r L n -- really LOVE now! : December 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

For ALL the Black Sheep of the world

The art is not mine, but the words are -- my true story, with GOD's grace through JESUS -- ALL The WAY! \o/

“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock"—therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.” (Ezekiel 34:8-10)

‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day." (Ezekiel 34:12)

“I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 34:14-15)

“I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:16)

The LORD is my Shepherd; i have all that i need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when i walk through the darkest valley, i will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.
Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and i will live in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23, NLT)

Just JESUS -- Amen!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

JAZMYN -- our december gift

Sons and daughters are indeed a heritage from the LORD...children, a reward. (Psalm 127:3)

Sunday, December 14, 2014

reasons 'n' lessons no matter the season

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

JESUS died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

Let not your heart be troubled...Do not worry about your life...do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not worry about tomorrow... (John 14:1, Matthew 6:25, 31-34)

If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John14:15)

Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the LORD, our GOD! Alleluia! For the LORD GOD Omnipotent reigns! (Revelation 19:1,6)

JESUS said to them, "Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:58)

Maranatha! Come, LORD JESUS!

Saturday, December 13, 2014

LOVE-letter to my family

Dear spouse, dad, mom, son, daughter, sister, brother, nephew, niece, brother- and sister-in-law, cousin, ex-spouse...

GOD's plan for me is all-ways perfect -- i may die TOday, tomorrow or years from now due to a car/bus/bicycle accident; or another crazy shooting on this side of the globe; or a cancer with only a month to live. SO -- i'm taking this moment right NOW to speak from the heart...speaking up because i LOVE you! YES, i LOVE you... ALL of you whom GOD has chosen to be my family in this earthly lifetime.

Who else will tell you the truth? You may choose to dis-own me, or worse -- just ignore me and count my words as more foolishness from the black sheep of the family ("oh, she's like her dad") or just more Bible-thumping from the JESUS-freak. Choose your name(s) for me, but please allow these words to sink deep into your soul.

CONSIDER this: your god is YOU...your SELF. Your god is _______.

(fill in the blank with YOUR name IF you get angry whenever people or circumstances don't go YOUR way; IF you LOVE money -- you find your happiness and security in your stockpile of dollars or retirement fund; IF you believe in your heart that you have what you have and that you are what you are because YOU did it YOURself -- whether your status in life or the size of your bank account).

YOU are your own god if YOU are the boss of your life, your body, your money; and the One True Living GOD has no say over your life, your body, your money, your STUFF. YOU are god if you don't acknowledge with humble thanksgiving the One who has given you life -- the body and intelligence and talent(s) to do the work that earns you the money that buys your STUFF.

It's YOUR party on earth -- living it YOUR way. YOU are the "me, myself and I" trinity.

PLEASE, see YOU without the blinders. See who's really controlling the strings. It's satan -- controlling YOU through your love of self and your love of money. You are serving satan when you serve YOU.

JESUS said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You canNOT serve GOD and money." (Matthew 6:24) Simple and naked TRUTH: love YOU, hate GOD...loyal to YOU, despise GOD...serve YOU, serve satan.

See...i DO love you. i love you SO much that i tell you the TRUTH, risking your anger, your scorn, your rejection. Your rejection is NOthing to me -- but your rejection of the only One who can save you, CHRIST JESUS, is a devastating thought to me. Please CONSIDER this Reality --

There are NO lovers of self or lovers of money in heaven...there will ONLY be LOVERS of JESUS.

with LOVE,

rLn

my Prayer For You

When i think of the wisdom and scope of GOD's plan, i fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. i pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy SPIRIT. i pray that CHRIST will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of GOD's marvelous love.

And may you have the power to understand, as all GOD's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of CHRIST, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from GOD.

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by CHRIST JESUS to all generations, forever and ever. AMEN!

(Ephesians 3:14-21)

The Great I AM

I AM the Bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
(John 6:35)

I AM the Light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.
(John 8:12)

I AM the Door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
(John 10:7, 9)

I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I AM the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
(John 10:11, 14)

I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I AM the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:1, 5)

I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
(John 11:25)

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:6)

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" JESUS answered, You say rightly that I AM a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears My voice.
(John 18:37)

LOVE is...

Though i speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, i have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though i have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though i have all faith, so that i could remove mountains, but have not love, i am nothing.

And though i bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though i give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When i was a child, i spoke as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child; but when i became a man, i put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now i know in part, but then i shall know just as i also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

(I Corinthians 13)

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the LORD always. i will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to GOD. And the peace of GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in CHRIST JESUS.

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

(Philippians 4:4-8)

How Great Thou Art!

O LORD, my GOD! When i in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have made.
i see the stars, i hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

And when i think that GOD, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, i scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

When CHRIST shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then i shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my GOD, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! i once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now i see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour i first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares, i have already come; 'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, i shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

The world shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun refuse to shine; but GOD, who called me here below, shall be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing GOD's praise than when we'd first begun.

The Holy BIBLE -- The Word of GOD

The BIBLE contains the mind of GOD, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the CHRISTian's charter. Here is Paradise restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of GOD its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

(Foreword from The Gideons International)