“You’re all together lovely” Song of Songs 4:7

In studying Song of Songs I have begun to understand that the Lord Jesus says I am worthy to receive Him and all He has. He chose me before time began.

In Colossians 1:13 I’ve learned that the moment I accepted Jesus as my savior, He brought me into His Kingdom as His bride.

As I learned in the book of Esther, I have to prepare myself to come before the King. When I first arrived into the Kingdom I did not understand that the economy of heaven is faith and the power of His Kingdom is love. I had much to learn.

When Jesus first brought me into His Kingdom He hid me in the clefts of the rock, Himself, His secret place. This is the place where I find His peace, His joy and His love. It is the place that I learned just how magnificent He is and began to fall in love with Him. (Psalm 91:1)

As I partook of Communion I learned that this is a rehearsal for our Wedding Banquet to remember Him and His vows to me. You see, at this point we are married although the marriage has not been consummated.

He has placed His banner of love over me because He has bought me with His love. (John 3:16)

However; there are times when I do not see or feel His presence. He’s promised me He will never leave me, not forsake me. But, where is He? Things can get hard and dark, especially when it’s the dark night of my soul. I continue to search for my beloved.

Chapter 3 shows me I am in a time of testing. How will I respond to the hard times? Will I continue to believe He is near me? Or will I turn back to the ways of the world? Have these hard times choked my love for my beloved?

Jesus hides and waits in anticipation of my response.

The Shulamite woman teaches me to continue searching. She seeks the religious leaders (the watchmen), and local people, the self-help groups, preachers, “Have you seen my beloved?”

As I search, Jesus continues to expound upon how He loves me and thinks I am beautiful in every way. My lips are kissable. I am His desire.

As I remember Him I only speak words of kindness as my words are producing the Fruit of His Spirit in me. (Galatians 5:22-23). As I speak His love-words it reminds Him of Himself. “Ah! She is becoming more like Me.”

My response to these trials become my testimony. Revelation 12:11 tells me that I overcome the devil by the blood of Jesus and the word of my testimony.

Jesus sees me as flawless, perfect in every way. Worthy of His eternal love.

He has qualified me by calling me His sister and His spouse. I've been changed into His new creation. I am now of royal blood, His own DNA. It no longer matters who my natural parents were. It doesn’t matter if I was born on the wrong side of the sheets, the wrong side of the tracks, the right side of the sheets or the right side of the tracks,  I am now born anew in the Kingdom of God and have become joint heirs with Jesus Christ. I’ve taken on His love-identity producing the Fruit of His Spirit.

Now that I know Whose I am, the persecution begins. The devil has gone to war against me. This often comes from the religious people, the ones who persecuted Jesus. 

"She is too spiritually minded to be of any earthly good. Who does she think she is? I know where she came from. She's no better than I am. God can't use someone like her."

But the Shulamite woman shows me how to stand. She begins to remind herself of her beloved. She sets her affections on Him. "He is radiant, the greatest over all the others, He is all together lovely. He smells like the sweet prayers of the saints. His eyes are like doves, and His heart is as pure as ivory overlaid with sapphires." She declares, “This is my beloved and He is mine.” 

We are becoming one.

In Chapter 6 Jesus tells me that He could choose anyone He wanted; queens, second wives or many maidens, but He chooses me over all the others. Then He continues in chapter 7 expounding upon how beautiful I am, His bride. He thinks I am gorgeous.

This is how He thinks of you as well. Believe Him when He says,"You are beautiful, My darling. There are no flaws in you."

By now, I am so in love with Jesus that I cry, “Set me as a seal upon Your heart…for love is as strong as death.” True love is forever.

No matter who you are or how sinful you have been, Jesus is still calling you to be His own. He is waiting on you to make Him your choice. He has already chosen you. If you have said yes, will you prepare yourself to be His bride?

Be encouraged in the Lord Jesus today. Experience His magnificent love. You will never be the same. Amen!

Blessings on your day!

Karen
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"Love the Lord your God with all your heart…" (Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27)

If we can keep the first two commandments, Jesus says we keep all the commandments. The first thing we need to understand is that the word Love used here is not the understanding we westerners mean when we say love.

This is Agape, or the God kind of love. This love is described in both 1 Corinthians 13, and Galatians 5:22-23.

Look at Galatians 5:22-23 (NET) "The fruit of the Spirit is love; joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

This is how God treats us and it is how we are to treat others as we are filled and led by His Holy Spirit.

Let’s put it in the vernacular: Give each other some slack! This includes God and ourselves.

I find the hardest person to give some slack to is myself. I also realized I have a hard time giving God the same.

The word says that, “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)

This is the by-product of being patient with God. I can tell when I am not “loving God“ this way. I get tired, weary and want to give up.

I am so thankful that He never gives up on me.

Thank You Jesus for Your everlasting love and that nothing can ever separate us from Your love. Amen!

Blessings on your day! 

Karen

The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23)

This morning the Lord woke me to this Psalm encouraging me to read it in other translations. This one is from the Contemporary English Version. I encourage you to read it out loud.

“You, LORD (JESUS), are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life.

You are true to Your name, and You lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and Your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe.

You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in Your house, Lord.”

It is all about learning to put our total trust is Jesus knowing His ability and will is to take care of us.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (CEV) instructs us, “With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not (trust) your own judgment. Always allow Him to lead you and He will clear the road for you to follow.”

We have been taught, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” When we do this we are trying to make ourselves our god.

To learn to trust God in every area of our life takes renewing our minds to God’s ways of doing things. We do this by following Matthew 6:33, more than anything else seek God and His presence first. Listen for His instruction. This is His righteousness. Then the other things will come to us when we do what He says no matter how strange it may sound.

Recently I was seeking Him on a matter I thought needed an immediate answer. He replied with, “Wait upon the Lord.” I had peace in Christ and I let it go. When and if I need to respond on this matter, I am trusting He will let me know and then I will act on it.

As you join in communion with Christ today, rejoice in His love and care. No matter what happens or how hopeless things may seem, allow Jesus to walk with you through your darkness or shadow that looks like death. It is only a shadow when Christ is with you. Amen!

Blessings on your day!

Karen

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39)

Romans 8:38 begins with “I am convinced…” Convinced: means to be completely certain about something. When we are convinced about something, nothing will change our mind.

“For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 AMP)

Recently we buried a beloved aunt. She was always kind and her faith was steadfast, no matter what she went through. I miss her, but my memories of her are precious and reassuring that I will see her again one day.

Her grandson preached her funeral from Romans 8:38 reminding us that if we belong to God through Jesus the Christ, then nothing will ever separate us from our love-relationship with our loving Father.

God’s love reaches each of us through the cross of Christ. This love is unfathomable and can only be received through believing in Jesus and the finished work He accomplished on the cross. (John 3:16-18) It is never-ending. He never withdraws His love because we mess up. He loves us because He chooses to love us, not because we are good enough.

If you are in need of love today, Jesus’ love will fill you in ways no man or woman can. Just ask Him.

If you already know Him, take some time and ask Him to fill you with more of His love. Sometimes we just need a special hug from someone who loves us to remind us that we are loved.

His unearned love is freely offered to everyone who will believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

If you do not know Jesus as your savior, I encourage you to invite Him into your heart and celebrate the eternal love-life He gives you when you receive Him as Savior.

Communion is like that. It is when we take time to communicate with the lover of our soul. We love on Him as He loves on us.

Blessings on your day!

Karen

Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord is my Banner (Exodus 17:15)

This morning we meet God as Jehovah Nissi. 

This name of God is first introduced in Exodus 17:15, “And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner”.

Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word “Havah” meaning "to be," "to exist," and suggests "to become" or specifically "to become known." He never changes and He wants us to know Him by name. (See Psalm 91:14)

 The Lord is my banner probably referred to lifting up of the rod of God as their standard, believing the presence and power of Jehovah would go before them in battle with the conviction that the Lord God would given them the victory.

In Psalm 91:2 “…the Lord is my refuge (banner),” we learn we are covered by El Shaddai and we declare and decree the battle is won because God is our Jehovah Nissi, our banner. 

Banner also means standard or rallying point. This is a military term. The definition of standard is the morals, ethics, and acceptable behavior established by those having authority. 

When we go to battle we align ourselves with the standards of God always remembering who we are fighting, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.” (Ephesians 6:12 AMP)

In the Song of Songs 2:4 (AMP) God tells me that “He has brought me to His banqueting table,

And His banner over me is love [waving overhead to protect and comfort me].”

Jehovah Nissi is the One we go to as our place of refuge, our hiding place.

Do you need protection, comforting, direction and love today? Go into the secret place, the presence of God, and call on Jehovah Nissi. (See John 14:26, the characteristics of the Holy Spirit)

Rrejoice in communion today as you come to His banqueting table because Jesus has given us complete access to our God as Jehovah Nissi. Amen!

Blessings on your day!

Karen