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WORD of the Day

A Happy Sunday Morning

Good morning, my friends~

Thank you for your prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery.  I’m grateful to say that I’m healing well and that our family enjoyed a slowed-down, but very good Thanksgiving holiday.  I’m also thankful for this “extra” week between Thanksgiving and December!  How about you?

As we begin this new week, may each of us intentionally turn our focus onto Jesus and what He would have for us that would please Him this week.  When we are seeking to please Him, He really does take care of everything else.

Happy Sunday to you, my friends~

I found something I just can’t keep to myself!

Updated to make it “Pin-able”. 

Some of you dear readers have let me know that the actual site of this wonderful list is un-pinnable.  That’s because it doesn’t have a photograph to attach to a pin.  Sometimes that happens.  So, I created this little photo that you can pin, linking to this blog post site, which will have the link to the list.  I’ll even put the list link right under the picture, so that you won’t have to scroll all the way down to find it.  How’s that?

This is the link to my “Pin” of this post. 

Thanks always for your feedback and comments. You are loved and appreciated here.  😉

     900+ Names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit      

Y’all… This is a TRUE treasure ~ or at least it will be to some of you.  I wish you could see how excited I really am!

(However, if you could see me right now, you’d probably call me a nerd for sure!)  If you’ve been around this blog or my  life for very long,  you’ll know how much I love the names of God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit.  I’ve been studying and collecting these names for almost 20 years now.  Yesterday I was doing some research on something and when I googled “name of God Light” this popped up:

900+ Names of God

Whoa!  This is incredible!!!  A list of 930 Names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, with many of the names’ verses referenced and linked!  To this point, I’ve collected around 730 names, and 200 more have just been dropped in my lap!  I can’t wait to get started on this list – and I just  didn’t want to keep the joy all to myself.

Because:

“And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God’s Word and the right of their necessity].”  Psalm 9:10, AMP

If you’re wondering what to do with such a list, here are a few suggestions.

1.  Pin it for future reference.

2.  Print it and use it in your quiet time.

I take my Names of God, Jesus, and the Holy spirit list and go straight down it in the order it is presented.  One name a day.  I look up the reference to that name (on this list, some names aren’t referenced), read around that name, and ask God to show me WHO He is to  me for that day.  It’s like unrwapping a gift every morning from Him.  I LOVE doing that!  No matter where I am on the list, Jesus blesses me with Himself through either that name, or through the verses around that name.  It’s Christmas every morning! 😉

3.  Print it and keep it as a reference for when you need to run into the Shelter of the Almighty.

Proverbs 18:10 says “The Name of The Lord is a Strong Tower.  The righteous run into it and are saved.” 

The Message puts it this way:
“God’s name is a place of protection—   good people can run there and be safe.”

Need a dry and parched place in your life watered?  Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us that’s just what God will do.

Need someone to fight for you?  1 John 2:1 tells us that’s exactly who Jesus is to you.

Lonely and need a friend?  You’ve got one in Jesus, according to Matthew 11:19.

How did I know that?  Because I have a list of names of Who God is.   And now you do too.

Whatever it is that you need, there is a name of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to cover that need.  I promise.  God promises.  If we know His names (and names tell us of His character), we will easily be able to run into God’s Name and Character and be safe and saved. 

4.  Use these names in your Christmas decor, gift-giving, and family activities.  These are some ideas from Keeping Christ AS Christmas.

  •  Name of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit Advent Activity.  Choose 25 of your favorite names of God and write each name on a separate piece, strip, etc. of paper.  Add them to your advent calendar activities.  Each day, gather with your family (or Just with you and Jesus), pull out the day’s name, read the verse(s) around that name, and worship God for Who He is and Who He will show Himself to be to you and your family for that particular day.  (More about Advent thoughts and ideas will be in Friday’s “Keeping Christ AS Christmas 2012 Post”.)

 

 

  • Add them to your Christmas tree.  Using a paint pen or permanent marker, write your favorite names of Jesus (and references) on Christmas balls, ribbon, crosses, angels, beautiful pieces of paper inside tiny ornament frames… whatever you have that will hang on a tree.

 

  • Copy or print your favorite Names of Jesus (with references) on colorful cardstock, making sure you leave adequate space between them.  Cut them apart and use as Christmas gift tags.

 

  • Names of Jesus Garland – Like the above Christmas tree idea, put the Names of Jesus (and references) on something and use it to decorate indoor or outdoor garland.

 

  • Name of Jesus Wreath – Use the same principle as the above tree or garland.

 

  • Name of Jesus Chain – Write a Name of Jesus on small strips of paper.  Hook them together to make a Christmas Count-Down Chain.  Each day, pull off one Name of Jesus and praise Him for being that personal Name to you.

 

  • Use the Names of Jesus in Christmas craft activities.

 

  • Make or purchase ornaments depicting the specific Names of Jesus and label each ornament with that name and reference.

 

  • Use the Names of Jesus in gift giving.  Create Christmas decorations for your loved ones that include the Names of Jesus.

 

  • Create a “Name a Day” gift for a loved one.  Print each name of Jesus and the verse that accompanies it on colorful cardstock.  Then place the names in a pretty container.  Share the instructions to draw out a name a day so that a different characteristic of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit can be praised and enjoyed each day.  The names can be recycled back into the container or kept in a special place until every name has been drawn.

We have been given a treasure in the Names of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Whatever you decide to do with what you’ve been given, please don’t let it go to waste.  Jesus IS God’s gift to us (John 4:10), and what we decide to do with Him is our gift to God. 🙂

E-book by Jennifer: Keeping Christ AS Christmas: Preparing hearts, households, and homes for PEACE this Christmas season.  Click here for more details, and “like”the Keeping Christ AS Christmas facebook pageto share YOUR ideas on keeping Jesus as the Center of the Christmas season.

 

What God is doing today – and how we are to respond

“And the one sitting on the throne said,

“Look, I am making everything new!”

And then he said to me, “Write this down,

for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 

Revelation 21:5

Praying that God illumines His Word today and speaks new life into each of us!

Happy Lord’s Day, my friends!

To find ourselves safe and saved:

I love you, God—

you make me strong.

God is bedrock under my feet,
the castle in which I live,
my rescuing knight.

My God—the high crag
where I run for dear life,
hiding behind the boulders,
safe in the granite hideout.

I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,
and find myself safe and saved.

Psalm 18:1-3, The Message

 A blessed Lord’s day to you all~

Sometimes we just need to be loved-on a little!

Isn’t that true?

So often, reading and absorbing God’s Word brings conviction – and rightly so  – of those things in my life that I need to confess, stop, start, or change. That’s exactly how it should be. His Word is a Sword that penetrates and cuts out and cleanses. But every once in a while… I’ll come upon a passage of Scripture that captures my heart and mind in such a way that I’m left wide-eyed and speechless ~ and a huge smile is spread across my face.

That happened to me on Saturday. God re-declared to me just how much He loved me for “me.” Not for what I can do for Him. Not for the influence I have on anyone else. Not even for how much I love Him. It wasn’t about me at all. He opened my eyes and reminded me of the simplest of Scriptural Truths: God is Love… and He loves me! {And the truth of it is… Nothing I could ever do is any better than filthy rags before Him.  Nothing “deserves” His love.}

Now, I “know” that God loves me. I “see” that God loves me. I “feel” that God loves me. I “taste” God’s love every. single. day. But on Saturday, it was a fresh revelation. One that I didn’t even know I needed. I wasn’t feeling particularly unloved. I wasn’t searching for reassurance of God’s love… I was just having my morning meal in His Word and He blessed me with this reminder.

I haven’t felt too well lately.  For the past 6 weeks, I’ve battled a lot of “digestive area” pain, which has left me quite fatigued and often out of commission.  It has changed the way I’ve been able to live “normal” life.  On top of that, the “what if’s” have loomed in the back of my mind.  But God…  God continues to remind me not to “go there” – and that my present job – especially when I can not do much else –  is to obey Him today and trust Him for tomorrow.  (I had some tests done last week and am awaiting the results and treatment now.  I’m really OK, but any prayers you would lift on my behalf will always be valued and appreciated!)

I said all of that to say this:

Re-Absorbing the Truth that God loves me – not only when I am obedient to Him or serving Him and being a good little girl – but even when I am doing absolutely nothing that contributes to anyone or anything – that Truth felt like being wrapped in a warm-right-out-of-the-dryer- comfy silk robe on a chilly night.   It enveloped me, and once again, He captured my heart.   I had been on “auto-pilot” in my walk with Him, certainly enjoying the ride and the taking in the view – but on Saturday, it was as if my Heavenly Daddy lifted His little girl’s face and said something like this – in that loving, fatherly tone:

‘Look at Me. What I’m saying to you is true, and you need to be reminded of this.  I love you.  Period.  I loved you before you did a thing in My name.  I love you when you flat out disobey Me and break My heart.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you now, and I always will.  Just let me love on you today.’

No correction this time. Not that it wasn’t needed… it just wasn’t the conversation for conviction.  In that lone moment in God’s Word, the Holy Spirit burned an old Truth into my fleshy heart, and I remain in awe and deep gratitude.

I long for you to receive the same message today.  As I type these passages,  I will be praying for YOU.  I’m thinking that some of you dear friends need a gentle reminder of just how much you are loved by the Father. {And some of you don’t even know that you need it.}

“Lord, Jesus, How grateful we are for Your love ~ and how sorry I am to so often take You and Your love for granted.  Please forgive me, and help me not to ever again lose that awe of being loved by You.  I ask in your Name:  will you please wrap your arms around each reader and warm each heart with your love and a special awareness of your presence in each life today?  Thank you!  I gratefully give you every speck of all that is due you.  Thank you that you love based on YOU – and not us.  I love you Lord.  Thank you for loving me.”

May God’s love wash over you in a fresh way as you read His declaration over you in His Word.  In the text, I’ve replaced the “you/us” with the words “me/I” –  making it as personal for you as possible.  Read and soak in these reminders of God’s love.

from Ephesians 2:4-9 and Ephesians 1:3-8

“But God – so rich is He in His mercy!

Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved me, even when I was dead (slain) by my own shortcomings and trespasses, He made me alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; He gave me the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for it is by grace (His favor and mercy which I did not deserve) that I am saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ’s salvation)….

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that I am saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through my faith. And this salvation is not of myself of my own doing, it came not through my own striving, but it is the gift of God; Not because of works… least I should boast. It is not the result of what I can possibly do, so I can’t pride myself in it or take glory for myself.

For I am God’s own handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, born anew that I may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for me taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that I should walk in them living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for me to live.”

(from Eph. 2:4-9 AMP and adapted)

“…Jesus Christ, the Messiah Who has blessed me in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm!

Even as in His love, He chose me, actually picked me out for Himself as His own in Christ before the foundation of the world, that I should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

For He forordained me (destined me, planned in love for me) to be adopted (revealed) as His own child through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will because it pleased Him and was His kind intent – so that I might be to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy) which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

In Him I have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of my offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, which He lavished upon me in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence)…”

(from Eph. 1:3-8 AMP and adapted)

My favorite line?  “Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us…”

Just as we (at least these days – I do…) crave to love on little babies or precious puppies, God craves to love on us. Will you let Him pour His love over you today?

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