Psalm 27:4 l want to be in the house of the Lord everyday of my life.

 Psalm 27:4 Amplified

One thing I have asked from the Lord, and that will I seek:

Not many things, not scattered prayers thrown carelessly,

Not a list of wants, not a fleeting fantasy.

But one thing—a singular, consuming desire,

A holy obsession, a refining fire.

All other petitions fade and grow dim

When compared to this one request I bring to Him.

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, inquire for, and [insistently] require. (Psalm 27:4, AMP)

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life—

Not a quick visit, not a passing glance,

Not a Sunday morning religious trance.

But to dwell—to take up residence, to make my home,

In the place where His glory and mercy are known.

Not for a season, not for a night,

But all of my days, in His holy light.

To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord—

To look with wonder, with awe, with delight,

Upon the face of the One who makes all things right.

To see His character, His majesty, His grace,

To behold His glory and seek His face.

Not just to know about Him from afar,

But to see Him as He truly is—my Morning Star.

To behold the beauty of the Lord—sweet, gracious, delightful—and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. (Psalm 27:4, AMP)

And to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple—

To linger in His presence, to listen and to learn,

To let His truth within my inmost spirit burn.

To ask the questions that matter most,

To find my anchor, my peace, my host.

In the sacred space where He meets with me,

To grow in grace and maturity.

This is the one thing—above all other things:

Not wealth, not comfort, not what the world brings.

To dwell with Him, to see His face,

To know His heart and rest in His grace.

All else is secondary, all else will fade,

But this one pursuit will never be delayed.

So this is my prayer, my heart's deepest cry:

Let me dwell in Your house until the day I die.

Let me gaze on Your beauty, let me seek Your face,

Let me find in Your presence my dwelling place.

For this one thing is everything—

To be with You, my God, my King.

Amen.

Psalm 23 amplified.

 Psalm 23 Amplified

The Lord is my Shepherd—I shall not want.

He leads me away from the edge of the precipice where fear would taunt.

He is the Good Shepherd who knows my name,

Who guides me with love and protects me from shame.

Because He is mine and I am His,

Every need is met, every fear dismissed.

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. (Psalm 23:1, AMP)

He makes me lie down in green pastures—not just to rest,

But to feast on His goodness, to know I am blessed.

In the abundance of His provision, I find my peace,

My striving ceases, my anxieties cease.

He prepares a table before me, a banquet of grace,

And invites me to rest in His holy place.

He leads me beside still waters—the quiet, the calm,

Where the noise of the world cannot do me harm.

He restores my soul, He revives my heart,

Healing the broken and weary parts.

When I am depleted, when I have no strength,

He renews my spirit and restores me at length.

He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake. (Psalm 23:3, AMP)

He leads me in paths of righteousness—not for my name,

But for His own glory, to honor His fame.

He guides my steps in the way I should go,

Through wisdom and counsel that only He can bestow.

And when I wander, He gently brings me back,

Setting my feet on the righteous track.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death—

The darkest valley, the deepest breath,

Where loss and sorrow press all around,

And hope seems lost, and light cannot be found—

I will fear no evil, for You are with me there.

Your presence is the light that cuts through despair.

Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me. (Psalm 23:4, AMP)

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me—

The rod that defends, the staff that guides tenderly.

In Your strength, I am safe; in Your care, I am led.

Though dangers surround me, I have nothing to dread.

You discipline in love, You correct with grace,

And I find my refuge in Your warm embrace.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies—

A feast of abundance, a sign of release.

While my foes look on, helpless to touch,

You bless me with goodness, You give me so much.

My cup overflows, it cannot contain

The blessings You pour out like healing rain.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows. (Psalm 23:5, AMP)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life—

Not just as companions, but as gifts through the strife.

They chase me down, they pursue me with love,

They surround me with blessings from the Father above.

And when my journey on earth is complete,

I will dwell in His house—a forever retreat.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever—

Not for a season, not for a time,

But eternally His, in love's perfect rhyme.

In the presence of God, my Shepherd and King,

My soul will forever rejoice and sing.

Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord. (Psalm 23:6, AMP)

This is my portion, this is my peace.

My Shepherd, my Rest, my great Release.

The Lord is mine, and I am His—

And in this truth, I find my bliss.

Amen.

Salvation.

 Saved from Hell Fire

This is the most urgent and glorious message the world could ever hear. It is the heartbeat of the gospel—that God, in His infinite love, has provided a way to be saved from the eternal consequences of sin.

📖 The Truth About Salvation

The Reality of Judgment

Scripture speaks plainly about the fate of those who remain separated from God:

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Matthew 25:46)

Hell is described as a place of separation from God's presence, of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12), prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). It is the just consequence of sin—for "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

The Provision of Rescue

But God did not leave us in this hopeless state:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Jesus Himself took the punishment we deserved:

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

The Way of Salvation

Salvation is not earned by good works, but received through faith:

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

It is a free gift of grace:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

🕊️ A Prayer for Salvation

Lord Jesus, I come to You recognizing my sin and my need for a Savior. I believe that You are the Son of God, that You died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins, and that You rose from the dead to give me eternal life.

I turn away from my sin and place my complete trust in You alone. I receive Your forgiveness and ask You to be the Lord of my life. Thank You for saving me from hell fire and giving me the gift of eternal life with You.

By faith, I receive Your salvation. In Your mighty name, Amen.

✨ A Poetic Declaration

Saved from hell fire—not by my own hand,

Not by my striving, not by my stand.

But by the blood of the Lamb who was slain,

By His suffering, His death, His rising again.

He took the wrath that was meant for me.

He endured the cross to set me free.

The fire I deserved, He bore in my place,

And clothed me instead in His righteousness and grace.

No longer condemned, no longer afraid,

The debt of my sin has been fully paid.

The gates of hell cannot prevail,

For in Christ's love, I will never fail.

Saved from hell fire—this is my song,

A grateful praise my whole life long.

Not because of what I have done,

But because of the victory His death has won.

I am saved. I am free. I am His.

And in this truth, my hope is fixed.

Amen.

I only want you, Jesus.

 I Only Want You, Jesus

I only want You, Jesus.

Let the world call after me with its persuasive voice,

Let it offer every pleasure, every temporary choice.

Let it promise me tomorrows filled with comfort and with ease,

I will turn my face toward You and whisper, "Only these

Are not the things my soul was made to hold or to possess.

My heart was fashioned for Your love, my spirit for Your rest."

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)

I only want You, Jesus. Not the gifts that fill my hands,

Not the answers to my questions, not the fulfillment of my plans.

If I had every blessing but somehow missed Your face,

I would be the poorest soul in any time or place.

But if I have You only, with nothing else beside,

I am wealthier than kings in whom the richest things reside.

I only want You, Jesus—in the morning, when I wake,

In the busy of the noon hour, in the quiet when I ache.

When the road is steep and lonely, when the burden feels too great,

When I'm tempted to look elsewhere, to walk through another gate,

Draw me back with cords of kindness, remind me once again

That having You is having all, that wanting You is win.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

I only want You, Jesus—not a version I have made,

Not a God shaped by my culture, not a Savior I've portrayed.

I want You as You are—holy, beautiful, and true,

The One who saw my deepest need and made a way to bring me through.

I want Your will, Your heart, Your way, Your purpose and Your plan,

For You are God, and I am not, and only You can span

The distance between who I am and who I long to be.

Only You can satisfy the deepest part of me.

So here I am, with empty hands and open heart, and I

Lay down every lesser love, every competing tie.

I only want You, Jesus. You are all I'm looking for.

I only want You, Jesus—now and forevermore.

Amen.

Give me Jesus.

 Give Me Jesus

Give me Jesus. 

You can have all this world—its glitter and its gold,

Its temporary pleasures, its stories never told.

You can have its praises, its platforms, and its fame,

Its restless, endless striving after a forgotten name.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Philippians 3:7-8)

Give me Jesus in the morning, when the day is fresh and new.

Give me Jesus in the evening, when the day has journeyed through.

In the quiet and the chaos, in the ordinary and the grand,

I need no other treasure—just the shelter of His hand.

You can offer me provision, and I'll receive it with a prayer,

But only if the Giver's heart is fully present there.

You can offer me healing for the body and the mind,

But only if the Healer is the One I truly find.

For in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)

Give me Jesus when I'm weeping, when the tears won't seem to cease.

Give me Jesus when I'm doubting, when I cannot find my peace.

When the world has done its worst and left me wounded and alone,

I need no explanation—just to know I am His own.

You can offer me tomorrow, with its promise and its plan,

But I'd rather have a mystery held in His wounded hand.

You can offer me success in every venture I pursue,

But I'd rather have the Savior who makes all things new.

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

So take this world, but leave me Jesus. He is all I need.

He is the bread that truly feeds, the living water indeed.

In life, in death, in want, in wealth, in weakness or in strength,

Give me Jesus—and I have everything, at length.

For when my eyes finally close on this temporary shore,

And I step into eternity, I'll need nothing more.

Because the One who died to save me will be standing in the light,

And having Him forever will be my endless, pure delight.

Give me Jesus.

You can have all this world.

But give me Jesus.

Amen.

Put me into your loving arms

 In Your Loving Arms

Put me into Your loving arms—the safest place I know,

Where the storms of life may rage without, but peace resides within the glow

Of Your unchanging presence, of Your warm and tender embrace,

Where every fear is quieted by the beauty of Your face.

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)

Hold me close when I am weary, when the journey has been long.

Let me rest against Your heartbeat and find strength to carry on.

When the world has left me wounded, when my spirit feels so small,

Wrap me in Your loving arms—be my shelter, be my all.

Put me into Your loving arms when the night is dark and deep,

When sorrow steals my slumber and I am too tired to weep.

Be my comfort in the silence, be my hope when hope is slim,

Let me feel Your presence near me, let me know I'm safe in Him.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. (Psalm 91:4)

Hold me when I'm tossed by doubt, when faith begins to sway,

When the enemy whispers lies and tries to lead me astray.

Your arms are strong, Your arms are sure, they will not let me fall.

They reached from heaven to earth to save, and they still hold me through it all.

Put me into Your loving arms—not just in times of grief,

But in the ordinary moments, when my joy is full and brief.

Let me never wander far from that secure and blessed place,

Where I am known, where I am loved, where I am held by grace.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:28)

And when my time on earth is done, when I have run my race,

Let my final breath release me into Your warm embrace.

For there is no place I'd rather be, no shelter more secure,

Than in Your loving arms, my Lord, forever held and ever Yours.

Here I am. I come to You.

Take me in Your arms and hold me true.

For in Your embrace, I am complete.

In Your love, my heart finds its retreat.

Amen.

Let me be a sweet sacrifice.

 Let Me Be a Sweet Sacrifice

Let me be a sweet sacrifice—acceptable in Your sight,

Not offered from compulsion, but from a heart's delight.

Not a gift to earn Your favor, for that has already been won,

But a grateful, loving offering from a redeemed child to the Son.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1, NIV)

Let my will be laid upon the altar, no longer grasping for control,

Every plan and every purpose surrendered to make whole.

Let my time be a fragrant offering, each moment held in open hand,

To be used for Your kingdom's purpose, according to Your command.

Let my words be seasoned with grace, a pleasing aroma of peace,

Bringing life to the weary, causing anxious thoughts to cease.

Let my hands be instruments of mercy, reaching out to heal and bless,

Let my feet carry good news to those living in distress.

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15, NIV)

Let my possessions be Yours to direct, my resources at Your call,

To feed the hungry, clothe the poor, to lift up those who fall.

Let my relationships be marked by love, a reflection of Your grace,

Drawing others to the Savior, pointing them to Your face.

Let me be a sweet sacrifice—not a one-time, final death,

But a daily, living offering with every single breath.

Consumed not by destruction, but by holy, sacred fire,

Transformed into Your likeness, fulfilling Your desire.

Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2, NIV)

Take my all—my mind, my heart, my strength, my soul, my voice.

Shape me, fill me, use me, Lord; in You I will rejoice.

And may my life, in every part, ascend to heaven's throne,

A sweet and pleasing sacrifice to the One who calls me His own.

Here I am, Lord.

Take me. Make me. Consume me for Your glory.

Let my life be a sweet sacrifice—holy and pleasing to You.

Amen.

This is the day Our Lord has make: Be Joyous, Be Grateful, Be prosperous.

 This Is the Day

Psalm 118:24 Amplified

This is the day that the Lord has made—

Not a random tick upon a timeline,

Not just another sunrise, another climb,

But a deliberate gift from His hand,

A fresh territory in His good land.

This is the day which the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24, AMP)

Be joyous—for this is not a command to fake a happy face,

But an invitation to draw from His deep well of grace.

The joy of the Lord is your strength, your shield, your song.

It does not depend on circumstances going right or wrong.

It is the deep, abiding knowledge that He holds this day,

That He has gone before you, that He prepares the way.

So let joy rise like incense, let gladness be your tone,

For you do not face this day alone—you never face it alone.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4, AMP)

Be grateful—let thanksgiving be the door through which you enter.

Let gratitude be the posture of your heart at the center.

For gratitude shifts the gaze from what is lacking to what is given,

From the temporary trials to the eternal leaven.

Thank Him for breath, for hope, for mercy new each morning.

Thank Him for His patience, for His gentle, loving forming.

A grateful heart is like fertile soil where seeds of peace take root.

So let thanksgiving rise from you—a never-ending fruit.

In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, AMP)

Be prosperous—not as the world defines its fleeting wealth,

But prosperous in spirit, in soul, in mental health.

Prosperous in wisdom, in kindness, in the fruit the Spirit grows.

Prosperous in love that overflows to friends and to your foes.

The Lord delights to prosper you in ways that truly last—

In character, in purpose, in freedom from the past.

For if He gave His Son, will He not also give

All things pertaining to the life that's truly His to live?

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and that your body may keep well, even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers. (3 John 1:2, AMP)

So this is the day. Receive it from His hand.

A gift, a trust, a stepping stone into the promised land.

Be joyous—for He is good. Be grateful—for He gives.

Be prosperous—in the deep life that in His presence lives.

This is the day the Lord has made.

I will rejoice. I will be glad.

I will give thanks. I will receive

The fullness only He can give—

And in His grace, I will believe.

Amen.

The Lord is my Strength.

 Psalm 118:13-15 Amplified

I was pushed hard, so I was falling,

The enemy came like a crushing, breaking wall.

They thrust at me with violence, I stumbled, I was sprawling—

I thought my strength had failed, I thought I'd surely fall.

I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. (Psalm 118:13, AMP)

But in the moment of my failing, in the breath before the ground,

A hand not made of flesh and bone reached out and wrapped around

My own, and pulled me upward, and set my feet again.

The Lord helped me—my Savior, my defender, my amen.

The Lord is my strength and my song,

Not just a distant fortress, but the melody I sing along.

When I had no voice left for singing, when fear had stolen my tune,

He placed a new song in my heart beneath the watching moon.

The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:14, AMP)

He has become my salvation—not just a helper on the side,

Not just a rescuer who comes and then steps back to hide.

He Himself is my salvation; in Him I live and move.

His presence is my safety; His character my proof.

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:

The echo of deliverance, the whisper of the priceless

Gift of being rescued, of being brought through once again,

Is heard among the people who trust in Him. Amen.

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. (Psalm 118:15, AMP)

Can you hear it? The celebration, the quiet, steady praise,

In the ordinary dwellings, in the rhythm of the days?

It is the sound of those who know that when they were pushed hard,

When falling seemed inevitable, when hope was nearly marred—

The Lord helped them. He caught them. He held them in His hand.

And now their tents are filled with songs throughout the promised land.

So when I am pushed, when I am pressed, when falling is my fear,

I will remember this great truth, and I will hold it near:

The Lord Himself is my strength, my song, my salvation sure.

And in my tent, I'll shout His praise—eternal, free, and pure.

Amen.

1John 1:9

 Confession and Cleansing

1 John 1:9 Amplified

If we confess our sins—not hiding, not excusing,

Not dressing them in softer names or subtly refusing

To own the weight of what we've done, the damage we have caused,

The silent ways we've wandered, the lines we've overstepped and crossed—

He is faithful and just—His character, His bond,

His covenant of mercy on which we can respond.

Faithful to the promise He spoke upon the tree,

Just to apply the blood that forever sets us free.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

He will forgive us our sins—not some, but every one.

The secret and the seen, the hidden and the done.

The sins we've long forgotten, the guilt that still remains,

The patterns we've repeated, the unconfessed stains.

And cleanse us from all unrighteousness—not just the outer layer,

But deep within the spirit, a thorough, inward prayer.

He purges the contamination, He washes the hidden part,

He heals the source of sickness and creates a new heart.

This is the promise: that when we come with open hands,

When we stop our running, when we finally stand

In the light of His presence, with nothing left to hide,

We find not condemnation, but a welcome open wide.

So I confess. I bring my sin into Your healing light.

I trust Your faithful promise to make my wrong things right.

Forgive me, cleanse me, make me whole—

Restore the gladness of my soul.

For You are faithful. You are just.

In Your forgiveness, I place my trust.

Amen.

---

Reflections on This Promise

This verse is one of the most reassuring promises in all of Scripture. It rests not on our feelings, but on God's unchanging character:

· Faithful: God keeps His word. He has promised to forgive those who come to Him through Christ, and He cannot break His promise.

· Just: Because Jesus paid the full penalty for sin on the cross, God is perfectly just—completely fair and right—when He forgives us. The debt has been paid in full.

· Forgiveness: This is not merely overlooking sin, but a complete pardon. The guilt is removed, the relationship is restored.

· Cleansing: Beyond forgiveness, God purifies us from the defilement of sin, washing us clean so we can walk in newness of life.

This is the secure foundation for every honest prayer of repentance.

Forgiveness of sin be preach in the name of Jesus.

 Forgiveness of Sin Preached in His Name

This is the heart of the gospel—the glorious message that has been entrusted to the church and proclaimed through the ages.

📖 The Commission and the Message

After His resurrection, Jesus explicitly connected the proclamation of forgiveness with His name:

"This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46-47)

This was not an afterthought, but the very purpose for which He came. The apostle Peter declared it plainly:

"All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:43)

And Paul, in the synagogue of Antioch, proclaimed:

"Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you." (Acts 13:38)

✨ What This Means

The Truth The Promise

Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2) Through Jesus, we are reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:18)

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) The gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23)

No one can forgive sins but God alone (Mark 2:7) Jesus, who is God, has authority to forgive (Mark 2:10)

🕊️ A Poetic Declaration

Forgiveness of sins—preached in His name.

Not in the temples made by human hands,

Not through the keeping of religious commands,

But through the name of Jesus, the Lamb who was slain.

This is the message the apostles bore,

From Jerusalem to every shore:

That in Christ alone, the debt is paid,

That in Christ alone, our peace is made.

This is the gospel we still proclaim:

That whoever calls on Jesus' name

Shall be forgiven, shall be set free,

Shall find the mercy that flows from Calvary.

So let it be preached—on the mountain, in the street,

To the powerful ruler, to the sinner at their feet.

That forgiveness of sins, full and free,

Is found in Jesus, for you, for me.

Amen.

---

This is the message the world still needs to hear: that in the name of Jesus, there is not just the possibility of forgiveness, but the certainty of it for all who believe.

Jesus, the name that we will be saved.

 Jesus, the Name That Saves

Jesus—the name that saves.

Not a mantra chanted into empty space,

Not a magic formula to earn a moment's grace,

But the name of the One who stepped into our place.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Jesus—the name that was given from above,

The embodiment of the Father's boundless love.

It means "The Lord saves," for He came to do

What no other power or person could do.

Jesus—the name that breaks every chain,

That calls the dead to life again.

It silences the accuser's voice,

And gives the mourning heart a reason to rejoice.

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

It is not a name for the perfect and the strong,

But for the broken who have done much wrong.

For the weary, the wandering, the lost, the least—

Jesus opens the door to the wedding feast.

Jesus—the name above every name,

Before whom all powers bow in shame.

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess,

That He is Lord, in righteousness.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:9-11)

So I call on that name—not just today,

But every moment along the way.

For there is power, there is grace,

There is hope, there is peace, there is a resting place.

In the name of Jesus, I am saved.

In the name of Jesus, I am loved.

In the name of Jesus, I am free.

Forever and always, He saves me.

Amen.

---

This truth is the heartbeat of the Gospel. The name Jesus is not merely a historical label, but the declaration of His mission: "He will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). It is the only name that bridges the gap between a holy God and a sinful humanity. To call upon His name in faith is to be rescued, redeemed, and welcomed into the family of God.

God first loves us.

 God First Loved Us

God first loved us—before the world began,

Before the stars sang out their hymn, before the dawn of man.

Before we drew our first frail breath, before we learned to stray,

His heart had already chosen us, His love had marked the way.

We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

God first loved us—not because we loved Him back,

Not because our hearts were pure or our intentions on the right track.

He loved us while we were still rebels, still running, still in sin,

While every door we opened led further from Him and further in.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

God first loved us—He made the first move,

When every step we took was determined to disprove

That anyone could want us, could see us and still stay,

He crossed the distance, made us His, and would not walk away.

It was not our seeking that caught His holy eye.

It was not our worthiness that made the Savior die.

It was love—pure, unforced, uncaused by anything in me,

That set in motion eternity's great decree.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

God first loved us—so my love is just a response,

A faint echo of the love that pursued me once.

Every prayer I pray, every song I sing,

Is but a returning of the love He was first to bring.

So when I doubt my standing, when I question if I'm known,

I go back to the beginning, to the truth that stands alone:

Before I ever knew His name, before I drew a breath,

God first loved me—and that love is stronger than death.

This is my foundation.

This is my song.

He first loved me.

All my life long.

Amen.

In the name of Jesus

 In the Name of Jesus

In the name of Jesus—what power resides

In this name, where all of heaven's hope abides!

It is the name before which demons flee,

The name that calms the raging, restless sea.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. (Philippians 2:9)

In the name of Jesus, I approach the throne,

Not in my own righteousness, but in His alone.

For there is no other name under heaven given

By which we must be saved—this side of heaven.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

In the name of Jesus, I pray and I believe.

It is the key that opens doors, the grace I receive.

When I whisper it in weakness, when I shout it in the fight,

It carries power, presence, peace, and light.

In the name of Jesus, I stand against the lie

That says I am forgotten, that hope has passed me by.

For in this name, I am a child of God Most High,

And in His love, I'll live and never die.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)

In the name of Jesus—my Healer, my Friend,

My Savior, my Shepherd, my King without end.

I lift up this prayer, and I know it is heard,

Not because of my words, but because of that Word.

In the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Your Perfect Love.

 Your Perfect Love

Your perfect love—what can I say?

It found me wandering, lost, and far away.

It did not wait for me to clean my hands,

But reached into the mess and made me stand.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Your perfect love is not a fragile thing,

That wavers with the offering I bring.

It is not based on how well I perform,

But stands unshaken through the calm and storm.

Your perfect love knows every hidden place,

The secret fears, the wounds I hide in disgrace.

Yet in the light of that relentless grace,

I find no condemnation—only Your face.

It is a love that casts out every fear,

That whispers, "You are mine, I hold you near."

It is a love that heals the deepest part,

And breathes new life into this fragile heart.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. (1 John 4:18)

Your perfect love is patient, never rude.

It is not self-seeking, not crude.

It keeps no record of the wrongs I've done,

But celebrates the victory already won.

It is a love that never, ever fails,

When every earthly love has left and pales.

It is a love that goes beyond the grave,

That found my soul and chose to save.

Your perfect love—I cannot earn or buy.

I can only bow and wonder, "Why?

Why would the King of all creation choose

To love one who had so much to lose?"

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

And in that wonder, I begin to see,

That perfect love has set me free—

Not free to wander, but free to rest,

Free to know that I am truly blessed.

So let me live within this love each day,

Let it shape my words and guide my way.

For Your perfect love is all I need—

My source, my strength, my every creed.

Amen.

Thank you for setting us free.

 Thank You for Setting Us Free

Thank You for setting us free.

Not a freedom to do as we please,

But a freedom to love, to serve, to be

All that You created us to be.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Thank You for breaking the chains of sin—

The habits, the failures, the shame within.

For opening the prison door and calling us by name,

For trading our bondage for freedom's glorious claim.

Thank You for freedom from fear's cold grip—

The anxious heart, the trembling lip.

Perfect love has cast it out, and now we boldly stand,

Held secure in nail-scarred hands.

Thank You for freedom from the law's demands—

Its heavy weight, its harsh commands.

Not that the law was wrong or ill,

But we could never its demands fulfill.

Now in Christ, its work is done,

Its righteous goal in us is won.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Thank You for freedom from death's final sting—

The victory it seemed to bring.

The grave could not hold the risen Lord,

And in His triumph, life is poured

Into these mortal frames of dust,

Raised to walk in endless trust.

We are free.

Free to worship. Free to love.

Free to fix our eyes above.

Free to serve. Free to give.

Free to truly, fully live.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)

So let our lives be living proof,

From the shelter of our home to the public roof,

That the One who freed us lives within,

And His freedom is our eternal hymn.

Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You for setting us free.

Amen.

Perfect love casts out fear.

 Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Perfect love casts out fear.

Not a fragile, human love that wavers and withdraws,

But the perfect, endless love that knows no flaw or pause.

It is the love that spoke the stars and called them each by name,

Yet bends to hold the trembling heart and gently whisper, "I remain."

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Fear shouts of punishment—of failures reckoned, debts unpaid.

It paints a God who keeps a ledger, strict and unswayed.

But perfect love points to the cross, where every debt was met,

Where every sin, past, present, future, was settled—canceled—set.

Fear whispers of abandonment: "You're on your own, alone."

It echoes in the silence when the night has turned to stone.

But perfect love declares, "I will not leave you, not forsake.

My presence is the promise that through every storm I'll wake."

Fear trembles at the future—the unknown, the unseen door.

It dreads what lies in shadows on an undiscovered shore.

But perfect love has gone before and knows the path ahead.

It holds tomorrow in its hands and daily gives us bread.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

So let this perfect love wash over every fear,

The anxious thoughts that surface, the unspoken, silent tear.

For in the presence of such love, fear cannot stay or stand.

It melts like winter snow before the warmth of an open hand.

I am loved. Perfectly. Completely.

Not because of what I've done, but because of who He is.

And in that love, I am free.

Fear has no place here.

Amen.

Lord, Gracious to us.

 Lord, Be Gracious to Us

Lord, be gracious to us.

Not because we merit, not because we've earned,

But because Your nature is to love the ones who've turned

Their faces toward Your mercy, their empty hands held out,

Their hearts confessing quietly the shadow of their doubt.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. (Numbers 6:24-25)

Be gracious in the morning, when the day is new and frail.

Be gracious in the evening, when our own strength seems to fail.

Be gracious in the decisions that press upon our mind,

And give us wisdom that is patient, gentle, and kind.

Be gracious in our speaking—let our words bring life, not harm.

Be gracious in our listening, with understanding warm.

Be gracious in our silence, when we do not know what to say,

And let Your presence fill the space and gently lead the way.

Be gracious to our loved ones, the ones we hold so dear.

Cover them with Your compassion, calm their every fear.

Be gracious to the stranger, the one we do not know,

And let Your love through us become a welcoming overflow.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yes, our God is compassionate. (Psalm 116:5)

Be gracious in our struggles, when the road is hard and steep.

Be gracious in our waiting, when the harvest seems asleep.

Be gracious in our questions, when answers don't appear,

And whisper, "I am with you. Do not give in to fear."

Lord, be gracious to us—not for our name, but for Yours.

Open heaven's windows and let fall refreshing showers.

Restore what has been broken; heal what has been sore.

And let us walk in grace today, and tomorrow, and evermore.

We trust Your gracious heart.

We rest in Your gracious hand.

Lord, be gracious to us.

Amen.

He will make us head and not tail.

 He Will Make Us Head, Not Tail

He will make us head, not tail.

This is the promise of the covenant God,

Who lifts the humble from the dust and sod.

Not by our striving, not by our might,

But by His favor, shining bright.

The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. You will always be at the top, never at the bottom, if you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 28:13)

He lifts us from the back where shadows fall,

Where voices whisper we are nothing at all.

He brings us forward, into the light,

To stand as witnesses of His power and might.

Head, not tail—a position of honor and grace,

Not for our glory, but to reflect His face.

To lead with humility, to serve with love,

As those who draw strength from the Spirit above.

He makes us head in wisdom, walking in His ways,

In decisions guided by prayer and praise.

He makes us head in blessing, a channel of His care,

Overflowing with abundance, with others glad to share.

Head, not tail—in our families, in our work,

No longer bound by fear, no longer forced to shirk.

For the One who goes before us has conquered every foe,

And where He leads, we follow, and in His strength we go.

And you will be blessed above all peoples. (Deuteronomy 7:14)

So let us rise and walk in this identity,

Not grasping, not striving, but resting in the decree

Of the King who has spoken, whose Word cannot fail:

He has made us the head, and never the tail.

This is our portion.

This is our truth.

In Christ, we are lifted—

From the tail to the booth

Of honor and blessing, of purpose and light.

He has made us the head.

And that future is bright.

Amen.

The Lord will redeem all our sorrow.

 The Lord Will Redeem Us from Our Sorrow

The Lord will redeem us from our sorrow.

Not with the world's forgetfulness, a numbing of the pain,

But with a holy alchemy that turns our loss to gain.

He does not simply dry the tears and bid us move along—

He gathers every fallen drop and weaves them into song.

You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? (Psalm 56:8)

For He is the Redeemer—the One who buys back what was lost,

Who pays the highest price to restore, whatever the cost.

He walked through sorrow's deepest valley, acquainted with our grief,

And in His hands, our broken hearts find solace and relief.

The sorrow of the night may linger, heavy and long,

But joy, His joy, is coming with the morning's song.

The weeping may endure for a night, but that is not the end—

The Redeemer lives, and He is faithful, He is friend.

Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

He will redeem the years the locust has eaten away.

He will restore the hopes that died and bring a brand new day.

The sorrow of loneliness, the ache of being unknown,

Will melt before the warmth of being truly, deeply known.

He will redeem the grief of loss, the empty chair, the space,

With the promise of a coming reunion, a glad embrace.

He will redeem the suffering that left its mark and scar,

And show how it was used to shape a soul fit for a star.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

So lift your head, you weary one, whose sorrow has been deep.

The Redeemer has not forgotten you, nor fallen asleep.

He is working in the shadows, He is weaving in the night,

And He will bring His redemption—full, complete, and right.

The Lord will redeem us from our sorrow.

He has promised. He is able. He is true.

And the sorrow of today will become the joy of tomorrow

In the hands of the Redeemer—who loves me, who loves you.

Amen.