luke

DEAR GOD: I Will Always Give You Thanks & GLory~

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Thank You God Messages and Quotes For Everything - WishesMsg

And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Luke 17:11-19 (KJV)

In Luke 17:11-19, we encounter a profound narrative that underscores the importance of gratitude in our relationship with God. This passage recounts the story of ten lepers who receive healing from Jesus, yet only one returns to offer thanks. This singular act of thankfulness from the Samaritan leper, an outsider, provides a stark contrast to the ingratitude shown by the other nine.

The journey of the ten lepers begins with a plea for mercy, to which Jesus responds with a directive to show themselves to the priests. As they obey, they are cleansed. This miracle, however, is not the focal point of the passage. Instead, the spotlight shines on the aftermath—on the one leper who, upon realizing his healing, returns to Jesus with a heart overflowing with gratitude. His actions stand as a testament to the recognition of God’s grace in his life.

The ingratitude of the nine should serve as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the ease with which we can take God’s blessings for granted. In their haste to return to normalcy, they forget the source of their blessing. The Samaritan leper’s return to Jesus is a powerful illustration of the proper response to divine intervention: a return to the presence of God to give thanks.

The conclusion we draw from this passage is clear: thankfulness is not merely a polite response to kindness; it is an essential component of a faithful life. It is a recognition of our dependence on God and an acknowledgment of His sovereignty and goodness. The act of giving thanks draws us closer to God, fostering a deeper appreciation for His work in our lives.

Heavenly Father, I come before You with heart full of gratitude, just as the Samaritan leper returned to give thanks for his healing, I too offer praise for the countless blessings You bestow upon me, teach me to always recognize Your hand in my life and to respond with a spirit of thankfulness, may my gratitude be a constant reminder of Your unfailing love and grace, in Jesus precious name I pray, Amen.”

 

DEAR GOD: YOUR LOVE IS REFRESHING~

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I will refresh those who are weary and will satisfy with food everyone who is weak from hunger.
Jeremiah 31:25 (GNT)

Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
Proverbs 1:23 (KJV)

 His love is reviving and refreshing and is a banquet of joy in and of itself.  And it’s fully satisfying having knowledge of such things in our hearts.  When a soul realized the depths of His love and realizes His pardoning grace and providence in our lives, it is well within and without in all we do.

With Christ, there is an abundance of life. He offers us unmerited favor and grace in His love and sacrifice, which provided our salvation, as we can rest in Him, with peace, joy and hope.

Our day-to-day struggles may vary, and like the tides, invariably will ebb and flow, and so it goes. But Christ’s love is ever steady. A powerful presence in our life. His resurrection an ever-constant reminder of the promise of eternal rewards, and our redemption in which He gave willingly on the cross.

The battle of good versus evil has been going on since the beginning of time, and rages on this very moment all across the world.  But rest easy in Christ, take His yoke because it is easy and light. Shake off the yoke of the “world” as it is treacherous, suffocating, and hard.

When we rest in Christ and follow His footsteps of love we are qualifying for a higher promotion in our spiritual growth and depositing dividends into our eternal rewards.

Have you made a deposit today in His name?

“Father God, thank You for Your love that is never ending, and love which is ever faithful, may I praise You in all I do, this day and always, in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

DEAR GOD: What Can I Do For You Today?~

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Excelling Faith and Grace Ministries: Serving God Unconditionally ...

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.    Joshua 24:15 (KJV)

Are you serving the LORD? Or are you serving some other “image or idol?” Are you walking in His commandments? Or are you walking adrift on your own?

Serving the LORD is important in so many ways, the most important one being, our salvation and eternity. Acceptance of the LORD, Jesus Christ is a crucial and vital aspect of obedience and faith. When we trust in the LORD, and accept Him as our LORD and Savior, we are assured of our salvation and getting to God.  In John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

There is “NO” other way, and this is from Jesus’ own lips, so we know it’s true. serving Him is a big factor in the overall equation of being Christian. Serving Him requires so many obligations and duties in our job right here on earth.

  • Helping others, unselfishly. (Meaning without motive, just pure servitude).
  • Giving to others through actions. (Examples could be, offering someone a lift who doesn’t have transportation, accompanying them to the doctor’s office, taking them to church, etc.).
  • Supplying food or clothing. (Food pantry volunteering, or bringing food items or both, dropping off clothing for the homeless, or shelter, etc.)
  • Visiting someone. (In a nursing home, hospital).
  • Going to a widow/widower’s home. (Just going over to spread some cheer, take away some loneliness).
  • Sharing the Gospel. (Planting seeds or introducing someone to Christ).

These are just some ways of serving others through Christ. We can serve Him by doing all of the above, and more. There is nothing too small, or too big when it is done with all of your heart, and by being the servant of the LORD Jesus Christ with a pure heart, makes it complete.

Have you done anything today that Christ would be happy with? Have you planned anything today that will make Christ smile?  And most important, have you accepted Him as your LORD and Savior?

“Father, God how may I serve You today, show me the way, may I be pleasing in Your loving eyes in all I do and say, each day of my life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

DEAR GOD: THANKS FOR YOUR EVERLASTING LOVE~

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There are many passages in the Bible where the Lord declares that He wants us to enjoy His presence. “God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight.”  (Ecclesiastes 2:26) Makes one wonder why, despite God’s declarations, that many of His children fail to enjoy His presence.

First, one of the reasons might be that they think God is not approachable, and therefore untouchable. However, nothing could be further from the truth.  God wants a relationship with you, He desires a close and abiding one with all of His children. If people fail to recognize the depths of His love, they’ll miss out on great blessings.

He has an everlasting love, He says to all of us today as He has throughout the ages, that He wants us to come to Him, and have an intimate relationship with Him.  The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 3:13 KJV)  

His heart is pure and open, as it so clearly demonstrates throughout the entire Bible.  He is our Father and much like our earthly fathers, longs for a close and honest relationship with His children.  The relationship we share with our Father is an individualized as our DNA. So, although the relationships will be different in how we relate and speak with Him, the connection should be one and the same. We are all HIS and He created us. We belong to Him.  We all share that common denominator.

Second, they may view God as a legalistic God.  He is not a legalistic God.  He doesn’t sit around looking at us, thinking “hmm, let’s see, whom can I condemn today?”  Nor does he sit and scrutinize our actions while investigating our motives. He knows our hearts, and He sees our very soul.  The very soul He held in His hands as He created it. He wants to instead, “set us free” and that is what He did when He sent Jesus. He loved/loves us enough to have sent His Son for us. Embrace that love…hold it firmly, and shine your light from within to all those in your path.

Third, they may be afraid of Him. God calls us in reverence of His holiness, but not to be afraid. He has said so many times in His Word, “Do not be afraid!”    The following are just a few of the more familiar scriptures that show us clearly that the Lord does not want us to be afraid:

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1 KJV) 

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: (Joshua 8:1 KJV)

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. (Luke 1:30 KJV)

God loves us the way we are and accepts us fully without any qualms or motives. There really isn’t anything we can do that’ll make us more acceptable, He loves us just the way we are.  He doesn’t like sin but…He loves us, fully and completely just as we are. He forgives us our sins, when we call them to mind and repent of them, thereby allowing us to fellowship with Him further, and opens us up to blessings in abundance. God is a God of forgiveness and love and acceptance.  He also promises restoration.

How can one not enjoy that? Love, acceptance, restoration…and fellowship with your creator, does it get any better than that?

He enjoys being with us. Spend time with Him and begin to trust Him to meet all of your needs.  He’ll never let you down.

Are you ready for the best relationship you’ll ever have in your life?

“Father, thank You for Your love and acceptance, may I always do all according to Your will and purpose in my life, now and always, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

DEAR GOD” RSVP – LORD I ACCEPT YOUR INVITATION~

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Devotion - The Faith of a Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21-28) - Lutheran ...

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43 (NKJV)

 

God wants everyone to partake in the promise of Eternity. He specifically makes reference when He refers to the “Wedding Banquet.” Jesus often taught spiritual truths in the form of parables or stories. Some of the parables were explained by Jesus in the Bible; others were not. One Christ’s parables is the wedding feast found in Matthew 22.  

The groom at the wedding feast is Christ. An invitation is given to those to attend this wedding banquet. And those who attended were in wedding garments and attended gladly. And others ignored the invitation with all kinds of excuses. Those who accepted Christ were in attendance of the wedding banquet. They had on their wedding clothing and were prepared for the marriage.  Those who attended were going to be part of “eternal rewards” and at the Lamb’s table, the feast, the wedding.

Now everyone is surely invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, the bad as well as the good. Sinners are all called to repentance, to salvation, and to eternal life by trusting in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

In this parable, the king finds a man at his feast who is not wearing a wedding garment. The king asked why he wasn’t adorned in wedding attire, the man’s speechless and offers no reason as to why he wasn’t wearing the proper garments. In other words, “he had no excuse.”

Although we are ALL invited, only those who are fully clothed in the righteousness of Christ by faith in Jesus will be given entry and allowed into heaven and the marriage supper of the Lamb. Some may try to gain their way into heaven by other means, such as good works, but only the blood of Christ can cover our sines and wash us clean.

Our Father will not accept any excuse for rejecting His Son’s sacrifice. There is no plausible reason or viable excuse for rejecting His Son. Those who refuse to adhere and accept the LORD, as stated will be case into the outer darkness of hell, such as the “speechless” man in the parable.

Do you want to share in Eternal life in Heaven and be seated at the Lamb’s supper? If so, put on your wedding clothes and be ready, Amen!

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

“Father, my LORD, may I always have on my wedding attire as I wait and know Your promises of Eternal Life are forthcoming, until then, I live for You and Your Word, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

DEAR GOD: Thank You for Your Messages & Word~

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How Can We be Sure Heaven is a Real Place? - Trending Christian Blog

 

Matthew 16:19- And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. –

His message and His voice are clear. He wants us to share and promote His Word and His love. He gives us countless warnings and predictions, miracles and overwhelming evidence in the Bible.  All of the incidents and undisputable truths and depictions starting in Genesis in the Old Testament, right down to the last book of Revelation in the New Testament.

When we take the time to review and digest it and understand His whole plan for us and for the world, we get to assist Him in ways we are called to do bringing it all to fruition. We are able to be His servants and bring light into the darkness, through Christ. It isn’t our “own power” but His that brings things to pass. It is under His wings and His guidance and direction, and infinite and mighty power that we are able to accomplish such things.

When He says ” whatever we do here on earth will be loosed in heaven” simply stated means; our acts and deeds that we perform here in the flesh, will follow us in spirit when we pass away.

When we get to heaven we are judged, and it will be based on numerous factors. Our deeds, our compassion for others, our kindness to strangers, our obedience to Him, and our fundamental behavior as Christians overall. And our belief in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and King.

When we do good here on earth and are in alignment with His doctrine and Word and avoid the evil aspects of the world…we will bring that with us to the afterlife.  When we sin continuously have no regard for His Word or commandments, and live haphazardly in a den of iniquity, we will have to face the LORD and the terrible day of reckoning.

We will either be rewarded for such deeds. Or we won’t. there really isn’t any other way. You’re for Him. Or you’re not.

Which category do you fall into? Are you ready for the day of reckoning? Do you know Christ intimately? Or is He merely a “name” to you? Which side of the gulf will you be on when you pass away?

“And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence”.Luke 16:26

 

“Father, thank You for Your Word, and Your guidance and Presence, may I be a vessel and servant for You all the days of my life, lead me LORD and know I live for You now and always, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Little Seeds Of Faith: Proverbs 3:1 Sunday School Lesson Idea