Tag: faith

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Love Defines Us

Week-2, Day-3 of Choosing God Instead Of The World, A Love God Greatly Study
Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:18-24 (SOAP: 23-24)
Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. 24 And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us. 1 John 3:23-24
Observation:
Jacob’s story ….

Our focus will be on 1 John 3:18-24 and letting our love define us, but first let’s look at a few observation’s from Jacob’s continuing saga. I particularly love the opening line, “Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining …” For me these pop off the page as fingerprints of God. I often ask God, at the beginning of the day, to let me hear what He wants me to hear and to guard me from the thins I should not or do not need to hear. I believe he often allows us to hear things for a reason – which seems to be the case with Jacob, as it set in motion his return to his homeland. The passage is a tad long but I encourage you to read it. I know you won’t want to miss the drama stirred up by Rachel stealing from her father, Jacob deceiving Laban, the hot pursuit that followed, anger, and a heated argument, and the six ways God intervened, guided, and protected to ensure that all things worked together for the good of those who loved Him, those who were called according to His purpose.

Our Focus …

John writes instructions, in the first part of this particular letter, about being lights in the world. In the second portion he focuses on following the commandments of God, and here in the third part, while he continues to touch on keeping His commandments he also zeroes in on letting love define their behavior – both in “deed and truth”. The sincerity of our love can be expressed in words but it is seen and experienced through our actions. Jesus said it like this, “love each other, just as I have loved you, you should love one another.” John goes on to say that we will know that we are of the truth when we love in this way. I believe Paul said something similar that makes it even clearer when he told those in Rome to not make a pretense of love (don’t just say that you love) but truly love. He followed that with “hate what is evil, hold tightly to what is good.” When we make this choice and love is evident in us – we not only have assurance that we belong to Christ but both God and others will know that we are abiding in Christ.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”

If you love Me, you will obey my commandments.

Romans 12:9 NLT; John 13:34-35 NET; John 14:15 NET

Ok, so I chased a few ‘Scripture squirrels’ on my way to verses 23 and 24, but I think they will help us in our understanding of the His commandment to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and love one another – just as He commanded. Verse 24 is my favorite of the passage though, as it is even more reason for the confidence that we are in God and He is in us! When we hold tightly to this truth we will not be shaken, we will more likely choose God instead of the world, as the old song says – they (the world) will know that we are Christians by our love and we will bring God the glory He is due.

Application: How Then Should We Live?

Believe in (trust in) the name of Jesus tops the list here in 1 John 3:23 – and rightly so as it is the basis of our relationship with the Godhead and the only way we will truly love others – which is the second part of the commands listed by John. This part seems to be a reference to Jesus’s words in John 13:34, where He said to love others as He has loved us. The third application may be a bit obscure but I believe we are taught here to walk in confidence that we are His and have His Spirit in us.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, You have loved us in deed and in TRUTH – giving Your Son to die for us. Help us to love in this manner – as You have commanded. Help us to live by the Spirit You have given us – who enables us to love You with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength – and to love others as ourselves. When we love like this You will know that we love You, others will know that we love You, and we will know that “we are of the TRUTH”. Love truly does define us as Yours, God – even as Your love gives us confidence that You are our God! – May all the honor and glory be Yours as we display this love to the world around us in deed and in truth – AMEN!

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Honor the LORD

Week-2, Day-2 of Choosing God Instead Of The World, A Love God Greatly Study

Scripture Reading: Genesis 29:31-30:34 and (SOAP: Proverbs 3:1-12)

Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first fruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled completely, and your vats will overflow with new wine.  Proverbs 3:9-10
Thoughts on the Genesis passage:

There is no question that the LORD had been gracious to Jacob during the fourteen years of servitude to Laban. Now we see Jacob rely on God for his departure from Laban. While it seems Jacob might be trying to manipulate Laban, we will see in chapter 31 that he was simply following God’s lead.

[Interesting Note: because Jacob had become a servant/employee of Laban, in order to marry Rachel and Leah, he was not free to leave without Laban’s consent. If he tried to do so and take his family with him he could be accused of theft.]

Observations: Proverbs 3:1-12

Proverbs 3 contains some of my favorite verses, specifically verses 5-8. It is the wisdom to “trust in the LORD with all your heart”, found in verse five, that has gotten me through many rough times where “relying on my own understanding” would have only ended up making things worse. It was verse six that played a part in teaching me to pray about everything, Verse nine and ten have been both needed instruction and appreciated hope – when I’ve had to trust Him with what He has given me even when it didn’t always look like there would be enough. When we live like this – trusting Him in all things and honoring Him with all He gives, we will surely know His blessing – and this, as the song says, should be poured out in praise! Matt Redman wrote it like this, “… Every blessing You pour out, I’ll Turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say… ” Take some time to worship Him with this song and pour out your praise –

Source: Musixmatch

Application: How Then Should We Live?

Looking at the fuller passage, Proverbs 3:1-12, it is clear from the instructor that God wants us to remember His teaching and keep His commandments. He wants us to always be kind and faithful (guided by mercy and truth). Trusting Him and seeking Him are vital to finding His favor, as are respecting Him and turning away from evil. When we live like this we Honor Him with what He has given to us and in return we will be richly blessed.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, You find favor in those who keep Your commands and live guided by mercy and truth. You call us to trust You and to seek You in all things, turning away from evil and honoring You with all You have given to us. Help us to be faithful and true in all of these things so that You are glorified and find favor in Your servant. – To Your Glory!

Father, thank You for Your teaching. Thank You for showing me the wisdom through the years of walking according to Your Word – or trusting and seeking You in all things. So often the lessons have been learned the hard way but through it I have seen the truth of Your Word and the riches of Your blessings.

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KEEP ON SEEKING …

Week-2, Day-1 of Choosing God Instead Of The World, A Love God Greatly Study

Scripture Reading: Genesis 29:31-30:34 and (SOAP: Colossians 3:1-3)

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, 3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  Colossians 3:1-3 NET
Observation:

If I had one of those fancy computers that allows you to circle words, highlight, draw arrows and make endless notes as though you were using a notebook or the pages of Scripture – I assure you, you would see circles and numerous colors of lines and highlights and notations all over this passage. I love marking up and making notes when I read God’s Word. I do it for a number of reasons but none more important than remembering what the Spirit (John 14:26) has shown me as I read.

In today’s passage, you would see the very first word circled with green and highlighted with yellow, along with arrows that point to notes in the margin alerting me to the fact that this verse connects to the previous chapter – where Paul was warning the Colossians to stand firm in their faith and be careful to not be captivated by the philosophies and thinking of this world.

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however, with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal of the fleshly body, that is, through the circumcision done by Christ. 12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Read more of Paul’s warnings on earthly things

Colossians 2:1-12 NET

I back-up because these three verses in chapter three will not make the impact intended by Paul if we don’t understand why we need to keep “seeking” and “thinking on” – things above. Equally important is the third instruction of Paul in these three verses – which is to NOT think about (dwell on) things on the earth. Why is it so important? Because when we are thinking or caught up with the things of the world our faith and godly standards can be easily shaken. Being “rooted and built up in Christ happens when we dwell on and with Him and His ways – and as Paul teaches here – when we “keep on (continually) seeking things above” (where Christ is seated beside God), and keep on (continually) thinking about things above” (where Christ is seated beside God). In other words, think about (dwell on) godly, spiritual things – in contrast to dwelling on the things pleasing to man, or the flesh. This takes great discipline because as citizens of this world we will no doubt have to give consideration to ‘earthly concerns’, but when our minds are filled with things above, the necessary worldly concerns that have to be dealt with will not over power us – rather the things above will over power them.

Application: How Then Should We Live

Paul answers this questions for us in today’s reading. “If [we] have been raised with Christ” we are to “keep seeking the things above“, things that are godly. We are to “keep thinking about things above“, things of God; and we should “not think about things on the earth”, or ungodly things as described by Paul later in chapter 3 of Colossians. 

5So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices 10 and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.  Colossians 3:5,8-10  NET
Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for making those who have come to You by Faith in Christ new creations in Christ Jesus. So that we no longer live but Christ lives in us. As we seek to walk by faith help us to keep our eyes on Him – on His Way – and Your will. Guard our minds from dwelling on or being captivated by the ungodly activities and fleshly desires of this earth that we live on. When they tempt us, help us to remember we have died to this life and our real life is hidden with Christ – in You, our God! Amen and hallelujah!

THOUGHTS ON GENESIS 29:31-30:24

In the margins of this passage you would see words like drama, manipulation, jealousy, pride, control, weakness, guilt, warped thinking, never satisfied and discontent. In light of this synopsis,I couldn’t help but think how Jacob and his family would have greatly benefitted from Paul’s teaching.

Your Turn:
  • What are some of the great blessings God has given you? (list as many as you can)
  • Are you more likely to celebrate the blessings you have received or compare them to the blessings others have received from God?
  • How can you fight a spirit of comparison today?

What’s your take away from today’s journey?

Want more?

Visit Love God Greatly for today’s blog

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Choosing God Instead of the World: Looking Ahead to Week 2

A Love God Greatly Bible Study about the lives of Jacob and Joseph

In the second week of our study, we will watch as Jacob contends not only with his “sister-wives” but their servants given to him as early prototypes of ‘surrogate mothers’. If it sounds like a lot of drama – it is, with all of the jealousy, guilt, manipulation, and discontent you might imagine. We will also watch as Jacob becomes the father of 11 sons and at least one daughter, he seeks Laban’s permission to leave for his homeland, and prepares to reconnect with Esau. In the midst of the unfolding story we will continue to learn why and how to choose God instead of the world.

We will continue to work on our memory verse from John 14:15

But this week’s focus verse(s) will come from day one’s reading of Colossians 3:1-3. A passage that we will see the need for in Jacob’s life story as well as our own.

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:1-3

This Week’s Challenge from the team at Love God Greatly:

This week, record the major events of Jacob’s life. Do these things occur because of Jacob’s plans or God’s deliverance? How does Jacob’s manipulations or impatience affect each outcome? Take time to reflect on the ways you attempt to “help” God accomplish His purposes.

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Choosing God Instead of the World – Recap of Week-1

A Love God Greatly Study

What a week we’ve had traveling through the early stories of Jacob, from his birth as a twin to his most recent ordeal of thinking he had married Rachel, only to wake up to discover it was Leah he had married. We’ve seen him trick his twin brother, Esau, out of his birthright … deceive his father, Isaac out of the covenant blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau … leave home and family to look for a wife among his mother’s people – an unplanned trip prompted by Esau’s plan to kill Jacob … connect with his mother’s people, fall in love with Rachel, work for his uncle Laban for seven years on the promise of Rachel’s hand in marriage, and now realizing that Laban had deceived him just as he [Jacob] had deceived his brother and father. I think you would agree we’ve seen some pretty good examples of why we should choose God over the world – why we should walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

During our second week we will explore the rest of Genesis 29 through Genesis 32 with a couple of side-trips through the New Testament as well as the Psalms and Proverbs. I hope you’ll stick with me on this journey through God’s Word – as we explore the ways and benefits of Choosing God Instead Of The World .

If you missed any of the posts – no need to search – you’ll find the links below.

https://wordpress.com/post/mefromthensideout.com/7446

https://wordpress.com/post/mefromthensideout.com/7529

https://wordpress.com/post/mefromthensideout.com/7464

https://wordpress.com/post/mefromthensideout.com/7473

https://wordpress.com/post/mefromthensideout.com/7482

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The Blessing

Day 3, Week 1 of Choosing God Instead of the World, a love God Greatly Bible Study

Scripture Reading: Genesis 26:34-28:9; Romans 9:6-1; Genesis 28:3-4 (SOAP)
May God Almighty bless you and give you many children. And may your descendants multiply and become many nations! 4 May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to Abraham. May you own this land where you are now living as a foreigner, for God gave this land to Abraham.”   Genesis 28:3-4  NLT
Observation:

Jacob had tricked Esau, his brother, out of his birthright and deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau, as the firstborn. which eventually led to the Covenant blessing that we find in chapter 28 and verse 4. In my human understanding I am blown away by Isaac’s prayer of blessing on his son even after all Jacob had done. In spite of the trickery, manipulation, and deception Isaac blessed Jacob with all of “the wealth and political power” that was his to give1 and ultimately he prayed for God to bless Jacob with the descendants and the land that had been promised to Abraham.1

Jacob will leave Isaac’s household with both Isaac’s blessing for wealth and political power and the covenant blessing of God with Abraham for multitudes of offspring and possession of the land.

1 Bibleref.com commentary on Genesis 28:4

In this ‘covenant blessing, Isaac acknowledges that God is in control. He recognizes God’s promises that Abraham’s descendants would be vast and acknowledges Jacob will be the one to possess the land promised to God’s people.

He prayed words that spoke of trusting God to be in control. Regardless of the way things appeared, Isaac trusted God to keep His promise. He kept his eyes on God and did not lose sight of the covenant He had made with Abraham.

Application: How Then Should We Live?

Trust God It’s not always easy, some might say it’s one of the most difficult parts of the Christian life – but it is none-the-less the example Scripture gives us – trust God, don’t lose sight of His promises. Trust Him even when things appear to have worked out wrong, trust Him when you’ve been wronged, and trust Him when you can’t see any hope that His promises will come true. In other words, when life and people disappoint us – we should still trust God.

I believe the key to trusting God is to keep our eyes on Him. The prophet Isaiah said, God would keep in perfect peace those who trust in Him, those who fix their thoughts on Him. In the New Testament, after giving instructions to not worry about anything but to pray about everything, Paul encouraged the believers to fix their thoughts on God – to think – not about things that had them worried or upset, but rather to think about things that are true and honorable, and right and pure, lovely and admirable, or excellent and worthy of praise. When these are the thoughts we dwell on, regardless of our circumstances, not only will we know God’s peace but our prayers will undoubtedly be less frantic and more like the Covenant blessing that Isaac was able to pray over his son. A prayer of hope and faith in His God and in the promise He had made of future blessing – even though his son’s actions had changed the expected path of God’s promise to Abraham.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for the reminder of Your complete control but even more how we are to respond in the midst of what doesn’t go the way we thought it was supposed to. Help me to keep my eyes on You and Your promises – and to pray accordingly. – Yes and amen!

Your Turn:
  • What’s your take away from today’s reading?
  • Do you believe God will provide for you without your help?
  • In what ways do you depend on your own strengths or cleverness instead of depending on God?
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Sin and the Need for Jesus

Day 4 of Jesus, I Need You – Part 2, a study of Thistlebend Ministries

Scripture Reading: Malachi 1:6-8, 3:1, 4:5-6; Matthew 11:14, Luke 1:17; and Isaiah 57:14-19

God Forgives the Repentant14 God says, “Rebuild the road Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.” 15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity the Holy One, says this: “I  live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble  and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. 16 For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away—all the souls I have made. 17 I was angry,
so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. 18 I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them.
I will comfort those who mourn, 19 bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.  Isaiah 57:14-19  NLT
 Observation: What’s the Message?

Every day, throughout this study, I have read the verses and looked for ways that they point us to our need for Jesus. Some passages have been more obvious than others but today’s proved to be challenging for me. Here’s where I landed …. Malachi 1:6-8 was a reminder that our sins require a sacrifice acceptable to God, but then it also prompted to praise God that Jesus is forever a perfect sacrifice. This reminded me that The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God will not despise a broken and humbled heart. The other two passages from Malachi as well as the ones from Matthew and Luke seem to point us yet again to John the Baptist and his role as the one who would prepare the way for our Lord.

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

Psalm 51:17

It is the passage from Isaiah however, that captured my attention. I confess it grabbed my attention mostly because I couldn’t figure it out and that always bugs me – so I chased down some information on its meaning and was glad I did. From all that I read, my synopsis is – it’s all about Christ making a way for us to have a relationship with God! However, I want to share with you a few bullet points from an article I read that I hope will help you reach the same ‘hallelujah’ I did.

  • Christ is the one who opens the way for a great returning to God (14)
  • Christ is the one in whom the “lofty one” – whose name is Holy comes to dwell with the oppressed and lowly (15)
  • Christ’s death is why God can acquit a guilty people without dropping the charges (16)
  • It is by Christ’s stripes that we are healed (18)
  • Everything hoped for in this passage comes to us – even to us Gentiles – in Jesus Christ.

Piper, from whose article I borrowed these points, went on to say, “We can read it as a personal offer of hope to any of us who will accept the healing of humbling and the cure of a crushed spirit.”

Application: How Then Should We Live?

From the inferior sacrifices of Malachi’s day to yet more reminders of John coming to prepare the way we are once again reminded of our need for Jesus. If we do not acknowledge this need daily, in both our hearts and minds, I am convinced that we will live as though we do not need Him.

We must not allow ourselves to live as though we can save ourselves or make ourselves better – we need a savior and that savior cannot be a pastor, a church, a child or spouse or friend, it can not be a job or good works. The only savior able to meet the demands of our Holy God is His Righteous Son, Jesus Christ.

Sin is the key because it is often the stumbling block that keeps us from dealing with the daily reality of our need for Jesus. We convince ourselves the questionable things we think, do, say, or watch really aren’t that bad. We play the grace card sometimes before we’ve even committed the sin – content that He will forgive us – we proceed with the sin. We should not make light of sin or treat it as a mistake – we need to humble ourselves before Him, confess our sin for what it is and deal with the sorrow that contrition brings. Remember, a humble and contrite heart He will not despise and according to this passage in Isaiah it is with the contrite and humble that He lives.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, how blessed we are that You sent Jesus to open a way to You, to acquit us of our quilt, to come and dwell among us, to heal us by His stripes, and to offer us hope and an eternal future with You. May we daily consider what You have done for us and live accordingly. Guard us from living in ignorance or rebellion – knowing what You’ve done for us but choosing our own way over Yours. Help us to be aware of our sin and may it make us contrite and humble, for it is with a humble and contrite heart You will dwell. To You be the glory, honor, and praise now and forever – Amen!

Your Turn:
  • What’s your take away from today?
  • How can you plan to walk humbly with your God?
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LIFE AND LIGHT





Day 4 of Jesus, I Need You – Part 2, a study of Thistlebend Ministries





Scripture Reading: John 1:1-28 





In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]
6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 
John 1:1-8  NLT





Observation: What’s the Message?





The message could just be that Jesus is the Word, that He was with God in the beginning, or that He was involved in all of creation. Certainly, before today when I thought about John chapter one that is the message I would have repeated. However reading it again today I was reminded that there is perhaps an even deeper more pertinent message – and that is that “life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. His was a light that could not be overcome by the darkness – a light that God sent so that all might believe and be saved through Him. A light that never goes out and is never overcome by the darkness. His is the light that guides our path and leads us to God. 










Application: How Then Should We Live?





Day after day the Scriptures we have been going through point us to our need for Jesus. The one John the Baptist was sent to announce and prepare the way for. The One who is The Vine, our source of life enabling us to bear fruit. The One who is our Hope. The One who saves us from being alienated from God. The One who “became human and made His home among us … and who revealed God to us. The One who is both life and light to those living in darkness, dead in their trespasses and sins. 





These truths, that in one way or another led us all to Christ, are the truths we are meant to cling to, motivation to seek Him daily and that remind us – we are to be lights for Him – the One true Light! We are messengers sent by God into all the world to bear witness of Him and testify of Him so that all will be believe and be saved. 





Prayer: Response to God’s Word





Father, thank You for shining the Light of Jesus into the world, and especially – into my life so that I might be saved!. Thank You for those You sent to share the message with me, to testify about Jesus so that I might hear the good news and know who Jesus is! Father, may I be Your messenger and testify of Your goodness so that others might believe and be saved – In Jesus’ name –





Your Turn: 





  • What’s your take away from today’s message?
  • How can you be a messenger?
  • What can you testify about Jesus?
  • What do you believe you were sent from God to do?





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  • What does John 1:7 mean?  John the Baptist’s role as a witness is central to verse 7. He is sent to tell other people about the coming Messiah, which is Jesus. “Light” was the ultimate standard for Israel. Everything good was said to be “light,” evil was “darkness.” This not only implies good and evil, but knowledge and darkness. Just as Moses, the Old Testament law, and the temple were small lights pointing to Jesus, John the Baptist is a tiny light leading people to the One True Light. And, not just so that they would see, but so that they would believe. John’s ministry heavily revolved around baptism, which was already known to Jews of that time. Jews would sometimes baptize a person who wanted to convert to Judaism. But the Baptist was “converting” Jews! This is one reason he was interrogated by local religious leaders: why would God’s chosen people need to repent and convert?  Bibleref.com






	







	
			

			
				
							
		

	
	

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Prepare the Way for the Lord!





Day 3 of Jesus, I Need You – Part 2, a study of Thistlebend Ministries





Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-14





… ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!  The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.  And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.”
 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ 
Luke 3:4-6, 8  NLT





Observation: What’s the Message?





“Prepare the way for the Lord, make His path straight,” basically – get all of the obstacles out of the way. from repentance of sins to everything else in-between, the goal was to help people be ready to meet the Messiah. The hope was those who heard the message would turn from their own ways to follow Jesus. We’ve looked at this message several times in this study – focusing on various aspects of it. However, in Luke’s version, what drew me in was John’s conversation with the crowds who were coming to be baptized. I’m sure he captured their attention with his flattery. I mean who doesn’t want to be addressed as a “brood of snakes”?   On top of that he critiques their behavior as sinful by challenging them to “prove they’ve repented and turned to God”, and their attitudes as arrogant, thinking they had no need to repent because they were ‘descendants of Abraham.’ He bluntly let them know that God could call or create children from any means He desired, even a stone. If that wasn’t enough he zeros in on the fallout they will face if they choose their way instead of God’s. Some may think John harsh but he was simply and faithfully doing what he was born to do – prepare the way for the Lord”. 





“You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 9 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”   Luke 3: 7-9





Application: How Then Should We Live?





It’s not the first time we’ve read about “bearing fruit” in this study. We’ve looked at the branches and the vine as well as the gardener and how he handles the branches. However, the first time we looked at it was when Jesus was teaching His disciples – while this time it is John trying to prepare those who have yet to meet Jesus. He wants them to understand that their repentance must lead to real change that produces fruit that makes the change visible. He especially doesn’t want them depending on their heritage in Abraham as their saving grace. While salvation places us into a community of faith it is not a communal faith. What I mean is this, each of us must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. I can not get to heaven because my mother took me to church all the time or my grandmother had faith in Jesus. Nor am I saved because my grandfather taught Sunday School or my father was a deacon. Perhaps most who are reading this understood this truth before you read it here but John’s listeners would not have understood. The Israelites made up the crowd that John was speaking to, and being descendants of Abraham, he desperately needed them to understand that their heritage did not, could not, and would not satisfy the call of repentance 





While salvation places us into a community of faith it is not a communal faith. 





 Prayer: Response to God’s Word





Father, from the beginning You called us to be devoted to You. For Adam and Eve it was that “one rule” – and through the generations since that time it has been the same – Choose Your way over what our eyes see as pleasing or our hearts desire. Help us to heed these words of John – and live in ways that prove our repentance, producing fruit that displays love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and all things in accord with Your Spirit. So that others will see Jesus whom You sent to save the world. 





Your Turn:





So what’s your take away from today’s Scriptures?





What are you doing or what can you do to prepare the way for the Lord?





Want More? 





Go deeper with…





 Thistlebend’s devotional 











	







	
			

			
				
							
		

	
	

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The Word Of God





Day 1 of Jesus I Need You, Part 2, a study of Thistlebend Ministries





Scripture Reading: Matthew 3:2-3;Psalm 19:1-2,7-20





The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; Ps 111:7
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. Ps 119:130
The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; Ps 119:14
the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. Ps 13:3
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; Ps 111:10
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. Ps 119:30
They are more desirable than gold — than an abundance of pure gold; Ps 119:72,127
and sweeter than honey, which comes from the honeycomb.   
Psalm 19:7-20  HCSB





Observation: What’s the Message?





I love this passage. I remember learning it as a song in the 70’s when I was a teenager. The tune still plays through my mind whenever I read it or hear someone quote it. Whether I learned the meaning of the verse at the time or simply learned the words, I don’t remember, but it was a bit enlightening to SOAP it and realize that each of the six terms preceding the phrase, “of the LORD” refer to God’s Word. It was equally enlightening to realize that each of the descriptive terms, such as perfect and trustworthy, that follow the phrase – are references to the character of God, . 





I thought it odd when I saw the Scripture references and wondered how they went together. However, as I read through them a couple of times their connect became clearer.  I realized that “the Kingdom of Heaven mentioned in Matt 3:2 is actually referring to Jesus, who according to John 1:1 is “The Word”. Then after reading through Psalm 19:1-2 which points to the creation being a display of God’s glory, while the rest of the Psalm reveals Him through His Word. I believe these truths add a bit more meaning or reality to the phrase, “They are more desirable than gold – than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey which comes from the honeycomb.” Don’t you just love when Scripture defines or enhances other Scripture like this? I know I do!





The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
Psalm 19:1-2 NLT





Application: How Then Should We Live?





 I believe all three passages point us to God’s Word in some way, so for me the application or answer to how we should live according to this knowledge – would be to invest in God’s Word. You may be wondering how we can invest in His Word?  I think there are two primary ways, one of which is to read from it daily. Jeremiah described this as ‘tasting it, when he wrote of finding and eating God’s Word, at which time he declared that they had become both a source of joy and delight. The other way to invest in God’s Word is to live ‘It’ out – for example, live by His instructions and trust what He says. When we invest our time, our minds, and hearts in God and His Word we will see His character more clearly as David did, and we will want Him all the more. 





Prayer: Response to The Word





Father, Your Word is a rich treasure trove of life and health and breath and peace. By it we are warned and in keeping it there is great reward. May we invest in it faithfully that we might please You and so that others might see the path to You more clearly. 





Want More?





Go Deeper with Thistlebend’s devotional post – 





Your Turn:





  • What’s your take away from today’s Scripture reading?
  • What are some practical ways you plan to invest in God’s Word?