Tag: Christian Living

  • Come As You Are

    A Father’s Day Invitation from Your Heavenly Father

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    Come As You Are

    On this Father’s Day in the United States, there is a Father who longs to see you just as you are.

    Not the polished version.

    Not the version that tries to impress others.

    Not the version hidden behind titles, accomplishments, or appearances.

    Just you.

    The real you.

    Your Heavenly Father is not asking for perfection. He is asking for your presence.

    Like the prodigal son in the Gospel, many of us have wandered. Some have wandered far from God. Others sit faithfully in church each week while carrying wounds, fears, regrets, and disappointments deep within their hearts.

    Yet the Father’s invitation remains the same:

    “Come home.”

    The Father Who Waits

    In the parable of the prodigal son, the father never stopped loving his child.

    He watched.

    He waited.

    He hoped.

    And when he saw his son returning from a distance, he did not condemn him. He did not lecture him. He did not shame him.

    Instead, he ran to him.

    He embraced him.

    He welcomed him home.

    That is how God feels about each one of us.

    Many people spend their lives searching for love, acceptance, and belonging. Yet our Heavenly Father has already prepared all of these things for us. His heart longs for us to receive the love He freely offers.

    Let God Love You

    Sometimes the hardest thing to do is simply accept that we are loved.

    We know our mistakes.

    We remember our failures.

    We see our weaknesses.

    But God sees something more.

    He sees the son He created.

    He sees the daughter He formed.

    He sees a beloved child made in His image.

    When we come before Him in humility, He lifts us up. When we surrender our burdens, He carries them. When we acknowledge our need for Him, He fills us with His grace.

    The Father does not merely tolerate you.

    He delights in you.

    The Feast Is Waiting

    The father in the Gospel did not merely welcome his son home.

    He prepared a feast.

    That feast symbolizes the joy of life with God and the fellowship of His family.

    At God’s table there is room for everyone.

    There is peace for the troubled.

    There is hope for the discouraged.

    There is healing for the wounded.

    There is joy for the weary.

    There is love beyond anything this world can offer.

    God desires that we share this feast with our brothers and sisters, encouraging one another and growing together in faith.

    Love Poured Out on the Cross

    The greatest proof of the Father’s love was revealed on Calvary.

    Jesus Christ stretched out His arms upon the Cross and poured out His life for us.

    Every drop of His Precious Blood proclaimed the same message:

    “You are loved.”

    The Cross is not a symbol of defeat.

    It is the greatest victory of love the world has ever known.

    God did not wait for us to become perfect before loving us.

    He loved us first.

    He loves us now.

    And He will love us forever.

    A Peace Beyond Understanding

    Today, your Heavenly Father invites you to stop running.

    Stop hiding.

    Stop pretending.

    Come as you are.

    Bring your hopes.

    Bring your fears.

    Bring your sins.

    Bring your wounds.

    Bring your entire heart.

    Allow Him to embrace you with His mercy and fill you with a peace beyond understanding.

    Surrender yourself to His loving care.

    Become the child of God He created you to be.

    For you were made for more than this world can offer.

    You were created for eternal life, eternal joy, and eternal communion with the Father who loves you beyond measure.

    And His invitation remains open today:

    Come home. Come as you are.

    “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.” — 1 John 3:1

    Happy Father’s Day, and may God the Father bless you abundantly with His love, peace, and joy. 🙏

    and may you accept it and embrace it. Make Your Father in Heaven very happy as you come to and truly accept His Eternal, Pease, and Joy. Live with Passion. Live for God today. He is truly living for you.

    Thank you for reading this blog. Please share it with others.

    Rick Herring
    thmjmj@gmail.com

  • Living in Complete Dependence on God

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    “Just as Jesus lived in complete dependence on the Father, we too can bear no spiritual fruit apart from God.”


    🌿 Introduction

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    4

    The Christian life is often described as a journey of faith, obedience, and growth. Yet at the heart of this journey lies a profound truth: spiritual fruitfulness flows from dependence on God. Jesus Himself demonstrated this reality during His earthly ministry. His life was not one of self-sufficiency but of continual communion with the Father.

    For believers today, this example is both an invitation and a reminder—our strength, wisdom, and effectiveness in God’s kingdom do not originate within us but in our relationship with Him.


    ✝️ Jesus: The Perfect Model of Dependence

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    Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently withdrew to pray, sought the Father’s will, and acted in harmony with divine purpose. His words reveal a deep relational dependence: He did only what He saw the Father doing and spoke what He heard from the Father.

    This dependence was not weakness—it was perfect alignment within the Trinity. Jesus demonstrated that intimacy with God fuels ministry, empowers obedience, and sustains endurance even in suffering.

    His example challenges modern assumptions that effectiveness comes from talent, planning, or personal strength alone. Instead, Jesus shows that true spiritual impact is born from communion with God.


    🍇 The Meaning of Spiritual Fruit

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    When Scripture speaks of “fruit,” it refers to the visible evidence of God’s life within us. This includes Christlike character, transformed attitudes, loving relationships, and faithful service.

    Spiritual fruit is not manufactured through self-effort alone. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit apart from the vine, believers cannot cultivate genuine spiritual transformation apart from abiding in God. The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, and other virtues emerges as the Holy Spirit works within surrendered hearts.


    🙏 Practicing Daily Dependence on God

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    4

    Dependence on God is not a single decision but a daily posture. It grows through intentional practices that nurture communion with Him.

    1. Prayer as Relationship

    Prayer shifts our focus from self-reliance to trust. In prayer, we surrender our plans, seek guidance, and receive strength.

    2. Abiding in God’s Word

    Scripture shapes our thinking and anchors our identity. Through God’s Word, we learn His heart and discern His will.

    3. Yielding to the Holy Spirit

    Dependence involves surrender. As we listen and respond to the Spirit’s prompting, God produces fruit beyond our natural ability.

    4. Trusting God in Weakness

    Moments of limitation often reveal our deepest need for God. Weakness becomes the doorway through which divine strength is displayed.


    🌎 The Impact of a Dependent Life

    A life rooted in dependence on God transforms not only the believer but also the surrounding world. Such a life reflects humility, resilience, and authentic love. Ministry becomes less about performance and more about participation in what God is already doing.

    Communities are strengthened when believers operate from spiritual overflow rather than exhaustion. Dependence fosters unity, compassion, and perseverance—qualities desperately needed in today’s world.


    ✨ Conclusion

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    4

    Jesus’ life reminds us that dependence on the Father is not optional for spiritual fruitfulness—it is essential. When we abide in God, we discover that fruit grows naturally from relationship. Our calling is not to strive endlessly but to remain connected to the Source of life.

    As we embrace this truth, we find freedom from self-reliance and joy in partnership with God. In dependence, weakness becomes strength, obedience becomes delight, and ordinary lives become vessels of extraordinary grace.