Tag: christianity

Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Gospel

Finish The Work

Posted on by MaryEllen

A Handwritten Note From Paul

The following is the final page of the LGG, Christ Is All I Need Journal. It is sweet evidence of Paul’s sincere love and concern for these believers in Colossae whom he had not even met. It is evidence of a bond that believers experience within the church body – even when they haven’t formally met – to pray for and share needs with one another. I took particular delight in this, as it is in some form an example for us as we meet day after day, through these online written formats.

May this encourage each of us to be devoted to praying for and encouraging one another daily. May we be purposeful in our participation, allowing God to knit us together, whether near or far apart, that we might be strengthened in our faith, hope, and love in the Lord.💜

A personal note from Me

Will you especially join me in praying for the Love God Greatly Ministry and the team of women behind the scenes💙 ~ This study and the others that we have done come about from the hard work and faithful stewardship of women devoted to prayer and studying the Scripture, with the intended purpose of reaching other women with the Gospel message and encouraging us to grow in our faith. It also comes from the painstaking work of the many translators who make it possible for women around the world who would otherwise have no hope of participating in these invaluable studies.

Be part of the story…

We’re so glad you are here! Our story is about what God can do through a team of women, each using their gifts for a common purpose. Did you know that more than 61% of women globally don’t have access to Bible study materials or a Bible study community? We are here to meet that urgent need, and we’d like to invite you to be a part of the story…

More than Bible study tools… we are a community

Our desire is to help EVERY WOMAN in EVERY NATION have access to God’s Word in THEIR LANGUAGE. To accomplish this goal, Love God Greatly has developed a network of trained translators, who help us translate all our Bible studies into 40+ languages (view languages). As a result, we have been able to establish hundreds of Bible study communities globally, and our Bible study tools have now reached 100+ of the countries of the world!

We publish 6-7 Bible studies annually as either topical or book-based journals, which are available for purchase on Amazon. The funds from each Bible study journal purchase go right back into the LGG ministry, allowing us to train and equip our translators as they build communities.

Want to know how you can be part of the story?

Week 6 / Day 5

Friday / Finish the Work
Read: Colossians 4:7-18; 1 Peter 4:7-11 SOAP: Colossians 4:17-18

And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting by my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. – Colossians 4:17-18


Paul ends his letter to the Colossian believers with some personal notes and greetings. One of the people he mentions is Archippus, whom Paul cared about enough to tell the whole church to encourage him to complete the ministry he had received.

God has given each of us some special work to do. And we need to be reminded to keep going in that ministry, to get back to it if we have quit, and to complete it if we feel like giving up. Do you know what God is calling you to do? Have you left your work unfinished? Sometimes we get tired, distracted, or discouraged, and we leave our God-given ministry in order to find something easier. But God says to us, “Don’t quit. Finish the work.”

As in all of his letters, Paul ends by saying, “Grace be with you.” Grace, or God’s unmerited favor, has come to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul has taught us that being a Christian is about sharing the very life of Jesus, being called to join in the eternal purposes of God, and having all His limitless resources available to us.

As we live to complete the work we have been called to, let’s look to Jesus. He has loved and redeemed us. He has nailed all our sins to the cross, and He has raised us to new life. By our faith in Him, we have been made gloriously rich. He is enough.

Let’s continue to be faithful in our God-given ministry. Let’s join Paul when he says: “I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29).

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to finish the work you have called me to do. I praise you for your gracious gift that is salvation and life in Jesus. Amen.

Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Understanding the Necessity of Prayer

Posted on by MaryEllen

Thursday / Devoted to Prayer
Read: Colossians 4:2-6; 1 John 5:14-15 SOAP: Colossians 4:2

Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2

Attitude matters. It matters in our relationships and conversations. It matters in classrooms, in the home, in the office, in the neighborhood, at church, in difficult situations. Honestly, attitude matters in just about any scenario we can name, even (or perhaps especially) prayer. Why? Because our attitude spills forth in our words and actions. From smiles to frowns to tears and scowls…from kind words/actions to hateful ones; our attitudes feed our behavior.

A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone, something, or an idea, which is typically shown through a person’s behavior. 1

When it comes to prayer, Paul teaches that our attitude is to be one of devotion, alertness, thankfulness, and of course, faith. We are to be committed to praying. We are to be watchful, making sure we pray purposefully and not offering up empty prayers. This requires effort and intentionality from us to know who and what needs to be covered in prayer. This helps us to pray with purpose and to align our prayers with God’s expressed will and/or character. We may not always know what God wants in a situation, but we know that He is the great physician, so we can pray for healing. We know that He came to save sinners, so we can pray for the lost. We know He can do more than we ask or even imagine, so we can pray for the seemingly impossible. We know that He wants us to know peace and to have rest – so we can and should call out to Him for both.

To be clear, for a believer in Jesus Christ ~ prayer is communication with God based on the promise2 that He hears and answers us according to His will. It is a privilege to come boldly before His throne…it is calling out to Him in fear…pain…desperation…It is lifting up praises and thanksgiving for things He has done…It is a relationship builder and strengthening agent of our faith.

Friends, Paul makes it clear throughout this letter and others that we need to exercise our faith, and one way we do that is through prayer. That’s right, prayer strengthens our faith in God. Go back and read Paul’s prayer for the believers in chapter one of Colossians.

So how is your attitude toward/in prayer?

  • Do you see it as simply a duty or a privilege and joy?
    • Is it a hurry and get it done attitude or cherished time with God?
  • Do you pray in faith, or does doubt creep in?
  • Do you come to Him as a Father/Friend or as an unseen deity?
  • Do you come with your heart and mind on Him or with the distractions of the world?
  • Do you pray with an attitude of thanksgiving that flows from trusting God?

We exercise our faith by going to God and asking Him for everything we need, especially spiritual fruit, trusting Him to provide and thanking Him for it.

Christ Is All I Need / LGG digital Journal / p 190

As John wrote in 1 John 5:14, when we pray, we can have confidence that, when we pray according to His will, God hears us. In other words, our confidence doesn’t come from praying, but from the One we pray to… and praying in accordance with His will ~ ie., the things we know He wants (salvation for the lost3, obedience4, unity5, love6, peace7, understanding His Word and will8, wisdom9, His help10…)

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him. ~ 1 John 5:14-15

Whether you pray in a quiet room or a noisy office, in your car on the way to work, or as you wait in line at the grocery store – pray. Prayer is not relegated to a closet (though those moments are priceless); it is an ongoing, open line of communication with the Creator of the universe. Remember, while Jesus got alone with God in the garden, He also called out to God from the cross. The One who spoke the worlds into place has invited us to come, not just with certain things but with all of our cares (1 Peter 5:7). And He doesn’t invite us out of obligation but because He loves and cares for us. I have found that the more we devote ourselves to prayer, the more we find ourselves devoted to God – and vice versa. From this devotion comes a growing confidence in and understanding of God, as well as an unshakable faith – that allows us to say with the Psalmist, I keep my eyes always on the Lord; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Ps 16:8)

Prayer demands ongoing attention, just like the guard at a city gate. In practical terms, this means prayer is not supposed to be a careless, casual, or frivolous act. We should pray with specific purpose and with deliberate intent.

Bibleref.com / Colossians 4:2

Paul is nearing the end of his letter and is impressing on the people that they will need to be people of prayer. He knows they will need courage and help in the call to be witnesses and that they still have much to learn about living the Christian life. They will face trials and carry burdens, and they will need God’s help. Paul understands that their source of help, strength, and wisdom is from God and that they only need to ask. So he urges them not just to pray but to devote themselves to the habit and practice of prayer. Like breathing, it is to be a way of life for every believer. They will need to make time for prayer, and friends, we need to do the same ~ which is why we must understand the necessity of prayer. As we called out to God for our salvation, we must continually call out to Him for our daily needs, for the forgiveness of sins, and for the help we need to escape the temptations to sin. He is our strength and our fortress, a very present help in times of trouble – all we need to do is call to Him, and He will hear and answer us.

Response of Worship

Reflection and Application

  • As we are called to be devoted to prayer, what things do you need to take in prayer to Christ today?

Prayer Response

Father, thank You for the privilege of prayer. Thank You that You want to commune with Your children and for the promise that when we call out to You ~ You will hear us and answer according to Your will. Thank You for being such a personal God, inviting us to come with just ‘certain things/needs’ but with all of our cares. You are a good, good Father, and we are most blessed to be Your children ~ Amen and Amen!

The More We Know

Studying the book of Colossians has really shown us how much we need prayer if we want to live wisely. The Christian life cannot be lived any other way except by faith. We exercise our faith by going to God and asking Him for everything we need, especially spiritual fruit, trusting Him to provide and thanking Him for it. Christ Is All I Need / LGG digital Journal / p 190

Jesus taught us to never give up praying. He has given us wonderful promises: “Ask and it will be given to you,” (Matthew 7:7) and “whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” (John 15:16). And then there is this sobering statement by James about lack of prayer: “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Christ Is All I Need / LGG digital Journal / p190

  1. Merriam-Webster and other online sources ↩︎
  2. 1 John 5:14-15 ↩︎
  3. 1 Timothy 2:3-4. ↩︎
  4. John 14:15 ↩︎
  5. John 17:23, Ephesians 4:3 ↩︎
  6. Mark 12:29-31; John 13:34 ↩︎
  7. John 16:33 ↩︎
  8. Eph 5:17 ↩︎
  9. Prov 4:7, James 1:5 ↩︎
  10. Psalm 121:1-2 ↩︎

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

Our Best ~ Our All

Posted on by MaryEllen

Commentary Based on Christ Is All I Need

Week 6, Day 3 / For the Lord, not for People

Read: Colossians 3:22-4:1; Matthew 25:34-40 / SOAP: Colossians 3:23-24

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. 

Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

Our Best1, a hymn that has stuck with me since childhood, became one God has used over the years to whisper this reminder: “Do then the best you can, not for reward, ~ Not for the praise of men, but for the Lord.” In a recent post from another’s day journey, we talked about how God can use music to cause His Word to “richly dwell in our hearts”, and this is a prime example for me. I had to look up the hymn today to share all of the words with you, but these two lines and the chorus, particularly the last line, have never been forgotten: “Do then the best you can, not for reward, ~ Not for the praise of men, but for the Lord… but unto Him is due our best, our all.” God has used it as a check and balance for me, prodding me to consider why I am doing something and/or whether I am doing my best.

Similarly, He often prods me with the words from Living for Jesus, making me ask myself: am I living true to Jesus, am I striving to please Him in all that I do, am I yielding my allegiance to Him, or is it divided between Him and the world, as Jesus admonished Peter in Matthew 16:23 and as James wrote to the “twelve tribes” of Jews scattered throughout the world, warning them to not let their minds be divided between God and the world (James 1:5-8).

Friends, the words of these songs are prime examples of how God not only keeps His Word dwelling richly within us but also how personally He is involved in and concerned about our lives, our minds, and the choices we make. He is a protective and proactive God. He is loving and gentle in His correction and teaching methods. He is faithful and true and an ever-present help, not just in trouble but in helping us to avoid trouble. Who can question these truths when this feeble and forgetful mind remembers such obscure songs from ages past (five to six decades ago), and not for the purpose of singing but for God’s correction, guidance, or help?

The point of Paul’s words in the closing verses of Colossians chapter 3 is to, once again, remind the people that they have been given a new life, one they are meant to live for God’s glory and not man’s. I love the words of the New English Translation here: “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.” As in verse 17, the word whatever literally means whatever or everything. Whether it is in the home, in an office, or helping someone in need … whatever we do, we are to do it with excitement, with the Lord in mind and not the people around us. Doing it for the accolades or notice of those around us may bring temporary applause and/or recognition, but doing it “as to the Lord” is Paul’s way of reminding believers that our real rewards are not received in this life. And, as bibleref.com explains: “God’s inheritance, our eternal dwelling place with Him, will far exceed the trials and limitations of this life. Paul sought once again to focus readers on things above rather than the daily concerns of this life.” He wanted them to understand that living for Jesus is a way of thanking/honoring God for our salvation through His Son.

Living for Jesus is a way of thanking and honoring God for our salvation from God through His Son.

Mefromthensideout.com🦋

Living for Jesus2

Response of Worship

Hey friends, I couldn’t find either song that I used in the blog to share here in the worship response. But this one by the Gaithers caught my attention with the reminder that, having done the best that we can, not for the praise of man but for the Lord, we will one day wear a crown. When we are found “doing each duty in His holy name; willing to suffer affliction and loss, deeming each trial a part of our cross …” I can only imagine we will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” May this lift your mind upward to think about the things of Heaven and not the things of earth ~ as Paul encouraged us in his letter; and may it move all of us to live and work with enthusiasm for the Lord, and not for people, for we know that we will one day receive our inheritance from the Lord as the reward.

Prayer of Response

Oh Father, may we live this life You have given us well. May we live it for Your glory and not our own. May we live it in love and kindness, showing mercy and grace to others as You have shown to us. May we live it, not in our own strength but in Yours. May we strive to please You in all that we do, yielding our allegiance with joyful thanksgiving – not just for blessings that You give – but that we might, even in some small way, bring You pleasure and joy. May the things we do out of duty be done not begrudgingly but in love and thankfulness for what Christ has done for us on the cross. Thank You that He is our Lord and our Master; may our hearts forever and faithfully be His throne and our lives given to live for Him alone. And Father, as we live out our lives like this, please use us as lights to draw others to You. May everything we do and say be done for Your Glory – now and always – Amen.

Reflection and Application


What does it mean to do all our work “as to the Lord and not for people?

  • Is this how you are living?
  • What, if anything, can you work on in this area of your life?

The More We Know

But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:23

5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:5-8

  1. Hymnary.org ↩︎
  2. Hymnary.org ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

ROOTED AND FIRM IN THE FAITH

Posted on by MaryEllen

Week 3, Day 4 of All I Need Is Christ (based on the Love God Greatly Study Guide)

Today’s Road Map for Our Journey: Colossians 2:6-10 (SOAP: 6-7); Galatians 3:1-5

 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:6-10 (6-7)

Just prior to this part of Paul’s letter, he had told the people that he was rejoicing in the way they were living according to their strong faith in Christ. Now he continues to encourage them to stand firm in their faith, reminding them that it is a faith rooted and built up in Christ – just as they had been taught by Epaphras (Col. 1:7). They have been built up in their faith by the teachings they have received, but Paul knows that this faith will be challenged by empty and deceitful teachings and philosophies of the world, which are based on “anti-Christian principles”. As we know all too well, it is easy to get caught up in the ‘ways’ of the world, sinful attitudes, actions, and language, ways that aren’t pleasing or glorifying to our true and living God but have become acceptable – not just among the unbelieving population but within the community of believers.

The false teachings confronting Colossae emphasized works and personal sacrifice as the means to pleasing God. It is true that works are a vital aspect of the Christian’s life (1 John 3:17–18), but these are the results of saving faith, not the source of it. Our walk with God must be rooted in faith—and therefore rooted in Him, not us—just as salvation is. Otherwise, our spirituality is based on human performance and is destined to fail.

Bibleref.com/Colossians 2:6 Commentary

Paul doesn’t want them to get tripped up by these deceitful philosophies and old traditions, but instead he urges them to stay the course of faith. He warns them about the dangers of being captivated by the world around them and urges them (us) to stand firm in the truths and foundations of their faith in Jesus. Friends, we must remember that real faith will stay rooted in Christ, and as he did in many of his other letters, he impresses on the believers in Colossae the importance of living out their faith. Life in Christ is based on Christ alone and is to be our firm foundation, not works or any other teaching. Remember, earlier in our journey we learned, or were reminded, that Christ is filled with the fullness of God; and now Paul reminds us that we (believers) “have been filled in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” (Col 1:9-10) He has been appointed as head over us, the Church (Col 1:15-18), and our focus, as Paul teaches here, should not be on trickery and human preference, or being deluded by worldly philosophical tricks, but rather rooted in Christ alone, who is the Truth (John 14:6).


God does not want us to depend on our own efforts to live the Christian life. He wants us to live every day and every moment by faith in Jesus and the divine resources He offers to us. Christ Is All I Need, p102

Response of Worship

The More We Know

I’m so glad that today’s journey pointed us to the passage from Galatians 3:1-5; it’s one that was instrumental in God moving me along in my faith. I read it over and over and found it to be living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword, penetrating soul and spirit …making it personal… “MaryEllen, you have been so foolish. Who tricked you into believing that Salvation is by anything other than the blood of Jesus? You know it isn’t by striving harder, doing more, knowing more, or anything else that you can do. You heard the truth about Christ, you believed it, and received His Spirit; why are you now working to keep what was given to you by grace through faith? …”

Friend, if this type of deceitful thinking has pushed into your mind – let me ask you with the words of Paul: “Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you hear? … Did you begin with the Spirit but now are trying to finish your race by human effort? Why?… and thus the warning from Paul throughout this book and others … “… just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught …”

Reflection and Application

As Christians, we are to continue to live our lives in Christ, continue just the same way we received Him. We have to trust Him not only for our salvation but for living the Christian life.1

  • How did we receive Christ? ____ _________ (Eph 2:8)
  • How do we continue in Him? ____ _________ (2 Cor 5:7)

Response of Prayer


Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us everything we need to live a life of obedience. Amen.

  1. All I Need Is Christ, LGG Journal p 102 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

The Fullness of God

Posted on by MaryEllen

Today’s Road Map for our Journey through Colossians: Read Colossians 1:15-19 and John 15:1-8; (SOAP: Colossians 1:19)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,
16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.
17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him.
18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son

Colossians 1:15-19 NET

Yesterday’s journey revealed that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. We looked at power of Jesus. The fact that He has always been and will always be. He was there in the beginning, creating with God. He was in the heart of creation, as Paul writes, “all things in heaven and on earth were created in/through Jesus.” God wanted Paul’s readers, us included, to understand that Jesus was not only there in the beginning as part of the creative team (Father, Son, Spirit), but he was fully and creatively involved. As Bibleref.com explains, His creative power “included absolutely everything imaginable: heaven, earth, visible, invisible.” Paul wrote that even “thrones and dominions, principalities or powers ~ all things were created through him and for him.” In other words, as Paul suggests in Romans 11:36 and as John mentioned in John 17:24, “Creation exists for His glory.1“


For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Romans 11:36

In today’s journey, we continue to look at Paul’s beautiful word portrait of Christ. He portrays Him as the head of the church (the body of Christ). Friends, that’s us; as believers we are the Church. This means Christ is the head of us. We are under His authority. Just as a vine is the source of the branches, so Christ is the source of our faith and salvation. As He told the disciples, we are to abide in Him, yielding to His leadership and control; and our lives should reflect His love. I love the way that today’s LGG journal explains this: “Think of the little branch on the vine. It can do nothing by itself. It needs the sap of the vine to flow into it in order to be of any use. That’s what Jesus is to us. He is the sap, the living water, God’s fullness, flowing into our barren lives.”

That’s what Jesus is to us. He is the sap, the living water, God’s fullness, flowing into our barren lives.”

LGG Journal, Christ Is All I need, p 78

As I was typing that last quote from the book, it made me think of an old hymn I used to love to sing, called “Fill My Cup Lord”. It is a great reminder that while our hearts may respond and even chase after the treasures of this world, none can truly fill us up and satisfy our souls. Only Jesus and the fullness of God’s love that He alone can offer us will be enough, for “The infinite God gives Himself to us in the person of His Son. Jesus is a reservoir full of God’s mercy, love, and grace. We can come to Him whenever we want and receive all we need.2“

Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Savior speaking—
“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”

(chorus) Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

There are millions in this world who are seeking
For pleasures earthly goods afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

(chorus)

So my brother if the things that this world gives you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray—

(chorus)

Instead of trying to find fulfillment in earthly things, let’s instead go to Him who said: “The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35)

Prayer Response

Lord Jesus, I am empty, but you are full. I am needy, but you are sufficient. You can fill every void in me. I thank you for this reminder and ask that you help me always turn to you instead of the world and its offerings ~ only then will I be truly satisfied; only in You will I find all I need. Thank you. Amen.3

The More We Know

  1. Bibleref.com, Romans 11:36 ↩︎
  2. LGG, Christ Is All I Need, p 78 ↩︎
  3. Adopted in part from LGG, Christ Is All I Need, p78 ↩︎
Mountain valley covered in morning mist with sun rising over distant peaks
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Confident Hope

Posted on by MaryEllen

 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

Colossians 1:3-5 (SOAP verse 5)

Friends, I am borrowing from the LGG Study Journal again today – partly because I am having computer problems and having to use my iPad to post this, but also because I was out later than expected tonight helping Abi with her classroom.

Today’s focal point is verse five, and it is one of the key verses of the entire book. A reminder for us that it’s not just important to have faith – we must be confident in our faith – the belief in the truth that God has promised us a home in heaven with Him … not because our parents believed, or because “we worked for it or earned it, or ever could,” but solely because of God’s amazing grace.

Consider these words from the LGG team:

Do you often think of the hope lad up for you in heaven? The hope that one day, you will be totally healed and perfected, forever filled with indescribable joy? That all your tears will be wiped away, and nobody will ever cause you grief again? That you will finally see the loving face of Jesus?

Note how this hope came to us: Through the gospel. We didn’t work for it, and we don’t deserve it. But God gave us hope simply because we heard the message of truth and believed it. The gospel is the message that Jesus died and rose again three days later to forgive us of all our sins. It is a gift of grace through faith. God has subsequently prepared a place in heaven for those who trust in His Son.

Our hope as Christians is based only on God’s grace. Because it’s not based on our performance, it is firm. It is not a case of “I hope I’ll make it to heaven somehow.” Instead, we can proclaim, “I know I’ll make it to heaven because of what Jesus has done for me.”

Have you ever heard the phrase that some people are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good? Clearly this is not the teaching of the Bible. Right here, Paul is saying that the hope of heaven actually gives rise to love and encourages us to live faithfully and missionally here on earth. Real heavenly mindedness will make us more loving, less self-centered, less fearful, and less greedy.

Jesus Himself promised that whatever it may cost us now to serve and love others, our reward in heaven makes these sacrifices more than worthwhile.

Lord Jesus, please open the eyes of my heart so that I can see more clearly the glorious future that awaits me. – Amen.

Reflection and Application:

What about you? Is your faith confident or shakable? Is it based on the truth of the Gospel that you have heard or is it in the church…the people…your family…your good works??? Take some time and consider these questions and examine your faith.

Wooden sign with text 'God our Father Provider' amid vibrant garden flowers and three small birds.
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Love

Trusting God’s Provision

Posted on by MaryEllen

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, o you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:30-33

As we’ve learned/seen on our journey through Matthew 6:25-29 this week, Jesus’s early followers either had real concerns about food and clothing, or He was preparing them for a time when these concerns would become real. Whatever the situation, Jesus uses the well-fed birds of the air and the beautifully clothed flowers to illustrate and assure them that their Father will provide for them in every need. No area of their life is beyond His care.”1 The point – at least in large part – is that Jesus doesn’t want them to be anxious about where their needs will come from. He wants them to trust that God will provide for them even more than he does for the birds and flowers. He impresses on them that God’s love for them is greater than what He feels for the birds and flowers.

Hear the Words of Jesus again:

25That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,  29yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Matthew 6:25-30

Friend, “If you feel anxious, ask yourself what you’re chasing. If you’re chasing temporary things, you’ll always crave more. And your anxiety will increase as you watch life slip through your fingers. Jesus tells His followers to prioritize things of eternal value because God will handle the big deals and the details. He wants to set their hearts at peace by reminding them that God can be trusted.2

I love that Jesus used things we see or hear every day. A strategic picture lesson that, no doubt, will be a daily reminder to trust that God, our Father, is our good and faithful provider. It is also an illustration that we can easily use to share this character of God with others around us.

The More We Know

Finally, Jesus speaks to those with little or no money. He tells them not to live in anxiety over the basic needs of life, even if they don’t know how they will pay for food and clothing. God the Father feeds the birds and clothes the lilies, and His people are far more valuable than that. Worry accomplishes nothing. Believers should make it the point of life to pursue God’s kingdom and His righteousness. We can concern ourselves with that, trusting Him to provide all we truly need. Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow. Trust God for today’s troubles (Matthew 6:25–34).3

Reflection and Application

Friends, how have you seen God’s provision? Have the birds or the flowers ever reminded you of God’s love and provision?

  1. Adapted in part from The God Shot, p 21 ↩︎
  2. The God Shot, p 21 ↩︎
  3. Bibleref.com ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Overcoming Anxiety About Material Needs

Posted on by MaryEllen

Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 6:28-29

As a child, to my remembrance, I didn’t want for anything. We had food and clothing, a comfortable and safe home. My dad worked as an inspector at a local plant, and my mother was home with us before we started school. At some point after that, she began working as a receptionist in the local doctor’s office. She had various other jobs after Doc Sadler retired. Most of my growing-up years, there was only one car; if my dad drove to work, we did without the car during the day, but our small town was equipped with a grocery store, a bank, a pool, our schools, and friends and family all within walking distance. Our clothes were from thrift stores, rummage sales, the local Sears department store, and occasionally from one of the nicer/bigger downtown stores, particularly on dollar day. I didn’t know it at the time, but they scrimped and saved and took advantage of layaway plans, and life was always good. I truly do not recall ever having thought that the grass was greener on either side of the fence. However, I’m sure after growing up and hearing the stories of how they scrimped and saved, life wasn’t as easy or rosy for my mom and dad as it was for me.

Today’s snapshot of God’s character is still zoomed in on Him being a God of peace. Just as my mom and dad provided in ways that never left me wondering if we would have food, a place to live, or clothes on our backs, our God does the same. He’s never left me wondering, even when money’s been tight, or I didn’t know how repairs would get done, or I would manage on my own when my husband left – God always provided, always sent help, always made a way. He is a good and loving provider and a loving Father who has also taught me not to put too much emphasis and/or focus on having to have all the latest and greatest clothes, shoes, and purses. The lessons haven’t always been easy or comfortable, but they have been valuable and even life-altering.

Friend, let me close with this encouraging quote from The God Shot:

God is your provider. He knows all your needs. He is attentive to them. That means you have enough for this moment. And the next. And the next.

God Shots, p 17

Reflection and Application

Are there times/places where you’ve forgotten that He is a trustworthy provider? Thank Him for meeting your needs in the past. Ask Him to meet your needs in the present. Trust Him to meet your needs in the future. Rest in the peace of His provision. He’s where the joy is! (p 17, God Shots)

Ask yourself, do you see God as your provider, as an all-sufficient provider? Or do you feel like He leaves you wanting and needing to strive harder to have more or keep up with others around you? ~ Let’s face it, in this world of excess and pleasure, it is difficult not to get caught up in the desires of the culture and ‘keeping up with the Joneses’; my prayer is that I/we will remember to not focus on what we have or don’t have or what the people beside us have, or being the trendiest. Instead, may our focus be on God, our provider, and what’s important to Him, which is to reflect Jesus to the world around us.

Woman with eyes closed touching temples with hands and glowing third eye symbol overlay
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time

Peace Requires Retraining Our Focus

Posted on by MaryEllen

In today’s blog, we will zoom in on Matthew 6:25 where Jesus says:

Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Those of you who have followed my posts for very long have likely heard my story and know that I used to battle anxiety. It was a noose around my neck and choked the life out of me more times than I can count. BUT GOD, in His goodness, set me free from the grip anxiety had on me. This is not to say that anxiety doesn’t still seek to grab hold of me, but today’s verse and others like it (Philip. 4:6-8, 1 Peter 5:7, Isa. 26:3…) are ready weapons that silence the anxious thoughts and give me victory over the enemy who, as Paul wrote, “…seeks to steal, kill, and destroy”(John 10:10).

You see, what I had to learn years ago is to retrain my focus. If I focused on my circumstances (the things of this life), the enemy, with his fiery darts of anxiety, was sure to win the battle; BUT GOD showed me that when I set my mind on Him and His Word, where we find that His character is one of truth … goodness … faithfulness … ever-present …. abounding in love (and so much more)… then the battle and the victory belonged to Him and the anxious thoughts no longer had any power over me!

As the author points out in today’s ‘snapshot’1, “Jesus says we should aim to focus on our true home, which is in the next life–in God’s kingdom. The things that cause us anxiety are often things that are ‘passing away’ (1 John 2:17), but Jesus wants us to focus on the things that will last.”

Reflection and application

Today’s reflection and application are from “The God Shot”, p 13

  • Are you anxious over temporary things?
  • What is disrupting your peace today?
  • Where do you feel like God has forgotten you?
  1. Talk to Him about it.
  2. Remember He can be trusted, and
  3. His trustworthiness is the only thing that can truly set your heart at peace.

The More We Know

  1. THE GOD SHOT, 100 SHAPSHOTS OF GOD’S CHARACTER IN SCRIPTURE, pages12-13 ↩︎
Person walking on a forest path with quote about creating your own trail
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Walking By Faith Not By Sight

Posted on by MaryEllen

I love verses that stick with you. Verses like:

  • When I am afraid I will trust in You (Ps 56:3)
  • Don’t be anxious about anything. Instead pray about everything… (Phil. 4:6-8)
  • You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all who put their hope in You. (Isa. 26:3)
  • Do not be discouraged for I am your God. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will strengthen you and help you; I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
  • Give thanks to the Lord for He is good … (Ps 13)
  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. (Prov 3:5-6)
  • He has given you everything you need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises so that you may participate in His divine nature, having escaped the corruption in this world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
  • I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

Today’s ‘verse of the day’ from my reading plan is another of those verses. When the thing you have been called to do, or life itself, seems futile, filled with anxiety, difficult, disappointing, or brings suffering; when you can’t see how things are going to turn out, when it looks like there’s no hope, or your head is barely above the water, Paul’s declaration and encouragement is to walk by faith and not by sight. Elsewhere, he tells his readers to set their minds on things above, not on earthly things (Col. 3:2), and to others he wrote, think about things that are true and noble and pure and right and lovely and admirable. He tells them, if there is anything excellent or praiseworthy, to think about those things. (Phil 4:8)

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

The devotion I read about this verse explains that Paul wrote these words while his body was literally breaking down. He was wrestling with an unnamed affliction- failing eyesight; he had been beaten and shipwrecked. He was dealing with churches that were splitting, the betrayal, abandonment, and desertion of close friends and fellow missionaries, and prison walls. Yet, through it all, he held on to his faith.

That’s the thing about sight ~ it’s a terrible judge of reality. Sight says your prodigal isn’t coming home. Sight says the diagnosis is final. Sight says you’re too old, too young, too broken, too ordinary to matter. Sight counts the bank balance and panics. Sight watches the news and despairs. ~ourdailyverse.com

Friends, I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful for the reminder that faith isn’t pretending everything is fine – it’s trusting God even when everything is not fine … when the way is too dark to see – or the the storm blows so hard we can’t stand – or we don’t know where the money will come from – or how the “story” will end… As I read in my devotional, “Faith is knowing that what we see is temporary, but what we can’t see is eternal.”

Today, your sight might be showing you impossibility. Good. That’s exactly where faith does its best work. ~ourdailyverse.com

I am so thankful for all the ways God has shown me that I can trust Him … for all the times I couldn’t see how things would work out, but I could tell He was near … and for all of the fears that were squelched by His peace that truly passes all understanding. I’m thankful that He has taught me to surrender my desperate need to know how things will work out … and to wait for His perfect timing when answers or outcomes don’t come quickly. The sweetness of being able to place all of the unknowns and concerns of this life in His trustworthy and capable hands is an unexplainable blessing for this previously impatient and anxiety-ridden creature. The other reminder that grabbed my heart and mind today was the comfort of knowing that even when I cannot see His hand, it is still there holding mine. ~ Friends, rest assured we can trust His heart of love and His never-ending faithfulness.

Reflection and Application

Let’s consider these words from Bibleref.com regarding Paul’s words, “We walk by faith, not by sight”, and ask ourselves if we are making a habit of walking by faith and not by sight. Do we so thoroughy believe the gospel and find that the struggles we face are not the most important concern in our lives? Can we truly say that we count the unseen things waiting for us with Christ as more real than the suffering of the moment? ~ If we aren’t there yet – what are some things we can do to foster this mindset?

Preaching the truth of Christ to the world has brought Paul and his co-workers much suffering. Yet they continue to strive and contend for the faith. They refuse to quit—they live with courage—because they are convinced that after they die, they will be resurrected as Christ was. They will receive glorified, eternal bodies where they will finally be free of all burdens and the groaning experienced by every living thing on earth.

As Paul sums it up in this verse, they walk—here meaning to live or make a habit—by faith and not by sight. In other words, they so thoroughly believe the gospel, including their own resurrection and eternal satisfaction, that the struggles facing them are not the most important concern. What they “see” includes death, pain, suffering, opposition and challenge. They feel the burden of those things deeply (1 Corinthians 1:8), but they count the unseen things waiting for them with Christ as more real than the suffering of the moment (2 Corinthians 4:18).

* Quote on graphic is by Søren Kierkegaard