a friend's Facebook status:
"Looking … to rejuvenate my soul and fill my forced smiles with real happiness again. Working hard and trying my best doesn't seem to be good enough. Please help.”
Many caring, loving friends responded with words of love and concern, coupled with suggestions of self-help books and courses, to lets get together, travel and nature ...
only one recommended God.
“God can’t give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because there is no such thing.” – C.S. Lewis
Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Have you ever wondered why we are here?
“You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.” – Rick Warren
God is not a God of confusion … (1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV)
Not long ago, a faithful servant of God prayed over me. In that indescribable moment, I surrendered to God. Though unworthy, He poured out His grace through His Spirit, who overflowed me with the truth of my Father's existence and His gift of life (now and forever) in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit ignited in me a desire to know my creator with a fire that burns brighter every day. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Though I have not seen Him, I love Him; and even though I do not see him now, I believe in Him and am filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. (1 Peter 1:8-9)
If I didn’t know this joy in Christ to be real …
why would I write these things?
“The day we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior is one of the greatest days of our lives. Not only are our sins washed away, but God puts His Sprit inside of us and gives us new desires." – Joyce Meyer
The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness ... (Galatians 5:22)
... the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
(Romans 8:6)
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
(Colossians 3:2)
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)
Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11)
Sadly, I lived apart from God for years - Thankfully, Jesus came for me ♥
If you are lost, reach out to Him - He is near ...
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock."
Jesus is knocking on the door to your heart - Open the door, let Him in ♥ (Revelation 3:20)
God is Love and He has loved you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (Luke 15:3-7)
Jesus is the good shepherd. (John 10:11-18)
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate. ’So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:11-24)
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:1)