Monday Motivation: You are Lovely
A Monday reminder of how Jesus sees you:
“Oh my beloved, you are striking–lovely even in weakness. When I see your beauty, I see a radiant city, where we will dwell as one. More pleasing than any pleasure, more delightful than any delight, you have ravished my heart. Even hosts of angels stand in awe of you.” Song of Songs 6:4 TPT
Point to ponder while you wander…Jesus sees your beauty and calls you lovely even in your weakness.
Wonderful Wednesday: Real Relationship
“I admit I once lived by rumors of You; now I have it all firsthand–from my own eyes and ears.” Job 42:5 MSG
If you focus only on the stuff Job lost & gained, you’ve missed the best part! Job exited the worst 9 months of His life with a real relationship with Abba Father. The stuff was just an added bonus.
Brings to mind Mathew 6:33’s seek first and the rest shall be added doesn’t it?
Something to ponder while you wander…”When you call on Me, when you come and pray to Me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for Me, you’ll find Me. Yes, when you get serious about finding Me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” Jeremiah 29:12-14 MSG
Musical Monday-Greatness
Do you want to be great? Guess what? God wants you to be great too! But He wants to partner in your greatness like he did with King David. David understood that his greatness and position came directly from God, and He gave Him the Glory for it.
“You empower me for victory with Your wrap-around presence. Your power within makes me strong to subdue, and by stooping down in gentleness You strengthened me, and made me great!” Psalm 18:35 TPT
God made David great, and David turned around and recognized God’s greatness. He magnified Him. That’s what happens when we worship, God is magnified. God doesn’t change because of our worship, but our perspective of Him does. Worship reminds us that God is good, that He is for us, that Nothing is impossible for God.
This is for everyday, not just on Sunday mornings. It could be as simple as a “Thank you, Father.” or “I love you, Father.” in the middle of our hectic day. Or taking time in the morning to sit in His presence or dance with Him. You could even paint, shout, write, sing, or however you feel He should be honored that day.
“But let all who passionately seek you erupt with excitement and joy over what you’ve done! Let all your lovers rejoice continually in the Savior, saying, ‘How great and glorious is our God!” Psalm 40:16 TPT
I think Psalm 40:16, captures all this post is trying to say. That’s why today’s song is Great Are You Lord by All Sons and Daughters.
He gives life. He is love. He is the light in the darkness. Things to remember when you are facing death, feeling unloved, or anytime really.
Further reading: Psalm 48, Psalm 70:19, Psalm 76 and Psalm 104
Something to ponder while you wander: The Hebrew word translated great and glorious in Psalm 40:16 is gadal (H1431), can also be translated to make great or to magnify.
PS: Here’s A Bethel Worship Set starting with Great Are You LORD. The initial song is about 5 minutes or so, but the worship set is over an hour. The whole thing is about the greatness and awesomeness of our Papa God and His love, so I hope you’ll make the time to worship with the whole video.
Summertime Rainy Days
6 reasons why I am thankful for rainy days in the summertime.
1. My polka-dot rain boots.
2. My inner 7 year old gets to gleefully splash in the puddles.
3. I get to dance in the rain. For maximum enjoyment, I highly recommend looking up and feeling the rain on your face while you twirl.
4. My grass turns bright summer green and my flowers get watered.
5. The possibility of a rainbow. Who doesn’t love a rainbow?
6. Blue-skied, sunshine-filled days always pressure me to go and DO something. Rainy days let me BE. If I want to read all day in an over-stuffed chair. Rainy days will not judge me.
Something to ponder from under your umbrella…”Those who believe only the sunshine can bring happiness have never danced in the rain.” – Unknown
Colorful & Fruity Gratitude
Having one of those nights where my brain just will not shut off, so I got out of bed and turned some worship music on & started making the fruit salad I need to make for a family event today.
As I was making my favorite kind of salad, I was thanking God for all the brightly colored, interesting textured, flavorful fruit. What a blessing it is to have access to so many kinds of fruit!
Nothing More Powerful
Nothing is more powerful than the Love of God! Nothing!
“There is no power above or beneath us–no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!” Romans 8:39 TPT
-His love reveals itself in patient endurance, waiting for us to come to Him. “So the Lord must wait for you to come to Him so He can show His love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for His help.” Isaiah 30:18 NLT
-His love reveals itself in choosing to send Jesus to us while we were far from him. “For God has proved His love by giving us His greatest treasure, the gift of His Son. And God freely offered Him up as the sacrifice for us all, He certainly won’t withhold from us anything else He has to give.” Romans 8:32 TPT
-His love reveals itself in believing in us, and speaking His truth over us. We say “I know I am so unworthy–so in need.” He says, “Yet you are so lovely.” Song of Songs 2:5 TPT
-His love reveals itself by never leaving us nor forsaking us. He’s as close as the air we breathe, every single day. He doesn’t walk away or tell us “You made your bed now lie in it. “…you always have God’s presence. For hasn’t He promised you, ‘I will never leave you alone, never!” Hebrews 13:5 TPT
Something to ponder while you wander…His love is unfailing so even your mistakes, bad choices, failures & indecision can’t stop God from loving you. “I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love, with unfailing love I’ve drawn you to Myself.” -Jeremiah 31:3 NLT
John 3:20 Fear, Shame and Control
“So the wicked hate the Light and try to hide from it, for their lives are fully exposed in the light.” John 3:20 TPT
In my experience the most horrible humans I’ve encountered are filled to the brim with shame and fear. Fear, not hate, is the true opposite of love. (I John 4) Just because someone isn’t shaking with nervousness, wringing their hands, or anxiously pacing doesn’t mean they’re not afraid.
The violent ones, the cruel ones, the bitter ones, and even the selfish ones are all so full of fear that they do everything in their power to control and dominate. They fear the light of exposure of their shame and their broken places. They fear being hurt. They fear being found inadequate or are terrified of failure. The selfish ones often fear lack and poverty.
Many people think by controlling everything and everyone they are safe. But really they’re just spreading fear.
Trusting God and receiving His love is the only true way to conquer fear. And depending upon the amount of fear the process may be longer than you want it to be. It was for me!
And the first step in that process is allowing the Light to expose what’s really going on inside your hear and mind.
Something to ponder while you wander…Shame and fear bring out the absolute worst in people. Hurting people hurt people. So being a light will sometimes draw wrath from people, love them anyway. That’s what Jesus did.
PS Loving people doesn’t not mean that you need to endure abuse. No one has the right to verbally, physically, or emotionally beat you up! NO ONE! If a “friend,” boss, spouse, parent, sibling, child or anyone else is harming you please seek help immediately. No matter what you’ve said or done, no one deserves abuse! NO ONE!
Musical Monday Good Good Father
Today’s Musical Monday is Good Good Father by Housefires. This has been one of my go to songs for quite a while now.
It’s a great song about identity and how we see ourselves and Papa God. He’s a Good Good Father it’s who He is. And we are loved by Him, that’s who we are!
If you prefer seeing the lyrics, here’s Bethel’s version with the lyrics.
Something to ponder (and declare outloud) while you wander…The Great I AM is Love and I am His beloved.
John 3:19 Choosing Darkness
“And here is the basis of their judgment: The Light of God has now come into the world, but the hearts of people love their darkness more than Light, because they want the darkness to conceal their evil.” John 3:19 TPT
It’s sad that a majority of the people in this world have no comprehension that they are loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
Something to ponder while you wander…Those who don’t know and don’t feel loved will display the worst they have to offer. They will choose darkness & judgment over Love. Be compassionate to those in darkness, Jesus Himself said, “Father forgive them. They know not what they’re doing.”
John 3:18 No Condemnation
“So now there is no longer any condemnation for those who believe in Him, but the unbeliever already lives under condemnation because they do not believe in the Name of God’s beloved Son.”John 3:18 TPT
We are free from condemnation, so please stop beating yourself up! Be kind to yourself. Love yourself right where you are now. Give yourself some grace as you heal, learn, and grow. Papa God loves you right now, unconditionally. Please love yourself that way.
Something to ponder while you wander…as you love yourself so will you love others. (Love thy neighbor as ye love thyself).
PS A note about our treatment of non-believers, please remember this verse in its context. Papa God so loves the world. He desires us to be kind and show His love so the world will choose to come out from under condemnation by believing and receiving all Jesus came to give them.
Bonus pondering point…God’s benefits are so good and His abundance so vast that He always has more than enough for everyone. You will not lose a single solitary thing by sharing Jesus. That person will not and cannot take your place in the kingdom, as everyone has a good spot. God will not love them more than you, as His love is constant. His love does not grow, change, nor diminish. They cannot steal what meant for you, God secures what’s yours (Psalm 16:5).
jillbeingstill 