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The Potter and the Clay

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based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless World / w1d1

Scripture, Our Road Map for the Journey: Jeremiah 18:1-12 / SOAP verse 6

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” 3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over…

“O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” –

Jeremiaah 18:1-6. NLT

God is the potter, and we are the clay. He will mold us and make us according to His will.

Observation and Application from the Journey

I love it when God uses memories from our past to highlight the present lessons He is teaching us. When I was a little girl – still in elementary school, my best friend was Penny. Penny’s dad had a workshop in their basement where he worked on ceramics, using molds, paints, and other tools to create works of art that he would place in a kiln, which would eventually reveal their beauty. Penny and I loved going down to the basement when he was working because he would occasionally let us help him create. While I know the process of ceramics doesn’t quite compare to the beautiful picture of the potter and his clay, the memory of Mr. Tucker’s detail and attention to his creations flooded my mind as I began to journal my observations of today’s Scripture about the potter.

I also could not help but think of my life verse, the verse that gave a name to this blog site, mefromtheinsideout, from 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus the new creation has come, the old has gone the new is here. 🦋

In fact, the old version of a Christian, who they were before they were “in Christ,” is not recoverable. The old is gone, Paul writes. The new has come. All the old dreams and ideas and agendas and purposes have ceased to exist and have been replaced by Christ’s ideas and agendas and purposes in an entirely new creature called “Christian.”

– read more @Bibleref.com

Friends, this truth and challenge/question are from the LGG study journal today and are too good and necessary for the study not to share. I pray you will read them and give them thought and prayerful consideration. After all, we waste our time with these studies, or any others for that matter, if we only read them and walk away, ignoring or quickly forgetting what God has made known.

  • TRUTH:
    • “We all like to hear the positive things people say about us. We enjoy being reminded that God loves us, just as we are. But we can be less keen to hear truths such as God detesting our sin. He wants more for us, or He wants us to grow to be more like Jesus.”
  • CHALLENGE:
    • Look again at the SOAP verse (Jer. 18:6) . Read it aloud, but replace “nation of Israel/O Israel” with your name
    • How teachable are you? We are often more focused on the temporary things of this world. God wants to develop your relationship with Him and your character because He is interested in molding us into His likeness. Are you willing to be molded?
Prayer of Response from the Journey

Father, how blessed we are to know Your grace and mercy. How heart-wrenching it is to recall some of the days of my past, but oh, how sweet it is to know Your transforming power! The old has gone, and the new has come! Because of You, I am forever changed, a new creation in Christ Jesus!

As we begin this new study/journey on “Living Faithful in a Faithless Land,” please help us to be teachable, to hear Your Word, and to put it into practice. Guard us from being focused on the temporary things of this world. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, and please develop more of Your character in us. Let us be yielded to You as You mold us and make us according to Your will. – In the Name of Jesus, this is my prayer – Amen and Amen!

Responding in Worship to the Journey (borrowed/Shared from YouTube)
The More We Know

For further reading/understanding: Jeremiah 18:18; 25:1-3, 11

Dear reader, have you known/experienced the life-changing power of God’s mercy and grace? If not, I invite you to read Know These Truths and/or message me so I can share with you the way to a new life in Christ 🦋

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

Connect with me on Facebook or via email. @mryelnb@aol.com (subject line: Journey through the Word

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Following Jesus

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Then Jesus said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23

Jesus outlined it for His disciples and anyone who wanted to follow Him, with this invitation in Luke 9:23 – when He said: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” We know from other places in Scripture that true disciples, faithful followers of Christ, must choose a different path than the world. The world teaches a “me first/self-love first” –>then others … but Jesus taught clearly and unapologetically that the love of God and others is most important.1 He even defined that this love was to mimic the way that He had loved us.2

One of my favorite Phil Wickham songs is The Jesus Way. I listen to it far more than any other song in my playlist and was delighted to find a recording of the story  behind the song recently. As we approach our new journey on Monday, from the book of Daniel, “Living Faithful in a Faithless Land,” this song and the story behind it seem very appropriate to share today. I pray it’s a blessing – 🦋

If you curse me, then I will bless you
If you hurt me, I will forgive
And if you hate me, then I will love you
I choose the Jesus way

If you’re helpless, I will defend you
And if you’re burdened, I’ll share the weight
And if you’re hopeless, then let me show you
There’s hope in the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

If you strike me, I will embrace you
And if you chain me, I’ll sing His praise
And if you kill me, my home is heaven
For I choose the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

And I choose surrender
I choose to love
Oh, God my Savior, You’ll always be enough
I choose forgiveness
I choose grace
I choose to worship, no matter what I face

I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

I follow Jesus
I follow Jesus
He wore my sin, I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure
He is the answer
Oh, I choose the Jesus way
Oh, I choose the Jesus way

Source: Musixmatch / The Jesus Way lyrics © Be Essential Songs

Songwriters: Jonathan Smith / Phil Wickham /

  1. Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 NLT ↩︎
  2. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34 NLT ↩︎
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Even There

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This was the verse of the day on the youversion Bible app yesterday morning. After listening to the video and reading the devotional, I knew it had to be what I shared with you today. The verse and the teaching by youversion are beautiful reminders that regardless of where we find ourselves today, scared … lonely … sad … lost … confused about what to do … sick … etc., – we are not alone. We are not stuck. We are not without someone who cares, and who’s able to save. Thank God, there’s no escaping His presence. May the truth of this passage bring hope and peace to your heart and mind and strength and joy to your day.

Start with this short but wonderful video, but don’t miss the encouraging devo –

Even There

David, who was Israel’s king around 1000 BC, is the contemplative soul who wrote our verse for the day:

“… even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Note: Any time a verse seems to start mid-sentence, it’s wise to investigate the broader context of the story. In this case, David is exploring the mind-blowing fact that he can never escape God’s presence.

David realizes that it doesn’t matter if he’s sitting down or standing up, traveling abroad or resting at home, up in heaven or down in the grave, speaking his mind or keeping his thoughts to himself, or even if he somehow ends up next to the most remote ocean on earth.

It’s then that David continues:

“… even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

Even there, even here, even everywhere—God is always present to lead and guide, to strengthen and support.

Even if we try to avoid God, or run from His calling on our life, He’s patient to pursue us, to correct us, to direct us.

One thing is certain: He will never leave us.

So, when you’re scrubbing dishes, scrolling on your phone, or sorting through a difficult decision; when you’re hard at work, lazy at home, or soaking up time with the people you love; when you’re heartbroken, when you’re joyful, when you’re doubtful, when you’re hopeful, and even when you’ve made a horrible decision …

“… even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

Wherever you find yourself today, know that you’re not alone. You’re not stuck. You’re not without someone who cares, and who’s able to save. Thank God, there’s no escaping His presence.

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Keeping A God-Shaped Focus

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Today, I’m sharing with you a prayer by Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of the late Billy Graham. As I read the prayer, I thought of the Psalms that are filled with praise to the God of the universe—like Psalms 8, 19, and 139—but I also thought of Paul’s words to the Colossian believers to think about the things of Heaven and not the things of earth.1 This is so important for all believers to remember because the truth is – it is very easy to “give more weight to the pressures and stresses around us than to God’s sovereign plan and awesome power… and lose our focus on God.”

When we lose our focus on God, it is very easy to live according to our old sinful nature rather than the new nature that showcases God in us to the world around us. After all, as Paul wrote, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.”2 This lifestyle requires a God-shaped focus.

A Prayer to Stay Focused

True, Living Lord,

I acknowledge that You are Lord. Lord of the universe, Lord of this planet, Lord of this nation, Lord of this city, Lord of this community, Lord of my life . . . ​ You are Lord of lords. I thank You and praise You, O Lord, for Your blessings and Your grace.

I humbly confess that I too often give more weight to the pressures and stresses around me than to Your sovereign plan and awesome power. I seek out worldly wisdom rather than turning to Your perfect wisdom. I boast in my own strength rather than leaning on Yours. I tend to lose my focus on You.

Lord, help me never forget that, in a world of confusion, You are the Way. In a world of political correctness, You are the Truth. In a world of death, You are eternal Life.

As I refocus on You and Your Word, give me wisdom to make decisions that are right. Give me courage to stand against that which is wrong. Give me patience to navigate my relationships with grace and truth, reflecting the light of Your love in a way that brings life to all I encounter.

Give me everything I need so others may see Jesus in me.

O God, I pray for these things not because I deserve them but because You have invited me to boldly ask for Your blessing in the name of Your Son, our Savior—Jesus.

Amen.

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Join The Hunt

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You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29;13. ESV

When I was growing up, it was not unusual to be out with my mother on a hunt – a treasure hunt, that is. I honestly don’t remember a lot of rummage sales, but I do remember thrift shops and even alleys of our neighboring city bringing her great joy. The target of her hunting was most typically furniture, but dishes, books, and toys or bikes were among the hauls as well. Once spotted, she would size up the target, and if she could envision a place or use for the newfound pieces, she would squeeze us all closer together in the family station wagon and load up the treasure, or on some of the hunts, she would have to make arrangements to return. for the bounty at another time. When we arrived home, we would spill out of the wagon and help her haul the treasures out of the station wagon and into her large treasure chest, otherwise known as the big old garage that was on the back of our property.

Oh, the joys of that garage as a kid. It was the setting of a schoolhouse for this want-to-be teacher and her friends; It was the place of wild west shootouts for my brothers and, yes, me – when they dared to let me join in the fun. And it was the place where my mom would create, or should I say recreate, the treasures from her hunts. Of course, Dad would get in on the action from time to time as well – helping her sand or paint. However, I fondly remember his hands on his hips as he stared at the treasure, saying, “Eleanor, what in the world are we going to do with this?”

She may not have known the answer at the time, but our house eventually and continually bore the evidence of her treasure hunting – as restored tables and chairs became the place for family dinners, game nights, and my dad’s old typewriter (a valuable treasure from one of the hunts). Cabinets that were once eyesores were made beautiful and filled the rooms of our wonderful old home, holding dishes, books, and other treasures produced by the hunts. Couches, chairs, and ottomans, once tattered and worn, were recovered and transformed into pieces that not only made our home both attractive and comfortable for our family and countless friends who frequently stopped by. Both the hunting process and the restoration were just part of our simple living.

Many of these treasures now fill my home. So, I suppose it was natural for today’s verse to stir up memories of those hunts from long ago. Of course, seeking God as the treasure has a vastly different outcome than hunting treasure with my mom. You see, Mom’s treasures needed to be restored, but when we seek and find God, we are the ones who are changed. He reclaims us and restores us; He takes what was once ugly, tattered, and worn, and He changes us from the inside out, making us beautiful new creations meant to fill the world around us with the evidence of His handiwork and the joy of His presence.

I have always loved today’s verse from Jeremiah. The thought of seeking God as “treasure” reminds me of the words of the Psalmist, who wrote,

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge … The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them, there is great reward.“

Psalm 19:1-2, 7-11 (ESV)

His fingerprints, His still small voice, His untold gifts of grace that fill our days, His mercies that are new every morning, and His word that can never be fully mined are just some of the daily treasures that fill my mind and heart and a treasure chest of journals. And, they are indeed more precious to me than the finest of gold or the sweetest of honey. Perhaps the best part about this treasure hunt and what reminded me so much of my hunts with Mom is found in the truth of this quote:

“This verse isn’t about a frantic spiritual scavenger hunt. It’s a gentle invitation to open our eyes to the everyday moments where God is already present. He’s in the sunrise that takes your breath away, the unexpected kindness of a stranger, the quiet strength that rises within us when we need it most.” ourdailyverse.com:

Friend, seek God with all of your heart and soul; desire Him more than you desire the wealth and sweet things of this world. Through prayer and worship and time in His Word, you will find Him. Ask Him to open the eyes of Your heart, and you will see His fingerprints all around you. Pray for ears to hear even His still small voice, and you will hear sweet whispers of His love. Stay alert, and you will see and experience the abundance of His grace and faithful mercies. You will be delighted and inspired by His strength in your trials and weaknesses, and you will know His peace that passes all understanding over your fears and burdens. May these treasures become the treasures of your heart and draw you closer to Him. Never stop seeking the treasures that are yours through Christ Jesus. When and if you feel far from Him – draw close to Him, and He will draw close to you.

Seeking God “with all your heart” isn’t a call to religious perfection. It’s an invitation to bring your authentic self to each moment. Your doubts? Bring them. Your joy? He delights in it. Your mess? That’s where His grace shines brightest. God is as present in your tears as He is in your laughter, in your questions as much as in your certainties.

ourdailyverse.com
The More We Know
Know These Truths
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Fiery Darts Nor Thorns & Thistles

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Yesterday, my morning prayer journal entry started like this: “Father, You are Good. Your Word and the timing of the Spirit’s reminder are treasures in the morning and throughout the day. I do not know what lies ahead today, but I do know that it is my greatest strength, pleasure, comfort, and peace to know that You walk with me 💜 And I do not need to fear! – Fiery darts and thorns and thistles that litter the way cannot keep us from Your protective presence💜 When You are near, we have nothing to fear, for You will hold us up with Your victorious right hand.”

The entry was prompted by the “our daily verse ” email devotion that I received. Yesterday’s verse of the day was from Isaiah 41:10, and those of you who have been a part of the group for very long may recognize it as one I often use because it is among my top 10 life verses.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

I am sharing it again with you today, along with the “ourdailyverse.com” devotion from yesterday. I pray it is a blessing of encouragement for your Friday and the weekend ahead. – “Today, let’s rest in the assurance that God walks beside us through every challenge. We’re never alone in our worries. – Have a blessed day.”

“Fear, it’s a familiar adversary, a shadow that threatens to darken even the brightest of days. But in the face of this relentless foe, God speaks a promise that has the power to change everything: “Do not fear, for I am with you.” – read the full devo at https://www.ourdailyverse.com/p/verse-of-the-day-isaiah-41-10

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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?”

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Off the Beaten Path 2.0

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It’s Not About Gritting Our Teeth

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13. ESV

It’s funny, yet not surprising, how God knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it, and He supplies it. Such was the case this morning, as I read from OurDailyVerse.com again. This time, it wasn’t just me that needed to hear it. He knew there was someone in my life who needed to hear not just the verse but this one particular statement: “It’s not about gritting our teeth, but about acknowledging our limitations and allowing His power to course through us.”

These devotionals are typical prayer starters for me in the morning and sometimes at the end of the day. This morning’s flowed something like this:

Father, You are Good. You enable Your people with STRENGTH to live as You have called us to live. Whether in a prison cell like Paul or facing the daily cares and fears and other challenges or enemies of this world – that trap us and “weaken” us — causing us to feel like “we can’t” press on or stand firm in our faith. Yet, we are without excuse, Father, because we are filled with the powerful strength of Christ, our Lord and Savior, who endured death on a cross when He could have called 10 thousand angels to get Him down — and who three days later walked out of the grave! – (did you just say glo-ry hal-le-lu-jah!? I know I did!)

It’s not about gritting our teeth, but about acknowledging our limitations and allowing His power to course through us. This doesn’t erase challenges, but it shifts how we face them, replacing fear with unwavering faith and weakness with His might.

OurDailyVerse / September 17, 2024

Sometimes, Father, the days seem filled with seemingly impossible tasks or demands. Today is one of those days for a friend of mine, and as I was praying for her, I realized that you had already given me the perfect words to encourage her. Even when we think we can’t possibly deal with a problematic/anxiety-spiking problem, Your Word declares that we can do ‘all things through Christ Who gives us strength!‘We cannot do it in our own might or will – but in the STRENGTH of CHRIST! Paul declares that “we have been crucified with Christ.” – He goes on to say that “the life we now live in the flesh we lie by faith in Your Son, who loves us and gave Himself for us.” According to Romans 8:37, We are more than conquerors – NOT by anything we have done or can do or will do but because of what Jesus did for us. The cross was ours to bear, the death was ours to die, But Christ took them for us – He was pierced for our transgressions… He was crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that brought us peace was placed upon Him – and by His wounds, we are healed – and set free from the chains that had rendered us lost and powerless! And when we belong to Him, His Spirit lives in us, teaching and reminding us of all that Christ taught and giving us strength in our inner being.

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,1

Ephesians 3:16. ESV

I shared the prayer from the Devo with my friend, and now I am sharing it with all of you. Perhaps you need to hear it today; I encourage you to make it your own and to be strengthened by it. If it isn’t one you need to hear today, I encourage you to tuck it away for a day when life is full of more challenges than you think are possible and need to be reminded – You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you – ❤️

Dear Lord, As I confront the challenges of today, fill me with the strength that comes from You alone. Remind me that I do not face these trials by myself but with Your power within me. Help me to rely on Your strength, not my own, transforming my worries into confidence and my fears into faith.

Guide me through each moment, and let Your peace reign in my heart. Thank You for making me more than a conqueror through Your love and grace.

In Jesus’ name, I pray – 💜 Amen
  

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Off the Beaten Path 2.0

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Generous Living x2

Yesterday, my pastor preached on “Living a Generous Life,” and this morning, I opened my morning devotion to find this verse from Proverbs 11:25: “The generous will prosper;    those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Hmmm? My first thought was: “No way!” My second thought: “I believe God is trying to tell me something.” My third thought: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.1”

Both today’s devotion and Sunday’s message reminded me that God, the Father, is the most generous giver and Christ the most generous servant. After all, God gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. As the Scripture says, “This is love,2“ but it is also the epitome of generosity. On top of giving His Son, His grace and mercy are endlessly poured out freely and faithfully to all who believe. Blessings after blessings fall like raindrops on us and around us, and I stand in awe of the depth of His generosity and am humbled by the necessary reminder to live this way. 

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

John 4:10

May God make us blessings to those around us today and every day. May He help us be generous as He is generous with love, kindness, time, and compassion. May we, in humility, serve others even as Christ taught and demonstrated to His disciples long ago. May God help us to help others from the purest of hearts and motives. May we live and love like Jesus in all we say and do. 

Have the Attitude of Christ

2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Shine Brightly for Christ

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. Philippians 2:1-18

OurDailyVerse.com / September 16, 2024

My notes from Pastor Lemming’s message / September 15, 2024

Living Faithful in a Faithless Land

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Wisdom

Difficult Seasons of Life

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us …”

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Seasons of discontent … seasons of grief … seasons of illness … seasons of waiting … seasons of caring for aging parents … seasons of watching children or grandchildren hurting/struggling with life … seasons of interruptions … seasons of change … seasons of growing pains … seasons of barrenness … seasons of weariness … seasons of …


Whatever season you may be in you need to know that if you belong to God, He is with You. He has not forgotten you nor overlooked your season. He’s calling you to fix your eyes on Him and keep running the race. The road we are on is not a coincidence, the trials and heartaches we face are not meant to crush us but to help us grow in our faith so that we are able to endure to the finish line.1 His spirit dwells within us, enabling us to run and not grow weary and to walk and not faint. We do not need to run from the difficult places we desperately want to escape but rather we should ask God to align our hearts with His will. We do not have to postpone living the rich full lives that Christ came to bring. Instead, as Ruth Chou Simons writes, “we need to meet God where we are.” We need to place our eyes on Him – not on where we would rather be.  To borrow from the writer of Hebrews 12:1, today’s road map for our journey, we need to run with perseverance the race mapped out for us. 

Image borrowed from Proverbs 31 devotions /August 19, 2024

Friends, whether you find yourself in a place of contentment right now or a place of discontent and struggle, I invite you to read this encouraging story/message, A Call to Persevere, by Ruth Chou Simons. 

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/08/19/a-call-to-persevere

If you are reading this and have never placed your hope in Jesus I invite you to read Know These Truths, and find out how you can share in our faith and hope and find strength to persevere to the end – all while experiencing the rich full life Christ promises to all who belong to Him. 

Know These Truths
  1. Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 ↩︎