If you are visiting fromGraceforGlory for the first time, please take a minute to read the ABOUT section. I believe God has given me the ability to hear Him — so you can hear him also. He calls me His Child – but has reminded me often that these words are for ALL His children. I invite you to listen as HIS child. Remember always, God loves you. †

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May 4 2015

Father, a full day yesterday – thank you for the many blessings … the wonderful sermon and friends.. the beautiful worship … the confident presence of the Lord and spirit throughout the service – the opportunity to serve on the altar guild.

Father, thank you for the task I was given last night – and for allowing me to serve … yet not with over-whelming responsibility. I pray for a renewed focus on your Word and on what you have called me to do – for a clear sense of priorities and the ambition and energy to do all that is required in service to Jesus. Let me be certain and serve unencumbered by distractions and drama … worldly issues of greed, jealously, fear – let me focus on love and live in love and serve in love. Father, through you and with you … let me love.

“Dearest Child, you chose your life word – LOVE – when you were a child. You were born to love, it is in your DNA … so cynicism, skepticism, anger, revenge, intolerance – are not part of your reality. You cannot help but expect goodness – even from people who have hurt you. You continue to be surprised by their next assault or rejection – because your heart is focused on love. Do not feel inferior, or naïve, or silly … or embarrassed or even frustrated that you should know better and expect nothing more from those who have mocked you, misunderstood you, betrayed and rejected you. Rather, feel joy that they have not broken you, spoiled you. Feel victorious that you continue to be true to yourself and to your love for Jesus and for me. You are the victor – the wiser – the stronger and will stand longer as you stand on the truth in the midst of any and all storms. You will never fall. You are protected and redeemed by my son.

Child, pray for them. Pray for those who are trapped in bitterness, revenge; pray mightily for those who envy you and wish they had your gift. They dismiss you because … shshshshs … be still – listen – you have time … this is the day I have given you, do not feel rushed but relax in the beauty of love.

Let it flow over you. Let the love of my son bless you; enrich you with wisdom and grace. Let him lighten your burden and carry your load – release all that … sshshsh be still … be quiet and listen … know that I am God … know whatever the time, child, it is right for I am with you and you are with me.

Love, child, centered in Christ Jesus – is never wrong – or wronged. What people do to you or say – cannot spoil your joy for it comes not from this place, but a kingdom untouchable by mortal boundaries. It knows no end and no beginning. Child, do you remember when you first loved? Of course not … for it is your natural being. It is theirs also – but just as you can reject intelligence by neglecting and not feeding it – you can reject love in the same way – thus feeling unlovable and unhappy and joyless. One rejects love— limits the love of my son by limiting the love they give. To receive the unconditional love of my son … completely … requires that love to be freely given away to others unconditionally and completely. Any other choice is to reject the love of my son. Child, actions always speak truth. Words spoken, not lived, are impotent.

Child, the image in your mind so vividly speaks the story of a young person engrossed with a tablet – all their attention on a device – while a gentle man quietly stands beside the boy … waiting to be seen. His wisdom and goodness you are unable to ignore, yet the child is oblivious, totally engaged in something artificial. The child is oblivious to the time of day, to being alone. The bench is in a shadow – the gentle man stands in the light. Yes, there is a contrast, but still you see them as one image. Jesus cannot be separated from man – as man cannot be separated from the King. Jesus always knows you – even when you may be unaware of his presence. You have a sense of his grace, but not intimately until you turn to him fully – in total surrender — giving up your attachments to all that serves you, that you may serve others.

Child, others see your full service and thus find fault or criticize or want to deny you because they don’t understand yet the fullness of joy that comes with surrender. Child, one can only make that decision in faith. It takes great courage to make a leap of faith — to give up all that you know in this world to love someone so completely and above all else whom you cannot see – not knowing if you will survive – but in total sacrifice and surrender you give everything to Jesus. Those who do – know true joy – beyond happiness. They know a blissful joy that fills them and completes them such that they seek not what others have for they have no more needs. They are so filled with an inexhaustible supply of love from my son that it pours out to others – there is no room for hatred, resentment, fear. When those emotions are present, there is evidence of a void — a lack of love . Pray for them dear child. Pray for all who dismiss you, hurt you, reject you … pray for them that they will become weary and turn to Jesus – with an open heart – prepared and ready to receive his full grace. He is always there. Pray they turn away from the world and turn to him – pray they fully surrender into his loving arms, that his embrace completely separates them from worldly ties – the attachments to ego, fame, greed, happiness. Yes … happiness. Child, the devil uses happiness as a decoy for joy. They are not the same. Do not settle for happiness—but seek joy. Yes, there is more. Those who find happiness – though they enjoy it – are not IN joy. They often find themselves asking “is that all there is.”

Seek joy. Find Jesus.

Seek Jesus. Find joy.

IN joy live and serve in love.

Precious child, go to the Word. I love you and love how you love me – in full obedience. IN joy live.

Amen Amen Amen

Father – you took me to 2 Corrinthians 10-11:15. I feel blessed by your mercy of confirmation. Amen Amen Amen IN joy I serve