Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Martha, Part 1

Posted on by

Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p 31-32

Read: Luke 10:38-40

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Luke 10:38-40

My mother was the queen of rummage sales and alley finds, and refurbishing the treasures she found was her gift. Perhaps this explains some of why she loved to entertain. Whether it was her bridge night with her besties from high school, a larger gathering of friends, or dinner for the extended family, some of my fondest childhood memories are of when we had guests over.

However, having guests over often meant chores, like polishing silver, extra dusting, and cleaning throughout the house. It wasn’t that I truly minded the chores that came before the guests, but once the guests arrived, I wanted to be in the midst of them. Even if the company did not include other children, I wanted to hear the conversations and/or simply watch their interaction. Along the way, I learned that while I enjoyed being with the guests, the ‘hosting’ responsibilities were important as well. I also learned that hosting brought its own joy. That being said, I am still very much a ‘Mary” at heart, particularly if the Word is being taught or discussed (I credit this to my dad, who loved to discuss and expound on the Word or sit and talk with others about questions they had or things they had learned). As for Mary and Martha, the good news is that today’s passage of our journey teaches neither is bad/wrong; in fact, both are good. However, it is important to note that while Martha’s concern for and act of hospitality were not wrong, hospitality was not the most important thing. The most important thing was to “sit at His feet”.1 –

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look clear in his wonderful face – and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus/Selah

Today’s study guide points out something that surprised me. Maybe you’ve always known it, but for me it was somehow new. Martha and Mary had both sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His Word (vs 39), but as verse 40 notes, “Martha was distracted“ first, by the preparations that still needed to be done, and then by the fact that Mary wasn’t helping her, and finally (and perhaps most sadly), to the idea that Jesus did not care that she had been left alone to serve. The thing that stands out to me in Martha’s distraction is that once her mind was distracted by the need to serve, more distractions followed.

Reflection/Application:
  • Martha asked Jesus, “Don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to serve?”
    • Did He care about Martha?
    • Does He care for us?

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7
  • How can you serve Him more?

Share your thoughts or comments/questions in the comment section or join me at my FB page, Journey Through the Word, for more discussion.

The More We Know

Posted in Bible study, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Lydia, part 2

Posted on by

Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p 27-28

Read: Acts 16:11- 40

She is the first recorded convert in Europe

Our previous day’s journey focused on Lydia and how the Gospel she heard from Paul changed her life. Her life was no longer about a religion or religious acts – instead, it was now about a relationship with God, made possible through the grace of God and the saving work of Jesus Christ, His Son. This change in Lydia’s heart is a prime example that “there is”, as the study guide puts it, “a difference in knowing something, and actually believing, or placing your faith in it” (p 26).

After her heart was opened, she placed her faith in Jesus and never looked back. Scripture tells us that she (and her household)* were baptized … she then provided housing for Paul and those with him on more than one occasion. One commentary describes her as one who is “generous and passes on that generous spirit to the church that started in her home (Phil 4:15-16).

And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent something for my need.

Philippians 4:15-16

While Lydia’s name doesn’t appear often in Scripture, it is easy to see – from her salvation (believed to be the first in Europe)…to her public profession of faith through baptism…to her willingness to house Paul and the others…to opening her home so others could hear the message and grow in their faith…to laboring with Paul and others in spreading the Gospel … and using her income to help missionaries whom she often hosted in her home – why it is believed that “she had a great impact on the church.”

“She had a great impact on the church.”

She Volume 1, p 27

Lydia was not bashful but bold with her faith. As the writers of our study guide point out, “She must have told all that were in her household what the Lord had done for her” – for they were baptized with her. Lydia was so excited and passionate about her faith that she had to share it with those around her. What a beautiful picture she is of “the effects the Gospel can have on our lives.” Surely she is an inspiration to be active and open in our walk of faith, generous and purposeful in ministry, and ready and willing to share the Gospel, mindful that the person seated beside you week after week in church may need to hear the Gospel message of salvation.

Words of Encouragement: For Faith and Duty

Sharing the Gospel does not come easily for everyone. From our personalities to our understanding of the Gospel, and everything in between, there are many reasons or excuses we allow to hold us back. Perhaps we’re afraid we will say the wrong thing or offend someone – there are a myriad of other reasons we can offer, but there is one reason that should outweigh all of the reasons/excuses we can think of – and it is found in John 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Simply put, it is a choice between life and death. Trust me, I’m not making light of the ‘difficulty’ we have with this all-important commission. I still freeze up sometimes, and/or I make excuses that it’s not the right setting or timing … or I can’t remember what to say … and sometimes those things may be true, but I have found that if I just open my mouth – God will lead the way and the conversation. Sometimes it ends up being an invitation to church; other times it is putting the Gospel information in their hands; still others, it is actually sharing the Gospel, as Paul did with Lydia – and even then the outcome isn’t on us … for only God can open someone’s heart and mind to understand the message of salvation.

Consider this … When Moses was sent by God to speak with Pharaoh, Moses told God: “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words, neither formerly nor since you’ve been speaking to your servant, because my mouth and my tongue are clumsy.”  God heard Moses’ response and replied back: And Yahweh said to him: “Who made man’s mouth? Who makes him dumb or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! And I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall speak.” Exodus 4:10-12

Friends, the battle belongs to the Lord! Just as God came down and spoke to Moses – leading Him to set His people free from slavery to Pharaoh – Jesus came down to set sinners free from their bondage to the law of sin and death. Like Moses, we have been commissioned to be the mouthpieces and the lights that lead them out – the hands and feet of Jesus, His love (the very message of the Gospel) in and to a lost and dying world.

Reflection/Application

What does Lydia inspire you to do? – share your answer, question, or comment in the comment section below – or jump over to my Journey Through the Word page

The More We Know

Need help sharing the Gospel? Check out this step-by-step plan of salvation from my church’s website. You can also message me for something to share with those who may need to hear the Gospel message.

Who Made Man’s Mouth?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Lydia

Posted on by

Posted by MaryEllen on 

Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1.‘

Read: Acts 16:11-14

“…she was among the group of women who gathered on the Sabbath by a riverside to pray.” 

We put out to sea from Troas and sailed a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis,12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for some days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the side of the river, where we thought there would be a place of prayer, and we sat down and began to speak to the women who had assembled there. 14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.

Acts 16:11-14

Friends, this one hit close to home for me. Have you ever heard of or participated in a “cardboard testimony time”? We did one at our church about 10 or 15 years ago. People were given a piece of cardboard, and on one side they wrote what they used to be (an addict…lost…condemned…) and on the other who/what they were now (sober…found….forgiven…). I couldn’t help but think of that event when I was working through the study guide on Lydia(p 25) and saw: 

SHE TRADED HER RELIGION
FOR A RELATIONSHIP

Adapted from: She, Volume 1, p 25

 While there are many ways we could think of that Jesus has changed us, I can picture Lydia, excitedly labeling her cardboard for her family, neighbors, and friends: “I was Religious, but now I am saved!” There was a time in my life when my piece of cardboard would have been very similar to Lydia’s. You see, I was saved somewhere around the age of six, but somehow I never understood what it meant to have a true and active relationship with the Triune God (Father, Son, and Spirit) until much later in life. What a life-changing journey it has been since that day!

I was religious – BUT NOW – I have a relationship with God!

What does that mean exactly?

A pastor/friend helped me understand that while God “so loved the world,” His love is personal. He cares about me (1 Peter 5:7) as an individual, not just as part of a group of believers; after all, He left the 99 to rescue me (Luke 15:3-7). When I draw near to Him, His Word says He will draw near to me (James 4:8). When I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins (1 John 1:9). Scripture is filled with passages that reveal His personal love for us, and if we stay alert we will see evidence of it in our lives … the peace He delivers right when we’re about to break… the way He provides for a need right when we are desperate for it… the protection that only He could have provided … the healing that only He could have made possible …and perhaps the most life-changing evidence of His person love – is how He pursued me and pulled me from the pit of sin time after time. Oh, the height, and depth, and width of His personal love and tender care are as vast as the oceans – and once you experience them, your life will never be the same again.

How did things change?

Prayer is more personal…forgiveness replaces guilt…conversation replaces a silent one-sided prayer…awe replaces fear…outward vision replaces an inward one…legalism has been replaced by freedom…obedience is a response to my love of/for God and no longer simply a habit or ritual. I expect this story of transformation will continue to grow as I live and grow in Him, for He isn’t finished with me yet. 

Friends, please hear me when I say – these changes are not perfected, and they certainly don’t make me perfect – but because of the changes, my walk with God is no longer centered around the expectations of man but rather on my relationship with God. I no longer turn away from Him when I sin; instead, I turn toward Him with a repentant heart, broken that I have fallen short and brought Him grief. I no longer try to make myself look or seem better than I really am because I know that He knows me from the inside out. He has seen me at my worst and yet still LOVES me. There was a season of my life when I had Him in a “box” for Wednesdays and Sundays, but now – He walks with me and I with Him – 24:7:365. He is God of the mountains in my life just as surely as He is of the valleys. He is bigger than I ever understood – and His LOVE is richer than I ever imagined; and the more He shows me of Himself, the deeper and fuller our relationship grows. 

Reflection/Application:

  • What example have you seen of religion rather than a relationship?
  • What is essential to having a relationship with God?
  • What keeps those who are saved stuck in religion, but having no personal relationship with God?

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

James 1:22

Friend, do you know Him today, truly know Him? If not or if you’re unsure, I would love to introduce Him to you or chat with you about Him. Comment “Know Him” below or message me questions or concerns at mryelnb@aol.com (subject line: “Know Him”).

You can also join the conversation at Journey Through the Word via Facebook

The More We Know

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

Posted in Bible study, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Deborah

Posted on by

Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p. 21-22

Read: Judges 4 & 5

God’s Word tells us that Deborah was a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, and that she judged Israel.

  • Which of those things surprises you the most and why?
    • For me, it is that she (a woman) “judged Israel,” and that she judged for forty years (5:31), and during that time: “the land had rest.” Please understand, for me – this isn’t said with an attitude of, “look what a woman can do”, but rather it is about remembering that God chooses and appoints those He wants to use and empowers them to accomplish the thing which He has purposed for them to do. We only have to be ready and surrender to His call.

It is helpful to know that not all prophets, or in this case prophetesses, were judges; nor were all judges prophets. However, here in Judges 4:4, Deborah is recognized as both. Which the “She” study guide points out, p 21:

  • The fact that she was a prophetess means that “the Lord had gifted her with the ability to discern the purposes of God and declare it to others.”
  • As for the fact that she was a judge, according to Judges 17:6… “She judged in a time when men did that which was right in their own eyes.”
    • It may surprise you to know that while Deborah was the only woman Judge over Israel recorded in the Bible, she was not the only prophetess. The Bible lists many others, including:
      • Old Testament:
        • Miriam: (Moses’ sister, leader in worship)
        • Deborah: (Judge and prophetess)
        • Huldah: (Confirmed Josiah’s discovery of the Law)
        • Isaiah’s wife: (Unnamed, gave prophetic names to sons)
        • Noadiah: (False prophetess who tried to stop Nehemiah)
      • New Testament:
        • Anna: (Prophesied about the infant Jesus in the Temple)
        • The four daughters of Philip: (Prophesied in Caesarea)
        • Other Mentions/Traditions:
      • Jezebel: (False prophetess in Revelation).
      • Some traditions also include Hannah (mother of Samuel) or Abigail (wife of David) as prophetesses, though not always explicitly titled as such in Scripture.

I share this not to distract from Deborah, but to remind us that God is not bound by cultural norms … but can raise up who He chooses – and does so always with a purpose. Why is this important? Because, as women, we must understand that God calls not just men, but women, to lead. We must be surrendered and ready to serve where and how He leads us. I particularly appreciate this quote from the study guide: “She led by faithfully doing as she said she would do.” Friends, wherever God has called you and whatever He has called you to do, may we do so, determined to give Him all the glory. May we also, like Deborah, “faithfully fix our heart upon the LORD, rejoicing and singing praise to the LORD among the people, making known through our celebration the greatness of our God and of His works and provisions on our behalf.

“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.”

Psalm 31:3
Reflection and Application:
  • What is most interesting to you about Deborah?
  • What can we learn from her and apply to our own lives?
  • How can you be/are you a leader?

I invite you to leave a reply below or at today’s Journey Through the Word FB post.

The More We Know

Deborah was one of the judges of Israel during a time of oppression. …The Lord spoke through her as she held court under a tree called “the Palm of Deborah” in Ephraim. …Deborah was Israel’s only female judge. Some scholars have suggested that her position as judge was itself a judgment on the weak-willed men of Israel. Because Israel’s men were unfit to judge, God chose a woman for the job, partly to shame the men who should have taken the leadership. Other commentators believe that Deborah’s role as judge was a sign of God’s comforting presence in the midst of His oppressed and downtrodden people. …We can see that God’s power is what matters, regardless of the instrument He chooses to use. Man or woman, strong or weak, confident or hesitant – all are strong when they are moved by God’s Spirit and filled with His strength. We can also see in Deborah a picture of God’s tender care for His people. As a mother cares for her children, so Deborah led and nurtured Israel (Judges 5:7). – For more on Debora, visit https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Deborah.html

I also found it interesting and worth noting that Deborah wasn’t listed only as a prophetess and judge but as the “wife of Lapidoth”. This means that she not only had the demands of judging Israel and making known the purposes of God to the people, but she also bore the responsibility of caring for her husband and home. It is also worth noting that nothing else is said about Lapidoth in the Bible, but as one commentary pointed out, we do know he married a godly wife and can only imagine that, with the demands of God’s calling on her life, he was a supportive husband. 🦋

I invite you to scroll down and leave a comment … or join the discussion at Journey through the Word

Posted in Bible study, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Bathsheba, part 2

Posted on by

Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, pp 17-18

Read: 2 Samuel 12; Ps.51

She lost her firstborn son

“…she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon…”

Oh, how I love the hope from this passage of our journey:

  • Repentance makes a difference. (1 Jn 1:9)
    • “Our mistakes do not have to ruin our entire life.”
      • We can instead use the lessons we learn to encourage others to refrain from the same faults.

Bathsheba’s story, through David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51, confessing his sin concerning Bathsheba and Uriah, serves as a beautiful picture that God offers us true forgiveness when we repent of our sins.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

1 John 1:9
  • According to God’s mercy and loving kindness, He “blots out” our transgressions. The words of Isaiah confirm this in Isaiah 43:25
    • I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.
  • Bathsheba is included in Matthew’s account of the genealogy. Note: She is referenced not by her name but as being the wife of Uriah. (Matthew 1:6)
  • It is said by some commentators that Bathsheba is the mother of King Lemuel, and therefore, perhaps the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. I find joy in contemplating the very idea of this, but nowhere is this confirmed in the Scriptures. See: https://www.gotquestions.org/King-Lemuel.html

In the account of David and Bathsheba, we find many lessons. 

  1. Secret sin will be found out.
  2. God will forgive anyone who repents. 
  3. The consequences of our sin remain even when the sin is forgiven. 
  4. God can work even in difficult situations.
    1. In fact, David and Bathsheba’s next son, Solomon, became the heir to the throne. Even in bad situations, God has a plan that serves His sovereign purpose.  

“Bathsheba’s story reminds me that God has a plan, and that He can and does work even through difficult situations with imperfect people to bring about something good. Queen Bathsheba, despite the unsavory events surrounding her coming to the palace, became the mother of the wisest and most successful king ever to grace the throne.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Bathsheba-in-the-Bible.html)   

Reflection and Application:
  • How important is repentance in your life? Are you quick to confess your sins, or do you let them pile up until the end of the day, week, or month…? What is/are the benefit(s) of confessing our sins to God?
  • What stood out to you in today’s journey?

I invite you to leave a reply below or at today’s Journey Through The Word post @ https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17nAoUC7AY/

Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

From Sickness & Death To Thanksgiving

Posted on by


17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways,
and suffered because of their sins.
18 They lost their appetite for all food,
and they drew near the gates of death.
19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
20 He sent them an assuring word and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.
22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done.

Psalm 107:17-22

As he did in verses 6 and 13, the Psalmist once again calls the people to “give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” He not only calls them to give thanks but to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and to declare the LORD’s works with rejoicing. What wonderful encouragement these passages are. They are good and necessary reminders that if we are going to cry out to the LORD in our trouble, we should first look for the deliverance He will surely bring, and seeing it, we should give Him offerings of thanksgiving1 and declare His works with rejoicing. This not only glorifies God but also opens the door for others who may be in a time of trouble and need to know that there is a loving and faithful deliverer!

When the people cried out for help in verse 13, we read in verse 14 that “He brought them out of the utter darkness, and tore off their shackles.” However, in today’s passage, when the people cry out to God for help, the Scripture says that not only did He bring them out of darkness, but He also sent His word and healed them, and He delivered them from their destruction.“Oh, how glad I am that we serve a God who will lead us out of darkness, even darkness that we have brought upon ourselves through rebellion, whether the darkness of sin or death, or other distresses. His Word and the testimonies of His people bear witness to His faithfulness to rescue and deliver us when we cry out to Him.

  • “All that God has to do, in order to save us, is to send us his word. He has done that by sending his dear Son, who is the incarnate Word. He sends us the word in the shape of the Holy Scriptures; he sends us the word in the preaching of his servants; but what we want most of all is to have that word sent home by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Spurgeon)

Friends, how have you seen God “heal you” with His Word? Perhaps you are in a season of darkness or destruction now. If so, take heart and call out to Him, for He is able to deliver you out of your troubles.

The More We Know
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Thanksgiving

Out of the darkness to Thanksgiving

Posted on by

Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
Therefore, He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

Psalm 107:10-16

Oh what a gloomy psalm …While the previous section of this Psalm (4-9) describes God leading His people out from the wilderness, where they were lost and homeless and so hungry and thirsty that they nearly died…this section describes God’s people as prisoners, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death – bound in affliction and irons. Why? The Scripture declares that it was because the people had rebelled against the words of their God, they had turned away from His instructions, and despised His counsel. So bad was their situation that they fell down, and the Psalmist says there was no one there to help them. It was then, at their lowest point, they cried out to God for help, or as one commentator put it, “God’s imprisoned people begged Him for help,” ~ “and He delivered/saved them from their distress, bringing them out of the darkness and shadow of death, and breaking their chains in pieces.” – I love the way David Guzik defines this answer from God as “pure grace and mercy.” Guzik goes on to quote commentator John Trapp, who said of this verse: “This is comfort to the greatest sinners; if they can but find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart…”

They cried out to the LORD in their trouble: In their chains and hardship, God’s imprisoned people begged Him for help, and He answered. He saved them out of their distresses and broke their chains in pieces. This was pure grace and mercy from God; these prisoners were under God’s own discipline. Yet when they cried out to Him, He mercifully answered. (Guzik)

  • i. “This is comfort to the greatest sinners; if they can but find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart, and rebels shall be received with all sweetness, if at length they return, though brought in by the cross.” (Trapp)
Enduring Word

Now, the psalmist again, and rightfully so, calls those who have seen and experienced such grace from the Lord to “give thanks to God for His goodness and wonderful works.”

Friends, where have you seen His grace and mercy … His goodness .. and His wonderful works? ` Let’s make it a habit, when we see these things, to stop and praise Him.

Sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

Praise the Lord for His Goodness

Posted on by

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

Psalm 107:8-9 KJV

To be clear, while God certainly provided for the people’s physical hunger and thirst, the Psalmist is also referring to a spiritual hunger and thirst rather than simply the physical need. For as Spurgeon explains: “They were lost in the worst possible place, even as the sinner is who is lost in sin; they wandered up and down in vain searches and researches as a sinner does when he is awakened and sees his lost estate; but it ended in nothing.”

First, the Psalmist calls the people to give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and loyal love, for He has delivered them from the power of their enemies. He has gathered them from foreign lands around the world. Yet, even in their freedom from the enemy, the Psalmist writes that they wandered through the wilderness with no place to live. They were starving and thirsty, but “they cried out to the Lord in their distress,” and He lovingly and compassionately led them to a place of provision.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
and his loyal love endures.
2 Let those delivered by the Lord speak out,
those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy,
3 and gathered from foreign lands,
from east and west,
from north and south.
4 They wandered through the wilderness, in a wasteland;
they found no road to a city in which to live.
5 They were hungry and thirsty;
they fainted from exhaustion.
6 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
7 He led them on a level road,
that they might find a city in which to live.

Psalm 107:1-7 NET

Thankfully, true physical starvation and unquenched thirst have never been a reality in my life. However, I have found myself wandering in spiritual deserts before, trying to find my way back to God, thirsting for His spring of living water, and hungry – not just to feast on His Word but to understand its truth. Today’s ‘thankful’ passage is a picture of Israel finding themselves in such a place. God had delivered them from their enemy, and they were now being “gathered” from every direction where they had been held captive. By the Psalmist’s description, some were led through a wasteland in the wilderness, where they found no place to live. They were hungry and thirsty, to the point of exhaustion — and they cried out to the Lord. And our God, the True and Living God, intervened on behalf of His people, Israel, and “led His redeemed to just the right place, to a city for a dwelling place.1 “

Friends, are you hungry and thirsty for God, and find yourselves fainting from the exhaustion of the physical and spiritual needs and wars of this world? Then cry out to the Lord in your distress and watch, for He will deliver you from your troubles and lovingly and compassionately lead you to the place of His provision.

Now, because of His deliverance, the Psalmist calls the people again to give thanks, not just for His loyal love but also “for the amazing things He has done,” such as satisfying their thirst and hunger, both of body and soul.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

Oh, friends, have you noticed how God has satisfied your longing soul, and/or filled your hungry soul with goodness? Let’s ask Him to help us daily keep our eyes up and become more aware of His spiritual and physical provision, and less and less aware of our needs, that we may faithfully give Him thanksgiving for His goodness and for His wonderful works of grace and mercy toward us.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Thanksgiving

Let the Redeemed Say So…

Posted on by

Today’s “Thankful” passage is part of a chain of verses that caught my attention this past weekend. I was originally led to verses 4-9. However, after reading the entire Psalm and realizing that it is a beautiful crescendo of words that are best read together, from the introduction of the Psalmist’s declaration of God’s enduring love, or “loyal love”, as one translation puts it — to the conclusion, where God’s wisdom allows us to understand His loving-kindness and we are led to praise Him all the more.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

Psalm 107:2-3 KJV

Sin’s Power Is Broken –

6 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:1-11 NLT

Friends, if you are a believer, it is so important to remember that we were once slaves to sin, and though freed from that slavery, we are still the target of our enemy, the devil. “He actively works to nullify the effect of the Word of God in people’s hearts (Matthew 13:3–4, 19), and he blinds the intellect of those who do not believe so they cannot understand the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).1” The payment for our sin was death2, meaning we were desperately in need of a redeemer.3 God sent Jesus, our “Kinsman Redeemer,4” to pay the penalty we owed, so that we might not only live but have eternal life!5 His death on the cross broke the power of sin over all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

While commentator, David Guzik, rightfully notes that, “We might be redeemed from the world, the flesh, the devil, or countless other snares. Here, the psalmist has in mind redemption from the hand of the enemy, probably connected with the exile of God’s people.” However, once we realize the detailed truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, (outlined for us here and throughout God’s Word), would it not be the epitome of rudeness to be silent about such a great gift of His redeeming us from the power of sin and death? Oh, how little we must think of His great and unmerited gift of life, if we do not daily proclaim our redemption to Him with thanksgiving and to the people around us, that they might also be redeemed. After all, to declare our redemption is to make known the Gospel Message, of which we are ambassadors who are not to be ashamed, for the gospel message is God’s power to save.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

Friends, may we be faithful stewards of our words – both in praises to God and in sharing His redemptive plan with the world around us. – Or as the old chorus echoing through my mind says:

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

I’m redeemed, I’m redeemed, Praise the Lord!

The More We Know

The word gospel means “good news,” which is the message of forgiveness for sin through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is essentially God’s rescue plan of redemption for those who will trust in His divine Son in order to be reconciled to a just and holy God.

Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

God is Good …

Posted on by

It is good to give thanks to the Lord! Scripture says it, and I have personally found it to be true in my life. The writer of this Psalm obviously knew it to be true, for throughout the chapter, he calls his listeners/readers to proclaim God’s goodness. He also continues to reveal the goodness of God throughout the entire Psalm.

 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Ps.107:1

I love that the Psalmist not only calls us to give thanks but also tells us why to give thanks. He calls us to give thanks for two specific reasons that we are wise to remember and daily declare.

  • He is good.
  • His mercies (or loyal love) endure forever.

To know His goodness and mercies is a wonderful thing/feeling, but more than that, it is a catalyst for knowing Him intimately. His goodness and mercy allow us to know Him. They draw our eyes upward. They open our eyes to His love and kindness. They convince us of His faithfulness to never leave or forsake us. They are seen in His grace to save/deliver us from our sins, and in His power to transform us from the inside out. His goodness knows no boundaries – for God is only, always, good.

The gotquestions.org commentary explains it like this: “To say that God is good means that God always acts in accordance to what is right, true, and good. Goodness is part of God’s nature, and He cannot contradict His nature. Holiness and righteousness are part of God’s nature; He cannot do anything that is unholy or unrighteous. God is the standard of all that is good.”

Friends, let’s ask Him to open our eyes to see His goodness and mercy throughout the day, and may we be quick and faithful to give Him thanks, declaring aloud: ‘Thank You, God!’ For You are good and Your mercies endure forever!

The More We Know

What does it mean that God is good?

If you do not know God or would like to know more about Him, I would love to introduce you to Him … simply click on the Know These Truths link below.

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