Jesus Loves Me

The title of this blog post is the title of one of the most beloved and well known hymns, Jesus Loves Me, to Christians throughout the world.  In preparing to give a short devotional talk at a nursing home, the Lord gave me this title/topic—a topic that would be meaningful for those who would be listening (what follows is an expanded version of that talk).  My goal was to keep my words to a minimum, yet convey some deep truths and comfort many elderly saints.  A brief internet search led to learning about the background behind this meaningful song.  Please check out the following website to learn about this beautiful hymn.  The story behind the hymn "Jesus Loves Me".

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that 

whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Jesus loves me this I know.  What an amazing simple yet profound truth!  Jesus loves me this I know—simple enough for a young child to grasp and share in great confidence.  Jesus loves me this I know, profound enough to bring grown men and women to tears.

“Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 KJV)

Throughout the Bible we read of God’s deep, stubborn, everlasting love for us.  We can see His love in the Old Testament as He freed Israel from oppression in Egypt.  God’s love was apparent even when Israel constantly wandered from God’s plan for them and He disciplined them.  (Similarly, human parents discipline their beloved children.)  In the New Testament, we see His love through Jesus.  He loved us even when we were still sinners.  He loved us so much He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die a criminal’s death on a cross!  That is amazing love!  Love that sets us free to truly live. 

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  

(1Corinthians 15:55-57 KJV)

In dying and rising again, Jesus gave us victory over death and the grave.  Now that is LOVE!  We have eternal life that matters when we have Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  That, my beloved, is love.  Therefore, in our life and in our death we can find joy and peace, even when the world around us is crumbling to pieces. 

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.  (Zephaniah 3:17 KJV)

God loves you so much.  He rejoices over you with joy.  He sings over you in joy.  You are God’s beloved child!  His heart is for you, not against you.  Knowing and experiencing this should change how we see and interact with the world and with others around us.

 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into 

the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to 

love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  (1 John 4:7-12 KJV)

 Remember and rest in the fact that Jesus loves you more than your mind can begin to conceive.  Jesus loves you and me because the Bible tells me so!  Share the love of Jesus with those around you each day.  You’ll discover the amazing blessing of blessing others.

Listen to "Jesus Loves Me"

Please join me in prayer:

Father, thank you so much for the love You demonstrated to us through Jesus.  Help us to open our hearts to Your amazing love and experience the transformation that love does in our hearts.  In turn, may we share Your love with those around us.  In Jesus’ precious Name.  Amen. 

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

Jesus Still Heals Today

I am pleased to share with the readers of my blog the video of a church service I led on February 9, 2014.  It was an amazing blessing to share what God had placed on my heart so long ago—this is a message that God has been developing within me over the last several years (parts have been given in other formats and settings).  In some ways, it was freeing to share this with my church family and now with others through my blog and via YouTube. 

It is my prayer that my message will feed your faith in what God is capable of doing today.  Our God is so very big and powerful!  He loves us so very much.  He is still alive, living, and active today!  Moreover, He is still in the business of healing supernaturally (divine healing) today!

God is amazing, wonderful, holy, powerful, mighty…He really is beyond description—beyond what our finite minds can begin to grasp.  Our words fall short of conveying all God is and how amazing, powerful, and holy He is.  God’s Word is clear, He never changes (we see that in both the Old and New Testaments).  We are the ones who change; the ones who get too smart for our own good.     

In the future, I plan to share more posts on healing (amongst other topics); hopefully more video messages too.  It will be interesting to see what God has planned for each one of us.  May God reveal more of Himself to us each day, drawing and wooing us to His incomparable beauty, majesty, and greatness.

Below is the description I provided for the video on YouTube.  It includes hymn titles and Scriptures.

This is a video of our traditional service (Trinity United Methodist Church--Albia, Iowa) that I was blessed to lead on February 9, 2014. (I'm one of several lay members who are called by the Lord to lead in worship and preach the Word of God when our pastor is away.) 

Currently, I'm a lay speaker in United Methodist Church; my status is such that I can preach in my church and others when called. 

Hymns: "Victory in Jesus", "My Faith Looks Up to Thee", "I Know Whom I Have Believed"

Scriptures: Psalm 103

                  Malachi 3:6-7, 16-17; 4:2

                  Mark 5:22-34

May each one of us experience Jesus Christ as our Healer!

Here's the link to the video: see sermon here

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

Miracles

“I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  ….

Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people."

(Psalm 77:11, 14 KJV)

What sorts of images, thoughts, or words come to mind when you hear the word miracle?  How open are you to believing without knowing the how or why something extraordinary has happened? 

The dictionary defines miracle like this:  “an extraordinary or unusual event that is considered to be a manifestation of divine or supernatural power.” 

I wonder what it would have been like to be present at one of Jesus’ miracles.  Would I have understood the significance of the event?  Would I have believed?  What about you—would you have believed what you saw Jesus do, such as restoring to life an only son of a widow (see Luke 7:11-17)?

Many people saw Jesus’ miracles with their own eyes yet couldn’t believe or wouldn’t believe.  The religious leaders demanded signs and wonders from Jesus to be delivered on their terms and their timing, when He refused to comply; they reviled Him all the more.  Perhaps we don’t see miracles today because we’re demanding a sign, want to see a show (be entertained), or simply don’t believe what we see when we see it.  How many times have true miracles been explained away?  How many times has our lack of belief hindered others (or ourselves) from receiving all our Heavenly Father desires to provide us? 

Imagine for a few moments what it would have been like to see one of Jesus’ miracles.  There are many to choose from:  healing, power over nature, and raising the dead.  What would you be thinking?  How would you process what you saw?  Which of Jesus’ miracles fascinates you the most?

Jesus’ miracles that most fascinate me are those where He healed people with physical disabilities.  Even as a little girl, I was captivated by those amazing, wonderful stories.  At that point, I readily believed that Jesus healed (healing will be a topic of a future post), just as easily as He turned water into wine, fed the 5,000, walked on water, or calmed a storm.  For a time, my belief in the supernatural waned—I no longer believed—due to personal experiences and incorrect teaching.  However, for the last several years my belief in the supernatural has grown and continues to grow today.    

What miracles are you currently praying for and longing to receive?

What miracles have you observed?    

What miracles have you prayed for and did you experience what your heart longed for? 

What about those miracles you didn’t see (John 4:48 see here)? 

Do you believe without seeing?   

Spend some time reflecting on the miracles that Jesus performed while on earth.  Reflect on the miracles you’ve experienced, as well as those you are longing to experience.    

Dear Amazing God, thank You for all the miracles You have performed around us and continue to perform.  Open our spiritual eyes to the miracles You perform around us each day.  We joyfully remember the miracles You have performed throughout history.  There are so many needs for the miraculous that we hold in our hearts—You know each one so well—prepare us to receive those miracles.  Thank you for being the God who performs mighty miracles.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

From my heart to yours,

Kim

Firsts

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

 (John 1:1-5 KJV)

The beginning of a new year seems to be an appropriate time to consider some firsts, some beginnings in the Bible and in the life of Jesus. 

Our lives are full of beginnings—first tooth, first steps, the first day of school, or the first day on a new job.  The list is endless.  What are some firsts you’ve experienced throughout your life?  What are some firsts for this year?    

Likewise, in the Bible there are many firsts.  For example, there is the creation story in the first two chapters of Genesis; Israel’s first king—Saul (1 Samuel).  In addition, there is the beginning of Jesus’ life on earth (see Matt. 1:18-2:23 see here; Luke 2:1-52 see here) and the beginnings of His earthly ministry (see Matt. 3:1-4:25 see here; Mark 1:1-13 see here; John 1:15-5:15 http://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/john/passage.aspx?q=john+1:15-51;john+2:1-25;john+3:1-36;john+4:1-54;john+5:1-15). 

What is it that makes beginnings so special?  Could it be the potential of things to come?  There seems to be a freshness to beginnings as well.  What can you begin this year that will have a lasting impact on you and those around you?  What about reading the Bible from cover to cover (a variety of plans exist)?  You’ll discover Jesus revealed from Genesis to Revelation.  It’s an experience you won’t regret; it gets better every time you read it. 

Dear Lord, we lift up holy hands to You in prayer and praise.  Guide us in our daily lives throughout this year.  Help us to reflect Your light in this dark world—we pray for strength.  Guide us to fresh new revelations of You.  Grant us ministry opportunities that will allow us to share our gifts with Your people and a watching and waiting world.   Thank You for Jesus who is the Light and the Word, who has been since the beginning.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

From my heart to yours,

Kim

Rejoice!

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:18 KJV link to Scripture) 

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”  (Philippians 4:4 KJV link to Scripture) 

To those who do not have a growing and abiding relationship with Jesus, seeing joyful Christians is confusing.  It is difficult for people to understand joy in the midst of the most difficult times of life.  Amazingly, those enduring persecution because of their faith in Jesus are joyful.  It’s clear that persecution causes growth of the Christian faith, rather than death.   

Being rightly related to Jesus gives us the strength to keep on keeping on, when we’d rather curl up and hide.  It keeps our attitude positive and our hearts soft.  Paul had this type of presence in his letter to the Philippians, which he wrote from prison. 

There are many examples in the persecuted church of individuals finding strength and joy in the Lord no matter what the circumstances.  Likewise, there are scores of examples throughout history of men, women, boys, and girls who have rejoiced in the most ominous of circumstances. 

It’s because of my relationship with the Lord that I was able to assist with Confirmation class the evening of my mom’s Celebration of Life service.  My relationship with the Lord, in addition, to the caring presence of many brothers and sisters in the Lord gave me the strength to walk through many difficult days and long nights of my mom’s illness.  It’s also what helped me to keep moving and to get all the things done that need to be done following her home-going. 

Moreover, I continue to live my daily life in that relationship.  There are times—more than I’d like to admit that I fail miserably, yet each day I discover the Lord’s mercies are new.  Great is His faithfulness (link to text)!

Like Paul, we can find reason to rejoice even in the most traumatic circumstances.  If we can keep our eyes focused on Jesus we won’t get off course attitudinally, and if we do, we’ll realize it and make the necessary corrections.         

Please join with me in prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of Yourself that brought us back into a right relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Empower us to rejoice in all things because of You—both in the good and in the bad.  Grant us the courage and strength to be joyful even in the most difficult of times.  In Your precious name, we pray, Amen.

From my heart to yours,

Kim

Enjoy this link to the worship/praise chorus Rejoice in the Lord Always click here for worship video

Growing with the Flow

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and for ever.  Amen.” (2Peter 3:18)see here

During the spring and summer of 2006, I worked my way through a book, The Ministry Inquiry Process (one of many components of the candidacy process in the United Methodist Church for those interested in exploring their call to professional ministry). 

One session had a question about handling the (joys and) surprises of ministry.  “Growing with the flow” was one of my responses—it was an error—originally I meant “go with the flow”.  However, my mentor liked my response.    

What does “growing with the flow,” mean?  Isn’t that the whole point of being a Christian?  Many times, it’s the most difficult and/or the most heart-breaking of incidents that produce the most growth.  “Growing with the flow,” is so empowering—keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus—will allow us to handle all that comes our way, both positive and negative, in what we’ve been called to do.  This isn’t always easy, in fact, it can be quite difficult; however, the results are worth it. 

In what area(s) of your life do you need to learn to “grow with the flow”? 

  

Please join me in prayer:

God of grace, help us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus.  It is only through keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus that we’ll be able to “grow with the flow.”  Remind us, Lord, of the growth we can experience in and through You.  In Jesus’ precious, Name.  Amen.

From my heart to yours,

Kim

Christian Persecution

This coming Sunday, November 10, 2013, is International Day for the Persecuted Church.  Will you remember in prayer those who worship the Lord in the face of great loss, great persecution?  For more information on this day and general information on the persecuted church see: http://www.idop.org/; http://www.persecution.com/idop; http://www.persecution.com/

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory…”  (1 Peter 1:8 KJV)

Peter’s words must have brought some comfort and encouragement to the early Gentile Christians.  These Christians were facing extreme persecution under the Roman government led by Emperor Nero.  This persecution hasn’t ended, it continues on today.

The following passages from Hebrews should be encouraging to every Christian, but especially encouraging to those enduring unimaginable hardship due to the name of Jesus.  

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out , they might have had opportunity to have returned . 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.  (Hebrews 11: 13-16 KJV)

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.  (Hebrews 12:1-4 KJV)

Currently throughout the world there are many countries where to be a Christian is a death sentence or a guarantee to lose home, employment, family, and so much more.  In the face of all this—men, women, and children demonstrate great faith in their Savior—Jesus Christ.    

At this point, in America we have it fairly easy—we can worship freely and without fear.  How has that affected our faith?  Do we have the faith that would sustain us, even if that freedom was taken away?  Some day, we may find ourselves in a very similar situation to our brothers and sisters in Christ in places like North Korea and China to name two.

I believe we can learn much from our Christian brothers and sisters in the persecuted church.  They know what it means to rejoice in the face of things that are not joyful.  Learn about them and from them.  Remember to pray for those who are suffering all because they refuse to turn from Jesus.    

What about us…  What would Peter say to us, to encourage us in our Christian walk?  Do we love and believe in Jesus?  Do we rejoice with joy unspeakable?  May we be found faithful!   

Dear Father, we love You and believe in You, even though we don’t see You.  Open our eyes and hearts to Your presence among us.  It is because of You that we can rejoice—rejoice in all things and glory in Your name.  We lift up to You our brothers and sisters in Christ, who can’t worship freely but worship knowing that it may cost them their lives; grant them Your peace and love and protection.  Lord, prepare us who currently worship in safety and freedom to one day lose that freedom—strengthen us to stand strong in our faith, counting the cost worth it.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.