Power Of Jesus's Love

By Francis Hook

Key Scripture:   “Yes I will grant (I Myself will do for you) whatever you shall ask in My Name (as presenting all that I Am).  John 14:14

Power Point:

 The thought occurs to me that if you could only understand and absorb twelve words it would change everything in your life. Do I have your attention?  Here they are:

Jesus loves me.  This I know.  For the Bible tells me so. 

     If we could really get a grasp on what this old song tells us, it would change our outlook on everything wouldn’t it?

     If you can picture Jesus, holding the children, healing the sick, caring for everyone around Him, patient with the disciples, putting gold in a fish’s mouth,and then dying for the undeserving, it might paint a picture of real love in your mind. 

     If you could describe the love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness and self-control so evident in Jesus, it would change everything wouldn’t it?

     John 3:16 declares that God SO loved us, (each and every one of us) that He sent Jesus to us-the epitome of His own heart of love. If you can sing, “Jesus loves me”, then you can also sing, “God loves me” and as you learn about His love, beginning with the Bible, and throughout the life of Jesus, you would begin to allow yourself to experience the depths of it-the bottomless ocean of love that is beckoning you to dive in.

And it would change everything wouldn’t it?

   
     The only love we know is what we have experienced here. Usually the love we see here has conditions, boundaries, and limitations. When you sing, “Jesus loves me”, why not allow yourself to look at love the way Jesus lives it?

     It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or how many times you’ve fallen short. Jesus loves you.  It doesn’t matter if you are a president or an immigrant, Jesus loves you.  It doesn’t matter if you are gay or straight, man or woman, Chinese or American, Jesus loves you. It doesn’t matter if you are a child or an adult, Jesus loves you. It doesn't matter if you've made a mess of your life or you are perfect in every way, Jesus loves you!  It doesn’t matter if you’re Muslim or Christian, Republican, Democrat or Independent.
Yes.  Jesus loves you. 
     He SO loves you that He has given you an open door to walk through into the kingdom of heaven.  He offers every one of us, the same privileges He offered those closest to Him. He offers us the same privileges He had and has.

Isn’t it time to take what He’s offered you? He really does love you. You can find that truth illustrated on every page of the Bible.  We should know it by now shouldn't we?

     If you really believe that He loves you, then you never need to fear the future again. If you really believe that He loves you, you will be able to envision Him doing powerful, wonderful, redeeming things in your life. You will know that He never wants to leave you where you are. If you really believe that He loves you, it will change everything you thought you knew, everything you worry about, everything you anticipate.

Beloved, Jesus LOVES you. This I KNOW! I hope you know it too.

Power Thought:

Jesus is the door to the kingdom of heaven. He’s earned that position by dying for you, because He loves you SO much.  He always has and He always will. Does that bring a smile to your face?

Enjoy this:
http://youtu.be/ewV9zFbS7lU

Power Of Transformation

 Key Scripture:  “For OF Him, and THROUGH  Him, and TO Him are all things…therefore, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Romans 11:36, 12:2

Power Point:

If you study scripture at all, you will find that there are certain “Proofs” of God’s presence for us.

If He’s there, there should be fullness of joy.

If He’s there, there should be peace without anxiety.

If He’s there, there should be faith in your future.

If He’s there, there should be a whole lot of love coming your way.

Has Jesus made a difference in you?

     Are you being transformed by this life or are you being transformed by His Life?

Do you have more love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, self-control, gentleness, AND patience? You should, you know. You can, you know. That’s what Jesus died to give you.

     Scripture tells us that God is omnipresent. That means He’s everywhere all the time. It also says that He is omniscient. That means there is absolutely nothing He doesn’t know. He has ALL knowledge.  If He is in your life, it should be filled with His nature and His wisdom. Is it? Good for you! Isn’t it?  Why not?

     Wouldn’t you be very sad to come to the end of your life and discover that as you pinched pennies every day, lived in fear of the future, were continually angry with every one around you, you had totally missed the benefits of your relationship with God.  Beloved, He did not do all that He has done through Jesus because He wanted you to “get religion”.  He loved you so much that He gave you everything you could ever possibly need to negotiate life’s path in relationship with an omnipotent God, an omniscient God who sticks closer than a brother and offers you all that He has and is.

     Picture yourself as a house with many rooms.  Jesus knocks at the front door. You go out the back door. He knocks again. You invite Him in, but you only allow Him to come in to the front hall. You leave Him standing there and go about your day.  At the end of the day, He’s still standing there. He may stand there for years!  How rude!

     The thing I am most blessed by is that as I’ve invited Jesus into more of the rooms of my house, the house looks brighter. It ‘s a happier place. I wish I could say that He’s been invited to fill every room, but I’m sure there’s more to come of experiencing His presence. Years ago, I allowed the transformation process to begin. I wanted change, desperately. To have change, I had to let Him show me what would be better (wiser). I begin to see a difference in my attitudes which led to a difference in my actions, which led to a difference in my life. Like a caterpillar on the way to becoming a butterfly, we can learn to develop in the cocoon of His love. That’s where we get our wings.

     Looking back I can see that there is a difference in everything about me. There is a difference in the Pre-Jesus Suzanne, and the Post-Jesus Suzanne.

Only the rooms that I’ve kept closed to Him still lack Light. There’s a difference in the Pre-Holy Spirit Suzanne, and the Post-Holy Spirit Suzanne. And that’s His plan. He wants to so invade our lives, that we grow and we change. We grow in grace, in faith, in love, in wisdom, in power. We grow in authority and in knowing Him. Each time we open another door of our lives to Him, we find more promises to be fulfilled. In fact, there is a whole future of promises given to us by the God who SO loves us.

     How about you? Is there a difference in your Pre-Jesus persona compared to your Post-Jesus one? Does your life reflect the presence of an almighty, all-wise God?  What difference has He made? Are you opening yourself up to being taught, counseled, guided by, accompanied by, and blessed by the fullness of God in you to transform you from pre-Jesus to post-Jesus? Do you have a relationship or a religion?

Power Thought:

 Your life has the potential of being living proof of God’s goodness and love for this world as He prepares us for the next one. If He’s always there, everything you need is always there too.

Power Of Remembering

Key Scripture:  “So Moses swore on that day saying, “Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.”  Joshua 14:9

Power Point:

     Today is Memorial Day.  I’m always happy to have the time to take a step back and remember the people and the God who have made this nation great. I’ve always honored the people who have fought and who are fighting to keep us free. Thank you each and every one.  Thank you for going into difficult places and leaving your precious families behind. Thank you for training and living in difficult circumstances over and over and over again.  Thank you for helping us to dwell in safety.

     Today I’m especially remembering the founders of this nation- those pioneers that took their lives in their hands and began to carve towns and cities into a nation.  God sent us strong men and women didn’t He?  He sent us people who stood strong and stayed strong. Most importantly He sent us people who prayed and who determined that this nation would be great because of all the good He would do for us. It would stay great because of all the heaven He would bring to earth through people who continued to have strong hearts and minds, confident in Him. We pray. He acts on our behalf. It’s still a good plan.

     I hope that’s YOU today, Beloved. Our nation is being, (not so gently) shaken awake.  We’re remembering today how it was. We are perfectly aware of how it is. Let us remember how God has said it will be:

One nation under GOD. He has placed before us, life and death, blessings or curses. It’s our choice. To get life and blessings we have to fight for it don’t we?  We’ve been napping for a while. Wake UP! Beloved.  Stir up that American pioneer spirit and take back the land He has given you. Never, never, never give up!

     Rise and Shine with the authority and the power of God wherever you are. Refuse to forget that this nation was established as one nation, under God.  And then do your part to make sure it continues that way.

Remember Who He is, and what He has promised. Remember that as you live and pray for those in authority over you, He will establish peace. As we remember to be reverent and full of faith toward Him and in Him, He promises to establish peace. Don’t forget it.

     So, dearly Beloved pioneers, you don’t have to take your family in a covered wagon and set off for new parts today. You get to reclaim the “parts” you already have.  You get to bless this nation. You get to bless those who have worked to establish it and keep it. And you get to bless the God who is earnestly waiting to hear faith from the lips of His people so that He can take     action and rise UP on our behalf. 

    Wake UP! Rise UP! Stand UP!  And Never, Never, NEVER Give UP!

This nation is one nation, under God. It’s His nation and He will never stop fighting for it if we never stop fighting for it. Remember that.

He does.

 Power Thought:

”What are we to say then, if God is for us, who can be against us?”  Romans 8:31

Power Of Earnestness

Power Of Earnestness

Key Scripture:  “For from of old no one has heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and shows Himself active on behalf of him who (earnestly) waits for Him."  Isaiah 64:4

Power Point:

     When I was young, (back in the olden days) and a student did something wrong, the teacher would make you go to the blackboard and write over and over and over whatever it was they had done and declare that they would not do it again.

For example: I will not not talk in class.  I will not talk in class. I will not talk in class. You get the idea.

    It might be a good idea to reinstate that little exercise in our own lives, don’t you think?  Actually, the Bible says it’s a good thing to declare what you WILL do. It might look something like this:

I will believe, I will believe, I will believe. I will believe.

     Did you know that God is working behind the scenes on your behalf today?

Waiting Earnestly

     Did you know that in Isaiah 64:4 it promises that He is always working on your behalf, preparing His good plans for you as you wait for Him. The term “wait” means to tie yourself to someone, in this case God. You tie a knot between you that nothing can untie. You continually “abide” in anticipation of what He is working out for you. You can do that because You understand that God is good, and His plans are always filled with hope.

    Why not get out a piece of paper today and write out the words that will bring a new phase of faith into your life?
I will not fear. I will not fear. I will not fear.

I will believe.  I will believe.  I will believe.

God is good. God is Good.  God is good.

He loves me. He loves me. He loves me.

He is working it out.  He is working it out. He is working it out.

I will wait with anticipation. I will wait with anticipation. I will wait with EARNEST anticipation. 

I will trust Him, I will trust Him, I will trust Him.

I will believe. I will believe. I will believe.

He’s working. I’m waiting. He’s working. I’m waiting.  He’s working. I’m waiting. 
Yes.

Power Thought:

The Rewards of Waiting On The Rewarder

I will earnestly wait. I will earnestly wait.  I will earnestly wait-
on the God who is earnestly working things out for my good. While I earnestly wait.

Power Of The Beginning Of The End

Key Scripture:  “Behold the Lord’s hand, arm is not shortened that it cannot save.” Isaiah 59:1

Power Point:

    I’ve been studying in Deuteronomy where Moses tells the people they are getting ready to cross over. I’m reminded of when the disciples got into the boat in Mark 4 and Jesus said, “Let’s cross over.” That was the beginning of the end.

     If you look carefully at this chapter, Jesus was about to give them an opportunity to use their faith. He had just spent a great deal of time talking to them about what faith was. The disciples probably nodded to each other, said, “That’s nice”, and got into the boat. They were totally ignorant of the fact that Jesus was about to give them a pop quiz on faith. The storm was whipped into a frenzy to test the teaching of faith.  In the beginning was the teaching, the preparation. In the middle was the test of faith and reaching the other side with Jesus, safe and sound, was the end. Of the beginning.

From that point on the discussions where Jesus taught the disciples were always at the beginning. The teaching is always the beginning of the end. It is there to protect you through the storms and stir up what you’ve been taught. The journey through your storm is accompanied by Jesus in the back of your boat. He appears to be sleeping. You can’t hear Him or feel Him. If you look closely at Him, he’s comfortably asleep on a pillow. (Or pretending to be asleep.)  This is when you get to choose to use your faith.You can wake Him up if you’d like or you can let Him sleep in safety while YOU begin to apply what He has taught you. YOU stir up your faith. YOU stir up the anointing on His words in you and YOU command the storm to be still and peace to come. Imagine how

differently that scene from Mark 4 would have looked if the disciples had applied what He had just taught them. Imagine Peter, looking at the storm and saying to the others, “The Master has just taught us how to release our faith. He told us that those who are faithless allow their circumstances to dictate their outcome. We are NOT going to let this storm choke out the power of His Words to us. Storm be STILL! I SPEAK PEACE!” Hmm. What would have happened on the other side of faith? Calm waters, perhaps, with Jesus sleeping undisturbedly, resting up for the next event. And the disciples? Well, for heaven’s sake, they would have been fist pumping and slapping each other on the back, excited because what Jesus told them had actually worked.

     Beloved, Jesus always prepares us for the storms in our lives. If you look back carefully you might remember a “twinge” calling you to read your Bible, or spend time in His presence. There may have been a scripture that has been popping up all around your life. That was Jesus preparing you, stirring up His words in you so that you can speak Peace into your storm.

Perhaps you didn’t realize that He was specifically preparing you. Maybe you forgot or ignored His word. Or perhaps the cares of this world choked the life out of it. The moral of the story of Jesus in the boat is that He did not condemn them, He spoke to the storm and it stopped. He released the Power of Peace within Himself to the space around Himself and Peace came. Then He simply says, “Okay, guys, what did we just talk about? I promised you we were going to the other side. I said, “Let’s cross over. Which word didn’t you get?” I had every intention of getting to the other side, with or without a storm. Storms don’t stop Me. They don’t intimidate me. They don’t render me powerless. I have faith in My Father to keep me safe. Where is your faith?”
The only way to possess Peace in a storm is to possess faith. Own it. Stir it up. Add to it. The only way to possess faith is to believe that God is who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do. AND-that you can do what HE says YOU can do.

His words coming forth in confidence from YOUR mouth will cause the peace of Jesus, the peace of the Father and the peace of Holy Spirit to flow, to overflow and to calm your storm. His arm is not too short to save you. In fact, He already has. Go back to the beginning and get your instructions for the end.

Power Thought:

The word "shortened" can also mean "patience". God does not get impatient with you. He's not short-tempered and His plans are the beginning of the end He has in mind for you. Are you ready to cross over?

Power Of Abounding

Key Scripture:  “He included everyone in His death so that everyone could also be included in His life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own. …Now we look inside and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.  The old life is gone.  The new life burgeons! Look at it!”  2 Corinthians 5:17, The Message

Power Point:

    In the south when someone dies, the term used is usually “they passed away”.  There is a viewing service where people can come and look at the body and extend their condolences.  The body is then buried. It will only come back to life when Jesus comes again. Then, and only then, will that grave be opened and the dead shall rise.

When we become “new creations” in Jesus, when He fills us with His own life, there’s an “old” body that needs to die and be buried, isn’t there?

And that body needs to STAY buried. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but sometimes the “old man” tries to get out of the grave.  In the beginning, it’s not as hard because the presence of God’s Spirit is so life changing that you find it much easier to be “new”.  You actually forget the “old”. But as time passes by that “old man” begins to try to resurrect himself doesn’t he? You might find yourself falling back into “old” thought patterns or behaviors and then as the Holy Spirit gently reminds you that the “new” you doesn’t do those things anymore, you get to choose whether or not you agree.

     The most important thing we can do as “new” creations is to live like one.  I’ve seen people, and you have too, who claim to have the life of God in them, yet their mouths are filled with negativity and judgment. They are always depressed about their future; perhaps they are unkind, or selfish or stingy. In other words, their “old man” is continually being resurrected.

I love what Paul says in Philippians 4:12.  He is in a filthy jail, surrounded by human excrement and he says, "I know how to abound." I heard a description, recently,  of the jails at that time.  They were on two levels. The top level had holes in it so that "whatever" dropped from the top level dropped all around and on the people on the lower level; yet Paul was abounding. From the moment Paul met Jesus on that road to Damascus, things changed, didn't they? He changed. And the world changed because of it. Have you ever thought that Paul had the same opportunities that we do to grumble and complain?  He had the same opportunities to doubt God. I mean, just LOOK at his circumstances. He had the same opportunity to feel sorry for himself. But he didn’t. He knew how to abound.  Sometimes we concentrate on the first part of that sentence, “I know how to be abased.” But the magical thing is that he knew how to abound even though he was abased. Abound means that he didn’t just “get by”, he went over the top in joy. He overflowed the life of Christ in abundance. In Greek, the word  “abound” means “to be abundantly furnished with, to have in abundance, to be in  affluence; to MORE than exceed. He certainly did.

     Beloved, we have been abundantly furnished with the Spirit of Resurrection power.  We have more than enough of the power of God to exceed and succeed, and proceed. Will you pour fresh dirt on your “old man” today and begin to abound? It’s not easy to make sure he stays dead and buried, but it’s worth the battle isn’t it?  Just look at Paul.  Abounding grace.

Power Thought:

Old habits die hard but they quit kicking and screaming eventually if you replace them with new ones. Can you practice "abounding"?

Power Of Action

Key Scripture:  "But love your enemies, do good and lend, hoping for nothing n return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”  Luke 6:36,37

Power Point:

     Being a formerly great procrastinator, I know how to postpone things. Recently I was reading I John 2:9-11.  John says that if we profess to love God but hate people, we are simply lying to ourselves. He says that we cannot love God and hate our brothers. The word “hate’ can mean to despise something but it has a larger meaning in the Greek.  It means to POSTPONE, or to love less, to disregard or be indifferent to something. Uh oh. In other words, procrastination.
      Where does that place you on the love/hate scale? In I John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, (John), writes very clearly that if we don’t love our brothers we walk in darkness. Now I’m sure that you can make a case for the fact that there is someone in your life that you don’t “like”, but you certainly don’t hate them. Really? Let’s look at this verse again with a little help from the Greek.  “He who loves his brother less, who postpones his love for him, and treats him as insignificant, or not worthy of being honored or esteemed, or is totally indifferent to him, He is in DARKNESS!" 
     I don’t know about you but I don’t like darkness. I don’t like walking into a room and stumbling over furniture and stubbing my toe and bruising myself. I like the lights on, thank you very much!

The Holy Spirit continues. He who postpones his love and loves his brother less, is a murderer. Oh dear. An assassin. (Perhaps a terrorist.)

     Are you postponing or procrastinating expressing your love for someone? Do you perhaps believe that because they are insignificant to you that they are insignificant to God? Are you keeping God’s love captive inside you because they aren’t doing what they should do or becoming who they should be? Are you postponing your love until they “get it right”? 

     What would Jesus do? He’d be the first one to love wouldn’t He? He’d be the first One to bless, and the first One to give. He’d lay down his life. He’d postpone his mission to do his own thing and bring heaven’s heart to earth wouldn’t He?  And you know what? He is eagerly waiting to shed HIS love abroad through you.  All you have to do is ask. 
This is a wonderful quote from Mrs. C. Nuzum, from her book, "The Life of Faith":
"It is so easy for Him to create within you all that will fit you to be what Jesus was, and to do the works He did."

Power Thought:

Ask and then act your way into a new way of thinking. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
Lights! Camera! ACTION!

Power Of Powering Forward

Key Scripture:  "Reaching forward to what lies ahead.”  Philippians 3:13

“I’ve got my eye on the goal where God is beckoning us onward-to Jesus. I’m off and running and I’m not turning back.” The Message

Power Point:

     Paul really believed God didn’t He?  He had the privilege of seeing Jesus up close and personal and he never forgot it. That brilliant light that blinded him on the road to Damascus lit his heart forever. The light of Jesus gave him a passion for God that nothing on this earth could dim didn’t it?

     Recently a friend and I visited a restaurant in the area and they were having a special promotion.  It was called, “Power Forward”.  Of course it caught my eye. I started to think about all the ways in which the Lord has been teaching me to do just that.  I’ve been studying Psalm 68:19, which is a powerful reminder of the Christian life as its supposed to be lived. It says that we should bless God every day because He “daily loads us with benefits.” What a glorious promise for God’s children.

     I used to wake up and begin dreading what was ahead. If I had a doctor’s appointment, I dreaded it. I would find myself dwelling on every possible negative scenario, even if it was just for a check-up.  From there my mind would travel on to everything that might possibly happen that day or in the days ahead. My mind was a pit of fear, dread and negativity. Yuck!

What an awful way to live.

     Somewhere along the line, Holy Spirit has taught me about Jesus. He’s enlightened me about the things that Jesus died to give me. Now, each morning when I awaken, I thank Him for the benefits He has loaded into my day. The word “load” means to lay a load on someone, like a donkey is loaded down with things for a trip.  Can you picture yourself, as His child, being accompanied by an army of donkeys loaded down with your benefits for the day?. Whatever we need is already there. Jesus has already powered us forward! Those donkeys are loaded down with the benefits of our salvation. Sadly, many of us never even notice that they’re there. Those poor donkeys trail behind us day after day and never get a break because we never take any of the benefits from their backs.

     Why don’t we break the bad habit of fearing, dreading, and doubting? 

What if each morning you begin your day by thanking the Lord for His benefits? What if your body began to prosper as your soul prospers, as it dwells on the benefit of God's plans for you that day.

What if you really got a grasp on the fact that the only thing you need to focus on for today is the goodness that God has stored up for you? Wouldn’t that power you forward? Wouldn’t that change your attitude and your atmosphere? 

Each day I bind myself to my Father’s plans for my life, knowing that they are wonderfully above and beyond anything I can think up. And I thank Him for the benefits and privileges of being His child and having all those donkeys following behind me loaded down with my benefits. I anticipate His goodness and I’m never disappointed. Never. You won’t be either. When you do that, you are powering forward. You are putting that powerful mind of yours to work for you rather than against you.  You are agreeing with God.  That's faith and He will reward it.

Sounds like a good exchange doesn’t it? Will you try it?

Power Thought:

What fills your mind, fills your life. Power forward not backward. Power UP! not down.

Power Of "Shut UP! Stupidhead!"

 Key Scripture:  

“He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. He holds the enemy in derision”  Psalm 2:4

Power Point:

  Our little Hannah is a joy. She will be three soon but the “twos” have been interesting.  “Shut up!” is a term that is not spoken in my son’s house. Recently, Hannah began saying, “Shut Up, Stupidhead!”.  Oh dear. When she first began it was funny and we all laughed.  Then Kim would be pushing her through the grocery store and Hannah would get upset because she didn’t get something she wanted and she would say, LOUDLY, “Shut Up Stupidhead!”  She loves the responses it brings.

     As I’ve walked, (I use the term loosely), through this foot surgery and its aftermath I’ve put Hannah’s phrase into practice myself. One morning I woke up in incredible pain. I knew something was wrong, that the screw in my foot had probably shifted. In fact, I could feel it, as though a knife was cutting into the ball of my foot.  I prayed and my friend Julie came to pray over me.  I was in total agreement with her and we prayed in total faith. The screw remained right where it was. Darn!

      To backtrack a little- right after the surgery, Julie had taken me to the doctor, (she’s a VERY good friend), and when he said he would remove the screws in six weeks, she asked him how. He said he would just pull them out.  For the last 3 weeks that comment had been percolating in my brain. I

routinely had to cast it out.  After Julie left that morning, I began to declare what God had promised me for this procedure: He had said that He would be a miracle in it.  (Satan said, “You’ll probably have to have more surgery.”) I declared that 'this" was a good thing on the way. (Satan said, “This is going to be AWFUL!”), and so on, and so on. Each time I would declare a promise, Satan would declare a painful possibility. Then I remembered Hannah’s little phrase and I began to repeat it.  “You’ll need more surgery.”  Shut UP

Stupidhead!  “So where is your God?”  Shut UP Stupidhead!

     It was a game I played all the way to the doctor’s office. When I arrived we could see from the X-ray that the screw had definitely shifted. He said that my feet were healed enough to remove the screws.( a miracle indeed!)  As I sat in the chair, the doctor whipped off the dressing on the right foot. Dangling from the dressing was the pin. I hadn’t even felt it. As I sat, looking amazed at that foot, he pulled the pin out of the left foot. No pain.  The real miracle is that I was supposed to have had another three weeks of wearing bandages and really ugly boots. He made sure I didn’t have to. Thank you Jesus!

     I’m not sure that “Shut UP Stupidhead!” is scriptural but it sure helped my attitude toward the enemy. Every time I said it, it made me laugh a little, even in the midst of the pain. And Jesus had the last laugh.

Power Thought:

Stupidhead!

Sometimes the only way to stop those defeating, negative thoughts is to tell the enemy “Shut UP!” You don’t have to add the “Stupidhead” part unless you want to. 

Power Of A Mother's Prayers

Key scripture: “And Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Luke 2:19

Power Point:

     I was listening to a pastor describing the crucifixion recently. He commented on Jesus’ robe being bartered for while He hung on the cross.  The soldiers were casting lots for it. The pastor commented that it was probably blue and then he said, “It was probably made for Him by His mother.”  He said it must have been a cloak of high quality because it was seamless. And the very fact that they had not discarded it or torn it to shreds but were trying to get it for themselves is a thoughtful point. As Mary stood at Jesus feet, I imagine she was remembering the things she had pondered in her heart about Jesus’ destiny.

     When you think about it, Mary probably did make that cloak. From the moment He was born, she swaddled Him, covering Him.  As He grew she covered Him with clothes she had made for Him.  As an unmarried man, it’s not surprising that she would continue to provide a cloak for Him. And remember, she knew He was the Son of God. She knew His destiny. Blue would have been really appropriate. Blue represents the eternal presence of God.

     Today is Mother’s Day.  It’s a good time for each of us moms to look back at our “sons” (and daughters), and realize that from the time they were born, we have covered them.  As a young mother it was almost like continuing the game of “dress up” that I played with my dolls as a little girl.

     I remember one incident when my son, David, was about 2 years old. We were going to the circus and I had dressed him in a red and white romper. He didn’t like it. Yes, at 2.  He pitched a regular fit. Of course he had to lose that battle and he did wear it. But he didn’t like it! 

From the time they were born, I “covered” my children with coverings, just as God did with Adam and Eve when they left the Garden.  I always covered them with clothes, but from the time I became a Christian and Holy Spirit began to join me in my prayers, I have covered them with spiritual coverings as well. As He has helped me, I have learned to let my prayers ascend to the throne as a beautiful blue cloud of declarations of what God has promised me for them. I’ve learned to see them as He does and pray for them as He does. I present them as “sons” of the Most High God, covered with authority, power and all the privileges of their sonship. I declare over them what Holy Spirit declares.  I bless them. I pray for their purposes on this earth to be fulfilled.  And sometimes I have had to walk by faith and not sight.

     Mom-you may be in a place where you don’t “see” the results of your prayers but know this. As you pray for your children in company with the Holy Spirit, God hears you and is answering you.  As you pray, you are clothing them with robes of righteousness and with words of their destiny. You are releasing into their lives all that God has planned for them. Don’t yield to the temptation of listening to what the Enemy is telling you about them. Don’t declare what you see, but what God says. In Job 22, it says, “He will even deliver one who is not innocent. Yes. He will be delivered by the purity of your hands.” 

Here are some things you can declare over your “sons”:

-They will be mighty upon the earth.  The generation of the upright will be blessed!  Psalm 112:2

-The fruit of your body shall be blessed. Deuteronomy 28:4

-They shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  Romans 8:21

-The seed of the righteous shall be delivered.  Prov. 11:21

-All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.  Isaiah 54:13

-He will never leave them or abandon them. Hebrews 13:5

Just to name a few.

     Today, as you are pondering on the incredible gift of motherhood, know that your prayers for your children are delightful to Him. Remember that the fervent, effective prayers of a righteous mom have great power. They are a force to be reckoned with. Each prayer you pray is a covering over their lives. Each word you speak is a word that establishes their destiny as sons of God.

Just as God covered Adam and Eve, so do moms (and dads) cover their children as they go out into the world.  Just as Mary probably created that beautiful seamless cloak to cover Jesus from the elements, so do your prayers and your unconditional love cover your children.

     Be thankful for the privilege and know that He loves to give you the desires of your heart. And He knows every single one, especially for your children.

He’s busy working behind the scenes to make all things work together for good in each of our lives. You can count on that as you walk with Him and pray by faith.

Power Thought:

These are some interesting quotes on motherhood. Enjoy.

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.

Abraham Lincoln

No man succeeds without a good woman behind him. Wife or mother, if it is both, he is twice blessed indeed.

Godfrey Winn

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw.  All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.

George Washington.

When your mother asks, “Do you want a piece of advice?” it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no.  You’re going to get it anyway.”

Erma Bombeck

Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.

William Makepeace Thackeray

I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.

Abraham Lincoln.

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.

Mark Twain

Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.

Billy Graham

A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them.

Victor Hugo

My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and a passion that I wish could be bottled.

Carly Fiorina

Yes mother.  I can see you are flawed.  You have not hidden it.  That is your greatest gift to me.

Alice Walker

There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mother’s love is peace.  It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.”

Erich Fromm

The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom

Henry Ward Beecher