My Christian Valentine to You!

February has crept in and January is now a memory!  How fast time passes by in our earthly life!  But the Lord's timing is eternal, never ending, and never rushed~ even though he can and will change our lives in the blink of His eye...

Isaiah 40:31 is one of my most favorite verses. ♥
  "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength: They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary and they shall walk, and not faint."  Are these not words to live by?  I have an elderly friend, even older than me-ha!  She, knowing this was my favorite verse, printed it for me in calligraphy and framed it for me.  I treasure such a gift and have it hanging always on my wall.

What is your favorite verse?  What inspires you and reinforces your faith?  Surround yourself with reminders of God, His wisdom, His great works, His never-ending love, His Grace and Goodness.  When you surround yourself in the Word of God, you will find comfort, hope, strength to face anything that comes your way.  For if God is with us, who can be against us?  Another favorite!  Roman's 8:31

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:28-31

Have you ever noticed that a person loving God and living by His way, seem to have a glow about them, a light in their eyes glowing from within and a happy countenance despite their circumstances.  I have always noticed this.  I think it is because they don't let the evils of this world color their life resulting in wrinkles melting away and softness of heart and God lives within them.

Do you want to feel that way?  All you need to do is invite God into your heart along with His Son, Jesus who died on the cross for all of us and our sins.  A one-time sacrifice never needing another.  Accept God's gift by thanking Him for coming into your heart (being born again because you start your life anew as a Christian.)  Share the Joy of your Salvation.  When I did this, I jumped up off my couch and jumped for Joy!  It was back in the 1980's and though I thought I was a Christian before that, I knew that it was at that moment that I became a new being in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

New International Version (NIV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

And the Lord says we must confess with our mouths

Romans 10:9 

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

A change of heart, a change of mind.  All you need to do is accept.  Any questions?  Write me.  May you all be blessed each and every day and I pray you have taken a blessing away with you today, it would be my JOY!

My Christian Heart to Yours...

Kerrie ♥

LUKE 2:41-52

Review of Luke: 39,40

And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Luke: 2:41-52  Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.  And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.  His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so?  Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."  And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"  And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.  And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

  Right from the day of his birth, Mary did not understand all that was happening because God did not reveal all to her all at once.  As each thing happened, the Bible tells us that Mary "kept all this in her heart".  And though she did not understand at the time, she would comprehend later on in God's timing.  And that is how it is with all of us.  We do not understand all of how God is working in our lives.  But we will understand when God in his own wisdom and timing makes it clear to us.  Sometimes, what we may think is not a blessing is really a blessing in disguise and we will see how it all fits together in the end.

  Sometimes, when the holiday is over, we feel let down, depressed.  Mary must have felt that when she has spent seven days at the feast of Passover with neighbors and kin and then discovers that her son is not among them on the trip back home!  And then to find him both in joy but also admonishing him for his behavior.  Mary and Joseph did not understand his reason that he was in his "Father's House" but she kept it in her heart.  Keep God's word in your heart and accept what his will is for you.  Accepting will take away the stress you feel and fill you with happiness in Him.

  From this time forward (when Jesus left the temple with his parents), there is hardly any mention of Jesus' life until he meets John the Baptist.  It would be wonderful if we knew more but it is not recorded.  We are thankful for all that was recorded about the Savior and "hold it in our hearts".