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Jesus Our Everything: Week 5, Day 5

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Question of the Day: According to verses 25 and 26, Moses was able to endure because his eyes were fixed on the reward. What was this reward?

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-31 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 11:26-27)

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him[a] for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. 26 He regarded abuse suffered for Christ[b] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on[c] the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood,[d] so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them[e] for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of[f] the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

LGG BLOG
What Hebrews 11:26 means
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Day 4 – Jesus Our Everything

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 2:5-18 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 2:10-12)

Jesus and the Destiny of Humanity

For he did not put the world to come,[a] about which we are speaking,[b] under the control of angels. 6 Instead someone testified somewhere:

“What is man that you think of him[c] or the son of man that you care for him?
7 You made him lower than the angels for a little while.
You crowned him with glory and honor.[d]
8 You put all things under his control.”[e]

For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control,[f] 9 but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while,[g] now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death,[h] so that by God’s grace he would experience[i] death on behalf of everyone. 10 For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist,[j] in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer[k] of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin,[l] and so[m] he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,[n] 12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers;[o] in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.”[p] 13 Again he says,[q] “I will be confident in him,” and again, “Here I am,[r] with[s] the children God has given me.”[t] 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in[u] their humanity,[v] so that through death he could destroy[w] the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 15 and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. 16 For surely his concern is not for angels, but he is concerned for Abraham’s descendants. 17 Therefore he had[x] to be made like his brothers and sisters[y] in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement[z] for the sins of the people. 18 For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Day 4 S.O.A.P. of Jesus Our Everything

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“Know Love”

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Weekend Reflection 4

To encourage others please be sure to read and/or share your answers to one or all of the questions in the reply bar at the bottom of the page and I will share them in tomorrow’s video discussion.

  1. How does following God’s commands display love?
  2. How do we walk in love and also follow God’s commands?
  3. What does it mean to demonstrate faithfulness? How can you demonstrate faithfulness to others today?
  4. How do we imitate what is good?
  5. What can we do to ensure our lives are protected from evil influences so that we do only what is good?

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

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So Much More to Say

Posted on by MaryEllen

Father, You are good – blessing me with the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit – through whom You have not only sealed me as Your own and fulfilled Your promise to always be with me, but You also made a way to communicate with me.

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future.

You are good to speak TRUTH and in Your omniscient power, You know what to say and when I need to hear it.

I am blessed that You, the Most High God, would want to speak with me; and even greater is the blessing to know the depth of Your desire to make it happen meant sending Christ – Your only begotten Son – to live in human flesh and die in my place on a cross of shame.

To say that “You are good” does not begin to convey Who You are nor what You have done – for truly – Your greatness no one can fathom!

Surely, God, Your Name is great and greatly to be praised! And at the Name of Jesus, Your Son, every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue will confess that He is Lord! And this to Your glory – my Father and my God! Amen and amen!

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Good Reminders

Posted on by MaryEllen

Do you ever wake to thoughts of the past that stir up regrets or to thoughts of the future that stir up fears? This morning was one of those mornings for me.

As I lay there, struggling with the ‘if onlys’ of the past and the ‘what ifs’ of the future – God, in His goodness, prodded me with His Spirit – reminding me (speaking words right into my very soul, it seemed) to fix my thoughts on Him. He was specific, reminding me that this is the day that the Lord has made and I should rejoice and be glad in it. He whispered, Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. I quickly rose in the strength of the reminders – knowing they were words of life and victory over the enemy’s attempt to steal and kill and destroy – but found myself still trying to shake off the regrets and fears that had been stirred up – unfortunately, they didn’t shake off like sand but stuck like caked-on dirt. He rescued me though with one final word – PEACE – reminding me that those who trust in Him and fix their thoughts on Him are kept in perfect peace. With that I was able to move forward free from the debris of fears and regrets and finding myself in worship and awe of God’s goodness. 

As I spent time in the wonder and worship of what had just transpired I looked up the reference He had whispered about Jesus being the author and finisher of my faith – curious as to why that one for this situation and I found these words preceding those: 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down (i.e. Fears and regrets) especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus … Hebrews 12:1-2

Familiar words for sure, hidden away but not thought of or quoted for a while now – but certainly putting into deeper perspective the beauty of how God uses His Spirit and His Word in our lives. 

…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26

My child pay attention to what I say, listen carefully to My words. Don’t lose sight of them, for they are life to those who find them and healing to their whole body. Proverbs 4:20-22

Prayer: Father, You are good and in Your goodness You have won the battle over the thoughts of regrets and fear that plagued my mind. When You are for us what can stand against us? So, it is in gladness I have risen up to meet this day and it is with thanksgiving that I fix my eyes on Christ, the author and finisher of my faith, and through whom I find forgiveness and renewed strength. It is with steadfast HOPE that I entrust – not just this day – but all the days of my future, whether here on earth or in heaven with You. Yes God, You are good and I praise You for Your Presence in my life and for the work of Your Spirit to remind me of everything You have said. You are a good good Father! It’s who You are and You are mine because of my faith in Jesus Christ. I know You are working all things together for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose – and in this TRUTH I find PEACE. Thank you for intimately knowing every detail of my life, for knowing the words I needed to hear this morning and for speaking them into me. Is it any wonder that I love and trust You? For surely I have tasted and seen that You are Good! 

Blessings – from the Inside Out 💕

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How Do We Choose?

Posted on by MaryEllen

I am currently doing the Love God Greatly study on Joshua. This morning’s scripture was from Joshua 13:1-8 and Isaiah 66:3-4 and lead me to these thoughts …

  • Our choices matter to Him
  • We put ourselves and our relationship with Him in great jeopardy when we choose our own ways over His
  • The same is true when we attempt to align His will with ours or come up with a combination of the two instead of fully aligning our will with His
  • When He calls He wants us to answer
  • When He speaks He wants us to listen

My child pay attention to what I say, listen carefully to My words. Don’t lose sight of them for they bring life to those who find them … Proverbs 4:20-22

In this world we will face situations everyday where we must choose our way or His. The question is how do we consistently make the right choice?

As children of God and joint-heirs with Christ we must be careful and intentional with our choices. We must strive to faithfully make God – His Word and Spirit – our guide and priority over what we see and feel and desire.

His will, His pleasure, His ways … should be our utmost criteria.

cri·te·ri·on

noun

plural noun: criteria – a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided.

From the InsideOut 💕

Borderline Believers

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The Importance of Remembering

Posted on by MaryEllen

“We all struggle to remember what God has done for us, and that spiritual memory loss often shows itself in complaining. Complaining reveals a heart that has forgotten what God saved you from and where He is taking you.

We need to get back to remembering.” Love God Greatly https://lovegodgreatly.com/

In Joshua 4 God instituted a tangible, visible, conversation -inducing memorial with a God-given purpose. He wanted them not just to remember for themselves but He wanted others (specifically here – their children) to know what He had done for them.

God wanted Joshua and those who crossed the Jordan with him to be able to tell how God had worked in their lives.

He wants the same for His children today. God wants those who live around us and come behind us – our children, neighbors, friends and even strangers – to see and to hear about the things He has done for us, in us, and through us. So that they will know and understand Who He Is.

We must remember what He’s done from the time of our salvation to now. We must look for His fingerprints and remember them – it’s a game changer! We will look different, sound different and live different and when we are asked we will be ready with an answer for the Hope that is us.

Me- From the Inside Out 💕

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My Battle Cry

Posted on by MaryEllen

“Father, You Are Good!” This is my heart cry – my battle cry – each new morning. For the knowledge and experience of His Goodness – NOT just what He does but who He is – is what gets me through each day. The knowledge and experience of what He does and Who He is is my STRENGTH when I am weak. It is my PEACE when I am anxious and CALMS me when I am fearful. It is my LIGHT when my pathway seems or is dark and confusing and it is my GUIDE and my COUNSEL when decisions lie before me. It is my COMFORT when I am lonely or sad and my PROTECTION when I am in danger. It is my REST when I am tired and weary. It is the SOLID GROUND beneath my feet when life becomes like shifting sands and it is the very AIR that I breathe when panic seizes me. It is the HOPE of each new day and the GUARDIAN of my mind when I lie down to sleep at night. It is my daily FREEDOM from the law of sin and death and my FORGIVENESS when I fall. Such knowledge and experience EMPOWERS me to WAIT EXPECTANTLY and to TRUST with EXCEEDINGLY GREAT HOPE.  It is my JOY and the DELIGHT of my heart to know Him and His goodness. 

Taste and see that the LORD is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!  Psalm 34:8

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Seeing the Good in the Unwanted Cup

Posted on by MaryEllen

So many times in recent weeks I have prayed – “let this ‘cup’ (trouble) pass from me (or from my brother, my mom, my family)” – and not that that was wrong – even Christ prayed that very prayer in the garden before His death. However, Christ didn’t end His prayer there, He finished it with “not My will but Yours”.

Through the years, and again in recent days, I have learned to pray that way as well – it isn’t easy but it comes with trust. Through a child’s cancer and another born with crippled feet – and many other ‘troubles’ of my own or those of friends and family – I have learned that whether it ends on a mountain top or in “the valley of the shadow of death” my God can be trusted.

I’m currently working through a study on Spiritual Growth by Tony Evans and the Scriptures he used this morning were a great reminder of why I trust Him and am convinced that in these troubles of health crisis and death and sorrows and fears God is working.

Through the “testing” of my FAITH He is working to GROW my “endurance” so that “I will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:3-4

Through these “trials and sorrows” that are a part of life on earth Jesus wants me to find my PEACE in Him – knowing that He has “overcome the world”

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the truth Paul points out in 2 Cor 12 – that God uses these earthly struggles that I have begged Him to take away to STRENGTHEN me with the POWER of Christ Jesus 🙌 and make known to me His all sufficient GRACE 💜

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

I, no doubt, will in the sorrows and troubles of this world continue to pray for God to heal those that are sick or, in mercy, to remove a “cup” from me – but – I do so believing He is working all things together for my good and His glory, and thus trusting His Will over my own. Me – from the Inside Out 💕

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What a Day that Will Be

Posted on by MaryEllen

Our family has been through a lot of grief and struggles – especially in the last six years.

Six years ago we suffered the sudden loss of my younger brother Joe. Two years ago we nearly lost my father to complications in his ongoing battle with COPD. Just 3 1/2 weeks ago my older brother Andy, succumbed to a short four-month battle with liver disease and last week my mother was hospitalized with AFIB. She is still there undergoing tests and procedures to see if her heart is enlarged.

I would be remiss to not first acknowledge that, as always, we have found God’s presence and peace and people to be our strength and sustenance – but I suppose it isn’t too surprising to admit that we are somewhat weak and weary.

When I read this verse this morning –

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NLT

it seemed fitting to share – as a reminder that even though God allows His children to go through trials and sorrows we can have peace in Christ – knowing that He has overcome sin and death ✝️ ♥️

As the devotional that accompanied this verse said,

“… we have the hope of Heaven and eternity with God – full of joy – free from sickness, sin, death, pain and anxiety.”

What a day that will be 💜🙌

It would have been fitting to end this post with that declaration of my heart – but I find it more fitting to point out the Fingerprints of God in His perfect timing to share with me the much needed words of comfort and encouragement written in this devotional and the TRUTH from the Scriptures it references.

May His intimate knowledge and loving response to our needs never ceases to amaze us. – Me from the inside out 💕