Category: Know These Truths

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

Posted on by

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, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Wisdom

Difficult Seasons of Life

Posted on by

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 …”

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Seasons of discontent … seasons of grief … seasons of illness … seasons of waiting … seasons of caring for aging parents … seasons of watching children or grandchildren hurting/struggling with life … seasons of interruptions … seasons of change … seasons of growing pains … seasons of barrenness … seasons of weariness … seasons of …


Whatever season you may be in you need to know that if you belong to God, He is with You. He has not forgotten you nor overlooked your season. He’s calling you to fix your eyes on Him and keep running the race. The road we are on is not a coincidence, the trials and heartaches we face are not meant to crush us but to help us grow in our faith so that we are able to endure to the finish line.1 His spirit dwells within us, enabling us to run and not grow weary and to walk and not faint. We do not need to run from the difficult places we desperately want to escape but rather we should ask God to align our hearts with His will. We do not have to postpone living the rich full lives that Christ came to bring. Instead, as Ruth Chou Simons writes, “we need to meet God where we are.” We need to place our eyes on Him – not on where we would rather be.  To borrow from the writer of Hebrews 12:1, today’s road map for our journey, we need to run with perseverance the race mapped out for us. 

Image borrowed from Proverbs 31 devotions /August 19, 2024

Friends, whether you find yourself in a place of contentment right now or a place of discontent and struggle, I invite you to read this encouraging story/message, A Call to Persevere, by Ruth Chou Simons. 

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/08/19/a-call-to-persevere

If you are reading this and have never placed your hope in Jesus I invite you to read Know These Truths, and find out how you can share in our faith and hope and find strength to persevere to the end – all while experiencing the rich full life Christ promises to all who belong to Him. 

Know These Truths
  1. Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 ↩︎
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

Posted on by

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, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Encouragement as We Wait

Posted on by

Based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w6d3

Scripture: Our Road Map for the today’s Journey

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 / SOAP vs. 9-11

For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing. 1 Thess 5:9-11 NET

Observations and Applications for the Journey

For those who have placed their faith in Jesus this passage is another beautiful reminder of God’s grace in pouring out the wrath that our sins deserved onto His Son so that we might live an eternal life with Him!💜🫶 – As I contemplated the passage a declaration from John’s first epistle came to mind – “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”.1 Jn 3:1 – Ah the unbelievable beauty of God’s love! May this be our encouragement to one another as we wait through these trying days for His return.

May we be found faithfully living as children of the light and of the day so that those in the darkness might see and hear our message of faith and hope and be saved from the wrath that is to come on those who have not believed.

– Me, from the Insideout 🦋

If you do not know Christ as Your Savior my prayer is for you to hear and understand the truth of God’s Word – that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory and that those sins are deserving of death. But, in God’s great love and mercy He gave Jesus, His only begotten son, to die in our place – so that ALL who believe in Him would have everlasting life. Because of this exchange there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. All who have believed will be spared the wrath that is to come on those who have not believed. – If you would like to know more about these truths and how you can share in this hope I invite you to read “Know These Truths” before it’s too late.

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/
Prayer of Response for the Journey

(borrowed, in-part, from the LGG Journal)


Dear Lord, give me words to build up those around me. Help me to be generous with my encouragement and lead me to those I should encourage and give me the right words to say. Help me be a better encourager in these last days. Show me how I can be Your hands and feet to those who need it. Thank you, Jesus, for how You love and sustain us. Thank you for bearing God’s wrath on the cross. You are amazing in every way! Until the day when we can see you face-to-face, we pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. – May we be found faithfully sharing the Gospel message of salvation until that day, so that all who have not yet believed may hear and know and believe in the TRUTH before it is too late. Amen.

The More We Know: Side Trails of the journey

Be sure and check out today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Set Apart - Living a Life for God's Glor

The Matchless Power of His Grace!

Posted on by

Based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w6d2

Scripture: The Roadmap for our Journey

Titus 2:11-15 / SOAP vs 11–13

 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13. NET
Observation and Application of the Journey

Have you ever considered the power of God’s grace? His grace appeared … His grace brought salvation to all people … His grace trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives … and it does all of these things while we wait for the fulfillment of our hope when Christ our great God and Savior appears. The same Savior that John wrote of in John chapter 1:14 – where he wrote: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

 He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. 15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you. Titus 2:14-15. NET

You see Christ gave Himself over to death for us so that we, those who believe in Him, might be set free from the law of sin and death. By His death we have been purified and set apart as a people who belong to Him and are eager to do good. Only the power of Christ’s perfect life and His spotless blood was powerful enough for this type of redemption!

Prayer of response to the Journey

Father, may we never take for granted or forget the cost of our salvation. A salvation born of Your grace so powerful that it conquered the depth and deadliness of our sins, sins that made us Your enemies, condemned unclean! Yet, now we stand before You purified by the blood of Your Son and adopted as Your dearly loved children, joint heirs with Your only begotten Son. May we be quick and faithful to communicate this message to the world around us – the rich and powerful message of the Your grace God – a grace available to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ, the representation of Your grace and the coming fulfillment of our hope. – It is in His name I pray, amen!

Music inspired by the Journey
There is no power greater than the gift of God’s Grace poured out through the blood of Jesus Christ ! ❤️

Do you want to know the power of God’s Grace? Do you want to share in the Hope of Jesus Christ? Please click on Know These Truths and let God transform your life by the power of His Grace!

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/
The More We Know; Side Trails of our Journey

Encouragement from the LGG Journal Entry for w6d2, p176

As we wait for this happy fulfillment of our hope in Christ’s glorious return, let’s intentionally live lives that reflect the love we have for God. May our obedience flow from our love for God. Instead of looking at the world with dread, let’s see it as a place of opportunity and share Christ with those who do not know the reason for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). Now is the time to share this amazing gift of hope in Christ with those around us. We don’t have to have all the answers, but we do need a passion to do our part in helping to bring salvation to all people. Make no mistake, you have been born in this exact generation for such a time as this.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, create in me a love and passion for those in this world who are far from You. Help me see them the way You see them, with eyes full of love, grace, and mercy. Use me powerfully now, on this day, to help reflect You to a watching world. Give me opportunities to share with those who are searching for the reason for the hope that I have. Until the day You come back, use me powerfully with the gifts You have given me. As I eagerly wait for Your return, I’ll continue to pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

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

What will Christ say to You?

Posted on by

Posted by MARYELLEN on 

Based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w5d4 / artwork by LGG

SCRIPTURE: OUR ROADMAP FOR THE JOURNEY: MATTHEW 25 / SOAP: verse 12


But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’

Matthew 25:12. NET
OBSERVATION AND APPLICATION FROM THE JOURNEY

Can you imagine hearing these words from Jesus? He’s receiving others in but when you stand before Him, He denies you entrance because He doesn’t know you. You look at Him wondering how that can be, you were in church every Sunday, you grew up in a Christian home, you can repeat all of the Bible stories, why doesn’t He know you? Because knowing who someone is isn’t the same as knowing or being known by that person. Being ready for Christ’s return means having more than a head knowledge of who He is. It means having a relationship of the heart with Him, one that comes only from believing that He died for you because you were in need of a Savior. It’s a relation born not only of His crucifixion and resurrection but of you being crucified with Him and raised in newness of life. It is a heart to heart relationship that spills over into a heart to heart relationship with the Father and Spirit – and from my vantage point, there is nothing else like it in all the world.

From that belief and the gift of His indwelling Spirit we can walk with Jesus and talk with Him, we can learn of Him and grow to be like Him. Actually, we find that apart from Him we can do nothing but through Him we can do all things. He entreats us to come near to Him and to cast our cares upon Him, why? Because He cares for us. You see, life with Jesus isn’t about a religion – it’s about a relationship with Him; and through Him we are given bold and confident access to the Father’s throne of grace. It is a grace made evident through the triune-God:

  • God, the Father’s love-gift of salvation1 through His only begotten Son
  • The Son who gave His life so that whosoever believes might have eternal life rather than the horrific death their sins deserve2… and
  • Through the Spirit, the One who is gifted to all who believe to teach us all things and remind us of all Christ said, and who equips us to live as we have been called to live.

The best news is, God’s gift of grace is available to all who believe! Do you?3

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Acts 16:31

The following is from the LGG Journal for this Study / p164 – It is a wonderful explanation of the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids and a beautiful closing prayer for us all.

The Olivet Discourse continues in Matthew 25. In this section of Scripture, we read more parables that Jesus taught on the Mount of Olives concerning the end times. One parable which always concerned me when I was younger was the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids. I wanted to make sure that when Christ returned, I was ready.

Part of being ready and prepared is making sure you know Jesus personally. It is not enough to know about Jesus. Knowing facts about Him like you would about a historical character from history class will not cut it. Knowing about Jesus is not the same as having a personal relationship with Him. Knowing stories about Jesus will not get you into heaven. Coming from a strong Christian home and being taught about Jesus from an early age is also not the same as knowing Him personally.

You cannot enter heaven based on your pedigree. To make sure you are included at the wedding feast and not uninvited is to personally know the bridegroom—Jesus Christ. Your relationship with Jesus must be your own. It cannot be handed down, purchased, or borrowed. The shocking truth of this parable is that there will be people who think they are Christians because they have been fooled into thinking that knowing about Jesus is the same as having a personal relationship with Him. Those will be like the five bridesmaids who ran out of oil and were not prepared when the groom returned because they did not truly put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Prayer: A Response to the Journey. Dear Lord, today I lift up all those in my life who know about You and believe that they are saved. I pray they will see their error before You return. Please use me and others in their lives to help them see that knowing about You is not the same as knowing You. I pray all those in my life will have a personal relationship with You, and we will all be prepared for that amazing day when You return. Until then, I pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

The More We Know: Side Trails of the journey
Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Ready or Not He Will Come

Posted on by
Scripture: Our Roadmap for the Journey: Matthew 24 / SoAp: 42–44


Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:42-44. NLT

Observation and Application from the Journey

Whether this was your first time or the one-hundredth time reading Jesus’ answer to His disciples questions: “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” there is a lot to take in. I encourage you to read every word and to search trusted commentaries, like bibleref.com1 and gotquestions.org,2 for help in understanding Jesus’ words. However, the bottom line will always come down to this truth: It isn’t a matter of if He will come but when He will come, and we are wise to live each day as if that day is today,(my paraphrase of vs44).

The one who is ready is the one who has believed on the name of the Jesus, for only those who have believed will be saved. In Jesus’ first parable of Matthew 24:45-51, these are the ones found faithfully serving the Master when He returns. All others will be destroyed (vs. 51).

Jesus has promised to return, and He is the ultimate Promise Keeper. What He has promised, He will do. So while we wait for His return, Jesus wants us to live our lives alert to His coming. This doesn’t mean that we live in fear but in expectation. We live our lives on mission, with a purpose, and focused on advancing His Kingdom with the days we’ve been given. When we live the way God instructs us to live, we don’t have to worry about when Jesus will come back.

From the LGG Journal: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p158

The return of Christ is always presented in Scripture as a great motivation to action, not as a reason to cease from action. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul wraps up his teaching on the rapture by saying, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Paul concludes a lesson on Christ’s coming with these words: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” To retreat and “hold the fort” was never Jesus’ intention for us. Instead, we work while we can. “Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).

The apostles lived and served with the idea that Jesus could return within their lifetime; what if they had ceased from their labors and just “waited”? They would have been in disobedience to Christ’s command to “go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15), and the gospel would not have been spread. The apostles understood that Jesus’ imminent return meant they must busy themselves with God’s work. They lived life to the fullest, as if every day were their last. We, too, should view every day as a gift and use it to glorify God.3


We will experience tribulations in our lives, as people have all over the world through the years. No matter what we face: persecution, sickness, war, oppression, famine, or abuse, our hope is in Christ. We will endure suffering as believers in Christ, but our hope is not in being saved from suffering. Our hope is in the sacrifice of Christ, in His atoning work on the cross, and in His resurrection power that we have when we believe in Him. When we have placed our faith in Christ, our future, and our eternity, are secure in Him. He is our hope.

From the LGG Journal: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p158
Prayer of Response to the Journey

borrowed from the Love God Greatly Journal p158 of Come, Lord Jesus, Come

Dear Lord, help me live my life alert and ready for Your return. Please use me powerfully in the lives of those who do not yet know You. Give me a heart for the lost. I pray for salvation for those who are far from You and for those who don’t believe they need You in their lives. Please use me for Your glory in these last days as I wait for Your return. Until that day, I pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen

The More we Know: Side Trails of the Journey

Please check out today’s LGG Blog Post

  • If you believe in and follow Jesus as Your Lord will you help me share His message? Simply scroll down and share – or copy and paste the link to any your preferred social media
  • If you have not yet come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, I plead with you to click on and read “Know These Truths”. – Jesus is coming again, will you be ready?
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/
Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Be About the Master’s Business

Posted on by
Scripture for the Journey: Mark 13:32-37 / SOAP: 37

What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!” Mark 13:37 NET

Observation and Application for the journey

Have you found yourself longing more and more for the return of Christ? Do local or social media about world events escalate anxious thoughts and heighten your desire for His return to be sooner rather than later? I know it has mine. Come, Lord Jesus, Come is certainly on my lips more frequently these days than ever before. Surprisingly, for me, the prayer isn’t provoked by fear of mounting dangers and disasters but by sorrow and weariness of what is the acceptable, if not expected and even demanded, ways of this world. But, to borrow a few words from the prophet Jeremiah: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope” – this world is not my home, I’m only passing through. I’m a stranger and alien here with a message of hope to share with others who do not know The Way, so they may go where I am going; and so those who know The Way may be equipped and encouraged to keep going in the right direction.

This isn’t a task given only to me; it is the assignment Jesus has given to each of His disciples. Yes, everyone who has trusted Him as their Savior has been commissioned to “go and make disciples,” introducing the Messiah to the lost and dying world around us. However, we must also remember that we are to encourage one another, a.k.a. other believers, daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of us may be hardened by sin and turn away from God.

The New Testament is filled with letters written by Paul and others to the various churches/believers who were struggling with various aspects of the Christian faith, some of whom were starting to walk contrary to the faith. Their messages were meant to help the believers understand the faith and to walk faithfully with God. Friends, I can testify to the importance of both the one who shares the WAY of hope and the one who encourages a wayward or struggling believer with the TRUTH, which is able to guide us back to God. Without the first, I would still be lost and dying in my sins; and without the second, I would still be out of fellowship with God, struggling in the pit of sin and despair – naming His Name but living like the world.

You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God

Hebrews 3:13 NLT

We do not know the day or hour, but we do know the WAY and the TRUTH – so let’s let our lights shine out in this dark world as we wait, staying alert and eagerly anticipating the day of His return.

“Get busy with the work God has given us by reaching the world and our neighbors with the gospel. At the same time, we do not store up our treasures here on earth because we know that this world will not last. Our days are precious and time is short, so we keep our eyes heavenward as our hands stay busy. We share Christ and the reason for our hope with those in our lives. We stand firm in God’s Word even in the midst of persecutions. We remember that no matter how dark our world gets, Jesus promised that He will be with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). – the LGG Journal entry for Come, Lord Jesus, Come p148

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, how good You have been to save us by Your grace1 and free us from the law of sin and death2; and to promise us an eternity with You in Heaven3. We are most blessed. So, help us to be about our Master’s business as we wait on His return, help us to stay alert – alert to those4 around us who have not placed their faith in You and will be condemned,5 and may we be ready with an answer for the hope that is within us. Help us also have eyes to see those believers who are struggling and lift them up both in prayer and through words of encouragement that lead them back to You. Remind them, Father, that they do not have to settle for just a place in Your heaven, but they have been given the gift of a relationship with You now. Mold us, make us, use us, Lord – as we wait. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

The More We Know

If you would like to know more about Heaven and how you can share in the hope of eternity please read Know These Truths.

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

Be sure and check out today’s LGG Blog Post at https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/

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

As We Wait

Posted on by

based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w4d2

Scripture/Today’s roadmap: Titus 2:11-15 / Soap: verse 13

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

15 You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say. – Titus 2:11-15. NLT

What a great passage of Scripture to not only study – but to keep in mind as we wait for Jesus’ much anticipated and desired return. Remember, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and ‘training’ in righteousness. So that, the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good deed.” This means that what Paul is teaching to Titus through this letter is also important to us – namely that – as we wait, we are to live as the ‘New Creations’ we have been created to be, and encourage others with the same message.

As we wait … we are to live as the new creations we have been created to be – free, godly, self-controlled, hope-filled, committed/eager to do good; pleasing Him and boldly encouraging others to do the same.

from the Insideout 🦋

According to Ephesians 2;8, we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. So, when we read Paul’s words to Titus, that the grace of God has appeared bring salvation to all people, we understand that “the grace” is referring to Christ. We find validity in this truth, when we remember John’s well known and powerful message, that says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.”

At the top of my life-verses list is 2 Corinthians 5:17, which teaches that when anyone comes to Christ through FAITH they become a new creation,🦋 or as I like to say – they are changed from the inside out. Paul says, the old has gone the NEW has come.🦋 I love knowing that God replaced the old sinful nature with a NEW one, through the gift and presence of His Spirt – who fills us up from the inside out – training/teaching and reminding us of all that Jesus taught.1 2 When we live by the Spirit we will begin to act, talk, and think differently. We will look, sound, and react less and less like ourselves and more and more like Jesus; we will remember that the purpose of His death was not for our pleasure but rather to set us free and purify us for Himself; and this, as in all things Christ did, was so that God might be glorified (made-known).

The More We Know: Side-trails of the Journey

Our chief end is to glorify God…

https://www.gotquestions.org/glorify-God.html

What does it mean to glorify God?

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

The Clock is Ticking

Posted on by

Borrowed and shared from the LGG Journal, Come, Lord Jesus, Come / p76

Scripture: Revelation 22:20

The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

INTO THE WORD

Jesus is coming soon. That means our days are numbered, and the clock is ticking. I can’t even imagine what that glorious day will be like when I finally get to be with Jesus forever. I’m sure when I look back on my life it will seem like a short amount of time compared to eternity with Christ. I imagine the trials, tribulations, and pain I have experienced will soon be forgotten in light of eternity with Christ.

Focusing on my future with Jesus helps me endure today.

Realizing that there is a timeline and an end date helps me to press on when my heart is tempted to despair. On days when I’ve been online too much or watching the latest news update instead of reading God’s Word, I am tempted to worry about the future. It is in those times I have to remind myself to get back into God’s Word and allow it to calm my heart and ease my mind.

Reading today’s verses does that for me. Remembering that Jesus is coming back soon helps put it all into perspective because it reminds me that the trials and tribulations I find myself in today will not last forever. The “soon” Jesus talks about here will one day be “now.” Thinking about this helps me to endure today.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank You for the promise that You are coming back soon. Help us endure and face our trials with perseverance. Help us count our days and make them matter, not getting sidetracked in quarrelsome, insignificant matters. Help us stay focused on You and the mission You have given us—to make disciples of all nations. Help us reach those in our homes and our towns with Your love. Until the glorious day when we finally see You face-to-face, we will continue to pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

Reflection For Today


w2d5 / What are you most excited about when you think of what your life will be like when Jesus comes back?

The More We Know

Be sure and check out these week’s LGG Friday Blog Post

Jesus is coming soon has been the theme all week so take a minute to dive in to a helpful review of just what ‘soon’ means.