devotional – Page 89 – Me From the Inside Out

Draw Near: Week 6, Tuesday — Knowing God’s Word Helps You

Posted on March 9, 2021March 9, 2021 by

Today’s Scriptures: Joshua 1:7-9; Deuteronomy 11:16-23 (SOAP: Joshua 1:8)

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9

“But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. ¹⁷If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you.

¹⁸“So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ¹⁹Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ²⁰Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.

²²“Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him. ²³Then the Lord will drive out all the nations ahead of you, though they are much greater and stronger than you, and you will take over their land. Deuteronomy 11:16-23

While Joshua was a good leader, many after him were not. These leaders did not know God’s laws and therefore, did not follow it. In order to live …
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Draw Near: Week 6, Monday — Praying God’s Word

Posted on March 8, 2021March 7, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:14; 2 Timothy 2:14-19 (SOAP Psalm 19:14)

Remind people of these things and solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen. ¹⁵Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. ¹⁶But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness, ¹⁷and their message will spread its infection like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group.⁸They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people’s faith. ¹⁹However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lordmust turn away from evil.” 2 Timothy 2:14-19 NET

The Bible is the most important book in the life of a Christian. It is where we find God and through Him, eternal life. We believe that prayer is very important. It is how we communicate with God. It is through prayer that we repent of our sins, praise who He is, and approach Him with our needs.
What if we faithfully used prayer and Scripture together?
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The words we speak begin with the thoughts in our heart. In other words, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:45). That is why it is so important that we meditate on God’s Word and His works, which are the first two themes of Psalm 19.
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Draw Near: Week 5, Friday Reframing Our Minds Around Application

Posted on March 5, 2021March 3, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:12-13; Psalm 119:9-16 (SOAP: Psalm 119:11)

How can a young person stay pure?
    By obeying your word.
¹⁰I have tried hard to find you—
    don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 I praise you, O Lord;
    teach me your decrees.
13 I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.
14 I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.
15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.
16 I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Psalm 119:9-16

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
¹³Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. Psalm 19:12-13

There are two things a text will show you. Either it will teach you something you should know, or it will tell you something you should do. … Don’t skip over the passages that don’t clearly tell you about something you should be doing. Look for truths that will help you renew your mind and love God more.
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When we memorize and remember God’s Word we can cling to the truth we’ve received during difficult moments. Instead of being taken captive by lies or despair, we can call to mind the truth of God’s Word when we need it most.
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Draw Near: Week 5, Thursday Written For Our Instruction

Posted on March 4, 2021March 3, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-2; Romans 15:1-5 (SOAP: Romans 15:4)

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. ²You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Living to Please Others

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. ²We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. ³For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” ⁴Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

God’s book has it all. Job lost his job, his possessions, and all of his children, yet God preserved his life, and restored him, and blessed him. Daniel was betrayed by co-workers and thrown into the lions’ den and survived. Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers and sold as a slave, but God used his experience for good. Paul wrote many of his letters while he unjustly sat in jail. Jesus was accused of crimes He didn’t commit and crucified next to criminals on a cross.
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Would you to know more about God’s Word and why Jesus died on a criminal’s cross – simply type – ‘I would like to know more -‘ in the comment bar.

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Draw Near: Week 5, Wednesday Applying God’s Commands

Posted on March 3, 2021March 3, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:12-13; James 1:19-27 (SOAP: James 1:25)

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
¹³Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin. Psalm 19:12-13

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰Human anger^[a] does not produce the righteousness^[b] God desires. ²¹So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.²²But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. ²³For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. ²⁴You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. ²⁵But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.²⁶If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. ²⁷Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:19-27 NLT

The commands of God guide us in living. God’s commands show us that there is a better way to live. God teaches us through His principles what we should be doing in order to glorify Him and in order live a fruitful and faithful life. We need to ask, “how should I be living?”
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As we look to God’s Word for instruction and encouragement, let us also remember the signs of His faithfulness and set up our own pillars of remembrance.
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Draw Near: Week 5 — Monday On to Application

Posted on March 1, 2021February 28, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture – Psalm 19:12-13; Psalm 1:1-2 (SOAP: Psalm 19:12-13)

Psalm 19:12-13

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
¹³Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

Psalm 1:1-2

Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
²But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.

For most of us, the application of our Bible study tends to be the favorite part of our quiet time. We live in a world where we can have access to everything quickly. This mindset can creep into our Bible studies and cause us to want to skip the hard work of observation and interpretation and we move straight to “How can I apply this to my day, week, life, or circumstance?”
For a better understanding of the application process – Read the full blog/lesson at LGG

God’s word can bring to light hidden faults and can warn us of what displeases God so we can confess and avoid these offenses.
Today’s SOAP passage is also our memory/focus verse this week – Read its corresponding devotional at LGG

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Draw Near: Week 4, Friday Relying on the Helper

Posted on February 26, 2021February 25, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture – Psalm 19:10-11; Colossians 3:16-17 (SOAP: Colossians 3:16-17)

Psalm 19:10-11

They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
¹¹They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

Colossians 3:16-17

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

This is not solely up to you. If you are a believer you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is your helper. He helps you understand truth and gives you a desire to live by that truth.
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The way people in the early church remembered truths about God was through psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
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Draw Near: Week 4, Thursday The Sword of the Spirit

Posted on February 25, 2021February 24, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture – Ephesians 6:14-18; Psalm 33:4 (SOAP: Ephesians 6:14-18)

Ephesians 6:14-18

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.¹⁶In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Psalm 33:4

For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.

God’s word is necessary in fighting the schemes of Satan.
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Draw Near: Week 4, Wednesday Cultural and Historical Background

Posted on February 24, 2021February 23, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture – Ps 19:10-11; Matthew 4:1-4 (SOAP: Matthew 4:4)

Psalm 19:10-11

Matthew 4:1-4 The Temptation of Jesus

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. ²For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

³During that time the devil^[a] came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Each book of the Bible was written in a specific place, in a specific period of time, by a specific author, to a specific people or person who were a part of a specific culture, with a specific intention. The Bible, and everything in it, is a part of history. Understanding some of the historical background can give us a more robust and well-rounded understanding of what we are studying.
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There is amazing power in God’s Word in fighting the lies of the enemy. Jesus in His humanity, inspired by the Holy Spirit, spoke truth to overcome the fraudulent words of Satan.
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Draw Near: Week 3, Friday — Interpretation

Posted on February 19, 2021February 21, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture – Psalm 19:7-9; Matthew 24:35 (SOAP: Matthew 24:35)

Psalm 19:7-9

The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living.
⁹Reverence for the Lord is pure,
    lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

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