Loved and Protected

The Lord revealed something that more about man-pleasing that I hadn’t thought of in quite that way before. He showed me that man-pleasing is idolatry. In this sense: God said we cannot serve two masters, that a doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways.

I’ve never seen myself like that. Rather, I felt like I was deferring to others, being kind, compassionate and gentle. But that’s not how God sees it. He says we either love and please Him or please other people; we can’t do both at the same time.

Think about it. If we’re afraid of offending people we often put off until tomorrow vital things that should be done or said today. And that hinders us immensely. We can get stuck in a bad place for far too long, much longer than God wants us to be, if we’re too afraid to declare God’s words and change things even when we know His will.

When He has a word of knowledge for me to give and it’s not exactly good news, does He want me to fiddle with it, tweak and taint it, so it’s more palatable for the recipient?

Absolutely not. The Holy Spirit doesn’t need our help. He needs our obedience, to do exactly what He says. He knows what He’s doing; He’s been at it a good long time, and Scripture says, “Open your mouth, and I will fill it.” Let me repeat: He only needs us to obey and follow His lead.

The reason why our world is in the state it is today is because people have tweaked the gospel and tried to make it more palatable. So now it’s become watered-down and has lost much of its effectiveness. It’s, in fact, so watered-down that it’s scarcely recognizable as the same gospel. It isn’t the same gospel after we’ve messed with it. When we do that, we’re actually preaching another gospel, and it’s not the gospel of salvation anymore. In reality, such a message is called ear-tickling–saying what people want to hear so they can stay in their sin. Wow! What a revelation!

It’s a weak and ineffective shadow of its former glory. And it saves no one; it has no impact. In reality, it becomes a stumblingblock preventing people from coming to Christ.

So what’s my point? Well, just this: God knows exactly what He wants to say to transform lives, and He just needs pure, willing vessels He can pour through.

Lately He’s been giving me words of knowledge, tons of them, and I’ve been sharing them with the most incredible results. Realize, it’s not me speaking, but what God puts in my heart I give, and people are being delivered, encouraged, set free from besetting sins, turning back to God, and finding their way back to Jesus!

It has nothing to do with me. In effect, I’m just the mailman. But the question is: can He trust us with the message, or are we inclined to soften or tweak it rather than speaking it as He gives it?

The power of the gospel is in its clarity, its simplicity, and its truth. It’s absolutely life-changing, transforming in its power. It doesn’t need our help. And the idolatry thing hits the nail on the head in a very powerful way. We either please God or man, but not both.

If that’s the case, we’d better be pleasing God, loving Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds, letting Him be everything to us, consuming us totally, so that we can live and move and have our being in Him and Him alone.

Let’s seek to be that kind of obedient. Let’s seek to let Him be everything to us. Let’s live as if this the last, best day of our lives, because it may well be just that.

Because of His great love,
Nancy

Last night I was watching one of my favorite old movies, White Christmas. You know the one, the II World War story of patriotic veterans who gather after the war to encourage and turn around the fortunes of their honored ex-army general.

It’s easy for me to wish I’d been born one generation earlier, watching how our country got behind their military and people worked hard and generally respected each other.

But you know what? That’s not the generation I was born into. I was born into this generation, for a very specific purpose, though at times the reason escapes me. I often feel like the square peg in the round hole, never quite fitting in. Have you ever felt like that?

Scripture says we are pilgrims and strangers here on earth, only temporarily passing through. We aren’t really supposed to fit in, never were, because if we’re pleasing the world we aren’t pleasing God.

Christians are to be “peculiar people.” For years I felt bad that I didn’t fit in and did all I could to change that, thinking it was me who was the problem. But we aren’t the problem. We need to realize that and grab hold of it for all we’re worth. We may never fit in, probably won’t, in fact, if we’re living in sync with the Holy Spirit of the living God. And if we’re hot for God seeking Him with all we’re worth, we won’t give a hoot who does or doesn’t like it.

As I see it now, the good ol’ days are merely a figment of someone’s vivid imagination, intent on selling nostalgia for money. And I’m sure it works. But it’s also the devil’s trap for us to get stuck thinking and wondering about “what might have been.”

We have the best of all worlds, living now, and living in the secret place of the Almighty. Let’s get excited and stir up the fire within us, letting go of the old things that hinder us from living each day to its fullest. We were born for such a time as this, and we have things to do, places to go, and people to talk to about Jesus!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

Think about those words. We say them, we quote that scripture; we know it by heart, but is it really true? I’m not sure we as Americans quite get this concept. We love Christ, are grateful for salvation, and thankful for provision. But I’m not sure we as a people group grasp what it means to live only for Christ. Why?

Because those of us who have much have a tough time focusing on God alone and discounting materials things. We have comfort and blessing, and yet we want more. Are we content with what we have? Could we give much of it away and not miss it?

Half of our problem is that we love getting and having things whether we need them or not. Then when we get them they often sit unused and unappreciated, in truth, totally unnecessary to life.

Well, this is the day we must let go of those things. We must open our hands to God and say, “If these things are making me stumble, I will give them away.” Now some things we need, like a vehicle to get us to work, but who says we need a Cadillac or a Hummer? Who says we need the best and most expensive?

Do we really need five carat diamond rings or designer clothes? Do we yearn after such things? If so, why? Because we think we become like those who have them. But think about this. God says that we either seek Him in spirit and in truth or we go after other gods. Is this what you want in your life?

I recently cleaned out some cupboards and closets and took to auction everything non-essential, and I was surprised at how cathartic it was. Things have a way of encumbering and chaining us down, consuming our space and wasting our money.

And worst of all, we can spend all our time wishing things were different, but for what purpose? If it’s true that for me to live is Christ, I need to take my attention from the distractions that consume me and focus on Jesus, because there’s no time to waste. I need to fall in love with Him all over again, stirring up the fire inside me, and setting aside every weight of sin and every distraction.

I want to make every moment count. I want to be delivered from everything that doesn’t please Him, and I want to love as Jesus loved.
What about you? It’s time to be able to say, “For me to live is Christ…”

Because of His great love,
Nancy

I grew up in a church that taught the pre-trib rapture, and it was quite comforting, though I realize now that many of their doctrines didn’t quite line up with Scripture. I should’ve known to go and search it out for myself. Well, I did that today, after hearing Rory Alec (GodTV creator) say one of his guest speakers said he saw nothing about getting out of here early.

Well, I can tell you I was upset. I’m just being honest here, so please don’t write me and argue the point or say I’m pathetic. I’m just bearing my soul, risking everything because I believe God wants us to think about these things while there’s still time. Especially if we have assumed a pre-trib rapture, this new information can come as a shock. Search it out for yourself in Daniel, Matthew, Mark and Revelation.

The truth is, in my flesh I want out of here before the worst of it. Don’t you, if you’re honest? Well, I searched it out in great depth this morning, and as much as I hate to say it, I have to agree that I see nowhere in Scripture where it says we’re getting out early. It does say we’re out before the wrath of God, but that appears to be quite a ways down the road.

So what does this mean? This means I’ll have to re-think my doctrine, and re-order my plans. If we’re not getting out of here early and we may even have to be jailed, losing everything, including possibly our lives…Well, that’s going to take a bit of getting used to. I wept as I told the Lord how I didn’t want my children or grandchildren to have to go through what was coming, any more than I wanted to endure it myself. But the Lord comforted me telling me He had it all covered, and that He would make a way if we simply hold on to Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds.

And if we really grasp what it is we have, we will conclude that Jesus and our salvation are worth fighting and dying for, in the end. Without them we have nothing, and we know it.

The thing is, in America we have actually valued our salvation very little. We who have been rich often consider it a very small thing to be a Christian.

I think the time is coming–in fact, I’m certain now, that we will see things deteriorate as never before, because we as a nation have flouted our wealth at God, daring Him to take it all away. And He will. He will let us become poor and destitute and empty, and let us decide at that point, how much Jesus and our salvation are worth.

And, in some ways that’s not such a bad thing, even though I know it will be a struggle. In China when the Communist government forbid Christianity it became a rare and precious thing, and they often died, refusing to deny their faith.

So where does that leave us? You and me, who thought we were getting out early? Well, it just means we have to count the cost of our wonderful salvation, and decide how much value we place on it.

I have asked the Lord to change any misconceptions I have, and it looks like He’s doing that very thing, for my own good. And I have come to a decision. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

The Lord just showed me something extraordinary. That a very powerful combination of attitudes actually open and move heaven on our behalf. Forgiveness and thankfulness.

Forgiveness is more powerful than we can even imagine. It’s a pivotal choice that determines whether we will give up our right to get even or hold onto it, locking ourselves in a deathgrip with bitterness. The thing about unforgiveness is that it’s like being a conjoined twin whose other half has died. We are carrying about death and, just as it would be in real life, this death is toxic and slowly poisons us, killing us as well. On the other hand, forgiveness believes God is sovereign, that He is just and will go forward to make things right, that in the end, His love wins every battle He fights for us. Forgiveness also gives up control, and says, “God, this thing is driving me crazy, making me miserable.” And it sure does. Think back to a time when you struggled to forgive. Remember how miserable you were? That’s because revenge is a consuming fire. And though it’s meant to consume the other person, it only consumes us, destroys us.

Unforgiveness, when it continues, becomes a stumblingblock, a worse sin in God’s eyes than the original offense. Why? Because it stops the move of the Holy Spirit, hindering Him for working when we need Him most.

And not only that, it produces a crack in our spiritual armor that allows the devil legal entry to mess around in our lives. Do you really want to give the devil an opportunity like that?

Perhaps forgiving seems too hard at first. When we at least let go of our right to be bitter, we give God permission to soften our hearts and for heaven to go to work on the perpetrator in its own way, convicting of sin and often bringing repentance and transformation. And that permission, my friends, frees God to move heaven on our behalf, restoring our peace and shattering turmoil. In the end, we trust God like that little child who knows Daddy will take care of everything. And at that point where we’ve let go we also carry that exquisite fragrance of innocence I mentioned the other day.

Forgiveness and thankfulness go hand in hand. Once we have forgiven, we can also choose to do what seems odd, or even impossible–being thankful to God. Not necessarily for the harm done to us; often that’s too much to ask. But being thankful to God because He loves and has saved us, is a huge step toward breaking the hardness in our hearts. As we thank God He changes us inside, and fills us up with His mercy and grace. You and I are actually changed when we thank God during hard times. When we go as far as praising God in spite of circumstances we send God first, right into the thick of the battle, to fight for us. At least that’s what Scripture says. Wow!

The thing to remember is that God has huge plans for us, that no one but us can accomplish. We are essential to the body of Christ and many things will go begging if we choose to sit on the sidelines with hard hearts and crossed arms.

God can’t do much with a hard heart. If we harden our hearts we can no longer hear Him speak to us. We can no longer feel His touch, and more importantly, we put up a stop sign that says, “Go away, God. I don’t want to hear what you have to say right now.” And so He goes away.

Do we really want that? Do we really want to feel abandoned and isolated, alone and empty without His very presence when we need Him every moment of every day? Not I. More than anything I want to be filled with His spirit, basking in His presence, and glorying in the truth, that the King of Kings loves me and His very glory fills my belly if I let it. I want to move in love, so that people who need Jesus feel His love when they’re around me. I want to move in joy unspeakable and full of glory with every breath I take.

So let’s examine ourselves and see if there are any places where bitterness resides in the tiny crannies of our hearts. Let’s choose forgive and let God move more powerfully than ever, because we are only limited by our personal choices. It’s up to us to open the doors to our hearts and tell God to clean house and fill us up to overflowing and thanksgiving. For only then will He be able to freely use us to bless a dark and dying world.

Because of His great love,
Nancy

What is “an influencer”? It’s someone who confident enough in who he is that he is not swayed by others’ opinions, nor does he back down when living in righteousness. He cannot deny or stifle the truth of the gospel when it’s the only thing that will change men’s hearts, and they’re dying for lack of it.

That’s what you and I are supposed to be. Rather than being influenced by the world, we are to be a sweet fragrance of Jesus when we come in contact with others. When you and I have been there, the place should have the lingering scent of God’s love and mercy–the fragrance of innocence. Is that what we leave behind?

You and I have a great responsibility, which means we dare not sit back with our arms folded and let the world saturate our circle of influence. We don’t have to be pushy or crass. Jesus wasn’t like that, at least not to the people on the street. But when you and I are forced to decide whether to break the law of man to preach the gospel, we will stand up and be the first ones to go to jail, where we will preach even more passionately that Jesus is Lord.

If you’ve been with me any length of time you’ve heard me mention Gideon, a dear pastor/evangelist friend in Kenya. Well, the laws in Kenya have now made it illegal to preach the gospel using a sound system of any kind. So Gideon and his fellow pastors got together and prayed and decided that they will notify the local police that they will be preaching the gospel. And if they have to go to jail, someone will take their place to continue to preach. Praise God for men who are influencers, and who will not back down when the mandate of Scripture demands that they speak the truth in love.

What about you? Are you an influencer or do you back down when things get tough? We will be judged for our stand on this matter. God will look at us, and say, “He who denies me, him will my Father in heaven also deny.” Read the Bible. It’s in there.

You and I had better decide which side of the fence we’re going to be on, because, before long, the fence will be twenty feet high, and no longer will we be able to straddle it. And if we’re not strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, we’ll toss away our salvation like a hot potato, because it’s too dangerous, too risky, too scary to be a believer anymore.

You and I are to be light and salt on the earth, and when the salt has lost its savor, Scripture says it’s tossed underfoot and trampled, good for nothing. Which are you?

Be an influencer for Jesus Christ! There’s no more profound way to live and make an impact on a lost and dying world! Ask the Lord how He wants to use you, then step out in faith and obey–leaving a lingering fragrance that cannot be denied. You’ll never be the same again.

Because of His great love,
Nancy

Scripture says that in the last days men’s hearts will grow cold. They will lack natural affection for those they should love. If you look around you can see it happening already. Parents killing their children or spouses killing spouses for the insurance money, children killing their elderly parents who are too much of a burden to love anymore.

But what about us? What about Christians? What should we be like in these last days? Scripture says they will know us by our love.

But what happens if the one you love betrays you so that the pain is so enormous that you feel like you want to die? The hurt from such a wound cannot be denied–the pain is gigantic and can fester for years if not submitted to God. And that’s exactly the way the devil wants it. That’s also the way the world responds to injury. The Christian can only be healed as he lets go of the need for revenge and dumps out that hurt, weeping and grieving and praying before the throne until the load is lifted.

Does forgiveness mean giving that person license to sin again? Absolutely not. It means that person will be forgiven but kept accountable so that trust can be restored. For the offender true repentance means turning around to go the other direction, dying to the old sin and being delivered from the chains that have bound us. But it means giving God the chance to change the other person.

What if the pain is so great after such betrayal that you feel you can never trust again? Well, that’s something that must be continuously dumped in God’s lap. Remember, though, that our enemy the devil will keep throwing it in our faces to keep the old pain stirred up and prevent healing. He’ll keep whispering that revenge is sweet and that you’ll never be able to trust that person again. God, however, says otherwise. He can turn around for good what the enemy has meant for harm when we choose to trust Him. He can restore relationships, making them better than new if we let Him.

The thing to remember here is that God says He won’t forgive us if we refuse to forgive others, because it nullifies the work of the cross, essentially slapping God in the face, after His incredible redemptive sacrifice. It means we will no longer be forgiven if we harden our hearts and seek the hurt of the one who hurt us.

God hates betrayal. It’s wrong, and terribly painful and wreaks havoc every time. But the greatest test of all is whether we can choose to let go of our need for revenge to allow God to soften our hearts. The heart that is hard toward a person is also hardening itself against God–a very dangerous and precarious situation, indeed.

Unforgiveness, in the end, is no smaller sin than the original offense in God’s eyes, and it can prevent God from working in us, doing marvelous things He has planned, even short-circuiting our destiny if we let it. Ultimately it will steal our joy and make us the most miserable people on earth, by our own choice.

It’s time to examine our hearts and see if there is unforgiveness holding us back from soaring with God, for He cannot use us if we harbor sin in our lives. In fact, Christmas is the perfect time to let Him give us a heart of flesh for our heart of stone. It’s the perfect time for healing and restoration of relationships. It’s the perfect gift to give the God who has everything…

Because of His great love,
Nancy

When I used to think of holiness I always thought of the unattainable, the unreachable, and to be honest I was frustrated. God was up there and I was down here and, in regard to performance, it was obvious that never the twain would meet. I remember going to church for years and weeping over my lack of perfection, so vividly displayed every day of every year. We humans can be “nice,” as I was, but still know we haven’t “met the mark.” And that, if you recall, is the very definition of sin. So how was I to live in holiness when I couldn’t even make it one day without failing God?

When I learned the answer I was flabbergasted. The truth is God never expected perfection from a fallen human race. He knew before the beginning of time that we would choose sin and need a sacrifice to cover and redeem us. We can’t just try to wipe off sin and put clean clothes on our old, dead man, and expect to be holy. In reality, many of us try to do that, but it fails every time.

Now I knew all that in theory, but hadn’t put these two concepts together to form a cohesive solution. The answer is:

Holiness only comes as we continue to get on the cross, die to sin, and exalt Jesus rather than our own flesh, our own will. When we love Him and live for Him, instead of doing our own thing, when we let His will be our pleasure and privilege, knowing He is changing us from glory to glory–that is the essence of holiness. It’s putting on Christ, putting on the mind of Christ, and asking for His perspective, asking for His direction, and then walking in obedience to the revelation He gives.

You may think this sounds like gobbledygook, but I’ll tell you, the difference is stark–remarkable.

Here is the difference in me when I walk this way. I am tenderhearted toward God and weep at the drop of a hat, when He touches me. My heart breaks when I do something that hurts Him. I am grateful, grateful, grateful for everything that comes from His hand. And I want to move to minister to others. I want them saved, set free, healed, encouraged and, let me tell you, that compassion doesn’t come from mere flesh. Only God moving in us makes us want to touch others.

Now no one but you and I knows what is in our hearts. Except God. He knows. Never forget that. You and I can walk around and speak Christianese with the best of them and even do good works in His name, even testify and minister, but for what reason? If we’re doing it to show off how great we are, or to make a name for ourselves, perhaps no one will know but us and God. But those motives are sin, and sin will be judged, so that even if we give our bodies to be burned, it will be for nothing, according to God’s Word.

That kind of living has gotten us the kind of reputation we have today. That’s why Christianity is a joke to many people who have seen us in action. If Jesus isn’t our focus, and walking in the supernatural isn’t our goal, to win and heal and minister in love, we actually leave a stench in the world’s eyes. Isn’t that tragic? What should be the most amazing, incredible, miraculous thing the world has ever seen becomes ineffective and is tainted and disgusting unless you and I are walking in the spirit instead of in the flesh.

We love Him because He first loved us, or at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. Do you love Him with everything in you, knowing He took your place, tortured on a cruel cross? Does it move you to tears to realize what you’ve been saved from? Honey, eternity is a very long time to spend in hell, separated from God’s love, and everything good, tormented, alone, with no hope of an end. Hell never ends. That is what you’ve been saved from.

Time is short until Jesus comes, and Scripture talks about the “great falling away.” A time in which those who say they love God grow cold and no longer care what He thinks. It should scare us to death to think we might be in that crowd, because those people will abandon salvation and choose hell. And they will suffer more than others who’ve never known. Why? Because they tasted the goodness of God and tossed it on the trash heap.

Now is the time to ask the Lord to stir up the fire in us, so that we are consumed with passion for Jesus! Today is the day of salvation, and as incredible as it sounds, He entrusted you with making a free choice. Which one will you choose?

A word to the wise is sufficient.

Because of His great love,
Nancy

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
I was brought up in a church that preached that once we’re saved, we’re always saved. And to one extent that’s true. No one can snatch us from God’s hand. But we ourselves have fallen for what I call “easy believism…” “Just say repeat this prayer after me and you’re in.” That kind of thing must be such a stench in God’s nostrils.

When we believe that way it’s as if we’ve been given a license to live as we want and will not be answerable for it. But the truth is much different. Nowhere does Scripture say that a Christian can live a loose life and do his own thing. Nowhere does it say we are our own. Rather it says we are bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus, and real Christianity demands that we sell out to Christ, hook, line and sinker, and either be all His, or forget it altogether.

He’s tired (and so am I) of lukewarm Christianity, where we think we’re safe from judgement. In fact, I think many of us are going to be stunned and shocked when we get to the judgement and He said, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” We’re going to argue, “But Lord, didn’t I…” And He’s going to wave His hand and dismiss us from the doors of heaven. A stunning thought, isn’t it?

In fact, you and I need to be examining ourselves everyday to see if there is anything–any sin, bad attitudes or anything displeasing standing between us and God. Answer this: How long has it been since you were convicted and wept over sin, running down th aisle to the altar to get things right with God? How long?

We need to fall in love with Him, yearn after Him, hating the things He hates and loving the things He loves. We should be saying, “What kind of Christian am I if I don’t care what He thinks, if I don’t consult Him, or worry when I break His heart with my gossip or my critical attitudes, (etc.)?” What kind of Christian am I if I can stay in my seat with my arms crossed and say, “He’s preaching to someone else. As for me, I’m okay.”

That, my friends, is the devil’s lie. You and I can walk away from our wonderful God at any moment and end up in hell. We just don’t see it because our enemy the devil has us hoodwinked, bamboozled, flimflammed and deceived, to where we believe we’re a shoe-in. Nothing can be further from the truth.

If we can’t rejoice and dance and get as excited about Jesus as we do about a football game, we’re out of sync with God’s will, and we’re going to be separated from Him for all eternity because we’ve gone our own way instead of His. What we want is more important than what He wants. That’s the key right there.

This kind of preaching isn’t going to win me any popularity contests, but I don’t care. If even one person sees himself and repents, drawing near to God, it’s worth it. So don’t write me and say I’m too closed-minded, because you know what? God is, too.

In our day and age we have tainted the gospel, adulterated the pure Word of God, and painted the invitation to seem pleasing and attractive, as if we can have our cake and eat it too. But the truth is, we aren’t preaching the true gospel. Inside we are cold, hard-hearted, and empty, lukewarm, sitting with our arms crossed in rebellion, saying, “You can’t say that to me.” Well, I am saying it, and if you want to escape hell, you’d better listen up now! Jesus is coming for a bride whose garments are white, unstained by the world, and completely in love with her groom. Does that describe you?

If we can’t get back our first love, we are lost. Get mad at me! I don’t care! The truth will save you from eternal hell, so your anger doesn’t bother me in the least. If we don’t love our brothers, love the lost and feel the urgency to win them to Christ, if we don’t forgive and yearn for truth and righteousness, if we do not wash our own garments and run, run, run to the altars in deep repentance, we are…I repeat, we are…in danger of hell, my friends.

And because you are so precious to God and to me, I once again shout it from the rooftops. Jesus is coming! Examine your own hearts, you who think you are His, and ask Him to show you the truth. Saturate yourself in the Word, and let Him open your eyes to your real status, and ask yourself, “Would I die for the cause of Christ?” Most of us won’t even walk across the street or across the room to show love to other people. And if that’s how we act, we are lost, lost, lost.

My heart breaks at how my presumed brothers and sisters reject this message. Time is short! If you died tonight, where would you spend eternity?

Let a word to the wise be sufficient!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

What does it mean to have a servant’s heart? It’s a lot more complicated than it looks, and yet at the same time it’s as simple as it gets.

Why is that? Because it means drawing near to God, pressing in and living in His glory, with no agenda of our own, esteeming God and His people more than ourselves, and finally, listening and obeying His voice.

It means doing what needs to be done even if it costs us. It sounds complicated, doesn’t it? But it’s actually simple once we get the ‘agenda’ thing right. Once we figure out that it’s all about God and giving Him His rightful place, and we do that, it becomes very easy to hear His voice and open our hands to those who need to feel His hand extended.

Wow, what a way to live! To see Him moving and transforming hearts in response to His loving outreach. There’s absolutely nothing like it. And it can’t help but make our faith grow like crazy as we see how utterly incomparable His love really shows through in blessing others. It makes us more grateful than ever, knowing He cares about the little things, because we can see Him using us as tools to address those very things. And when people know God is alive and that He really does care, they are touched, healed and encouraged toward maturity in their faith. Their confidence flourishes and they are empowered to ‘pay it forward’ as well, living out the Great Commission in their own little corners of the world.

And it’s all about Thanksgiving, too, in its own way. Thanksgiving is giving back with a heart attitude of love, and if you think about it, the concept of ‘paying it forward’ was actually God’s idea long before the movie ever made it to the screen. Jesus, in fact, is our model of that very thing. He gave up His life in our place on a cross, and made a way for salvation, blessing, redemption, eternity in heaven and a host of other things, when we least deserved it. And if you and I can have a tiny part in doing that for others, we will be blessed, because in giving our lives away, we will be filled up, more than we can ever know, in just following His humble example.

The thought for today: What kind of a place would this world be if we all looked for ways to bless others without expecting anything in return? Can you even imagine!

Sounds like heaven to me!

Because of His great love,
Nancy