God's Valentines To You

“Cast all you anxiety on Him because He cares for you!”

1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Today I admit that many times in my life there have been days when I have been in the middle of a situation that consumed all of my thinking. At times I have had a heavy, dark cloud of dread that hung over my head. I confess that many times I have been worried and concerned for days and nights at a time. I have also experienced a heavy pain in my heart that would not leave. Today, what is that circumstance that leaves you feeling fearful, helpless and out of control? Is there something in your life that you wish would change or go away?

 

No matter what it is that is plaguing us today or any day, I Peter 5:7 is a reminder that we are not alone in our situation! As I read that I am to cast all of my anxiety on God, because He cares for me, I realize that I must choose to embrace this verse and take it into my heart! The Bible has many examples of how intimately God knows and cares for each one of us. God does not loose track of a single human being that He has created.

 

Today we celebrate Valentine’s Day. I want to share with you some of God’s Valentines that carry the message of his everlasting love.

 

Valentine 1 – Jesus, the Good Shepherd knows your name.

 

“The man who enters by the gate

is the shepherd of his sheep.

…and the sheep listen to his voice.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

John 10:2-3b NIV

I am amazed that God knows my name and never forgets it! I can’t tell you how many people I have been introduced to and two minutes later I can’t remember their name. God knows my name and He knows yours too, and he will never forget it!

Valentine 2 – God has known all of your days even before you were born.

“My frame was not hidden from you when

I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.”

Psalm 139:15-16 NIV

It astounds me that God knew me before I was even formed in my mother’s womb. Even before a single day came to be all of my days were ordered by God. When it comes to our lives, we are always surprised by what happens to us in this life, no matter if it is good or bad. However, God is never surprised by the events that unfold in each of our lives. That’s why it is so safe to trust him, because God is prepared for every circumstance even when we aren’t.

 

Valentine 3 – God knows the number of hairs on your head.

 

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Matthew 10:30 NIV

I don’t know about you but every time I brush my hair some of my hair falls out. But God keeps track of each hair on my head and counts them all over and over again. I for one, am amazed!

Valentine 4 – God watches you sleep.

 "He will not let your foot slip –

He who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed He who watches…

will neither slumber nor sleep.”

Psalm 121:3-4 NIV

 When was the last time you watched a precious little child sleep? When a little child is sleeping they are perfectly still. Sleeping children are precious! They are not fussing or doing a single thing that could get them into trouble. As we watch that child sleep our love for that child just flows from our heart. Imagine this…God watches YOU sleep. What a vision that is and what a comfort. Even with all of our flaws and shortcomings, God’s love pours out of his heart towards you and me as he watches us sleep. Do you still doubt that God loves and cares for you?

 

Valentine 5 – God stores your tears in a bottle.

 “You have taken account of my wanderings;

put my tears in Your bottle.

Are they not in your book?”

Psalm 56:8 NIV

 Our tears do not go unnoticed. God not only wipes away your tears He gathers them up and stores them in a bottle. What a loving reminder that God cares for us and never forgets our pain and sorrow.

 

Valentine 6 – God thinks precious thoughts of you.

 “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.”

Psalm 139:17-18 NIV

God’s thoughts of you outnumber the sand. That means throughout your entire life God will think trillions of thoughts regarding you. Even in your sinfulness and failures, God’s thoughts regarding you are still precious! He hates sin but always loves the sinner! God knows who he created each of us to be and he is pleased. We may not be there yet, but his precious thoughts of us are always in our best interest. God never forgets what he wants to accomplish in us and through us. That is why we need to trust him in all things.

 

Questions:

1. Have you ever doubted that God cares for you?

2. Which of God’s Valentines to you do you love the most?

Prayer:

 

Dear God,

 

Today I thank you for these truly wonderful Valentines that express your love for me in an incredible way. Forgive me for ever doubting your love and care for me. Please write all of these verses on my heart so that I will always remember how very much you love me. I pray that these verses will become so much a part of my thoughts that they will enable me to fall into your trusting arms each and every time that I am feeling overwhelmed, fearful, discouraged, or unloved. Lord, forgive me when I fail to return my love to you. You lavish your love on me everyday. Help me not to miss your love! Lord, I want to fall so deeply in love with you that my obedience to you will be nothing short of joy because I love you so deeply.

 

In your son’s name I pray. Amen.

Is Life Really Like A Box Of Chocolates?

“Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

Psalm 34:8 NIV

On Valentine’s Day we women love to be romanced and told we are loved. I believe that men also enjoy special attention as well. We especially like surprises! Nothing says love to a woman like a beautiful red rose unless it’s a box of chocolates that we DO NOT need! Dinner out is nice and a surprise weekend is even better! But what if none of the above happens? Does that mean we are unloved, unappreciated, or not worthy of someone’s love? I don’t think so. Some of you may be broken hearted by a lost love. Others of you may have chosen to live the single life and love it!

 

Someone once said that life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get. In some ways that is so true. One bite might be a delicious creamy milk chocolate with a butter cream filling, another might be a chewy caramel that pulls out expensive dental work, and still another might be dark chocolate nougat. Each bite holds a surprise all of its own. Yes, life is a bit like that. When we depend on the world for happiness we always come up short. Jobs are lost, the bank account is depleted, people disappoint and fail us, friends forsake us, illness overcomes us, and death separates us. However, it is occurring to me this Valentine’s week that when the chocolates we receive are from the hand of God we get a very different box of chocolates and we know exactly what to expect! There is not a single chocolate in God’s box of candy that is not delectably delicious. At times we blame God when we get a bad chocolate, but that is a wrong assumption.

 

Imagine for a moment the doorbell rings and it is Jesus! First he flashes you his captivating smile, then he hands you his beautiful “handmade” rose picked especially for you from his own personal garden. Then he presents you with a beautiful RED HEART box of chocolates that is topped with a pure white bow. It is no mistake that this gift is a gift of love that symbolizes his heart’s blood that was shed for your sin. But now his once mutilated body has been healed, restored, risen and glorified! The pure white bow on top of this heart shaped box shimmers in the sunlight as it radiates with the message of God’s love and your hope of heaven.

 

Because of this miracle of love and grace, my life has also been transformed. My sin has been forgiven, my sinful heart has been washed clean, and I have been restored back into the family of God. I also know beyond a shadow of doubt that some day I will rise up to live with the Lord forever and my body will also be glorified, for I shall be like him! It is this transformed life and hope of eternal glory that all believers share.

 

On this Valentine’s Day my glorification has not yet taken place. I remain here in this life with all of its trials and disappointments. In my humanness I am still dust. But as I live out my days, as I wait, God’s valentine chocolates are plentiful, sweet, and always available to me. It is amazing to me that when I eat the chocolates found in the box of life, sometimes there are many delicious bites to be enjoyed and savored. Other times I may bite into a chocolate and it may surprise me because it is not the chocolate I had hoped for. However, it is a chocolate I must eat. But my Lord is so good! He knows when I get a chocolate that is not so good. When this happens the lover of my soul reminds me that his ways are pleasant and sweet. One by one he replaces the not so good chocolates of life with the scrumptious chocolates of his grace, love, joy, comfort, and peace. These chocolates are sweet and satisfying. In life’s box of chocolates the truth is, we never know what we are going to get, but our Lord does and he stands ready to replace that which is hard to swallow with his sweet tasting chocolates that have been hand dipped in his agape love. We never have to fear what is in our Lord’s box of chocolates because they always taste of his goodness and mercy.

 

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Most of the time God’s chocolates always make me crave for just one more! Each of his chocolates is unique and complete. I think that you will find that they are the yummiest chocolates you will every taste! These chocolates are plentiful and I always know exactly what I am going to get. With our Lord Jesus Christ everyday is Valentine’s Day because we are his beloved! Even in times of despair we can trust that Jesus will bring only the finest of chocolates to our door.

 

Questions:

1. What chocolate are you currently eating from life’s box of chocolates?
2. Have you found that often they taste good going down but then leave you unsatisfied?
3. When you get to the end of life’s box of chocolates will there be more for you?
4. Have you ever eaten the delicious chocolates that are from the heart of Jesus?
5. Do you find Jesus’ chocolates to be satisfying and plentiful?
6. Which of his chocolates are you enjoying the most this Valentine’s Day?

…and don’t forget…even men need chocolates!

 Prayer:

 Dear Jesus,

 Thank you for being the lover of my soul. Lord I pray for those who may feel unloved on this day. Wrap your arms of love around them and help them to know that you will never leave them or forsake them. Help them to rejoice in the knowledge that you are the lover of their soul. If they do not know you, I pray they will seek to know you this very day.  Father, today I thank you for my salvation that entitles me to eat from your hand of love and grace. Your gifts of love, peace, joy, faithfulness, comfort, and hope are all that I really need. Thank you that your gifts are fresh and new every morning and your promises are sure and true. Your compassion and mercy has made you a Father who loves all his children and provides exactly what we need. This very special Valentine’s Day I am thankful for all those in my life who love me, but above all I am thankful for your abundant love. So today I praise you, I worship you, I adore you because you love my soul so much that you died for me. You paid the price and you alone are worthy of my praise and love.

 

It is in your name I pray. Amen.

...He Loves Me Not...He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not...He Loves Me!

“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.”

2 John 1:6 NIV

This morning I am learning an amazing truth as I sit before the Master Gardner in the garden of my heart. I am looking at a patch of beautiful daisies and remembering my childhood game of plucking off the petals one at a time and saying, “he loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not,” as I tried to determine if the cute boy I liked, liked me.

There are days that I question God’s love for me because I am hurting. Some days I feel overwhelmed by life and because I can’t seem to be able to get ahead, life seems hopeless and void of God’s love. Other days when I feel sad and I find myself lost in loneliness I wonder where God is. I question why death and personal loss hurt so much. On those days I find myself playing my childhood game as I ask God, “do you love me or do you love me not?” Some days I wonder if God still loves me because I have failed him. There have been times that I haven’t loved myself very much and when I am in that mindset I really struggle with the question, why should God love me because I’m not really worthy of his love. So today I look up into the clouds and remember that as a believer, I am a precious child of God and he does love me. I also know that God especially loves those who love him in return. As I continue to meditate on the truth of God’s love for me, a light goes on in my brain and I find myself on the brink of discovering why I may be experiencing times of insecurity regarding God’s love for me.

I am beginning to realize that accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior is exactly that and no more. Basically, when I accepted Jesus, I simply reached out to God in simple faith and accepted God’s free gift of salvation. This gift was made possible by the loving obedience of his Son, Jesus Christ, who was obedient even unto death, even the death on the cross. Yes, God’s unconditional and lavish love for me and all mankind is second to none. I am beginning to comprehend that it is not a matter of God loving me, but rather a matter of me loving God. How well do I return my love to God? That is the question tugging at my heartstrings today.

What does loving God look like? It looks like obedience. “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.” 2 John 1:6 NIV The Bible is pretty clear that if I love God, I will obey him. If I don’t obey God I must view him as a casual acquaintance rather than being someone with whom I have a loving relationship. God is not satisfied with merely dating humanity, he wants a loving bride!

I think that when I fail to be obedient to God it is because I try to obey him for all the wrong reasons. Sometimes I obey God because I need to stay on good terms with him in case I need something. Sometimes I obey because I am afraid to disobey. Other times I obey because it makes me look good. That kind of selfish obedience is not based on love! Pure obedience is impossible unless it is fueled by love. As in any relationship, where there is pure love, obedience flows freely! I may not always do this perfectly. I’m pretty sure I won’t, but God loves it when I do! My obedience puts a smile on the face of God and he may even do the dance of joy! He shouts from the throne room in heaven, “She loves me! She loves me! She loves me!”

Obedience is my gift of love to God. He wants my obedience in my thought life, my words, my actions, my attitudes, my deeds, my giving, my work, and through loving others. “This is my command: Love each other.” John 15:17 NIV

It is our sinful nature to disobey God. We can blame Adam and Eve all we want to but even if they had not eaten the fruit, somewhere down the road some other couple would have. It could have been Sarah and Abraham, or Rebekah and Isaac, or Ruth and Billy Graham, or Paula and Joe, or You and _________. I am convinced that all of us, from the beginning of time up until this very moment, are more than capable of succumbing to the temptation of believing the deadly lie of Satan that whispered, “Eat this fruit and you can be like God.”

Because God is all knowing, God knew that weak, frail humans would take Satan’s bait. God knew that the beautiful apple would look so appealing that it would be impossible for us to resist. God knew that mankind would fail. Adam and Eve would eat and as they tasted the apple the juices would be deliciously sweet and delectable. But at the very moment they swallowed the flesh of the apple sourness would overcome them carrying with it a fatal, lethal poison. That poison was sin! At that moment in time all humanity became victims of sin.

Even before the foundation of the earth God knew that we would fail, in fact he set us up for failure. He created us from dust to be weak and needy. Why on earth would a loving God do that? Because God knew that it was only out of our failure and despair that we would need him. It was out of this need that we would come to know the full extent of his love. God’s love says, “I want you back. I am a jealous God and I want you all to myself because I love you and I need you to love me in return.” God knew it was the only way. He had to let us go so that we could choose to come back to him and love him. God knew that we were lost and could not find our way home so he implemented his perfect, already in place plan. God would provide a perfect, sinless sacrificial lamb to atone for our sin as a means of getting us back. Because of God’s great love for humanity he gave us his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, who became that lamb.

God did all he could to fix the sin of man but still his solution still needs each individual’s personal acceptance of his remedy. You see love is not taken or forced, it is given. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 NIV Does God love us? Yes indeed!

Mankind has walked so far away from the garden that we have no memory of what God’s perfection really looks like. We don’t remember Eden. We have forgotten what the loving relationship between God and man really felt like. We have come to accept the good of God’s love yet we are still missing the best of his love that is reserved only for those who love him in return. I am starting to see that the only way I can return love to my precious Father in heaven is through my obedience. My obedience must be motivated only by my love.

God loves me… He loves me not… yes! …He loves me! God has two valentines for all of us today. The first valentine is his blood red heart that bleeds forgiveness and provides a covering for your sin and mine. The second valentine is his nail scared hand that carries a valentine that has written on it, “I love you and I will never leave you or forsake you. Love, God.” When I accepted his first valentine I accepted forgiveness for my personal sin. When I accept his second valentine I claim this precious promise.

These two valentines are available to all who will reach up and take them. Jesus’ valentines are intended for his bride. Believers are the bride of Jesus Christ and it is God's intention that we walk life together in a two way intimate relationship. Someday soon, Jesus will come again for his bride, his church, and we will go to live with him forever. Imagine this, God has lavished his love on us even before the foundation of the world and all he wants in return is to be loved back!

Questions:

Are you feeling unloved?

Have you been wondering if God loves you?

As a believer is your obedience motivated by your love for God?

What can you do to fall deeper in love with Jesus?

What is God asking of you this day?

If you are not sure if God loves you pray and ask God to come into your life and give you that assurance.

Prayer:

Dear Almighty God,

God you know everything. You are all powerful. God you have the ability to be everywhere all the time. God you have created all things. God I now see the one and only thing that you are in need of is fellowship with mankind that is based on our love for you. God I see more clearly now that your perfect plan was designed to lure us back and make us your bride. God, I am reminded that you call me but you do not force me. The choice of loving you is mine alone. God I am beginning to realize that if I am to get the most out of my salvation I simply must walk with you daily. God forgive me when I only take from your gracious loving hand. Father, forgive me for all of the times that I have failed to be obedient. God I want to fall deeply in love with you. I now realize that if I am to fall deeper in love with you I must spend more time with you and I must be willing to demonstrate my love to you through my obedience. God I pray that I would give you my obedience one “yes God” at a time. I want to thank you for loving me. God, I am beginning to understand that every time I choose to be obedient I am sending my valentine of love up to you. God, I thank you for your valentines of love and faithfulness to me. Father, I pray that I will strive to know you more intimately, and as a result, fall deeper in love with you.

In the name of your precious Son I pray. Amen

Love is in the Air

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
Proverbs 25:11 NIV

Valentine’s Day can conjure up all kinds of emotions. Sad feelings of a lost love, a love that is yet to be experienced, or a current love that brings with it immense happiness. Even as a child I remember decorating Valentine boxes at school. The most popular children received Valentines from everyone in the class, other children got a fair amount, and still others got precious few. Unlike God, we are very selective in who we choose to love. As a result we base our self worth on how many valentines we get, how we look, what we do compared to what others do, or how much we have.

As Valentine’s Day draws near we are inundated with perfume and jewelry ads on television. But today I am reminded that God’s Word says it very simply. The very best Valentine we can give to another person is “A word appropriately spoken.” This verse further explains that this word, this compliment, this encouragement is like golden apples set in beautiful silver!

This morning I am imagining that today when I go out to my mail box and open it out will spill hundreds of red, pink and white valentines in all shapes and sizes. They will be flying everywhere. Some I will be able to retrieve and others will fly away unread. The Bible, God’s Word to you and I is that mailbox. When we open up the Bible there are hundreds of wonderful valentines that will fly out as you read and study. These are your personal Valentines straight from the heart of God. They will remind you of God’s love for you. They will encourage you because they will be a word aptly spoken. These Valentines will give you self worth because they will remind you of who you are in Christ Jesus!

Over the years God has given me many wonderful Valentines from his Word. These valentines are the scriptures that have taken root deep in my heart and will remain there forever! Many of those verses were given to me in times of darkness and despair. Others were given just too simply delight my spirit. Still others remind me of something that God has promised me. God has also given me valentine scriptures of hope and assurance for myself and for those I love. Today I am thinking that it is no coincidence that I have underlined in my Bible each of these “God Valentines” and drawn a small heart next to that verse. As I read my Bible, again and again I am drawn to these special verses revealed to me by the Holy Spirit. As I re-read these scriptures time and time again, God always brings to mind exactly where I was in my life when I received his valentine of love to me, and I am reminded of why I was in need of that special valentine. Yes, these loving words are among my finest pieces of jewelry. They are indeed apples of gold in fine settings of silver. They always remind me of my self worth. They tell me of who I am in Christ Jesus, and they remind me of the faithfulness of the lover of my soul. Yes, God’s love for you and me is in the air. In fact it is the very air we breathe!


Questions:

When was the last time you spoke a word to another person that was appropriate for them as a source of encouragement in their time of need?

Can you remember a time when someone spoke a word to you that you still cherish in your heart?

Has God given you Valentines from his Word that he sent specifically for you?

What are those verses and how do those verses still make you feel?


If you have not had a Valentine from the Word of God, begin reading his Word regularly and pray that God’s Holy Spirit will help you find those verses meant just for you. Be patient as you read. Do not seek the verse, rather seek the giver of the verse and you will be amazingly surprised when the Valentine comes. It will be a Valentine that you will cherish forever and ever.


Prayer:

Dear God,

I thank you for the Bible, your Holy Word to humanity. I admit that there have been times that I did not understand your Word because I did not know you. I confess that there have been times that I have not made reading your Word a priority. I am thankful that somehow in your divine plan for my life you continue to draw me back again by giving me a desire to read and understand your Word. I thank you for the opportunity to understand your Word through listening to ministers and Bible teachers. You have said if we seek you we will find you. Help me God to seek to know you through reading your precious Word. Help me to find those Valentines that you have for me to treasure and store up in my heart forever.

In Your Son’s Name I pray. Amen.

God's Valentines to You

“Cast all you anxiety on Him because He cares for you!”

1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Today I admit that many times in my life there have been days when I have been in the middle of a situation that consumed all of my thinking. At times I have had a heavy, dark cloud of dread that hung over my head. I confess that many times I have been worried and concerned for days and nights at a time. I have also experienced a heavy pain in my heart that would not leave. What is that circumstance that leaves you feeling fearful, helpless and out of control? Is there something in your life that you wish would go away?

No matter what it is that is plaguing me today or any day, I Peter 5:7 is a reminder that I am not alone in my situation! As I read that I am to cast all of my anxiety on God, because He cares for me, I realize that I must choose to embrace this verse and take it into my heart! The Bible has many examples of how intimately God knows and cares for each one of us. God does not loose track of a single human being that He has created.

This week we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Today I want to share some of God’s Valentines that carry the message of his everlasting love.

Valentine 1 – Jesus, the Good Shepherd knows your name.

“The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.
…and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

John 10:2-3b NIV

I am amazed that God knows my name and has not forgotten it! I can’t tell you how many people I have been introduced to and two minutes later I can’t remember their name. God knows my name and He knows yours too, and he never forgets it!

Valentine 2 – God has known all of your days even before you were born.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Psalm 139:15-16 NIV

God knew me before I was even formed in my mother’s womb. Even before a single day came to be all of my days were ordered by God. When it comes to our lives, we are always surprised by what happens to us in life, no matter if it is good or bad. However, God is never surprised by the events that unfold in each of our lives. That’s why it is so safe to trust him, because God is prepared even when we aren’t.

Valentine 3 – God knows the number of hairs on your head.

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
Matthew 10:30 NIV

I don’t know about you but every time I brush my hair some of my hair falls out. But God keeps track of each hair on my head and counts them all. I, for one, am amazed.

Valentine 4 – God watches you sleep.

“He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed He who watches…will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Psalm 121:3-4 NIV

When was the last time you watched a precious little child sleep? When a little child is sleeping they are perfectly still. Sleeping children are precious! They not fussing or doing a single thing that could get them into trouble. As we watch that child sleep our love for that child just flows from our heart. Imagine this…God watches YOU sleep. What a vision that is and what a comfort. Even with all of our flaws and shortcomings, God’s love pours out of his heart towards you and me as he watches us sleep. Do you still doubt that God loves and cares for you?

Valentine 5 – God stores your tears in a bottle.

“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in
Your bottle. Are they not in your book?”
Psalm 56:8 NIV

Our tears do not go unnoticed. God not only wipes away you tears He gathers them up and stores them in a bottle. What a loving reminder that God cares for us and never forgets our pain and sorrow.

Valentine 6 – God thinks precious thoughts of you.

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast the sum of them! Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.”
Psalm 139:17-18 NIV

God’s thoughts of you outnumber the sand. That means throughout your entire life God will think trillions of thoughts regarding you. Even in your sinfulness and failures, God’s thoughts regarding you are still precious! He hates the sin but loves the sinner!

Questions:

Have you ever doubted that God cares for you?

Are you amazed that nothing gets past God?

Which of God’s Valentines to you do you love the most?


Prayer:

Dear God,

These are truly wonderful Valentines that express your love for me in an incredible way. Forgive me for ever doubting your love and care for me. Please write all of these verses on my heart so that I will always remember how very much you love me. I pray that these verses will become so much a part of my thoughts that they will enable me to fall into your trusting arms each and every time that I am feeling overwhelmed, fearful, discouraged, or unloved.

In Your Son’s Name I pray. Amen.