I Will Hear From Heaven

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14 

May the 4th be with you!

Today is the fourth of May.

Here's my nieces and nephew in their Star Wars costumes.

Katie is R2D2 for Halloween in this photo. 

As the youngest, she had no choice in costumes when she was little.

Her mom told us for that reason she had to be R2D2 for two years.

The movie has them visiting many foreign lands.

God has promised to heal our land when we call on Him in prayer.

And when we turn from our wicked ways.

When we repent, He will hear us and will forgive us.

He is a gracious, merciful Lord God.

Without Faith It Is Impossible to Please God

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. — Hebrews 11:6

Happy May Day!

When I was little, we would pick flower bouquets to leave on our parents' door.

Or we would form paper cones into baskets to hold the flowers and hang them on our neighbor's doorknob.

Our church's school would hold may pole dances to celebrate.

We are thankful for God's creation.

And May signifies the beginning of spring.

You Will Find God

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. — Jeremiah 29:13

God tells us that we will seek Him and find Him.

But only when we seek Him will all our heart.

Letting nothing stand in the way of our relationship with Him.

He loved us enough to die for us.

In return, we give our hearts to Him.

Earnestly I Seek God

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. — Psalm 63:1 

God is my God.

I try to look for Him earnestly each day.

Often I completely miss the mark.

Even so, I thirst for Him.

My whole being longs for Him.

In a dry and parched land, it often feels there is no water.

Here we are at the zoo last year for our friend's wedding.

This year she's expecting her first baby.

Our friends Mark and Rachel celebrate their 11-year anniversary yesterday and today.

Another story.

Very exciting.

God is great!

Seek the Lord

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. — Isaiah 55:6 

God calls us to seek Him out.

To get into His Word.

To listen for direction from His Holy Spirit.

And to call on Him while He is near to us.

last night we joined friends for dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Antica Trattoria.

Seek First His Kingdom

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. — Matthew 6:33 

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We are so blessed.

Our Father God gives us all good things.

And He asks us to seek first His kingdom.

The kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And the righteousness of Jesus.

And all these things will be given to us by God as well.

God Will Hear From Heaven

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14 

Today is the National Day of Prayer.

Around the nation, people will gather to thank God and praise Him.

And to pray for our leaders and our country.

God has promised that He will hear our prayers.

When we confess our sin, He will forgive us.

And He will heal our land.

Thank You, Lord!

Anyone Who Comes to God Must Believe That He Exists

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. — Hebrews 11:6

Happy May Day!

Our roses have started blooming.

And our geraniums are bursting from their pots.

Anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists.

Looking at His creation, it's hard to understand how someone can't believe.

Without faith it's impossible to please God.

Anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists.

The Son of Man

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. — Luke 19:10 

Jesus came to seek us out and to save us.

All of us.

And His creation lets us know how much He cares for us.

His ultimate sacrifice on the cross shows us His love.

While we were still sinners, He died for us.

We are grateful.

Plans to Prosper You

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. — Jeremiah 29:11-13

God has wonderful plans for our lives.

Plans to prosper us.

Not to harm us.

Plans to give us hope and a future.

So we will call on God and pray to Him and He will listen.

We will seek Jesus and find Him when we seek Him out with all our hearts.

So thankful that we have found Jesus.

 

Knock and the Door Will Be Opened

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. — Matthew 7:7-8 

We're praying for those looking for jobs.

Many are searching.

And God is opening windows and closing doors.

He is teaching some of them to be patient.

We are asking for God's wisdom.

That He will open the door to us and will help our families and friends to not be discouraged as they hunt for work.

Seek Good, Not Evil

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.  — Amos 5:14-15 

God commands us to look for good that we may live.

Then the Lord will be with us.

God asks us to hate evil and love good.

To maintain justice in the courts.

To love our neighbors as ourselves.

Rejoice!

Seek the Lord

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. — Isaiah 55:6 

God calls us to seek Him out while He may be found.

Call upon Him while He is near.

He is a great God,

High above the heavens.

His faithfulness reaches to the highest heavens.

Today Kirk planted this plumeria in a corner near our geraniums.

We are hoping it will continue to grow and thrive.

You, God, Are My God

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. — Psalm 63:1

God is my God.

He watches over me and heals me when I'm sick.

I thirst for Him.

My whole being longs for Him.

In a dry and parched land where there is no water, He provides for me.

Saturday I was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia.

Apparently it was bad. The x-rays showed both lungs were affected.

But by Monday, they let me go home without an IV.

And since then I've continued to improve.

It's called "community pneumonia," meaning I caught it from someone in the community.

But no telling where or when - they could have been asymptomatic.

So for 10 days I'm on two kinds of antibiotics plus additional meds.

The prayers that have covered me have helped me progress a bit each day.

Our friends Mike and Laurie brought these flowers along with a delicious dinner that I continued eating for three days.

Praise God for His goodness.

You Will Find Me

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  — Jeremiah 29:13 

God states that we will find Him

When we look for Him.

When we seek Him out with all our heart.

When we seek God we will find Him.

He is not a God who hides from us.

He does not take breaks.

God never abandons us.

He never gives up on us.

Instead, He sustains us.

He gives us living water and redeems us!

The Son of Man Came to Save Us

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. — Luke 19:10

Jesus came to save us.

He came to search us out and find us.

He is called Son of Man, Counselor, Redeemer, Savior.

And He loves us as His children.

He came to seek and save the lost.

Seek First His Kingdom

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. — Matthew 6:33

The world is full of distractions.

But God asks us to seek first His kingdom.

Jesus is the way to righteousness.

He showers us with blessings as we grow in Him.

Last night we saw the opening of No Time to Die.

It wasn't our favorite, but Abby and I really liked it.

Kirk, not so much.

But he looked great next to Daniel Craig.

Seek First His Kingdom

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. — Matthew 6:33

Today we found out that one of our friends was diagnosed with skin cancer.

She had to have a section removed from her nose.

And another part of skin from her forehead was used to replace it.

My coworker has a friend who is going through her fifth chemo treatment and is now very sick.

It's hard to see other people suffer.

Life isn't fair.

But God holds us in the palm of His hand.

When we seek His kingdom, He adds all His blessings to us.

Call on the Lord

 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. — Isaiah 55:6

God asks us to seek Him.

To look for Him in His Word and in His creation.

He commands us to pray to Him.

To call on Him day and night.

And to pray without ceasing.

Humble Themselves and Pray

And My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14

Today is the National Day of Prayer. 

Across our nation, people will gather to pray for our country.

Our church will hold a prayer service to join in that time of prayer.

God tells us that if we pray, He will forgive our sin.

And if we turn from our wicked ways, He will heal our land.

What a merciful God we serve!