What's going on?

I am in tears as I write.

A few words: 1 Tim 6:17: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."

But it is not the words themselves that made me cry.

It is that they appeared at the bottom of a sweet little blog post from one of these women who live beautiful lives in lovely homes.

No, not jealous. Just admiring of someone with better taste than I have who lives in a part of the world which affords elegant living space.

Melissa writes of finding "the balance between enjoying and living with what we love and having so much stuff that we can’t care for or appreciate what we already have." She reminds that "God provides wonderful things in life for our enjoyment and we can find delight in living with His gifts and reminders of His own creative example....I want to embrace a beautiful life, whatever that might look like in this season of life, as a gift from God.
Amidst the trials or struggles we have faced or will undoubtedly face down the road, it is the beautiful things that should remind us that He is good, all the time.
And best of all, beautiful things we find around us now can be a glimpse of the even more beautiful life in store for us when we place our hope in Him."

She tagged her post home, imperfection but actually it is really about appreciation and thankfulness.

So why do I cry?

I cry because the day before - a few hours, in the evening before - this post arrived in my mailbox, we memorised "I will not trust in my riches, but in God who so richly provides": Andy Stanley's take on  "not to...put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us"  We're listening to a series of his on...1 Timothy 6.

And no, it is NOT the words - though I suspect they will be with me all my life, as I strive to put my trust COMPLETELY in God. My tears are in gratitude to a God who shows he loves me by taking any opportunity to talk to me - over and over again - through His Word.

Value

Hmmm - I didn't expect to be jotting down any thoughts this morning when, out of the blue, a verse thumped me. Hard.
A few minutes after I'd read a post from Holley Gerth about value, I turned to my daily reading.
Luke 16: 15.
"He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight."

And to think I always read this as just being about money. *sigh

Because of course it isn't. It IS about money and material possessions, but also about ownership and achievement. Position and progress. Rights and reputation. My whole life.

As I wrestle with bringing to an end a (formerly close and trusting) relationship - not my wish, this longing-for-reconciliation-and-healing-oriented-girl - I write and rewrite a (hopefully) healing email.

Would I like to receive these words? I ponder as I write, and wait, and revisit, and pray, and wait...wait to send my response and bring closure. Forgiveness and puzzlement and hurt and betrayal and love and desire-for-healing-whatever-that-might-look-like jostle in my heart.

As thoughts and feelings wrestle and scream, demanding my attention, I realise that my desire for other people's value has brought me pain.

The desire to receive value from my former friends.

Recognition.

Affirmation.

Approval.

Appreciation.

Support.

Acceptance.

Love.

Trust.

Reputation.

So as I struggle with feelings of disapproval, rejection, betrayal, criticism and denial of my worth, I realise that no amount of words or actions will heal my aching heart.

Because if I value any of the (very good, God-given) 'things' in my life above God, then they must be detestable in God's sight.

For he says:

"You are to worship no other gods before me—My presence is enough." Deuteronomy 5:7, The Voice.

No wonder that I am struggling. I am asking God to restore me when I am looking in the wrong place.

So I recognise my sin. I beg His forgiveness, so readily given in Jesus. I surrender my desires and look to Him.

Because He loves me. He gives me value. He is enough.

As Holley says: "dare to accept that what Jesus says about you is genuine–that you a treasure, of great worth, a woman with infinite value. No matter what anyone says. No matter what you’ve done. No matter how you feel.
It’s true."

I am precious in his sight, and that is all that really matters.

Wow.

Isaiah 35

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.

 Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
 say to those with fearful hearts,
    “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you.”

 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
    and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams in the desert.
 The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
    grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

 And a highway will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
     and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

New Wine Rewind...

New Wine Guernsey last weekend, longed-for and looked-forward to. A weekend of worship and teaching and renewal. Bliss.
Everyone's experience is different. Some liked one speaker more than another. Some would have preferred more 'old' songs, some wanted still more new ones. Some wouldn't have gone forward for prayer even if wild horses had dragged them (in which case, surely they would? How could you resist?) while others leapt at every prayer ministry opportunity.
I imagine that we all took something different away from the weekend, too.
This was what stayed in my heart:
Not my strength.
Emily Freeman, in Chatting at the Sky, says: It seems to me when I finally recognize my inability is when Christ shows up able within me.
The theme of the weekend was Power from on High.
How often do we subscribe to this, saying something like: "Yes, God, send more of your spirit, more power, Lord...etc etc."
And how often do we add, subconsciously, unaware: "...to add to my already quite impressive self - MY strengths and capabilities."
We think God is in the business of topping up an almost full jar instead of filling to overflowing an empty one.
Ha.
We avoid emptiness, because emptiness is an unpleasant feeling.

During the weekend, there was much emphasis on unity. Unity dependent on good relationships, friendship, godly affection. Agreed.
There was talk of receiving the power of the Holy Spirit: of faith, expectation. Oh yes.

In the middle of this, a few verses and thoughts slipped in, dominating my soul, then and now.

THIRSTY. "“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive." John 7:37 - 39

HELPED. "I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!" John 14:16 - 17
I remembered some old truths:
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A GENTLEMAN. There is no forced take over;  no sweeping away - unless I ask for it with a truly humble spirit; no invasion of my jealously guarded privacy.
THERE HAS TO BE ROOM FOR ANOTHER PERSON IN MY LIFE. If my life is just full of 'me', how can there be room for Him? The more preoccupied I am with myself, my thoughts, my desires, my demands, the less I am available to the Holy Spirit.

WEAK. As I pondered the loads I carry which the Helper could help me bear - work attitudes, relationship problems, future worries - I realised that I had been ignoring the Spirit's help and struggling on in my own strength.
Ridiculous. How can I even think about living out Jesus' example in my own strength? The demands of being a disciple are simply too big too accomplish on my own. If the first friends of Jesus struggled before the Holy Spirit came in power, then I shouldn't even think of trying it.
"... the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." (Romans 8:26) Or, as the Message puts it: "He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves..."

As the speaker reminded us of the work of the Spirit: the power of God - I realised how foolish  I am to do anything in my own strength. I need help beyond myself - for physical healing, for broken relationships, for forgiveness, for living...

And as I live with tension - aiming for the perfection of the Kingdom while living in the problems of the present - I need to remember that I CAN'T live this life well in my own strength, but only when I am humble enough to admit my need, come to Jesus and ask for God's power and peace.

Because, if we STAY HUMBLE and HUNGRY, there isn't anything God can't do through us.

As Peter says: "Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8 - 9, The Message)

NOT DIFFICULT - IN HIS, NOT MY, STRENGTH.

The most quoted verse of the Bible summarized and explained

The Most Quoted Verse of the Bible For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. — John 3:16 (NIV) If we ever memorize a verse of Scripture, it will most likely be John 3:16. It is the verse most often heard in the simplicity and beauty of a little child’s voice proudly reciting it from memory. John 3:16 is the one verse showing up on large placards at football games and other major sporting events. Those signs are located where television cameras cannot avoid its message. This is the one verse that has been spoken by many older saints as they breathed their final breath. John 3:16 is the entire gospel in a nutshell. Angel Martinez, the late evangelist who had memorized the entire New Testament, referred to John 3:16 as salvation’s formula and observed that it contained four very insightful truths. It is the gospel in one verse. John 3:16 reveals to us salvation’s cause, its cost, its condition, and its consequence. Salvation's Cause “For God so loved the world” The motivating factor behind God’s redemptive plan for every man and woman is His love for us. He not only loves us, He so loves us! Later, the apostle Paul sought to describe this love by speaking of its “breadth, and length, and depth, and height” (Ephesians 3:18, KJV), “God is love” (1 John 4:16), and this deep emotion is what brings about the possibility of our redemption; knowing Him in the intimate relationship of Father and child. God’s love for you is the motivating cause of salvation. “For God so loved . . .” Salvation's Cost “that He gave His only begotten Son” Our salvation, the free pardoning of our sin, and the promise of abundant and eternal life in Christ did not come without cost. Freedom is never free; it is always bought with blood. From the early chapters of Genesis, there is a scarlet thread woven throughout the pages of Scripture revealing the blood atonement. It climaxes in the final and complete sacrifice for sin on a Roman cross outside the city gates of Jerusalem. Jesus not only spoke of His love for us, “but God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Our salvation in Christ came at a great cost: God “gave His only begotten Son.” Salvation's Condition “that whoever believes in Him” Salvation is not spelled “d-o,” but “d-o-n-e.” Many people, however, think their own good works are the pathway to eternal life. Consequently, they do this or do that, or they don’t do this or don’t do that, all in order to earn salvation. But our salvation is done. It is already purchased for us with the blood of Christ on the cross. Our part is to believe, to transfer our trust from ourselves and our own efforts to His finished work on the cross of Calvary. To believe does not mean to simply give intellectual assent to the claims of Christ. It means to transfer our trust to Him alone for our salvation. The most pointed question in the entire Bible is asked of the apostle Paul by a Philippian jailer: “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Paul’s immediate reply follows in the next verse: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” I believe in George Washington, but I don’t believe on him; I don’t trust my life to him. Salvation’s condition is through faith—and faith alone—in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation's Consequence “should not perish but have everlasting life” What a consequence! What a promise! Those without Christ are perishing, but those in Christ have the eternal promise of “everlasting life.” This comes not from our own human efforts, morals, or good deeds, but the promise is to those who realize that God’s love reaches down to us, was made possible through the payment of Christ, and is received by grace through faith alone; believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. An unknown, yet wise old sage once explained John 3:16 like this: For God . . . the greatest Lover so loved . . . the greatest degree the world . . . the greatest company that He gave . . . the greatest act His only begotten Son . . . the greatest gift that whoever . . . the greatest opportunity believes . . . the greatest simplicity in Him . . . the greatest attraction should not perish . . . the greatest promise but . . . the greatest difference have . . . the greatest certainty everlasting life . . . the greatest possession. As you memorize John 3:16, this old and oft-repeated verse, meditate on the fact that love is always something you do and remember that “God so loved the world that He gave.” Yes, God knows you, loves you, and has a wonderful plan for your life. * * * Your Turn: Throughout the month of April we have been featuring devotions on the  "Most-Read Verses of the Bible," according to Biblegateway.com. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that John 3:16 is the most-searched Bible verse, with nearly 1 million more views per year than the next most popular verse, Jeremiah 29:11.  If you were to list out your own most-read Bible verses, which verses would make your favorites lists? Leave a comment on our blog and let us know your favorite scripture. ~ Devotionals Daily

The Fruits of the Spirit - beautifully explained

Reposting this brilliant little explanation of the fruits of the spirit from Devotionals Daily - link at the bottom of the page. The Fruit of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. — Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) Fruit is the delectable product of that which is created by the inner life of the vine. On the eve of the Crucifixion, the Lord Jesus put it thus: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Earlier on a Galilean hillside, He had said, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). The fruit we bear as believers is evidence of His abiding on the throne of our lives. At first glance, there appears to be a grammatical error in this verse. Note carefully: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . .” The truth is that the fruit of the Spirit is love. Love, period. The nine fruits listed here are a cluster describing the evidence of the life of Christ within us. The fruit is singular here because it is the outcropping of one’s life within. The fruit represents what we are rather than what we do. Here we are reintroduced to the principle of being before doing. What we do is determined by who, or whose, we really are! The fruit described in Galatians is a triad: three clusters with three fruits each. They are reflected in a countenance that is obvious, conduct that is orderly, and a character that is obedient. A COUNTENANCE THAT IS OBVIOUS “love, joy, peace” Certain individuals seem to have a countenance of love, joy, and peace. The word translated “love” here is agape, God’s own love. This is the highest level of love, the kind that always seeks the other’s highest good. It is the same word we found back in the John 3:16 statement that “God so loved the world.” It is no coincidence that love is first on the list of nine pieces of fruit here. It is the fountain of all others. Everything good issues out of God’s love. Next comes joy. It is the inner joy of Christ that reveals itself through our very countenance. This is the joy spoken of by Christ to His disciples on His last night in their presence: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). If ever there were an attribute deserving of a place next to love, it is joy. Peace makes up this triad of characteristics that are obvious in the countenance of the Spirit-controlled believer. Inner peace is God’s very special gift to us. Again, on the evening before His death on the cross, Jesus speaks these words: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). When we are abiding in the Spirit, the natural outcome is love, joy, and peace. It becomes obvious in our very countenance. A CONDUCT THAT IS ORDERLY “longsuffering, kindness, goodness” Longsuffering is synonymous with patience. This translates from a compound word in Greek meaning “far from anger.” This type of conduct, which is virtually void of a spirit of retaliation, cannot be worked up. It is produced from within. In our fast-paced, self-seeking world, patience does not seem to be in high demand. Like all the others in this cluster of fruit, longsuffering arises from love. Love’s greatest triumph is not always in what love does but—more often than not—in what love refrains from doing. The conduct of one who is abiding in Christ is also characterized by kindness. This same Greek word appears in the Ephesian epistle: “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). Since Christ shows His kindness to us and He abides within us, we are to pass this kindness on to others in a conduct that is orderly. Paul then introduced the fruit of goodness. Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). There is a genuine sense of goodness about those who are abiding in Christ and being controlled by His Spirit. This orderly conduct is seen in the lives of many who have come to Christ. Where once they may have been impatient, now they have supernatural patience. Where once they were self-centered, now they show kindness toward others. Where once they may have been self-seeking, now their actions are characterized by goodness. A CHARACTER THAT IS OBEDIENT  “faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” What better could be said of someone than that he or she is characterized by faithfulness to God! Jesus reminded us that “he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). When we live a life of faithfulness, there is something inherent about it that strengthens our own sense of self-worth. Another fruit that issues out of the abiding life in Christ is gentleness. This is the same word we translate “meek” in Matthew 5:5. On the surface it sounds a bit weak. However, it is one of the strongest character traits that can exist. The word picture is of a stallion that has been domesticated. Or, as the cowboys here in Texas would say, “The horse has been broken.” Once it was a bucking bronco and now it has a gentleness about it. This Greek word speaks of power on a leash. It describes an animal that has come under the control of a master. Gentleness is the natural outflow of that life within. Finally, we come to the last piece of fruit in our cluster— self-control. It is impossible to achieve the highest level of self-control apart from God’s abiding Spirit within us. Self- control does not come by the outworking of mere fleshly energy and effort. Like all the rest of the fruit, self-control is the outcropping of the life of the Holy Spirit within us. When we come to know Christ as a personal Savior, the Father sends the Holy Spirit not only to seal us, indwell us, and fill us, but also to produce fruit through us. Your Turn But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. — Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) Memorize this verse and meditate on a few questions: What about my countenance? Do others see love, joy, and peace in me? What about my conduct? Are patience, kindness, and goodness characteristic of who I am? What about my character? Do I exhibit faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? The fruit of the Spirit is love! Allow Christ’s love to reign and rule in you and through you today. Being comes before doing, for what we do is always determined by who we are. * * * Please feel free to share your thoughts on today's devotional in the comments section of our blog. ~ Devotionals Daily

Just another email...?

It was just another email from one of the blogs I subscribe to. I was whizzing through my inbox, trying to clear just a little of the backlog before I left for work: speedreading at its best.
I'd just read one from Ed's series on 'Doing Justice', on the work of a Dutch woman with children in the Philippines. I'd been reflecting on living to do God's work, on being part of His Kingdom and what that might look like for us in the next few years as we face illness/change/moving home/retirement...certainties, probabilities and possibilities all mixed in confusingly together.
My mind jerked from missions overseas to a story of a second marriage. Huh?
Yet as I skimmed down, the words tore into my heart and I started to weep as I read a remarkable story of a woman's faithfulness to keep a promise she had made (to try to have another child) and God's provision through that faithfulness against the odds:
"After surgery we waited for the stick to turn blue…never did. Thinking it might be due to my thyroid, I made a doctor’s appointment and discovered that my cancer had returned and it was creeping way too close to my esophagus. Surgery, radiation and four years later… gave birth to a son.

Had I not kept the promise, the cancer may not have been found in time.

Had I not kept the promise to try, we would not have our son – now 12.

Had I not kept the promise, my arms would have ached to hold a child when my daughter died, so my arms were constantly hovering over my son…(he was not nearly as thrilled about hugs as I was!)

God honored my promise to try by giving us a child, healing my disease, and providing comfort.

God made promises to us all through His Word.

He has and will keep…Every. Single. One.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11

He promises to provide our every need. He promises to comfort, to give us peace and a future. He promises that He will never flood the earth again. He promises us eternal life with Him when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. There are over 3000 promises in the Bible…and what if God chose to not fulfill even one of those promises? Hard to imagine, isn’t it?

We should make our promises carefully. There are promises I’m sure I’ve made to God and to family and friends that I have not kept through the years…and He’s given me tremendous grace.

As you know, making a promise is giving our word. That’s exactly what God did as He breathed promise after promise into the Bible…He gave HIS WORD to us."

And so I come across Jeremiah 29:11/ A promise. (And an added bonus: I was reflecting on God's promise to never flood the earth again, too, as I had taught the story to 8 year olds the day before.)

Plans. Purposes. Promises.

FAITH.

Christmas Stories - heartwarming tales of angels, a manger and the birth of hope: by Max Lucado

I was thrilled to receive this collection of Max Lucado's writings through Booksneeze - for free, but Max lucado's books are ALWAYS worth purchasing. This one is no exception. It makes for charming Christmas reading - at any time of the year. Because `Christmas commemorates God's most uncommon decision to come commonly'. (Think about it.)

Max Lucado unpacks the extraordinary events which happened to ordinary people. A peasant girl. A carpenter. Shepherds. And to the slightly far out - the astrologers. A fresh look, a new retelling - this book helps us see a familiar, a `common' story, through opened eyes.

There is the story of the candlemaker visited by an angel with an uncommon gift.  The man who believed that one of his neighbours was the Messiah - and started treating them as if they were. The account of a baby, borrowed from a manger scene, which brought restoration and hope to a family. The wayward daughter, the faithful father who brought his daughter home with love. The carpenter who wanted to give a gift to God - so he did. An angel's reflections on an incredible mission. Poetic retellings of a timeless story: allegories and reflections on the marvellous gift of Jesus.  Snippets and snatches from Max Lucado's wonderful books which made me smile and cry and gaze thoughtfully into a space inhabited by angels and people and God's love.

Max Lucado does not disappoint - except that many of the excerpts which make up this collection are tantalising tastes of a feast to be found in many of his other books.

Don't pack this book away with the ornaments. Keep it by your bed. Let it call to you whenever your soul needs a little extra feeding.

Grace - Broken, Living, Grace

Grace. One of my 'words' to live by this year. My actual word was kindness, but I can't do that without doing and being and obeying Grace.

I remembered my 'word' afresh when reading Ed's blog recommendations this week, and was reminded of the beautifully evocative words of Ann Voskamp.
She's writing about abortion, but says:
"When we’re all about the best looking good instead of the broken living grace, some don’t think they can take the shame. Some take an appointment. We can shame a woman for getting pregnant and we can shame her for aborting that baby but it’s shame for sin that bullies into further sin and what if instead of shaming, we weren’t ashamed of the Gospel of extravagant Grace?"

The broken living grace.

Isn't it easy just to try to look good all the time? To hide faults and failures and mistakes and misdemeanours and just pretend pretend pretend I'm better than you? 

A couple of weeks ago a woman I know - in church - came to apologise - in church - for her distance/unfriendliness/offences. She'd realised there was an awkwardness between us.

I'd just thought she was being unfriendly.

I had stuffed the problem away, doing the 'vague friendly smile which doesn't mean anything but ticks the social box'. Pretending. Trying to Look Good as best I could instead of extending Living Grace from my Brokenness.

She hadn't meant to offend me.

I had been unfriendly too, in reaction. But as we talked, who knew who had offended first? The whole situation wasn't even 'about us', but had arisen out of other circumstances and difficulties. Our individual responses to those outside issues had coloured our inward selves and poisoned our relationship.

Misunderstandings, miscommunication... it might have become ugly.

She had the grace to approach me first.

Oh, the temptation. To say 'ohnothere'snothingwrong - youmustbeimaginingit'. To give in to that ever strong desire to hide behind the appearance of perfection.To let the pull of denial send her away quickly to feel bad about herself. 

I took courage to admit she was right. I acknowledged my fault. So did she.

We wiped clean a smeary teary slate.

Broken Living Grace.

And so we shamed sin (our unloving attitudes) and prevented it from bullying into further sin by choosing the Jesus way of honesty and forgiveness. Choosing grace.

Interestingly, today I have also read about love here from Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment, and from Devotionals Daily:

True Love Puts Others First

Love is patient, love is kind... It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. — 1 Corinthians 13:4–5... What is the opposite of love? It isn't hate (although it may take that form). The opposite of love is selfishness. When a husband and wife  (or, if I may add, two friends/acquaintances/colleagues/neighbours/church members) are concerned only about their own individual desires, the stage is set for conflict. The Bible gives us another way—the way of Christ. True love, it says, is self-giving, not self-seeking. True love puts the needs of others first. This is what Christ did when He left Heaven’s glory and came down to earth for us. Begin a new page in your marriage by asking Christ to become the center of your life—and your marriage. Questions for today: What is your response to "The opposite of love is selfishness"? In what ways can you make Christ the center today? We'd love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts in the comments section on our blog. ~ Devotionals Daily Best is Love. and Grace.

Names of God...

I was trying to remember the names of God the other evening, when we were taking part in the 24-7 prayer room at a neighbouring church. (A wonderful experience - so calm and peaceful, time flew by.)
So I found them here.
Jehovah - The Lord - Exodus 6:2-3
Jehovah-Adon Kal Ha'arets- Lord of All the Earth - Joshua 3:13
Jehovah-Bara - Lord Creator - Isaiah 40:28
Jehovah-Chatsahi - Lord my Strength - Psalm 27:1
Jehovah-Chereb - Lord the Sword - Deuteronomy 33:29
Jehovah-Eli - Lord my God - Psalm 18:2
Jehovah-Elyon - Lord Most High - Psalm 38:2
Jehovah-Gador Milchamah - Mighty in Battle - Ps 24:8
Jehovah-Ganan - Lord Our Defense - Psalm 89:18
Jehovah-Go'el - Lord My Redeemer - Isaiah 49:26, 60:16
Jehovah-Hamelech - Lord King - Psalm 98:6
Jehovah-Hashopet - Lord My Judge - Judges 6:27
Jehovah-Helech 'Olam - Lord King Forever - Psalm10:16
Jehovah-Hoshe'ah - Lord Saves - Psalm 20:9
Jehovah-Jireh - The Lord Will See To It - Genesis 22:14
Jehovah-Kabodhi - Lord my Glory - Psalm 3:3
Jehovah-Kanna - Lord Jealous - Exodus 34:14
Jehovah-Keren-Yish'i - Horn of Salvation - Ps 18:2
Jehovah-Machsi - Lord my Refuge - Psalm 91:9
Jehovah-Magen - Lord my Shield - Deuteronomy 33:29
Jehovah-Ma'oz - Lord my Fortress - Jeremiah 16:19
Jehovah-Mephalti - Lord my Deliverer - Psalm 18:2
Jehovah-Metshodhathi - Lord my Fortress - Psalm 18:2
Jehovah-Misqabbi - Lord my High Tower - Psalm 18:2
Jehovah-M'gaddishcem - Lord my Sanctifier - Exodus 31:13
Jehovah-Naheh - Lord who Smites - Ezekiel 7:9
Jehovah-Nissi - The Lord is My Banner - Exodus 17:15
Jehovah-Rohi - The Lord is My Shepherd - Psalm 23:1
Jehovah-Rapha - The Lord is My Healer - Isaiah 53:4,5
Jehovah-Sabaoth - Lord of Hosts - I Kingdoms (I Samuel) 1:3
Jehovah-Sel'i - Lord my Rock - Psalm 18:2
Jehovah-Shalom - The Lord is Peace - Isaiah 9:6
Jehovah-Shammah - The Lord is Present - Ezekiel 48:35
Jehovah-Tsidkenu - The Lord is Righteousness - Jeremiah 23:6
Jehovah-Tsori - Lord my Strength - Psalm 19:14
Jehovah-Yasha - Lord my Savior - Isaiah 49:26
Jehovah-'Ez-Lami - Lord my Strength - Psalm 28:7
Jehovah-'Immeku - Lord Is With You - Judges 6:12
Jehovah-'Izoa Hakaboth - Lord Strong -Mighty - Psalm 24:8
Jehovah-'Ori - Lord my Light - Psalm 27:1
Jehovah-'Uzam - Lord is My Strength When in Trouble - Isaiah 49:26