christian, Devotion

Be Thou My Vision

A Lamp & A Light

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art–
thou my best thought by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my great Father, I thy true son;
thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my battle shield, sword for my fight;
be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r:
raise thou me heav’n-ward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

-Translated by: Mary E. Byrne

christian, Devotion

Friday Morning Prayer 🙏

A Lamp & A Light

art beach beautiful clouds

Lord,

You have given me spiritual gifts for Your Glory and Your Purpose

Help me to grow and strengthen them by Your Holy Spirit and through Your Holy Scriptures

Help me to make a difference in the lives of others through the Power of Your Love ❤️

I bless Your Name Abba Father, King of the Universe

In Jesus Name,

Amen

“Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Ruach (Spirit).

There are various kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are various kinds of working, but the same God who works all things in all people.

But to each person is given the manifestation of the Ruach for the benefit of all.”

– 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 TLV

 

Devotion, Faith

He Also Appeared to Me…

A Lamp & A Light

For I also passed on to you first of all what I also received —

That Messiah (Jesus Christ) died for our sins

according to the Scriptures,

that He was buried,

that He was raised on the third day

according to the Scriptures,

and that He appeared to Kefa,

then to the Twelve.

Then He appeared to over five hundred

brothers and sisters at one time—

most of them are still alive,

though some have died.

Then He appeared to Jacob,

then all the emissaries

and last of all, as to one untimely born,

He also appeared to me…

– 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 TLV

christian, Devotion

Symbiotic Relationships

A Lamp & A Light

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Proverbs 27:17 states “As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

If you’re surrounded by people who encourage you in your Faith & Walk with Jesus, who lift you up not tear you down, push you to be better, hold you accountable, but love you as you are: these are the Proverbs 27:17 friends.

They are the friends we need and need to be in this life, and they are hard to find…

In nature there are three kinds of relationships called Symbiotic Relationships.

1.) Mutual (or Mutualism)

2.) Common (or Commensalism)

3.) Parasitic (or Parasitism)

In a mutual relationship both organisms benefit, such as a bee and a flower. In a Common relationship one benefits and the other isn’t affected at all. A Parasitic relationship is great for one but harmful, and sometimes fatal, for the other.

Which best describes you and your relationships? Think about the closest people in your life right now and reconsider… Are you both building and encouraging one another or is one person really gaining from your relationship and the other, not so much. Are you suffering cruel actions or discouraging words to your detriment and the destruction of your self-esteem, while the other profits in mind, body, and soul?

Jesus tells us,

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jeremiah 31:2 TLV)

and that

“No one has greater love than this:

that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 TLV)

Jesus loves you so much that He died for you and has granted you everlasting life, love, and mercy.

“A man with many friends may be harmed by them,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24 TLV)

Jesus is our best and truest friend, one who sticks closer than a brother, loves us unconditionally, and walks with us everyday of our lives; through the good and bad.

Friends, if Jesus loves you and tells you that you are valuable, that you have unconditional, everlasting, never-ceasing love from the Father, then don’t surround yourself with people who say otherwise.

Jesus said “The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly!” (John 10:10 TLV) 

If you are not living life abundantly in your relationships, relationships of a mutual standing, it’s time to let them go.

I like this quote from Booker T. Washington, it says, “Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.” -Booker T. Washington

And that’s a true statement, it may not be fun being alone, I know, but you are not harmed, hurt, or worse-off all together in bad company. And best of all when you’re in a season of being friendless , that’s when you see God’s love and glory and closeness in your life more than you ever have before. And that is the most beautiful and all-satisfying thing!

The Bible clearly leads us on the path of choosing good friendships saying,

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” -Proverbs 12:26

“A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”-Proverbs 17:17

 

I hope this blog encouraged you my friends, to know that you are valuable, loved and worthy of good relationships! I pray that Jesus’s Love and the Truth of His word will fill you and bring you peace and blessings!

 

Shalom🕊& God Bless you! ☀️

 

 

christian, Devotion

Friday Morning Prayer 🙏

A Lamp & A Light

Lord, teach me to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.

I bless Your name Abba Father, King of the Universe

In Jesus name,

Amen

“Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”

-Jacob (James)‬ ‭1:19‬ ‭TLV

christian, Devotion

Emmanuel -God With Us

A Lamp & A Light

Emmanuel means “God with us.” But, what does it mean to say God is with us?

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet foretold the coming of Messiah Yeshua, Jesus Christ:

“Behold, the virgin will conceive. When she is giving birth to a son, she will call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 TLV)

And in the book of Matthew, the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled as well as the meaning of Immanuel told:

“…and they shall call His name Immanuel, which means God with us.” (Matt. 1:23 TLV)

Matthew 1:23  is not only a fulfillment of prophecy and the definition of Emmanuel, but also a promise. It promises that those that accept and believe in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, as Lord and Savior will know that God is with them.

So what does it mean to me that God is with me?

It means Do not be afraid-(Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 56:3, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 118:6)

To know that as His Child, He blesses and protects your coming out and going in  (Deuteronomy 28:6, Psalm 121:6)

Believing that If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31 TLV)

And most importantly it means that Jesus Loves you!

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:2 TLV)

And remember I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

-Matthew 28:20 TLV

 

Jesus, Love

Love

A Lamp & A Light

Love

                   1 Corinthians 13- TLV “The Superior Way of Love”

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels

but have not love,

I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy

and know all mysteries and all knowledge,

and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains

but have not love,

I am nothing.

 

If I give away all that I own

and if I hand over my body so I might boast

but have not love,

I gain nothing.

 

Love is patient,

love is kind,

it does not envy,

it does not brag,

it is not puffed up,

it does not behave inappropriately,

it does not seek its own way,

it is not provoked,

it keeps no account of wrong,

it does not rejoice over injustice but rejoices in the truth;

 

it bears all things,

it believes all things,

it hopes all things,

it endures all things,

 

Love never fails–

 

but where there are prophecies,

they will pass away;

where there are tongues,

they will cease;

where there is knowledge,

it will pass away.

 

For we know in part and we prophesy in part;

but when that which is perfect has come,

then that which is patial will pass away.

 

When I was a child,

I spoke like a child,

I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put away childish things.

 

For now we see in a mirror dimly,

but then face to face.

Now I know in part,

but then I will know fully,

even as I have been fully known.

 

But now these three remain—

faith, hope, and love.

 

And the greatest of these is love.