Covered in Love

To respond in love to people who have offended you is difficult merely in the fact that it is a choice, a choice contrary to our nature, contrary to our desires, contrary to our logic. It is however, the very nature of God.

So where does that leave us? To choose God is to choose love. Only when we allow God to transform our nature can we truly respond in love. We need to let love prevail and reside in our lives. I believe that love is the most powerful weapon we have against the powers of darkness.

Are you ready for battle..."to prepare for battle" we need to put to death our earthly nature.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5

"to dress for battle" we need to clothe ourselves in what... compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12

"to go to battle" we need to walk in love...
before you ever walk out the door or open you mouth or hit send!

"And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:14

Above all be covered with the aroma of Christ...which is love.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)

Poems, Prayers and Promises

My Prayer Poem

That you may really come to know,
practically, experience so.

For yourselves the love of Christ,
which far surpasses our surmise.

That you may be filled through all your being,
unto all the fullness of God foreseeing.

That you may have the richest measure,
of His divine Presence, Splendor.

And become a body wholly filled,
and flooded with His blood He spilled!

Now to Him Who, by the power,
at work in us this very hour.

To carry out His very purpose,
That He has for each one of us.

Far above all that we dare,
ask or think, our highest prayer.

Far above our, thoughts, it seems,
even all our hopes, or dreams.

To Him be glory in the Eccleeseea,
and in Christ Jesus, the Messiah.

throughout all generations past,
and generations for ever-last.

Amen

By: Preston Pittman

Restoration

The love that was lost in the evening time,
Shall be restored again.
The burned out candle in the night,
Shall be ignited again.

To wander through the darkness,
Only draws us closer to Him.
The Love that never leaves us,
The Light that is never dim.

So...Take comfort in the knowledge,
Of His enduring Grace.
To be there right beside us,
To shine upon our face.

by~Brenda Dawson

Prayer

When you come to God in prayer you come to your Father. He wants you to come as a child who is loved, who is accepted, who is cared for, and who is secure. He wants you to come in openness, in confidence, in truthfulness. He waits to hear your heart, and to share His heart with you.

Through prayer you can gather the riches of heaven and bring them down to earth. You can delight in the beauty of heaven and carry it in your heart. You can enjoy the fellowship of heaven and walk in it throughout the day.

Heavenly Father, Open my eyes. Help me to perceive what I have ignored, to uncover what I have forgotten, to find what I have been searching for. Remind me that I don't have to journey far to discover something new, for miracles surround me, blessings and holiness abound, and You are near. Amen.

God's Promises

There are many, many promises of God in Scripture. In each promise, God pledges that something will (or will not) be done or given or come to pass.

He promises that "If you search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me."

When my children were young, one of the games that I would play with them was called 'hide and seek'. I would hide and then they would try to find me. The game is pretty simple and lots of fun. The whole point of this exercise was that they would eventually find me... and that was the best part!

I would never have thought to try and hide myself so thoroughly that my children could never find me. That would not have been fun at all, for the real joy was in them finding me. I don't think our Heavenly Father is much different, though His ways are way higher than my ways for sure!

He absolutely delights when we seek Him with all our heart and He loves to be found by us! He promises that we will indeed find Him when we search for Him with all our heart. If you are feeling discouraged today, hungry for God but somehow feeling that you have not yet apprehended Him, don't give up. Keep seeking. Keep knocking on the door. Keep on asking. He promises to be found by you!

“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:7-11

More Promises

Show Your Love

One by one
The faces go
We meet them everyday.
But, oh what a thrill
That special face
Who touched your world one day.

Remember when
You met someone
Who brightened up your day
You hold them
Dearly in your heart
You wished they'd always stay.

So, show your love
Put a smile on your face
Let the Lord shine through you everyday
So that you might be
That special face Who touches someone else today.

by~Brenda Dawson

Song of Unity

Concede To The Need

It is strange to feel a strangers need,
but stranger to feel and not concede.
It's a feeling that comes with a divine benefice,
and good reason to kill any form of prejudice.

Resistance is natural and easy to smell,
it rises to the Father as smoke from hell.
But our obedience to concede is also from above,
it proves to God that we have Christ's love.

 By: Preston Pittman

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:1-4 

The Light

I held this love up to the light,
to see what grips my heart so tight.

What secret power lies within,
that softens hearts of callus men.

I held this love up to the light,
searching for the source so bright.

Could this love just be my own,
that reaches out to all unknown.

I held this love up to the light,
to understand with all my might.

The answer came from up above,
it was the 'Light' that was this love.

By Preston Pittman

Lord Give Me The Strength

Lord give me the strength,
To keep loving.
Keep my heart open only to you.
Help me shower all your love,
Like the rain from above,
Not be squandered away without you.

Lord give me the strength,
To keep caring.
Keep my mouth open only for you.
Help me spread only your word,
To those who haven't heard,
Not be carelessly spoken without you.

Lord give me the strength,
To be quiet.
Keep my ears open only to you.
Help me hear all of your word,
So I can share what I heard,
Not be loud and distracted without you.

Lord give me the strength,
To be humble.
Keep my eyes open only to you.
Help me to grow in your love,
Shining from heaven above,
Not be proud and self-centered without you.

by~Brenda Dawson

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Give Love

Withhold not, His love,
there's so much more from God above.
To do so is holding back His flood,
and defeats the purpose of His Blood.
Give and give the love He gives,
and show the world He LIVES!

By: Preston Pittman. "Give Love"