Posted in Uncategorized

Day 4 – Jesus Our Everything

Posted on by

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

Posted in LGG Study

Day 3 – Jesus our Everything

Posted on by
  • You do not need to post a pic but I encourage you to share something you learned from today’s reading
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-4 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 2:1)

Question of the Day: What must we do to not drift away?

 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels[a] proved to be so firm that every violation[b] or disobedience received its just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, 4 while God confirmed their witness[c] with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed[d] according to his will.

LGG Site

Posted in God is good, Prayer Starters

The Privilege of Prayer

Posted on by

Father, You are good. Again, this morning, I am reminded of Your goodness through Your Word that is filled with Your invitations and encouragement to pray. You, the Most High God – Creator and Sustainer of Life, have invited me to pray. What an amazing privilege it is to be Your child, to be invited into Your presence – not just to hear from You but to converse with you – and not only at certain times but continually (Col. 4:2). The invitation comes with the promise that you will hear and answer according to Your perfect will – because You CARE (1 Peter 5:7), because You KNOW our need (Matthew 6:8), because – YOU. ARE. ABLE! (Ephesians 3:20), and because You are loving and kind, full of mercy and grace and compassion of Hope and strength and joy and peace that will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus! (Phil 4:6-7).

I am blessed by Your goodness and the privilege of prayer! You know the desires of my heart Father, but let this not deter me from asking, seeking, and knocking, from telling You my needs or anxious thoughts and cares. And when I ask, let me not doubt but believe – and expect – not my will but Yours to be done. For I know that You are able to do immeasurably more than I ask or even imagine. And may I never forget that this privilege is mine only through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ and my faith in Him.

What a Friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
what a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer

O what peace we often forfeit
O what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Bing Crosby

Posted in LGG Study

Day 2 – Jesus our Everything

Posted on by
  • Be sure and leave your SOAP details in the reply bar below
Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 1:5-14 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 1:8-9)

Question of the Day: I challenge everyone, even if it’s just one word or phrase, to describe how you see Jesus after reading God’s description of Him.

5 For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus:

“You are my Son.
    Today I have become your Father.[a]”

God also said,

“I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son.”[b]

6 And when he brought his supreme[c] Son into the world, God said,[d]

“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”[e]

7 Regarding the angels, he says,

“He sends his angels like the winds,
    his servants like flames of fire.”[f]

8 But to the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
    You rule with a scepter of justice.
9 You love justice and hate evil.
    Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”[g]

10 He also says to the Son,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth
    and made the heavens with your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain forever.
    They will wear out like old clothing.
12 You will fold them up like a cloak
    and discard them like old clothing.
But you are always the same;
    you will live forever.”[h]

13 And God never said to any of the angels,

“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
    until I humble your enemies,
    making them a footstool under your feet.”[i]

14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

Posted in LGG Study

Jesus Our Everything

Posted on by
Welcome to week 1 of Jesus Our Everything! You’ll find all the details below for this week’s Prayer Focus and Challenge, as well as the Scripture and links to helpful resources like the Love God Greatly App, including devotional and blog posts from the love God Greatly Team.

Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-4 (S.O.A.P. Hebrews 1:3-4)

After God spoke long ago[a] in various portions[b] and in various ways[c] to our ancestors[d] through the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son,[e] whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.[f]3 The Son is[g] the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word,[h] and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.[i]4 Thus he became[j] so far better than the angels as[k] he has inherited a name superior to theirs.

Love God Greatly app link

Posted in LGG Study
Posted on by

The Study of Hebrews, Jesus our everything begins Monday, September 28, 2020. Join me here for all the links and After Thoughts as we learn about Jesus and have our faith strengthened. SOAPing the Scriptures will enhance your understanding and leave you wanting more.  I truly hope you’ll join me because I believe doing this together we will be stronger for it.

The purpose of this group is to receive extra encouragement, fellowship and accountability with other women throughout our study sessions! To help maintain accountability, I’m hoping that you will share your thoughts/soaps daily or at least three times a week. Please be ready to share what God is teaching you, be transparent when sharing in our group, it will help us to build a unique bond in this wonderful online community. We will all benefit from what each member shares. In Acts 18:9 the Lord said to Paul “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent.” I believe these words are applicable for us today.

What to expect each week:

  • Sunday afternoon/evening–I will post the graphics for the Weekly Reading & SOAP Plan, the Weekly Prayer & Praise, and the Weekly Memory (focus) Verse.
  • Each morning, Monday thru Friday –I will post the graphic for the Daily SOAP, add my personal SOAP, and then ask that each of you add your own observation/application/thoughts or chime in and encourage someone else where this may be applicable.
  • Monday Mornings–I will post the Weekly Challenge.
  • First Monday of our study–I will post the graphic for our study Goals, and ask that we each set goals for ourselves and post them in the comment bar. We will revisit these goals midway through the study to check our progress. I realize that not all of you will fill comfortable with all of the steps but I hope you’ll still stick with the group and choose at least one of the steps so that we know you are with us.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you by facilitating this study and for sharing this journey in God’s Word with all of you.  Mary Ellen

If you’re new to Love God Greatly studies you can find their Statement of Belief at the following link.

LGG Statement of Belief
Posted in LGG Study

LGG Group Guidelines

Posted on by

1.This group is for digging deeper in the Word, accountability, encouraging, uplifting, andprayer.

2.Log in during your quiet time to share your thoughts or SOAP on the daily reading Monday through Friday images. The beauty of this online Bible study is that it’s very flexible to your schedule. Please don’t ever think that your comments are not good enough, or not as good as other women. We all learn from one another and we LOVE to hear what God has taught you!

3. Be respectful and positive at all times. We are here to share and encourage one another, and each person is in a different walk with Christ. Some are more advanced and some are new to Christ. Please be respectful of other people and other denominations.

4. PRAY for each other! Share prayer requests in the comments of the weekly Prayer & Praise post. It helps to keep all the prayer requests in one place so they can be easily found and prayed for.

5. This group is NOT a place to promote one’s own ministry, careers, or platforms. Links maybe shared ONLY if they relate to the content of the discussion. If you would like to post something not related to the study, please first send a message to your Facilitator.

6. This is a confidential group. What we share here stays here.

7. I understand that my voice matters in this group and I have an opportunity to encourage,support and love on the women in this group by what I share on a weekly basis.

8. If a problem arises with another member, I agree to handle the issue in private and contact the Facilitator.

9. I understand that it is up to the Facilitator to add members to the group and I need to contact her if I have a friend that wishes to join the group.

10. I understand that if this group is not the right fit for me, I will contact the Facilitator to discuss it with her.

11. I understand that the Facilitator of this group retains the right to remove members from the group who do not uphold these expectations. If you agree with these Group Guidelines, please type ‘AGREE’ in the comment section. Thankyou!

Posted in Quiet Time

Romans 8:1-11

Posted on by

Today’s Scripture: Romans 8:1-11 (S.O.A.P. Romans 8:1-2)

Question of the Day: What is condemnation and how are believers free from it?

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[a] 2 For the law of the life-giving Spirit[b] in Christ Jesus has set you[c] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For God achieved what the law could not do because[d] it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by[e] the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. 6 For the outlook[f] of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in[g] the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but[h] the Spirit is your life[i] because of righteousness. 11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one[j] who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ[k] from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.[l]

After Thoughts
Posted in From the Insideout

The Freedom of God’s Grace

Posted on by

I love the absolute TRUTH of this passage! Seriously! It excites me that there is now NO condemnation of my sin … because I am In Christ Jesus … and the law of the Life-giving Spirit has set me FREE from the law of sin and death. Yet, sin will always be a real and present struggle for the believer. This struggle can and should raise conviction from the Holy Spirit to turn away from that sin – but it can also raise ’emotions’ or internal charges of guilt and condemnation. This is where grace comes in – for we no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, we live under the freedom of God’s grace – not just that we have been saved by grace but that God accepted Christ’s blood as payment for our sin, and we are no longer charged with the debt! 

I had been a Christian for 21 years before I knew or fully understood this life-changing truth. I still remember the relief the day a pastor friend of mine helped me understand that I don’t have to, nor can I, repay God for my sins. It’s important to know that I firmly believed I was saved by grace through faith in Christ, that it was not by works that I had done, but rather a gift from God. However, while I knew I couldn’t lose my salvation even if I sinned, somewhere along the way, I had begun to live as though I needed to repay God whenever I did sin. I lived a life of trying to be better, trying to live up to His standards, knowing that I hadn’t, and looking for more “good things” to do to garner His pleasure and maintain His love. As you can imagine, and perhaps have experienced, that lifestyle gets exhausting and does not accomplish its purpose. What I mean is this, if He loved me enough to send His son to die for me, even when I was His enemy, why would I think there was anything I could do to cause Him to love me more than that? His only ‘begotten’ Son gave His life for my sins. Did I seriously think there was anything I could give that would amount to more than that? The answer to both of these questions is no. What I had to learn, was just as my sin would never cost me my salvation, it would also never change His love for me. 

Now some may think that this means we can go on sinning. Paul addressed this question at least two different times – and both were a resounding no! He said, “Of course not,” (Romans 6:1-2) and “By no means!” (Romans 6:14-15) explaining to them, as my friend explained to me, that they were no longer living under the law of sin and death. They had been set free, as he said in Romans 8:1-2, by “the law of the life-giving Spirit,” a reiteration of his teaching from chapter 6 that believers live under the “freedom of God’s grace.” However, living under the freedom of God’s grace doesn’t mean we won’t be tempted with sin. Paul spoke of this struggle with sin in chapters 6 and 7, but here in Roman’s 8:1-2, he takes it a step further by proclaiming the wonderful TRUTH that those who are in Christ Jesus are no longer subject to the condemnation that comes from the law of sin and death. 

To be clear, I know that growing in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord is a worthy goal. I know that working on living the Holy life He has called me to, loving God and others better, and keeping in step with the Spirit more today than I did yesterday are all worthy goals. The difference now is – I don’t do it to maintain His Love but rather because I want to honor Him for His love – a love that says – “There is therefore now no condemnation”.

https://mefromthensideout.wordpress.com/?p=1409