Tag: Christmas

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

To Fear or Not to Fear

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based on the LGG Study, Rejoice – Celebrating the Advent of Christ

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Luke 1:49-50 and 12:1-8; Heb 12:25-29

from generation to generation He is merciful to those who fear Him.

Luke 1:50
Observations and Applications from Our Journey

The long and short of it is this … my sins deserved death, and nothing I do or say can change that. But, in love, God sent His Son – who knew no sin – to die for me so that my sins might be covered by His blood. There is no greater love, there is no richer mercy – and they flow deep and wide from generation to generation to those who “fear Him.”

To Those Who Fear Him…

After reading today’s passages, all of which mention or elude to “fearing God,” one thought came to mind: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” This, of course, led me on a little “Scripture squirrel hunt.” which began in Proverbs 9:10, where we read: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” For those of you who know me, you know the hunt didn’t stop there. Because, – while I knew that the basic meaning of fearing God is reverential awe, I wanted to know more and see how/if this thought that had now captivated my mind intertwined with our journey today.

My journal page was quickly filled with notes from my own thoughts, to quotes from gotquestions.org and other verses that came to mind. Most of which, I will attempt to convey here, for the greatest impression I hold from the hunt is this vital truth: “Without the fear of the Lord, we make final decisions based on our faulty human understanding.”

Without the fear of the Lord, we make decisions based on our faulty human understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6). When we incorporate the fear of the Lord into every moment of our lives, we make decisions based upon His approval. We live with the knowledge that the Creator of the universe is intimately involved in our every move. He sees, knows, and evaluates all our choices, and we will answer to Him (Psalm 139:1–4).

Our respect for God’s majesty causes us to honor Him (Psalm 29:2). Our gratitude for His mercy causes us to serve Him well (Psalm 2:11; 107:15). And the understanding that our God of love is also a God of wrath inspires enough fear to help us stay away from evil (Romans 1:18; Proverbs 8:13). Sin is foolish; righteousness is wise. When we live righteously, we are on the path to wisdom, and everyone in our lives benefits (Proverbs 13:20; 19:8).

So, if fear is vital to our Christian walk, it stands to reason that we must understand what it means to fear Him. As gotquestions.or points out, “‘In the Bible, the word translated ‘fear’ can mean several things.” The commentary gives examples of each and concludes that “The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these.”

  • The terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25).
  • It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14).
  •  Fear can also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5).

Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of Him, a deep reverence for Him, and sincere commitment to obey Him.

gotquestions.org

So, how do we live with a continual awareness of God? How do we maintain a deep reverence for Him and sincerely commit to obeying Him? I believe the answer lies not just in knowing who God is but in being in a relationship with Him. When we ‘walk and talk’ with God daily, we will know what pleases Him and what does not. We will make decisions based on how He feels about something rather than our own understandings and desires.

Our respect for God’s majesty causes us to honor Him (Psalm 29:2). Our gratitude for His mercy causes us to serve Him well (Psalm 2:11; 107:15). And the understanding that our God of love is also a God of wrath inspires enough fear to help us stay away from evil (Romans 1:18; Proverbs 8:13). Sin is foolish; righteousness is wise. When we live righteously, we are on the path to wisdom, and everyone in our lives benefits (Proverbs 13:20; 19:8).

gotquestions.org

To be clear, the ‘fear’ believers are to have of God is not one of terror in the sense that we are terrified to approach Him, but we must understand and respect the fact that while He is a God of love, He is also a God of wrath- Jesus makes this clear in the words found in Luke 12:5-7, where we read: But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. 6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid(of man)*; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

*But Jesus has told believers not to fear these hypocrites. At their very worst, they can only kill the body. Instead, they ought to fear a God who will mete out eternal death to those who refuse to repent. It is God who will send sinners to hell, and it is God who knows every sparrow (Luke 12:1–6).

Bibleref.com/Luke 12:7

If you have not placed Your faith in Jesus Christ, I urge you not to wait. For as the passages of today’s journey point out, God delivered judgment on those who ignored His warnings. As the journey revealed today, it is even more foolish to ignore the warning from Christ and the invitation of His Gospel message to believe in Him and be saved from death to everlasting life. (Jn 3:18 and Romans 6:23) If you would like to know more about the journey from death to life, check out “Know These Truths”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, Holy is Your name. You are a God of love and of wrath, both welcoming us into Your presence and imposing a sentence of death on all who do not come to You through faith in Jesus Christ. I praise You, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that I do not have to tremble before You but can enter into Your courts with praise and bow before You in reference and awe of who You are and what You’ve done. I pray for those who are lost to hear the truth from Your Word and turn to You in faith, receiving life over death – Amen

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

Because He Has …

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based on the LGG Study, Rejoice, Celebrating the Season of Advent

Scripture: God’s Road Map For Our Journey / Luke 1:46-49; Matt 11;25-30;1 Cor 1:18-31

because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

Luke 1:48-49
Observations and Applications of the Journey

Just in case you’re thinking, ‘Wait, didn’t we just read this yesterday?’ and wondering if I put down the wrong reference … yes, we did read this yesterday, and no, I did not give you the wrong passage for today’s journey. We will actually be reading portions of Luke 1 throughout the week, ingraining into our minds and hearts the rich history of our Savior, born of a virgin, a lowly handmaid, to save an undeserving people. Why? Because, as Mary said, “God has looked upon the humble state of His servant…” and “because God who is mighty has done great things for us, and holy is His name.”

And Mary said,

“My soul exalts the Lord,
47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior,
48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant.
For from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

Luke 1:46-49. NET

You see, Mary boasted in the Lord because she realized that God did not have to choose her. He could have chosen a woman of nobility, but instead, He chose her, a lowly handmaid/servant, to carry His Son – The Messiah – into the world. I don’t believe that Mary was looking down on or belittling herself here; I believe she was looking up to her God. Mary hadn’t just heard the words of the angel, Gabriel; she had believed them and given great thought to them. She considered what they meant about God, about herself, and about what it meant for the world both then and for the generations yet to come. So, when Elizabeth proclaims how blessed Mary is, Mary responds by exalting the Lord and rejoicing in Him because He is mighty and He has done great things for her. As was mentioned in the previous post, this is not about Mary, and she realizes it – this is about God and what He has done for her. Friends, we would be wise to realize this same truth in our own life.

After reading/dwelling on this for a bit, I was hit by a barrage of questions in my mind. They are both challenging and convicting to me – but such is the word of God: “For it is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.”1 I am confident the Holy Spirit prodded me with these questions because I needed to hear them, but perhaps someone else needs to consider them as well.

  • IF I WERE TO LIST THE GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE, WOULD THE LIST START WITH AND CENTER AROUND HIM OR ME?
  • WOULD OTHERS FACTOR INTO THE LIST OF THOUGHTS?
  • DOES MY SOUL MAGNIFY/EXALT THE LORD?
  • DOES MY SPIRIT REJOICE IN GOD, MY SAVIOR?
  • DO I REALIZE MY “LOWLY ESTATE” AND UNDERSTAND HIS GREATNESS?
  • DO I UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAS CHOSEN ME TO CARRY HIS SON’S MESSAGE TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD?

Have you, like Mary, come to know how exalted and holy God is? Do you know how small and sinful you are in comparison, and how much mercy and grace He has poured on you through His Son, Jesus Christ? Think about it: the infinitely great and perfect God has chosen you to be His beloved daughter. He has lifted you out of your sin and depravity. He has promised you eternal glory in heaven by your faith in Jesus. You are highly valued and infinitely loved by Him. May we, like Mary, rejoice in God’s holiness.

Rejoice Journal / p105
Prayer of Response to the Journey

Holy Lord, most holy Lord – You alone are worthy of my praise! Like Mary, I am captivated by Your beauty and filled with joy in Your presence. I do not forget who I was and how You have changed me from the inside out – making me a new creation in Christ Jesus. Because of Your love and mercy, I have been set free from condemnation. Because of Your grace, I have been set free from the chains of sin and the fears that once bound me. There is no end to Your faithfulness and no boundaries to Your greatness! Of this, I am certain, and therefore, I have hope. – Amen

The More We Know about the journey

Instead of being scared of this mighty, exalted, and holy God, Mary was captivated by His beauty and filled with joy in His presence. His greatness has not kept Him from doing great things for her. God could have chosen the daughter of the king or high priest to give birth to Jesus. He could have chosen a girl who was rich, beautiful, educated, and admired. But, unlike us, God is not impressed by these attributes. Mary herself says that she was a “humble state”, meaning she was probably a nobody in her community, overlooked by the important people, an insignificant servant. And yet, the holy God chose her, a peasant girl from Nazareth, to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary was amazed that God would be so great and yet see somebody as low as her.

Love God Greatly, Rejoice Journal / p105

How do you see yourself? Do you think more of yourself than you should? Or do you see yourself in light of God’s greatness and realize your “humble state”? – Consider the words of Paul in Romans chapter twelve, verse three: Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Paul understood that unless we see ourselves as we truly are, we will struggle to trust that we can do what He has gifted/called us to do. – I encourage/urge you to click here to read the commentary by bibleref.com for Romans 12:3 – it’s a game-changer you won’t want to miss.

The Truth About Our Journey

God used Mary to deliver Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, into the world. Through Jesus, we are given the opportunity to have a relationship with the great and holy God that Mary proclaimed in her beautiful song of praise. Do you know know Him today? If not, I invite you to read Know These Truths and find out how you can share in this life-changing faith – If you do know Him, will you please help me share these truths with others who need to know the love of Jesus?

  1. Hebrews 4;12 ↩︎
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/
Posted in Advent, Bible study, Christmas, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Rejoice

The Power of Christ

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For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

Luke 1:69

In my late twenties, not too long after my salvation moved from a religion to a relationship, I began really studying the Scriptures and quickly learned that the meaning of God’s Word can be found within His Word. Today’s passages are prime examples1. For instance, Bibleref.com shares many references that explain the horn of salvation and connect the dots to David. The commentary explains that “In biblical texts, “horns” are symbolic of power (Psalm 75:10; 89:24; Numbers 23:22; Daniel 7:7; Revelation 17:12). Referring to Jesus (Luke 1:31–33) as a “horn of salvation” (Psalm 18:2) echoes the idea that Messiah will be from the lineage of David (Psalm 132:17; Jeremiah 23:5). When Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel, praised God for her son’s birth, she used similar phrases (1 Samuel 2:10).” – That’s what I call Scripture squirrels, and while they can take up a lot more time, I’ve realized through the years that they add so much to my time in the Word by helping me to understand what I read.

As we read Zechariah’s declaration of “the horn of salvation” in Luke 1:69, we come to understand, by his reference to “the house of God’s servant, David,” that the “horn of salvation” refers to the Messiah who would redeem His people from their sins. This Messiah is the same baby Jesus born in a manager, fully man but fully God, The God of power and of might, who conquered the grave and crushed the enemy – and continues to give us power over the enemy today! Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was that they would be strengthened with all might according to the glorious power of Christ. This is the same power that Peter writes about when he wrote about the divine power given to believers that would enable them to live a godly life and escape the corruption of this world. Just as John was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth as the angel promised, the promise of the Messiah was realized when Christ was born in Bethlehem, and with that birth came all the power and love of God.

“With the arrival of Jesus, God’s power has broken into our world. He is the risen Lord. He lives. He is here. He is with us, and He is our strength. In faith, we can connect our weak lives to His mighty power, counting on His help and experiencing Jesus as the Horn or our Salvation.”

Rejoice Study Journal/p47

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

2 Peter 1:3-4
A Prayer of Response

Jesus, as I am reminded daily – You are my strength when I am weak. Your Spirit empowers me to overcome the enemy, to stand firm in temptations, and to endure the troubles of this world. As Paul prayed for the Colossians, I pray for this group and all Your people throughout the world that -in these troublesome times, as we wait for the return of the Messiah, the Hope of Heaven – we will be strengthened with all His glorious power so we will have all the endurance and patience we need – and be filled with joy, to Your glory and honor – Amen!

Read More verses on the power of Christ, available to all who belong to Him
A Beautiful Song to Celebrate Jesus, our Messiah, strong and kind.

Posted in Bible study, Christmas, From the Insideout, Know These Truths, Quiet Time

The 10th-Day of Christmas

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Originally posted January 4, 2020

Scripture – 1 Timothy 6:15; Name of Jesus – King of kings and Lord of lords; Ornament – Crown

Jesus may have come as a baby in a manger, but make no mistake – God gave us a King! The King of kings and Lord of lords best describes His power and majesty. He not only has the power to save but to rule over all the earth. God placed all nations and kingdoms under Him! So on this 10th Day of Christmas, I worship Him as my Savior but also my Lord and King. I praise the Father for sending us a gift that saved us from the Kingdom of Darkness and its evil ruler! Satan has been crushed under the heel of my King and Savior, Jesus! Satan no longer has dominion over me for Jesus is my KING!

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

The Promised Messiah

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Today’s Scripture is Luke chapter 2. (SOAP verses 10-12)

but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12

Oh, how I love this chapter of the Bible, the cast and characters of Christmas on grand but humble display. Shepherds and angels, Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus, Simeon and Anna the prophetess who had both faithfully waited for the promised Messiah … Each of them a beautiful part of the Christmas story – the Advent of our Christ.

I know it’s easy to zero in on the soap passage, but I invite and encourage you to read each verse with fresh eyes and an undistracted mind that takes it all in as though it were unfolding before you on a stage with all the pageantry of Christmas. Walk with Mary and Joseph on the streets of Bethlehem, see the baby lying in the manger, Mary and Joseph in awe and wonder of it all. Listen with the shepherds to the angelic announcement and to the army of angels proclaiming – “glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will to men!” Hear the words of Simeon and Anna the hope fulfilled and the worship that poured forth. I pray that it will lead you, on this last day of our journey, to stop and worship Christ, the new born King – saying with the angels – “Glory to God in the Highest!”

“Rejoice rejoice of Christian, lift up your voice and sing – Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King – The hope of all who find Him …” the long awaited and promised Messiah! May we, like Simeon, find ourselves saying, “-my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all people: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And, and like Anna – may we give thanks to God and speak about the Messiah to all who need the salvation He came to bring.

Going Further

Be sure and visit LoveGodGreatly.com for today’s blog post

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

Salt and Light

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based on the Love God Greatly Advent study, The Promised Messiah / w4d4

Scripture: Luke 1:57-80 / SOAP verses 68-71

This is like a segment from the memorable Paul Harvey and his segments known as “The Rest of the Story.” Previously in Luke’s story we learned of an angel named Gabriel who appeared to a priest who was serving in the Temple, with an announcement that the priest and his wife, both very old, would have a son, whom they were to name John; and John would be the messenger for the coming Messiah. Which of course, is exactly where the story picks up today. Elizabeth gives birth to a son and she named him John. Their neighbors and relatives rejoiced with the miraculous birth but questioned the name she gave since it was not a family name. Zechariah, though still mute because of his disbelief in the angelic proclamation, confirms by writing on a tablet – “His name is John.” Scripture says that Zechariah immediately regained his speech and blessed God and then, filled with Holy Spirit, he prophesied, saying:

“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior
    from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.

Luke 1:68-71

I love this response and am quite convicted by them. Zechariah’s words, his first words spoken in months, weren’t a story about what had happened to him but they were about God. They were words of praise that would have brought to the people’s minds God’s long awaited promises to His people – promises of a messenger (Malachi 3:1), a savior (Isa 7:14 and 9:6; Micah 5:2), and of salvation from sin (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

“But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. . . . Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Gotquestions.org

I see several applications as I read through and study this passage. Certainly we learn the importance of believing and obeying God’s word. I also noticed and was reminded of the importance of keeping our minds on God, whether we are in the midst of hard times or celebratory ones. The ultimate example being how in all of the excitement of the birth of a son to a couple well beyond the years of having a child – the fulfillment of the angel’s message – and the return of his speech – Zechariah’s focus remained on God. Undoubtedly, this was a result of the the filling of the Holy Spirit – but let us remember, this is the same Spirit that fills us who have believed, the Spirit of whom Paul said bears within us the fruit of self-control. Both of these examples lead me to the third, you see – because Zechariah believed and obeyed God, evidenced in his naming the child John, Zechariah was given back the ability to speak and maintaining his focus on God, even in all of the excitement, his words poured forth a beautiful prophesy that pointed the people to God and what He had done and was yet to do. The combination of these examples led me to this ultimate application – when we obey God and keep our minds on Him – what pours forth from our lips will be about what He does or has done in the past – it stirs up thought and attention to who He is and what else He can and will do. Thus, we become the salt and light God has called us to be.

Reflection For the Journey

God undoubtedly saw Zechariah and Elizabeth in their years of pain and longing. He was merciful despite their mistakes and used both to encourage their community and make His name great. He is the same God today. What might He be working to restore in your life, even to your longing or momentary unbelief?

From the LGG devotion journal, p 134 / The Promised Messiah
Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

Trusting God

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based on the LGG Advent Study, The Promised Messiah / w4d3

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56 / SOAP verses

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

46 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.

Luke 1:46-49

Nestled in this passage of 30 verses is a beautiful prayer by Mary and a delightfully powerful scene of the affect that our Lord has on others when His presence is detected in us. However, there is another verse that jumped off the pages to me. You see, as is my morning habit, I opened an email devo before diving into today’s Advent Study. The verse from the devotion in my email was from Mark 9:23, which teaches that for the one who believes in God everything is possible because there is nothing God cannot do.

“‘if you can?'” said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.'”

Mark 9:23

This is a great reminder for any given day to be sure, but when I got to verse 37 of Luke chapter 1, and read, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”, I realized God really wanted me to remember this truth today. Two separate passages, two distinct conversations – but both pointing me to the same truth – With God all things are possible! – Nothing is impossible! For the father’s son in Mark chapter nine, it wasn’t a matter of “if” Jesus could heal the boy it was matter of believing that He could; as for Gabriel’s words to Mary it was the encouragement that the same God who would deliver a baby through a virgin was also giving a child to Mary’s relative who was old and barren. In both passages the result is the same thing – trusting God for the impossible. May I never lose sight of this truth. For it is hope and strength and peace in Jesus’ Name! May I say with Mary, my soul exalts You Father and, indeed, my spirit rejoices in You – my God and Savior. Because You, in grace and mercy, have looked on this humble ‘servant’ and have made known to me Your love and Your Son and by faith I have been made new. You have done great things for me, and holy, holy, holy is Your name.

Going Further

Be sure and check out today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

God’s Grand Plan of Redemption

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based on the LGG Study of Advent, The Promised Messiah / w4d2

Scripture: Luke 1:1-25 / SOAP verse 25

“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Luke 1:25

I love when the goodness of God is so visible on the pages of Scripture. I see it here in the words of Luke and I here it in the words of Elizabeth’s response to the great surprise of her pregnancy. Luke’s account of the ‘grand redemptive plan’ through Christ starts with the announcement of another prophecy to be fulfilled. It was a prophecy of Isaiah who told of a messenger, who would declare, “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight”. In Luke’s account of the Christmas story, there would be a child who would be born to a priest and his wife, who, as Luke describes, were childless because the woman was barren and they were “both very old.” The child would be named John and grow to me the messenger that Isaiah spoke of – a messenger that would prepare the hearts of the people to receive Jesus and the message He came to bring. The center of the Christmas story will always be the redemptive work of God through the gift of His Son, born of a virgin, to take away the sins of the world; but as we see in today’s story the redemptive plan isn’t just a collective salvation of all who believe but a personal plan that works through individuals like Zechariah and Elizabeth to deliver the messenger who would prepare the way for Christ. Likewise, the plan involves those God would call to prepare the way throughout the centuries – catalyst of the Gospel like John and the disciples who would join Jesus in spreading the Gospel during and after His time on earth.

I find great encouragement in seeing and knowing that redemption wasn’t just collective but personal and deeply meaningful, as Elizabeth and her words of praise testified. God not only used her to bear the forerunner of Christ but, in using her, He freed her from the shame and disgrace and burden of childlessness in that day.

Like those who came before us, God’s “grand redemptive plan” continues to reach down through the ages as He sets all who believe in Jesus – free from slavery to sin and the shame it places on us. He also assigns us to carry the love of Christ, (John 13:34) and His Gospel Message to the world, (Matt 5:13-16). May we, like Elizabeth, realize what the Lord has done for us and give Him praise – not just with our lips but with our obedience to His call upon our lives.

Going Further

How did John the Baptist fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy?

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

Waiting Without Doubting

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Based on The Promised Messiah, a Love God Greatly Advent Study

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

2 Corinthians 1:20

If someone made you a promise, how long would you have to wait before you began to doubt their promise? One day, three days, or forty … a year, two, ten… how long before you gave up hoping and believing that what they had promised would ever be realized? We live in a cultural of quick and easy gratification. It’s often referred to as a “fast-food mentality” – referring to the quick and easy method of placing an order for your food and driving off with it in five minutes or less. There is no question that the convenience is nice but it has fostered impatience and often a demanding time-table for everything in life. However, when it comes to God’s timeline we must be careful with our expectations. We must learn from those who have gone before us – from the garden to John’s last words of the revelation God’s promises are not always realized quickly. While He created the world in seven days He was not always so quick in His actions. There were often decades of waiting for children that had been promised or for a shepherd boy to become a king, there were centuries of waiting for the promised Messiah’s birth and we are still waiting for His promised return. The good news is – not only has He demonstrated that we can trust Him, but His Word declares that all of His promises are “Yes!”. We can trust that each and every promise will one day come true and that God’s timing is always perfect and for a good reason, whether we understand it or not. Borrowing from a line in the LGG devotional for today that I found most encouraging, I pass on to you these words, “We may be waiting longer than we’d like for some things, but we can be confident that all His promises are “Yes,” and we can say “Amen” and give glory to God when we see them fulfilled.” To this, my heart responds with the Psalmist, “wait patiently for the Lord.”

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14
Response To The Word

Father, thank You that all of Your promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus! Thank You for the reminder from Your Word that we can trust You without question or doubt and please help us to wait patiently, knowing that Your timing and reasons in all things are perfect – to Your glory and honor amen and amen.

Reflection for the Journey

Are there promises you are waiting to see God fulfill? What are they and how does this passage help you to wait patiently?

Going Further

Check out today’s LGG Blog Post for more insight

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

Sustaining HOPE

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Scripture: Hebrews 9:27-28; Matthew 24:30-31 / SOAP: John 14:1-3

“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. 3 And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.

John 14:1-3

Oh, how I love the promises of God. The best part of His promises is that they are all, yes and amen in JESUS! Which, I’m sure, is why this old hymn kept playing through my mind as I was reading today’s Scripture.

Standing on the promises of Christ, my King,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail.
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing On the Promises / Author: Russell Kelso Carter (1886)

Promise after promise is fulfilled throughout Scripture but perhaps none sweeter and certainly none more endearing to our hearts than the one we celebrate during this Advent season. The birth of the baby in Bethlehem, the city of David, to a virgin – brought great hope to the watching world as it does to us today. Some thirty-three years later another great, albeit tragic, promise was fulfilled in the death, burial, and resurrection of that same child. Those who know Him cannot help but weep at His death and yet rejoice at the freedom we know because of it – and the hope we know in the empty tomb and His ascension into Heaven.

The fulfillment of these promises and all those that came before them or those we have seen evidence of in our own lives, even to this day, are what give us the beautiful hope in the promise of Jesus in John 14:1-3. You see, Jesus had made known His upcoming departure and here, in the fourteenth chapter of John, He gives His disciples and, by extension, all – who by faith have chosen to follow Him, the ultimate promise of hope. It is a promise meant to sustain us as believers . For to press on in His work during His absence it is vital that we keep believing in Him – in who He is, in what He is doing, and in the promise that He will return for us and take us with Him – so that where He is we may be also.

Jesus is making a place for us
Jesus will come again
Jesus will take us to be with Him

The HOPE of John 14:3

There is one catch about His promise to return and take us with Him – it is only for those who have placed their faith in Him. So, as we wait on His promised return may we be faithfully active in making Him known. May we live out His love, share His message of peace and hope, and continually pray for the salvation of the lost.

Marvelous message we bring, Glorious carol we sing, Wonderful word of the King, Jesus is coming again! -Chorus: Coming again, Coming again, May be morning, may be noon, May be evening and may be soon! Coming again, Coming again; O what a wonderful day it will be -Jesus is coming again!

Coming Again, by John W Peterson https://lyricstranslate.com

Reflection for the Journey

How does this promise impact your life?