Category: Spirit

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 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, He Sees He Knows He Cares, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Spirit

By Faith

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based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w3d1

Scripture: Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5 / SOAP: Hebrews 11:5

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God. Hebrews 11:5 NET

Observations and Applications for the Journey

Several things caught my attention in our passages; not the least of which was the fact that Enoch1 was taken up so that he did not see death.2 I was also drawn in by the possibility that he was sixty-five when he began his walk with God, or at least started faithfully walking with God. Some translations, like the KJV and NET, record that “After he became the father of Methuselah at the age of 65, Enoch walked with God.” However, some, such as the NIV, do translate it as: “After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God -” Please note that my curiosity about this statement wasn’t doubting that older people can be saved, but that for some reason the Bible makes a distinction that “after” he became the father of Methuselah he walked (faithfully) with God. Whether Enoch was sixty-five or younger when he became a man of faith doesn’t really matter here, but knowing and having heard many say, ‘I’m too old to become a believer’ or ‘I’m too stuck in my ways…’, gives me/us hopeful encouragement to offer those who are older and have not yet received Christ.

The second thing that came to mind was the heartbreaking thought that God must look at our world and see the same thing (or worse) as He did in the days of Noah, who, by the way, was a descendant of Enoch. Consider for yourself the record in Genesis: “in the days of Noah, the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.” I don’t mean to change our focus from Enoch to Noah, but bear with me for a minute and consider not just what God saw but how it made Him feel, as the author of Genesis goes on to describe: “The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.” So offended was He that the Lord said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.” But please do not miss the next words because they will forever bring hope to us and our lost and dying world: “Noah found favor in the sight of the LORD.”

“Noah found favor in the sight of the LORD.”

Genesis 6:8

So here we are in this world, much like, if not worse than, Noah’s day. Surely, few, if any, would disagree that we live in a world filled with wickedness, where every inclination of the thoughts of man’s mind always seems evil. Leaving no room to wonder why we are encouraged to search the Scriptures for hope and cry out – Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Friends, a strong and resilient faith, not just the faith that leads to salvation but the faith that keeps us standing in the midst of the storms and temptations of this life, is essential to our walk with God. This is especially true in a world filled with evil, like ours – enticing us toward ungodly living or striking fear in our hearts – and/or shaking our faith. This, at least in part, is the reason for Paul teaching the church of Ephesus and all other disciples who would read his letter to put on the armor of our faith, the armor of God.3 For we certainly do not have a chance of standing, let alone walking faithfully with God if we are not suited up with His armor – including, the shield of faith, with which we can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one who rules this dark world.4

Prayer – Our Heart’s Response to the journey

Father, Thank You for Your Word from beginning to end, from Genesis, where we read of Enoch and Noah and others of the faith, to Revelation, where we read of Your Son’s impending return. From beginning to end, it fills us with HOPE and imparts both saving and staying FAITH to our hearts and minds. Please help us live faithfully in this world of wickedness that is saturated with every evil inclination. Father, we can only stand firm with Your help and effectively do the work You have called us to do when we live and look like Jesus instead of the world. Help us, like Enoch, to walk faithfully with You, our God, until You call us home! – Amen! In the name of Jesus – the pioneer and example of our faith – so let it be!

Reflection on the Journey

How did Enoch’s life please God? What does this teach us about how we should live our lives?

The More We Know: Side trails for the Journey
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Spirit

Off The Beaten Path

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Speaking in Love Instead of Speaking Your Mind

This morning, long before I had spoken a word to anyone other than God, I was opening my devotion for the day. My morning devotions are not typically found in a book but in emails or texts from bloggers and speakers that I have found to be Scripturally sound. I love doing it this way since I also post a daily devotion, and I have found that it is good to glean from other trusted sources.

All of the devotions are beautiful reminders of God’s goodness and faithfulness, but some – like today’s – are filled with words of correction and/or reminders of His expectations for His children -corrections and reminders that sometimes come with a bittersweet “ouch” as you realize that the topic is something you’ve struggled with (or perhaps still struggle with).

If you’ve never had trouble with your tongue before – such as speaking before thinking instead of thinking before you speak… or tearing down rather than building up… or speaking the truth but not in love… or words of gossip, anger, unkindness, slander, hate, lies or… the list goes on, but my point is – If your tongue has never been used in any of these ways – then this devotion may simply be sweet encouragement, rather than the bittersweet ‘ouch’ I experienced. However, since James has declared the tongue to be an untameable instrument1, I would venture to say that at least one of these examples strikes a chord in your heart – reminding you of a less-than-spectacular use of your tongue at some point in your life – either way – I encourage you to read on. The author’s words may sting at first, but they are truth-filled reminders of God’s faithfulness to not only teach us His ways but to faithfully remind us of His expectations for His children … expectations like using kind, gentle, and true words. Our words are supposed to encourage and build others up and not tear them down or hurt them. As the blog points out, they are to be spoken in love – which is why this particular devo brought a bittersweet ouch for me – as I have not always used my tongue in accordance with God’s expectations.

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

I hate to admit it, but I have struggled in the past with this untamable instrument. You see, my tongue has, at times, been quick to speak, and it has gone way off the grid of patience and self-control. So, despite the bittersweet ‘ouch’ of the author’s words, I find myself extremely thankful that this is the devotion God pointed me toward this morning. I am grateful for the loving reminder of His forgiveness and guidance and His patience to change me from the inside-out. I pray it will be a blessing of guidance and encouragement to you as well. 🦋

My prayer~ Father, the tongue is untameable - BUT You have given us Your Spirit who produces in us the fruit of the Spirit, including patience, kindness, gentleness, love, and self-control! So that we are without excuse to use our tongue for anything but good and encouraging. May Your love be evident in all we say and do. Let us not forget that our words have the power to hurt others or to point them to You. May we use our tongues to Your glory and honor - Amen!

–

Please don’t miss the following post, which is borrowed and shared from Encouragement for Today/A Proverbs31 Ministry blog received in my email 7/22/24 –

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/07/22/speaking-in-love-instead-of-speaking-your-mind

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

The Spirit

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: Luke 4:1-15; and SOAP: 2 Corinthians 3:17

 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.

2 Corinthians 4:17

I can’t help but start with the passage from Luke and the story of Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. This lesson on dealing with temptation has been a huge help to me in my walk of faith through the years. I have benefited greatly from the example of Jesus’ method of dealing with temptation and have put specific verses to memory to use as weapons of warfare when the enemy comes at me. However, this time, as I began reading, what caught my attention were the words: “Then Jesus, full of the Spirit … led by the Spirit … and returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.” I love that Luke writes with details like, “Then Jesus,” which is a follow-up statement to the preceding verses that told of Jesus’ baptism and the heavens opening and the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove.

 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

Luke 3:21-22

Jesus, or the Word, as John describes Him in John 1:1, was victorious over the devil!

Though His fasting had emptied Him of food, it was clear that Jesus was filled, not only with the Spirit but also with the Word, and that the words He chose and boldly spoke to the devil overcame every temptation hurled at Him by the devil. The Word of God was the victory that empowered Jesus to return from the wilderness and eventually begin His public preaching. 🦋

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Like Jesus, we are full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit – and when we choose to keep in step with the Spirit we will be victorious over the enemy. Consider the words Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Holy Spirit before His ascension into Heaven, “But the advocate, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told You.” When we keep in step with the Spirit, walking in and by the Word of God, the Spirit will help us to use the Word to overcome the enemy just like Jesus did. While we may not ‘fast’ for forty days as Jesus did in this extraordinary event, we can make it a habit to pray – Father empty me of me and of the things of this world and fill me up with You, Your Son abiding in me and I in Him, and Your Spirit leading me, teaching me, and reminding me of everything You have said.

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father empty me of me and of the things of this world and fill me up with You, Your Son abiding in me and I in Him, and Your Spirit leading me, teaching me, and reminding me of everything You have said. For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom from the power of sin and its pull or hold on me! Thank You, Father, that it isn’t the name “Christian” that makes a believer strong, but rather it is the Spirit, Who is our strength and Who intercedes for us in my weaknesses. I am most blessed to belong to You!

THE MORE WE KNOW

Jesus came to set us free spiritually. 

The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses

The Lord is a Spirit

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

Wisdom & Understanding

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“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.” Colossians 1:9

God is good. He has gifted us with prayer and His Spirit. Jesus taught His disciples that the Holy Spirit was an advocate whom the Father would send in His name, He would teach them all things and remind them of everything that Christ had told them. Here, Paul prays for the believers in Colossae to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will -through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. According to the writer of ourdailyverse.com, “filled with the knowledge of His will,” is a phrase that transcends mere understanding. It suggests a filling so complete that it overflows into every corner of our lives – guiding our actions, decisions, and interactions.

May the Spirit help us to not just know God’s will, but faithfully seek it – that we may “be so filled with His will that our lives become a testament to God’s wisdom and grace.” This daily walk of faith – this journey through life on earth is only possible with the Spirit – the One who empowers, guides, teaches, reminds, and makes known the will of God.

“Dear Lord, In the quiet of this morning, my heart seeks the depth of understanding that comes form You alone. Inspired by the wisdom of Colossians, I pray for an infusion of your spiritual insight into my life. May your will be the lens through which I view the world, guiding my steps in love and truth. — Teach me, Father, to navigate this day with a spirit attuned to Your voice. Help me to embody the grace and compassion that Jesus demonstrated, making each decision a reflection of Your love. In moments of uncertainty, grant me the clarity of Your wisdom, so that I may act with confidence in Your divine plan. — Strengthen my reslove to serve those around me to be a beacon of Your light in their lives. Let my words and actions today sow seeds of Your kingdom, cultivating a harvest of righteousness and peace. In the precious name of Jesus, I commit this day to You. – Amen.” (borrowed from Ourdailyverse.com / 2.12.24)