Tag: Commitment

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

Sin’s Requirement

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God / w3d3

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14; Acts 2:38; and SOAP: 1 John 1:9

But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 NET

Sin requires something of us, and according to God’s word in Roman’s 6:23, that requirement is death. However, great provision was made through Jesus Christ and we are given a second option – which is a commitment to God, through faith in Jesus Christ. That faith, according to Jesus’ teaching demands that we turn from our selfish (sinful) ways, deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. Or, as it is written in 2 Chronicles, “If my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.“

I love words, and I love running across words I’m not familiar with – like “repudiate,” which we find in the NET version of 2 Chronicles 7:14. The meaning of repudiate is to refuse to have anything to do with, to refuse to be associated with, or to divorce or separate from formally. In other words – naming the name of God, choosing to place our faith in Christ requires us to divorce ourselves from sinful practices and instead seek to please God and call out to Him. In return, God promises to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Sin requires something of us – either death or a commitment to God.

Me, from the Insideout –
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Before writing the beloved promise of forgiveness that we find in 1 John 1:9, John penned the words: “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” (1 John 1:8) Clearly, if our desire is to live (abide) in Christ, who is the Truth, then we must own up to our sins, confessing them before God who is faithful to not only forgive us but to cleanse us from all of our “all unrighteousness.” The promises don’t stop there though, remember He also promises to help us stay faithful by giving us everything we need for a godly life (2 Peter 1:3-4) and to show us the way of escape when we are tempted to return to our old ways (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).

 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

1 Cor 10:12-13 NLT

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 NLT
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, turning from sin and living righteously – denying ourselves our selfish, sinful desires and following Jesus does not come naturally to us – but You knew this and provided a Way where there was no way. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have received all the precious promises of Your Word, promises that guarantee us forgiveness and enable us to share in His divine nature and escape not only the world’s corruption but the wages of our sins – which are death. Father help us to ‘repudiate’ our sinful practices and follow Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life whom You have provided so that we might receive the free gift of Your grace, which is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. – And Father, if anyone is reading this today who does not belong to You – may their heart and mind be opened to the Word of Your Gospel – which has the power to save and to forever change their life! – In the most holy and powerful name and blood of Jesus I pray – trusting and believing –

Amen and Amen!

THE MORE WE KNow

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

Forgiveness’ cleansing power!

For more insight on today’s passage – visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer, The Importance of Prayer

Committed to Prayer – Heart, Mind, & Soul

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As Inspired by the love god greatly study, The Importance of Prayer-week 5

When we trust in Jesus Christ to be our savior we make a commitment to the Father who sent Him. The commitment involves laying down our own life and desires of the mortal flesh to follow after Christ in the new spiritual nature He has graced us with; or as Paul said, as the “New Person” we have become. Christ’s love now controls us, so we commit to love and obey and to serve Him only.

– Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. … 17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17

This past week’s focus in our study, “The Importance of Prayer”, has been focused on the various commitments of our prayer life, starting with the commitment to wait expectantly, which means trusting God to hear and to answer according to HIS WILL, (Psalm 5). This first commitment fed into all of the others, which included the commitment to being satisfied in and with God – not just an “ok, that will do” kind of satisfaction – but truly deep-down to the “soul-satisfied,” (Psalm 63). The commitment to trust Him and to be truly satisfied with Him – whose love is better than life – will, or should, naturally lead us to a commitment to praise Him – not just when or because life is ‘good’ – but because God is good (Psalm 100). Because life won’t always be good or easy, when we are committed to trusting God we will also be committed to cry out to Him for help and strength when life is stressful (Psalm 18), and equally committed to repent of our sins with a desire to maintain a pure heart and a right relationship with our God (Psalm 51).

While the word commitment and act of committing have raised fear in me since somewhere in my late 20’s and early 30’s, I am happy to say when it comes to committing to God, my life… my prayers … my trust … my fears … and my struggles … I have little to no issues. Why? Because I have found Him to be trustworthy and true. I have found Him to help me when I am weak, to provide for me in my needs, to direct me in my choices, and to sustain me by His power … and so much more! Our study this past week has been a refreshing reminder of the need and the joy and hope that come from being committed to a life of prayer. May the same be true for you as you make these commitments in your own walk of faith and prayer.

Links for “The Importance of Prayer” -week 5- are below
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/02/06/5678/
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/02/07/5686/
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/02/08/5704/
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/02/09/5722/
https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/02/10/5729/
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer, The Importance of Prayer

Commit to Wait Expectantly

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Read: Psalm 5 and Proverbs 8:17; SOAP: Psalm 5:3

Lord, in the morning you will hear me;
in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.

Psalm 5:3

What a beautiful example of prayer David presents here. I can hear his desperation in the preceding verses as he calls on God to – listen, consider, and pay attention all before he is praying. He is specific with God as to when he will be praying and he is boldly expectant of an answer, declaring his commitment to wait. The rest of the prayer (4-12) bears witness that he prays in accordance with God’s will, as he expresses knowledge of what God doesn’t accept and what he rewards. These are all very important parts of prayer …

  • the desperation showing he understands his need for God …
  • calling on God to listen reveals David isn’t just interested in praying but in talking to God (it’s about the relationship not the religious act) …
  • the specific time indicates his seriousness …
  • and the term, “I will wait expectantly”, indicates commitment and trust, which is our focus today …

The first part, “I will“, is a commitment, the evidence of our trust. The second part, “wait expectantly“, indicates how he will wait. While there is something to be said about leaving our requests at Jesus’ feet, trusting Him to answer, it’s the expectation that keeps our eyes on God. It doesn’t mean we stop and wring our hands or pace the floor while we wait, but simply that we are aware that we have asked something of God and are anticipating its arrival. This combination of commitment and expectation is also what keeps us coming back – asking, seeking, knocking – and what moves our heart to rejoice when we receive the answer.

Be Sure to check out today’s LGG Blog Post