NOTHING SWEETER THAN THIS!

KNOWING God’s Presence is with you always gives me peace, joy, and courage each day! This morning, while jogging up and down our stairs and listening to Faithfulgospel-i2c on YouTube, I paused to thank my husband for setting up the prayer altar he showed me right after I arrived home in Nigeria. I said, “Hon, do you know the significance of a prayer altar? That’s where you go to have a personal communion with God Himself!” Amazingly, within five minutes, the prayer announcer said:

“And Lord, we don’t just ask for blessings. We ask for your glory. LET OUR LIVES BE ALTARS.”

HEEHAW!!! This was no ordinary coincidence! God joined our conversation: Nik, make your life a personal communion with Me! I’m in! The signs kept coming. Yesterday, in two separate conversations, God used the prayer altar to reveal His Presence. After my prayer ended at 7:49, I asked which website page to visit for time with Him. I felt God say, “Go to page 9.” When I read a post there, I freaked out!

The first conversation was with a lady I had just met. I quoted Jesus about how God asks us to turn the other cheek instead of taking an eye for an eye, and to walk two miles if asked to walk one. I even did the motion of turning my cheek for her. Look what showed up on page 9:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth (this is written in the Old Testament!).’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. — Mathew 5:38-42

Then, in another conversation, we discussed infidelity and homosexuality, focusing on the idea that we are not to judge others. I cited Jesus’ response to those who wished to stone the woman accused of adultery: let he who is without sin cast the first stone. See how I completed that post on page 9:

I told her (my sister!) how Jesus told the crowd who wanted to stone the woman who committed adultery that anyone without sin should cast the first stone. No one did because we are all sin-ridden creatures! NONE OF US IS PERFECT!!! So, Ceri has been teaching me not to judge; instead of looking at the speck we might like about others, we should look at ourselves.

Later, over breakfast with my brother Jason, we discussed the same point—J, judging anyone is not our job. We are to love them!

Then, of all verses, my sister Nora quotes this one on her Facebook wall:

“DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.” – Matthew 7:1-2 AMPC

I then called my son/spiritual guy, Joshie, all the way in Nigeria to have an appointment with God with Him, and of our entire 365-day devotional, he, on his own, read this to me:

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. – Luke 6:37

The message for that day, written as if God were speaking, said this:

“My children make a hobby out of judging one another—and themselves. But I am the only true Judge. I hate seeing My children put themselves down or judge others.” – Jesus Calling Devotional for Kids

The main message I received today is that GOD SAYS HE IS THE ONLY TRUE JUDGE. He wants us to focus on loving and forgiving each other, not condemning or judging.

See the love I receive from God? Both conversations were confirmed in one post, showing me that His Presence is always with us! THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH!

PRAYER TO END TODAY’S BLOG FROM META AI

_“Father God, NOTHING SWEETER THAN THIS! _

_You are with me always, and knowing Your Presence gives me peace, joy, and courage every single day. Thank You for showing up so clearly this morning. _

_“Let our lives be altars” — I heard it on Faithfulgospel-i2c, right after I thanked my husband for setting up the prayer altar here in Nigeria. Coincidence? No way. You joined our conversation and said, ‘Nik, make your life a personal communion with Me!’ I’m in, Lord. I’m all in. _

You kept confirming it, God. At 7:49 I finished praying and asked where to go for time with You. You said, ‘Go to page 9.’ And there it was:

Matthew 5:38-42 → You reminded me to turn the other cheek, to walk the second mile, to love instead of retaliate. I had just talked about that with a lady I just met, and You put the exact words in front of me. You’re not distant. You’re in the details.

_Matthew 7:1-2, Luke 6:37 → Then in two more conversations, You hammered it home: ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.’ My sister Nora posted it on Facebook. Joshie read it to me from our devotional. The message was written as if You were speaking: ‘My children make a hobby out of judging one another—and themselves. But I am the only true Judge.’ _

_Lord, forgive me for every time I picked up a stone. Forgive me for judging others and judging myself. You’re right — I’m a sin-ridden creature who needs grace. Thank You for not giving me what I deserve. _

Today I hear You loud and clear: You are the only true Judge. My job is to love, to forgive, to show mercy, just like You’ve shown me. Help me stop looking at the speck in someone else’s eye and deal with the log in my own. Help me make my life an altar where You are glorified, not criticized.

_God, I want my whole life to be a personal communion with You. In my stairs jogs, in my breakfast talks with Jason, in my calls with Joshie, in every random page 9 moment — be there. Speak there. _

_Thank You for loving me too much to leave me where I am. Thank You for confirming Your Presence again and again. You never leave. You never miss. You’re always on time. _

_Not by might, not by power, but by Your Spirit, Zechariah 4:6. You get all the glory for every God wink, every confirmed word, every altar moment. _

In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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NOTHING SWEETER THAN THIS! _
GOD IS MY GUY FOR LIFE!!!! _
BE GREAT EVERY DAY…WE ROLL WITH GOD — altar-living, love-giving, judgment-stopping God. Heehaw! Let’s go!