Little Talks with Jesus: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart…" (Deu...

Little Talks with Jesus: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart…" (Deu...: 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 wor...

"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

Little Talks with Jesus: Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27)

Little Talks with Jesus: Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27): Have you ever noticed storms never bothered Jesus? (Matthew 8:23-26 AMP) “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And ...

Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27)

Have you ever noticed storms never bothered Jesus?

(Matthew 8:23-26 AMP) “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping. And the disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we are going to die!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”

Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was [at once] a great and wonderful calm [a perfect peacefulness]. The men wondered in amazement, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Then another time (Matthew 14: 22-27 AMP):“Immediately He (Jesus) directed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], while He sent the crowds away.  After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was there alone.  But the boat [by this time] was already a long distance from land, tossed and battered by the waves; for the wind was against them.  And in the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 a.m.) Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.”

Jesus is never surprised or intimidated about our storms. He just spoke to storms and walked on them.

However; we do seem to allow them to bother us. Let’s continue with Matthew 14: 27-33. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately He spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid!”

Peter replied to Him, “Lord, if it is [really] You, command me to come to You on the water.” 

He said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw [the effects of] the wind, he was frightened, and he began to sink, and he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus extended His hand and caught him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those in the boat worshiped Him [with awe-inspired reverence], saying, “Truly, You are the Son of God!”

We all go through storms. The question is; when the storms come, where is our focus? As long as Peter kept his focus on Jesus he remained safe. The moment Peter looked at the storm he began to sink.

I found a key change over the Christmas holidays for Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP) which says, “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].”

Learning to trust Jesus in our storms can be difficult because we continually focus on the storm, the verdict, the diagnosis, another person causing the problem, etc. I want to encourage you to keep your focus on Jesus, not your situation. Call out to Him as Peter did. Hear Him say, "Come!" Then trust Him to take your hand and walk with you through the storm.

He loves you and He is trustworthy.

It is a good idea to seek Him before you run into storms. Then your relationship of trust will have begun growing and you will know where to turn.  Otherwise it’s like trying to catch the boat in the middle of the storm not knowing where to look.

Blessings on your day!

Karen

Little Talks with Jesus: Little Talks with Jesus: A merry heart does good l...

Little Talks with Jesus: Little Talks with Jesus: A merry heart does good l...: Little Talks with Jesus: A merry heart does good like a medicine (Proverbs ... : “A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes he...

Little Talks with Jesus: A merry heart does good like a medicine (Proverbs ...

Little Talks with Jesus: A merry heart does good like a medicine (Proverbs ...: “A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17: 22 AMP) Duri...

A merry heart does good like a medicine (Proverbs 17:22).

“A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17: 22 AMP)

During this Christmas season many people suffer from depression because of illnesses, the death of a loved one and many other reasons.

As I was meditating on this hoping to give a promising word from God, He reminded me of an article I read several years ago. I do not remember the name or the author of the article, but it was the story of a man who had cancer and was given four weeks to live. His doctors told him to go home and prepare to die.

He was bedridden and depressed. One day he decided that if he were going to die he wanted to go out laughing.

He made a decision. He loved watching Laurel and Hardy movies and the Three Stooggies.  So, he bought all of these he could find. Anytime he was not sleeping, he was watching these programs and laughing out loud.. He filled his mind with laughter. At the end of four weeks the man walked out of his house healed.

The article did not say whether the man was a believer or not. However; I have learned that God’s word is true and it works for believers and non-believer, just like the law of gravity.

This man made a vital choice. It is based on Philippians 4:8 (AMP), “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].”

As you spend time with the Lord today I would like to encourage you to sit in His presence. Ask Him to wrap His loving arms around you. Then meditate on His goodness, His blessings and the very fact that He loves you more than you can even imagine. You are accepted in Christ. Lay in His arms as a lover lies in the arms of his beloved. Continually tell yourself that God really loves you, just as you are. You are accepted not because of what you can or have done, but because God has chosen to love you. Take some time today to rejoice, laugh and enjoy this day that the Lord has made. It is His gift to you. Amen!

Blessings on your day!

Karen