"OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S BEAUTIFUL, INTIMATE LOVE FOR US!!!

**** Please Read This Aloud ****

JESUS CHRIST - HE WHO "...upholds, maintains, guides, and propels the Universe by HIS Mighty Word of power." (Hebrews           1:1-3/Amplified Bible).

HE WHO Creates Beautiful Flowers with such Exquisite designs of     color and shape, And creates the Beautiful Butterflies that love the       flowers so---

May HE breathe on you the very breath that says: "I love You with my everlasting love...". (Jeremiah 31:3)...

"THE ETERNAL GOD Is your Refuge...and underneath are the            Everlasting Arms..."  (Deuteronomy 33:27).

"Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the Shield of the LORD."  (Deuteronomy 33:29).

The breath that says "I call you Friend". (John 15:15).

The breath that says: "It is Finished".  (John 19:30).

AS I went outside to give these thoughts back to GOD our Heavenly    Father...I saw a butterfly on the ground, walking--- I very gently picked  it up, and carried it to some beautiful flowers that were growing in the sunshine.

As I sat underneath the White Dogwood tree...exchanging these thoughts with our Heavenly Father...a breeze stirred the White              dogwood tree  -  causing a shower of white petals to Blanket me.

In (Revelation 22:2) "the leaves of the tree of life are for healing          and restoration..."

May this (HIS) word be for Your healing and restoration:

"I have called you by your name, You are Mine..."  (Isaiah 43:1).

"I am called "...a child of God..."  (John 1:12).

" I (Jesus) have called you 'Friend' ".  (John 15:15)

"I love you with My everlasting love..(Jeremiah 31:3).

"...in Me, you may have peace."  (John 16:33).

"JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday, today, and forever."                  (Hebrews 13:8).

In the paragraph about the Butterfly (above)...The Hand that moved    the butterfly, placing it gently among the flowers in the sOnshine        is our Father God's hand... You are the butterfly...the breeze is the        Holy Spirit, JESUS says in (John 8:12): "I AM the light." 

Now, Please read it Two Times more!!!                                   

 

"SOUNDS OF MERCY, AND GRACE...AND..."

 Once while serving on a Christian Men's Retreat, I heard the Worship Leader singing the song "Amazing Grace".

That song begins with the beautiful and Holy Declaration: "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me..." As I sang along with that song...the Holy Spirit prompted me to ask:  "Father, what were those Sweet Sounds?"  He answered me, giving to me understanding:  "Those 'Sweet Sounds' were music."...I said..."Music?!?!?".

In the music---the "percussion instruments" were (1) The HAMMER DRIVING the spikes through JESUS' wrists into the wooden cross; and, (2) The "Thump!" as the cross hit the bottom of the hole in the ground.  (That caused a very Painful "jerk" on JESUS' muscles as the cross came to a sudden halt when it hit the bottom of the hole,).

The "String Instruments" were the lashes of the whip that ripped and tore JESUS' back, sides, arms and legs!!!  

The lyrics (words) of the song were the seven (7) statements that JESUS made while HE was on the cross; plus what the thieves said as they hung on their crosses; plus the Roman soldier's Declaration: "Surely that is a Righteous Man."  JESUS' last statement was "It is Finished!!!". (John 19:30). (Please YOU! look for yourself by reading the New Testament to find the other six (6) things JESUS said while on the cross.

***From a footnote below John 19:30: "It is Finished - The Greek tense indicates that the work of redemption has been COMPLETED ONCE AND FOR ALL, AND it's results are ABIDING CONTINUOUSLY."*****

I Must insert another insight here that the HOLY SPIRIT gave to me just now: The sounds are Sweet to HIM---because HE ALREADY KNOWS the Sweet Sounds that we will sing to HIM for eternity in Heaven (because we accepted HIS sacrifice for our sins!).

Some Helpful definitions: 1) Grace = favor, kindness, affection, un-merited favor, un-deserved Blessings. (Zech. 12:10/2 Cor. 12:9).           (2) Mercy = unfailing love, tenderness, pity, love; active desire to remove distress. (Micah 6:8/Hosea 2:13/Romans 9:15).

There are many great Blessings---From Genesis 1:1-3 "In the beginning...Let there be light"...all the way through Rev. 22:20-21 "Surely I am coming quickly...The grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST be with you all. Amen."

A partial list of "Sounds" of Grace and Mercy: 1) "...thus says the Lord Who created you..."I have called you by your name...you are Mine,"(Isaiah 43:1.  (2) "I have chosen you, adopted you, and accepted you as Mine in JESUS..." (Eph. 1:1-6). (3)  "I will have Mercy on (him/her) (Hosea 2:2-3).  (4) "The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make HIS face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD turn His smile upon you, and give you peace." (Numbers    6:23-26).  (5) "The Eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deu. 33:27).  (6) JESUS says "I am with you always." (Matt. 28:20). (7) "Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You." (Psalm 63:3-4).  (8) "But YOU are Holy, you enthrone Yourself in the praises of Your people." (Psalm 22:3).  (9) "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people.." (Psalms 125:2). (10) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is in within me." (Psalm 103:1-2)  (11) "Fear not, for I am with you, I will hold your right hand." (Isaiah 41:1-3). (12) "I know the plans that I have for you...plans for you to give you a future and a hope."  (13) "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, His compassions  fail not...they are new every morning, Great is Your faithfulness..." (Lamentations 3:22-25).  (14) "And Mary will bring forth a Son, and you shall call HIS NAME JESUS, fot HE shall save His people." (Matt. 1:21). (15) "Heaven and earth will pass away, but MY words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:31).  (16) If you, then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much More will your Heavenly Father give The HOLY SPIRIT to those who ask HIM."  (Luke 11:13). (17) "...HE, the SPIRIT of TRUTH, will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13).

The above is only a partial list.  You Will have deep, thrilling blessings as you add your OWN list!!!  You can read all of GOD'S WORD this year---only about 30-40 minutes each day!  (Get your OWN plan at www.shilohplace.org

Our Sounds to GOD OUR FATHER, JESUS HIS SON, THE HOLY SPIRIT - are to be GIVING THANKS, PRAISE, and WORSHIP!!!  And our Sounds to others shall be: "I forgive you...Please forgive me...JESUS LOVES YOU...THANK YOU...I BLESS YOU IN JESUS CHRIST'S HOLY NAME!!!!!!!!               

*** REJOICE!!!...IN?...OVER? ****

 "REJOICE IN THE LORD"!!!!! ALWAYS!!!  Again I willl say Rejoice!!!"   (Philippians 4:4).

Definition: Rejoice - Joy, to  be greatly happy; to be excessively Happy!

In "THE MESSAGE BIBLE" this verse (Phil 4:4) says:                         "CELEBRATE GOD ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, I MEAN REVEL IN HIM!"

IN the NEW KING JAMES  BIBLE HE declares it this way:                  :...King David LEAPING and TWIRLING  before the LORD...".        (2 Samuel 6:6 New King James Version).).

Some translations state that "GOD rejoices over US with SINGING       and DANCES with Delight over US "!!!!!!!!

"The LORD your GOD in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; HE    will REJOICE over YOU with gladness, HE will quiet you with HIS  love, HE will rejoice over You with Singing."!!!!!!!! (Zephaniah 3:17).

If we focus on OURSELVES, or focus on our Circumstances--- that can make it more difficult to believe that HE REJOICES OVER US!!!

But many times in GOD'S WORD we are taught/Commanded to focus  on HIM---"but we all...behold the Glory of the LORD, being transformed into the same image from glory to glory...by the Spirit of the LORD." (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As we CONTINUE to focus our thoughts on HIM---we are reminded that HE is the "ONE TRUE GOD" (John 17:3)/ "THE LORD MOST HIGH" (Psalm 47:2) 

When HE looks upon us - HE KNOWS by HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE the Most Terrible Price that HE paid for us---and knowing what we will be when "...HE completes HIS good work in us..." (Philippians 1:6)

ONCE FOR ALL TIME AND INTO ETERNITY - HE-THE ONE TRUE GOD SET OUR VALUE TO HIMSELF by paying the HIGHEST POSSIBLE PRICE for EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US-   by sending HIS SON JESUS to a Tortuous death on the cross---to pay for OUR sins!!!  SO, BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF does NOT change     (Malachi 3:6); AND Because JESUS  CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND FOREVER." (Hebrews 13:8).---

"THE LORD YOUR GOD in your midst will save...(HE) will rejoice over you with gladness...[In HIS LOVE...He will make NO mention of past sins, nor even recall them].  HE will exult over you with singing." 

Several years ago,  when my wife Mary worked in a town (Dahlonega, Ga.) several miles from our home in Cleveland, Ga.---several times each week I would drive to a gym in Dahlonega-to exercise.  On some of those trips I would first stop by to visit Mary at her office .

On a certain day in April, I stopped by to visit Mary.  As I talked with her---I realized that she was experiencing a day which was even more stressful than usual!

My plan for that day was that I would go to the local library to look for a specific book.  But as I prayed and drove toward the library--- Our LORD gave to me understanding---that rather than look for a book---I should sit outside the library, enjoy the warm sunshine and the spring flowers that our LORD had provided for me...so that I could sit there and pray for Mary!!!

{Please allow me to insert here some information that will help make the rest of the story to be more clear:  Whenever we pray for someone OTHER THAN OURSELVES---it is called Intercessory Prayer}.

As  prayed for Mary, I also began to rejoice and thank our LORD for the warm sunshine, the beautiful flowers, And for the FREEDOM to be there and pray...and to praise and thank our LORD that "...HE HIMSELF is our peace..." (Ephesians 2;14); HE HIMSELF "... is our Strength and our Song..." (Exodus 15:2);  "JESUS CHRIST is the SAME yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8); and that JESUS is "...with us always..." (Matthew 28:20)

SO, I was rejoicing IN HIM---As i continued this---the HOLY SPIRIT moved me to ask:  "LORD, does this mean that I am to Rejoice IN YOU in an Intercessory manner for Others???  ONLY by HIS grace and by HIS FAITHFULNESS I do now, and I am to continue to "rejoice in the LORD..." in an Intercessory manner for others. HOW GOOD!!! Our HEAVENLY FATHER IS!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I mentioned earlier...Rejoicing can be "to dance and twirl in joy."

Back to Mary: As I talked to Mary later...her stress had eased, and her peace Increased As i rejoiced For her!!!

***(You may find this (following) Amusing---                                        Because i am now age 79, I sometimes have difficulty with my balance=so I do dance and twirl SLOWLY!  Sometimes in the parking lot outside the gym - I lift up my hands and twirl...and people walking nearby call out to me, asking "are you OK?" "Do you need help?"  That gives to me an opening to witness to them about "Rejoicing in the LORD"!!!

GOD REJOICES OVER US!!! HE IS WORTHY FOR US TO REJOICE IN HIM!!!!!!11!

HE     IS     WORTHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!