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Nurturing Love

22 11 2013

The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

God is Love. His love for us is perfect and gave us the Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are called to love God and we are called to love His people. One scripture says we are to love the Lord God with all of our heart. It is a powerful command to love our Heavenly Father who created the universe and blesses the big and small things of our lives. He is all powerful and shows His love, mercy and compassion for us daily. He loves us and asks for us to love one another. It is not a casual commandment and requires our careful and deliberate response. We are asked to love one another; neighbor, family member, co-worker and even our enemies. It doesn’t matter about race, class, income, age or gender. It doesn’t matter what someone has done in the recent or distant past. We are called to love. It may be easy to respond, “I love everybody.” But the evidence of indifference and even hate is rampant in the world. We can hear it in the public discourse of minimizing one group over another. Or it may be just the quite whispers of idle conversation that is designed to tear someone down. Or extreme examples of murder and war against one human being against another exist in our communities and countries across the globe. So love is in need of love today. Nurturing love starts in my heart and mind, the space where I develop responses to God’s children. I have some work to do. Time and procrastination have allowed some hard places to develop. The widespread global need for love may feel overwhelming. But God is merciful and revealed my need for more love in my heart. I need to grow and cultivate more love for all of God’s children. I am thankful for the work that He is doing in my heart to nurture more love in my heart today.

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Tags: love one another, Luke 10:27, Nurturing Love, terriwellspring.com
Categories : LOVE, Uncategorized

Choosing Jesus

21 11 2013

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

We make decisions each day. From the time we open our eyes, we make choices about how we live our lives. Accepting Jesus into our hearts and into our lives is the most important decision we can make. We are created as creatures of choice. We get to decide to accept His gift of salvation. We get the opportunity to turn from our former ways. We get to choose a new life and a new journey with Him. It is up to us. It may be a new choice or it may be a choice that you made long ago. But we are reminded today that Jesus loves us and that He gave His life for our sins. He loves you and He loves me. He came that we may have life and life more abundantly. We can accept His gift of salvation and the gift of His Holy Spirit. So if this is a new choice, you are welcome to the family of God. If this is renewed choice, we thank God for a renewed commitment to Him and a deeper desire to walk closer with Him. Walking with Jesus, we want to make consistent choices that reflect our faith, love and respect for our Heavenly Father and His Word. We want to walk in integrity, love and meekness that quickly identify us as a child of the King. We want to choose Jesus and His ways each day.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Dear Lord Jesus,
I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do your will.
In your name,
amen.

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Tags: Choosing Jesus, John 10:10, John 3:16, salvation, terriwellspring.com
Categories : GUIDANCE, Uncategorized

Call On the One

20 11 2013

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Psalm 116:17

I am so thankful for all the Lord’s blessings to me. He continues to bless my soul and my life with blessings that I could not earn, even if I had tried. The blessing of peace, His love and His concern for me surround my life and I am thankful. I am most thankful for the gift of salvation and the opportunity to walk with the Lord’s leading. With His leading, I know I will find safety, deliverance and peace that is beyond understanding. I am thankful. Jesus is always present and is available to us. We can call on His name for the concerns of our heart, the promise of direction and to manifest the blessing of healing of mind, body and soul. He is the healer and the provider of strength. I am thankful.

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Tags: Psalm 116, terriwellspring.com
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT, Uncategorized

Content

19 11 2013

How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For, I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13 NLT

Content (adjective) satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.
Most people strive to find contentment with what they have or who they are by working to get more of what they think will make them happy. It often involves more money, more assets or more power or influence over others. Sadly, it may be a deep desire for both. We see examples in the media daily of people who have reached “success” by society’s standard and have a disturbing lack of peace and contentment.
Paul describes a contentment that comes from within. It doesn’t matter where he is or what he has or doesn’t have, he has learned to be satisfied. It seems rare to find this trait in people today. There seems to be an insatiable appetite for more things, more attention and more power in this world. Paul shares with us two keys: 1) that He learned this behavior and 2) that his relationship with Christ empowers with the strength to do all things. I imagine that Paul’s journey allowed him to experience things where he arrived at a deep knowing in his heart and mind that the Lord ordered his steps. And each step of the journey was empowered with strength and the provision to make it to where God was leading. We can be thankful today that this level of contentment is available to each of us today. We can arrive there, at any point along our journey, knowing that our Heavenly Father is faithful to each of His promises.

I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess-happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me-it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles. Philippians 4:10-13 (MSG)

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Tags: Contenment, Philippians 4, terriwellspring.com
Categories : PEACE, Uncategorized

What is Required

18 11 2013

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

On earth in the 21st Century, we face billions of people living in poverty and extreme poverty. Some define extreme poverty as living on less than $1.00 per day for all of your needs. More important than the definition, it means daily hunger, poverty, homelessness, sickness and death for countless around the world. As people of God it made me think about Jesus and what He requires of us – What would Jesus do? In the Bible it references our need to show, mercy, compassion and justice for people who are in need. This instruction shows up time and time again in God’s word. What if every follower of Jesus would make it a priority to prayerfully consider what they can do to help people who are in poverty? Just think about how my prayers, my words, my advocacy, my time and my resources could reflect Jesus’ love for people here and around the world. It would be a powerful start.

He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.’ And ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Jesus told him, “You’re right! Do this, and life will be yours.”

Luke 10:27-28

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Tags: Micah 6:8, poverty, terriwellspring.com
Categories : GUIDANCE, Uncategorized

Don’t Give Up

15 11 2013

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. II Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG

Stay encouraged. Don’t give up. We can stay in faith even when things get hard and even we don’t understand. His Grace is unfolding before our eyes. We can focus on what our Heavenly Father is doing and the new life that is created daily in us. Things may be difficult and hard but we can look for His inner renewal to take place in our souls. He can revive our spirits and give us the courage to face what’s next. Discouragement is not of God and should be resisted on every hand. We have to be careful not to let it take root in our hearts. When we feel weary, we can take a moment to reflect on His goodness, His grace and His love that has allowed us to stand where we are today. He provides courage and strength. He provides the direction to move with confidence to take the next step. We will not give up.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. II Corinthians 4:16-18

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Tags: Don't Give Up, II Corinthians 4:16-18, terriwellspring.com
Categories : ENCOURAGEMENT, Uncategorized

Name by Name

14 11 2013

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:15-17

We show our love and concern for each another in many ways. Prayer is a powerful way to share what is on our hearts concerning our family, friends and others to God. I love that my mother prays every day for her family, calling each one in prayer, name by name. What a blessing to have a praying mother and moreover a listening Heavenly Father who hears her prayers. God’s Word instructs us to pray for one another. We can pray for God’s peace, strength, healing, and deliverance to be manifested in each other’s lives. I believe prayer has transformational power for our lives, our families and the situations we face. We need His glory to be manifested in each one of His children. As we pray, we can stand in faith for answered prayer trusting God in His continued faithfulness. When we pray, He is faithful to hear our prayer and we are thankful.

For this reason we have not stopped praying for you since the day we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through every kind of spiritual wisdom and insight. We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God. We ask him to strengthen you by his glorious might with all the power you need to patiently endure everything with joy. You will also thank the Father, who has made you able to share the light, which is what God’s people inherit.

Colossians 1:9-12

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Tags: Colossians 1:19-12, James 5:15-17, Name by Name, pray for one another, terriwellspring.com
Categories : Uncategorized

A Heart Full of Thanks

13 11 2013

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:18

Approaching life through the powerful lens of gratefulness is a blessed way to view our lives. We have so much to thank God for. We sometimes take for granted the many blessings that keep us through the night, that wake us up each morning and to start each day. Blessings great and small are extended to us throughout our lives. No matter what we are experiencing, we have something that we can be thankful for. In fact, when we are struggling to find that “something”, it is a good time to turn our thoughts to gratitude. Redirecting our focus from our problems to God’s blessings has a way of transforming our mindset from concerns and worries toward having faith. Gratitude is a state of our heart that recognizes God’s grace and His merciful love in our lives. Being thankful is a daily practice and a blessed approach to living. It is hard to think of God’s goodness to us, past and present and not be thankful. God promises to provide for our needs as we walk and trust in Him. Keeping a heart full of thanks blesses us along the journey.

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Tags: A Heart full of Thanks, I Thessalonians 5:18, terriwellspring
Categories : PRAISE, Uncategorized

He Renews My Strength

12 11 2013

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Psalm 23:3 NLT

The Lord provides strength when we need it. I am so thankful for this promise and blessing that has come to my rescue so many times. Weariness in body and spirit is often a sign for the need for rest. For many, we carry a super hero façade, pushing our minds and bodies to meet every obligation. Then there are days when our super hero cape feels a little frayed and tattered at the edges. These are signs that we need rest and renewal. We may need planned time to rest, exercise, meditate and spend time talking with our Heavenly Father. I am thankful that God gives us rest; real rest that allows your body to heal and recover from the stressful and busy lives that we lead. I am thankful that He blesses us with a renewed outlook with fresh eyes for His vision for our lives and our walk with Him. His Holy Spirit is a guiding force for our steps and the way we should go. His leading points us in the direction of our blessed purpose. He provides the renewed strength along the journey that allows us to reach our destination. And we are thankful.

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Tags: He Renews My Strength, Psalms 23, terriwellspring
Categories : REVITALIZATION, Uncategorized

He is Able

8 11 2013

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV

We serve a God who created the earth and the heavens. He is powerful, loving and merciful. We are so thankful for the Gift of His Son Jesus Christ who allows us to be in relationship with Him. We may have prayers and petitions before the Lord. They may be needs and desires that we have no idea how they will be accomplished. Once we put our petitions before the Lord, we can have confidence that He has heard our cry and that He is working our prayers together for our good. You may be praying for things regarding healing, deliverance or salvation for those you love. You may be seeking transformation to take place in our hearts and minds so that we can reach our goals and to be used more of the Lord. Whatever you are seeking, our passage is a reminder that He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. What a blessing to see the work of His hands working in our lives. Better Health, better devotion and attention to our God –given assignments. He is well able do more than we can ask or think. His response will amaze us and we are thankful.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
Ephesians 3:20-21 MSG

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Tags: Ephesians 3:20, He is able, terriwellspring
Categories : FAITH, Uncategorized

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