ROOTS & WINGS of STRENGTH in CHRIST JESUS in 2021

As the last week of 2021 comes to an end, I am reflecting on the One Word I sensed God speaking for me to focus on: STRENGTH. Quite often, I never know exactly why as I begin the year and often as I end the year with my One Word, I'm still not sure. Yet over and over I have seen STRENGTH that I needed and that others needed throughout both 2020 and 2021 and God confirmed His Strength is what I really need. 

I tried to figure out what kind of STRENGTH God thought I might need or didn't have ... and I realized how very weak I was. I thought I was just weary but it went alot deeper. So I wondered was it physical strength I needed or would need for something in particular. Or perhaps it was emotional or mental (psychological) - and that one had me quite concerned about what I might be facing especially if it was part of the physical strength as well. Then I struggled with the possibility that maybe God thought I was going to encounter a spiritual battle (unlike no other in all my years) and definitely needed to rely on Him & His spiritual strength. So as I think back on all that many of us have faced these last couple of years, I realized that we all need to believe we are stronger than we think and find the STRENGTH we need to press on, in God, in God's Word, in each other, and definitely for our future in this country. But for me, personally I'm sure that God was hoping to build me up with STRENGTH in every one of these areas. I found that each day I need His Strength more & more & I rely on His Strength. 

I need to be Jesus Strong (my September posts)! And as need be, reread my October books: "Strength for Each Day" by Joyce Meyer and "You are Stronger than You Think" by Joel Osteen but I truly can't forget the strategies and 12 verses shared by Robert J. Morgan (and his wife Katrina) in "The Strength You Need" along with all I shared in Advent on Strength & Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. 

Also I read this today: "One of the MYSTERIES of the Christian faith is that the more we humble ourselves and depend on God, the stronger we become in character and integrity. Depending on God means recognizing Him as the source of our strength, our success, and all good things in our lives."~Katherine J. Butler

As I refresh my thoughts with the last post I wrote where I shared at the end the STRENGTHS that the Morgans wrote about I realize that I needed much more STRENGTH than physical, emotional, or mental; it was all the spiritual ones that I was searching for in God's Word - the many verses on STRENGTH that I found:

 

• Lifelong Strength: your strength will equal your days (Deuteronomy 33:25)
• Lasting Strength: they go from strength to strength (Psalm 84:5-7)
• Imparted Strength: the eyes of The Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9)
• Joyful Strength: the joy of The Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
• Timely Strength: God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1)
• Tranquil Strength: in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15)
• Renewed Strength: those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31)
• Recurring Strength: the Lord will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden (Isaiah 58:11)
• Durable Strength: the Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:19)
• Unwavering Strength: Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God (Romans 4:20)
• Innermost Strength: I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16)
• Riveting Strength: I can do all this through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)

My verse for 2021, which I knew before my One Word was the one in Isaiah 40: verse 31 on Renewed Strength - I needed to spend 2021 renewing the STRENGTH I have in Jesus Christ! I spent the year STRENGTHENING my faith as I found STRENGTH in God's Word. 2 Corinthians 12:9 also became an important verse. I was finding STRENGTH in Christ alone (since many of us have been isolating ourselves during this pandemic crisis & following the protocols recommended, I wish more of us were doing this (Isaiah 41:10) instead of battling against the truths & trusting God at His Word with the sound mind, and the spirit of power & love He gives us (2 Timothy 1:7)-our freedom & healing is found in Jesus Christ.

As I continue to rely on my STRENGTH in Jesus, I came across the verse in the image at the beginning of this post (Colossians 2:7) in His Whisper in a reading plan

"Let My tender love be the source that feeds your life. My mercy is strong enough to cover every weakness. My great grace takes the frail things of creation and makes them more fruitful than the world's most efficient systems. Let the sustenance of my great kindness strengthen you by healing all of your wounds and restoring every broken dream. You choose well when you opt to stand on the firm foundation of my never-failing love. No storm can crack my immoveable groundwork under your feet. You will never want for anything when you wade in the waters of my complete compassion. When winds blow, they will only cause stronger waves of my mercy to wash over you. You cannot escape the reaches of my affection, so do the best thing and burrow yourself into Me. The resulting growth will be worth more than a hundred lifetimes in self-service. Be encouraged as you dig deep into My heart today. Let the rushing river of My presence flood your senses with My goodness." ~by Brian Simmons with Sarah Perry

Colossians 2:7 TPT "your spiritual roots go deeply into His life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to Him!

so that once again I realize that my spiritual roots are infused with His STRENGTH and by letting my roots grow down deeply into Him and letting my life be built on Him, my faith grows STRONG in the Truth I was taught (and still am taught) AND I overflow with thankfulness! Yes, I am enriched and ever so thankful that I am rooted in Christ's Love & His STRENGTH covers every weakness - by His Mercy & aMazing Grace! I will SOAR on Eagle's Wings into 2022, knowing my STRENGTH is found in Jesus Christ and through His Word I can continually be strengthened!

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired. AMP

Wishing You & Your Loved Ones 

a Blessed & Happy New Year in

2022!

May you find & have all the

STRENGTH

you need in Jesus

to SOAR like

an eagle

💓

STRENGTH in ADVENT - 4 LOVE

"LOVING GOD 

is the most important thing we do!"

However, since God is ever-present, but not physically present in human form (any longer) on this earth {we did not do too well when He was} ... and even though we are to Love God first with our whole being (our heart, our soul, our mind) - the first & greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38) (Mark 12:30) Jesus added a second (in Mark 12:31) "to love our neighbor as ourselves", a tangible way that we show God our love for Him is in how we love our neighbor (& self) expressed in our affinity for kindness, patience, gentleness etc. in relations with others (our neighbors & toward ourselves). 

Because God is love, we should love each other, showing that love to others {as we would like it shown to us} also demonstrates that God lives in us, acknowledging that love that Jesus Christ came and was willing to be obedient to death to express His love. Now that kind of LOVE takes alot of STRENGTH. When another person is difficult to love, whatever our personal reason or difference is ... we all know it takes STRENGTH to continue to love or love them despite the personal conflict or difference. {I think you get my point} Easy to love God or at least say that we do, because it cannot be proven, except it is proven (shown) in how we obey & love one another {not just tolerate or avoid trying}- which takes "LOVING GOD with all our STRENGTH". Letting God live through us and His kind of LOVE - AGAPE {not the other kinds of love: philea (empathy bond), storge (friend bond), eros (romantic love)} - Agape love is unconditional "God" love (1 Corinthians 13 kind of love). Reading this passage over many years has recently caused me to ponder & question, have I ever really LOVED like this - doing so would require Godly STRENGTH {not my own}. A LOVE that shows God's transformation of me, a change in not only my perspective & attitude but in my daily actions.{ouch} LOVE is not a present under a Christmas tree, measured by how great it is or just what we wanted; it's His Presence in us, shown and expressed by our LOVE unconditionally given just as Jesus gave to us so we give to others through Jesus Christ in us, and also by LOVING God with all our STRENGTH.

So what does it really mean to do something with all your STRENGTH? According to Robert J. Morgan, in his book "The Strength You Need" after giving a "major sporting competition" example of athletes  with all their strength, breaking records, their own & others, he states:

"To do something with all our strength implies intensity, sustained effort, and ongoing concentration." Robert J. Morgan, The Strength You Need

 

"THAT'S THE WAY We're to LOVE GOD ..."

which leads this circle right back to my beginning words

so if Jesus appeared as He did to Peter & asked you,

"Do you love Me?"

(3 times)

How might you respond?

He might look at you, how you're living, look around at your habits 

or environment or priorities 

or how you treat others

"Do you really love Me?"

(John 21:15-17)

[by the way, each time Jesus asked Peter, He told him "...then feed My sheep" - if I've got this right, so, in essence, that's what He is telling each of us this so once again how we do this is by showing love for others in tangible ways] I remember this vividly from our church's drama depiction for Easter/Resurrection "The Life Giver" in Jimmy & Carol Owens "The Witness" Musical in the Song "I Love You Lord"

God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us love and obey Him. If we LOVE GOD with all our STRENGTH, it more than likely will look like, we are on a mission to make God happy, please Him, show Him that we LOVE Him as He loved us, that we truly intend to do His will (not our own) with all our might - all our ability (that He has given us, within us) to the best of our individual capability, because HE is so worthy of ALL our undivided love! We must demonstrate our love for God by putting God first before everything and everyone else in life. And like us, He wants to be told often, "I love You!" so let Him know & say to Him daily how much you love Him! (Psalm 18:1). God wants us to acknowledge Him & His Name. By LOVING His Word, we are STRENGTHENED & nourished with the many promises He's given us & see that God blesses those who LOVE Him when we love God with all our STRENGTH. 

This Christmas, we can simply LOVE God with all our heart ... and all our STRENGTH & return to that fresh "first LOVE" that we encountered when we met God through Jesus Christ & see how that babe in a manger came to show His LOVE completely, dependent on His Father, for every thing, every day until His last & teach us how to LOVE God & Love one another and the privilege we have to be so LOVED! Now that brings STRENGTH ... to our weary souls - to our weighted hearts - to our overwhelmed, worrisome minds! God is LOVE & "God so LOVED the world (or individualize this by putting your name or someone's name) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) that whosoever (insert that name)  BELIEVES in Him (God, the Father, Son & Holy Spirit as One) and trust in Him (AMP) as Savior [so that that person: YOU, ME or inserted name] will not perish {cease to exist  * my own amplified} but have everlasting life." So much LOVE - undeserved - but by His aMazing Grace! "

We LOVE because He first LOVED us!

(1 John 4:19)

We can never LOVE God too much

but we can

LOVE 

Him better

in our daily walk with Him

in our adoration and devotion to Him

in our obedience, in our daily conversations

with Him (and others)

by hating evil and helping other people

"to know, love & serve Him"

which in turn

will give us

STRENGTH

so that we can go from

"strength to strength"

(Psalm 84:7 & 89:17)

hopefully

EXTRA STRENGTH

In conclusion, there are many verses on LOVE and many on STRENGTH, but when I did a search for LOVE & STRENGTH the main one was this verse in Mark 12:30 & I would add 31 ... so as I LIGHT the CANDLE of LOVE on this 4th Week of Advent

 I will only link to the List of Bible Verses found:

 

49 Bible Verses about Love and Strength 44 Verses about Strength & Love

Wishing you all God's aMazingLOVE & STRENGTHfor a wonderfulChrist-filled CHRISTmaswithHOPE, JOY & PEACE!~Peggy~
<><><>
 If you are one of the many weary souls seekingEXTRA STRENGTHstill like meI recommendRobert J. Morgan's book"The Strength You Need"(and the other two I reviewed here in October)so that you are filled by God's Word with theseSTRENGTHstrategies

Lifelong Strength: your strength will equal your days (Deuteronomy 33:25) Lasting Strength: they go from strength to strength (Psalm 84:5-7) Imparted Strength: the eyes of The Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9) Joyful Strength: the joy of The Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) Timely Strength: God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1) Tranquil Strength: in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15) Renewed Strength: those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31) Recurring Strength: the Lord will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden (Isaiah 58:11) Durable Strength: the Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:19) Unwavering Strength: Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God (Romans 4:20) Innermost Strength: I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16) Riveting Strength: I can do all this through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)

{*I guess that} LOVE encompasses all these STRENGTHSfor God's LOVE isLasting, Lifelong, Imparted, Joyful, Timely,Tranquil, Renewed, Recurring, DurableUnwavering, Innermost, Riveting
* I write "I guess", because I did not find Mark 12:30 verse in these 12,yet it is one of the 12 chapters of the 12 strategies in his bookand this is one of the book's 12 images on Morgan's website

Thank you Robert & Katrina Morgan!Joel Osteen & Joyce Meyerfor your books thatimpacted & influencedmy One Word journey onSTRENGTH&Brian Simmons & Gretchen Rodriguezfor your book on Isaiah "The Vision" The Passion Translation,Inspirational! I chose this for my 365 day devotional since my One Word Verse for 2021 is/was found in Isaiah 40but your entire book continued to give meSTRENGTHto soar with eagle's wingsthrough 2021and encouraged me dailyin our Lord Jesus & the STRENGTH I have in Him!



May I ask at this time that you would join me in prayer for the many who need God's STRENGTH in this season; whether from the battle with Covid or other health issues; loss of loved ones or loss of home from the horrendous effects of climate change & other factors; and for my own Strength & also a dearly loved one (very close to me, who is very private) who's just exhausted & awaiting medical results; and I'm sure there are others also exhausted after these trying years that we've been through and the ones ahead of us, that the LORD would strengthen us & direct our steps, keep us close to Him & bring healing in so many areas throughout this nation & this world! In Jesus' name ... there is power in His Name! Thank you! God bless!