Tag: devotional

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

It’s All About Him

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Today’s Scripture: Luke 1:57-80; SOAP – Luke 1:68-71

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
because he has come to help and has redeemed his people.
69 For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us.

Luke 1:68-71 NET

The Rest of the Story …

I was never a big radio listener but on occasion I would find myself caught up in a program by Paul Harvey, called “The Rest of the Story“. The stories would catch my attention but even if I wasn’t interested in the particular story of the day I would continue listening to the end just to hear him say, the now renown statement, “And now you know…the rest of the story.”

This statement and the sound of his voice came flooding back to my mind today as I was reading the rest of Zechariah’s story. If you remember on day one of our study we read how the angel appeared to Zechariah in the Temple and announced that Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, would become pregnant and give birth to a son. We also read that Zechariah had been struck mute because he didn’t believe what the angel had told him. Day two brought the news that, just as the angel had said, Elizabeth did become pregnant; and today’s passage reveals that the child was indeed a son. When the people came to circumcise the child, in obedience to the angelic instructions Elizabeth gave him the name John, instead of the customary name of his father. When the people questioned this, Zechariah, still unable to speak, confirmed the name that Elizabeth had spoken, by writing the name John for all to see. Miraculously, upon writing the name his speech returned – and all the people were amazed and “wondered what this child will be.” Scripture says, “Then, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.”

He Turned All of His Words Into Praise

Zechariah could have used his words to describe what had happened in the Temple that day with the angel, he could have described what it was like to have not been able to talk, he could have done some new-dad baby-bragging, which no doubt he did at some point. However, in this moment, with this blessing he turned all of His words into praise of the Lord God of Israel and prophesying about the Messiah – “The Horn of Salvation”, whom His child, John, would make known to the world. Zechariah used his voice to make it known that God had done this to show mercy to their people and to remember His holy covenant made to Abraham. He reminded the people that because God was rescuing them from their enemies they could now and forever more serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness. Even when He turned tenderhearted attention to his infant child before him, his blessing continued to focus on God and Jesus, the Most High – the Lord who was coming to save His people from their sins, saying:

And you [John], will be called the prophet of the Most High For you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And [John] kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day [Jesus] was revealed to Israel.

Luke 1:76-80

“And now you know…the rest of the story.“

Paul Harvey
My Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for the story of John, who made Jesus known to the world, as God called him to do. But I also thank you for Zechariah and Elizabeth, who You used to fulfill the prophecy from Isaiah 40:3 of “one who cries out, In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord” -. From the barren womb of Elizabeth, who was in her old age, you brought forth the messenger of our Lord. You silenced the tongue of Zechariah and then loosened it to make known the great things You were doing. You taught Zechariah, who doubted, to trust You in all things by showing him – and all of us through him – that “nothing is impossible with You”. Help me, like Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary – to use my words to praise You – to make known Your greatness. Help me to trust and not doubt, and to obey – even when i don’t understand what You are doing. Help me to live and talk in such a way that others see and hear what You have done so that others will experience and/or see Your mercy and rejoice with me- and may “the rest of my story” be a beautiful legacy of faith – to the glory of Your good and gracious name! Amen, In Jesus’ Name!

Posted in Bible study, He Sees He Knows He Cares

The power, the purpose, and the promise of God in action

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Suggested Reading: Luke 1:26-56; SOAP 1:48-49

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

If you have ever doubted what God can and will do, or should you ever doubt His promises in days to come – you only need to consider this story. The story is true, based on the history of God’s people and the incredible means by which He delivered His son, untainted by sin, into a world filled and dying from it. For from the barren womb of Elizabeth, in her “old age” and the virgin womb of Mary in her youth – God brought forth sons, one the messenger to prepare the way for the other, who would be the Savior of the world! This is the power, the purpose, and the promise of God in action. Surely, “Nothing” is, or ever will be, “impossible with God!”

Knowing God’s power and purpose to save a sin sick world, and seeing that He is a promise keeper of the ancient words He spoke since the foundations of the world – how then should we live? I believe we should live with hope that what God says He will do – He will indeed do. We should not be surprised by, nor doubt, what God can do or what He will do – instead, like Mary, we should listen to and explore what God says, and we should be sensitive and surrendered to His Presence and the work He does in and around us. We should be quick to worship Him and focus all the glory and honor on Him as both Elizabeth and Mary did. We should look for opportunities to point out His goodness and the great things He has done. We should not be puffed up about our position with God but remember that we are His humble servants, and honored by the fact that He looks on us with favor, choosing to give us His Son and to use us for His glory – to which end we should faithfully live.

Let us not miss the lesson found in the beauty of God’s intimate and relational nature, as we look at the larger passage and realize that God is faithful to intertwine our lives with others – so that we might rejoice with one another or encourage and lift each other up. Consider Elizabeth, suddenly pregnant in her old age, decades older than any other expectant mother around her – and her husband was now mute. It seems possible that she would have been feeling alone in her shockingly and unexpected pregnancy as she, undoubtedly, dealt with the natural fears or excitements every birth brings, and in her case, likely more so. Then – consider Mary, the young virgin – who – though having never slept with a man – now carried a child within her womb; and not just a child, but one who would be the Son of God. Clearly, these women needed each other. They needed someone who could understand and appreciate their unique situation, they needed encouragement – and renewed strength to face their future. So God, in His love and perfect timing brought them together – strengthening and assuring them of His presence with them and with their children. We would be wise to remember that He knows our needs as well and thus to embrace the relationships He offers us with other believers, through the bond of Christ.

My Response to God’s Word

Father, how very great You are, placing a child in the womb of a virgin and an old woman. Only You could do such greatness and with such purpose. Again, I see Your perfect timing and I witness the affect Your Presence has on us when I am attentive and yielded to You Spirit. As You found favor in Your servant Mary, find favor in me I pray. Use me to carry Your love to the world and to encourage others. Thank You for the eternal blessing of Your Son through whom nothing is impossible with You. All glory and honor to You, most good and faithful God!

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

What The LORD Has Done For Me

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Suggested Reading: Luke 1:1-25; SOAP – verse 25

“This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.”

Luke 1:25 NET

Do you ever pray and wonder if God is hearing you? Or perhaps you trust that He has heard you but find yourself questioning why He hasn’t answered or at the very least, why His answer was no. From the response of both Zechariah and Elizabeth in today’s story, I picture any or all three of these scenarios running through the minds of Zechariah and Elizabeth. I know they ran through mine every year for eight long years of praying and waiting for a child. I felt the disgrace among the people as more and more of my friends were pregnant while I grew more and more bewildered, hurt, and angry, and less and less hopeful. Then, like Elizabeth, I knew it was Him who had allowed the eventual pregnancy and I was overwhelmed with the graciousness of His gift, and all these years later (33 to be exact) I still see glimpses of what I am certain were and are purposes in His timing.

I was thankful that I read the larger passage, which admittedly I had skipped over since I had read it so many times before (why oh why do we do this? I mean, can we ever read His Words too much). In looking back to confirm who was speaking in verse 25 and what “this” they were referring to, I was blessed by the beautiful story yet again. I was thankful for the reminder that God hears our prayers (13), and of His perfect timing (v25), His grace towards His people (vv14-17) – both as a nation and personally (vv14, 25), and His purposes in every answer (vv13-17). Granted, Zechariah’s prayers that day would have surely been for the nation of Israel but God’s assurance is that His answer would include the child for which I am certain they had personally prayed for. I am equally certain by Zechariah’s initial response (v18), that any hope of this prayer being answered with a child was given up long ago because of their age.

Turning Knowledge into Wisdom

On the heals of the recent study of God’s attributes and the encouragement to turn knowledge (facts) into wisdom (application of facts), I found myself following up my reading today with the question, “How do I take these facts and make application?”

FACTS [KNOWLEDGE]
  • Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people – faithful servants of God
  • They most likely had prayed for a child
  • They had remained childless into their ‘very old age’
  • They had given up hope of having a child
  • Elizabeth had dealt with disgrace because she was childless

Application of the facts [Wisdom]
  • Live as a faithful servant of God even when life doesn’t go as planned
  • Pray, and keep on praying and believing
  • Know that God doesn’t always say ‘yes’, but that His silence isn’t always a ‘no’
  • Keep hoping, don’t give up on God, He is able to do more than we ask or imagine
  • Recognize the answered prayers of God and acknowledge/praise Him for them
My Prayer Response to God

Father, “ancient words” are often easy to scan or to simply read and lay aside, as I was tempted to read only the SOAP verse You prodded me to look deeper, to see it with fresh eyes and a yielded heart to the Spirit’s teaching of these old but treasured words of truth and beauty. Words, that reminded and encouraged me that You hear the prayers of Your people, even when it would appear to our human understandings that You have not heard our cries. You always answer, your timing is always perfect, and Your actions are always purposeful- with the intention of carrying out Your will, which is good and pleasing and perfect – for the world and for Your people. For this I praise You – in and through the Name of Jesus, my Savior❣️ Amen!

Want More?

Be sure and visit LoveGodGreatly.com for today’s LGG Blog

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

“He Sees, He Knows, He Cares”

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An Invitation for The Journey

You are invited to join me for this six-week journey through the Book of Luke. We will be using the Love God Greatly study, He Sees, He Knows, He Cares, Our journey will take us through Luke’s writings of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Our destination: The Empty Tomb!

Introduction

The Gospel of Luke offers a unique perspective of the life of Christ. Luke did not meet Jesus in person, yet he followed Him. Luke was a physician, an intellectual who was passionate about sharing all he could about Jesus with his friend Theophilus. Luke teaches about the humanity of Jesus, the Sonship of Jesus, and the care, concern, and power of Jesus.

This Gospel highlights a variety of events from Jesus’ life. The first two chapters emphasize the Old Testament promises of the coming Messiah. Luke 3:1—4:13 demonstrates that Jesus was and is the Messiah. Verses 4:14—9:50 show Jesus’ power, His teaching, and the way He cares for those in need. The conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leadership is the main focus of the next section (9:51—19:44), as Luke focuses on what true discipleship looks like and the cost of following Jesus. The final section, 19:45—24:53, describes the Passion of Christ and the events surrounding His death and resurrection.

Tradition has credited Luke with the authorship of this Gospel. As the only Gentile author of a New Testament book, Luke was a companion of Paul on some of his missionary journeys. Luke is also credited with authoring the Book of Acts, and it is assumed that the two books were written around the same time. Since the Book of Acts records Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, some scholars estimate that Acts was written sometime after A.D. 62. This dates the Gospel of Luke between A.D. 64 and A.D. 66. 

The Gospel of Luke encourages us to love God greatly because of its unique portrayal of Jesus’ life and ministry. Luke provided details of Jesus’ life that allow us to see His humanity and deity, displaying His great compassion for His people and His power over evil. We also see what it looks like to be a true disciple of Jesus and His unceasing pursuit of the lost.


LGG Team

Help Wanted

My mission is to encourage, equip, and empower others with the Word of God. Will you help me by sharing this post/link with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family – both saved and unsaved. and invite them to join us for the journey as we move toward Easter focusing on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. My prayer is that the saved will be brought closer, the wanderers will find their way out of the wilderness, and the lost will be saved! ME – from the Inside-out 🦋

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, In His Image, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

To The Only Wise God

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Scripture Reading: Job 12:13-17 and 36:5; Psalm 147:5; Proverbs 2:6; Isaiah 55:8-9; Daniel 2:20; Romans 11:33 and 16:25-27

According to the last chapter of “In His Image”, the last of the 10 attributes of God that we are to imitate is wisdom. As the author points out “wisdom is closely related to knowledge, but distinct from it.” They are so closely related that you may be wondering exactly what the difference is, my short take on it is this – Wisdom, is the application of knowledge, which is to “possess the facts”. Mrs. Wilkin goes on to point out the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, saying – “The wisest human you know is capable of choosing wrongly, simply because he does not possess all the facts.” However, she explains, “Because God holds all knowledge, He is able to choose [the] perfect [outcome].” This means there is a difference between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom, which James, the brother of Jesus, explains in James 3:13-18. Wilkin states that “worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom are antithetical and adversarial” and summarizes the differences as such:

  • Worldly wisdom self-promotes. Godly wisdom elevates others.
  • Worldly wisdom seeks the highest place. Godly wisdom seeks the lowest place.
  • Worldly wisdom avoids the mirror of the Word. Godly wisdom submits to the mirror of the Word
  • Worldly wisdom trusts in earthly possessions. Godly wisdom trusts in treasures in heaven.
  • Worldly wisdom boasts. Godly wisdom is slow to speak.
  • Worldly wisdom says trials will crush you. Godly wisdom says trials will mature you.
  • Worldly wisdom says temptation is no big deal. Godly wisdom says temptation indulged leads to death.
  • Worldly wisdom says, “seeing is believing.” Godly wisdom says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”(John 20:29).
  • Worldly wisdom wields might. Godly wisdom works in meekness.

The bottom-line is this, “The worldly-wise place themselves in opposition to God, operating from their own perspective of what is best, a perspective that seeks only the best for them.”

If you find yourself wondering how to possess “Godly wisdom”, you’ll find the answer in James 1:5, where we are instructed to simply ask God, who will give it generously.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:5

You see, God is the source of all wisdom. Job said, “With God are wisdom and might … [God] has counsel and understanding … With him are strength and sound wisdom.” (Job 12:13-17) This statement from Job introduces a third word into the mix of wisdom and knowledge, that being ‘understanding’, which has been defined by many to be the “comprehension of the facts”. I believe understanding is crucial to the mix – as it will, or should, help us better apply the facts in a more godly way – especially if we add prayer to the mix as well – which is a must for any reading of God’s Word. For how can we read and hope to comprehend the words of one whose thoughts and ways are so far above our own if we do not pray for understanding?

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

John 14:26

God has actually placed the source of understanding within every believer, through His gift of the Holy Spirit. Scripture says that the Spirit was given to teach us all things and remind us of everything that Christ said.  Being finite creatures who do not hold all knowledge nor retain everything we hear, see, or even understand, we will find ourselves constantly in need of a “sustaining supply of godly wisdom”, and we must not be afraid to ask, or slack in asking for it. In other words, don’t just read to be reading and checking off a list – read for knowledge, to know the facts, about Your Creator God and to become like Him (Colossians 3:10) … pray and read to understand …. and then ask Him for the wisdom to appropriately apply it to your life. He will hear and He will answer and we will be forever changed

Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions based on the knowledge available.

Jen Wilkin, In His Image -p 136

So, let’s ask the question that we started with two weeks ago, “Who should [we] be?” God’s Word instructs us in the way of wisdom so it is safe – and wise – to say that He wants us to be wise, not as the world is wise but as He is. So how can we be wise like God? – We open His Word – where pictures of His wisdom are sprinkled throughout the pages. Or as Wilkin writes, “We do so by declaring, as Solomon did, “Bring me a sword”. For, as the author of Hebrews wrote, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Wilkin goes on to write: “The Word of God gives us discernment into what is arguably the area we need it most: the thoughts and intentions of our own hearts. In seeing our own depravity, we develop a right reverence (fear) of the Lord. And wisdom begins to be formed in us. When God points out your sin, you are wise to turn from it. The most basic act of wisdom is repentance. Turning from sin trains us in how to hate it, in how to anticipate the temptation points, and in how to seek the Holy Spirit’s aid in finding the way of escape.”

One final quote in closing, “It is not coincidental that a lack of discernment and a neglected Bible are so often found in company. The Bible contains for us ancient worlds of wisdom, and it tells us also of the example of Christ, who became for us wisdom from God.” So, if we want to be wise – truly wise – we only have to turn our eyes upon Jesus – who became for us wisdom from God. In Him, what He did and said, are all of the perfect examples of who God wants us to be.

My Prayer Response:

Father, I give You praise for revealing wisdom to us in Your Word and in the example of Christ our Lord. show us if and where worldly wisdom control our thoughts, words, and actions. Show To the only wise God, my Father, be glory and majesty. Show us where we are are requesting knowledge instead of godly wisdom. Grant us wisdom and prod us to keep on asking for it – and help us to trust You to give it generously as You have promised, in Jesus’ name. Now, to the only wise God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, In His Image, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

Ancient Words Strong and True

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Scripture Reading: Numbers 23:19; Psalm 19:9 and 119:160; Isaiah 45:19; John 1:14, 8:31-32, and 17:17-19

God’s will is that you take your place among the community of believers as a truth bearer in a world full of lies. Honesty should characterize all of your dealings, great and small, so that when you are asked to give a reason for what you believe, your credibility is a foregone conclusion. And when you are asked, proclaim Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. Invite them to what is real.

In His Image, Jen Wilkin – p 130

Reasons for the Truth

As believers we are meant to know the truth of God and to be alert to the ‘false’ messenger [the father of lies, John 8:44] and the false messages of the world. In my understanding there are two primary reasons for this:

[We] learn to discern what is fake by studying what is real.

Jen Wilkin, In His Image – p129

The Truth As a Weapon and a Tool

Paul’s description of the armor of God, in Ephesians chapter six, includes the “Belt of Truth” (or the Word of God) and “The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Paul begins his reasoning and warning about the need for the armor, saying, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God,” why? “So that [we might] be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” From this description we can see that the Word (or TRUTH) of God is used to hold us up against and to protect us from – the enemy’s schemes to steel, kill, and destroy the blessings of the life and liberty that God has granted us in Christ Jesus. Long before Jesus came in the flesh the power of God’s Truth was known as a weapon, as David wrote that he had “hidden God’s Word (TRUTH) in his heart so that he might not sin against [God].”

Not only can TRUTH be used as a weapon but it is also an important tool in our representation/presentation of God to the world. The words and actions we use should be filled to overflowing with the light and love of God so that others see and hear Him in us. David prayed that the words of his mouth and even the things he thought about would be pleasing to God, and – as we’ve mentioned before in this study, we are meant to be lights in this world SO THAT others will see God’s goodness in us and glorify Him in heaven. Our only hope of being this kind of “truth bearer” is to abide in Christ, the living Word of God. John 8:31-32 says that when we do this we will know the “truth” and be set free from the wickedness and captivity of this world and even from that of our “own deceitful hearts”, Psalm 119:9-11.

While the world, even the Christian sector of the world, focuses on or encourages individual truth, or “a fresh word”, Jen Wilkin writes,

Truth Passed Down

“We need our gathering times to remind us that the truth we are staking our lives on is a truth we share with every believer in our congregation. Moreover, it is a truth we share with every believer who has ever lived. it is an ancient truth that suffers no loss of integrity with the passage of time. In fact, the longer it endures, the more its witness is confirmed. – Every word of God is true and good, but not only that, none of them ever grow stale. The practice of asking God for a “fresh word,” a new truth personalized for us, has grown more and more popular – but it is not new truths we need; we need old truths recently forgotten. it is not personal truths we need, but rather shared truth preserved and passed down from one believing generation to the next, personalized to us in our current day. That shared truth is available within the pages of God’s Word to me and to all who believe.”

My Prayer Response

Father, lying can come so naturally. So often we craft our words to match the desired answer of our listener or to meet the results we desire. You know I used to struggle with this and I became very good at misrepresenting or shading the truth far too easily – or at the very least considered it far too naturally. As the author of the book said, we have an aptitude for speaking with the forked tongue of the Serpent. Oh how I praise You for Your transforming power and the Spirit’s continued and faithful conviction – and I pray that that You would continue to foster in me a hatred for dishonesty, a discernment for false teaching, and a love for the truth of Your Word. Thank You, Father for the freedom You have given me through Jesus Christ, The Way – The Truth – and The Life! In His Powerful and Merciful Name – Amen!

Questions for Reflection

Does honesty characterize all of your dealings, great and small, so that when you are asked to give a reason for what you believe, your credibility is a foregone conclusion? In other words, are you speaking the truth in all things? Do you embellish the truth in order to make something sound better? Or do you practice (and perhaps even defend) the art of lying in order to guard against trouble? Finally, are you abiding (staying) in the Word, the Truth of God? As we seek to be more like God these are important questions, even crucial questions, to determining how we are presenting or representing God to the world. May God give us grace and discernment and honesty in examining ourselves in the light of His Word. May our character align with His will and expressed truth.

But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

Matthew 5:37 explained
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, In His Image, Journey Through The Word, The Attributes of God

God Most Faithful

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All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Thomas Chisholm, 1923
Today’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 23:19; Lamentations 3:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Today’s focus verse from Lamentations 3:22-23 is one of my favorites. It has, and still does, get me through many trials and worries of this life. It is a constant reminder that He is trustworthy – that regardless of the concerns and doubts this world offers us today, we never have to doubt God. He can be counted on.

God’s love is Faithful (trustworthy) – and because His love is faithful

  • His mercies never end
  • His[compassion] is new ever morning
  • His faithfulness is great
Faithfulness Remembered

When my husband of more than 26-years walked out the door many things crossed my mind. Shock, anger, hurt, fear and sorrow were at the top of the list. Sorrow quickly engulfed the shock, anger, and hurt but in the days that followed fear tried to become the dominator. This did not surprise me, as I had dealt with the crippling affect of fear for years. What did surprise me was the fact that with every crashing wave of fear came the reminder that God was faithful and would see me through. The wave of financial fear was met with examples of His past provisions and His current provisions still pouring in… the fear of ‘how will I survive this?’ was met with the reminder of His healing hand on my oldest daughter in her childhood battle with cancer… the concerns of his decision to leave and the crippling affect it could have on our daughters brought the reminder of how my youngest daughter, born with crippled feet, had known complete healing with no lasting effects… and even the wave of anger was doused with the reminder of how many times I had messed up and yet found Him faithful to forgive, slow to anger and abounding in “faithful love”. These reminders of God’s faithfulness kept fear at bay which kept despair and bitterness from taking root; and this allowed me, in the midst of it all, to minister to my daughters (then, 17 and 11) and to survive all of the things that come with the ugly reality of divorce. Perhaps the most beautiful reminder that God sent was the one that came with every wave of loneliness or feeling of abandonment. As I battled these emotions God would faithfully come along side of me – making me aware of His presence with me, a whisper from His Word, a call or a visit from a friend, or a card of love and encouragement -that He no doubt had prodded, would arrive and with each arrival was the refreshing refrain of the old hymn, “Great is Your faithfulness, Lord unto me.” How the reminders showed up was not as important or as memorable as the sweet and blessed realization that God was faithful.

He is faithful in the trial, in the temptations, in forgiveness, He will be faithful to the end, and He calls us to the same

God’s will for your life is that you be faithful as He is faithful. Faithful to Him. Faithful to others. Faithful in this moment. Faithful to the end. That when He wills, He also enables.

Jen Wilkin, In His Image – p106

My Response to God’s Word

Father, Your faithfulness is great! It surrounds me and holds me up. It is a sustaining grace of Your love and the hope of every tomorrow. Your love is faithful, Your presence is faithful, You are trustworthy and true to all You have said or promised. Your presence is dependable, Your comfort is sure, You go before me and come behind me, You are all around me and I have no reason to fear. Your ways are purposeful – meant to show me Your faithful love and truth. I praise You that I never have to doubt You but can rest forever in Your unfailing faithfulness. – All praise to You my Faithful God and Father, and to the Son and the Spirit who are equally faithful in all things. – Amen!

Join me on Monday, March 6 for the 6-week Love God Greatly Study, “He Sees, He knows, He Cares“. You’ll find everything you need for the study right here but the benefit of the journal is a helpful and lasting blessing and your purchase is used to stop Bible illiteracy! PURCHASE WOMEN’S JOURNAL

Questions for Reflection
  1. Who is the most faithful person you have every known? List several specific ways you witnessed that person’s faithfulness. How does his or her example point to the faithfulness of Christ?
  2. How have you known God’s faithfulness in trial? How did your time of trial produce perseverance?
  3. How have you known God’s faithfulness in temptations? How has he provided a way out in the past? What temptation (small or large) are you currently indulging? What wisdom does God’s Word offer as a way out?
  4. How should a desire to grow in faithfulness impact our relationship with God positively? How should it impact our relationships with others positively? Give a specific example of each.
Pray
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, In His Image, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Attributes of God

Full of Grace

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 2 Corinthians 9:8

 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

2 Corinthians `12:9

The Grace of God is the expression of His unmerited favor on all who, by faith, believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is, I believe, the catalyst of His mercy, an expression of His love, and His power at work through me.

God’s grace is the expression of His love toward sinners, a demonstration of favor that is not merely adequate, but abundant.

Jen Wilkin, In His Image – p 86

When I was six I chose to ask Jesus to save me … I don’t remember the actual date on the calendar, but I know that it was on a Sunday morning and where I was sitting in the church. I don’t know exactly what was preached but I know that I knew I wanted to be saved from my sins, and I’m pretty sure the song, “Just As I Am” was playing as I moved forward. God was a part of our family and home. Church was a part of our life, Sundays and Wednesdays, choir practices, VBS, and eventually youth group, falling in love and then walking the same aisle as a bride that I had walked at the age of six to be saved. However, it wasn’t until I was about 26 that I heard a message about the Grace of God. Grace that was more than a means to the free gift of salvation but also the means to live in a relationship with God. Somehow I had missed that we are to “grow in grace and truth.” I had been striving from 6 to 26 to be “godly” and to turn away from “ungodliness” – but often failing and then floundering trying to make it up to God and “do better” – or I would run from Him because I knew, or thought I couldn’t do better – and I was tired of trying. The problem was I had been trying in my own strength rather than in the strength of His grace; I didn’t realize that His grace wasn’t just sufficient for salvation but that it was sufficient for life and godliness as well. What an eye-opener and a blessing that forever changed my life and continues to enhance it every day.

Praying for Grace

Are you struggling to say no to ungodliness? Pray for grace to walk in godliness. Do you have a thorn in the flesh as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10? Pray for God to remove it and for the grace to bear it if He doesn’t. Do you know someone who is unsaved? Pray for them to come to a saving knowledge and know the grace of God through faith. My point is this, while we should not be afraid to ask for God’s grace throughout the course of our lives, we must be careful to remember that the grace of God is never deserved, it is not something we can earn by any means. Loving more, serving more, sinning less … nothing we do or do not do makes us more or less worthy of His grace. I remember the first time I really heard 2 Corinthians 12:9 for what it was – the promised strength of God for the weaknesses of my life. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, … Oh, the freedom I walked in after that day. Not a freedom to do as I pleased but a freedom to live in His strength and not my own.

Grace does not just teach us to renounce ungodliness, it also strengthens us to do so.

In His Image, Jen Wilken – p92
My Prayer Response:

Father, You are full of grace and compassion and You have spilled it out on me. Your gifts of grace are too much for me to truly understand – But I know it is only through Christ that they are mine. I cherish them, cling to them, and seek to use them for Your glory – In the mighty name of Jesus – amen!

Verses for Meditation

Ephesians 1:3-9

Titus 2:11-14

Psalm 145:8

Psalm 116:5-9

Questions for Reflection
  1. Describe a time in your life when you fulfilled the Golden Rule by showing preferential treatment to a difficult person. What was the result? What did you learn about being a follower of Christ?
  2. How should a desire to grow in grace impact our relationship with God positively? How should it impact our relationships with others positively? Give a specific example of each.
Pray

Write a prayer to God thanking Him for the abundant life of grace is yours in Christ. Ask Him to help you be gracious as He is gracious. Ask Him to help you deal generously with others, as one who has been dealt generously with by him. Thank him for making a way through Christ for you to receive grace upon grace.

Listen to the song, Carrie Underwood

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, In His Image, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Attributes of God

Eternally, Purposefully, and Faithfully Good

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As I was reading this chapter in the book, an old praise song came dancing through my mind and spilled out into a little praise session. I’ll share the link below but for now here’s the words that are running through my mind as I begin writing today’s devotional –

“God is good, we sing and shout it! God is good, we celebrate!

God is good, no more we doubt it! God is good, we know it’s true.

And when I think of His love for me, my heart fills with praise,

and I feel like dancing. For in His heart there is room for me,

and I run with arms open wide.”

(Don Moen, Now Unto the King Eternal)

I have often said that reading God’s Word is like going on a treasure hunt and finding nuggets of gold, so I was excited when Jen opened her third chapter on God’s goodness with an illustration of a diamond park that had a history of people finding valuable diamonds. She goes on to make the point that the Bible offers us “many gems to be unearthed as we read”. Then she draws our attention to the “gem” of God’s goodness and how “the Bible eagerly places it in plain sight – no digging required”. She describes it as the “brilliant diamond”.

His goodness is not just a theory or descriptive term but it is in every way a reality. One meant to be tasted and seen, and savored – for all that it is. The world’s evilness, the difficult and tragic things we deal with or watch around us will not and cannot change the fact that God is good. ” Likewise all of the good mountain top experiences don’t make Him more good than He was. He is eternally, purposefully, and faithfully good.

Me-from the Inside out

The Bible is filled with evidence of God’s goodness. From the earliest days of creation God declares that what He had done was good. “God sees that the light is good, not as an act of recognition, but as a reflection of His own goodness, originating in Him and issuing from him. God is the source of all good and is Himself wholly good.” So from the earliest diamond fields of Genesis to the last treasure rich fields of Revelations and everything in between – the goodness of our God is on display and ready to be enjoyed – and we’ve been invited to “taste and see that the He is good”, (Ps 34:8). He is good in character and in deed, and He spreads the wealth of His goodness to all who love Him and are called according to His purpose by working all things together for good, that’s right – from the beginning of time He purposefully set about not just being good but doing good – to and for the ones He loves, (Romans 8:28).

Of course, if we want to know what goodness looks like, we only have to look at the perfect example of God’s goodness, His gift of love through Jesus Christ. who, *”radiated perfect goodness in perfect obedience to the Father for the sake of the lost.” Jesus, Himself, offers us the best definition of what goodness is by the way He lived, obedient to the Father and selflessly pouring Himself out in mercy, love, and grace for others. “Just as Christ radiates the goodness of God, so now should we. And according to Him, that goodness should be evident in our lives.” We have been told, when this happens others will see our good works and give glory to God who is in heaven, (Matt. 5:14-15). God should always be the goal of our goodness, by that I mean our goal should be to let our goodness reflect His goodness, let our goodness be purposeful and never selfishly motivated. It won’t be easy – our goodness will bless some but it will surely rub others the wrong way – which is why Scripture warns us not to grow weary in doing good, but if it’s bringing God glory and ultimately yielding fruit, fruit that will bear witness that we are the children of God, the brothers and sisters of Christ – then is it not worth pressing toward the goal of living out godly goodness? (Galatians 6:9; 5:22-25; Romans 8:29)

The key question of our study is “Who should I be?” I believe the answer should always come down to this – I should be who God wants me to be. To know who that is means applying Romans 12:2 to our lives. For to know His will we must “let God transform our mind by changing the way we think.” Paul says, when God does this, we will learn to know God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. In other words, we need to think and thus act/live like God, who gave us Christ – who Himself is described in Acts 10:38-39, as “[the one who] went around doing good” but then was “put to death – on a tree”. Surely the act of His love was costly, the most costly of all – surely a cost worthy of our praise and imitation.

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,

Acts 10:38-39

Verses for Meditation
  • Exodus 33:18–19
  • Psalm 25:8–9 Psalm 100:5
  • Nahum 1:7
  • Romans 8:28
  • Galatians 6:9–10
  • James 1:17
Questions for Reflection

1. Which everyday aspect of the goodness of God do you recognize and savor the most? What everyday goodness might you thank him for that you have perhaps overlooked? List several.

2. Describe a time in your life when you were rejected for doing good. What was the result? What did you learn about being a follower of Christ?

3. In what area of your life are you most prone to grow weary of doing good? What relationship or circumstance would benefit most from a renewed determination to be generous with your time, gifts, or possessions?

4. How should a desire to grow in goodness impact our relationship with God positively? How should it impact our relationships with others positively? Give a specific example of each.

Pray

Write a prayer to God thanking him for revealing his goodness to you in your everyday life. Ask him to help you trust his goodness in your current circumstances that are not good. Thank him that the good news of Christ means you are set apart to do good works by the power of the Spirit, which he ordained for you to do. Ask him to shine his goodness through you.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, In His Image, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Attributes of God

AGAPE, God Most Loving

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W1D2 of the study: “Who Should I Be?”, by; Mefromthensideout

Today’s Focus Scripture: Psalm 86:15 and 1 John 4:7-8

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God. 8 The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Psalm 86:15 and 1 John 4:7-8 NLT

Agape is the word used to describe the love of God and it, as all of the other attributes we will study, are a requirement for holiness. The more detailed definition is that “agape is an act of the will, an intelligent, purposeful attitude of esteem and devotion; a selfless, purposeful, outgoing attitude that desires to do good to the one loved.” In other words, as Jen Wilkin goes on to write, “agape does not merely feel, it acts. It is the word Paul uses in Romans 5:8 to describe why God sent His Son, and it is the word Jesus uses in 1 John 4:7 and 8 to teach His disciples to love their enemies – even those who hate them. It is also the term used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, one of my favorite love passages and an absolutely beautiful example of God’s agape/love.

Agape is patient and kind; agape does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Agape bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Agape never ends.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

In our first focus verse today (Romans 5:8), the Psalmist writes a wonderful description of Agape, [God’s love] – pointing out that God is compassionate, merciful, patient, and has demonstrated not only a great loyal love but faithfulness.

In the second of the focus verses (1 John 4:7-8), we are given instructions as believers, those who know God’s love [agape], to love others. So serious is the instruction that there is clarification that if we aren’t loving we do not know God – because God is love.

And as we see in the 1 Corinthians passage, verses 4-8, agape is indeed a very purposeful, act of the will to love, a selfless, purposeful, outgoing attitude that desires to do good to the one loved. Actually if we back up to read verses 1-3 of chapter 13 we see the effects of not having agape [God’s love]. Jen writes this commentary on the passage, “If I seek to be holy without agape, I add nothing. I am nothing. I gain nothing.” In other words, we can go through all of the motions of loving others through the gifts God has given us, we can even use our resources to help the poor or give our life on the behalf of another, but if we do so without a heart of love for God [agape] and those we serve – then it amounts to nothing. All of the words, or God given gifts and knowledge, even our faith and gifts of sacrifice without love would be of no real value.

Paul describes the love he’s talking about. It’s not a love of swollen feelings that may come and go. It’s not the love of flowery or eloquent words. This is God’s love—from the Greek agape—often described as “unconditional love” by Christians. It is unconditional in the sense that it does not depend on the one being loved, but on the commitment of the one acting

Bibleref.com on 1 Corinthians13:1-3

Loving like God loves is not an easy calling. Actually, it is quite costly. Consider John 13:15 where it is said, “No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life for his friends.” Jen says it like this, “The costliness of agape is evident in the cross.” Jesus points this out to those wishing to follow Him – when He says to do so means “turning from their selfish ways, taking up their cross daily, and following Him.” (Luke 9:23). In other words, love as Christ loves the Church – even if it costs us – and it will. When we choose to follow Christ and to live and love by God’s standards it will cost us. Jen gives a list of the cost and effect in her book, saying, “it costs us our pride, our comfort, our self-will, our self-sufficiency. At times, it costs us amicable relationships with family, our expectation of safety, and more.” But she goes on to say, “in laying these aside, we learn the worthiness of the object of our love in a deeper way. We find increasing freedom, and as we mature, we resolve to love God no matter what it costs us.” Christ gave a new command to us in John 13:34, where He said, “Love one another, just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” Loving our neighbor comes with a costs as well, “our preferences, our time, our financial resources, our entitlement, our stereotypes. At times, it costs us our popularity, respect, and more. But in laying these aside, we learn the brokenness of the object of our love in a deeper way. We find increasing empathy, and as we mature, we resolve to love our neighbor no matter what it costs us. This is the kind of love that marks believers as distinct from the world.”

God’s will for us is not hidden from our eyes, as we have seen in His word, He wants us to be people who love Him, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to love others as we do ourselves. Paul said it like this – “Don’t just pretend to love others, really love them”, (Romans 12:9). And as we saw in John 13:34, He wants us to love as He has loved us. In Jen’s application of the attribute of love, she encourages her readers, “When faced with a decision, ask yourself: Which choice enables me to grow in agape for God and others? And then choose according to His will.”

My Response to God’s Word

Father, Thank you for your agape, a love like no other – a love that moved You to act on our behalf, to send your only Son to a world clothed in sin and worthy of death, not the abundant life You have given all who believe. Your love is selfless, purposeful, with an outgoing attitude that desires to do good to us even though we do not deserve it. How utterly great is Your love and character! Help me to love like You Father. To love as Jesus loved us, to act in love according to the love You have shown me. Father let my life be characterized by Your holiness and love – a reflection that will bring You glory, honor, and praise. Help me to turn from my selfish ways, to take up my cross daily and follow You – no matter the costs. – In Jesus’ name – Amen!

NOTE: Borrowing from the format of “In His Image”, at the end of each chapter you will find verses, questions, and a prayer prompt to help you remember and apply what you have read. Consider keeping a journal in which you copy or paraphrase each of the verses for meditation, noting what each adds to your understanding of the attribute covered in the chapter. Then journal your answers to the questions, as well as a prayer of response.

Verses for Meditation

Zephaniah 3:17

John 15:13

Romans 5:8

Questions for Reflection

1. Why do you think the idea that “God is love” is so popular with the world? How doour human notions of what love is pollute the way we think about this phrase, even as believers?

2. Think of the most loving person you have ever known. How did he or she demonstrate love? Which of the four types of love (eros, philia, storge, or agape) was most evident?

3. What person (or kind of person) are you most likely to categorize as “unlovable”? What is it about that person’s personality type or behavior that makes him or her unlovable in terms of earthly love? What would it cost you to love that person as you have been loved?

4. How should a desire to grow in agape impact our relationship with God positively? How should it impact our relationships with others positively? Give a specific example of each.

Pray

Write a prayer to God asking him to show you where your love for him has been conditional. Ask him to show you who you have wrongly viewed as “unlovable.” Ask him to give you clear opportunities to demonstrate costly love for others. Thank him that his love for you is irrevocable and unconditional.

Check out the book “In His Image”