Acts 3:19-20  Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.

There is no greater joy than to be with the Lord. Have you found that to be true in your own life? Do you anxiously sit down to open your Bible? Do you hurry with other tasks in order to have time to talk with God?

That's what Jesus did. The Bible tells us of many times when Jesus went off alone to be with His Father. Mark wrote that "very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). The life of Christ is our example. If Jesus needed to meet with His heavenly Father, how much more do we! Only by communicating with Him will we learn to walk in His ways and be able to follow Him step by step. When we follow where He leads, He promises to make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). He longs for us to follow Him because He knows what good and wonderful things He has in store, just down the road.

Seek God in the morning and all day long. Experience His refreshment, enjoy His blessings. Let your soul be restored and your mind renewed. Experience the great joy of being with your Lord!

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Philippians 2:9-10 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

Jesus has many names. He called Himself the Son of Man, emphasizing His humanity (John 3:13). He called Himself the bread of life. Bread, giving sustenance and energy, refers to His role as a giver of life - eternal life (John 6:35). he referred to Himself as the gate for the sheep; He also called Himself the good shepherd (John 10:7, 11). Those names focused on His love and guidance, affirming that He is the only way to God's kingdom.

The most powerful of His name is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25), for this embodies all of the healing, power, light, might, and holiness that cause us to bow down in praise. Powerful things can happen when we call upon the name of Jesus - the disciples healed the sick in the name of Jesus, the dead were raised in the name of Jesus!

Think about the names you have for Jesus: Faithful Friend, Deliver, Healer, Master, Savior, precious Lord, King of kings. Each name is an accurate description of Him. What is He to you today? Do you need power and might to face a battle ahead? Call on His name. Call on His name. Do you need to break strongholds in your life or experience healing? Call on His name. Call on the name of Jesus, for His name is above every other.

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

2 Corinthians 3:18  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

She had been under the care of many doctors, but instead of getting better, she only became worse. When she heard about Jesus, she sought Him out and found Him in the midst of a crowd. Because her illness caused her to be considered "unclean," she assumed Jesus would not want to touch her. So she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, thinking, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." She was right. Immediately, she was freed from her suffering.

Jesus felt the power go from Him, so He asked who touched His clothes. The woman, trembling in fear, admitted what she had done. To her surprise, Jesus replied, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace" (Mark 5:25-34).

In times of desperation and pain, we can reach out to Him and he will respond to our faith and bless us beyond measure. When we look to Him to heal our brokenness and sorrow, we understand the real Jesus - the One who came not only to help us in this life, but to make a place for us in eternity.

So put your faith into action. Reach up to God. One touch of His hand brings healing to your hurting soul. One touch of His life brings glory so that your life will overflow.
 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

John 12:46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in darkness.

We praise Jesus for everything His life on earth meant for us, and we praise Him for all He continues to do in our lives. Our lives without Jesus were no better than slavery - to the ways of the world, to our own desires, and to the power of Satan. When we knelt down at the feet of Jesus and allowed Him to conquer our hearts, we were set free.

Jesus heals the lost and transforms those dead in their transgressions to be made alive in Him. Where we were once subject to evil, we are now raised up in glory, free to live in the joy of His mercy and truth. We had been separated from God, but now we can be called His children. We are shown mercy instead of wrath, joy instead of sorrow, eternal life our Friend. He is preparing a place for us in heaven, where we will have the blessing of praising Him forever.

That's why we praise Him; that's why we sing! He gave Himself up for our salvation - that's why we offer Him our everything.

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,
 

Psalm 57:9-10 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

This song invites us to celebrate and to praise God, but sometimes we aren't sure how to go about doing that. One way to praise is with our voices. The song declares, "I will celebrate, sing unto the Lord." Through our desire to praise God, we can lift our voices and sing.

Jesus came to save all people from sin and, one day, He will return to this world to gather His children unto Himself. Someday, we will see our Jesus, our Savior, face to face - and we will sing praises with the heavenly host! What an astounding reason to celebrate!

We believe God is great and we should not keep our joy to ourselves. What He has done for us is overwhelming and we must share our appreciation for His victory - over sin, over death, over our lives. Knowing what He did for us should strengthen our commitment to Him - and to sharing our joy.

Sing your praise to God that others might hear the celebration and be drawn to know the truth: that Jesus is the Savior! Celebrate His triumph and victory. Sing a new song to the Lord.

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness" (Psalm 89:15-16). There is no place more amazing than the presence of the Lord. In His presence we can become fully involved in praise, dancing and singing as He sings over us.

Just as a proud father exults in the triumphs and joys of his children, our Father in heaven celebrates over us. When we hit bumps in the road, when we struggle, just like a loving dad, He is there to pick us up, dust us off, and fortify our spirits with His strength. He reigns supreme forevermore - yet even in His glory, He still has the desire to be our Friend.

So rejoice and be glad in the Lord. Worship without shame. Release your heart and soul as the Lord sings over you! So dance, shout, rejoice. Your God reigns!

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

The dictionary defines everlasting as "never coming to an end; lasting forever; eternal." What kind of love could be described in such a way? Only the love God has poured out upon those who believe in Him.

It is difficult to imagine a love that will never end. Human beings are certainly capable of great love, but the wonder of a love that will never end is beyond our comprehension. God loves you so much, He knew you in your mother's womb - He knows everything about you from your thoughts to the desires of your heart, even to the number of hairs on your head! He knows your past, and He has forgiven you.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Jesus loved us enough to die for us; as Christians, we need to show the same sacrificial love toward others. His wonderful love is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea. He holds us close and reaches out to us when we stray. He is always there to give us more and more - and the well of His love will never run dry! Praise Him for His everlasting love!

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,