There’s nothing more hopeful than knowing the true love of God. But to understand God’s love we must love others as we love ourselves, yes, ourselves. It’s not easy to love that reflection in the mirror. We remember the past or the fear of the unknown future as we gaze into our own pain-filled eyes. Our eyes may lie, so we must also know the Word of God which is Jesus.
God’s Word can and will change any attitude we may harbor. We can read the Word. We can be persistent in our search for healing and wholeness. We can believe God loves us because His Word says so, and we can have faith that He wants the best for us no matter how we suffer.
I can say without a doubt that through my suffering I’ve discovered joy, and I hang onto hope every day; every time I take medication, every time I faint in public, or fall in the kitchen and break bones. The Lord sees how we persevere and rejoice in our sufferings. And somewhere, somehow, in the middle of it all, we mature. Reality, true reality, finds our hearts and minds. We come to know we can count on God’s promises in His Word.
God, Jesus, loves us more than the drops in the ocean or sands of the sea. He forgives us as far as the East is from the West. We are God’s children, and He wants the very best for us.
Within all the lessons we learn the Lord takes us to higher and higher levels of glory. So, we can hope for a future that is good and an eternity that is better.
Jesus’ death on the cross was so we can have relationship with Him. He is not unreachable or too far away. In the book of John, chapter 3 verse 16, we see the intention of His death on the cross. John 3:16 ESV – 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Next in verse 17, John 3:17 ESV – 17″ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him,” God’s will is for us to have life. Life with the Godhead, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is real and tangible. He wants us to participate in the affairs of the Kingdom of Heaven through relationship.
In the book of John, chapter 17, in the following verses we see the conversation from Jesus to his Father. It is tender-hearted and insightful to Jesus’ intention about our life with God the Father and Jesus. I am bringing this up because in the next paragraphs we will look at what man thinks is important for relationship with Jesus. Not what the God head had planned before the foundations of the world. Here are some verses out of chapter 17 from the book of John.
John 17:22-26 ESV – 22 “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
These verses are stating the very essence of the heart of God and what Jesus expressed to his Father about us. It states boldly, that he gave us his glory! The glory of God is His manifested goodness for us. He is a good God. I would recommend that you read that entire chapter. In this verse, we learn that, the word of God, (Jesus is the word) sanctifies us. The Truth (the word) are/is factual. It is the real thing. The more we read and take in His word, the more we become like Him and know and understand Him. We also become closer to Him. As we eat the word, just like food to our soul and spirit, it strengthens us and changes us into His very nature. We have a need to shed and have the old man changed. We have the ability to become like our Father.
In the following passage, the verses state how Jesus was calling out the religious men of the day, that they thought that there ways were above and beyond God’s ways. They were clearly only interested tradition of men and not a relationship with Jesus. This exchange is in the following passage in the book of Mark chapter 7 verses 1-9.
Mark 7:1-9 ESV – 1 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
The Pharisees had made their own religious rules of how people should act or behave instead of relying on the power of the scripture (the word of God) to walk with Jesus. In the next verses, Jesus points out what defiles a person is what comes out of their own hearts. Jesus is all about our hearts. He is not about trying to keep ridiculous rules. Rules that are just performance based behavior. Jesus is more interested in us talking with him and knowing we want to be a part of his family. The Family of God.
I promise you all the religious traditions of the world will only frustrate you and your heart will not be at peace. Jesus is as close as inside of you when you ask him to come into your heart and life. Ask Him, He will make himself real and tangible. He created you. He knows everything about you! There is nothing too big or too small that he doesn’t care about in your life.
Hardwired for Creativity is a teaching memoir and educational workbook, focused on encouraging and supporting growing creative students before and beyond the knowledge of formal art principles and techniques. Creativity is expressed in a variety of ways, like painting, writing, performing arts, crafts, woodworking, business management, and employee development.
This book is divided into two Sections. The first Section is divided into four parts: cultivating creativity, developing creative work, thinking differently, and acknowledging others. Section two is full of creativity-related topics, such as brainstorming, project management, critiques, research, intuition, and procrastination. All these topics are important to developing creative work and a creative lifestyle.
Emergent students, artists, and creatives need tools of everyday understanding to successfully sustain balanced lives of creative structure and freedom. This book is dedicated to the exploration of these everyday topics through a variety of pedagogy, like qualitative research, and the creatives’ life experiences.
Today is a world full of chaos and head spinning events almost too much to comprehend. If you happen to be brave enough to turn on the news, you might find yourself getting a major headache and a heavy heart. Tuning your ears to the ever present sound of sirens from emergency vehicles blaring all day and night. The occasional gunshots that permeate your peaceful thought process and quiet mind space. They all are ingredients for stress and worries to build up enough pressure to send us emotionally places we would rather not be. There are many more stressors that we can add to our lists. Our own set of worries keep us in a state of worry and continuing to be ill at ease.
When we are robbed of our peace it is hard to function in life. Sleep goes, health goes, good decisions go, relationships suffer, and anything else that requires our attention. Our joy is taken away. We can’t seem even to enjoy the day we planned of our favorite thing to do. Our worry is still lurking in the back of our mind. Anxiety is a creeper when it comes to invading our daily thoughts. We worry, often missing the opportunity to gain information on solving a problem. It is by way of the fear associated with anxiety. We push out the incoming peace to walk out our daily life. The worry is like a vice that squeezes harder the more life we give to it.
How Do We Resolve This Vicious Cycle?
First our mindset has to be one that knows God will always take care of us and all that concerns us. Secondly, if we make a list of the facts, pros and cons and take our emotions out of the problems, we will have a much clearer mind to proceed with problem solving. Things we have no control over we have to let go of. The majority of fears are never realized. Our best place to be, is living in the moment. The centered peace will bring us to just BE. Learning how to just BE in the moment or just being , is an attainable place in our life. There is no striving or jockeying for position. We fully accept our realm of peace.
Here Below Is The Famous Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change; lcourage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right If I surrender to His Will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him Forever and ever in the next. Amen.
(Prayer attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr, 1892-1971)
This prayer is a great way to start realizing how we can slow down, breathe and be grateful for our peace.
Life Giving Scriptures
But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don’t worry, judgment and justice will be upheld. – Job 36:17 NLT
A psalm of David. Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. – Psalm 37:1 NLT
Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. – Psalm 37:7 NLT
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. – Proverbs 12:25 NLT
They keep saying to those who despise my word, ‘Don’t worry! The LORD says you will have peace!’ And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’ – Jeremiah 23:17 NLT
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life–whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? – Matthew 6:25 NLT
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. – Matthew 6:34 NLT
When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. – Matthew 10:19 NLT
Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life–whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. – Luke 12:22 NLT
And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? – Luke 12:26 NLT
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. – Philippians 4:6 NLT
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. – 1 Peter 3:14 NLT
TRUSTING GOD
Leaving everything at the feet of Jesus who died for us to live in wholeness is the best way we can navigate this world. It is full of ups and downs and instabilities. We can always be at peace knowing He will never leave us. The following scriptures are descriptive of how he loves us.
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? – Romans 8:31 NLT Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? – Romans 8:32 NLT
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one–for God himself has given us right standing with himself. – Romans 8:33 NLT
Who then will condemn us? No one–for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. – Romans 8:34 NLT
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? – Romans 8:35 NLT
(As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) – Romans 8:36 NLT
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. – Romans 8:37 NLT
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. – Romans 8:38 NLT
No power in the sky above or in the earth below–indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:39 NLT
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – John 14:27 KJV
Forgiveness is the hardest things us humans have to work thru. Depending on what we became involved in, it can be really messy when we sit back and try to figure out what just happened.
Our immediate thoughts after the air clears is it hurts so bad and you have no idea what I just went thru. And there it stays, if we don’t take care of our emotions and directly process and work thru the forgiveness process.
Hurt and anger are two of your first emotions when we are processing. These emotions actually lead us to what really happened by assessing what brought us to be hurt and angry.
Next make sure you remove yourself out of the situation so you can honestly evaluate what really happened.
Thirdly, when you understand, honestly what happened, you can then work on the formalities of forgiving the other person(s), or yourself for the event that just happened.
This is a great time to do a heart check of your own personal growth (or not) in how it took place.
The act of forgiving is about Grace. Grace toward the other person or yourself or both. Grace is the application of Forgiveness. Grace is the substance that says “I am sorry and will you please forgive me?” because us humans are known to trespass into and onto others, whether it is in word, action or deed or not. Sometimes God asks us to forgive even when it may not really be our fault. Or find the solution to bridge the gap when there is a clear misunderstanding.
Swallowing our Pride (self) is hard to do no matter whose fault it is. When we admit our weaknesses and failures and apply forgiveness, it releases us to be free from the bondage of self or Pride.
Jesus died on the cross so we can spend eternity with Him. His death on the cross accomplishes the Grace we need to be forgiven and forgive. He knew we would trespass against each other due to the fact we are human and not perfect.
Ask Him today to forgive you for trespassing against Him or your neighbor! I promise a great burden will be lifted off of you and you will be free.!
Psalm 32:1-2 1 Of David. A maskil. Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:38 “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
Ephesians 1:7 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
I sat down with the Lord to inquire for today’s topic and He told me about the Keys of Truth. Keys are the understanding, opening and strategy to help you be stronger and grow in your relationship with the Lord. It also helps us walk out our journey and be in fellowship with our brothers and sisters. It helps learn about the Kingdom and how it operates.
You see, all the shaking in the world today and the last year has to do with lies that are being confronted in the way the world operates. We serve a God who is Truth. In a simple understanding, lies can be shaken and don’t last. Everything that is not of God will not stay or work. It’s in our best interest to discern the lies from the truth especially in this hour of history.
In the Hebrew language, the Hebrew word `aman means the following: assurance, establish, firm foundation, believe and believe in, verified, pillars, supporters of the door, sure, lasting, uphold, nourish, confirm, reliable, to be certain and trusted. It means to turn to the right and stedfast.
The word for lies, in the Hebrew word Ka-zav means fail, vain, deceitful and a liar. In the Greek the word pseudologos is used meaning, speaking lies. We know that pseudo means false, counterfeit or fake.
These definitions make it quite clear about their meaning and intent. Lies straight up cause failure and everything opposite of what the truth means.
The first thing He showed me is “Truth is the way out.” It is the way out of being stuck. stagnant, the prison of our own thinking, lies we believe, ( strongholds) and not having a clear direction.
The Truth opens up the door of your heart/mind. Truth has no fear in it. It’s safe.
It unlocks the lies we believe. Your heart is presented with the Truth to breakthrough the lies.
Truth is a firm foundation.
Truth is the Highway for the journey and destiny. The Truth is like arrows that are shot and always hit the target.
The scriptures and God are the only ones with absolute and pure truth. Our hearts get clouded with lies, opinions and vain imaginations. Often lies are caught, passed on, brought in by an outside source, and just plain old not knowing the truth due to our human nature. We also can fall prey to lies because we don’t put the effort into searching out the truth of a matter. It’s hard work to find the truth and apply it.
Here are some supporting scriptures as follows:
Hebrews 4:12 ESV – 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Deuteronomy 32:4 KJV – 4 [He is] the Rock, his work [is] perfect: for all his ways [are] judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.
1 Kings 17:24 ESV – 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”
Esther 9:30 ESV – 30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth,
Job 34:12 ESV – 12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
Psalm 5:9 ESV – 9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
Psalm 15:2 ESV – 2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;
Psalm 25:5 ESV – 5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 43:3 ESV – 3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
Psalm 45:4 ESV – 4 In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
Psalm 51:6 ESV – 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Psalm 86:11 ESV – 11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
Psalm 119:43, 160 ESV – 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. … 160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
Psalm 145:18 ESV – 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Proverbs 12:17 ESV – 17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
Proverbs 23:23 ESV – 23 Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Ecclesiastes 12:10 ESV – 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
Isaiah 10:20 ESV – 20 In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
Isaiah 45:19 ESV – 19 I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right.
Zechariah 8:16, 19 ESV – 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; … 19 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.
2 Timothy 4:4 ESV – 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
1 John 1:6, 8 ESV – 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. … 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 5:6 ESV – 6 This is he who came by water and blood–Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
2 John 1:2 ESV – 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
I put many scriptures up here and there are more. I encourage you to do a search on truth in your Bible program. It’s so important. Truth is our foundation. It can’t be replaced. Also Truth is a fact. It can be proven.
For Jesus says,
John 14:6 ESV – 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 5:1-9 NASB – 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep [gate] a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] 5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying [there,] and knew that he had already been a long time [in that condition,] He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and [began] to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.
Hardwired for Life 
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