"Look at the wild flowers. See how they grow. They don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field like that. That grass is living today, but tomorrow it will be thrown into the fire to be burned. So you know that God will clothe you much more. Don't have so little faith! So don't always think about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don't worry about it. All the people that don't know God try to get those things. Your Father (God) knows that you need those things. The thing you should want is God's kingdom. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. Don't fear, little flock (group). Your Father (God) wants to give you the kingdom." ~ Jesus, Luke 12:27-32 (ERV)

Jesus said to his followers, "So I tell you, don't worry about the food you need to live. Don't worry about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more important than food. And the body is more important than clothes. Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest. Birds don't save food in houses or barns. But God takes care of them. And you are worth much more than birds. None of you can add any time to your life by worrying about it. If you cannot do the little things, then why worry about the big things?" -- Luke 12:22-26 (ERV)

"When birds are sold, five small birds cost only two pennies. But God does not forget any of them. Yes, God even knows how many hairs you have on your head. Don't be afraid. You are worth much more than many birds." ~ Jesus, Luke 12:6-7 (ERV)

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. ~ Isaiah. 51:6, NIV

We see in the risen Christ the end for which man was made, and the assurance that the end is within our reach. -- Brooke Foss Wescott

As in our daily walk we come nearer towards heaven, He will open to us more of heaven.

-- Edward B. Pusey

Have you stopped seeing great things happen in your life? Perhaps you have stopped believing that God can work in a mighty way even in our generation.

-- Luis Palau

"[The Creator] gives you the mountains and the valleys for your refuge, and the tall trees wherein to build your nests, and as you can neither spin nor sew God clothes you, you and your children. Your Creator loves you much, since [the Creator] has dealt so bounteously with you: and so beware, little sisters of mine, of the sin of ingratitude, but ever strive to praise God."

- St. Francis of Assisi

Christians are like the flowers in a garden, that have each of them the dew of Heaven, which, being shaken with the wind, they let fall at each other's roots, whereby they are jointly nourished, and become nourishers of each other. -- John Bunyan

"Dear Lord, I will remain restless, tense, and dissatisfied until I can be totally at peace in your house. There is no certainty that my life will be any easier in the years ahead, or that my heart will be any calmer. But there is certainty that you are waiting for me and will welcome me home when I have persevered in my long journey to your house."

- Henri J.M. Nouwen

When you face the perils of weariness, carelessness, and confusion, don't pray for an easier life. Pray instead to be a stronger man or woman of God.

-- Luis Palau

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 

"People will hate you because you belong to the Son of Man. They will make you leave their group. They will insult you. They will think it is wrong even to say your name. When these things happen, know that God will bless you. At that time you can be happy and jump for joy, because you have a great reward in heaven. Their fathers were mean to the prophets in the same way that these people are mean to you."

-- Luke 6:22-23 (ERV)

All we want in Christ, we shall find in Christ. If we want little, we shall find little. If we want much, we shall find much; but if, in utter helplessness, we cast our all on Christ, He will be to us the whole treasury of God.

-- Henry Benjamin Whipple

"What we do is so little that we may seem to be constantly failing. But so did [Christ] fail. He met with apparent failure on the Cross. But unless the seeds fall into the earth and die, there is no harvest."

- Dorothy Day

"I sit on my favorite rock, looking over the brook, to take time away from busy-ness, time to be... it's something we all need for our spiritual health, and often we don't take enough of it."

- Madeleine L'Engle

"We do not live to win. We do not live even to finish. We live to persevere and to endure. Nothing more than this is necessary, but nothing less than this will do until that new heaven and that new earth come, the former things have passed away, the sea is no more, and the vision has become the reality."

- Peter J. Gomes

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

-- C. S. Lewis

May God grant you and yours a prosperous NEW YEAR, filling it full of His love, grace, and peace. 

If people only knew how they might cheer some lonely heart or lift up some drooping spirit, or speak some word that shall be lasting in its effects for all coming time, they would be up and about it.

-- Dwight L. Moody

For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. -- Romans 8:3-4

The law of the Lord is perfect,
     reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
     making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is
          clear,
     enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure,
     enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are
          true
     and righteous altogether.

- Psalm 19:7-9

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.

~ Jesse Owens, American track and field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist

An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.

-- A. W. Tozer

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Giver of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we oursleves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.

- 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. -- Romans 8:16-18 nlt

"I don't call you servants now. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But now I call you friends because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue {in your life}. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other." ~ Jesus

-- John 15:15-17 (ERV)

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

- Psalm 23:4

"After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again." Some of the followers said to each other, "What does Jesus mean when he says, 'After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again'? And what does he mean when he says, 'Because I am going to the Father'?" The followers asked, "What does he mean by 'a short time'? We don't understand what he is saying." Jesus saw that the followers wanted to ask him about this. So Jesus said to the followers, "Are you asking each other what I meant when I said, 'After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again'? I tell you the truth. You will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but your sadness will change to happiness. When a woman gives birth to a baby, she has pain, because her time has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a child has been born into the world. It is the same with you. Now you are sad. But I will see you again and you will be truly happy. You will have a happiness that no one can take away."

 -- John 16:16-22 (ERV)

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give each of them a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

-- Revelation 2:17 tniv

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline.

 -- 2 Timothy 1:6-7 tniv

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

-- Ephesians 2:20-22 nlt

One of Satan’s greatest tactics that he uses against us is distractions.  If he can keep us distracted, he will keep us from fulfilling our purpose and our mission here on earth.  We must recognize this tactic and overcome it.

Click and listen to this encouraging message by Rev. Greg Johnson, founder of LGF.  It will tell us how we can overcome distractions and fulfill our purpose and mission in life.

God is not far away.  He is not an absentee father.  He is much closer than you may realize.

Click and listen to this encouraging message by Rev. Greg Johnson, founder of LGF.

Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge -- a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.

-- 2 Corinthians 1:20-20 msg

 

Join LGF and Christ followers around the world who love God and People on Facebook.  Let's encourage one another!

Meet with LGF online at www.LGFinternetChurch.org .  Our doors are always open and no one is exluded!

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. -- Proverbs 3:3-4

The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

-- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.

- Micah 7:8

"If you love me, then you will do the things I command. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper. He will give you this Helper to be with you forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him. Why? Because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will live in you." -- John 14:15-17 (ERV)

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
    -- Romans 8:31-32

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn ...
    -- Isaiah 61:1-2a

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior ..."

    -- Isaiah 43:2-3

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

~ Proverbs 15:1, NLT

You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.

~ Psalm 92:4, NLT

Blessed is any weight, however overwhelming, which God has been so good as to fasten with His own hand upon our shoulders.

      -- F. W.Faber

It's hard to believe that July is here and half the year has already passed us by. I guess before we know it Christmas will be here. Wow I don't even want to think about that yet do you?

As I have been considering what to write on this month, I feel compelled to share with you Hebrews 12:1-3:NIV:   "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."   These three verses are what help me make it through yet another day in this sinful world we live in.

With the world's economy in such bad shape and all the natural disasters let alone the manmade ones, we as a world people are facing tough times.  Many have lost just about everything one could possibly lose along with their self esteem and dignity. We truly are facing troubling times. But one thing I do know for sure is that God is still in control. He knows what you are going through and He will never leave you nor will He forsake you. So keep your eyes fixed on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith no matter what your circumstances look like. Run the race marked out for you with perseverance and consider Jesus who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that YOU will not grow weary and lose heart. So be encouraged today the best is yet to come!

We thank God for all those who send in donations that allows us to minister the love of Christ to people all around the world.  Please keep me, my family and the worldwide ministry of LovingGodFellowship.org in your prayers as we keep you in ours.
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Partners in the Faith,

Rev. Becky Johnson
Co-founder
LovingGodFellowship.org

As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

~ 1 Thessalonians 1:3, NLT

There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the creation. He did it at the cross. He is doing it today.

      -- Handley C. G. Moule

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

~ Isaiah 26:3, NLT

Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

- John 16:20-22
 

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

    -- Romans 6:1

I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
    -- Philippians 1:19