The Creator's Matchless Design of You ~ by Amy Vest

Have you ever watched an artist designing a masterpiece?

You, my friend, are God's masterpiece.

His design of the masterpiece of your life is perfect.  The aspects of how He created you are all for a specific purpose that is beyond what you could fathom. 

God's grand plan for mankind is to know Him, be satisfied in Him, and to glorify Him.  He has a special way for you to do that - and He designed every detail of your life for that purpose.

Every part of how God made you is like the facets of a prism - a piece of crystal cut in many dimensions to catch and disperse light in gorgeous ways.  Each part of how God made you is intended to shine His life, light, and goodness through in a way that displays His glory like no one else can. 

From the beginning of time, He planned when you were born, your family situation, what you look like, the circumstances you can't change, your personality, the talents and limitations you have, the number of years you live on this earth... Each was purposefully individually designed to bring you to be satisfied in Him and shine His goodness through your life in a unique way.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb."  (Psalm 139:13)

Stop and think about that.  That mellow personality, country you were born in, specific sibling, gift you've been given, limitation you face, circumstance you can't change, that _____ - you fill in the blank - are all intentionally selected by God for you.

He looks at the way He made you and He says, "She's perfect."  You are exactly how He wanted you to be.  (Yes, His work on our inside - sanctifying us - is a lifelong process.  We are looking at how He designed the framework of your life as a staging ground for His work in and glory through you.)

He has put all of these details together to enable you to fulfill His plan for your life - to know Him and display His goodness to the world in a specific, one-of-a-kind, world altering way - as you walk close to His heart, receiving His grace, and embracing His beautiful plan in grateful surrender!

For me, such incredible rest, security, and purpose results from realizing:
~ God's plan is perfect - He makes no mistakes, sees the big picture, and has a specific plan for how He put my life together.
~ The opinions of artwork (myself or other people), about how I was created, don't matter - the Master Artist's opinion is all that matters!
~ I do not need to try to be like someone else - God made me exactly how He wanted me to be!
~ I can freely embrace the Lord and His plan with all of my heart, seeking to let Him shine His goodness through my life and circumstances for His glory!
~ As He shines, He will glorify Himself in ways He uniquely planned for my life that are beyond imagination.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  (Jeremiah 29:11)

As the Lord pours out His grace and continues to lead me in embracing His design of my life - my limitations, circumstances, personality, and more - I have seen more and more the breathtaking perfection of His plan as life unfolds and witnessed how fully trustworthy He is. 

As we look at the masterpiece of your life, remember - The way you look at the Artist's design shows what you believe about the Artist Himself.  If I truly believe that God is loving, sovereign, and wise (which He is!), I will know that what He does is an outflow of His heart and for my satisfaction in Him and His glory.  This will cause me to trust Him, embrace His plan in surrender, and thank Him for it.

Let's say with the psalmist, "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."  (Psalm 139:14)

As you live fully, gratefully, and purposefully in God's perfect design for you ~ His masterpiece ~ you can watch Him shine through the prism of your life to glorify Himself in a unique and beautiful way!

A future and a hope...

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

~Jeremiah 29:11

Join us for Session 7 - "You are Perfectly Made by God" - of the Beautiful to God Online Conference!

Session 7 ~ "You are Perfectly Made by God" from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.

From the beginning of time, God planned when you were born, your family situation, what you look like, the circumstances you can't change, your personality, the talents and limitations you have, the number of years you live on this earth... Each was purposefully individually designed to bring you to be satisfied in Him and shine His goodness through your life in a unique way.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:13-14)

As you live fully, gratefully, and purposefully in God's perfect design for you ~ His masterpiece ~ you can watch Him shine through the prism of your life to glorify Himself in a unique and beautiful way!

Please visit our website lovingthelordministries.org for handouts and study questions for this session!

I am fearfully and wonderfully made...

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

~Psalm 139:14

Question of the Month ~ We want to hear from you!

We want to hear from you!

Here's the question for the month:

What is 1 lie you have been believing and 1 Truth you will replace it with?

                                                       {Please comment below!}

The Word of Christ...

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...

~ Colossians 3:16

The Power of Telling Yourself the Truth vs. Listening to Your Feelings ~ By Breezy

As a short seven-year-old, the edge of the pool felt very safe.   Who knew that toes could grip so   My  I knew my dad, I knew he loved me, I knew he was going to catch me, and I knew this would be fun.  But my feelings were telling me this was not a good idea – the water was deep, I was not very tall or strong, I was not a super swimmer, and there were no lifeguards close by.
dad was in the water and I was supposed to jump in and he would catch me.
well?

This is the struggle we face every day: truth versus feeling – what we know versus what we feel. 

That day at the pool, I went with what I knew was true and I jumped in.  It was so much fun.  My dad caught me (of course!).  We laughed, we splashed, and I jumped into the pool some more.  

I see this scenario over and over in my life.  I read my Bible in the morning and my heart is encouraged and challenged with so much truth from God’s Word.  Then, as I start my day, feelings start to press in on my mind.  It is far too easy for me to forget the things I know are true (because God has said them in His Word) and instead be guided by what my feelings are telling me.

It is so important that I go prayerfully to God’s Word to look for His Truth in everything.  To begin with, it is important that I am honest with the Lord about what I am feeling so that I can address it with the Truth of Scripture.  For me, it has been so helpful to write in my journal the specific thing I am feeling and then begin searching the Bible for verses that will tell me the Truth.  

Here are two recent examples from my life…

My feeling: This circumstance in my life that I am going through is not fun and I am tired of it.  My life will probably never change.

God’s Truth:

“All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenants and his testimonies.” (Psalm 25:10 ESV)  The path Jesus is asking me to walk is His way of expressing to me His steadfast love and faithfulness.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)  “…What [God] desires, that he does, For he will complete what he appoints for me…” (Job 23:13-14 ESV)  “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?” (Isaiah 14:27 ESV) God has a good plan for my life and nothing can stop it.

“But [Jesus] said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid’…” (John 6:20 ESV)  When Jesus says, “It is I” it means “I AM” like God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3.  Jesus said this to his disciples when he was walking on the water across the sea to them in the middle of the storm, but for me, I can know that Jesus is the I AM – He is in control of everything, so I don’t need to fear the future.

My feeling: This person is not treating me very nicely today, so I will just avoid them today.

God’s Truth:

“Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10 ESV)  I am not supposed to be kind to someone because they deserve it.  I am supposed to be kind because it is what Jesus asks of His children.

Dear sisters, these are just two tiny example  God’s word is so full of practical Truth for every area of our lives and it is so important that we never let our feelings be in control of our thoughts and actions.  The Truth of God’s Word must control us.   This means that we must spend time in God’s Word to seek and know the Truth and we must give hard, diligent effort to letting it shape our feelings.

We can never stop ourselves from feeling certain things, but here is the key: will we choose to listen to our feelings, or will we choose to tell ourselves the Truth? 

He is a shield...

Every word of God proves true;

he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
~Proverbs 30:5 

The Transformation of Truth ~ by Amy Vest

Truth that transforms.  That is the Truth that Jesus is offering you.  In John 8:31-32, we hear it:  "So Jesus said... “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Let's look at this transforming Truth together!
1. Knowing the Truth - "If you abide in my word...you will know the truth..."
It is one thing to have a knowledge of the Truth of God's Word in your head.  It is another thing to be personally knowing the Truth, believing it, experiencing it, and owning it as yours.  This comes by you abiding and being in the Word of God - the Bible.  John 17:17 makes it clear, "...your word is truth."  This is the Word of the God who created you, has spoken the Truth to you in the Bible, and is equipping you by the power of His Spirit to know His Word for yourself.

The longer you walk with the Lord and fill your life with His Word, the more that you will see the reality that, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”  (Proverbs 30:5)  

As you truly know the Truth for yourself, you will be able to increasingly discern things that are not true when they come - whether in the form of information, feelings, or thoughts.  Years ago my family was in another country that was both beautiful and different from where I had grown up.  When we went to a restaurant, I decided to try to be healthy and ordered milk.  When it arrived, I took a sip and quickly realized it was NOT real milk!  It was some form of powdered milk or substitute that I couldn't bring myself to drink.  But, how did I know it wasn't real milk?  Because I had spent years drinking the real thing.  It is similar with the Truth.  When you have known the Truth and are filling your life with it, you will be more and more aware when something is not the "real thing"!2. The Transformation of Truth - "...the truth will set you free.”  
As you know the Truth, it: reveals to you where you are in bondage, serves as a key through which the Holy Spirit brings the Truth to life, and sets you free from the bondage that once held you captive!

It is a beautiful process:
~ Us battling bondage of: fear, pride, jealousy, etc.
~ God opening our eyes in His Word to: Who He is, what He has said and promised, who we are, and the hope we have.
~ God giving us faith to believe His Word
~ Freedom results

Recently the Lord gave a beautiful opportunity to serve Him where I faced and regularly had the temptation to feel pressure and fear.  In this situation, the Lord brought His Word to my heart, "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand a keep you." (Isaiah 42:6) This brought refocus on Him, His Truth, and freedom of rest through both His presence and Word.  He wants to bring this freedom in every area and situation of your life.

3. Truth in Every Day Life - "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples..."
The Word of God is meant to saturate and impact every moment of your day - leading you more and more into the freedom that comes from living in the Truth of His Word!  Colossians 3:16 tells us, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..."  

Let's look together at some ways we can live, abide, and soak in His Truth in a daily practical way: 
~  Being in His Word - reading, studying, etc.
~  Having His Word in you - memorizing His Word, so you can think on it all of the time.
~  Being reminded of His Word through the day and week - reading, playing Bible on CD, speaking it to yourself, listening to sermons, singing songs filled with Truth.
~  Thinking intentionally about verses from the Bible and allowing the Lord to teach you from them
~  Sharing the Truth with others and allowing them to share with you - confirming it in bothof your hearts
~  Allowing the Lord to bring it to your heart through the dayand all that you face - this is possible as you are reading the Word and have memorized it
~  Receiving God's grace andwalking in the reality of His Truth - no matter how you feel - and experiencing His freedom

Right now, I am in a season where my health is struggling and I have seen the power of this so real in my daily circumstances.  If I focus on and base my attitude on how I am feeling, it results in becoming discouraged, sad, or even crabby (and who wants that?).  But, if I keep my focus on Jesus and the Word, feed my soul with Truth (verses like Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."), and listen for Him to speak His Truth to me, my heart is flooded with joy, hope, peace, and purpose - causing me to embrace Him, His Word, and my current circumstance for His glory, my good, and blessing of others!

Look at your life with the Lord and identify at least one area in which you need to walk in His Truth and freedom.  Find a verse to memorize on that area, pray it to the Lord - asking Him for His help to walk in it, and receive His grace to walk in it each moment!

May the Lord pour out His richest blessings to you as you go as His disciple, abide in His Word, know the Truth, and watch Him work through it by His Spirit to set you free!

Your Word is Truth...

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

~John 17:17

Join us for Session 6 - "The Influence of Your Thoughts and Attitude" - of the Beautiful to God Online Conference!

Session 6 ~ "The Influence of Your Thoughts and Attitude" from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.

Truth that transforms. That is the Truth that Jesus is offering you. In John 8:31-32, we hear it: "So Jesus said... “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He has called us to live a life that is radiant in His Truth! Two of the major areas the transformation of His Truth takes place is in our thoughts and attitudes.

Join Amy as we look together at the power of Truth - the Word of God, the Bible - and allowing it to transform our thoughts and attitudes in a way that impacts our lives and the lives of those around us!

Please visit our website lovingthelordministries.org for handouts and study questions for this session!

The truth will set you free...

"...and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

~ John 8:32

Question of the Month ~ We want to hear from you!

We want to hear from you!

Here's the question for the month:

What is one step you are going to take to walk in purity today? 

                                                                   {Please comment below!}

                                                            
                                                                                        

With my whole heart I seek you...

How can a young man keep his way pure?
 By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
~Psalm 119:9-10

The springs of life...

Watch over your heart with all diligence,

For from it flow the springs of life.

~Proverbs 4:23

A Call to Transforming Purity ~ by Amy Vest

Are you ready to talk about a purity that has the potential to transform your life?  
God created you to live a life of transforming purity in Jesus that results in freedom, fulfillment, and fruitfulness.  It is a purity that is beautiful, satisfying, exciting, and that impacts not only your life, but the lives and world around you.

God has called us to this purity that transforms us and allows us to fulfill and experience the purpose for which we were created.

It is crucial that you understand - Your level of purity affects your relationship with God, your life, your relationship with others, and how mightily God is able to use you for His glory.

When you hear the word purity, what do you think of?  So that we are on the same page - when we talk about purity, we mean - “Freedom from guilt or the defilement of sin; innocence; as purity of heart or life.”

Let’s look together at elements of this transforming purity:

~ Purity has a purpose. Why do you want to be pure?  Matthew 5:8 says, “"Blessed are the pure in

heart for they shall see God.”  Stop and read it again… "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."  What does it say will happen if you are pure in heart?  You will see God.  That is the purpose that we are alive – to see, know, enjoy, and glorify God!  This alone is where we will be truly satisfied.  Do you see why it is so important?  (This is why purity is under such attack today by the enemy in our culture – to try to draw us away from purity of heart and seeing God.)  You want to be pure so that you can SEE GOD - then your life will be transformed! 
 
This is not a pursuit of purity filled with boredom and suffocating external performance, but with a joy and purpose that flows from a deeper heart desire to know God and commitment do whatever HE says is right and pure!  As you behold God, you love Him, as you love Him, you want to follow Him, and desire to live a pure life and be pure so can know Him even more!  This will lead us into the lives of fulfillment, freedom, and fruitfulness that God intended us to live, as a result of purity and seeing Him! 

When this clicked in my mind and heart, it was transforming for me.  Before I pursued purity because I knew it was right and I wanted good and not bad consequences.  But, as I knew the Lord and then understood this verse, it gave a totally different motivation for purity - I wanted to know Jesus!  We must let our life passion be to know see and know the Lord – not wanting anything to get in the way!  This passionate purpose will cause us not to see how close to the line we can get in the area of purity, but how far away.  The more we know the Lord, the more this will cause us to see that He is far more satisfying than any impurity that could tempt us.  Our longing to know God more should drive us to pursue purity at all costs!

2 Timothy 2:22 helps us see the Lord’s call to run from impurity and run towards purity: "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." 

One summer I was canoeing through some reeds with some young women.   All of a sudden one of the young women started screaming.  A spider had gotten in the canoe.  She was deathly afraid of spiders and was doing all she could to get away from it.  We should be even more serious than this as we flee sin and pursue purity, keeping the purpose in mind and realizing the affect it has on our ability to see God and walk with Him.

~ Purity starts in your heart.“The heart of the matter, is a matter of the heart.” someone once said.  God is most concerned about our heart, as well as how we live outwardly.  It is our heart that He cares about first.  Outward conformity is not the final answer – and while they can do some good, they don’t change our heart.  God is calling us to purity of heart – and then all of our life can flow from our heart condition.  Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  

It’s important to look at your heart and ask:  Am I wanting to know God more than I am wanting sin?  Am I believing that knowing Jesus will make me far happier than allowing impurity in my life?  Am I trusting that the God who created me, knows what is best for me, and is calling me to obey for my best and His glory?  Am I willing to receive the Lord’s grace to fight sin and pursue purity at all costs?  The answers to these questions take place in our hearts – and then show proof in our lives of our heart condition.

Something must be made very clear - We cannot make our heart pure – Jesus alone can.  He opens our eyes to our need and gives us grace to look to Him to purify our heart through:
1. Salvation – you seeing your sinful heart and desperate need for a Savior from your sins, trusting in Jesus alone and His death on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sins, and inviting Him to come into your life, cleanse you from your sins, and be in charge of your life.
2. Sanctification – a lifelong process of the Lord working in us and us working with Him, by the grace that He supplies, to purify us from our sin and self and fill us with Jesus. At salvation, you were washed clean from your sins, and Jesus’ perfect record became yours.  Now, He is in the process of purifying your heart to make your more like Him – While we will never be perfectly pure in life on this earth, the more He purifies our hearts, the more clearly we can see Him!  THAT is what we want and should be our desire moment-by-moment! 

Tonight I made a smoothie.  Suppose after I had added the fresh fruit, juice, etc. I decided that I could add just a little bit of poison – would that make that much of a difference?  It is the same way when we allow even a little sin in our lives – It affects every area of our lives and damages our walk with Christ.  Do you see what is at stake?  We are not looking at little hand-slaps, when we allow sin, we are hindering our most important relationship in the world with Jesus! 

We must daily, moment-by-moment receive the Lord’s grace to “keep your heart” – to receive the Lord’s grace to watchfully pursue purity and flee from impurity in a way that enables us to see God for all that He is.  This purity of heart will then flow out in how you live in beautiful ways!

~ Purity of heart flows out in purity of life.
What you do is an outflow of what is in your heart. How you live your life stems from your heart, what you love, and what you think will make you happy.  If we believe that God satisfies, that He created us and calls us to do what He created for our best, and that His ways work, we will obey Him and pursue purity in every area – and experience the amazing results.

This comes out in choices in what you: ~ think about ~ say  ~ wear  ~ listen to  ~ watch  ~ do with your body  ~ friends you choose  ~ and so much more!

It is also critical that we are intentionally rejecting impurity and filling our lives with things that help us in purity and loving Jesus!  Stop and evaluate what you are reading, listening to, watching, and thinking about.  Something that has been so helpful for me is to evaluate where my heart is by what I am desiring and encourage my heart in purity by evaluating things by asking myself, “Is this helping me towards purity and knowing Jesus, or encouraging me in impurity and drawing me from Jesus?” Be purposeful in filling your life with pure things and things that will encourage you in purity and loving Jesus.  These things include: - Memorizing Scripture - Listening to pure music - Reading books that will encourage you in your relationship with the Lord and purity - Spending time with friends who are seeking Jesus and purity - Listening to sermons and attending conferences - and so much more!
Psalm 119:8-10 is so helpful, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  

Making daily choices to live in purity includes what you think, what you say, how you act, your attitudes, and what you do with your body. Stop and ask yourself, “Is how I am living at this moment honoring the Lord through purity?”  Every action has consequences.So, today as you decide what to think about, listen to, look at, do, etc., remember Who you are living for and the results of living a life of purity.  It is a daily choice that bears incredible fruit.

Romans 6:13 gives us a great word picture, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
It is important for each of us to acknowledge that we all have failed in the area of purity – whether it is in heart, thought, word, or action.  This is why Jesus had to die in the Cross in our place for our sins, so that He could cleanse us and make us right with God – enabling us to see Him for all that He is!  When we see the promise of purity and that sin, though forgiven, still has consequences (and is not a reason to be casual about sin and impurity) – this should lead us to the Cross for cleansing and a fresh start.  1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  This is the beauty of what Jesus has done for you and Jesus is offering this to you today.

As purity flows out of our heart into the rest of our life, it will have a powerful impact.~ Purity affects your relationships.
While purity of heart will deeply affect all of our relationships – as the Lord purifies our desires, motives, etc.  - one of the major areas that purity is manifested is our relationships with the opposite gender. (In other words, guys.)  While we could talk for hours on this subject, in a nutshell, having a pure heart and being satisfied in Jesus will enable us to relate to young men with the goal of pointing them to the Lord, seeing Him, and being satisfied in Him – instead of trying to attract them and distracting them from the Lord!Having a pure heart, being fulfilled in Christ, and seeking to embrace His plan for His best in guy relationships will enable you to have healthy, God-honoring relationships with young men – and will lead you to desire to save yourself - heart, mind, and body - for your future husband.  When you are in this place is when you experience the freedom of seeking and serving the Lord with brothers in Christ in the way for which we were intended. (I know, this has been critical for me!)  Then everyone is challenged on in the Lord and HE is glorified, as a result!  
(The Beautiful to God Online Conference session “The Power of a Pure Heart and Single Focus”, which will be posted next week, will address this area much more.)

~ Purity bears fruit – in your life and the lives of others. Seeking the Lord and purity through purpose, purging, and pursuit will bring powerful results in your heart, walk with Him, and life!

This fruit includes:
- Seeing God more clearly and incredible growth in Him
- Freedom and joy you never imagined possible
- God’s blessing
- Right motivations in and relationships with people – especially the opposite gender
- God can accomplish His best in your life and use you in mighty ways for His gloryAs He grows you in purity, it transforms your life as it results in more of God, being satisfied in Him, Him shining through you, lives being impacted for Him, and Him being glorified.

~ Purity in your life – application.
Purity begins and ends with Jesus.  Come to Him asking for His grace to pursue purity and work in your heart to purify you.  He will be faithful!
- Purpose - Ask yourself, “What is my motivation for purity?”  Want seeing and knowing Jesus more than anything – and let that be your motivation for purity.  Ask the Lord for a deeper desire for a pure heart, so that you can see, know, and walk with Him like you were created to!
- Purge - Go before the Lord and ask Him to reveal the sins, hindrances, distractions, and idols that are blocking the way of your relationship with Him.Pray through them with Him, ask His forgiveness and cleansing, yield them to Him, and ask for His grace to fill those areas with Himself!  Reject things that are impure and pull you away from Jesus.
- Pursue – Focus on things that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord and purity. Fill your heart, mind, eyes, and ears with things that encourage you in Jesus and purity.  (Devotions, Scripture memory, Bible study, prayer, journal, etc.)
As you cling to Jesus and pursue these things, the Lord will bring amazing fruit in your life!

1 Timothy 4:12 beautifully tells us, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

So, my friends, the question remains - “What are YOU going to do with the Lord’s call to transforming purity?”

God is calling you to this personally and you must receive His grace to respond.  There is nothing in the world like knowing and walking with God - Don’t allow anything to get in the way of it!  Embrace a life that is set apart for Christ with a total commitment to purity in every area of your life, no matter the cost, remembering the purpose and promised results.  

Let’s pursue purity – longing for more of God.  As you see Him, your life will be transformed.

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

Set the believers an example...

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 

 ~ 1 Timothy 4:12

Join us for Session 5 - "The Power of a Pure Heart" - of the Beautiful to God Online Conference!

Session 5 ~ "The Power of a Pure Heart" from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.

God created you to live a life of transforming purity in Jesus that results in freedom, fulfillment, and fruitfulness. God has called us to this purity that transforms us and allows us to fulfill and experience the purpose for which we were created. Your level of purity affects your relationship with God, your life, your relationship with others, and how mightily God is able to use you for His glory... "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)... You want to be pure so that you can SEE GOD - then your life will be transformed! 

Please join us for this video as we look at the the way the Lord transforms our lives through purity! 

Please visit our website lovingthelordministries.org for handouts and study questions for this session!

Blessed are the pure in heart...

 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

~Matthew 5:8

The Summer Devotions Pursuit Begins Today!

Summer Devotions Pursuit from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.

We would like to invite you to join us for the 2017 Summer Devotions Pursuit - a special time of seeking Jesus from June 1st - August 31st!

Here are the basic details:
WHO: You and Jesus
WHERE: Wherever you are
WHEN: June 1st - August 31st, 2017

WHAT IS INVOLVED:
- 15 minutes of devotions a day
- Memorizing 1 verse a week
- Choosing and contacting an accountability partner once every 2 weeks
... and an amazing summer with Jesus!  You can print off a chart to keep track on the LTLM website - http://lovingthelordministries.org/event-items/summer-pursuit!

REWARD: When you complete the Summer Pursuit: You send in your chart by September 7th and you receive a reward in the mail - in addition to the best reward of knowing Jesus!  This year's reward will be a special surprise package!

RSVP: It is not necessary to let us know that you are taking part in the Summer Devotions Pursuit - You can just send your chart in at the end of the summer when you complete the Pursuit!  (That said, you can leave a comment on this post just for fun if you want to let us know you are taking part!)
You can watch the "Summer Devotions Pursuit" video (above, or at http://vimeo.com/41883667) and visit the website (www.lovingthelordministries.org) for more details.  You can contact us at info@lovingthelordministries.org with questions. 

Invite your friends to join us!!!

This is going to be an amazing summer of pursuing and growing in knowing Jesus!  Pursue Jesus with all that you are this summer, friends. He is so amazing! He will meet with you - and you will never be the same!

Our prayer is that for each of us this summer will be a powerful time to begin, or deepen, a life pattern of seeking Jesus and growing in experiencing His goodness every day!

"He satisfies the longing soul…” Psalm 107:9

Question of the Month ~ We want to hear from you!

We want to hear from you!

Here's the question for the month:

What is 1 aspect of your identity in Christ that means a lot to you right now? (For example, "I am redeemed, forgiven, loved...")  Why?

                                                                                  
                                                                                                           {Please comment below!}

    

Living in Your Identity as a Child of God ~ Elizabeth's testimony

I believe it was around six years ago that I knew in my heart I was not satisfied in Jesus, but I really wanted to be. Through a book I was reading about who I was in Jesus there was a list of scripture verses paraphrased that spoke of my identity in the Lord as His child. After reading the book I still did not feel satisfied in Jesus but I remember thinking to myself that the Bible is truth and that what it is communicating to me about my identity is true even though I did not feel it. I knew I needed God to do a work in my heart.


 I decided to use my exercising time on the treadmill to declare these truths from scripture of who I was in Jesus. Most often I would start my time with a simple prayer “Lord, would You place these truths in my heart.” As I spoke these paraphrased verses I would begin by saying “Thank you Lord and then continue on with the verse, “Since I am in Christ, by the grace of God… I have been justified completely forgiven and made righteous” (Rom 6:1-6) 

Thank you Lord that I am free forever from condemnation (Rom.8:1)
Thank you that I have been given the mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:16)
Thank you Lord that I have been bought with a price: I am not my own; I belong to God (I Cor. 6:19, 20)
Thank you that I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ’s life (Gal. 2:20)
Thank you that I have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven (Eph.2:6)
Thank that I can come boldly before the throne of God to find mercy and grace in time of need (Heb.4:16)
Thank you that I have been redeemed and forgiven, and I am a recipient of His lavish grace (I John 1:9)
Thank you Lord that I have been made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10)

As I continued to speak God’s truth into my heart, He began to do a work in me. As God’s truth went deep within my soul I began to know my identity as a child of Jesus and was satisfied in Him. So many things that I had been struggling with before were diminishing in my life as the Lord was setting me free with His truth. One of the victories in my life as a result of God’s work was no longer caring what people thought of me. There was now a new freedom in living for Jesus alone. John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’”

Since that time I have had seasons where I have struggled to live in these truths, but God has kept helping me come back to what is true. Today in my heart by God placing His truth in me, I have a settledness in my heart that I am His, I belong, and I am His child.

You are a chosen race...

 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

 ~1 Peter 2:9