The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for My Beloved - KINDNESS

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for My Beloved - KINDNESS

“But what happens when we live God’s way?  He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.  We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”  (Galatians 5:22-23 The Message) 

As you may have guessed, the gifts we are sending via the Spirit to our spouse (future or current) are the Fruits of the Spirit.  Life is so much more pleasant when you and the people in your life are truly showing off their fruit of the Spirit!  

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.  Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”  (Galatians 5:16 NLT)

“My counsel is this:  Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.  Then you wont feed the compulsions of selfishness.”  (Galatians 5:16 The Message) 

Selfishness - isn’t that where relationships fall apart?  My hope and desire is that I will be filled with the Holy Spirit, trusting God so completely that the Fruit of the Spirit is evident, and my navel gazing will be eradicated.  Therefore the spiritual gifts we are sending to our beloveds, are to help them to let go of fear, and “live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.”   That kind of freedom is irresistibly attractive!  

Kindness.   The Hebrew word is chrestotes, Strong’s#5544:  Goodness in action, sweetness of disposition, gentleness in dealing with others, benevolence, kindness, affability.  The word describes the ability to act for the welfare of those taxing your patience.  The Holy Spirit removes abrasive qualities from the character of one under His control.  

I want that!   and I would like my future husband to be a kind person.  

On the fourth day of Christmas, we give our True Love ...the gift of Kindness.

Gracious God, you are so kind.  This Christmas, and right now, fill our spouse with Your Holy Spirit - so full they fall more deeply in love with You, letting go of fear and the cares of the world.   As they are filled with Your Spirit, give them an extra measure of Kindness, that they will ~

• Exhibit Goodness in action

• Have sweetness of disposition

• Be gentle when dealing with others

• Live a life of benevolence

• Be friendly, approachable and kind to others  

Thank you LORD for Your faithfulness!  Thank You for transforming us more each day, by the renewing of our minds through Your powerful Word.  Thank You for bringing our beloved closer to us every day.  Thank You Holy UPS Man, for Uniting us by the Presence of Your Spirit!  

Amen!  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for My Beloved - PATIENCE

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for My Beloved - PATIENCE 

The other word for patience is LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG-Suffering.  When is long suffering, TOO-LONG-suffering?  God is right on time, though I must say, it sure feels as though He has not been on time - not according to MY time.  

Abraham & Sarah must have felt that God’s timing for the fulfillment of the promise was a bit too-long.  Or the Israelites who waited 400 years in spiritual darkness before Jesus broke-through with His glorious light!  They must have struggled with patience, and that was indeed loooooong-suffering. 

Patience, the Hebrew word is makrothumia; Strong’s #3115: 

From makros, “long,” and thurmos, “temper.”  The word denotes lenience, forbearance, fortitude, patient endurance, longsuffering.  Also included in makrothumia is the ability to endure persecution and ill-treatment.  It describes a person who has the power to exercise revenge but instead exercises restraint.  This quality is a fruit of the spirit. 

God is patient with us, and when we abide in His Spirit, we too are patient.  

“I waited and waited and waited for God.  At last He looked; finally He listened.”  (Psalm 40:1 The Message)

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11-12 NKJV)  

On the fourth day of Christmas, we give our True Love ...the gift of divine Patience. 

Patient God, we pray for our future (or existing) spouses, that You will deliver to them an extra measure of patience and long suffering by Your Spirit ~

• that they will be lenient with others

• exercise restraint when provoked

• have fortitude and patient endurance

Just as we have been waiting and waiting and waiting, the other person has been waiting too.  

Thank you LORD for sending the comforter to them while they wait with patience for us!  Thank you UPS Man, for Uniting us by the Presence of Your Holy Spirit!  

“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  

AMEN!  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for My Beloved - PEACE

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for My Beloved - PEACE

“And SUDDENLY there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 
‘Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth PEACE, goodwill toward men.’”

Can you even imagine what it would be like to suddenly see a multitude of heavenly host praising God, and declaring peace on earth?  WOW!   The shepherds decided after that experience that it might be a good idea to go see baby Jesus.  

PEACE - shalom; Strong’s #7965:  Completeness, wholeness, peace, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation of discord.  Shalom comes from the root verb shalam, meaning “to be complete, perfect and full.”  Thus Shalom is much more than the absence of war and conflict; it is the wholeness that the entire human race seeks.  (Note from The Spirit Filled Life Bible.)  

“Behold, on the mountainsThe feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims PEACE!”  (Nahum 1:15 NKJV)  

Jesus came to bring Peace; Shalom.  We are to enforce His peace by proclaiming PEACE wherever we go, and today we proclaim PEACE over the one we will marry, or have married.  (delivered by the divine UPS Man!)  To help us understand the importance of praying declarative prayers, in agreement with the Word of God, I share with you from the book “The Supernatural Ways of Royalty” by Kim Vallotton: 

“We are partnering with God to bring justice to earth. (PEACE!)  Like Paul we are restoring the knowledge of the one true God.  Like Gideon, we are restoring the supernatural signs of God.  We’re restoring health to people’s bodies, souls and spirits.  We’re restoring relationships and families.  We’re restoring financial prosperity....   

The truth is that Christ defeated and disarmed the enemy once and for all on the Cross (see Col. 2:15).  God has condemned him as guilty and handed over the authority he had usurped from Adam to Jesus Christ, the second Adam.  

Our job as “little Christs” is as deputies who enforce that judgment in every situation we come across.  God created a world where our vote counts and where our agreement with all that He’s doing is necessary to release His power into the world.” 

Our Father God, You are so amazing - Wonderful!  Counselor!  PRINCE OF PEACE!  

Thank you for delivering the enormous gift of peace today, to the person, and people You have Your hand upon for Kingdom marriages. Lord, bless the marriages of the people in our lives with Shalom.  (Add your own prayers to each word of Shalom.)   

We declare over our spouse:  

• Completeness in every area of their lives
• Wholeness
• Peace
• Good health
• Welfare
• Safety
• Soundness
• Tranquility
• Prosperity
• Perfectness
• Wholeness
• Rest
• Harmony
• The absence of agitation or discord  

• Lord, perfect and bring to completeness, all that concerns them.  (Psalm 138:8)   

And I pray that each of us will have the mind of Christ to comprehend the power of our partnership with You LORD of lords, and King of kings.  

AMEN!  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

(Sorry for technical difficulties) The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for Our Beloved - JOY

I apologize to those of you who might receive this 3 times.  And for the rest of you who are seeing this for the first time.    God bless you!  


The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for Our Beloved - JOY 

The word for my niece Cally and her husband Marshall’s wedding in July was JOY!  And it was indeed a Joy-filled celebration!   Contagious JOY!  

 Cally & Marshall

Joy is a wonderful gift to give this Christmas.  I looked up one of the words for Joy, and the following scripture is perfect for those who are waiting, and sending these gifts via THE UPS man, God.  

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold; And there be no herd in the stalls --

Yet I will REJOICE in the LORD.I WILL JOY in the God of my salvation.

The LORD God is my strength!  He will make my feet like deer’s feet,  And He will make me walk on my high hills.”   (or high heels! ha ha!)  (Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV)

HE WILL!   Thank you LORD!  

The word for JOY is gil (geel) Stronng’s #1523; 

“To joy, rejoice, be glad, be joyful.  Gil contains the suggestion of ‘dancing for joy,’ or ‘leaping for joy,’ since the verb originally meant ‘to spin around with intense motion.’  Although everything is wrong in Habakkuk’s external world, he is leaping for joy over his fellowship with Yahweh.”   

“Do not sorrow, for the JOY of the LORD is your strength!”  (Nehemiah 8:10)

Joy in Nehemiah 8:10 is Strong’s #/2304; Joy, Gladness.  

On the second day of Christmas, 

I give my true love....  JOY!  

Father God, we pray and declare that You are imparting to our spouse, future or current, unspeakable JOY!    Be our UPS Man, and Unite us IN JOY by the Presence of Your Spirit

• Despite their circumstances, and busyness, give them feet like deer, that they can walk on the high hills, and overcome anything pulling them into discouragement.  

• We declare (from Song of Solomon 2:17)  “Turn my beloved! And be like a gazelle, or a young stag, and leap over the mountain of Bether [SEPARATION.]    

• Fill them with Your Holy Spirit today, so full that they cannot contain the Joy!  Impart to them leaping, spin-around JOY; contagious JOY!  

• And sensitize their spirits.  Give them a child like spirit, expectant for Christmas morning.  A spirit that will leap for joy when their spouse (future or current) walks in the room, like John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb.  (Luke 1:41)  

• Lord, impart to them the Joy and Gladness in You, that will strengthen them until we are United, face to face, by the Presence of Your Spirit!   

AMEN!  

I leave you with the song that came on this morning when I sat down to write about JOY!  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings - Love

The Twelve Days of Christmas Blessings for Our Beloved

I am extraordinarily blessed to have faith filled parents who love God, and pray mightily for all of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren!  Last night while discussing Christmas plans, my mother said, “This is the last Christmas Eve we will spend together, because next year you will be with your husband!”

  

Then my father said, “He must be getting very lonely without you!”  

I love their faith!  and I love that they believe in romance.  

There is someone out there waiting for YOU!  That person is aching for your gift of love, just as you are longing for them.  We may not have a beloved to lavish fine Christmas gifts upon this year, but God knows that other person, and He wants to be our UPS man.....  

Uniting by the Presence of the Spirit.   

Would you like to join me in praying 12 days of spiritual blessings for your beloved?  If you are married, this is a great way to bless your spouse before Christmas Day.  

On the first day of Christmas, we give our True Love 

...the gift of divine Love. 

Father God, together we pray that You surround our spouses (future or current) with Your perfect Love that drives out all fear.  

Embrace our beloveds, and give them a new and grater experience of the Love of Christ that passes knowledge - that they are able to comprehend even more, what is the width, and length, and depth, and height of Your Love for them.  

Fill them with Your heartbeat for the world around them; that Your Love will fill them, and overflow to all who come in contact with them.  

We pray and declare that we will all love You, the Lord our God, with ALL of our hearts, with all of our souls, and with all of our minds.   

And I must add a quote from my niece Elizabeth’s blog, Long to Love:   

“‘When you pray, expect the immediate activity of God. Perhaps seen, likely unseen.’ Whatever it is in your life that pushes you to fall on your knees, to yearn and plead with God for supernatural intervention, pray for it and know He is moving.  I love the Message version of Romans 8:26-28 –

“… the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”

We can know that God is moving in the life of someone we will embrace in the future - and He is Uniting us by the Presence of His Holy Spirit!  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

David, Mary, Tim Tebow & Breaking Through!

David, Mary, Tim Tebow & Breaking Through!!   

Wherever you live, and even if you are not a football fan, you have heard about Tim Tebow.  He has now been mentioned on every news show, late night show, newspapers, Twitter and Facebook!  Truly a phenomenon.  Have you seen Tebowing?  

My favorite quote from this past Sunday, and another miraculous Bronco WIN in overtime, 

“When you BELIEVE, unbelievable things are possible!" 

Tim Tebow is astounding the nation, because his belief that that ALL things are possible is infectious, and the Denver Broncos are winning football games miraculously!  After signing with the Denver Broncos, he waited patiently, for over a year to really play football - and now he and his teammates are breaking through in every game.  He is changing the culture of a city (perhaps a nation) with his faith and fortitude.   

“And David came to Baal-perazim, and he smote them (defeated his enemies) there, and said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like the bursting out of great waters.’  So he called the name of that place, Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through].”  (or Master of Breakthroughs)  (2 Samuel 5:20 Amplified)  

Over the weekend my kitchen sink backed up (which also meant that the washing machine could not drain), and the experts I consulted told me that it was impossible without a plumber and a roto-rooter snake thingy.  I tried Drain-o....no change.  Then a friend suggested I lay hands on my sink and pray, so I did, and nothing happened.  I went to church and a group of children prayed for the clog to release so that the water could flow, but there was no change when I returned home.   

It was not until after the miraculous Bronco game, Tim Tebow saying, "When you BELIEVE, unbelievable things are possible"  and my shouting “Grace! Grace!” (Zechariah  ) to the blockage, that it finally released!   

It was miraculous - in a Tim Tebow, Denver Bronco break-through sort of way!   Miraculous in a Mary sort of way.  

In the midst of praying for my pipes, I saw that the blockage in the pipe is how I feel about some areas of my life; that there is something blocking the flow of God’s provision, and THE relationship.  Do you feel that way too?   

As I prayed for breakthrough in the pipe, I was also praying for breakthrough in my life, and your life too.  There are many of us struggling to remain hopeful - and expectant.   BUT GOD!   He is breaking through!  

Christmas is the season of the miraculous breaking into the darkness, so I pray that all of us will receive the seed of fresh faith, to believe ALL things are possible!  

“For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”  (Luke 1:37 Amplified)  

Declarations:  

Thank you LORD of the breakthrough, that NOTHING is EVER impossible with You!  I pray and declare the favor You gave to Mary, will be a shield for each person desiring a Kingdom Marriage;  that Your word will be like a sword in their lives, cutting away all discouragement, fear and unbelief.  

• Lord God, overshadow us with Your presence, and impart to us fresh seeds of faith, hope and expectancy in Your promises.  

• We receive the gift of Faith; of child-like faith.  

• We declare that we have the faith to move mountains!   

• We declare BREAKTHROUGH!  The Lord is breaking through our obstacles and enemies like the bursting out of great waters!  

• And we shout GRACE!  GRACE!  To all obstacles that are slowing the flow of God’s provision - spiritual, financial and relational!  (as Beth Moore would say)  “MOVE IT!”  

• Thank you Lord for the strength to endure and wait, with patience and joy.  

• We declare and receive the expectancy of Mary, knowing that the Master of the Breakthrough is faithful!  

• “Now to Him Who, by the power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above ALL that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams] - -   To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.    AMEN!  [so be it!]”  (Ephesians 3:20 Amplified)  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Praying for Your Friends

Praying for Your Friends

“And the LORD restored  Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.  Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before."  (Job 42:10 NKJV - note: God turned the captivity of Job - what was captured from Job)

I will admit, I have been going through some challenging things, and it is not just relationships.  Yesterday I stopped to say hello to my neighbor, and she told me she might lose her house, so I grabbed her hand and prayed for her and for restoration.  There are a lot of people going through difficult things - strained finances and the holidays always makes the absence of a life companion, or just a nice date, ever more glaring.  

On Sunday a lovely lady with crystal blue eyes prayed for me, and then she told me that she too was waiting and praying for breakthrough in her life.  She knows hope deferred.  As she prayed and gave her faith on behalf of my concerns, I saw God bringing abundant restoration to her.  I heard myself say, “As you give to others through your prayers, it will be given to you.”

“Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over; will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  (Luke 6:38 NIV)

Christmas is the season of giving, and we bring our gifts to the King of kings to celebrate His miraculous entrance into our impossible circumstances.  As I have recently battled worry, doubt, and unbelief, which all pull my eyes into my navel, it has been on my heart to “pray for my friends.”   Job's friends were dishonest, so if you have friends like that, pray for them.  But what is tugging on my heart is not only to pray for others who are struggling, but also to pray for the people who are blessed with a great marriage, wonderful children, and a steady income.  To pray for those who are walking in the fullness and fulfillment of their hopes and dreams; the epitome of the desires of my heart.   

Is there sometimes a sharp pang in your heart when you see your friends blessed with the very things that you have been praying for...waiting for, and longing to see God fulfill in your life?  Oh the slippery slope of self pity, and we have all been there.  

The remedy?  Pray for your friends!  Pray for MORE blessing on those who seem to have it all!  

“Rejoice with those who rejoice!”  (Romans 12:15) 

“Give and it will be given to you!”  

Praying for your friends is not a formula to GET double restoration from God, it is the Kingdom principal of a generous God.  When we take our eyes off of our own circumstances, and focus on loving our LORD and other people, God restores our faith, hope and joy!  

Who is God putting on your heart to pray for today?  Give the gift of blessing others this Christmas season!  

Praying for our friends, and praying the Word:  

• Father God, I pray for my friends ____________, that You will bless their socks off this Christmas.  Strengthen their marriages with more love for their spouses, and more love for You.  Bind them together with the gift of Romance, and give them them wisdom to keep You at the core of their relationships.  Protect and empower their children to walk even closer with You as their Lord and Savior.  Increase their financial blessings to enable them to give more then they have dreamed possible.  Holy Spirit, visit them with dreams and visions for Your Kingdom!  Give them Your love and joy overflowing - that rivers of living water will pour out on their communities, and all who come in contact with them.  

• (and from Ephesians 3 The Message)  "I get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you [my friends] by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."

• And for YOU:  20-21God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 

• “Now to Him Who, by the power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above ALL that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams] - -   To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever.    AMEN!  [so be it!]  (Ephesians 3:20 Amplified)  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011