Tag: Faithfulness

Posted in Abide, Abiding in jesus, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Living by the New Nature

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Based on the LGG Study, Abiding in Jesus

Read and SOAP: Galatians 5:22-23

 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22-23

For two weeks now, we have read and talked about our responsibility, as believers, to “bear fruit.” So it should come as no surprise that we have reached the definition or description of the fruit a believer should produce. The thing I love about Paul is that he not only tells us what the fruit of the new nature is, but he reminds his readers what the old nature looks like.

At the moment of conversion, the Christian receives a new nature. It is instantaneous. Sanctification, on the other hand, is the process by which God develops our new nature, enabling us to grow into more holiness through time. This is a continuous process with many victories and defeats as the new nature battles with the “tent” in which it resides—the old man, old nature, flesh.

Gotquestions.org

In contrast to the earlier description of the sinful nature, which wants to do evil, our new nature (controlled by the Spirit of God) wants to do what is good and right. Before Paul lists out the “fruit of the Spirit (or new nature),” he highlights the details of the old nature. They include sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealous, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Paul says that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God!

On the contrary, Paul writes that those who live by the Spirit instead of the old sinful nature will be noticeably different. He explains that the Spirit produces evidence of a godly character. As we grow in our understanding and love of God we will become more loving, experience more joy and exhibit more patience and self-control. We won’t be so quick to get angry or be unkind, instead we will known for our gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness. And, instead of missing out on the Kingdom of God, those who live by the Spirit will inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.

Galatians 5:22-26
The More We Know

Friends, I should tell you, Galatians is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It played a great part in the transformation and growth of my faith and understanding of God’s grace. In large part, Paul has written this part of the letter because he knew many were struggling with the old nature. He’s trying to help them understand that they no longer are to live as though they are still slaves to sin, for they have been set free and given a new nature. Yet, somehow, they are back to believing that circumcision can save them and have lost sight of the faith they professed and the truth that it is the only way to God. They are now trying to add works to their faith. Paul reminds them that this is futile, as faith alone in Christ alone is the message of the Gospel. May we never lose sight of this truth and may we always stand in awe of His grace and mercy.

For more insight on today’s journey read today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

Confidence in Lions

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living by Faith in a Faithless Land / w4d3

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:1-10 (10)

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Daniel 6:1-10

Babylon has fallen, just as Daniel saw in the visions and the handwriting seen in the earlier part of our journey. The once great and beautiful city of Babylon, as Nebuchadnezzar had called it, was no longer. As we read in today’s passage, it was now known as the Kingdom of Medo-Persia and was ruled by a man named Darius.

It is essential to understand that under Darius’ rule, he appointed many leaders to be in charge of the kingdom and three supervisors over them, not surprisingly, “one of whom was Daniel.” Yes, our Daniel, who would have been close to ninety years old at the time. From our first encounter with Daniel, as a young exile from Jerusalem, Scripture has borne witness to his faithful and outstanding service first to his God and then to those he served under in Babylon. He was not only a man of integrity but also of skill, power, and position that clearly exceeded that of others. If this wasn’t enough, we must never forget that Daniel’s greatest asset was the unusual aptitude God had given him for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom and the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

“Because of these valuable attributes, Darius took notice of Daniel. He could trust Daniel to manage kingdom business with integrity and efficiency. As such, the king planned to make Daniel the most powerful of his advisors and governors. These plans set the stage for the hateful plans made by other politicians.

bibleref.com

I heard a statement years ago from the show West Wing that stuck with me: “If people are after you, you must be doing something right.” Well, Daniel was certainly doing something right—living the way of His God from the time we read of him being exiled. He had chosen to live faithfully in a faithless land, trusting God, praying through the difficult dangers, and refusing to bow or cave to the ways of the culture he now lived in.

It’s not the first time the king’s people have sought his demise or the demise of his friends. Daniel’s testimony was so strong that the other advisors and governors who served with Daniel could find no way to bring him down short of threatening his relationship with God. Oblivious to their plot, Darius agreed to have anyone who prayed to any other besides him would be thrown into the lion’s den.1 Daniel’s enemies had laid all the proper groundwork and covered all the bases, and were certain that their plan of the lion’s den would lead to Daniel’s demise – BUT – they didn’t account for the power of Daniel’s God.

Daniel’s faithfulness to duty, even in his old age, sets an example for believers today. A believer should never retire at any age from serving the Lord. He should always “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). – Bibleref.com

Regardless of the plot and the real and present danger of the lion’s den, Daniel remained faithful and did not deter from his daily habit of prayer. He did not try to hide it but went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Please note this was not an act of defiance; it was his daily habit to meet with his God, and he wasn’t willing to give it up, even under the threat of a lion’s den.

Prayer of Response to the Journey

God in heaven, greater than any hungry lion, fiery furnace, or threatening people – I praise You for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. Greater is Your Spirit in me than all the powers and forces of his world. Help me to live like Daniel, who knew You could shut the lion’s mouth but also knew that You might not – yet he would not turn from his daily habit of kneeling down to You, the God of Jacob. He trusted in You and Your promises and remained a man of integrity and visible faith. Help this to be true of me – even in this world filled with so much wrong – help me to do what is good and right in Your eyes – so that others will see and know that Your Spirit is in me. – Amen and Amen!

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight about today’s passage, read today’s Love God Greatly blog post.

For Further Reading: Matthew 10:28-31; Titus 2:6-8

  1. A lesson to be learned from Darius unknowingly jeopardizing Daniel: Pay attention to what others are asking you to do. Don’t just agree to something without thinking it through. ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

Positioned by God

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based on the LGG Study, Living by Faith in a Faithless Land / w2d5

Scripture: Our Road Map for the Journey / Daniel 2:36-49 (SOAP verse 44)

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever. Daniel 2:44

Observation and Application of the Journey

Daniel’s godly disposition, one of faith, faithfulness, and dependence on God, positioned him in the center of God’s will—the place of God’s purpose —to give Daniel and the others with him hope and a future. 🦋

Both the king’s dream and its interpretation were revealed as he had demanded. The interpretation did not entirely favor the king and his kingdom. While King Nebuchadnezzar could feel good about the fact that he was the head of all the earthly kingdoms represented in his dream, he was also delivered the news that “the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed… It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.” Yet, even at this news, rather than becoming angry, the king showed his gratefulness to Daniel – he gave credit to Daniel’s God – elevating Him above all gods and kings

Not only did the king elevate Daniel’s God above all gods and kings, but because Daniel had courageously used the gift of vision and insight that God had given him, he allowed Daniel and his friends to live,  “and he elevated Daniel to a high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.1

All earthly kings and kingdoms will be brought down by God’s kingdom, which will stand forever!

While the King showed his gratefulness to Daniel – he gave credit to Daniel’s God – elevating Him above all gods and kings.

God had given Daniel and his friends gifts2, and because they used them well,3 the King saw God for who He was, and the four young men were positioned where God wanted them to be. Friends, when we choose to obey God rather than men and when we use the gifts He has given us, we, too, will find ourselves in the center of His will.

When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, and the high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood on us!”  But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Acts 5:27-32. NET / KJV
Reflection on the Journey

When I look back over the course of my life, I can see so many ways God protected me because of where He had positioned me. One example that quickly comes to mind is when, for a myriad of reasons, at 29 years of age, I left the Baptist church I had grown up in, literally from the cradle, and began attending a Reformed Presbyterian Church. Through a series of events that included my parent’s Pastor, the death of my grandfather, the birth of my first daughter, and other underlying issues, God led me away from where I was comfortable to the place where He wanted me to be. Ten years later, nearly to the day, my daughter became sick, and because I had followed God out of one door and into another very unfamiliar door, not only was my life transformed by the teaching of God’s grace, but I had been positioned over the ten years in friendships and a school and a community of believers that God alone could have orchestrated and used to save my daughter’s life. He has continued to lead me through the 35 years that have followed, positioning and repositioning me through the years – some harder than others, but I can look and see and say through it all, my God has been in control.

Friends, this is only one of the ways that God used that one move of agonizing obedience to not only redirect my life but literally save and protect myself and my children in life and from death and other horrible outcomes. It is rarely easy to “follow” where God leads when we can’t see or even imagine the why or the outcome, but when we choose faithful obedience over our comfort or pleasing others, we will find (even when things don’t always have a happy or miraculous ending) that God positions us just where we are meant to be.

Prayer of response to the Journey

Father, how very great and loving You are. Thank You for the reminder of how You have worked in and throughout my life. Thank You for Your hand of mercy and of all-sufficient grace that I have seen through the years of my life. Thank You for being the God above all other gods and for the reminder of how what we choose to do and say can lead others to see Your greatness. Thank You for leading and guiding me and positioning me where You want me to be. Thank You for Your forgiveness when I have gone my own way. Thank You for working all things together for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Thank You for equipping me with Your Spirit and gifts to serve You, and please help me use the gifts of teaching and encouragement for Your glory. Help those reading this post seek and follow You, know the gifts You have given them, and use them faithfully in this faithless land. Continually position us where You want us, where You can use us for Your glory and honor and praise. – In and for the name of Jesus, I pray – Amen! 💜

The More We Know about the Journey

Many scholars have contrasted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 with Daniel’s vision in chapter 7. Both passages reveal the coming world kingdoms, but the symbolism is strikingly different in each. The pagan king sees the kingdoms of this world as a towering work of art, impressive in size, value, and grandeur (albeit with feet of clay). God’s prophet sees the same kingdoms as bizarre, unnatural beasts, terrifying in aspect and behavior. It’s a difference of perspective: where man sees a stately, glittering tribute to himself, God sees a menagerie of aberrations. “Let us not be desirous of vain glory” (Galatians 5:26, KJV). gotquestions.org

For more insight, check out today’s blog post by the LGG team.

For further reading: Luke 1:31-33NET / KJV; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18NET / KJV

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

I AM THE PSALMIST…

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Scripture: Psalm 119:121-128

Guest post today: by Angela Perritt | Jul 20, 2015 | Week 6/Day 1 of the LGG Psalm 119 Study

I am the Psalmist.

I, too, have a history of crying out to God, reminding Him of all that I do for Him, and asking Him the “whens” and the “whys”…

When Lord? When will you avenge?

Why Lord? Why have you allowed this?

And I, too, have a history of telling Him when He needs to act…

“It is time for you to act, O Lord…” ~ Psalm 119:126

Because of my limited sight and understanding, I struggle to comprehend the ways of our Lord at times.

I don’t have His perspective.

I don’t have His knowledge.

I am not God.

And so I become the Psalmist and cry out to Him with questions that are beyond my understanding… and I realize I am just a child.

Age is funny, you know. The older I get the more I realize how much there is to learn in life, and how very patient God is with my growth.

God is good and patient (Psalm 136:1 & 2 Peter 3:9).

I like that God is good. But patient? That can be a little harder when I’m waiting on Jesus to act.

The Jews in Jesus’ day wanted a Savior who would concur and overthrow the Roman oppressors. They wanted action. They wanted revenge. They wanted all those who had hurt them to finally have their day.

And in many ways, I am no different. And neither is our buddy the Psalmist.

He has highs and lows as he pursues knowing God better and gaining greater wisdom… just like me.

I’m taking comfort that here is a man who is completely sold out to God – a man who treasures God’s Word more than gold or gems – and yet I see this man struggle with waiting on the Lord to move. I hear him remind God of the righteous life he has led, just in case God may have missed it. I see him plead with God as he continues to be oppressed.

And in a strange way, it encourages me. It strengthens me.

Maybe it’s the progression of moving from “baby food” to “solids” in terms of spiritual growth, but it comforts me to know that other people who are 100% sold out for God – those who desperately want to live their lives for Him – struggle in their understanding of why He chooses to act sometimes, and at other times remains patient and does not step in and fix the situation like we want Him to.

But I’m starting to notice that in the waiting…there is precious growth.

In the waiting there is purpose.

“Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.”

The Psalmist does cry out to the Lord, but he also accompanies it with a sincere desire to know God and learn His ways:

“… teach me your decrees.”~ Psalm 119:124

“… give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.”~ Psalm 119:125

His heart is humble and teachable. He wants God’s ways over his own.

And maybe that’s the purpose of the waiting: the precious growth it produces.

“God’s delays are not God’s denials.”- Warren W. Wiersbe

So, like the Psalmist, I cry out to God and say:

“It is time for you to act, O Lord; your law is being broken.” ~ Psalm 119:126

But in these days of waiting, I’m learning to dig a little bit deeper into God’s Word and pray a little more earnestly. And that’s always a good thing.

“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done…” ~ Matthew 6:10

“The day will come when the truth will be revealed and sin will be judged; meanwhile, instead of complaining about what we have paid or lost, let us rejoice in the wealth that we have in God’s Word; wealth that can never be taken from us.”- Warren W. Wiersbe

Let’s Talk:

Don’t doubt for a second that God doesn’t see what’s going on in our world. But in the waiting, how can we be more proactive in growing in our faith and reaching out to a hurting world… being the hands and feet of Jesus?

Love God Greatly!

– I’d love for you to leave your thoughts on this question in the comment section 🦋

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Armor of God

Our Shield and Defender

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God, w4d3

Scripture; Psalm 18:1-50 / SOAP: verse 50

The one true God acts in a faithful manner;
the Lord’s promise is reliable.
He is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

Psalm 18:30

Last week, we read in Ephesians 2:14 that Jesus is our peace, and in today’s SOAP passage, we read that God is a shield to all who take shelter in him. We see the evidence of David’s faith being firmly in the Lord throughout Scripture, but we also hear it in his descriptive words of God, as he declares Him to be the one true God who acts faithfully and who keeps His promises. Keep in mind that David learned these things both by observing God and from first hand experience. One of my favorite Old Testament passages is when David requests to stand up to the Philistine giant, Goliath, and declares to Saul: “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” To be clear, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” and if we spend more than a minute in the Word of God we are bound to read the stories like David and Goliath or Noah and the ark, or of Rahab and the spies and Ruth and Naomi, or of Jesus’ life from the birth announcement to the cross to the empty grave and His ascension into Heaven. These stories bear witness to not only the Gospel but to the realness and the faithfulness of our God. They continue to bring people to faith every day and they strengthen the faith of those who have already believed, or such is my experience.

I made a profession of faith as a young child, but it was in my mid to late twenties, when my first child was born, that my faith began to grow and take deeper root. Looking both backward and forward from that point God has shown me the lions and the bears of my own life and how He has delivered me not only from them but from the giants I’ve had to face as well. It occurs to me as I’m writing this that David’s initial words about the lion and the bear are: “Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear.” He later acknowledges that it was the Lord who delivered him. This isn’t a discrepancy but the beauty of how God walks with us in our battles – fighting for us and through us to overcome the dangers and snares in our paths. We are wise to realize we cannot and should not attempt the battles, the storm tossed seas, or any other part of life without our faith firmly established in Him. After all, as David said – God is our shield.

“Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.” –

1 Samuel 17:36-67
Noteworthy Observations

Many things about Psalm 18 jumped off the page to me, starting with the fact that “David – sang to the LORD the words of the song.” I love this, partly because I do it too – as I drive to or from work or as I’m praying. However, I think what I love most is that it is like a love song to the Lord, expounding not only on his love for God but on the wonderful ways God has loved and cared for Him. David knew God was worthy of His praise, but he also wanted anyone who heard the song to see the greatness of God and what He had done for David, which is most likely why he didn’t just say God, You’re so good – but went into details of His goodness.

I also love that David didn’t mind admitting that he was vulnerable and needed help, and he knew his help came from the LORD. When he was feeling like he was being overwhelmed by the currents of chaos and feeling distressed, we find him calling out to God for help. We may not feel the waves of death like David did, but much of life can easily engulf us and leave us feeling trapped very quickly and needing “the One True God” to come to our defense and rescue us. I’m so thankful David, the “servant after God’s own heart,” has given us an example of how to respond in these situations.

One other observation I want to note is that while it may be easy to read some of David’s words as boastful or proud, however, we must keep in mind the opening words of the Psalm, which say “…by the LORD’S servant David, who sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul.”(1a) David’s song was specific to an event in which David had pleased God and how God proved to be loyal, trustworthy and reliable in return; but to Saul, who had acted contrary to the ways of God, the LORD showed sharp and powerful judgment.

How do I Apply this to my life?

I love you LORD, my source of strength! Psalm 18:6

I believe we start with Psalm 18:6, understanding and acknowledging who truly is our source of strength. Can we, like David, say that the LORD is our source of strength? Who do we seek when we are in trouble? Who do we trust more than any other? Who do we believe is truly able to do more than we ask or imagine? It is easy to answer these questions with the Christian answer of God, or Jesus, or His Spirit in us. However, we must not answer according to who we “know it should be” but rather by who we “Know it is.” Ask Him to show you any areas of your life where another is the source of your strength. Don’t be surprised if He shows you places where your faith needs to be rooted a little deeper in Him and less in the world or others. After all, we are works in progress – He’s not finished with us yet. *Note, if God has given you a wonderful friend or friends that are faithful to help you with anything, anytime, and anywhere – this is a blessing to be cherished – but we should be quick to acknowledge that they too, are a gift from God.

Be quick to see and then acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God. Count your blessings, name them one by one, as the old hymn says – it truly will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Be quick to ask Him for help, He knows you need it and He is poised and ready and desirous to help His children.

A Response of Prayer to God’s Word

Father, grace us with eyes to see and minds to recall all the ways You have acted on our behalf. Please help us to remember your goodness and faithfulness to rescue us from the power of our enemies and the struggles in this life. When the waves are crashing at our heads and distress is overtaking us, remind us to do as David did and call out to You, the One from whom we receive our help. Help us not lean on our understanding and power but to remember You are our only true and faithful source of strength. Thank You for being our shield! Thank You for being the One who is faithful and a keeper of His promises – May these truths help us to stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around our waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place, the shoes of peace on our feet, and the shield of faith ready to douse the flaming arrows of the evil one. And, when like David, we see the victory – help us to faithfully respond with songs of praise to You born of love and faith in who You are. – Amen!

Response of Worship

The words of the Psalm brought this song to mind, may it be a blessing to you as it always is to me –

Going further

We Rest on Thee, Our Shield and Our Defender (Grab a tissue and don’t miss this)

Don’t forget to check out today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Remember

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based on the LGG Study, From Broken to Reformed /w4d2

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:13-18; Leviticus 23:33-43; and Deuteronomy 8:1-11 / SOAP: Deuteronomy 8:11

Be sure you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments, ordinances, and statutes that I am giving you today.

Deuteronomy 8:11

I’m guessing you would agree with me when I say that some Old Testament passages can be confusing. I think in some ways that is the case with today’s reading. However, the thing that is made clear is that God wants us to remember what He has done and expects us to do what He has commanded. It seems equally clear that when we forget God and what He has done we will fail to obey what He has told us or commanded us to do

Make it Personal – Reflection

What significant things has God done for you that you need to remember? Celebrate His faithfulness as you remember the things He has done?

Going Further

More about the Feast of Booths: https://www.gotquestions.org/Feast-of-Tabernacles.html

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

Waiting is Difficult

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Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From Broken to Restored

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Ezra 1:1-4, 7:1-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13 / SOAP: 2 Peter 3:9-10

 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:9-10

Part of the back story of our study is that God allowed Jerusalem to be taken captive by Babylon because of their idolatry and disobedience. During this time many people were killed, the temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was laid to waist. It’s easy to consider this ancient history of God’s people not relevant to us today but it is – not just concerning the history of God’s people but concerning the promises and faithfulness of our God. Commentators for gotquestions.org describe it as something that Christians should be familiar with, saying:

The seventy-year period of the Babylonian captivity is an important part of Israel’s history, and Christians should be familiar with it. Like many other Old Testament events, this historical account demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His people, His judgment of sin, and the surety of His promises.

gotquestions.org

In their devotional on today’s passages the LGG team wrote the following:

The Babylonians captured Jerusalem and took the people into exile by transporting them to Babylon, where they remained for seventy years. -Nehemiah was living in Persia, not having returned to Jerusalem like many others. However, God used Nehemiah and his connections to the king of Persia to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and to turn the hearts of the people of Judah back to Him.

From Broken to Restored / week1day1

Are you waiting on something? Whether it is God’s promised return or a job, marriage, a house, a child or perhaps God’s healing hand on you or someone you know – waiting is difficult. Seventy years must have seemed like forever for the Israelites, and whatever your wait is may seem like forever – but we must remember, God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose Whether it is the redemption of His people or the strengthening of their faith – God is not waisting the time.

Father God, thank You that You do not waste time – instead You use it for good … Your good, Your glory, the good of Your people, and to accomplish Your good and holy purpose. Thank You for the hope that is ours while we wait on You God, for we see and know the truth of Your promises and the depth of Your faithfulness! In Him we pray

Going Further

What was the Babylonian captivity/exile?

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Living While We Wait

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Today’s Verse: Isaiah 60:22

“The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” Isaiah 60:22

Whether it is the result of a medical test, the birth of a baby, the answer to a job interview, or a pressing need not yet provided – waiting is difficult. For many of us, it is the most difficult part of life – as it causes anxiety to rise and holds us back from living while we wait.

Our verse today speaks hope to this anxiety and promise that graces us with the strength to go on living – despite the wait. Why? Because God knows when it is time for Him to act – and He will do so swiftly.

Check out today's inspiration for this post @ "our daily verse"
Posted in God is good, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, The Attributes of God

When I Remember

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The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
    his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Father, You are good! I am reminded this morning that one of the many facets of Your goodness is Your faithfulness – indeed Your Great Faithfulness! Truly, as Your prophet wrote and the great hymn proclaims, morning by morning new mercies I see. Your faithfulness stands out to me as I recall that all I have needed YOUR HAND has provided. Without fail, I find strength for today and bright HOPE for tomorrow when I remember how You’ve pardoned my sin and filled me with a peace that endureth! Surely these are some of Your chiefest blessings to me – with 10,000 besides!

May I forever proclaim Your faithfulness – for whether I find myself – in plenty or in want… in the calm or in the storms of life… on the mountain tops or in the valleys… in the midst of exceeding joy or unspeakable sorrow – this one thing I know for certain … Great. Is. Your. Faithfulness. 💜

Me – from the inside-out 🦋

Posted in From the Insideout, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

These Stones Remind Us

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Happy Memorial Day friends. Tomorrow we will start the next leg of our journey through God’s Word – but today I wanted to share this post. Please understand, I don’t want to distract from the true purpose of Memorial Day, which is honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. However, because our relationship with God is vital and important to us, this post about memorializing His faithfulness seems fitting to share on a day called Memorial Day. May it be an encouragement and blessing – 

A Prayer to Remember His Faithfulness
By Ashley Moore … as published on iBelieve.com 5/26/23 

“We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” – Joshua 4:6-7, NLT

The hand of God was undeniable when we purchased the land where our family now resides. I wanted our kids to grow up with a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision. Have you ever set up a memorial to remember God’s faithfulness? A friend of ours got a tattoo with the number of stripes that Jesus got when He went to the cross to remind him of the sacrifice of our Savior. One author I know keeps a running list of things she is thankful for so she can easily recall God’s faithfulness. My husband and I set up a stack of stones at the end of our driveway so that when our children and future grandchildren asked about them, we could retell the story of God’s provision. 

When God instructed Joshua, the nation of Israel’s leader, to get stones from the river to stack as a memorial, He wanted the people to have a visual reminder of His past faithfulness. God wanted the people to have a way to endure their present and future struggles based on His character and not their feelings. And God knew that His people would forget if they didn’t have some reminder. And we, too, are forgetful people. 

  • We forget where we put our keys. 
  • We forget the plans we made for dinner with the neighbor. 
  • And we forget the thousands of ways God has been faithful to us.

We don’t want to lose our keys, so we only hang them in a particular place at home. We would hate to stand up our friends accidentally, so we put a reminder in our calendars about dinner. And because our relationship with God is vital and important to us, we need to memorialize His faithfulness. 

So maybe you want to stack stones, put marbles in a jar, or write reminders for yourself. Whatever you do, never forget how faithful God is, has been, and will be to you in the future. And every opportunity you have, share why you set those reminders up with those around you too! May none of us neglect to memorialize His faithfulness. 

Let’s pray

Dear Lord, We thank you for your faithfulness. Scripture tells us You are faithful from one generation to the next (Psalm 119:90). We see Your faithfulness to the Israelites, Gentiles, foreigners, and the people and nations alive right now. Thank You for the practical ways You instruct us to remind ourselves of who You are and what You’ve done for us. Lord, forgive us for forgetting all the many ways You have come through for us time and time again. And Lord, forgive us for becoming entitled to Your goodness and grace. Lord, we praise You for Your never-ending mercy and that Your Word never fails (Luke 1:37). Thank You that You never leave or abandon us, and You sealed us for eternity with You by giving us Your Spirit (Hebrews 13:5; Ephesians 1:13-14). Lord, thank You for the visual reminder of Your ultimate act of faithfulness to us on the cross. God, if You’ll do that for Your undeserving children, will You not be faithful to care for our lesser needs? You are good, only good, and always good. Would You help us find creative and practical ways to remember Your faithfulness? And would You give us the boldness to speak about Your faithfulness out loud to all who see our memorials and ask about their meaning? Lord, help us to bring it up even if they don’t ask. Jesus, prepare the hearts of those with whom we will have these conversations to be receptive to Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.