Seek the kingdom of God above all else,
and live righteously,
and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:34
All posts by janrhodes
Blessings of Reassurance
…I tell you not to worry about everyday life—
whether you have enough food and drink,
or enough clothes to wear.
Isn’t life more than food and your body more than clothing?
Look at the birds.
They don’t plant or harvest
or store food in barns,
for your heavenly Father feeds them.
And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?
Matthew 6:25-26
Blessings of Location
Don’t store up treasures here on earth,
where moths eat them and rust destroys them,
and where thieves break in and steal.
Store your treasures in heaven,
where moths and rust cannot destroy,
and thieves do not break in and steal.
Wherever your treasure is,
there the desires of your heart will also be.
Matthew 6:19-21
Blessings of Instruction
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13
Blessings of Being Known
When you pray,
don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do.
They think their prayers are answered
merely by repeating their words again and again.
Don’t be like them,
for your Father knows exactly what you need
even before you ask him!
Matthew 6:7-8
Blessings of Good Secrets
When you give to someone in need,
don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Give your gifts in private,
and your Father,
who sees everything will reward you.
Matthew 6:3-4
Blessings of Indiscrimination
…love your enemies!
Pray for those who persecute you!
In that way, you will be acting as true children
of your Father in heaven.
For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good,
and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
If you love only those who love you,
what reward is there for that?…
Matthew 5:44-46
Real Star Wars
My day-of-the-funeral gifted copy of “Streams In The Desert” is highlighted, underlined, scribbled in, and noted with multi-year’s dates. This May 7th partial entry caught my attention in 2012, 13, 15, and 16.
“…prayer not only is calling upon God but is also a battle with Satan…God uses our intercession as a mighty weapon of victory in the conflict…”
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies,
but against evil rulers and authorities
of the unseen world,
against mighty powers in this dark world,
and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
Star wars aren’t a figment of anyone’s imagination; and spiritual battles are fought with spiritual weapons.
I’ve never doubted the spiritual personage authenticity of Satan; anymore than I’ve ever doubted the spiritual personage authenticity of God. But I’ve also never ever doubted knowing Who holds total final authority over whom.
I know the power of prayer; and I know firsthand that another’s prayer can be sensed and felt. I know the presence of the Holy Spirit in the same way—an almost palpable scoop-it-up-in-my-hands sense of presence.
Maybe I’m living out my 2016 word exhilaration—loosely translated to mean that I’m pretty much past being bothered by what other people think; or maybe the oxygen’s just thinner at my newly reached altitude of red and purple.
Whatever.
It’s time to speak honestly about things that are real.
Amen.
(Hubble telescope photo)
Blessings of Reconciliation
…if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple
and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,
leave your sacrifice there at the altar.
Go and be reconciled to that person.
Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Matthew 5:23-24
Blessings of Counterintuition
God blesses you when people mock you
and persecute you and lie about you
and say all sorts of evil things against you
because you are my followers.
Be happy about it! Be very glad!
For a great reward awaits you in heaven…
Matthew 5:11-12
