Jesus Christ. Our desire should be on loving and pleasing our Lord Jesus Christ.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” We need to change that to “Ask not what God can do for you, but what you can do for Him.”

God is the one that came to earth as the man Jesus, who suffered terribly for you and me. Now He is in heaven and has prepared a place for us. Jesus deserves our love and devotion because he knows each of us personally. That is the reason God made us. He made us so we could experience His perfect love. He died for us so His blood could cover our sins. He did this so we could enjoy that love.

I have felt this love by accepting Jesus as my Savior. My love for Him grows, but I’m sure I have only touched only the hem of His perfect love. With only that, I wish I could touch others and they somehow feel this love for a moment. <ay they would realize the love and promises that Jesus offers.

But we can only be a mouthpiece to a world where love seems to slip through the fingers of so many people. Beloved, ask God to put more love in your heart of Him. He already loves you. Life can steal your love for Jesus and others. Also, the more you love Jesus, the more you can love others. Just focus on Jesus. Other promises will come.

Buffalo fleeing Photo by Diana Burbridge

We think the above buffalo was fleeing from a grizzly bear. He ran down the hill behind him, then jumped into the river, swam some, and got out on my side of the river. He did not appear to be afraid of me. But I did not push him. I took a few pictures and left. I believe this is one of the pictures that God set up for me.

ROMANS 1:25 For they exchange the truth of God for a lie…

My Note: People will believe lies to reinforce their own selfish beliefs.

ROMANS 1:32 And, although they know the ordinance of God,l that those who…

My Note: Humans were created in God’s image and have a basic moral nature and a conscious.

ROMANS 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

My Note: One can easily mistake God’s patience for approval. You must pray constantly for God to point out our sins, so He can heal them. God’s eventual judgment is certain.

ROMANS 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

My Note: God’s wrath is a result when His grace is rejected.

READ ROMANS 2:12-15

My Note: People are not condemned, not by what they do not know, but by what they do with what they know.

READ ROMANS 2:21-27

My Note: It is easier to tell others how to believe that to behave properly ourselves. It is easier to say the right words that to allow them to take root in our hearts.

ROMANS 2:21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?

My Note: They learned the law well and learned how to excuse their actions but condemn others.

ROMANS 2:23-24 You who boast to the Law, through breaking the Law, do your dishonor, God? For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.

If you claim to be one of God’s children, your life should reflect what God is like. When you disobey God, you dishonor His name, and people may even speak against God because of you.

Photo by Diana Burbridge