1 Thessalonians 3:11-13: "Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints."
MAY GOD bless you and keep you; may He shower you with love and bless you with favor; may He protect you, heal you, and deliver you, according to the PROMISES of HIS WORD; through the BLOOD of HIS SON, JESUS; through the POWER of HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
May He encamp His angels around you, to guard you and keep you in all your ways; may He bless your coming and your going; may He provide for your family and supply all YOUR need, according to His riches in glory in Christ JESUS.
May GOD redeem the time; may He restore everything you've lost; may He sustain you, encourage you, comfort you, and strengthen you; may He equip you and empower you; and may He plant you in the right garden in the right place at the right time, so you can grow into the man/into the woman of faith, He called, created, imagined, chose, planned, and commissioned you to be, so you can sow good seed, reap a good harvest, bear good fruit--the eternal FRUIT of HIS HOLY SPIRIT--(love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, and self-control)--and BLOOM, in every season, all for His glory and honor, for GOD knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future, and HIS WORD says, no weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you in judgment shall be condemned; and HIS WORD says, NOTHING can separate you from the love of GOD, and HE is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble; and HIS WORD says, all things work together for good to those who love GOD and are called according to HIS PURPOSE; and HIS WORD says, He will uphold you with HIS righteous right hand; and He will deliver you from every evil work and preserve you for HIS heavenly kingdom.
HIS WORD says, He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind; and finally, HIS WORD says, we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not forsaken; and we are struck down, but not destroyed, for GREATER is HE that is in us, than he that is in the world, and through HIM, we are more than conquerors, and we PERSEVERE, because through HIM, JESUS, we are VICTORS and OVERCOMERS, and we are not victims, and we are not prey, easily broken, easily defeated.
Even in the wilderness, in the desert, in the hurricane, in the fire, in the furnace, in the storm, GOD blesses us, GOD protects us, GOD sustains us, GOD encourages us, GOD carries us, GOD comforts us, GOD delivers us, GOD corrects us, GOD transforms us, GOD shields us, and GOD shows us the FOUNDATION of FAITH, the GATE of GRACE, the SPRING of SALVATION, the WELL of LIVING WATER, the ROAD to REDEMPTION, the HIGH-WAY to HEAVEN, the TREASURE of TRUTH, the LIGHT of LIFE, the DOOR of HOPE, the HOPE of GLORY, the LORD of LORDS, the KING of KINGS, the SON of GOD, the SON of MAN, the RISEN SAVIOR, the CONQUERING WARRIOR, the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, and the PRINCE of PEACE, in JESUS, and WE BECOME NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST--the BODY of CHRIST--and we focus on HIM, JESUS, GOD, moving beyond the pain of the past and the traps of the present--GOING GOD-WARD, with an eternal/KINGDOM of GOD perspective, for in Isaiah 43:18-19, it says, "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert," and FOR EVERY WOUND WITHOUT A CAUSE, the WORD of GOD lets us know that our faith often triumphs in times of trouble, for in Job 5:17-18, it says, "Behold, happy is the man whom GOD corrects; therefore, do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole," and Romans 5:1-5 says, "Having been justified by faith, we have peace with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of GOD.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of GOD has been poured out in our hearts by the HOLY SPIRIT who was given to us."
So, may you find your purpose and identity in HIM--CHRIST JESUS, GOD--and may you walk in faith, not in fear, as one of the CHOSEN, one of the CALLED, one of the REMNANT, one of the BODY of CHRIST, one of the BRIDE of CHRIST, one of the AMBASSADORS of CHRIST, one of the CHILDREN of GOD, in the ministry of reconciliation, in the assurance that even though GOD may lead you through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer you, for HE--GOD--already has--and may you complete your journey in life, with no regrets, with a life well-spent and a life "souled-out," and lived LOUD for JESUS, for GOD, committing your works to the LORD, letting HIM direct your steps, and having completed and fulfilled your destiny and your GOD-given assignment.
May you walk in the spirit of humility, obedience, integrity, forgiveness, thanksgiving, worship, giving, gratitude, and prayer, being led by the HOLY SPIRIT, instead of the flesh, and doing all that GOD requires of you, all that GOD commands of you, loving HIM, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; loving others as you would yourself; doing the will of the LORD, by loving your enemies, BEYOND HOW THEY TREAT YOU, even praying for them, in spite of any real or imagined offense; and putting GOD first, by`exalting and worshipping HIM--the CREATOR above every creation--even above yourself and every other idol (whether it be an object, person, place, animal, job, affiliation, organization, denomination, domestic and/or foreign god, whatever), and enlarging HIS territory and HIS influence and HIS standard and HIS platform and HIS agenda, and HIS purpose, by promoting the KINGDOM of GOD over the kingdom of darkness/the kingdom of culture; and doing that which pleases GOD, which is found in Micah 6:8, by doing justly; loving mercy; and walking humbly with your GOD; and may you be refreshed, blessed, and rewarded, even as you bless, refresh, encourage, help, and build up others, for in Proverbs 11:25, 27, 30, it says, "those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor....Living your life seeking what is good for others brings untold favor, but those who wish evil for others will find it coming back to them"; furthermore, "a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit, for the one who is truly wise wins souls."
So, may you find favor first with GOD; then, may you find favor with others, including your enemies.
May GOD give you wisdom, knowledge, understanding, enlightenment, and revelation--revealing more of HIMSELF to you, each and every day; and may you be grounded in faith, abiding in JESUS, walking in the will and ways of GOD, through the work of the HOLY SPIRIT; may you be given to worship and thanksgiving, in spirit and truth, to interceding for others in prayer, obedient to GOD, and rooted in the truth of HIS WORD; walking like JESUS DID; in the power of HIS HOLY SPIRIT, for in Psalm 18:28-36, 39, it says, "For You will light my lamp; the LORD my GOD will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my GOD I can leap over a wall. As for GOD, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
For who is GOD, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our GOD? It is GOD who arms me with strength, and makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on high places. He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip.... For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me."
So, may you walk in forgiveness, faith, love, integrity, and hope, dwelling in the Presence of GOD--abiding in HIS KINGDOM--with JESUS CHRIST--the KING of kings--the LIGHT of the world--instead of walking in fear, anger, hatred, unforgiveness, rebellion, lawlessness, and despair, dwelling in the presence of the adversary, abiding in the kingdom of darkness, with the prince of this world, for GOD is GOOD, GOD is JUST, GOD is LOVE, and GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS UNTO US, and JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS are the FOUNDATIONS of HIS THRONE.
So, be strong and be courageous, and do not be afraid, for the LORD your GOD is with you, wherever you go, for GOD is FAITHFUL, GOD is TRUE, and GOD is always FOR you, and GOD is always WITH YOU, because JESUS lives IN you, and the HOLY SPIRIT works THROUGH you, so have faith; trust in GOD, and only BELIEVE, that HE will help you, and HE will never leave you, nor will HE forsake you, for HE LOVES YOU, with an everlasting love, and when you accepted HIM--JESUS--as your LORD and your SAVIOR, receiving HIM, in the GREAT EXCHANGE, as GOD's PERFECT SACRIFICE, as YOUR SINLESS SUBSTITUTE, on the Cross of Calvary, HE--JESUS, GOD--became EVERYTHING YOU WOULD EVER NEED: THE ANSWER TO EVERY PROBLEM--past, present, and future--for as John 3:16 says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
So, indeed, GOD is your Healer, your Redeemer, your Deliverer, your Defender, your Savior, your Comforter, your Advocate, your Avenger, your Warrior, your Protector, your Provider, your Refuge, Your Strength, your LORD of lords, your PRINCE of PEACE, your KING of kings, your HOPE of GLORY, your WAY of ESCAPE, your SHIELD of FAITH, and HE's got you covered, 24/7, every second, every minute, every hour, every day, and He never slumbers nor sleeps, SO HOLD FAST to HIM, CLING to HIM, and DRAW NEAR TO HIM, so HE CAN DRAW CLOSER TO YOU, SUPPLYING ALL YOUR NEED, according to HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS, and be encouraged, be loved, and be blessed, according to the AARONIC BLESSING, found in Numbers 6:24-26: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."
Prayerfully and sincerely,
in the name of JESUS,
"so be it"--Amen.
Terra Blakemore
