Category: God is good

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Following Jesus

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Then Jesus said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23

Jesus outlined it for His disciples and anyone who wanted to follow Him, with this invitation in Luke 9:23 – when He said: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” We know from other places in Scripture that true disciples, faithful followers of Christ, must choose a different path than the world. The world teaches a “me first/self-love first” –>then others … but Jesus taught clearly and unapologetically that the love of God and others is most important.1 He even defined that this love was to mimic the way that He had loved us.2

One of my favorite Phil Wickham songs is The Jesus Way. I listen to it far more than any other song in my playlist and was delighted to find a recording of the story  behind the song recently. As we approach our new journey on Monday, from the book of Daniel, “Living Faithful in a Faithless Land,” this song and the story behind it seem very appropriate to share today. I pray it’s a blessing – 🦋

If you curse me, then I will bless you
If you hurt me, I will forgive
And if you hate me, then I will love you
I choose the Jesus way

If you’re helpless, I will defend you
And if you’re burdened, I’ll share the weight
And if you’re hopeless, then let me show you
There’s hope in the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

If you strike me, I will embrace you
And if you chain me, I’ll sing His praise
And if you kill me, my home is heaven
For I choose the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

And I choose surrender
I choose to love
Oh, God my Savior, You’ll always be enough
I choose forgiveness
I choose grace
I choose to worship, no matter what I face

I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

Source: Musixmatch / The Jesus Way lyrics © Be Essential Songs

Songwriters: Jonathan Smith / Phil Wickham /

  1. Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 NLT ↩︎
  2. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34 NLT ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Keeping A God-Shaped Focus

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Today, I’m sharing with you a prayer by Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of the late Billy Graham. As I read the prayer, I thought of the Psalms that are filled with praise to the God of the universe—like Psalms 8, 19, and 139—but I also thought of Paul’s words to the Colossian believers to think about the things of Heaven and not the things of earth.1 This is so important for all believers to remember because the truth is – it is very easy to “give more weight to the pressures and stresses around us than to God’s sovereign plan and awesome power… and lose our focus on God.”

When we lose our focus on God, it is very easy to live according to our old sinful nature rather than the new nature that showcases God in us to the world around us. After all, as Paul wrote, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.”2 This lifestyle requires a God-shaped focus.

A Prayer to Stay Focused

True, Living Lord,

I acknowledge that You are Lord. Lord of the universe, Lord of this planet, Lord of this nation, Lord of this city, Lord of this community, Lord of my life . . . ​ You are Lord of lords. I thank You and praise You, O Lord, for Your blessings and Your grace.

I humbly confess that I too often give more weight to the pressures and stresses around me than to Your sovereign plan and awesome power. I seek out worldly wisdom rather than turning to Your perfect wisdom. I boast in my own strength rather than leaning on Yours. I tend to lose my focus on You.

Lord, help me never forget that, in a world of confusion, You are the Way. In a world of political correctness, You are the Truth. In a world of death, You are eternal Life.

As I refocus on You and Your Word, give me wisdom to make decisions that are right. Give me courage to stand against that which is wrong. Give me patience to navigate my relationships with grace and truth, reflecting the light of Your love in a way that brings life to all I encounter.

Give me everything I need so others may see Jesus in me.

O God, I pray for these things not because I deserve them but because You have invited me to boldly ask for Your blessing in the name of Your Son, our Savior—Jesus.

Amen.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Fiery Darts Nor Thorns & Thistles

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Yesterday, my morning prayer journal entry started like this: “Father, You are Good. Your Word and the timing of the Spirit’s reminder are treasures in the morning and throughout the day. I do not know what lies ahead today, but I do know that it is my greatest strength, pleasure, comfort, and peace to know that You walk with me 💜 And I do not need to fear! – Fiery darts and thorns and thistles that litter the way cannot keep us from Your protective presence💜 When You are near, we have nothing to fear, for You will hold us up with Your victorious right hand.”

The entry was prompted by the “our daily verse ” email devotion that I received. Yesterday’s verse of the day was from Isaiah 41:10, and those of you who have been a part of the group for very long may recognize it as one I often use because it is among my top 10 life verses.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

I am sharing it again with you today, along with the “ourdailyverse.com” devotion from yesterday. I pray it is a blessing of encouragement for your Friday and the weekend ahead. – “Today, let’s rest in the assurance that God walks beside us through every challenge. We’re never alone in our worries. – Have a blessed day.”

“Fear, it’s a familiar adversary, a shadow that threatens to darken even the brightest of days. But in the face of this relentless foe, God speaks a promise that has the power to change everything: “Do not fear, for I am with you.” – read the full devo at https://www.ourdailyverse.com/p/verse-of-the-day-isaiah-41-10

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Spirit

Off the Beaten Path 2.0

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Love Your Enemies – But Why?

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Once again, God met me where I was this morning – and provided more words of encouragement for me to share with my friend who is struggling with someone who is making life really difficult for her. Plus, the words served as a good reminder for me of all the ways God has used them through the years to grow and strengthen my faith and to teach me the practice of loving others well and treating them as I want to be treated. It hasn’t always been easy, and I don’t always excel at it, but God has shown me many times over that I can indeed do all things through Christ, who gives me strength – even loving my “enemies.”

Friends, if we are being honest with ourselves, today’s message from God’s Word is difficult for our human minds to understand and practice- Loving those who hate or mistreat us, who terrorize or seek to destroy us, doesn’t only seem impossible -but somehow it just doesn’t seem right! As right as I know it truly is and as I’ve grown in my understanding of it through the years – I will admit when I read it again, sometimes my knee-jerk reaction is … why should our enemies not be paid back evil for evil or why should be do good to those who hate us? Why should we pray for our enemies unless it is for their destruction or to bless those who have cursed us? Why should we do good to them – when they only continue to abuse us?

The answer to all the whys is profoundly yet simply this: BECAUSE Jesus tells us to love them. So before we dismiss or even gloss over this less-than-pleasant and very difficult calling on believers, let’s remember this truth- Our God is abounding in love, full of mercy, and rich in grace. We only have to look back over the course of our life to recall just how long-suffering God has been with each of us – who are by nature sinners and, as Paul said, “children of wrath” (Eph 2:3), sinners (Rom 3:23) deserving of death but instead given the free gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ His Son (Rom 6:23).

So, yes! Nothing, absolutely nothing, seems right about this command and/or God’s expectation for the believer — that is, UNTIL we remember God’s love for us. When we remember Jesus, the One we believe in, the One who literally lay down His life for those who were enemies of the cross – enemies of His Father in Heaven – who loved the world so much that He gave — literally sent His Son, God in the flesh to the earth in the form of a man who would not only be hated – but abused and hunted down, entrapped and crucified for the sins of His enemies!

Jonathon Edward said it better when he commented on the greatness of God’s love in giving the Lord Jesus Christ: “God has given us what is of more value than all the kingdoms of the earth. He has given his only-begotten and well-beloved Son–the greatest gift he could bestow. And Christ has not only done, but he has suffered, great things, and given himself to die for us; and all freely, and without grudging… And what great things hath God done for those of us who are converted, and have been brought home to Christ; delivering us from sin, justifying and sanctifying us…And all this, when we are not good, but evil and unthankful, and in ourselves deserving only of wrath.”
  
“When viewed in this light, things begin to look a little different. By God’s grace, the desire to love our enemies should suddenly seem to come into reach. Because we were 
once the enemy who was loved.” quotes by Laurie@Thistlebend

Maybe you don’t have someone you would call an enemy in your life, but perhaps you have that person who hurt you, and you can’t or won’t forgive them. Maybe you have someone who hates you or abuses you and the last thing you want to do is repay them by doing good to them; and I’m guessing if someone struck you, you wouldn’t want to turn the other cheek.

However, consider with me the following statements from the writer of the Thistlebend posts as we close:

We once were enemies of God. While we were still His enemy, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us. This is not normally how people treat their enemies! –

Because “God first loved us, we should want to reflect Him and love others in return.” The question is, “Will we die to our self and love our enemies – Just like God did for us?”

Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Off the Beaten Path 2.0

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Generous Living x2

Yesterday, my pastor preached on “Living a Generous Life,” and this morning, I opened my morning devotion to find this verse from Proverbs 11:25: “The generous will prosper;    those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Hmmm? My first thought was: “No way!” My second thought: “I believe God is trying to tell me something.” My third thought: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.1”

Both today’s devotion and Sunday’s message reminded me that God, the Father, is the most generous giver and Christ the most generous servant. After all, God gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. As the Scripture says, “This is love,2“ but it is also the epitome of generosity. On top of giving His Son, His grace and mercy are endlessly poured out freely and faithfully to all who believe. Blessings after blessings fall like raindrops on us and around us, and I stand in awe of the depth of His generosity and am humbled by the necessary reminder to live this way. 

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

John 4:10

May God make us blessings to those around us today and every day. May He help us be generous as He is generous with love, kindness, time, and compassion. May we, in humility, serve others even as Christ taught and demonstrated to His disciples long ago. May God help us to help others from the purest of hearts and motives. May we live and love like Jesus in all we say and do. 

Have the Attitude of Christ

2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Shine Brightly for Christ

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. Philippians 2:1-18

OurDailyVerse.com / September 16, 2024

My notes from Pastor Lemming’s message / September 15, 2024

Living Faithful in a Faithless Land

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

The Great Commission

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based on the Love God Greatly Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w6d5

Scripture: The Road Map for The Journey
Matthew 28:16-20 / SOAP: 19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20. NET
Observation and Application from the Journey

This passage speaks volumes for itself! It is the climatic statement of Jesus’ mission and His final instructions for His disciples. In large part it is a message of “commission” to continue His mission of making disciples of all nations1 They are to do with others what Jesus has done with them. What they have learned from Jesus they are to teach and model to others from every people group; as Paul says in Colossians chapter three: “It doesn’t matter if they are Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free …”

Make no mistake, Jesus’ commission started with this face-to-face with the eleven, but it is clear that it was meant for all disciples who would come after them.

Followers of Jesus are to make followers of Jesus.

original source unknown

As we’ve come to the end of our present journey – Come, Lord Jesus, Come – that has been filled with these important instructions, we must not miss that the message also contains some of His final words of enduring encouragement for then and now: “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” He is with us to the end of the age, He is with us when we are “going” to make more disciples, He is with us when we are afraid, He is with us when we are in need, He is with us in grief and in joy. He is with us while we wait on His return. He is always and forever with us! – Of course, He didn’t mean this as a literal. physical presence but rather in Spirit, for all who believe in Jesus receive the gift of His Spirit from God. The Spirit is our Advocate and Counselor, and His presence graces us with both peace and strength for all we face in this life/world.

“I have spoken these things while staying with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.

27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.

John 14:25-27. NET

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, we wait for You – for Your perfect timing in sending Jesus to redeem His people. We wait to see His face and to be in Your presence. We wait with Hope and we pray for courage and obedient, yielded hearts to Your co-mission of us to carry the message of the Gospel to the world. We pray for Your help in living our faith out loud, in praying faithfully for the lost, in being ready with an answer for the Hope that is within us, We praise You for our salvation and the presence of Your Spirit with us – even to the end of the age! In the name of Jesus our Redeemer we pray and we watch and wait with hope and faith. – AMEN!

The More We Know: Side Trails along the Journey

From the LGG Journal – words of encouragement and of hope and beauty. May they be an inspiration to all who read them.

Jesus is with us to the end. We know our purpose. We know our mission. We are instructed to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations. Going out into the world means traveling to other countries, and it also means crossing the street or, in some cases, even the rooms in our homes. We need to share Christ with those near and far. We need to teach others God’s Word and how to obey it. That is more than just a conversion; Jesus wants us to disciple this generation.

When you think of the model of how Jesus chose to disciple His twelve disciples, you’ll see that He not only taught them God’s Word but also how to live it out. It’s not enough to know God’s Word in our minds; we must allow God’s Word to penetrate our hearts and change us from the inside out. God’s Word must impact the way we live our lives, the way we love, serve, and treat others. While this is all a process and takes time, we see that Jesus did life with and invested in a select group of twelve men. These men were far from perfect. They didn’t always understand Jesus, but Jesus never gave up on them.

Discipleship is hard. Discipleship takes time. But this is the command Jesus left us with: do as I have done. Numbers don’t matter. Pour your life into a group of individuals. Teach them God’s Word and how to obey it. Reach out to those locally and those at the ends of the earth. No one is too far from God. All are welcome at the foot of the cross. Jesus knew that the work He was calling us to was no easy task. But, He has promised us something that is a game-changer: He is with us always.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank You for the promise that You are always with us. Today, I pray for favor and open doors to share boldly with those near me and anywhere You might send me. Thank You for this opportunity to play a part in this amazing love story You are writing with our lives. Please open the hearts and minds of this generation to Your love. I pray this generation will turn from their sinful ways and turn to You. I pray for salvation for those who don’t yet know You, and I pray for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through those of us who bear Your name. I pray for a mighty harvest like never before. I pray for Your kingdom to come and Your will to be done. Until the day we see You face-to-face, we will pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

Have you heard the Truth? Do You know the Way? If not or if you’re not sure please take a minute to read “Know These Truths” – You might just be surprised how this Truth can change your life and renew you from the inside out! 🦋

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Spirit

In a Whirlwind

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Based on the LGG Study, Come, Lord Jesus, Com / w3d2
Scripture: 2 Kings 1:1-18; SOAP verse 11

As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. 2 Kings 2:11 NET

Observations and Applications for the Journey

Today, on our journey, we find ;the story of Elijah and Elisha, two of the most well-known prophets of Israel. Their impact led to revival among some of the Israelites during a dark stage of Israel’s history. You can read more about their story at Gotquestions.com. 1

There is much to be explored in these eighteen verses. For instance, Elisha’s character and his devotion to Elijah, or the miraculous parting of the Jordan river. I do encourage you to explore all of these and more in today’s, “The More We Know…” section; but for now we will focus on Elijah’s whirlwind departure, which included a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses, as well as the first of many miracles by Elisha, following his master’s death. 2

Like Enoch, from our previous post, Elijah was taken up without seeing death. I love that Matthew Henry points out that Elijah was not meditating or praying but rather continuing to go where the Lord led Him. Actually, when it occurred he was walking along with Elisha, “instructing and encouraging him.” – when suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared and Elisha watched, no doubt stunned by what he was seeing, he cried out “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” When he could no longer see Elijah, his sorrow was evident as he tore his clothes in two. Then, before returning to the Jordan he picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen off him as he was taken up. When he reached the Jordan, similar to what he had seen Elijah do before they crossed over, Elisha took the cloak and hit the water and Scripture says “it divided and Elisha crossed over.” Those who saw what happened said: “The Spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.”

Don’t you just love, and I hope appreciate – the majesty and the drama of God and His Word?

From Today’s LGG Journal Entry

This is a portion of today’s LGG journal entry that I thought you might enjoy and find helpful in the application. For while we may never be taken up by a whirlwind that includes a fiery carriage and fiery horses – there are some things we can learn to put into practice as we wait for the Jesus to come …

  • There have only been three people recorded in the Bible who have been taken up into heaven: Enoch, Elijah, and Jesus (after His resurrection). All three times the being “taken away,” “caught up,” or “raptured,” happened a little differently but had the same effect.
  • Elijah knew his time to leave Elisha had come, and even though he knew the day, he did not know the hour of his departure. We know Jesus is coming soon because He has made it clear in His Word. We do not know the day or the hour, but God has let us know that the day is approaching. In the waiting, we must continue to do the work God has placed before us. We can look at Elijah as an example of how to live our lives while we are in the season of anticipation.
  • What we see in Elijah’s life are three ways to live our lives now. First, we need to walk forward in faith and not be afraid of what the future holds. Second, like Elijah, we need to invest in the next generation. And third, like Elisha, we need to honor those who have mentored and gone before us. Doing all three will help us live intentionally and effectively with the time we have left.
Prayer – Our Heart’s Response to the journey

Father, The imagery of Your Word is beautiful and engaging. The promise of Your coming and the encouragement to be about Your work – the work You have placed before us. Help us to live by the example of Elijah, living our lives while we are in the season of waiting. Help us to walk forward in faith and not be afraid of what the future hold. Help us and show us how to invest in the next generation; and to honor those who have mentored and gone before us. Help us to live intentionally and effectively with the time we have left – In Jesus’ name,, Amen!

The More We Know: Side trails for the Journey

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

His Reward

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based on the LGG Study – Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w2d4

Scripture: Revelation 22:12-13

Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last , the beginning and the end!

True confessions … I am not one that has ever been comfortable with the topic of rewards in or for the Christian life, Don’t get me wrong, I know Jesus speaks of the rewards, and I do consider them an exciting part of what is to come, and let’s face it I would much rather be given His reward than the punishment unbelievers will face; however, I believe we must be careful to not focus on the reward and lose sight of the One who is bringing the reward with Him. Perhaps my aversion to the thought of earning rewards stems from my overly competitive personality. Board games, card games, sporting events, and nearly anything else that can be turned into a competition bring out the competitor in me … or at least it used to. At some point in the past several years (actually much further back than that), I realized just how obnoxious my overzealousness to win was – actually, I believe it was God who pointed it out to me, and He’s been working on me ever since. But, just in case you see me in overdrive in one of the aforementioned situations – please remember – God’s not finished with me yet. 😊💜

My point of sharing this less-than-flattering part of my testimony was simply meant to be a segue into the Love God Greatly devotion for today. However, when I read the Devo (after writing the segue), It let me know I’m not the only one who doesn’t like to talk about the idea of being rewarded for our good works/faithfulness. The devotion also helped me realize there might be more reason for my reluctance to dwell on the rewards to come. They suggest that because “we know we can never earn our salvation, a free gift from God, we tend to get nervous when the topic of rewards is brought up.” I don’t know that this truly applies to me as much as my competitive nature, but I do hope you’ll keep reading to see and be as encouraged as I was.

To be clear, our salvation is not a reward. It is a gift, not of works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9). You can read more about this in The More We Know section below.

Focusing on my future with Jesus helps me endure today.

LGG Journal: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p 84

INTO THE WORD

In some of our Christian circles, we don’t talk much about this idea of being rewarded for our good works. I think it makes us feel uncomfortable. Since we know we can never earn our salvation, a free gift from God, we tend to get nervous when the topic of rewards is brought up.

But in Revelation 22:12–13, Jesus specifically says that when He returns, He will repay us according to how we lived our lives. What a comfort this promise is for those who have suffered greatly for the name of Jesus. It is encouraging to remember that nothing done for God is ever forgotten or wasted. Jesus sees the sacrifices made. He sees the injustices inflicted on those who have taken a stand in His name. He knows the things that have been taken from His people, and He has not forgotten. Because Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, He has seen it all, beginning and end, and nothing has escaped His notice. He will reward us according to our work.

When Jesus first came to earth, He came as a baby. When Christ comes again, He will come back as the roaring lion, ready to bring judgment upon the earth.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank You for being holy and good. Thank You for seeing it all. You never miss an injustice or heartbreak. Thank You for never wasting any hurt that I go through. Thank you for always bringing good and purpose out of my pain. Even though I pray my primary motivation for obedience will be my love for You, I thank You for the promise of Your heavenly rewards. I look forward to the day when I can lay them all down at Your holy feet. May I do everything for Your glory. Until the glorious day when I see You face to face, I will continue to pray come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

The More We Know

Rewards for the faithful

The judgment seat of Christ does not determine our salvation; that matter was settled by Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf (1 John 2:2) and our faith in Him (John 3:16). All our sins are forgiven, and there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24, emphasis added).

More on Rev 22:12

More on Rev 22:13

The Crown of Life

Second Corinthians 5:10 states: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” This is often referred to as the “Bema seat,” and is not the same as the judgment given to those who reject Christ. Unbelievers will be judged at the great white throne and be sentenced to eternal suffering in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Off the Beaten Path

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Today’s devotional is borrowed and shared from ourdailyverse.com

If I were to list my favorite ‘breath prayers,’ this verse would be among the top ten. I think I learned it because of my anxiety but it is a perfect mantra for busy days, difficult sittuations, weariness, and simply all of life in this world we live in. Try it with me … taking a slow deep breath in, whisper or think the words – “Be still and know,” then.- as you slowly exhale, think or whisper – “that I am God.”

Today’s ‘off the beaten path devotion is a beautiful explanation of this verse and why we should hide it in our heart – ready to quiet any troubling or unexpected situation that arises. Be sure and click on the pic below –

https://www.ourdailyverse.com/p/verse-day-psalm-4610-a84c

🙏 Verse of the Day: Psalm 46:10
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Off The Beaten Path –

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Day 5 – Celebration of Life Prayer 2.0

I posted this little blog on my 57th birthday five years ago. It was actually a prayer and one of the first prayer posts I shared under the category of “God is Good.” I have updated it to reflect my most recent birthday and share it here with you as a segue to the guest post by Ann Voskamp.

Celebration of Life / an edited post of July 20, 2019

God, you are good! You have blessed me with 62 years of life🎉 This number represents more than years of life. For it is also a reminder that …

  • through FAITH in Jesus Christ, I have known you as my God for 56 years – and
  • 35 years ago, You brought me to a fuller understanding of Your marvelous grace, which profoundly and forever changed my life1 – and
  • Since then,  I have been GROWING in the knowledge of Your grace and of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ ❤️ in the nurture and admonition of Your amazing, never-failing LOVE!

So, while I celebrate my birthday and am deeply grateful for another year of life – my greater celebration is in You!

  • I bow in worship and celebrate who You are and that You made Yourself known to me!
  • I bless and celebrate Your Name – Name above all Names –
  • I celebrate being adopted into Your family and known as a child of God!
  • I praise and celebrate You for all that You have done for me throughout these 62 years – You’ve protected, provided, and shown me Your kindness, love, and compassion. You’ve rescued me from pits of destruction and walked with me through countless valleys, and not once have You left me on my own —so I celebrate You and the day of my salvation 56 years ago!
  • again and again I praise and celebrate You for Your mercy and pursuit of this wayward lamb
  • and I celebrate the fuller understanding You have given me of Your life-changing grace and Your faithfulness to grow me up in the nurture and admonition of Your Love over the past 35 years!

When I was writing this post five years ago – a song from decades ago started playing in my mind – And will be my song of celebration every year of my life – not just for my celebration of years but even more for my celebration of life in Christ! 🎶

Listen to my birthday song. Then, I invite (and encourage)you to visit the link to Ann Voskamp’s blog. It is a wonderful musing of ideas and encouragement about God’s grace and the change that comes from knowing and embracing Him, the God who doesn’t change and can do the impossible.

Change is possible, when you embrace the God who doesn’t change and can do the impossible.

Ann VosKamp

The post is long but well worth the read – even if you read some today and some tomorrow …. How to Have a Better Second Half of Your Life

photo credits/Ann Voskamp

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