For Love to Flourish

This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ. – (Philippians 1:9-10, ERV)

So this is my prayer: that your love would flourish and that you will learn not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of. – (Philippians 1:9-10, MSG)

 

Though this was Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, it is still applicable to us today. When we learn to love as Christ loves us, all those around us benefit. We must understand what is important to God, and love with our intellect as well as our heart. As we choose to prioritize that which matters most, our lives become an example of what it is to love as we are loved by Him. May we learn to love much, and love well, just as we are loved by Christ.

 

Help our love to grow,

In wisdom and strength;

To see what matters,

What depth and what length.

May we use our mind,

As well as our heart;

To love as You love,

Give all, not just part.

Let us be blameless,

By Your loving grace;

So we are prepared,

For Your sweet embrace.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You and invest our hearts in knowing You more, You grow Your love, knowledge and understanding in us, all the more. Thank You that You show us what is important and what is not, and You lead us in the way in which we are called to love like You. Forgive us for basing our love and affection on sentiment rather than on what You call us to do. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would see the difference between what is important and what is not, and that we would love according to Your example. Show us how to love others in a way that makes You proud and encourages all whom we encounter. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to help our love flourish like Yours. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power. – Daniel 2:23

Public Praise

But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising Him to everyone. – (Psalm 109:30, NLT)

I give thanks to the Lord. I praise Him in front of everyone. – (Psalm 109:30, ERV)

I will continually give thanks to the Eternal with the praises of my mouth; I will praise Him in the company of many. – (Psalm 109:30, VOICE)

 

In Psalm 109, David is pouring out his heart to the Lord about the harsh treatment that he is receiving at the hands of wicked people. His very first words are words of praise, followed by a call for help. As David presents the pains inflicted upon him at the hands of others, he adds how he has tried to pray. As he continues to unpack the unpleasantries unveiled at the hands of those around him, he calls on the Lord for His faithful love and help. Ultimately, at the end of the Psalm, David gives God his gratitude, and presents praise before all of the people around him. Again, David speaks of the faithful character of God, and how He saves. At the end of the day, David knew that God is good, faithful and loving, and that not only could he call on Him for help, but that the Lord was worthy of praise wherever he went. May we too, share the same sentiment of praise for our God, no matter what comes our way. When we recognize how loving and faithful our Father is for us, we cannot help but present our praise before Him.

 

To the Lord I bring,

All thanks and all praise;

For He is faithful,

For all of our days.

Before we unpack,

Each place we’re in need;

May we give honor,

To Him who sets free.

Let each heart that’s near,

Hear praise we profess;

So they too may know,

Of His faithfulness.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can come to You, no matter what is happening in our lives, and ask for Your help and Your hope. Thank You Lord, that You are faithful and loving, and that You hear our every heart cry. Forgive us for not presenting the praise that is due before You, as You alone are worthy of all of our praise. Teach us how to trust You more, so that we would seek You and find You in triumph and in tragedy. Show us how to love with faithfulness and grace, so that those around us see the light of Your love through all that we say and do. Let our very lives bring praise unto You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we give thanks to You and praise You before all people. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence. – Acts 2:28

Kept in Perfect Peace

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You. – (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)

God, You give true peace to people who depend on You, to those who trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, ERV)

 

Yesterday afternoon, I had a rather rocky stretch, where the series of unfortunate events that occurred, one after the other, were enough to seek steal my peace. Thankfully, I was able to process each event as it came, thus properly prepared to navigate each next thing with His peace intact. The grace of God covers us when we are in unsettling situations, and His peace remains present, even when peace does not make sense. May we place our trust in He who is abundantly able to do far more than we could hope or imagine, as the Lord grants His perfect peace to those who trust in Him.

 

To find perfect peace,

We must choose to trust;

God who is worthy,

So faithful to us.

With thoughts fixed on Him,

Each heart surely finds;

Calm in the chaos,

As our hearts align.

May we each depend,

On He who is peace;

Give the Lord our trust,

As His hope’s released.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You keep in perfect peace, all who trust and depend on You. Forgive us for not depending on You and seeking You in our storms. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would fix our thoughts on You, relying on You for peace. Show us how to love those around us in such a way, that we can extend Your peace to each. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your peace in our storms, and place all of our trust in You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. – Genesis 21:6

Humility to Honor

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor. – (James 4:10, NLT)

Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. – (James 4:10, MSG)

 

We must submit to the Lord and His will, in order to create room in our lives for Him to work in and through us. As we choose to humble ourselves before Him, the Lord meets us and honors our faithful pursuit of Him and all that He has planned for us. He grants us strength we did not have, courage we have not known, and the ability to do far more than we ever thought we could, when we place our trust in Him. When we bow our knees before the King, He lifts us to our feet and leads us on the path we’re meant to walk. May we choose to seek our Savior in humility, and watch in awe, as God does abundantly more than we could ever hope or imagine.

 

Let us choose bow down,

Before Christ our King;

For humility,

Is what we should bring.

For He is our God,

Ready to lift up;

All who seek His face,

Are filled by His love.

The Lord, He honors,

Those who choose bow down;

Called sons and daughters,

Each receive a crown.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You in humility, You meet us and lift us up. Thank You that You provide all that we need to walk in Your will and follow Your ways. Forgive us for our foolish pride that prevents us from seeking You, and teach us to trust You more, so that we would come to You in all things and at all times, on our knees before You in faith. Show us how to love all those around us, so that they too might see Your goodness and grace through our words and deeds. Lead many to come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we humble ourselves before You, and trust You to do all that You have promised. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; …write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

God’s Wisdom

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. – (James 3:17, MSG)

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. – (James 3:17, NLT)

 

True wisdom that is gained as we trust in God, is made evident by the fruit that it bears. When we walk in that which the Lord provides, our lives demonstrate the character of Christ. The wisdom of God leads to a holy life that is displayed through gentleness and peace, and our every interaction with others overflow with mercy and blessings, and are always sincere. May we ever seek the Lord and His wisdom, so that we may live holy lives, characterized by mercy and goodness to all.

 

The wisdom of God,

photo by the fabulous Dee Jones of Open Door Photography

 

Brings a holy life;

Full of gentleness,

Our calmer of strife.

He’s full of mercy,

And great blessings too;

He’s always sincere,

For His love is true.

So let us seek Him,

Both now and always;

Our source of wisdom,

For all of our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that real wisdom comes from You. Thank You that when we seek You, You meet us and transform us to become more like You. Thank You that as we are transformed, we begin to live more like You. Thank You that wisdom leads to a holy life that is gentle and peace loving, full of mercy and goodness to others. Forgive us for failing to listen to the wisdom You provide, and for being harsh or unkind. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would love as You love. Show us how to be full of mercy, extending gentleness and peace at all times. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and Your wisdom to lead us and guide us as we go forth each day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad. – 1 Chronicles 16:31

Mercy Wins

Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that set us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. – (James 2:12-13, MSG)

 

If our words and deeds do not reflect that which we profess, we are inviting judgment upon ourselves. God sent His Son to show us the way in which we are meant to live. Jesus modeled a life of mercy, love and grace to those around Him, and we are called to do likewise. This is not something that we are expected to do in our own wisdom nor strength, but it is by His goodness and grace that we are able to go forth and give the very things that we have been given. May we use our days to extend kindness and grace, so that the magnitude of God’s mercy can be made evident through our words and deeds.

 

Go forth in kindness,

As we have been called;

For mercy is seen,

When offered to all.

Help us treat others,

As You so love us;

So people might see,

The hope in Jesus.

Kindness always wins,

As judgment repels;

Let us move in grace,

And love like Christ well.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to show us what it is to act kindly and to be merciful. Thank You that You equip and empower us to do the same when we seek You for strength. Forgive us for the times that we have not been kind or merciful to those who needed it most. Teach us to turn to You in those moments when kindness and grace are the furthest things from what we desire to give, so that we may act according to Your will, not our own. Show us how to love those around us in such a way, that our kindness and mercy move hearts to look to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your strength and guidance to speak and act according to Your mercy and grace, so that we may move in kindness wherever we go. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad. – 1 Chronicles 16:31

Keeping Courage

So don’t lose the courage that you had in the past. Your courage will be rewarded richly. You must be patient. After you have done what God wants, you will get what He promised you. – (Hebrews 10:35-36, ERV)

So don’t throw away your confidence – it brings a great reward. You need to endure so that you can receive the promises after you do God’s will. – (Hebrews 10:35-36, CEB)

 

God calls us to be courageous. He grants us the strength to stand strong in that which we know to be true. It is imperative that we have patience and endurance to remain true to that which we have been called, and stay true to who He has created us to be. As we navigate our journey in obedience, we see the faithful fulfillment of His promises unfold. May we walk forward in courage and strength, staying the course to which we have been called.

 

O Lord grant us strength,

To rise and be true;

Courageous, patient,

In all that we do.

Help us stay faithful,

To what You have asked;

Please grant us Your strength,

To fulfill each task.

Lead us Lord Jesus,

So we all may see;

Promises answered,

As You’ve said they’d be.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You grant us the confidence and strength that we need to endure to remain faithful to that which You have called us to do. Thank You that as we walk in obedience, we see the fulfillment of Your promises come to fruition. Forgive us for our lack of faith or our wandering astray, and please help us to obey. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would desire Your will above all else, and that our lives would be lived accordingly. Show us how to love those around us in a way that points people to Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we courageously endure to pursue the path that You have prepared for us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

Joy in the Struggles

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. – (Romans 5:3-4, NLT)

And we are also happy with the troubles we have. Why are we happy with troubles? Because we know that these troubles make us more patient. And this patience is proof that we are strong. And this proof gives us hope. – (Romans 5:3-4, ERV)

 

I can’t claim that I rejoice or am actually happy when trials or troubles come my way, but I am finding more and more, that I discover myself less anxious and more dependent upon the Lord when difficulty knocks on my door. Each trial that is successfully traversed, grows my confidence and endurance in He who is my strength. As new mountains are climbed and valleys navigated, I discover strength that I did not know was possible, through Christ. May we each hold fast to the hope that is held in He who is our strength, and trust that He will provide all that we need to overcome trials and troubles as they come our way.

 

Come let us rejoice,

No matter what comes;

Not for the battle,

But in Whom it’s won.

For all that we face,

Will grow within us;

Strength and endurance,

Deep trust in Jesus.

The more that we trust,

The more we shall know;

The grace of the Lord,

Will rise as it grows.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can rejoice in who You are, and how You provide, when trials and troubles come our way. Thank You that our struggles produce endurance and strength of character within us, growing our hope in all that You have promised. Forgive us for our lack of trust and lack of faith, as we struggle to trust what we cannot see. Teach us to trust You with all that we are, as You alone are our Source and our Strength. Show us how to love others so that they see the hope that is held in You through how we love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we see the good that comes from our struggles, and trust You to be our hope and our help in the midst of them. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78

Acceptance

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. – (Romans 15:7, NLT)

Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other. This will bring honor to God. – (Romans 15:7, ERV)

 

Because Christ accepts us just as we are, however we come, we too, are called to do likewise. Our job is not to judge one another, but rather it is to accept and love each other, just as we are loved by the Lord. When we choose to love and accept others, just as we have been accepted by God, we give glory to He who is love. May we go forth this day with the intent to love and accept those who cross our path, not because they have somehow earned it, but rather because we have been called to choose to love.

 

We are each chosen,

Called forth to go love;

To accept others,

Like the Lord above.

Not because it’s earned,

Nor somehow paid for;

But because God loves,

By grace, gives us more.

As we choose to love,

God’s given glory;

Let lives honor Him,

Through our own stories.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You accept us and call us Your own, even when it seems that no one else will. Forgive us for not accepting others in the same way, or for not giving You the glory for all that You do. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will be accepting of others and give all glory to You. Show us how to love and accept those around us in such a way that Your heart is clearly seen through us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we accept others, just as You have accepted us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:1

Comfort Deters Doubt

When doubt fills my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. – (Psalm 94:19, NLT)

When anxiety overtakes me and worries are many, Your comfort lightens my soul. – (Psalm 94:19, VOICE)

 

There are days that adulting is difficult. The weight of the world feels as if it is bearing down on our shoulders, and worry, anxiety and doubt come pounding on the door. With Christ, we need only look to Him to find comfort and renewed hope. As we seek our Savior, His presence and His peace lighten the soul and fill our countenance with cheer, knowing that He is for us, regardless of what we face. May we bring our every concern before the Lord and allow Him to help us carry the burdens that we bear. As we do, worries wane and comfort comes close, so that we may walk forward in the hope that His love provides.

 

The weight of the world,

photo by Karel Hadecek

At times fills my mind;

I grow overwhelmed,

There’s no peace to find.

The Lord, He is near,

Makes His presence known;

Brings comfort and hope,

His love clearly shown.

His comfort lightens,

The weariest soul;

Brings calm in chaos,

Makes the broken whole.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when doubt, worry or anxiety try to overtake us, You come and comfort us and restore hope. Thank You that as You bring calm, You cheer our hearts so that we can hold fast to the truth. Forgive us for allowing worry, anxiety or doubt to take root, rather than seeking You in the throes of the storm. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would call on You in all things and at all times, trusting that You are more than able to renew our hope and cheer, regardless of what is near. Show us how to love others in such a way, that we may do the same as Your hands and heart to those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your comfort and renewed hope when doubts attempt to deter us from the course that You have called us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Shout aloud and sing for joy. – Isaiah 12:6