Posted in From the Insideout

Why It Is Well

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“It is Well With My Soul” has always been a beautiful song to me – sung with emotions of thankfulness that even when things are/were at their worst I could rejoice and say it is/was well because I knew God was with me and in perfect control. I still believe this is TRUE and a rich comfort, but listening to it on the way to work this morning I was moved to worship God with clapping and praises at the thought that “IT” is well – not just because I know and to trust the true and living God in the good and bad conditions/circumstances of this life. It is well with my soul because I have been set FREE and my soul is His – I am FREE- not charged with the debt of my sin but FREE to walk in His grace! FREE to know and be known by God … FREE to worship and to live … FREE to love and to forgive … FREE to love and to be loved … FREE to walk in fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit … FREE to know and to trust the true and living God … FREE to walk by Faith and not by sight … FREE to hope in eternity with God … and FREE to sing “It is well with my soul!”

Posted in LGG Study

“Know Love”: Week 1-Monday

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Challenge: This week, practice confessing your sin as soon as it happens. Ask God to reveal your sin to you and be faithful to confess it to Him and to others right away. Take note of how this affects your attitude and actions around sin, and also your understanding and belief in God’s grace.

Today’s Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4 (S.O.A.P verse 4)

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Posted in LGG Study

“KNOW LOVE” – Introduction 1, 2, and 3 John

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Join me Monday, August 17 for “Know Love” an LGG (Love God Greatly)  4-week study of 1, 2, and 3 John.

+ 07_BLANK_KnowLove_REF WEEK

What better timing could there be than now for a study on “Love”? John, “the disciple Jesus loved”(Jn 19:26), wrote letters that will encourage, equip, and empower us to live Christ-centered lives of love, unity, and faithfulness. I hope you’ll join me in this 4-week journey through the verses of 1, 2, and 3 John. We will hide some away in our heart, we will write some down on paper and discuss/share what we have observed and how we  believe they should be applied to our life. I’ve been a student of God’s Word for decades and I have never known a better method of studying the Bible than what the Love God Greatly team lays out in their studies. You’ll find all of the details in any of their journals or on their website.

As an LGG facilitator of this study I will supply you with the passages, challenges, and other info as we move through the study; however, journals are also available through the Love God Greatly site. While they are not necessary they are a tremendous asset to the study. https://lovegodgreatly.com/how-to-soap/  https://lovegodgreatly.com/store/

Posted in God is good

THE GREATER GIFT

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Father, You are good 💜 You heard my simple but heartfelt prayer for uninterrupted sleep and You gave it. Even when I stirred in the early morning hours You lulled me back to sleep – and I praise You! In Your great and mysterious sovereignty – the Scripture reading this morning was from Psalm 116, which says: “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” Yes, in the night You gave me the restful sleep I desperately sought – but the greater gift of Your goodness, as the Psalmist goes on to describe is this –

You have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling that I may walk before You in the land of the living -Psalm 116: 8-9

And as the Psalmist – “I trusted in You when I said, many times over, I am greatly afflicted,” and so also I say with him – “What shall I return to the LORD for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on Your name – O LORD.”

Your praise and goodness will continually be in my heart and on my tongue. My lips will glorify Your great name forever and forever – Amen!

Me, from the inside-out

Posted in God is good

My Trust and Hope

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Father, You are good. In You I have put my trust. Show me Your ways LORD, teach me Your ways for they are right and good like You. Guide me in Your truth and teach me for You are my God and Savior and Your Spirit lives in me for this reason 💙 My hope is in You all day long! Oh how I love and depend on You. (Psalm 25:1-5 and John 14:26)

Posted in God is good

My Everything

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Father, You are good and You have taught me that when I keep my eyes on You – and remember You are with me – I will not be shaken.

I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

You are my Protector, my Defender, my Strength, my Comforter, Deliverer, Hope and Light and so much more. You are my Everything. Blessed be Your holy name and the Truth of Your promises. 💜

This morning’s prayer reminded me of an old hymn and that led me to chasing down some Scriptures. I’m sharing both (the song and the Scriptures) with the hope and prayer that they will bless your day as much as they have mine.

How Firm a Foundation (John Robbins 1787)

VERSE 1
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word
What more can He say than to you He hath said
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled (Matthew 7:24-27)

VERSE 2
Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand (Isaiah 41:10)

VERSE 3
When through the deep waters I call thee to go
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress (Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 46:1; James 1:1-2)

VERSE 4
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie
My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine (1 Peter 4:12-19; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Isaiah 48:10)

VERSE 5
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to its foes
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake (Matthew 11:29; Proverbs 18:10; Psalm 16:8; Deuteronomy 31:6)

Posted in Conversations With God, God is good, Uncategorized

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!

Posted in Bible study, Conversations With God, From the Insideout, God is good

God’s Goodness through His Word

Posted on by MaryEllen

Father, You are good! You are kind and gracious to call us into Your Presence and to give us Your Word and Your Spirit that we might hear from You and know You and Your will. And in doing so – we are forever changed!

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17

We are saved by Your Word! We are built up and sanctified by It – changed and set apart for You.

Now I entrust you to God and to the Word of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for Himself. Acts 20:32

Knowing It protects us.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Ps 119:11

My child pay attention to what i say. Listen carefully to My words, for they are life to those who find them and healing to their whole body. Prov 4:20-22

Your Spirit teaches It to us and counsels us with It and by It we are convicted and made right.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sent will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to You. John 14:26

Father, no matter what else I forget and no matter how deaf or blind I may continue to become – please – never let me fail to remember Your Word or to hear Your voice or to follow where It leads. In Jesus’ powerful name – amen and amen!

Posted in From the Insideout, God is good

Celebration of Life

Posted on by MaryEllen

God you are good! You have, this day, blessed me with 57 years of life🎉 This number represents more than years of life though – it is a reminder that …

  • through FAITH in Jesus Christ, I have known you as my God for 51 years – and
  • for 30 years I have been GROWING in the knowledge of Your grace and of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ ❤️ and in the nurture and admonition of Your amazing, never failing LOVE!

So while I celebrate and am deeply thankful another year of life today – my greater celebration is in You!

  • I bow in worship and celebrate who You are and that You made Yourself known to me!
  • I bless Your Name – Name above all Names – and celebrate being adopted into Your family and known as a child of God!
  • I praise You for all that you have done for me for 57 years – and celebrate my salvation 51 years ago – and Your mercy to bring me to a fuller understanding of Your Grace and to grow me up in the nurture and admonition of Your Love over the past 30 years!

As I was writing these words – a song from many years back started playing in my mind – And will be my song of celebration today 🎶

Listen to my birthday song

Posted in Uncategorized

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 💕