I've got her covered

What do you do when you mess it up? Oh, pardon me, you probably never do anything wrong. Is that the case? 

When I am wrong, I promptly admit it to my spiritual lawyer and ask him for help.

1 John 2:1 says, “If we sin, we have an advocate (lawyer, defense attorney) with the Father—Jesus Christ.”
When the enemy accuses me, he steps forward and pronounces, "Not guilty! I've got her covered by my blood."

I don't have to change to be loved by God

As Pastor Dickow often says, “You don't have to change in order to be loved. Believe you're loved by God, and you will change. (Romans 2:4)

I don't have to be afraid that he will stop loving me either. God loves me with perfect love. Perfect love casts out fear.(1 John 4:17).

Father, please help me to feel loved.

Faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

The better I know God, the more I trust him. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Thanks-giving is the highest form of faith. Having an attitude of gratitude for the things I have already been blessed with keeps me happy. When I see a promise in God's Word, I ask for it. He is faithful to give it to me because I am his child and he loves me.

The Birth of Jesus as Described in the Book of Luke

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they

were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
      “Glory to God in the highest,
      And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2 NKJV

I Am a Winner

Today, I am going to change my focus from what's against me, to WHO's for me. IF GOD BE FOR US, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Today, I am asking God to open my spiritual eyes so I can see all the angels he has already sent to fight my battles for me.

The Boaz Blessing

"Friends, God has gotten a full report of everything you have ever sacrificed to follow Him and to show love to the people He has put in your life.  He did get the memo and He is well pleased with you.

And now may God repay you for what you have done for Him, and may He provide a full reward to honor and show His appreciation for all you have sacrificed for Him and others."

Ben Peter's version of the Boaz Blessing

Do you sound like Joseph?

This isn’t the way I planned it, God. Not at all. My child being born in a stable? This isn’t the way I thought it would be. A cave with sheep and donkeys, hay and straw? My wife giving birth with only the stars to hear her pain?

This isn’t at all what I imagined. No, I imagined family. I imagined grandmothers. I imagined neighbors clustered outside the door and friends standing at my side. I imagined the house erupting with the first cry of the infant. Slaps on the back. Loud laughter. Jubilation.

That’s how I thought it would be.

But now…Who will celebrate with us? The sheep? The shepherds?

The stars?

This doesn’t seem right. What kind of husband am I? I provide no midwife to aid my wife. No bed to rest her back. Her pillow is a blanket from my donkey.

From One Incredible Savior: Celebrating the Majesty of the Manger
Max Lucado

I often sound like that. What about you?

Do you expect gifts?

Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But he didn’t.

He splashed orange in the sunrise
and cast the sky in blue.
And if you love to see geese as they gather,
chances are you’ll see that too.

Did he have to make the squirrel’s tail furry?
Was he obliged to make the birds sing?
And the funny way that chickens scurry
or the majesty of thunder when it rings?

Why give a flower fragrance? Why give food its taste?
Could it be he loves to see that look upon your face?

If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would he? If we—speckled with foibles and greed—love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us? Jesus asked, “If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?” (Matt. 7:11 TLB).

From One Incredible Savior

Max Lucado

Are you discouraged today?

I will make a conscious decision to live with an attitude of gratitude today. I will find at least five things in the following 24 hours to be grateful for.

Remember what the Word of God says in Nehemiah 8:10, “I will not be grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is my strength and stronghold.”