Pursuing What is Right

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. – (Matthew 5:6, NIV)

Great blessings belong to those who want to do right more than anything else. – (Matthew 5:6, ERV)

How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness. – (Matthew 5:6, TPT)

 

As we pursue God’s best for us, we find He is faithful to meet us. God’s presence assures, His love endures, and His grace is far greater than we could ask or imagine. Blessings come when we are aware of the work of God in and around us. He is good and He endows the seeking with His presence and His grace, and makes His nearness known throughout all of our days. May we ever crave to do what is right, as our Savior surrounds us with His presence and provision to pursue His path.

 

Help us to pursue, 

All that’s good and right;

For each who does so,

Becomes God’s delight.

Ever He’s faithful,

To all those who choose;

To seek the Lord’s best,

For grace and breakthroughs.

So, let us rise up,

With hearts full of praise;

Pursue the Lord’s best,

For all of our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we pursue righteousness, we discover the blessings that You have for us. Forgive us for the times that we have gone our own way without seeking, or have neglected the direction that You have provided. Teach us how to come to You in trust and to follow all that You are asking. Show us how to love those around us in a way that helps them see the blessings found in Your faithfulness. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we pursue the path of righteousness that You have prepared for us to follow. Amen.

 

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

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

 

 

No Fear in Perfect Love

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. – (1 John 4:18, NLT)

We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; His perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what He might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what He might do to us and shows us that we are not fully convinced that He really loves us. – (1 John 4:18, TLB)

 

Perfect love drives out fear, and assures us that we are loved. God loved us not because we are lovable, but because He is love. In His perfect love, God made the way for us to come to experience a love that goes beyond what we can grasp, and receive hope that heals hurts and drives out fear. Through Christ, we need not fear punishment, but rather are to embrace the grace given in its place, as we are so deeply and completely loved. When fear creeps in, we must trust in He who is greater than all that can come against us. Allowing fear a foothold is releasing the reality of how completely Christ loves us and is for us. May we allow His perfect love to permeate every hollow of our heart, so that fear cannot find place to hide His unending grace.

 

In God’s perfect love,

there‘s no room for fear;

His love is complete,

it‘s grace that comes near.

For we mustn’t dread,

what He’ll do to us;

the Lord, He forgives,

through His Son, Jesus.

May we be convinced,

of how great His love;

no more allow fear,

to grab a hold of…

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are love. Thank You that in You, there is no fear, as Your love eliminates all fear. Thank You Jesus, for taking all of our sin and shame upon Yourself, so that we need not fear punishment, as You have already paid the price. Forgive us for our fearfulness. Teach us to trust You more, so that we might fully experience Your perfect love, and not question Your presence and Your willingness to be for us. Show us how to love without fear, so that people might see Your love through us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we set aside fear and embrace Your perfect love. Amen.

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

They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7

Beyond Brokenness

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – (Psalm 34:18)

 

God does not promise that we will never become brokenhearted, rather He assures us that He will remain close. Though our spirits may seem crushed for a season, Christ saves us from our sorrow and helps us rise again. In fact, it is often in the midst of heartache that beauty begins to rise from the ashes. I know in my own life, I am constantly in awe of how quickly He can utilize my own experiences of brokenness to encourage someone who is experiencing something similar. When we are willing to share our story, no matter how tattered and torn it may appear, God can use it to build up, challenge, encourage, and touch the lives of others. May we remember how very near our Savior stays, even in our brokenness, and trust Him who saves, when we are crushed in spirit; for His plans are good, and He turns tragedy into triumph when we trust in Him.

 

The Lord remains close,

He is ever near;

to brokenhearted,

and those wracked with fear.

He saves the oppressed,

whose spirits are crushed;

His presence breathes life,

His love is enough.

Even in mire,

when ashes surround;

as we trust in Him,

true beauty is found.

Let the Lord’s light shine,

in darkness and pain;

as we trust in Him,

His hope will remain.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are close to the brokenhearted and that You save those who are crushed in spirit. Thank You that though we all go through seasons of sorrow and heartache, You are present and You utilize such seasons to refine us and draw us closer to You. Thank You that even in the midst of the ugliest of ashes, You can bring beauty as You give life to others through our willingness to share what You have done and are doing in our own lives. Forgive us for forgetting how very close You are when we are in the midst of our own brokenness. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will allow You room to move, as You stretch and grow us in the painful places where we would rather not be. Lead us to reach out and love well, even when we want to isolate because of our own issues. May many be lead to You, as they see the truth of Your light and love, even in the midst of our own darkness. Be glorified O God, as we walk well with You, even in our brokenness. Amen.

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

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8

Be of Strength and Courage

Be strong and courageous. (Deuteronomy 31:6a) The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. – (Deuteronomy 31:8)

 

No matter what lies before us, God goes in front of us. He provides our front line of defense, our rear guard, and surrounds us on each side. The Lord assures us that He will remain present with us, regardless of the circumstances that we are being called to walk through. If God is for us, whom shall we fear? There is nothing that He calls us to that He won’t also willingly equip and see us through. May we rise up with strength and courage, trusting that the Lord has gone before us, and will never leave us nor forsake us.

 

For we are each called,

to rise up, be strong;

take courage in Christ,

our strength and our song.

He goes before us,

to prepare the way;

and remains present,

in nearness, He stays.

Be not discouraged,

Take heart in His word;

He’ll not forsake us,

His promises heard.

So take the first step,

go where the Lord asks;

as we are willing,

we’re equipped to task.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful and kind, and that You call us to be people of strength and courage. Thank You that You do not ask us to be strong and courageous in our own strength, but rather in Yours. Thank You that You go before us, behind us, and surround us, keeping us in the safety of Your care every step of the way. Forgive us for our fearfulness, and help us to trust You more. May we move forward in courage, as You call us to new steps of obedience. Lead us to love others well, just as You so wonderfully love each of us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be exalted O God, as we take obedient steps forward in Your strength and courage, trusting You as we move forward in faith. Amen.

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

 

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8

Standing Firm

By standing firm you will gain life. – (Luke 21:19)

 

Though seemingly simple, this is a tall order in the face of persecution, devastation and destruction. To stand firm, we must first be certain in Whom we are placing all of our trust. The more we know and better we understand the heart of our Heavenly Father, the more certain we become in the security of our firm foundation, and are better able to take a solid stand upon it in the face of adversity. Christ assures us that in Him, we will gain eternal life, regardless of what happens in our present circumstance. Despite possible persecution or worse, we know that anything that is endured in this life is merely temporary, and the joy that is yet to come, is eternal. May we stand firm in You, Lord, as we gain Your grace and understand the hope that is ours, as we hold fast to the life everlasting, that we are granted in You.

 

Trust in the Lord,

with all that You are;

the path to life,

is nearby, not far.

Reach out to Christ,

He’ll show us the way;

planted in Him,

in His fold to stay.

Choose to stand firm,

no matter what comes;

life shall be gained,

through our Righteous One.

His grace sustains,

His strength shall uphold;

our hearts and minds,

so we may be bold.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we seek You, we find You. Thank You that as we invest our hearts and lives in You, You teach us how to stand firm in our faith and grant us eternal life. Forgive us for the times that we have not stood firm in our convictions, and help us to learn from each of those moments, so that we may choose better the next time we are faced with something similar. Teach us to trust You more, so that we stand firm in all things and at all times. Lead us to love others as You so completely love us, so that many may come to gain life in You as well. Be exalted, Lord God, as we stand firm in You. 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

The Plans of the Lord

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” – (Jeremiah 29:11-14a)

 

Jesus has a plan for each of our lives. His plans are good. Ultimately, His plans are to pull us up out of the muck, and place our feet on solid ground. As we are moved, He grants us hope for today and promise for our forever. Seeing Christ’s faithfulness compels us to call on Him and commune with Him. In doing so, He hears our prayers. With hope rising in our hearts, we come to a place of knowing our own need for Him. He assures us that as we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. More than that, He will bring us back from the places where we have previously been stuck. Captivity is not always a physical imprisonment; as we are so often captive to our own sin and selfishness. Jesus alone sets us free from all that hinders us from moving forward with Him. May we seek You and find You as we seek You with all that we are.

 

The plans of the Lord,

are hopeful and good;

no intent to harm,

His love understood.

As we call on Him,

He listens and hears;

each of our heart’s cries,

He sees all our tears.

A future He holds,

for all those who seek;

Him with their whole heart,

His blessings released.

Freed from our prisons,

that keep us from Him;

hope in Christ the key,

ushers new life in.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have plans to prosper us and not to harm us. thank You that Your plans grant hope and a future with You. Thank You that as we call on You and pray to You, You hear our prayers. Thank You that when we seek You with our whole heart, we find You. Thank You that You set us free from that which keeps us captive. Forgive us for not seeking with our whole heart, or for not calling on You in all things and at all times. Teach us to trust You completely, so that our first response is to seek You alone. Lead us to live and love in the hope You have provided, and help many come to know the very same hope found in You alone, for themselves. Be exalted, O God, as we seek You and Your plans for our lives. Amen.

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

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

Do Not Dismay

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)

 

Don’t worry – I am with you. Don’t be afraid – I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with My right hand that brings victory. – (Isaiah 41:10, ERV)

 

God’s word assures us again and again that we need not fear, for He is near. Regardless of our circumstance or what comes against us, our hope is assured when we trust in the Lord. He is our Source of strength, so we needn’t worry whether or not we have what it takes to endure. On our own, we certainly do not; yet in Him, we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. Christ carries us, when we are no longer able to walk on our own. Often, He supplies tangible support to help us along the way. His hand is evident all around us, even in the midst of our greatest struggles, if we simply pause and ponder all that He is doing. Even when we cannot see the end in sight, we know the ultimate victory is found in Him. Our future is secured, and our crowning conclusion is all of eternity with Christ. Fear is no longer necessary when we have the certainty of eternity with our Creator. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” – (I Corinthians 15:55)

 

We need not fear,

nor be dismayed;

for Christ the Lord,

will be our aid.

He’ll be our strength,

when we are weak;

He’ll hold us up,

to our hearts speak.

His strong right hand,

righteous and true;

is God for us,

seeing us through.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we need not fear, as You are with us. Thank You that You are our God, and we are Your children. Thank You that You strengthen and help us in our time of need, and that You hold us up with Your mighty right hand. Forgive us for our fearfulness in the midst of the fight, and help us to be ever aware of Your ongoing presence. May we feel Your strength and help as You are holding us up, and may we give You all the glory. Let our lives be lived as an ongoing act of worship before You, celebrating Your goodness and faithfulness to us as Your children. May many come to know You as their Savior and Lord, as we seek to serve You with our whole lives. Let Your love be evident in everything that we say and do. All honor and glory to You, O God, our Father. Amen.

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

When times are good, be happy. – Ecclesiastes 7:14

Hope by Faith

“But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.” – (Galatians 5:5)

By faith, is in total trust of He who is worthy of our trust, despite that which we cannot see.

To eagerly await is a hopeful anticipation of what has not yet come.  It is an excited certainty that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He has said He will do.

Through the Spirit, is the only way that we are capable of having faith in that which we cannot see.  God imparts to us, His Holy Spirit, Who assures us of His presence, His promises, and the hope to which we can hold.

Righteousness, is being right before God.  We are considered righteous from the moment we invite Jesus to be the Lord of our life, and shall be called righteous on our final day as we stand before Him, as we choose to live our lives unto Him.

For which we hope, is all that is held in Him.  His promises, His presence, His unending love, and a future forever with Him – these are the things to which we can cling, as He is our hope to hold.

By faith we place,

our total trust;

despite what’s seen,

He is our must.

To wait in hope,

with certainty;

for all that’s now,

and yet to be.

By His Spirit,

is how we see;

He grants us faith,

to just believe.

When He is Lord,

we’re called righteous;

not by our strength,

but through Jesus.

All of our hope,

His promises;

unending love,

thank You, Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to set us free.  Thank You Jesus, for the sacrifice that You made, so that we could have hope and faith, and be considered righteous before You.  Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit, so that we have help and a constant companion to remind us of our hope.  Forgive us for losing sight of the hope that we hold in You, and help us to hold fast to the promises You have given, regardless of what is going on around us.  Grant us Your grace and Your eyes to see beyond what is right in front of us, so that we may look to our ultimate destination.  Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times, and may we love You with all that we are, so that in turn, we love other well.  Use our lives to touch hearts and transform communities, and help those who are searching, to find a lasting relationship with You.  Be exalted, O God.  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