A Christ Centered Life

When Christ is the center of our lives, blessings flow. A Christ centered life, allows Jesus access into our everything- our relationships, our marriages, careers, parenting, friendships, ministries and business affairs.

How do we do this? How do we give everything to Jesus. Paul reveals how we can know the fullness of life in Christ in his prayer to the new church in Ephesus in the book of Ephesians, Chapter 3:17-19. Go with me there. Read it several times-

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love,
18 you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God.

The fullness of God is knowing how much God loves us! This is the central, ultimate purpose of the New Testament; demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Our faith is rooted in God's love for us, not in how much we love God. If we base our faith on our own actions of committed, passionate love, we will come up short everyday.

When I first heard this message by John Prince spoken at a Hillsong Church Conference broadcast, I felt such a relief. I know my love- at it's best- is flawed and steeped in conditions, and time after time fails to show the love I have for God and mankind. I feel a bit defeated in trying to demonstrate this in my Christ centered life.

So wow, what a relief! Knowing that it's not really up to me to do the ultimate God thing... that's God's job.  Instead, God says," look at my love,  live in my fullness,  my unconditional love for you!"

So today my prayer is that we know how much God loves us. Focus on that one principle only. Imagine God wearing rose colored glasses looking at you, and that through the lenses He stamped the word LOVE on your forehead, and then put this melody in your heart -

"Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so!"

 I am going to be siniging this children's song with a renewed and fresh insight. It's the greastest love song ever written dear ones. Teach your children too, it's all about Jesus.
 Believe.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3 :16

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Seasons Of Favor

God honors our discipline with seasons of favor.  These are times when there is a major shift in our life for the better. We are able to live in peace with ourselves and others. Forgiveness becomes easier, love is deeper, life is sweeter.

Walking in obedience ushers in this season of favor. Radical obedience brings radical favor. Likewise radical disobedience brings radical disharmony and frustration.

God will give you nudges toward favor, and you will experience the blessing of peace and prosperity. However, if you take this time for granted, and ignore responding in humility. God will withdraw this blessing.

You have to be willing to do what you can do to change your selfish ways- addictions, unforgiveness, jealousy, anger, laziness, complacency . God will replace these crutches with wonderful new seasons of restoration- peace, love, joy, prosperity, health, and healing.

Pray daily-
Make me, mold me, show me where I need to change. Then start letting go of those destructive things you are holding on to. God will supernaturally give you the strength.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Psalms 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield
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Proverbs 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD.Luke 1:30


 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God
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Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.


Proverbs 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD

Desperate Faith

The faith for desperate days.", is the first sentence from the March 25 devotion in the beloved classic "Streams In The Desert". My parents gave me my first copy of this book after becoming a Christian many years ago.The readings have encouraged and refreshed me through many days and seasons of desperate faith, and during times of battle with the world and her enemy.


The message in this reading simply says that desperate days been recorded in the annals of time as pathways to light. If we study the Bible and the lives of all great patriarch's we see victory over these trying times; often the deliverance came "at wits end".


When we submit in desperate faith, and quit trying to figure it out, God moves in his mysterious ways and delivers. How true.The devotion continues to remind the reader that faith does not make our desperate days; it's work is to sustain and solve. My response is to continue to moment by moment increase my faith.

As we approach our Easter season- remember Gethsemane and the desperate faith of Christ as he cried out to God the Father. Ponder this deeply. We must remember our pilgrimage journey will always require divine eternal faith that is sustained only by God, because of the desperate submission of Christ to the cross. His blood, his faith covers all who believe - have faith.


Jesus said in this world we will have trials and tribulations, but he came to overcome these for us. He is the pathway to life and lights the way in the darkness.


Lyrics from an old hymn describes the necessity of desperate faith to teach us to trust God.


"When obstacles and trials seem
 Like prison walls to be,
 I do the little I can do
And leave the rest to Thee.


And when there seems no chance,
   no change, from grief
   can set me free,
Hope finds it's strength in helplessness,
   And calmly waits for Thee.

For Julia

Alone, Yet Not

I walk alone into this dark of night,

Along these city streets-
A friend not found in staring down-
The walls of my grieving heart.

A heart that aches,
A heart that's bound-
As if captive to
This dark, this night.

My heavy heart yearning to know-
What measures one must go,
To find the light,
To find some peace,
To find this soul's release.

The pavement cracked and worn,
Like my aching, fragile soul-
Such a state of disrepair.

So many questions inside of me.
What do I say to this empty soul?
Again, now at the end,
Of another lonely day.

Who am I?
What plan have I?
To wander all these days and nights,
Caught up in city lights.

I stop by the church along the way,
A sweet melody from within,
Beckons me to stay-

A welcome reprieve-
From the haunting sound
of my solitary steps,
and so I stop and rest.

The stained glass glowing
brightly into this night-
A reflection of a shepherd man,
He holds a young lamb tight.

I look into the shepherds face-
a picture of long ago-
I see the lamb resting against his chest-
A story much deeper than
stained glass does hold.

My night of sorrow softens slightly.
I sigh... my buried heart of grief
Feels lighter as I recall-
A memory from days gone by.

"The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want,
He makes me lie down
In green pastures,
And leads me by still waters."

Yes, I remember I cry...

"He restore my soul,
He walks with me
Through this valley,
In this shadow of death. "


I know it's true,
No need to fear.
The church bell rings,
The children sing.
The shepherd of my soul is here.


My recent grief,
This heavy heart
Overwhelming at the start-
Now at the end removed.


I know now.. my father recently departed,
Taken from our sight,
One sad, dark night-
Does not rest alone in the unknown.

He is in the shepherd's care,
Held close, against his chest.
Right by His heart.

I stand to go, but pause to listen-
The children sing their last refrain...

"Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so."

And so I know-

Walking home I find this dark of night
Now has a light- it glows, within my soul.
My answer given-
Keep on living,
Do not let go-

For Jesus loves me so.

I walk alone, yet not.