Tag: alone

Posted in Abide, Abiding in jesus, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Fruitful Abiding

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based on the LGG Study, Abiding in Jesus,w2d2

Read: John 15:5; SOAP: John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.

John 15:5 NET

If you had to do a double-take to make sure you weren’t rereading the previous post, rest assured, you’re not. It is, however, quite similar. It actually appears that Jesus was recapping His previous statements. Repetition in Scripture is quite common and is meant to get our attention. In verses 1-4 of John 15, Jesus has made numerous references to Himself as the vine and has clarified several times that the disciples are the branches, as well as the role and importance of abiding. Bearing fruit is also mentioned five times, emphasizing the role of the branch. What we see from all the repetition is that Jesus wants His disciples to understand the importance that He and the Father play in the life of a disciple, and to know that while bearing fruit is the goal for every believer, they cannot accomplish this without the Vine and the Gardener.

 “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. 2 He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. 3 You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.

John 15:1-5

While some may be overwhelmed at the thought of having to bear “much” fruit, they should find hope and encouragement that they do not have to do it alone. Still others, the “I can do this myself” person, may see it as a personal challenge and plow ahead, determined to get it done, yet find it discouraging when they yield no fruit in their own strength. This is because abiding is the key. As today’s LGG Journal entry points out, we must “remember our role. We are branches, not the Vine. When we’re weak, He is strong, and it’s perfectly okay” (and necessary) “to lean into that truth. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. When we abide in Him, He does the heavy lifting.”

Because I am at a place in my life where the simplest of tasks can, at times, seem overwhelming, knowing that I do not have to “bear much fruit” by myself comes as great encouragement. However, this does not mean I can sit idly by. I must faithfully live in Christ. This means that I must daily depend on Jesus through faith and prayer. When a believer lives like this, they draw nourishment from the Vine and tender care from the Gardener, which produces more and more fruit from the branch.

Friends, may we not strive in our own strength but stay connected to the Vine and yielded to the Gardener, so that we bear much fruit and draw others to Him.

Reflection Question: In what areas of your life do you feel pressure to produce or make things happen on your own? How might focusing on abiding in Jesus, rather than striving, help you bear fruit in a way that brings peace and joy?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Lent, LGG Study, Quiet Time

We Need A War Room

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based on the LGG Study, Lent, A Season of Drawing Closer to God / w2d1

The Journey (Scripture and Observation)

Scripture: Matthew 6:6; Luke 5:15-16 / SOAP: Matthew 6:6

6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6 NLT

I have learned that when a verse begins with words like but, therefore, so, afterward … it is best to go back and look at what came before. Such is the case with this verse in Matthew. The word “but” actually refers to the preceding verse, which illustrated how some who pray are hypocrites who loved to pray where everyone could see them. Clearly, they loved and sought attention from others rather than time alone with God. and Jesus used it as a teachable opportunity to train them in the better way.

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

Matthew 6:5 NLT

One of the many things I love about Jesus is that He was a teacher who taught not only with words but by example, as we see in Luke chapter five. As Jesus’ ministry became known, the crowds grew not only in numbers but in intensity of need and demands. So, Jesus didn’t just need to pray – He needed alone time – undistracted time – with the Father. Remember, Jesus was God in the flesh – all strength and power belonged to Him. Yet, in order to give the people what they needed – in order to do the work of the Father – Jesus needed time alone with the Father.

Now, if Jesus – the perfect Son of God – needed time alone to pray to the Father – how much more do we, imperfect human beans – marred by the flesh and sin stained world – need to spend time alone with Him? Apart from time with Him we will flounder in our own strength and we will lack wisdom and direction. We will succumb to fears and doubts, we will fall prey to temptations and not see the way of escape He has promised to all who belong to Him. We will speak words that displease Him rather than honor Him, we will miss the person who needs to hear the Gospel message, or the brother or sister who just needs some encouragement. You see, time alone with the Father is our lifeline to joy and peace, to strength and guidance, and to obedience – and to all of the abundant life Christ came to give.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy, My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10 NLT
Living the Journey (Application)

Not only are we meant to stay connected to the Father and to abide in Jesus, but we are to keep in step with the Spirit. Our God is a triune God and to truly enjoy all that is ours in Christ Jesus we must cultivate a relationship with each person of the Trinity. Disciples of Christ, then and now, need the daily one on one with Jesus, which is why He taught, “Abide in Me…”, but He also teaches them by word and example that we need the Father, and following His crucifixion – He made it clear that anyone who wanted to follow Him and be His witness would be dependent on the Holy Spirit.

“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Jesus explained to them, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1: 4-5 and 8 NLT

Later in Scripture we read a message that Paul, one of, if not the greatest of, Jesus’ witnesses, sent to the church of Galatia – in which he told them (and by extension, all disciples) that since they lived by the Spirit they should keep in step with the Spirit.1 Paul seems to make it clear that if we choose not to walk in step with the Spirit then we will not be good witnesses, instead we will become self-focused, self-righteous, and even make our walk of faith a competition rather than the relationship and light it is meant to be.1

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:22-26 NLT
Prayer for the Journey

Spending time, in prayer with You Father is imperative to abiding in Christ and keeping in step with the Spirit, for our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion just waiting to devour us. The enemy doesn’t want us to be good witnesses for the cause of Christ. He wants us to be silent and weak and to look more like the dark world than to radiate the light and love of Jesus. If we aren’t careful, if we aren’t intentionally strategic in the battle we will struggle at best or fail at worst. We need a War Room,2 where we frequently get alone with You so that when we are out in the world we aren’t of the world, and so whether we are on the mountains or in the valleys we can stand strong agains the wiles of the enemy and walk through the battles victoriously – filled with the Spirit! – 🦋

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

1 John 5:14-15 NLT
The more we know

1Keep in Step With The Spirit

Don’t forget today’s Love God Greatly Blog Post

Do you have a war room?

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living In Community, Not Made to Be Alone

Love that Covers a Multitude of Sins

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Based on the Love God Greatly study, Not Made to Be Alone

Today’s Reading: 1 Peter 4:7-11 / SOAP 8-10

Above all keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins.9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

1 Peter 4:8-10
Today’s SOAP From My Journal
How Deep Is Your Love?

How fervent [intense] is your love for others? Is it like a fountain flowing deep and wide? Is it boundless and free? Is it sincere, selfless, considerate, and forgiving? Does it readily make allowance for other’s faults – covering a multitude of sins? To be clear, as Bibleref.com explains, “This doesn’t mean that our acts of love for each other can earn God’s forgiveness. Nor does Peter mean to imply that we are paying our sins off through good works. – Rather, the idea that our love for each other covers a multitude of sins relates to our imperfection. Christians are not yet sinless. We are not perfect. We have set the course of our lives away from sin, but we still fail to obey sometimes. We make mistakes, even when we mean well. Love for each other includes forgiving each other, overlooking past hurts, and building each other up when we fall. It is difficult for sin and resentment to flourish in a community rich in Christ-like love.

This is the kind of love Peter is talking about here in 1 Peter chapter 4. Actually he isn’t just talking about love, he is commanding them to love one another and to work hard at it. Keep in mind that Peter is writing to believers who have been suffering for Jesus’ sake. They have taken on the attitude of Christ and accepted the hardships as part of their purpose as His people.” (BibleRef.com) Here in the fourth chapter he is offering a more encouraging perspective by telling them their suffering is almost over. Loving like this won’t be easy – it includes being self-controlled and sober-minded. It means showing hospitality even when you’re tired and don’t want to, or using your gifts to serve others. I don’t know about you but this one is stepping all over my toes. But don’t run away yet – because Peter knows it’s going to be hard and he gives them the ‘secret’ weapon. Look at verse 11, after telling them to use their gifts to serve one another, he goes on to tell them to rely on God’s Word and the strength that He supplies. He knows when they do this that God will be glorified. But don’t miss verse 7 – and his encouragement to stay self-controlled and sober-minded because they are going to need to pray. Prayer is a big part of the church community.

7So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. … 11Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever servers, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:11

So, how deep is your love? Is it a love that honors God? Is it selfless or self-focused? Is it unshakable even in times of suffering? Peter knew the believers would need God and each other in order to stand strong and not fall. His words are still true for us today because, like them, we are made for community and we are meant to love one another fervently. Because, as the earlier quote said, “Love for each other includes forgiving each other, overlooking past hurts, and building each other up when we fall.” In other words, our love for one another, is meant to cover a multitude of sins.

“It is difficult for sin and resentment to flourish in a community rich in Christ-like love.”

Bibleref.com, 1 Peter 4:8

Don’t forget to visit lovegodgreatly.com today for the Wednesday blog post.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living In Community, Not Made to Be Alone, Quiet Time

Living Like Jesus

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Today’s Reading: Romans 15:1-6 / SOAP: Romans 15:5

Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, 

Romans 15:5
Scripture and observation

You may want some steal-toe shoes on before reading this. Seriously, Paul makes it clear that we must live ‘counter-cultural’. In other words, we must not live to please self, instead we must take time to consider how what we do and say will impact our ‘neighbors’. The bottom-line here is that we must live like Jesus.

How Do We Do This?

Learn to Know How Christ Lived

How do we live like this in a world that preaches and teaches and makes it more than easy to live for self? How do we live like Christ? First of all we have to learn to know how Christ lived and then choose to follow His example.

Paul gives us a glimpse of these examples in the passage today, but, I believe, what he wrote to the Philippians in chapter 2 says it best …

 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit any affection or mercy, 2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. 3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. 4 Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. 5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,

6  who though he existed in the form of God
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself
by taking on the form of a slave,
by looking like other men,
and by sharing in human nature.
8 He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death
—even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:6-8
Live Counter-Cultural

This kind of living is not only counter-cultural, it is difficult to the nth-degree. If it weren’t for God it would be impossible – truthfully apart from God there is no way hope for true and abiding unity. However, we must remember – “nothing is impossible with God” (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37) actually, Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:13 that – through Christ we can do all things, and Peter teaches us that we have been given everything we need for living a godly life, (2 Peter 1:3-4). So, while we may not want to put others above ourselves, or love others as Christ has loved us – it is clearly how we are called to live when we put our faith and hope in Jesus. On top of that, God has equipped us to do it so that we are without excuse.

Depend on God

As Paul did here in Romans, writing “to all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints” – we must also do – and that is pray. Pray for, ask God often, and depend on God – for the unity both in individual and corporate setting, such as church, families, work places, and neighborhoods. Again, it is impossible without Him but “we have this confidence before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will (and without a doubt unity is His will) He hears us and if we know that He hears us we know we have whatever we ask.”

The Goal

I don’t know about you, but whenever I set out to do something difficult it helps to have a goal that matters. When I broke my ankle and had to go to therapy morning after morning it not only meant getting up super early and enduring the pain that came with the therapy, but my goal was to walk again, to drive again, and to be free of that cast/boot. That motivation kept me going even when I didn’t want to – even if it was painful or seemed pointless. Paul clarifies in verse 6, the reason for what he has taught and prayed for, saying: “so that together you may with one voice, glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ“. The Bible says we were created for His glory and specifically here, the goal in our unity is first and foremost God’s glory. What a good and trustworthy motivation it is then to lay aside any self-centeredness or lack of consideration for the good of others and commit ourselves to live and love like Christ despite what it costs us.

Response to God’s Word: Prayer

Father God, only through You can or will we truly enjoy unity in the circles of our lives. Help us to let the attitude of Christ dwell in us – that we might be like-minded, having the same love, being in one spirit and of one mind. Guard us from acting out of selfish ambition or conceit – instead help us to value others above ourselves so that we look not only to our own interests but to that of others. Help us to have the same mindset of Christ, who being in very nature God did not consider equality with You something to be used to His own advantage, but made Himself nothing by taking on the nature of a servant – made in human likeness and humbling Himself to obedience – even death on a cross. Father, I know this doesn’t come easy – but we have hope in the knowledge that nothing is impossible with You! May Your glory be our goal and motivation. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, He Sees He Knows He Cares, He Sees He Knows He Cares, He Sees He Knows He Cares, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

The Power of our Faith

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Inspired by: He Sees, He Knows, He Cares / w2d3

Scripture Reading: Luke 5:12-26; SOAP / Luke 5:24

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man—“I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home.”

Luke 5:24 NET

Luke packed a lot of information in these 15 verses …

You Can Make Me Clean

We see a man with leprosy, who comes to Jesus and is so moved that He bowed down at the very sight of Jesus. He begged Jesus for healing, saying: “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” His words were evidence of his heart that he firmly believed in the power and work of Jesus. So great was the man’s faith that Jesus healed him immediately.

His Need To Be Alone

Luke pauses between this miracle and the next to tell us two things

  • crowds were gathering “to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases”
  • and that, “Jesus Himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.”
    • Don’t you love knowing that Jesus found the need to both withdraw from people and to pray? Please note, His need to withdraw was more than a need to be away from the people – He needed to be alone to talk with His Father (God).
Faith moves mountains and stirs the heart of Jesus

Then we meet a paralyzed man, unable to walk on his own, he is carried on a stretcher and finding no other way to get him past the crowd and into the house where Jesus was, those carrying him lowered him through the roof “right in front of Jesus”, and “when Jesus saw their faith,” He said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Do you see it? It seems to me that their actions demonstrate how ‘faith moves mountains’. For when it seemed impossible to get through the crowd, instead of their faith being shaken it appears that their faith increased their determination bit it also moved the heart of Jesus. It’s important to note that the initial response wasn’t – “get up and walk” as I’m sure everyone expected. Instead, what they heard was – “your sins are forgiven’ – a pointed statement signifying to all listening that not only could Jesus heal but He could forgive sins. This was an important milestone in Jesus’ ministry. The response of forgiveness was also what prompted ‘the experts in the law’ and the Pharisees to begin wondering “to themselves”, who Jesus was and how he could so boldly speak such blasphemies, for they knew that only God could forgive sins. I’m sure they were surprised when Jesus, who knew what they were thinking to themselves, not only questioned them – saying, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk?” but He also said to the paralyzed man – “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home.” Which he immediately did.

“God honors the faith of those who seek to bring others to Christ. When we pray, we orient our attention toward the issue and watch for God to work. God performs mighty deeds that no one realizes. When we are paying attention, however, we have the opportunity to be seized with amazement, filled with awe, and glorify God, declaring, “We have seen extraordinary things today” (Luke 5:26).

BibleRef.Com, Luke 5:20
Turning Facts into Application
  • Like the man with leprosy – go to Jesus
  • Let nothing stand between you and Jesus
  • Let nothing quench your faith
  • Let your faith be evident
  • Take others to Jesus
Prayerful Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for instilling in me an ever deepening faith in You, the Holy-Three-In-One. Jesus, thank You for responding to my prayers and faith. May faith in You always move me toward You – moving the mountains that are in my way – and may I stand in the gap for others who need You – lifting them up and bringing them to where You are! – Amen! in Your Holy and powerful name!

Helpful Commentary