Category: prayer

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, prayer, Quiet Time, The Fruit of the Spirit

Running the Race To Win

Posted on by MaryEllen

Do you not know that all the runners
in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win. Every competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.

– 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Paul’s analogy is that, as believers, we should live our lives on this earth, determined to win. The question becomes: which prize are we running for? Are we running for the crown that will eventually fade away1 or for the one that will never perish, spoil, or fade? To win the latter prize, the real and imperishable prize, we must be self-controlled and alert; we must be disciplined; we must be in tune with our ‘trainer’; and we must actively pursue and discipline ourselves to follow the regimen He has called us to. Staying with Paul’s analogy of running the race, I use the word trainer here in reference to God, the Father, Son, and Spirit. Many, if not most, athletes have some kind of trainer. The trainer prepares them for their sport and works with them to get them in shape, so they grow stronger and more able to ‘run the race’. The trainer cares for them, advising and encouraging them to stay the course, or alerting them when they veer off course. A relationship builds between them, trust builds, loyalty builds, and the athlete performs not just to finish the race, but determined to win the crown, and perhaps even more so ~ the approval of the ‘trainer’.2

The race is won or lost long before you ever cross the starting line.3

  1. The metaphor explained: Corinthian society was highly competitive. The city hosted an Olympics-style event every other year, with games highlighted by foot races. Paul is using these races as a metaphor for a life of service to Christ and others.

    The point of participating in a race is to win, and winning takes work. Athletes who hope to be competitive must exercise great self-control (emphasis mine) “in all things.” This would include not just physical training, but also strict diets, sleep schedules, abstaining from harmful drugs, and caution in their behavior. Through it all, they would keep their focus on winning the race and getting the prize: a wreath. At the games in Corinth, they placed a pine wreath on the winner’s head like a crown. If Paul were writing this today, he might refer to the gold medal of the modern Olympics.

    Paul’s point is that such a wreath will soon die. The honor of winning the race is short-lived. Christians, though, exercise self-control and self-denial in order to win a crown that will never die. Believers should seek this with all the dedication of an athlete who knows only one person can win the crown. Christians don’t literally compete “against” one another, of course, so the emphasis here is on commitment and effort, not rivalry. ↩︎
  2. This undying crown or reward is not eternal life. Paul’s teaching is clear: No amount of self-denial or effort will earn for us God’s approval and a place in His family. Jesus earned that for us, and it is given as a gift to those who believe (Ephesians 2:8–9). Instead, Paul is describing a reward for service to Christ that will be given in addition to salvation. In Paul’s case, that recognition from Christ will be because of those he “won” to faith in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:9–20). ↩︎
  3. LGG, The Fruit of the Spirit, digital journal, p 175 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, prayer, Quiet Time, The Fruit of the Spirit

Precious in God’s Sight

Posted on by MaryEllen

3Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

1 Peter 3:3-4

We know Peter was addressing wives specifically in this section of his letter, instructing them on how to live. However, the instruction is applicable to all women. To be clear, Peter was not teaching that they should abstain from outward adornment, but rather that they should focus more on inner beauty. This would be the beauty of the heart. Or, as David Guzik explains: “It isn’t something you wear or primp before a mirror to have. It is something you are.” Friends, our inner beauty comes from Christ in us. After all, the presence of His Spirit produces the very fruit of the Spirit we have been exploring: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

“It isn’t something you wear or primp before a mirror to have. It is something you are.“

According to GotQuestions.org, the term gentle does not imply weakness, but rather self-restraint. If someone is told to be gentle, it implies they can choose not to be gentle. The woman has strength and expresses Christlike strength in meekness or gentleness toward her husband. Peter adds that the godly wife is not only gentle but also has a quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4). She has a peaceful, well-ordered spirit that allows her to speak and behave in a peaceful, well-ordered way. Peter is not suggesting that low volume is necessary, but rather a character of peacefulness.

The source of our true beauty is to be Christ in us.

Friends, a gentle and quiet spirit is precious to God; this should be our utmost desire. Just as we have to care for and maintain our hair and outward appearance, we must care for our Spiritual life as well. A hairbrush, make-up, and nice, clean clothes go a long way in shaping an outward appearance, but the inner self, the heart, is best kept/maintained by asking God to adorn us with the beauty of gentleness and a quiet spirit. We can’t stop there, though; we must actively maintain a healthy relationship with God, being filled with His Spirit, spending time with Him in prayer, and walking in the light of His Word. When we are filled with His thoughts, His ways, His love, His light, and His Spirit of gentleness and peace, Then, not only will we be precious in His sight, but His gentle and quiet spirit will be evident in us, and those around us will be drawn to Him.

Reflection and Application

So what does cultivating that kind of beauty look like practically? It looks like spending more time reading God’s Word than in front of the mirror. It looks like asking God to tend to the condition of your heart the way you tend to your appearance. It looks like choosing stillness and trust in the moments when anxiety wants to take over.1

Response of Prayer

Holy Spirit, You are welcome here, that we might be women clothed with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to You and a tool that wins husbands to you and inspires others to give You glory. ~ In Jesus’ name, amen.

The More We Know

Peter instructs married women to show submission to their husbands (1 Peter 3:1). In this case, the purpose is so that even husbands who are not obedient to the Word might be won over by the purity of their wives’ attitude and behavior (1 Peter 3:2).2

  1. LGG, The Fruit of the Spirit, digital journal, p157 ↩︎
  2. Gotquestions.org ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, prayer, Quiet Time, The Fruit of the Spirit

The Most Humble Man

Posted on by MaryEllen

inspired by the LGG Study, The Fruit of the Spirit / w5d1

Today’s Roadmap for our Journey

  • Read Numbers 12:1-8
  • SOAP: Numbers 12:3

Reflections and Application of Today’s Passage

Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ sister and brother, became disgruntled with Moses. They gave the reason for their attitude as his marriage to an Ethiopian woman. However, their words reveal that their real problem was pride and/or jealousy because they had not been recognized as equal leaders with Moses over Israel.

So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. ~Numbers 12:21

Of course the Lord heard what they said. God hears everything we say; nothing escapes His attention. Whispered, spoken, shouted, or written on a piece of paper and thrown into the fire, our words and thoughts are always known. God not only heard what they said; He knew the intent of their hearts and called them out on it. When I read this verse, “The LORD spoke immediately to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: ‘The three of you come to the tent of meeting.’…” I jotted down in the margin of my journal that they were called to the principal’s office. He made it very clear to Miriam and Aaron that their words were offensive. He put them in their place by reminding them that Moses had not elevated himself as leader over Israel, but that He (the LORD) had chosen and called Moses to serve Him in this capacity. Friends, while this is not our focus today, it is a good reminder that we are not to speak against those whom God has called to teach and preach. In fact, we should be afraid to do so; as God points out, they were not only disrespecting Moses, but they were disrespecting God and His authority.

As David Guzik points out in his commentary on this passage, Aaron and Miriam had the pride problem, not Moses, who is identified here as very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.2 And this is the focus of today’s journey. Because not every reader uses the same translation of Scripture, note that commentators also define the word for humble as gentle, or meek. These terms, as we understand them, are evident in Moses’ life, particularly in his response to Miriam and Aaron’s words. As today’s journal entry points out, “Moses doesn’t defend himself. He doesn’t retaliate. He doesn’t use his position to put them in their place. He simply remains quiet and lets God handle it.” Some may see this as weakness, but, as the journal also points out, it is a sign of “a strong, settled, surrendered gentleness that doesn’t need to prove itself.” In other words, it is a gentleness (humbleness) that comes from knowing God. More specifically, in reference to our focus on the ‘fruit of the Spirit’, it grows in us through the presence of God’s Spirit. Because His Spirit lives in us, we are no longer to be filled with anger or bitterness; we are not to use harsh words, repay evil for evil, or seek vengeance on those who hurt us. Instead we are to love others as Christ has loved us and we are to forgive as God forgives.3

Just like Jesus, Moses could not deliver when he lived in the palaces of glory. He had to come down off the throne, away from the palace and into a humble place before he could deliver his people.

EnduringWord.com / Exodus 2:124

David Guzik points out in his commentary on Exodus 2:12 that Moses, like Jesus, had to step away from the palace. Jesus left His place of glory with the Father to take on the life of a servant. Moses left his palace as a prince of Egypt to “identify with the people of Israel rather than his Egyptian prestige and opportunity.5”

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26)

Friends, I leave you with this question and answer application from today’sjournal entry: “So what does this look like in your everyday life? It looks like pausing before you respond when someone pushes your buttons. It looks like choosing a soft answer in a tense conversation. It looks like letting God defend you instead of scrambling to defend yourself. And sweet friend, the world around you is desperately in need of women who are gentle, just like Moses.”6

Response of Prayer

Father, thank You for Your Word, which is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating every part of us and judging the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. Thank You for being a loving Father who makes us aware of our sins so we can turn from them and walk in a way that pleases You. Guard our hearts, O God, from pride and jealousy. Help us to live a humble life in the fashion of Moses. Help us, like Jesus and Moses, to step away from those places and things that keep us from reaching the people You have called/sent us to reach for You. Help us to get rid of all anger, rage, bitterness, and harsh words. Guard us from defending ourselves, and instead let You defend us. ~ In the Name of Jesus ~ Amen

Response of Worship

The More We Know

In full disclosure, I am not completely familiar with or affiliated with this speaker and/or his church. I simply found this segment a compelling addition to today’s journey and an interesting insight into Moses and how he dealt with Miriam and Aaron’s complaint.

  1. Enduring Word/David Guzik commentary on Numbers 12 ↩︎
  2. “More than all men who were on the face of the earth: This statement, if written by Moses, seems to be self-contradictory. It doesn’t seem to be proper for a very humble man to write of his great humility. Though Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, it is likely that someone added this comment after the death of Moses – perhaps Joshua, who would have known Moses well.” (David Guzik/Enduring Word/Numbers 12:3,b ↩︎
  3. Ephesians 4:31 and Colossians 3:12-17 ↩︎
  4. Moses left his palace and became the servant of the Most High God ↩︎
  5. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/exodus-2/ ↩︎
  6. The Fruit of the Spirit – Digital Love God Greatly Study, p145 ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Conversations With God, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, prayer, Psalm 119, Quiet Time, Rejoice, The Fruit of the Spirit

Joy and Peace

Posted on by MaryEllen

DEVOTION for w2d5 of Fruit of the Spirit / by LGG Team/journal entry, p 76

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! – Philippians 4:4

There have been seasons in my life when I chased joy and peace as if they were two separate finish lines to cross at different times. I thought peace would finally show up when things settled down. I thought joy would come when life got easier. And I kept waiting and coming up empty. It wasn’t until I sat with Philippians 4 that I realized I had been looking for them in all the wrong places.

Paul gives us both joy and peace in the same breath. Rejoice in the Lord always. Do not be anxious about anything. Present your requests to God with thanksgiving. And the peace of God will guard your heart. They travel together, grow together, and are rooted in the same soil of a heart that is fully surrendered to and trusts in God.

Joy is the choice to rejoice in who God is, regardless of what is happening around us. Peace is the gift we receive when we release our grip on our circumstances and place them in God’s hands. Together they create something extraordinary. They produce a life that is marked by a deep, settled, unshakeable confidence in God that the world looks at and simply cannot explain.

Paul and Silas understood this better than anyone. Singing in a prison cell wasn’t denial. It was worship. They were declaring that God was still good, faithful, and worthy of praise, no matter what their circumstances said. And from that place of joy, peace stood guard over their hearts.

That same life is available to you. It is not that your circumstances will always be favorable, or your road will always be easy. It’s because the God who held Paul and Silas in the prison cell is the same God who is holding you right now, in yours.

Rejoice in Him. Release your worries to Him. Receive the peace that only He can give. That is the fruit of the Spirit. It is joy and peace living together in a surrendered heart.

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

Why Start Your Day With Jesus?

Posted on by MaryEllen

“Starting with Jesus doesn’t mean the day will be easy—it means we’re reminded who walks with us through all of it. Before the schedules, responsibilities, worries, and noise take over, spend a little time in His presence. Let His truth steady your heart before anything else has the chance to shape it.” Quote and photo borrowed from Salt & Light ~

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. – Psalm 143:8 NIV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
– Psalm 30:5

It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening.
– Psalm 92:2

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
– Mark 1:35 NIV

Through the years, I have learned that starting the day with Jesus can make a huge difference. Whether in attitude, strength, peace, hope, joy, and ~ well, pretty much any other emotion a person can have. Our outlook on the day ahead can be affected by what we’re facing ~ worries, fears, a tough day at the office, a dreaded appointment, overwhelming daily tasks, leftover anger or hurt from the day before… However your day starts, whether it’s when your eyes open or after your feet hit the floor, there is one sure way to get even a good day off to a better start ~ and that’s with our eyes on Jesus. A verse, a study, a prayer … time in His presence is a difference-maker in attitude, heart, and mind. It can change how we see, speak, and listen to others. It can alter how we hear others, forgive others, and serve others. The presence of God, before us – behind us – and in us changes us from the inside out. It makes life sweeter and brighter because, as this ‘oldie but goodie’ by the Gaithers says: “Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.”

Winding dirt path through a sunlit forest with tall trees and ferns
Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time

A Journey of Self-Reflection

Posted on by MaryEllen

“Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.” —

Proverbs 21:2, NASB 1995

I recently read a post by Salt & Light that included the above verse, but what stood out to me was this quote: “This verse makes me stop and look at myself. It’s easy for me to think I’m right. I can explain how I feel and why I think something should happen a certain way. But God sees deeper than my explanations. He knows my heart, even the things I don’t clearly see in myself.“

Oh how true this is in my own life, and what a blessing – though one that convicts and allowed me to truly resonate with the author’s prayer. Lord, search my heart, like David prayed in Psalm 139:23–24. Show me what needs to change. Help me trust You enough to receive Your correction and follow where You lead.1

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life. ~Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

These verses made me think about a chorus that I’ve sung for years. Particularly when I’m struggling with something that doesn’t align with God’s will, or when He’s leading me in a way that stretches my faith and trust. One thing I have learned through the course of 64 years of life is that God’s way is always right and always best. Knowing He is the Potter truly leads me to not just sing this chorus but to trust Him to mold and make me after His will

Change my heart, O God, Make it ever true;

Change my heart, O God, May I be like you.

Chorus You are the Potter, I am the clay;

Mold me and make me, This is what I pray.2

  1. Prayer borrowed from Salt&Light post ↩︎
  2. words by by Eddie Espinosa  ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, prayer, Quiet Time

The Call of A Wife

Posted on by MaryEllen

Today’s focus verse is tough for me to speak on because I’m no longer a wife. I realize some may not know my story, but the bottom line is…

  • Ending the marriage was not my choice…
  • I prayed for God to save it…
  • I actually begged him to stay…
  • I am thankful for the 27+ years God gave us and the daughters He blessed us with …
  • I regret that He left…
  • I wish I had been a better wife and…
  • Shame and regret still taunt me…
  • I am glad every day to know that God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose…
  • God has used the failures/divorce to strengthen my faith and understanding of His grace…

Please understand that I am thankful for the many who are reading this and are happily married and able to speak to this passage ~ please feel free to share whatever encouraging words you may have on the subject. However, you will also find a link below that will direct you to the commentary from bibleref.com on this verse. I believe that it will be both helpful and encouraging on this very important topic for the life and health of your marriage. Please know that while I may be divorced, I am a huge advocate for marriage and encourage those who are married to consider these words of Paul, God’s spokesman, concerning your role and that of your husband.

Think back, or look back if necessary, to our conversation on yesterday’s journey – namely, that if we want to live like Jesus, our goal must be to bring glory to God in whatever we say and do.

The More We Know

(My prayer for each of you who are married is that these words will bring hope, encouragement, and strength to you and to your marriage. Do not grow weary in doing what God has called you to do as a wife. Love your husband well, pray for him, and enjoy the blessing of your husband. May God richly bless both you and your husband as you seek to honor the Lord in your marriage relationship.)

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. – Colossians 3:18

Borrowed from the Christ is All I Need LGG Journal/week 6/day 3

The concept of submission to a husband has been totally despised and ridiculed in our Western society. Our culture has rejected the biblical idea of different roles between men and women in marriage, and the result has been countless family breakdowns.

Yes, God’s Word tells us that men and women are equal in value, equally loved by God, and equally in need of His grace. Submission does not impact this equality. Rather, it is a choice by the wife to submit to her husband because God has made him the head of the family. He is not the head, or leader, because he is more gifted, capable, or spiritual. Rather, God has given him that authority. It’s so important to marry someone we feel we can respect and follow.

Submission means to willingly (even joyfully) surrender myself under my husband’s leadership. It means responding to him with the kind of respect that is due his position. It means doing whatever I can to help my husband do what he’s supposed to do. It means accepting the decision he makes, even if I had to state my arguments for why I disagree.

A wife is to submit as a response of obedience to Jesus, knowing that He would not ask her to do anything that would harm her. Because Jesus is still her ultimate Lord, she can never follow her husband into sin, nor is she to submit to abusive behavior. Husbands are to model their actions after Christ.

It’s true that the man we are called to submit to is far from perfect. Yet, our role is to submit to him in such a way that it will be easier for him to lead and love. When things are difficult, we need to look up, put our hope in God, and ask Him to renew our respect toward our husbands.

Lord Jesus, please help me to honor you in the way I respect my husband and submit to him. Amen.

Reflection and Application

  • If you are married, how can you submit to your husband by encouraging him in his God-given role of leadership?
  • If you are not married, what are the main traits in a godly man you should look for?
  • Spend time praying for the marriages around you and for future marriages.

The More We Know

Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, prayer, Quiet Time

A Changed Life

Posted on by MaryEllen

Today’s Road Map for the Journey: Colossians 3:5-11 (SOAP: 8-9); 1 John 1:5-2:2

8But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

Colossians 3:8-9 NLT

Today’s portion of our journey continues with Paul’s instructions for the believers to turn from their sins. To the sexual sins he listed in verse 5, Paul, “not wanting to leave anyone wondering what our dirty clothes actually look like,” now adds other areas of spiritual failure, including anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and foul (or abusive) language. He also adds, “do not lie“(v. 9) to the list, reminding them that these things were all part of who they were before they came to faith in Jesus Christ. He desperately wants them (and all believers, including us) to understand that their new life in Christ is a changed life. The old is gone; the new is here. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Friends, the same is true for us. For we know that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ – and not by our works. Paul continually reminded the believers that the Christian life is a changed life. There isn’t a magic button to push or a transformation pill to take – it takes daily choosing to get rid of or to stop doing all of the things that belong to our old sinful nature. While Paul gives us a short list in this letter to the Colossians, note that it is not a complete list but examples of things we do or attitudes we have that do not please God.

As today’s LGG Journal entry explained, it’s very tempting for us to be unspecific and vague about our own sins. Instead of calling it “anger” or “rage”, we may say, “I’m just irritable today.” When we speak unkind things about other people, we may call it “openly sharing”, but we would never consider ourselves to be slanderers. Instead of admitting that we have lied, we call ourselves “clever” or “shrewd.”

The writer also points out that “Paul says in verse 6 of Colossians 3 that it is because of these sins the wrath/anger of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.” She goes on to write that, “In other words, God hates sin. Sins are not small matters to be played around with or to be tolerated in our lives.”

We will only “put off” our sins if we have become aware of what they truly are. We need to stop excusing our selfish attitudes and behavior. If we want to gain victory over sin, we need to name it. Tell it for what it is. ~Christ Is All I Need, p 156

Response of Worship

Response of Prayer

Father, thank You for the reminder that sin is no small matter and shouldn’t be something we play around with. Help us to hate sin as you do and to never tolerate it in our lives. Help me to be a little less like me and a lot more like Jesus. Help me to filled with kindness, goodness, love and grace ~ In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The More We Know

A closer look at things that should no longer be a part of or characterize a believer’s life1

First, Paul speaks against anger. Outbursts of uncontrolled anger are not meant to be found in the life of a Christian. Anger in and of itself is not always wrong, but it can lead to much sin (Ephesians 4:26). Human anger tends to pop up over issues which are not worth that emotion.

Second, Paul addresses wrath. In modern English we often mingle the words “anger” and “wrath.” However, they are really two separate ideas. Anger is an emotion, wrath is an action. In this context, wrath suggests the idea of revenge, and is sometimes translated as “rage.” In Romans 12:19, Paul taught that believers ought to leave wrath to God and not seek revenge on our own terms.

Third, Paul condemns malice. The Greek term used here is kakian, which includes the idea of desiring to harm another person. Paul has already condemned the emotion of unrighteous anger. He has done the same with wrath, which is the act of revenge. “Malice” is a broader term, referring to a general desire to see another person suffer or be harmed. We should not hope for harm to befall others.

Fourth, Paul speaks against slander. In the Biblical context, slander is putting down other people or speaking evil against others. This can include insults, lies, harsh speech, or even gossip.

Fifth, Paul prohibits obscene talk. Speech which is vulgar, or intended to be offensive, is not to be : associated with the life of a believer.

More insight from the LGG Devo2

“It’s painful to have our sins exposed by Jesus. It’s not easy to articulate our wrong thinking, speaking, and acting by bringing it all out into the open before a holy God. Yet, the reason He shows us a specific sin is so that we can confess it, be forgiven, and gain victory over it. Jesus is the good doctor who lovingly shows us our sickness and then offers us the cure. He gives us His gracious cleansing and the power to change.”3

  1. Bibleref.com ↩︎
  2. Christ Is All I Need, p156 ↩︎
  3. Ibid ↩︎
Woman with eyes closed touching temples with hands and glowing third eye symbol overlay
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time

Peace Requires Retraining Our Focus

Posted on by MaryEllen

In today’s blog, we will zoom in on Matthew 6:25 where Jesus says:

Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Those of you who have followed my posts for very long have likely heard my story and know that I used to battle anxiety. It was a noose around my neck and choked the life out of me more times than I can count. BUT GOD, in His goodness, set me free from the grip anxiety had on me. This is not to say that anxiety doesn’t still seek to grab hold of me, but today’s verse and others like it (Philip. 4:6-8, 1 Peter 5:7, Isa. 26:3…) are ready weapons that silence the anxious thoughts and give me victory over the enemy who, as Paul wrote, “…seeks to steal, kill, and destroy”(John 10:10).

You see, what I had to learn years ago is to retrain my focus. If I focused on my circumstances (the things of this life), the enemy, with his fiery darts of anxiety, was sure to win the battle; BUT GOD showed me that when I set my mind on Him and His Word, where we find that His character is one of truth … goodness … faithfulness … ever-present …. abounding in love (and so much more)… then the battle and the victory belonged to Him and the anxious thoughts no longer had any power over me!

As the author points out in today’s ‘snapshot’1, “Jesus says we should aim to focus on our true home, which is in the next life–in God’s kingdom. The things that cause us anxiety are often things that are ‘passing away’ (1 John 2:17), but Jesus wants us to focus on the things that will last.”

Reflection and application

Today’s reflection and application are from “The God Shot”, p 13

  • Are you anxious over temporary things?
  • What is disrupting your peace today?
  • Where do you feel like God has forgotten you?
  1. Talk to Him about it.
  2. Remember He can be trusted, and
  3. His trustworthiness is the only thing that can truly set your heart at peace.

The More We Know

  1. THE GOD SHOT, 100 SHAPSHOTS OF GOD’S CHARACTER IN SCRIPTURE, pages12-13 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time

Gratitude for God’s Grace: A Daily Practice

Posted on by MaryEllen

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ~ James 1:17

God is good! His love and blessings surround us, fill us, delight us, intrigue us, and astound us. He loves us with an unfathomable love. A love undeserved but so deep that He gave His only Son to save a world of sinners. Actually, His word describes us as his enemies. Yet still He loved us and gave us the gift of all gifts, the perfect gift that came down from above. He didn’t stop with the gift of Jesus; but to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God, and to all who received Him by faith, He gave the gift of everlasting life. He continued to pour out His blessings on us and continues to this day ~ mercies that are new every morning, all-sufficient grace, the privilege of prayer and the promise that He will hear and answer them. He gifts us with provisions of daily bread and other needs, renewed strength, forgiveness of sins, daily mercies (holding back what we do deserve), and unbelievable grace (giving gifts we don’t deserve). Then there’s also the gift of His active presence in our lives, His promise to never leave or forsake us, forgiveness for unimaginable sins, hope for tomorrow, and as Peter wrote, “everything we need for life and godliness”(2 Peter 1:3-4).

Friends, may we never become oblivious or unresponsive to His good and perfect gifts. May our gratitude flow continually for every gift and every act of love and kindness. May we stay alert to the enemy’s schemes and never allow our emotions and sinful thinking to trick us into turning away from God.

In the previous verse, James urged his readers not to be deceived. Emotions and sinful thinking can trick us into turning away from God. It’s important to cling to the truth, which is that every good thing in our lives is a gift from God. In the midst of our trials, we are tempted to change our opinion of the trustworthiness of our God. We start to make lists of all the things we think we are missing in our lives, of all of the things we have lost. If God were good, wouldn’t we have those things?

This attitude leads to even more temptation. We begin to look elsewhere for the good things we think we’re missing. “If God won’t provide them,” we think, “we’ll have to go and get them for ourselves.” We attempt to take control. We struggle to find our own satisfaction.

Now, however, James urges us to flip the typical human script. He calls us to make a new list: all the good things we do have. Where did all those good things come from? James is encouraging believers in Christ to tell themselves the truth: God gave you every single good thing in your life. He is the source of all the good you have and all the good you crave. Who God is does not change when our circumstances change. He doesn’t go from being a good God to a bad God when our trials begin. He is still the source of all the good in our lives; He never changes.

Bibleref.com/James 1:17

Reflection and Application

  • What does it mean to remain faithful in hard times?
    • Bibleref.com explains: It means continuing to acknowledge that God is the source of what is good in our lives and what will be good in the future.
  • What else do you think it could mean?

A Challenge

End each day by thinking about, listing out, or simply thanking God for the gifts of grace you saw throughout the day. I write mine in my prayer journal almost every evening. I call them Daily Graces. Let me know if and how you do them.