Tag: God

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Firm Foundation, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study

A Holiness to Imitate

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based on the Love God Greatly study, Firm Foundation/w1d3

Scripture and Observation

Isaiah 6:1-5 and 1 Peter 1;13-16/Soap: Isaiah 6:3 and 1 Peter 1:16

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!” Isaiah 6:3

For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

God is holy, and He has called His people to be holy. So, if as God’s people, we are committed to living the holy life He has called us to, we must be wise and search the Scriptures to understand first…

  • What it means that God is holy.
    • There are plenty of explanations out there but I love this one from gotquestions.org:
      • “In Him, there is not even the faintest trace of evil He is impeccably pure, wholly without fault, and uncompromisingly just. He cannot lie. He cannot make wrong decisions. He is blameless, tireless, and sinless.
Application from the Journey

We must also ask ourselves:

  • Can we be holy, and if so, how?
    • Can we? Without a doubt – yes. You see, if God has called us to something He has equipped us to do it. One of the ways He has done this, is explained by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17, where he tells us that if anyone is in Christ they have a “new nature..” He says, “the old is gone the new is here.” As we learn in Romans this means we are no longer controlled by the law of sin and death.1 Instead, we have been given His Spirit, and as Paul wrote, “when we let the Spirit control our mind it leads us to life and peace.”2
      • On top of this, Peter told his readers that God has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. It is through these promises that He has given us His very great and precious promises
    • But how can we possibly be holy like God is? Thankfully, God didn’t just call us to be holy but He told us how in His Word:

Clearly, God did not call us to holiness without making a way to be holy and telling us how to be. if we want to live out God’s call for holiness we must choose a life of faith and heed the teaching of God in His Word – not to follow the world’s ways but to let God transform us into His image.

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, thank You for equipping us to live as You have called us to live. Whether it is to live and love like Jesus, to be holy as You are holy, to forgive others, to obey Your commands, to go and make disciples, to be light and salt in this dark and corrupted world, to walk by faith and not by sight … or the myriad of other teachings we know that we can do all these things through Christ who strengthens us. Thank You for Your Spirit in us and for Your Word that is living and active, a light to our path and correction when we veer from that path. How blessed we are to be loved and called by You and to have Jesus, our King and Savior, as our example. Thank You for Your promised forgiveness when we fall short of Your glory and for this study about building our lives on the truths of Your Word, our Firm Foundation. – Strengthen us all to Your glory and honor – Amen and Amen!

The More We Know about the Journey
lovegodgreatly.com blog post
  1. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Romans 6:14 ↩︎
  2. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6 ↩︎

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

The Importance of the Trinity

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Scripture and Observation

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17 and 28:16-20/SOAP: Matt 3:16-17

After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight.”

Matthew 3:16-17

Yesterday, we looked at God’s existence and explored the importance of believing (in faith) that He does exist and that He rewards those who seek Him. Faith in God and His existence are the bedrock of a firm foundation. –

Today’s journey will reveal that it isn’t just faith in God, the Father, but in the Triune1 God – Father, Son, and Spirit- as we will see emphasized through the baptism of Jesus and again in His command in Acts 1:4-8, first, to wait for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit and second, to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is clear that the Trinity is another foundational piece of our faith.

The Triune God is a Christian doctrine that states that God is one being that exists in the three divine persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are coeternal, consubstantial, and share a single nature. 
Christians believe that the three persons of the Trinity are intimately related, and that each person is omnipotent, omniscient, and wholly benevolent. The Trinity is also known as the Three-in-One.

Google/AI Overview
Application from the Journey

As with God’s existence, the doctrine of the Trinity requires faith. For how can we even conceive “three persons in one?” However, God’s Word is firm on the teaching and emphasis of the Trinity, the Father – Son – and Spirit. We see it in today’s passages as well as in Genesis 1:1, John 1:1 and 14, and others.

Consider with me Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:17-24, where Paul teaches not just the Ephesians but all believers, that our faith calls us to “live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness, they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against Him.” He goes on to say, “But that isn’t what you learned about Christ…” and then encourages them by instructing them to “let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes … Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.”

Clearly, the Trinity is a foundational ‘piece’ of our faith, as baptism, the very act that identifies us as followers of Christ, is meant to also identify us with the Father and the Spirit.

  • We are made to be like God … Genesis 1:27
  • When we are in Christ, we are new creations; our old nature is gone – replaced with His righteous nature… 2 Corinthians 5:17
  • We are filled with His Spirit, who not only teaches us everything we need to know and remind us of all that Jesus taught … John 14:26, but He develops in us the characteristics we are meant to exhibit as God’s children: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. – As Luke taught us through the words of Jesus, The Spirit is God’s equipping power to live as God has called us to live.
Prayer and Worship Response to the Journey

Father, I have sweet memories of singing the doxology2 every Sunday morning at church when I was growing up. I didn’t realize its importance then, but I loved it and now realize that it was a call for us to praise You, Father-Son-Holy Ghost, the ONE –> The three in ONE from whom all blessings flow! I am so grateful for this memory flooding my mind – for the teaching of my youth and the foundations of my faith. – To You be all the glory and praise! Amen –

Reflections on the Journey

How does Scripture describe the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the work of salvation?

The More We Know

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

God’s Existence – Do you believe?

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Hey Friends 💕 Welcome to day 1 of our first journey in 2025! The LGG Study, “Firm Foundation,” is the perfect way to begin the new year, as the passages will help us build our lives on the unshakable truth of God’s Word. In this first week, we will be looking at “The Nature of God,” – starting with God’s Existence and the importance of believing what Scripture says about His existence.

Scripture and Observation
Scripture: Genesis 1:1-5; Hebrews 11:1-7/SOAP: Gen 1:1/Heb 11:6

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen 1:1

Now without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who approaches God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

What stood out in my mind after reading the familiar passage in Genesis was this one truth: It takes faith to believe what we have not seen and cannot even conceive to be possible. I’m sure that is why the study then directs us to Hebrews chapter 11 – where the author points out that it is only by faith that we can come to believe that in the beginning, before there was light or life, there was God, and He created the world.

The author of Hebrews goes on to make many other “by faith statements,’ including… the world being “put into order,” Enoch being “taken up to be with God without seeing death…” and “Noah building an ark when he saw no evidence of the need…” – It is why Hebrews 11:6 emphasizes that “without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who approaches God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”

Application – of today’s journey

It is clear that our faith in God’s existence, as told in His Word, is an essential piece of a “firm foundation,” specifically that:

  • God exists – and that
  • He spoke the world into existence out of nothing

Without faith in this truth, we are like those who were condemned in Noah’s day. For. as the Scriptures say, without faith, we cannot obtain the righteousness of Christ1, which is necessary for us to be made right with God. (see Rom 3:22; 5:9; and 2 Cor 5:21)

Friends, it is so important to understand that faith is not just hoping that what the Bible says is true; as Hebrews teaches, it is being sure of what we hope for and being convinced of it – even though we have not seen it or understand how it could be true.

For we walk (live) by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

Perhaps this is why Paul taught, “We walk by faith, not by sight” in 2 Cor 5:7, a verse that I use often when I am facing struggles or when I don’t understand where God is leading. According to Bibleref.com, the verse is a testimony to the faith of Paul and His fellow believers, that “they so thoroughly believe the gospel, including their own resurrection and eternal satisfaction, that the struggles facing them are not the most important concern. What they “see” includes death, pain, suffering, opposition, and challenge. They feel the burden of those things deeply (1 Corinthians 1:8), but they count the unseen things waiting for them with Christ as more real than the suffering of the moment (2 Corinthians 4:18).” – The same was true of Noah in his day and should be true of us today – “for without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who approaches God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Prayer in response to the journey

Father, it is good to be reminded of the importance of our faith – not just in Christ but in the ‘realness’ and existence of You. To believe that in the beginning, the world was dark and empty and without form until You spoke, saying: “Let there be light” is an essential element of our faith – for as we have been reminded, without faith it is impossible to please You, for the one who approaches You must believe that You exists and that You reward those who seek You. As we proceed through this journey, Father, continue to reveal Your truths to us and grace us with understanding so that individually and together, we might build our lives on the unshakable truth of Your Word.

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight into today’s journey, be sure to check out today’s LGG Blog.

We will look specifically at the Trinity on day two, but in today’s passage, it is worth noting that in the beginning, when God created the world – Jesus/the Word was with God (Jn 1:1, 14) and that the Spirit of God was also present (Gen 1:2)

Today’s Footnotes
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Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Rejoice

With Whom Is He Pleased?

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Scripture: God’s Roadmap for Our Journey/Luke 2:14; Romans 5:1-11; Isa 9:6

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased!”

Luke 2:14

Oh, the utter beauty of God’s Word and love! How it shines through from the first words of today’s passages to the last. Or perhaps I should say from the last words to the first … as it was Isaiah who wrote about the child who would be born – and be called the Prince of Peace – long before Luke penned the words to the story of the virgin Mary giving birth to her firstborn son in a little town called Bethlehem, and laying him in a manger. It was a story that included not only the angel’s declaration to shepherds in a nearby field but also the song of the angel and the heavenly host “praising and worshiping God, and acknowledging His supreme majesty and sovereignty.1“

  • The Declaration: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
  • The Song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased!”

The child Isaiah prophesied would be called “the Prince of Peace” was the same child that Mary lay in the manger and of whom the angel’s song declared: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Paul writes of this peace in Romans chapter five, where we read: “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (again, the same child that Isaiah and Luke referred to) – What a wonderful thing to know and understand that faith in Jesus brings peace between God and man. We are no longer condemned as our sins deserved, but we are cleansed, set free from the law of sin and death, and given bold access to the throne of our God. The curtain has been torn in two, and we are covered by the blood of Christ, the lamb of God – the Prince of Peace – the baby born of a virgin, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and found lying in a manger just as the angel said.

Paul also writes some of my favorite words in Scripture concerning peace with God. They are found in Romans chapter five, namely verses 8-11. It is here we read that “God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” … being declared righteous through Christ changed our enmity with God to peace. Paul uses one other word that speaks of peace, and that is reconciliation, which infers peace by its very definition – which is the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement.

 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Romans 5:10

As I observed the Luke 2:14 passage, I remembered something that I noted in an earlier post about the verse, specifically the words, “with whom He is pleased.” It is important to understand here that God’s mercy is available to all who please Him, or as one commentary explains, all who follow His will by believing in/accepting His Son, Jesus.2

  • With whom is God pleased?
  • How often do we declare, like the angels, declarations of praise and worship toward God?
Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, my heart rejoices at the peace you have brought to me through Jesus! He truly is my Prince of Peace! May I, like the angel, tell others about Jesus and how to find Him. May I, like the heavenly hosts who appeared to the shepherds, be found giving You the praise and worship You alone are worthy of. May the peace that comes from Christ rule in my heart, for Your Word says that as members of Your body, we are called to live in peace. 💜 – Amen

The More We Know

So, what did Luke mean when he write: with whom is God pleased?” According to Bibleref.com: Most translations of this verse connect the “peace” being proclaimed to God’s pleasure with a certain group. This is alternately phrased as “those with whom he is pleased,” “those on whom his favor rests,” or “people He favors.” The King James translation inverts part of the phrase, indicating a broader “good will toward men.” While the gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of reconciliation and hope (John 3:16–17), that hope is only accessible to those who believe in Him (John 3:18, 36). Accurately translated, the angels are not declaring God’s benevolence to all humanity; they are celebrating His mercy to those who follow His will by accepting His Son (John 6:28–29; Hebrews 11:6).

  1. Online source: churchleaders.com ↩︎
  2. Bibleref.com ↩︎

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Rejoice

The Magnificat

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based on the 2024 LGG Advent Study, Rejoice, a Celebration of Advent

Today’s Scripture God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Luke 1: 26-56 (46-47) and 1 Peter 1:3-12

And Mary said “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Luke 1:46-47. ESV

Has anyone ever said a blessing or a prayer over you and you didn’t know what to say – other than thank you? What we read today and will focus on throughout the week is Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s blessing over her.

Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s blessing is most often referred to as the Magnificat or Mary’s Song. According to gotquestions.org, the Magnificat is a poem of praise to God for His blessing to Mary and His faithfulness to Israel.

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Luke 1:30-34. ESV

As one can only imagine, the shock and awe of the Angel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah was still ‘fresh’ in her mind. However, here in today’s passage, we read the sweet reflection of her heart and mind and see a beautiful picture of God giving her peace – as we read, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior-.”

If we stop there, we are left to wonder how this young girl, a virgin, engaged to be married and given a message that she would miraculously become pregnant and give birth to the promised Messiah, could possibly be rejoicing. Luke’s detailed account of Mary’s song answers the question as she goes on to say, “Because God has looked upon the humble state of His servant.”1

For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. Luke 1:46

Some may misconstrue Mary’s statement, “For from now on all generations will call me blessed,” to be about her, but instead, it is an acknowledgment that what God was doing through her was to be “an example of His grace for all generations.” Take a minute to reread her song; you will note that it is clearly a praise to God, a song that points people to Him – the only One worthy of our worship and able to hear/answer our prayers. 2

Today’s LGG journal entry explains Mary’s joyful praise in a beautiful way: “Mary’s heart was full of joyful praise because she looked to God, the One she knew would be with her and help her. Being full of faith, she was able to see beyond her immediate, challenging circumstances and meditate, instead, on the great deeds of God, past, present, and future. Her spirit was not filled with worries, fears, and the trifles of life. Her spirit soared above as she fixed her eyes on God, her Savior, and what He had done for her.”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

borrowed and shared from the Rejoice journal, p99

Lord, let our minds be increasingly filled with You, Your character, and Your deeds. Amen

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

Waiting

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based on the LGG Advent Study, Rejoice / w2d1

Scripture for the Journey – Luke 2:25-32; Psalm 147:1-3(3); Isaiah 61:1-3

Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So Simeon, directed by the Spirit, came into the temple courts, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and blessed God, saying,29 “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: 32 a light,for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Luke 2:25-32 NET

As believers, we wait today for that glorious day when Jesus will come and gather His people to meet Him in the air, but until that day – we are blessed with the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, which means God with us1. Simeon and God’s people before him waited for the Messiah’s first coming. Keep in mind we have not been told how old Simeon is or how long he has been waiting. What we are told is that he was righteous and devout and eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. We are told that the Holy Spirit was not only upon him but had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah. We are told that the Spirit led him to the Temple, so he was there when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the Temple to meet the requirements of the law. Finally, we are told that Simeon had the privilege of taking Jesus in his arms, at which time he gave praise to God for the long-awaited gift that would allow him to die in peace and to see God’s salvation that had been prepared not just for the Jews but for all people. Simeon clearly understood and rejoiced in the fact that this child was the promised light sent to “give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide the feet of the people into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).

Oh, how I love the story of Simeon, who was not only waiting but was looking for the promised Messiah, the hope and restoration of Israel, and the light that would shine for all people to see their way out of the shadow of death into the glorious light of salvation. Jesus is that light, and as our Savior, He is also the one Who has united us with God; and because of this, we know Him as the One who “heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds,” just as the Psalmist wrote about.

In full disclosure, I have grown a bit weary lately in waiting, but a fresh look at Simeon and the hope of God’s promises being fulfilled reminded me to lift up my eyes as I wait and to remember that I belong to the One Who binds up wounds and heals the brokenhearted. – Hallelujah and amen!

Prayer of Response to the Journey

God, help me to live a righteous and devout life, committed to You above all else – faithfully watching and waiting for that glorious day when Jesus will come and gather His people to meet Him in the air2. While I wait, help me to be alert and yielded to Your Spirit’s leading just as Simeon was – so that when You come, I am where You want me to be – Thank You for the hope of Your promises and for reminding me to lift my eyes up to You. Thank You that I belong to the One who binds up wounds and heals the brokenhearted. Thank You for the presence of Your Spirit with me so that I do not wait alone. Help me to follow the words of Paul and encourage others with the truths about the rapture, for these truths will help us to not grieve hopelessly but rather to anticipate the joyful celebration of being in the presence of Jesus our Lord! – In Whose name I trust and pray – Amen 💜

The More We Know
Posted in Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Rejoice

Messenger of the Gospel

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based on the LGG Advent Study, Rejoice / w1d4

Scripture: Luke 1:76-77 / John 3:22-30 (27) / John 1:19-37

 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.

John 3:27
Observation and Application from the Journey

John the Baptist played a large part in the Advent of Christ. We read of him when he was still in the womb, how he leaped in Elizabeth when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, entered the room.1 Today, we are reminded again of Zechariah’s song of praise and prophesy concerning John, “who would 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.” I can picture the tender but excited moment when Zechariah spoke these words over his infant son. Excitement and hope surely stemmed from knowing the calling of this child, but perhaps even more so at the reality of the One who would come behind him. For John was preparing the way for the Most High, the Lord, the Messiah, who would bring salvation to a lost and dying world.

“And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.

John 1:76-77

Fast forward to John as a man, a “Rabbi,” teaching the people about the coming Messiah. He had gained an audience, a following of those who believed the gospel message and were coming to John to be baptized. That is until Christ appeared on the scene with His disciples in the same vicinity as John and his followers, and jealousy provoked concern. Whether Jesus was gaining more followers than John or John’s disciples were leaving him to follow Christ isn’t clear, but when John’s disciples came to him with the news that “everyone was flocking to Jesus,” he wasn’t concerned.

While John’s response wasn’t what the people expected it was what they needed to hear. John wasn’t alarmed or rushing to reclaim his followers. Instead, he basically reminds those who were concerned about the shift in allegiance that this was the way it was meant to be. He credited God with the shift and reminded them that he was not the Christ but the one sent to proclaim Him and prepare the way. He was sent so that people would flock to Jesus and be saved. Thus, John isn’t worried but claims that his joy has been made complete by the shift in followers, saying: “The Christ must become more important while I become less important.”

What a beautiful and convicting statement and vital for all teachers of the Word to remember. “Christ must become more important while I become less important.” My story pales in comparison to John’s, but I have encountered a similar scenario over the course of my years of leading small groups, and it was a challenge for me in the beginning. Yet, God was gracious to remind me that He had called me to equip, encourage, and empower women with His Word, not to elevate myself but to promote Him and help others grow in their relationships with Him.

So, while I struggled to watch members switch to some of the newer groups, God helped me to see that whether the group was forty-plus women or only a handful, it was about Him, not me. Whether they were in my group or another, they were still being equipped, encouraged, and empowered by God’s Word. Actually, in time, I was able to see God’s fingerprints in the shift of the group’s size, and I watched with awe and joy how He worked to gather just the right group of women in that room on Wednesdays and Sundays. When COVID hit, things changed again, and as illnesses and deaths seemed to plague my family for the next five years (and counting), it gradually became clear that God was leading me to step away from in-person groups to minister to my family. At the same time, He showed me the need for and benefit of a Bible-study Facebook group. While I miss the in-person interaction, my family needed me, and God showed me that there were also others who were struggling to get to an in-person group or just wanted something extra, and He allowed me to meet that need.

Admittedly, there are drawbacks to the online format, and there are times when I have felt alone in it and wondered if it is worth it – but God always reminds me -to press on in what He’s called and equipped me to do and leave the outcome to Him. There are women in my group that I talk to or see regularly, and there are also those that I may never meet in person, but how blessed I am to Journey through God’s Word with them all. I have learned much from them, and I have been blessed by their love for the Scriptures. I have been blessed to pray with/for them over hurts, fears, and/or physical needs and to have them pray for me. Together, we have celebrated God’s answers and rejoiced in His fingerprints. God has used them to encourage me greatly, and every time something happens to make me wonder if what I’m doing really matters – I am once again reminded that while I am blessed by what I do, I do it not for me but that Christ might increase.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19

The bottom line from John’s story and from mine is this – as believers, we have all been called to tell others about Jesus.2 We are to lift Jesus up for His glory and the salvation of others. As John said, “Christ must become more important while I become less important.” We have been sent as messengers of the Gospel to share Jesus with the world around us so that they might believe and be saved. – Because this is so important, I leave you with this statement by Bibleref.com:

“This is an important guideline for Christians in general. As John the Baptist says, all that we have is given by the providence of God. No matter what success we have, we owe it to our Creator. We shouldn’t be angry or frustrated when others seem more successful. (Genesis 4:4-7): God is ultimately he one in control,
(1 Corinthians 3:1-9).”

bibleref.com

Posted in Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Rejoice

OUR RESCUER

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based on the LGG Advent Study, Rejoice / w1d3

Today’s Scripture: Luke 1: 68-75 (74); Zechariah 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18

We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,

Luke 1:74

This is the third day of our study and the second day of reading Zachariah’s song of praise in Luke 1:68-75. Today’s focus is on verse seventy-four, but I was drawn once again to verses sixty-eight and sixty-nine, where we read the prophecy of Zechariah that God had come to help and redeem His people. As bibleref.com writes: “His song of praise emphasizes how God’s promises, as given through His prophets, have always come true. That the world has seen the fulfillment of prophecy and will soon see more is reason to worship. That also comes with joy, as the role of this Messiah will be that of Savior.”

Helped…Redeemed…Saved…Rescued

We needed God’s help, we needed someone to redeem us, someone who could save us from our sins – so in love, God sent His Son Jesus to rescue us from sin and death. We were once covered with filthy rags but now we have been freely forgiven, cleansed of our sins and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. As the writer of Hebrews points out, only Jesus could destroy the devil, and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. Only He could serve as our great high priest and make the proper and lasting atonement for our sins.

God’s people needed to be rescued, so He sent them a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Through God’s tender mercies, He opened the doorway for the adoption of many sons and daughters who were not born of the seed of Abraham to be called His own. In love, God positions them as joint heirs with His only begotten Son, Jesus. – I love the closing paragraph of today’s journal entry in the LGG Rejoice Journal – may it be an encouragement for us – as children of God to walk in the freedom Christ died to give us – and live the righteous lives God has called us to.

“As Zechariah sings, Jesus has come to redeem us so that we can serve God in holiness.”

Rejoice Journal/p51

“Jesus not only forgives those who trust in Him, but changes us, giving us the power to live righteous lives. We ourselves can’t break the chains of our selfishness, bad attitudes, or destructive behavior, but Jesus can. He is strong enough to free us from anything that still holds us in bondage. When we go to Him in faith and ask Him for forgiveness and deliverance from sin, He will answer. He wants to fill us with His love so that we can live fully surrendered to His will and way as well as live selflessly for other people. Our enemy trembles when we pray like this ” Rejoice Journal/p51

Rejoice in this song about our Rescuer – who has set us free from sin forevermore.

Posted in Advent, Bible study, Christmas, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Rejoice

The Power of Christ

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For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

Luke 1:69

In my late twenties, not too long after my salvation moved from a religion to a relationship, I began really studying the Scriptures and quickly learned that the meaning of God’s Word can be found within His Word. Today’s passages are prime examples1. For instance, Bibleref.com shares many references that explain the horn of salvation and connect the dots to David. The commentary explains that “In biblical texts, “horns” are symbolic of power (Psalm 75:10; 89:24; Numbers 23:22; Daniel 7:7; Revelation 17:12). Referring to Jesus (Luke 1:31–33) as a “horn of salvation” (Psalm 18:2) echoes the idea that Messiah will be from the lineage of David (Psalm 132:17; Jeremiah 23:5). When Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel, praised God for her son’s birth, she used similar phrases (1 Samuel 2:10).” – That’s what I call Scripture squirrels, and while they can take up a lot more time, I’ve realized through the years that they add so much to my time in the Word by helping me to understand what I read.

As we read Zechariah’s declaration of “the horn of salvation” in Luke 1:69, we come to understand, by his reference to “the house of God’s servant, David,” that the “horn of salvation” refers to the Messiah who would redeem His people from their sins. This Messiah is the same baby Jesus born in a manager, fully man but fully God, The God of power and of might, who conquered the grave and crushed the enemy – and continues to give us power over the enemy today! Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was that they would be strengthened with all might according to the glorious power of Christ. This is the same power that Peter writes about when he wrote about the divine power given to believers that would enable them to live a godly life and escape the corruption of this world. Just as John was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth as the angel promised, the promise of the Messiah was realized when Christ was born in Bethlehem, and with that birth came all the power and love of God.

“With the arrival of Jesus, God’s power has broken into our world. He is the risen Lord. He lives. He is here. He is with us, and He is our strength. In faith, we can connect our weak lives to His mighty power, counting on His help and experiencing Jesus as the Horn or our Salvation.”

Rejoice Study Journal/p47

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

2 Peter 1:3-4
A Prayer of Response

Jesus, as I am reminded daily – You are my strength when I am weak. Your Spirit empowers me to overcome the enemy, to stand firm in temptations, and to endure the troubles of this world. As Paul prayed for the Colossians, I pray for this group and all Your people throughout the world that -in these troublesome times, as we wait for the return of the Messiah, the Hope of Heaven – we will be strengthened with all His glorious power so we will have all the endurance and patience we need – and be filled with joy, to Your glory and honor – Amen!

Read More verses on the power of Christ, available to all who belong to Him
A Beautiful Song to Celebrate Jesus, our Messiah, strong and kind.

Posted in Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Rejoice

Blessed be the Lord

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Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

Luke 1:68

How we spend our time has a direct impact on our relationship with God. Today, as we begin our focus on the advent of Christ, let’s pause and consider how we spend our time. Specifically, how much time does God factor into our day? Does He encompass all areas of our lives or only those times set apart for reading His Word or praying? Or, perhaps He’s relegated to Sunday mornings only?

Check out this suggestion from today’s LGG Journal entry on the how and why of alone time with God: “If we want to meet with God and be filled with the Holy Spirit, it is vital that we spend time in prayer and meditate on God’s Words. We are surrounded by so much noise that it often takes great discipline and a firm resolve to switch off the TV, put away our phones, go into our room, close the door and – in the stillness – spend time alone with God.”

When Zechariah learned that Elizabeth was pregnant, the reality of Gabriel’s words would have erased even a smidgen of doubt that may have remained in Zechariah’s mind. From his response of obedience and rejoicing following the birth, it seems evident that he had not turned away from God but had drawn all the closer to Him. Zechariah clearly believed all that the angel had said, and he set an example of a life that includes God in all areas. We see this when the baby was born; Zechariah not only celebrated the birth of his son but also, after nine months of silence, his first words were used to bless God and then to speak of the evidence of the coming of the long-awaited Messiah.

Friends, may we practice factoring the Messiah into the whole of our lives. Whether we are on the mountaintop or in the valleys of suffering or troubles, in our times of silence, concerns, or doubts, may we not turn away from Him but draw all the closer to Him – so that at the end of every day, whether we find ourselves celebrating or lamenting, we are found praising God and looking forward with hope.