“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Matthew 22:37 (GNT)

So, this is Father’s Day, and although my “dad” passed some 21 years ago, I still think of him with memories that are indelibly marked in my heart and mind. He was an amazingly kind, loving, and compassionate dad.  I was his ‘baby girl’ even as he walked me down the aisle over forty years ago.

Later, during the reception of my wedding he hugged me as whispered in my ear, “You will always be my little girl, I will be here for you the rest of my life. You may have become a wife today, but you’ll always be my little girl. Don’t ever forget that.”  I never did, up until he left this world.

God gave me the gift of life, and blessed me with a wonderful adoring dad, and mother.

I am so happy knowing he is with my Abba Father right this moment. My dad…whom I loved and always will…is with the Great I AM!

Gifts from above, all center around “love,” and love is what Jesus commanded us to fulfill, “love them as I have loved you.”  John 15:12

He sent His Son to die for us and our sins, and to set us free.  He wanted us to be cleansed and to join Him forever and not to be separated by ugly sin.

Salvation, and eternal rewards when we’re called home.

Wow!  Now, that is what I call LOVE!

So, my LORD above, “Happy Father’s Day!”  You are the most amazing Father in this Universe, and I acknowledge there is none like You anywhere.  You are my Abba Father, whom I’ll love, cherish worship and adore forever and always.

And Lord, thank you for my dad!  He was all the things a dad was supposed to be, and really so much more.  Can you tell him, “Hello” for me? And tell him, “I love him?”

Today in celebration of you Abba Father, and Your unparalleled love… I lift my hands up high and say, “Praise You LORD for all You’ve done in my life, I couldn’t have done any of it without You!”

And to my earth dad, “Thank you, for all you’ve done, all the days of my life, from birth until your very last breath.  I love you daddy, and I always will. Until we meet again, enjoy being in the presence of the LORD!”

Amen!

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NJKV)

No matter how many times I’ve read Matthew 28:20 this important verse from Christ Himself, never ceases to uplift and fill me with love, and a deep abiding appreciation for my Savior.  “…And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

In God, we live, move and exist.

God is closer than we could imagine.

For those of us who have accepted Jesus as Saviour, we’ve become the dwelling place for The Holy Spirit.

God dwells within all His believers.

The fact that He is with us everywhere we go, in everything we do, or say, is monumentally overwhelming, when we take the time to really “grasp” the enormity of what it truly means!

He knows all of the things we are going to do or say, before we even know we’re going to do it or say it.

I’m sure many of you reading this, have said things that you’ve come to regret later on.  Something that just “escaped from your lips” and within seconds you groaned inwardly, and thought, “yikes, why did I say that?”

Guess what? God already knew you were going to say it, and He also knew that you were going to be upset and regret having said it.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God gave us a “clear indication” and/or warning that we were going to do or say something beforehand?

Maybe if he sent a text message or email once in a while… “Dear Beloved Child of Mine, on Monday afternoon at 1:14 pm, please don’t say anything, just keep your mouth safely closed during an encounter between you, your cousin, and co-worker. Trust me with this one.  With Lots of Love, God.”

Wouldn’t that be great? Huh? Well, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.  However, we already have something that’s close to an email or text from God, and that’s a discerning spirit.

We will usually make the right decisions with His guidance, and gentle nudging to walk the straight and narrow.  Not to say that we won’t fall short at times, because if we don’t, we wouldn’t have the strong connection with God, making us realize just “how much we really need Him in our lives.”  

And with each mistake, or wrong word, we grow innately closer to Him, and our spiritual roots become further entrenched in the soil of Christ’s foundation.

Knowing He is “right here” with us, right this very moment is powerful!

He is never away from any of us. NEVER!

He is next to me, and probably smiling as I exalt Him and promote His glory through my words and actions. Amen!

Remember this, God is never far from us, He is closer than we think. Not just today, or tomorrow…always.

And when we move on from this life, we will be with Him forever.

Now I ask you this, “How amazing is it to be a follower of the One and only true God?”

“Father, I know You are with me always, and I ask that You speak over those who don’t know You yet, that they would realize that You are present, here and now, and I pray that they would know Your glory, and Your love, and welcome You into their hearts, as I have welcomed You so long ago into mine, I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.”

Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm!

Jeremiah 32:17 

Sundays are a day of rest and quiet for us.  Although each day of the week is filled with meditation and thoughts and love for God, Sunday is an extra heaping of such, and greatly welcomed.

Irrespective of the way we choose to w0rship the LORD, with whatever “denomination” or “non-denomination” or affiliation we have or don’t have, it is always an honor and gift to proclaim His glory.

Filling up on the Word is one of the most satisfying ways of feeding our souls. The depth of satiation is apparent each time I finish “speaking” to the LORD and reading His Word.  Even while feeling “physical” pain, the transformation of self is evident when I submit to His Word and surrender to His will in all I do.

Taking time to be with Him is fundamentally one of the greatest gifts we can receive other than of course, our very salvation.  And without saying, His unconditional and unwavering love.

What an amazing God we serve, today and always.

Enjoy your Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!   Just remember that “any day” spent with the LORD is a good day indeed!

“Father, thank You for today, tomorrow and all the days of my life, I exalt You and praise You always, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Psalm 136:25

He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.

While out back this morning, I delighted in hearing the precious sounds of nature.  The perfumed garden provided delicious aromas to add to the sensational surroundings. Two chipmunks were frolicking about, three squirrels patiently waited for their “breakfast” and two beautiful Cardinals swooped down directly in front of me, and stared for what seemed like an eternity, in actuality it might have been about 30 seconds. It was a female and male Cardinal.

My soul immediately stirred with compassion and love for these precious creatures of God. I love God so much so, that all of His creatures fill my heart and soul to overflowing.

I know a lot of people of faith will say, God is everywhere.  And of course, He is.  But I wonder, how many really take the time to embrace all facets of this world (despite the ugliness that is going on at this time) and see, hear and acknowledge the pure beauty of God’s Magnificence.

The world is “noisy” troublesome and “chaotic.”

But have you ever noticed how “peaceful” God’s landscape is?

How melodic the birds are?

How regal and resplendent the Cardinal is?

It’s been said, look for God’s beauty all around you, irrespective of the “unrest” and uncertainty in this world.  But did you realize it doesn’t have to be found in a perfectly manicured backyard?  It can be a flower growing in the crack of a sidewalk peeking out from amidst the weeds surrounding it.

It can be a mud flower sitting majestically in the middle of muck and mire.

God is everywhere and there is nowhere that God is not!

He is the quintessential essence in which “we breathe” and which we exist.

He is the foundation upon which we walk.

He is the pinnacle of substantial heights of love within us all.

He is the “Great I AM” so great that it is impossible to measure.

His love is endless. It always was and always will be.

Just as He “always was and always will be” for all the ages, and for Eternity.

Look around and see if you can take notice of God’s splendor along the way, today, and every day.

I am in awe of Him and His prolific love.

Tomorrow morning when the “creatures begin their day,” and the Cardinals and other little ones come calling, I will rejoice and loudly proclaim, “How awesome is my God?”

Amen!

“Father, how grateful I am for all of Your creatures, for all of Your works, for Your relentless and unwavering love and protection, I just want to honor and love You, my precious LORD, today, tomorrow and always, may I always be in awe of You and acknowledge You in all I do, I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Psalm 145:15-17 The eyes of all creatures look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand, and You satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is fair in all His ways and faithful in everything He does.

Psalm 145:9-10 The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.

  For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timonthy 1:7 (ESV)

Phobias can truly paralyze individuals and hinder their full potential to actually “live.”   It can literally stop them in their tracks, and create havoc and mayhem in their lives, both physically, and emotionally.  It can stunt the growth of the Spirit and suffocate your very being.

An estimated 9.1% of Americans, more than 19 million people, have a specific phobia, and many people have more than one specific phobia. The prevalence of specific phobias in teenagers is higher at 15.1%. More than twice as many women as men have specific phobias. And with this Pandemic “winding” down, it brought many “new people to the table of anxiety.”  It created a steady emotional trickle-down effect of a different type of reality for many people.

Harsh images, horrific scenarios ringing out on a daily basis throughout our land, both near and far, is a fertile breeding ground for “phobias” to be born. And not only those in the non-secular population…but those of faith as well.

Myself included, if truth be told, I became overly cautious and stopped doing many things I had done prior to this pandemic.  And even though I have a deep abiding and passionate love and belief in the LORD, it happened to me as well.

I reach for the Bible, I talk with God daily, and I open my heart and soul to Him and His will…yet there were specific times where my mind (battleground) starts thinking of scenarios of “what if?”  Which can be detrimental to overall well-being in terms of healthy living without stagnation in a cloud of “fear.”

Fear is NOT from God!  It is not what He wants for us.  It is not what He set us free for.

Adrenaline can be helpful in certain situations, and that is how God designed our bodies to work.  But in everyday life, “fear” has no place for those of faith.  It is a cancer to the soul and can produce guilt in knowing “we should know better” –— so it can become a cycle of residual ups and downs.

I have many dear friends. However, I’d like to share about one in particular who lives overseas, who from afar touched my heart, and touched my soul.  I’ve no doubt God used her to deliver an important message.  “Go out and start doing things you did prior to the Pandemic. God is with you and will protect you from all things, isn’t He the One in control of your life?”  

That and several other things she shared with me opened my heart to the reality, that of course God is in control!  Something I’ve always known but needed a “fresh touch” and God showered me with this message, and my cup overflowed.  And he used my beloved friend to get it across to me.  It’s so amazing when he uses the “angels” here on earth to do that. I’m always in awe when that happens.

He wanted me to know, “Hey, I’m with you always. No matter where you go, no matter what you’re going through, I have you in my arms, and only I am in control of you, and what happens in this world, no one else. Just Me.”

This vivid “fresh touch” pushed me to move in the right direction, and be thankful for all the seconds, minutes, hours and days of my life.  I have work to do here on earth, until He says, “come on home” whenever that is, but until such time. I have things to accomplish and do, through Him, and for Him.

For those reading this, that have been affected by a traumatic event, or exposed to an issue that has rendered you into a mass of “fear” and “anxieties.” Please don’t be hard on yourself, or feel guilt, just place yourself in His mighty capable hands.  Realize that He has been with you since your first breath, and He will be with you when you draw your last.

So, all of the days and moments in between, hold on to His hand.  He will guide you…and He will love you, unconditionally. He will show you the paths to walk upon. Just trust Him. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Immerse yourself in His Word and meditate on His promises (which are many—especially Psalm 91) and grasp the reality that He is fully in control.  He is the King of this Universe, and He is our loving Father at all times.

Thank you to my beautiful friend, and sister in Christ on the other side of the world.  I am blessed that God used you to get to me! Bless you sister!

When you feel like you are stuck…ask God to “give you a push” in the right direction.  I assure you; He hears you at all times and will help you.  Sometimes it’s from the least expected sources. In my case…a friend from the other side of the world!

“Father God, thank You for bringing me back to the forefront of what is important.  Living life to the fullest, without components of fear, but to trust You every second, all the days of my life, in Jesus Christ name, Amen.”

Caring note:

Please realize this is not meant to be taken as medical advice, but merely as a “caring” Christian to Christian concern.  I am not a medical doctor, just a Christian who loves God, and my fellow brothers and siters.

If your phobia is severe to the point where it may be interfering with your life, you may need to seek help from your qualified medical professional.

 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:32 (KJV)

Lies can sometimes penetrate through truth. However, make no mistake… the truth will ultimately devour it, thereby setting us free.

What does this mean?

Simply stated, it means that although lies can be heard, and sadly at times believed by some, eventually the truth will be found out.

It is in my experience as a retired healthcare worker in a nursing home, that “lies” had a way of being exposed. I was blessed to have been a Nursing Home Administrator a good portion of my career, and to have cared for the elderly my entire career.  Being a part of their lives as their confidant, counselor and advocate, a great majority of them, in the end were set free from the self-confined prison in which they existed.

I witnessed many of my patients accepting the LORD before being called home. The moment they accepted the LORD into their heart, their whole countenance changed dramatically, exceedingly so.  Their eyes became brighter, and their frail bodies seemed to come to life from within. Their mind-set was greatly overhauled, and their outlook was no longer dim.  Instead, they were grateful for the moment and eagerly looking forward to their eternal rewards. They knew where they were going after they passed from this world, they finally knew the truth, that Jesus loved them.  Their sins were forgiven, their past behind them. They were filled with peace and their joy was personified.

The truth has a way of devouring lies, and cleansing a soul, setting it free.  As Jesus said, “the truth shall make you free.”  This passage accounts for so many aspects of our lives.  And it applies to an abundance of circumstances concerning life overall.

We have all been exposed to lies somewhere along the way; on the news, in the media, conversations overheard, or maybe a friend confiding in how lies messed up their marriage, or relationship with a loved one.  No matter where, or how a lie is perpetrated, have faith…because that lie will be “devoured” and exposed, and consequently, the truth will be revealed.

Hearing the Word of God, and His truth, is singlehandedly the most powerful weapon we can possibly equip ourselves with.  His Word, and our unwavering faith, have endless possibilities, and will explicably counteract lies, darkness and consumption of self.

It promotes health of body, mind, heart, and soul. The Holy Word has the healing balm in which a person will invariably thrive by being in the light. It has a way of keeping us strong and willing to take on any adversity that comes our way, which includes spiritual discernment of knowing when something is “false” and a lie.

Embrace the promises of the LORD, and hold onto the truth in current days, tomorrow and beyond. For the truth keeps us free…and the truth will live on in Eternity, when we are eventually called home, and where we shall enjoy the fruits of our labor, forevermore!

“Father God, thank You for Your light, and Your truth, it is Your Word that keeps me going, no matter what, all glory and honor are Yours, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

There isn’t any path that God won’t guide us.

There isn’t any question that God doesn’t have an answer for.

There isn’t any promise that God won’t fulfill.

Don’t underestimate God in any circumstance, scenario or event of your life.

Taking a leap of faith, and staying on course with God’s promises, and will for our lives, is essentially the catalyst in which we will find peace, and prosperity.

Faith is our inner belief of being aware that there is a God, and He has given us a set of principles and guidelines to follow, but most important, it’s our barometer in which we live.

It is accepting Christ as our LORD and Savior, and the Son of God, who died for us.  It is acknowledging Him in all we do, accepting Him and surrendering unconditionally to His will and purpose for each and every one of us.

When we believe and put forth that belief in everything we do and say, it begins to manifest in every area of our lives.

God releases His power into those who trust Him.  Sometimes, we can be conflicted, or feel guilty, because although we believe and love Him…we find we are acting contrary to “trusting and believing in Him.” That sets up a sabotaging camp of deception within our mind.

Instead of giving into false concepts and taking cover under an umbrella of “lies” being spun by the enemy.  We need to take refuge under the wings of our Almighty Father and push away the “guilt” that’s a false gift from the enemy…and accept the true “gift of God” which is His promises, and ultimately His love.

When we Accept His promises and walk by them in every aspect in everything we do, everyone we face, and apply it to every given moment of the day, we will be undeniably rewarded here today, tomorrow and always.  And we will please God as should be our first and foremost goal. Amen.

” Father, how fortunate we are to have a God like You, that promises to keep His promises, and is with us all the days of our lives, and we will be gain eternal rewards when we are called home, may we do all we can to please You always, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

So how would we define God’s Omnipotence? Perhaps a strong and helpful definition would be, that He has complete control over everything.  Everything would be the smallest details of the natural world, like the “falling of a sparrow to the ground…to the number of hairs that are upon our heads.” Matthew 6:26-30, 10:29-30.

No matter where we go, He is there with us.  Even though we can’t see Him, we ultimately know without a doubt, that He is with us.  He is in full throttle of every given situation that we face, each scenario we are encountering, and all the other little aspects of what is actually called life.

Nothing can separate us from the awesome promises of God, and unconditional love. (Romans 8:38-39) We can’t see Him, and yet we “hear Him.” (John 10:27-30) 

Knowing He is with us we can take on a confidence that we otherwise wouldn’t have, it is through His grace and love we are able to get through all we endeavor on a daily basis.  It is a gift from Him to afford us the ability to do all things through Christ Jesus.

When we are uncertain of what will happen in our specific realm of the Universe, we should be content knowing that God is Omnipotent and exalted in power, His justice and great righteousness, and he does not oppress. (Job 37:23)

He is the window of “Perfection” viewed through the lens of our eyes.

He is the “Illumination” during shadows of dark times.

He is the “One true Constant” in a world of instability.

And He is the “Greatest of All” within our prism of inferior cardboard realities, that try to tether us to infirmities, that only God can free us from.

Listen.  Watch. And feel His Magnificence, for He is all around us, and within us, no matter where we go, each and every day of our lives!

“Thank You God for being You, and loving me, and guiding me, and never leaving my side, there is none like You, and You are worthy of praise, I am Yours forever, and to You I surrender all, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

Reading, studying, and meditating on the Word is crucial to our Spiritual growth. Feeding on the Word of God is beneficial to bringing about spiritual depth necessary to our faith and knowledge of life overall. By reading, studying, and meditating, we can expect growth in the knowledge and the love of God.

Also committing to memorizing the Word, can help when we need to face stressful scenarios, or embroiled in a situation that is trying. Christ and His Word will give us victory over the enemy every single time. It is through Him we are strong and able to sustain hardships we ordinarily wouldn’t be able to do.

His Word and His truth will continuously provide us with the right things to say to encourage someone who is in the deepest valley.  Or give insight and/or direction to an individual in need… thereby helping which is a huge component of what Christ wants us to do. That and “love” one another.

When we aspire to do all that is expected of us, through reading the Word, studying the Word, meditating on the Word, memorizing the Word, we can take on things we normally wouldn’t be able to do under any circumstance. We gain wisdom, and knowledge that only comes from the Word and loving God (Proverbs 1:7 ; Psalms 111:10)

The word of God is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword, Hebrews 4:12.

The world today is getting “challenging” and decidedly difficult in so many areas of life, so it’s best to be fully armed and prepared by donning our “Gospel Armor” which is the best defense of all. (Ephesians 6:10-17)  

When we have all these criteria in place, there isn’t anything that we won’t be able to accomplish or withstand…and through it all, He is “holding our hand.”  Amen!

“Father, thank You for Your Word of truth, wisdom, and love, Your voice and guidance is all I ever will need all the days of my life, today, tomorrow and always, in Jesus name, Amen.”

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3

We run to Him asking for help in one way or another. Whether it be a prayer for our own personal problems or needs, or that for a loved one or friend, or someone on a church prayer list.  And, of course that is what we do as faithful followers and Christians, however…do we take the time to just simply ask our LORD, “Hello Father, how are you doing today?”  

When we “know Him intimately” and have a relationship with Him, we can sit and chat with Him about anything, and He will listen. Establishing that relationship is crucial to the overall foundations of Christianity and faith.

Yet, we seldom think about God as someone we ask that question of. Still it’s a natural inclination and opening statement as we go through the course of the day, with all those we see, speak to or meet. So why not God?

He is the One who loves us the most, who is with us unconditionally every single second of our lives, during good times and bad, and yet…we are reticent to approach Him to just say, “Father, with all that’s going on in this world and all that is occurring, I wonder how are you doing Father?”

If we are aching inwardly from witnessing the direction our world is going in, and see heinous acts against humanity and ideologies that are tearing people asunder, how do you think our Father is feeling? We are feeling probably a mere tenth of what He is feeling or going through.

Yes, we know He is Omnipotent, powerful, and a Holy Supernatural Being who is God and God alone…but that’s not to say He doesn’t feel pain, anger, and sadness at what His children are going through.  He knows it all, He is our present God no matter what, and fulfills every promise He has ever made. (Psalm 139:1-4)

He is capable of turning things around, He is in control yes.  Yet, He is feeling and witnessing what is happening, not only within our family, communities, or country…He is witnessing it all over the Universe. Think about that for a moment.  Can you imagine His disappointment and ultimate sorrow at what’s transpiring in this world today?

He is never absent even when we feel He’s not responding as quickly to our requests as we think He should. Remember, His timing is perfect, His will is for our benefit, and the outcome that we can’t see coming down the road is always for the betterment of His children. Always!

He is faithful, never changing and a God of love. He has an infinite love for us and power to execute every circumstance or situation if He so wills it. He is our refuge and protector.  (Psalms 103:19)  

God’s ability is far beyond our basic grasp of comprehension. (Hebrews 4:12-13) 

All the more reason with His magnitude of responsibilities and never-ending watch over our lives, doesn’t that solidify further that we should ask about His well-being? Shouldn’t we take time to sit and “chat” with Him?

Every parent longs for his children to just ask, “Hey mom, how are you doing today?  Hey Dad, how are you doing today?  What’s going on? How are you doing?” 

All of us at various times have gone to parents for wants, needs, requests. However, I bet they were the happiest when their children merely “chatted” with them, asking only about their welfare and nothing more.

Imagine how happy our Father in Heaven is when we do likewise.  Sit, chat and say, “How are You Father? Thank You Father. I love You Father.”

Today if you haven’t done so already, take a very special moment in time to ask, “Father, how are You today?”  You will make Him smile in ways that you can’t even begin to fathom.  Try it, then go out with love in your hearts and make Him happy, in all that you do or undertake, this day and always!

“Father God, may I always be aware of Your love and promises, may I be ever mindful of walking upon the path that pleases You, may I be ever grateful for Your love and protection, and may I always be solicitous of Your needs and will for my life, today, tomorrow and always, in Jesus’ name Amen.”