Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of God's Love

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Everything GOD does is right – the trademark on all His works is love. 

Psalm 145:17 The Message

Read all of Psalm 145 in The Message and discover the joy of praising God. There are no boundaries to His greatness (vs 3). God’s goodness and generosity overflow from generation to generation; He is both magnificent and marvelous. God is . . . rich in love, and everything He does is suffused with grace (vs 8-9). Creation and creatures applaud GOD (vs 10), and we are to praise His holy splendor. Most of all, God’s love is the trademark on all His works. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us: He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do. He stamps ‘His LOVE’ on all that come to Jesus.  As His child, I bear the mark of His Love. 

• Does it show? Do others know that God loves me?
• What good work does God have for me? Will my obedience bear God’s trademark?

Creator God, I do not have enough words to describe Your great power and presence, goodness and generosity. My soul stands in silence before You. Such Glorious Love brings me to my knees. Let me be worthy of the work You have chosen for me. May my life bear your great mark of love! – dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Fellowship

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  1 Corinthians 1:9

God desires a relationship with us, and through faith and the Spirit, we come to understand that Christ is our only grace, our only forgiveness of sin, our entrance into everlasting life. As this relationship grows with Christ, so grows our involvement with other believers. While the diversity of Christians is great, our unity with Christ and each other is based on common ground; this commonality is Jesus. His attributes must become ours as we find fellowship with each other. In Philippians chapter 2, Paul gives us examples of fellowship within the body of believers: love one another, work together with one heart and one purpose, don’t be selfish, be humble, be interested in others. These are the marks of fellowship within the church.

God also wants us to have fellowship with Him. When we spend time with Him in prayer and study His word, we begin to hear His voice more clearly. If we have a relationship with Christ, then we should desire to be in His presence. Can you have a relationship with Christ but not have fellowship? Ray Stedman says that while our relationship with Christ “puts us into the family of God,” it is fellowship that engages this relationship and lets the light of Christ come through us. Stedman says, “This is what marks the difference between Christians. Fellowship is the key to vital Christianity.”*

• Am I having fellowship with Christ? 
• Do I bear the marks of fellowship with Christ in my relationships with others?

Lord, hear my prayer: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit dwell within me! ~ dho (2 Corinthians 13:14)

*The Power of His Presence, by Ray Stedman

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Joy

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O LORD, God of hosts. 

Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

In Eugene Peterson’s A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, he writes that joy is a mark of the “authentic Christian . . . [one who is] on the way of salvation. Joy is characteristic of Christian pilgrimage.” Peterson continues, “Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship, it is a consequence . . . it is what comes to us when we are walking in the way of faith and obedience.” Jeremiah’s words reflect the decision to live in God’s abundance. Despite circumstances, God is constant and certain. His word speaks to us today, just as it did to Jeremiah. Let the promises of God mark you with joy!

• What promises of God hold your pain? 
• Can you identify God’s abundance in your life? Embrace it and find His joy!

 Lord, Your words have been recorded for me, gathered to encourage me, endured to restore me. Increase my faith so I can see Your abundant blessings in all times. Let Your Joy be my joy to share! - dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Jesus - I AM The Door

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

2nd Sunday in Lent

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. . . I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. John10:7-10 NKJV

As Jesus uses the example of shepherd and sheep, the people try to understand the analogy. At that time, in the evening, shepherds would frequently guide their sheep into enclosures usually made of stone walls with no door. A shepherd would lie down across the opening to prevent any predators from harming the sheep. Jesus tells them I am the door of the sheep. He is trying to convey that no one can get into the fold unless they first go through Him. What does this mean to you and me? Jesus came to give everlasting life and only through Jesus can we find grace and communion and peace. To be able to walk in His Presence we must come through the door! Jesus is the way in!

As the door, Jesus protects those who choose to follow Him. This security is found in His wisdom and power and goodness. We enter the door by faith, and find Jesus to be our Mediator, our Savior. Through the door our prayers rise to God and His blessings fall around us. As a world of darkness threatens to consume us, it is the door that offers refuge. Can you see the door? Jesus is the door that welcomes all who choose to come inside.

• Have you found the way in? 
• Will you share the abundant, everlasting life of Jesus with someone? Show them the Door!

Jesus, You mark the way into the Kingdom of God. How blessed I am to know the sweetness of Your Presence. Help me share You with the world and lead the ones in darkness to The Door. – dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Being

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8 NKJV

Nicholas Herman entered a religious community in France in 1666 at age 55, taking the name Brother Lawrence. Working mostly in the kitchen for twenty-five years, he became best known for his “quiet and serene faith.” What Brother Lawrence desired most was to experience the presence of God. Using various letters he wrote, a translation of them into a little book entitled The Practice of the Presence of God continues to touch countless hearts. His thoughts: If [God] leads us into suffering or if He leads us into comfort, our satisfaction should still only be for the fulfilling of His will, for both suffering and comfort are the same to a soul truly resigned to Him. Brother Lawrence regarded “God as the mark to which all thoughts and desires” should begin and end. (from Practicing His Presence)

Jesus Christ is the “Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” Jesus is known as prophet and priest and King. He is the Son of God, giving Him divine sonship and divine nature. As Lord of lords, and King of kings, Jesus sits at the right hand of God. Brother Lawrence recognized the divine Being of Christ and desired to dwell in His Presence as much as possible. If all our thoughts and desires were to begin and end in Christ, we would discover His righteousness and grace and love to be enough. Our thoughts would be more pure, more holy, more likely to heal than to wound. This mark of being in the presence of the Holy One would be noticed in our relationships, our motivations, our offerings.

• Consider how being in the presence of the divine Being, Christ, would change my focus.
• Does my life bear the mark of being in His Presence?

Holy One, from before time until after time, You are Sovereign. Increase my awareness of Your Presence; let my desires focus more and more on You. – dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

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“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Remembrance

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Then Abraham planted at tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.

Genesis 21:33 NKJV

 Abimelech wants to form a treaty with Abraham to reconcile a dispute over a well. As noted in the verses preceding this Scripture, Abimelech recognizes Abraham’s evident blessings and provision from God saying, “God is with you in all that you do.” They make a covenant, a binding agreement, at Beersheba regarding the well. This is the first time covenant is used to imply an agreement between two equals, much like a business contract today. Abraham’s planting of the tamarisk tree would long mark the place where this covenant was made. Abraham called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God, unashamed to be worshiping the Eternal God. In centuries to come, Beersheba would mark the most southern boundary of Israel’s land.

There are memorials of all types in the world today. Statues and monuments, walls of remembrance, fountains and etched stones mark the places and people and events that have influenced or changed our way of life or understanding of living. Museums are full of artifacts that mark time with memorabilia, art, invention, and communication. What are your marks of remembrance of a faithful God?

• Does remembering my promises to God affect my witness of the Everlasting God? 
• How often do I forget God’s never-ending faithfulness to me?

 Everlasting God, find me humbled by Your Goodness and unchanging, faithful nature. At the foot of Your cross, I find the mark of remembrance that heals my broken places, that reminds me to worship the LORD, the Everlasting God. ~ dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of Power

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

[Give honor] to the LORD, O heavenly beings, [give honor] to the LORD [for His] glory and strength. [Give honor] to the LORD [for] the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. . . The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips forests bare, and in His temple all cry, “Glory!” The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. May the LORD give strength to His people! May the LORD bless His people with peace. Psalm 29 ESV

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness paints a vivid picture, as does the surrounding text. These images of God’s Power exceed our abilities and inspire our imaginations. Sometimes the power of God is full, loud and dynamic in nature, not unlike the raging storms that can interrupt our lives. Other times, God’s power is gentle and tender, like the calm after a storm. God’s power is both strength and peace, energy and stillness, glory and splendor.  Adversity can drive us to God, dragging our desperation and doubt, our weakness and weariness with us. While His mark of power is all around us, sometimes, until God’s voice shakes the wilderness within us, we slowly fade. In these times, our souls are awakened to a new awareness of God’s glory and strength. Let us honor the LORD!

• In a time of difficulty, what is my first response?
• Do I let times of adversity take me farther from God or draw me closer to Him?

El Shaddai, God Almighty, All Sufficient, in the storms of uncertainty You call to me. Your Power can mark my soul with gentle waves to calm my anxieties. Let me be awakened to a new trust. I want to embrace Your word and carry it as my banner of faith. ~ dho 

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”

Preparing for Easter ~ Mark of God's Presence

[God...made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 13:20 MSG

During this season of reflection and renewal, join me, and let's explore the visible evidence that identifies us as faithful followers of Jesus. Can others see Jesus in our lives? ~ Donna Oswalt]

Then Moses said to [the LORD], “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? Exodus 33:15-16

As the Israelites are led by Moses from captivity toward the Promised Land, God’s presence goes with them to guide them. His Glory is like a “pillar of cloud by day” and a “pillar of fire by night.” When God speaks to Moses, one on one, Moses goes into the “tent of meeting” and the pillar of cloud comes and stays at the entrance. The people stand and worship at the entrance to the tent. For Moses and the Israelites, this was the mark of God, evidence of His Presence.

In Priscilla Shirer’s “Jonah ~ A Life Interrupted” she tells us that when our obedience to God and His anointing come together, “we can expect huge things.” She goes on to say that the “Holy Spirit must mark us so others know we serve a different God.” I wonder how often I charge ahead without God’s anointing, how seldom do my actions distinguish me from all the other people on the face of the earth? Moses requests to bear the mark of God or else just don’t send me. Moses wants a distinguishing mark of the Power and Presence of God. As Christians, the Presence of God, the mark of God than distinguishes us from non-Christians is the Holy Spirit! 

•  Do those I meet see the mark of God that distinguishes me as a follower of Christ?     
•  Am I more like Moses who tells God, “Go with me or do not send me?” or Am I more likely to reach some destination and then call on God?

 Jehovah, God of all power, lead me every moment of every day. Help me to be aware of Your Presence. Let others know You are near because I wear Your mark! – dho

All rights reserved ~ used with permission of the author

Copyright 2013 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove Ministries/Christian blogger and author

Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow on Twitter @soulchat

For more information about this ministry visit ~

MangroveMinistries.org

LIKE Mangrove Ministries on Facebook

“May you be blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”