Tag: Gospel

Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Christ In You

Posted on by MaryEllen

Today’s Road Map for the Journey

Colossians 1:27-29 (SOAP 1:27); Ephesians 3:1-7

“The secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you, bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.”

JB Philips

Friends, whether it is a blinding light, as Paul experienced on the road to Damascus1, or a letter from the Apostle Paul himself, God will let us know what He wants us to know in the course of His perfect timing. Here in our Scripture for today’s journey, we read that God wanted to make known to them (Jews & Gentiles) the “glorious riches” that had been given to them. These riches are summed up as the hope of glory, which includes our resurrection (Romans 8:11), the guarantee of His Spirit in us (Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 1:14), who guarantees our Heavenly inheritance (1 Peter 1:3–4), which is, even now, being kept in Heaven for us.

Christ’s presence in us is the hope of glory, and this truth is full of “glorious riches.” Our once dead, darkened spirits are made alive. Christ is in our hearts, and we know that there is life beyond this earthly existence—a life that will be glorious beyond all imagination. Gotquestions.org

Until now, the glorious riches have been a mystery to the Gentiles. Paul explains “the mystery” as being “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This explanation was meant to encourage the believers then, and it should encourage us today. For if Christ lives in us now, we can know with certainty that we will one day be with Him in Heaven ~ for the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us and will also give life to our mortal bodies ~ and hal-le-lu-jah! ~ He will secure for us a heavenly inheritance that will never perish, spoil, or fade! Friends, it is a future full of glorious riches that we can’t begin to truly picture. Make no mistake, though ~ the Spirit and the promise of the hope of glory and its glorious riches are available only to those who believe. If you are reading this today but do not know Jesus as your Savior, I encourage you to follow the Know These Truths link below, where you will learn all about my Jesus and how these promises can be yours today.

The hope of glory includes our resurrection: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). It includes a heavenly inheritance: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4). The Spirit of Christ within us is the “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14).
Christ’s presence in us is the hope of glory, and this truth is full of “glorious riches.” Our once dead, darkened spirits are made alive. Christ is in our hearts, and we know that there is life beyond this earthly existence—a life that will be glorious beyond all imagination.

Gotquestions.org

Reflection and Application

In what ways are we “gloriously rich” if we have Jesus? Try making a list of all the “riches” we have in Christ? (search for them in Ephesians 1:7-14)

Response of Prayer

Father, thank you for the glorious hope and riches that we have to look forward to in Christ. Thank You for making known the mystery of the Gospel, for Christ in us, and the seal of Your Spirit, who guarantees not only our resurrection but our inheritance that is being being kept in Heaven for us. Thank you that we can know with certainty that we will one day be with You in Heaven. ~To You be all the glory, Amen

The More We Know

What does it mean that Christ is the hope of glory?

What does Colossians 1:26 mean?

Know These Truths
  1. Saul’s/Paul’s Story in a Nutshell,
    The Journey: Saul went to catch and hurt followers of Jesus.
    The Flash: A bright light brighter than the noon sun shone all around him.
    The Fall: Saul fell down on the ground.
    The Voice: A voice said, “Saul, Saul, why do you hurt me?”
    The Answer: The voice was Jesus.

    What Happened Next
    The Blindness: Saul could not see after the light. His friends had to lead him by hand into the city of Damascus.
    The Three Days: Saul sat in the dark for three days without food or water.
    The Healing: A helper named Ananias prayed for Saul, and things like fish scales fell from his eyes. He could see again.
    The Change: Saul became Paul, a main teacher and writer of the New Testament. ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

The Responsibility of Serving

Posted on by MaryEllen

Today’s Road Map for the Journey: Colossians 1:24-29 (SOAP 24); (Mark 8:35)

Paul counted it a joy (gladness) to suffer for the cause (spreading the Gospel). He knows this is what Christ Himself did for the Church when He walked on the earth. As BibleRef.com points out, “Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice (the scapegoat1), but Paul suffered (faced trials and tribulation as He carried out the call of Jesus in His life).”

We too have a call from God upon our lives. Paul defines it in verse 25, where he wrote, “God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.”

Friends, as believers in Christ, we too have been called to serve His Church by going into all the world with His Gospel message, by loving others as Christ has loved us, by giving to those in need … and any other word or deed that makes God known.

We should consider it an honor and a privilege to serve Christ in this world, but we must not forget that suffering is to be expected, not just for Paul but for all who choose to answer Jesus’ call to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him2.

While no thought of suffering is pleasant and quite honestly serves more as a deterrent than a coveted invitation, James encourages believers to consider it an opportunity for great joy when troubles of any kind come their way. He reminds them that when their faith is tested, their endurance (or perseverance) has a chance to grow, and when their endurance is fully developed, they will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Paul certainly dealt with troubles of many kinds. “He was regularly mocked, beaten, whipped, imprisoned, and even stoned.” Yet, he continued on, praising God, writing letters to make Him known, praying for the church, and making every effort to reach others with the Gospel message, no matter the cost.

His example is a challenging one for certain. May the Spirit of God who lives in us grace us with courage and joy to live and suffer for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ – no matter where we are or who we are with.

Reflection and Application

Have you ever made yourself wholly available to God for the spreading of the gospel? Have you asked Him to use you for the advancement of His kingdom? If not, are you willing to do so now?

Response of Worship

The More We Know

  1. Leviticus 16 ↩︎
  2. Mark 8:35 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Established and Firm in The Faith

Posted on by MaryEllen

19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it. Colossians 1:19-23

Paul wrote that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), the author of Hebrews wrote that God’s Word is living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12, and the Psalmist wrote that God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light to guide our path (Ps 119:105). On today’s journey, it is Paul who makes it clear that God’s Word is where we find the assurance of salvation and the gifts that it brings those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. There are the gifts of eternal life by grace through faith, the hope of Heaven, the promise of His Spirit in us, the freedom from and forgiveness of sin, peace during trouble, and mercies that are new every morning… and the list goes on. So it is no little thing when Paul advises the believers to “remain in the faith, established and firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel…” the same gospel which Paul declares he has “become a servant.“

Here on this earth, we will have troubles; we will hear of wars and rumors of war, we will see wickedness increase, and there will be those that preach or encourage a different message than the truth of Jesus Christ ~ but as Paul urged the Colossian believers, we are to hold fast to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The same gospel message that we believed and through which we were saved. There will be heartaches and discouragements, seemingly unanswered prayers and needs that make us wonder where God is – but we must be resolute in our faith, not wavering, not turning to the right or to the left but trusting in and pursuing the One who pursued us. We must give the utmost effort to remembering the work and mediation of Jesus Christ on our behalf, the crux of which are found a praise song, Lord I Lift Your Name on High1, from the 80’s, “He came from Heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross our debt to pay, from the cross to grave and from the grave to the sky … Lord I lift Your name on high.”


Lord, I lift Your name on high.
Lord, I love to sing Your praises.
I’m so glad You’re in my life;
I’m so glad You came to save us.

You came from Heaven to earth
To show the way.
From the Earth to the cross,
My debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high.

Songs of Praise

Friends, it’s not something I’m proud of, but my faith was the shakiest when I began spending more time with the world and its vast temptations than in the Word of God. The longer I played both sides of the fence (or tried to), the shakier my faith became. At its worst, I began believing that I had crossed too many lines, committed too many sins to ever know God’s favor again. Eventually, I was so overwhelmed with my sin and was working so hard to be ‘good’ enough to win His love ‘back’ that I lost sight of the truth that the work of Christ on the cross had already paid the full sin debt I owed. Somewhere along the way, I had failed to fully understand the message, depth, and power of God’s grace ~ a grace that was and always will be greater than all my (our) sins. It is also a grace that is never earned but always and only received through faith alone, in Christ alone.

It’s dangerous not to see ourselves as sinners in daily need of God’s grace.2

Response of Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that even though I was your enemy, you found me and drew me to
yourself by your great work on the cross. Thank you for dramatically transforming my heart so many years ago, for taking my sins in Your own body and pouring Your transforming power into my life. You turned God’s wrath away from me and opened the way for me to be made new in You, declaring me righteous before God. ~ Amen

Reflection and Application

What are the two things God needed to deal with so that we could be reconciled to Him?

Response of Worship

The More We Know

  1. “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High” is a contemporary Christian worship song written by Rick Founds in 1989. The song was inspired during Founds’ morning devotion, where he was reading scriptures and reflecting on his faith. It encapsulates the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, expressing themes of praise and gratitude for salvation ↩︎
  2. LGG, Christ Is All I Need, p 86 ↩︎
Mountain valley covered in morning mist with sun rising over distant peaks
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Confident Hope

Posted on by MaryEllen

 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

Colossians 1:3-5 (SOAP verse 5)

Friends, I am borrowing from the LGG Study Journal again today – partly because I am having computer problems and having to use my iPad to post this, but also because I was out later than expected tonight helping Abi with her classroom.

Today’s focal point is verse five, and it is one of the key verses of the entire book. A reminder for us that it’s not just important to have faith – we must be confident in our faith – the belief in the truth that God has promised us a home in heaven with Him … not because our parents believed, or because “we worked for it or earned it, or ever could,” but solely because of God’s amazing grace.

Consider these words from the LGG team:

Do you often think of the hope lad up for you in heaven? The hope that one day, you will be totally healed and perfected, forever filled with indescribable joy? That all your tears will be wiped away, and nobody will ever cause you grief again? That you will finally see the loving face of Jesus?

Note how this hope came to us: Through the gospel. We didn’t work for it, and we don’t deserve it. But God gave us hope simply because we heard the message of truth and believed it. The gospel is the message that Jesus died and rose again three days later to forgive us of all our sins. It is a gift of grace through faith. God has subsequently prepared a place in heaven for those who trust in His Son.

Our hope as Christians is based only on God’s grace. Because it’s not based on our performance, it is firm. It is not a case of “I hope I’ll make it to heaven somehow.” Instead, we can proclaim, “I know I’ll make it to heaven because of what Jesus has done for me.”

Have you ever heard the phrase that some people are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good? Clearly this is not the teaching of the Bible. Right here, Paul is saying that the hope of heaven actually gives rise to love and encourages us to live faithfully and missionally here on earth. Real heavenly mindedness will make us more loving, less self-centered, less fearful, and less greedy.

Jesus Himself promised that whatever it may cost us now to serve and love others, our reward in heaven makes these sacrifices more than worthwhile.

Lord Jesus, please open the eyes of my heart so that I can see more clearly the glorious future that awaits me. – Amen.

Reflection and Application:

What about you? Is your faith confident or shakable? Is it based on the truth of the Gospel that you have heard or is it in the church…the people…your family…your good works??? Take some time and consider these questions and examine your faith.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, Easter, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word

So – Now What?

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Today’s Reading is Philippians 2:1-8. It’s a longer but perfect passage to answer our question – The Tomb is empty, so now what?

 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God,   he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Philippians 2:1-8

Many of Paul’s writings hold answers to the question that I posed the day after Easter – “the tomb is empty, now what?” However, perhaps none so clearly answer it as Philippians chapter 2, which we will look at today and tomorrow.

Paul poses His own questions at the opening of the chapter that opens the door way for him to teach them what it means to live the Christian life. After listing many “dos and don’ts” like live in unity, be tender and compassionate, don’t be selfish, or a show-off, but be humble and think of others, not just yourselves. Paul makes sure they truly understand what he’s saying by using Christ as their example. He didn’t just tell them to have the same attitude of Christ, but took all personal interpretation out of the mix by listing exactly what that attitude entailed.

Jesus didn’t hold out His “God card” and wait for everyone to serve Him. Instead, He…

  • left Heaven for the purpose of saving the world
  • took on the human flesh and dwelt among men
  • humbly submitted to God’s authority
  • died a death meant for the guilt of a criminal

The tomb being empty wasn’t the end of Jesus’ legacy of faith. He wasn’t meant to only reach just those early disciples, but to continually be a way for ‘the world’ to come to God through Him. Now that the tomb was empty, the work was left to His followers. Their job was to take His message to the world – and in large part by the way they lived. Consider some of Jesus’s own commands/teachings, such as John 13:34 and Mark 12:29-31, where He emphasized love.

So now I am giving you a new command, love each other. Just as I have loved you you should love each other.

John 13:34

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Mark 12:29-31

Jesus had told them these things because He knew the tomb would be empty. He knew one day He would no longer be with them on the earth, so He prepared them for after the empty tomb – by showing them and telling them how to live.

  • Love others
  • Love God
  • Spread the Gospel
  • Make the Father known

Paul summed it up nicely in Colossians 3:17 by telling them that whatever they did or said, they should do it as representatives of Jesus – and this, my friends, is perhaps the overall best answer to our question – “the tomb is empty, so now what?”

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:17

Posted in Bible study, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Lydia, part 2

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Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p 27-28

Read: Acts 16:11- 40

She is the first recorded convert in Europe

Our previous day’s journey focused on Lydia and how the Gospel she heard from Paul changed her life. Her life was no longer about a religion or religious acts – instead, it was now about a relationship with God, made possible through the grace of God and the saving work of Jesus Christ, His Son. This change in Lydia’s heart is a prime example that “there is”, as the study guide puts it, “a difference in knowing something, and actually believing, or placing your faith in it” (p 26).

After her heart was opened, she placed her faith in Jesus and never looked back. Scripture tells us that she (and her household)* were baptized … she then provided housing for Paul and those with him on more than one occasion. One commentary describes her as one who is “generous and passes on that generous spirit to the church that started in her home (Phil 4:15-16).

And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent something for my need.

Philippians 4:15-16

While Lydia’s name doesn’t appear often in Scripture, it is easy to see – from her salvation (believed to be the first in Europe)…to her public profession of faith through baptism…to her willingness to house Paul and the others…to opening her home so others could hear the message and grow in their faith…to laboring with Paul and others in spreading the Gospel … and using her income to help missionaries whom she often hosted in her home – why it is believed that “she had a great impact on the church.”

“She had a great impact on the church.”

She Volume 1, p 27

Lydia was not bashful but bold with her faith. As the writers of our study guide point out, “She must have told all that were in her household what the Lord had done for her” – for they were baptized with her. Lydia was so excited and passionate about her faith that she had to share it with those around her. What a beautiful picture she is of “the effects the Gospel can have on our lives.” Surely she is an inspiration to be active and open in our walk of faith, generous and purposeful in ministry, and ready and willing to share the Gospel, mindful that the person seated beside you week after week in church may need to hear the Gospel message of salvation.

Words of Encouragement: For Faith and Duty

Sharing the Gospel does not come easily for everyone. From our personalities to our understanding of the Gospel, and everything in between, there are many reasons or excuses we allow to hold us back. Perhaps we’re afraid we will say the wrong thing or offend someone – there are a myriad of other reasons we can offer, but there is one reason that should outweigh all of the reasons/excuses we can think of – and it is found in John 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Simply put, it is a choice between life and death. Trust me, I’m not making light of the ‘difficulty’ we have with this all-important commission. I still freeze up sometimes, and/or I make excuses that it’s not the right setting or timing … or I can’t remember what to say … and sometimes those things may be true, but I have found that if I just open my mouth – God will lead the way and the conversation. Sometimes it ends up being an invitation to church; other times it is putting the Gospel information in their hands; still others, it is actually sharing the Gospel, as Paul did with Lydia – and even then the outcome isn’t on us … for only God can open someone’s heart and mind to understand the message of salvation.

Consider this … When Moses was sent by God to speak with Pharaoh, Moses told God: “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words, neither formerly nor since you’ve been speaking to your servant, because my mouth and my tongue are clumsy.”  God heard Moses’ response and replied back: And Yahweh said to him: “Who made man’s mouth? Who makes him dumb or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! And I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall speak.” Exodus 4:10-12

Friends, the battle belongs to the Lord! Just as God came down and spoke to Moses – leading Him to set His people free from slavery to Pharaoh – Jesus came down to set sinners free from their bondage to the law of sin and death. Like Moses, we have been commissioned to be the mouthpieces and the lights that lead them out – the hands and feet of Jesus, His love (the very message of the Gospel) in and to a lost and dying world.

Reflection/Application

What does Lydia inspire you to do? – share your answer, question, or comment in the comment section below – or jump over to my Journey Through the Word page

The More We Know

Need help sharing the Gospel? Check out this step-by-step plan of salvation from my church’s website. You can also message me for something to share with those who may need to hear the Gospel message.

Who Made Man’s Mouth?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Thanksgiving

Let the Redeemed Say So…

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Today’s “Thankful” passage is part of a chain of verses that caught my attention this past weekend. I was originally led to verses 4-9. However, after reading the entire Psalm and realizing that it is a beautiful crescendo of words that are best read together, from the introduction of the Psalmist’s declaration of God’s enduring love, or “loyal love”, as one translation puts it — to the conclusion, where God’s wisdom allows us to understand His loving-kindness and we are led to praise Him all the more.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

Psalm 107:2-3 KJV

Sin’s Power Is Broken –

6 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:1-11 NLT

Friends, if you are a believer, it is so important to remember that we were once slaves to sin, and though freed from that slavery, we are still the target of our enemy, the devil. “He actively works to nullify the effect of the Word of God in people’s hearts (Matthew 13:3–4, 19), and he blinds the intellect of those who do not believe so they cannot understand the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).1” The payment for our sin was death2, meaning we were desperately in need of a redeemer.3 God sent Jesus, our “Kinsman Redeemer,4” to pay the penalty we owed, so that we might not only live but have eternal life!5 His death on the cross broke the power of sin over all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

While commentator, David Guzik, rightfully notes that, “We might be redeemed from the world, the flesh, the devil, or countless other snares. Here, the psalmist has in mind redemption from the hand of the enemy, probably connected with the exile of God’s people.” However, once we realize the detailed truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, (outlined for us here and throughout God’s Word), would it not be the epitome of rudeness to be silent about such a great gift of His redeeming us from the power of sin and death? Oh, how little we must think of His great and unmerited gift of life, if we do not daily proclaim our redemption to Him with thanksgiving and to the people around us, that they might also be redeemed. After all, to declare our redemption is to make known the Gospel Message, of which we are ambassadors who are not to be ashamed, for the gospel message is God’s power to save.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

Friends, may we be faithful stewards of our words – both in praises to God and in sharing His redemptive plan with the world around us. – Or as the old chorus echoing through my mind says:

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

I’m redeemed, I’m redeemed, Praise the Lord!

The More We Know

The word gospel means “good news,” which is the message of forgiveness for sin through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is essentially God’s rescue plan of redemption for those who will trust in His divine Son in order to be reconciled to a just and holy God.

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

A Servant of the Gospel

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based on the LGG Study, Secure in Christ/ w3d2

Read: Ephesians 3:7-9; SOAP: verse 8

I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power. 8 To me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan—the mystery that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things.

Ephesians 3:7-9 NET or (KJV)

Oh, friends, that we might understand that we are “servants of the gospel.” Paul got it. He was well aware of His past life. He was a persecutor of Christians, not just persecuting their beliefs, but also seeking their arrest and imprisonment, and even death if they refused to deny Christ (Acts 26:10-11). That is, until he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus1. He was radically changed from the chief of all sinners, as he defined himself, into a minister sent to take the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles. His mission was to help them understand that God had made a way for them to be saved and numbered among the children of God. What a privilege and a challenge this must have been for Paul.

Our stories of salvation may not all be like Paul’s on the road to Damascus, with bright lights and temporary blindness. My Damascus Road was actually in a hospital room the night my first daughter was born.2 Friends, wherever we encounter Christ and put our faith in Him, we are saved by God’s grace and commissioned to “proclaim His grace and the ‘unfathomable riches of Christ'” to the world. May we be faithful, like Paul, to proclaim the message boldly, that everyone may be enlightened.

But God is greater than all of our shortcomings and failures. He can redeem anything and anyone. No one is too far gone or disqualified from His grace and service. This is why Paul writes that he is “less than the least of all the saints.” He knows what his life looked like before Christ, yet Jesus called him to His great mission. … Your resume doesn’t disqualify you. Instead, it qualifies you as a recipient of His grace to love watching world.

LGG Journal/p97

Do you remember what your life looked like before Christ? Do you understand the privilege of being called by Jesus to carry out His commission to share His message and love with others? If so, I invite you to share your story in the comments; if not, I invite you to visit the “Know these truths” link below.

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Determined

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Psalm 119, Seeking Him With All Our Heart/ w2d1

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: Psalm 119:25-32/ SOAP 27-28, 30

I lie in the dust;
    revive me by your word.
26 I told you my plans, and you answered.
    Now teach me your decrees.
27 Help me understand the meaning of your commandments,
    and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.
28 I weep with sorrow;
    encourage me by your word.
29 Keep me from lying to myself;
    give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.
30 I have chosen to be faithful;
    I have determined to live by your regulations.
31 I cling to your laws.
    Lord, don’t let me be put to shame!
32 I will pursue your commands,
    for you expand my understanding.

Psalm 119:25-32 NLT

Regardless of the condition and plight of the Psalmist, he returns again and again to the importance of God’s Word. He realizes it isn’t enough to simply read it but that he needs to meditate (dwell/think) on it. The Psalmist knows that God’s Word will bring encouragement, and he is determined to faithfully live by the “regulations”1 of God.

Don’t miss that the Psalmist didn’t just dwell in or search the Word of God; he sought God Himself. The Psalmist had a relationship with God and called out to God when he needed help understanding the Word or when he needed encouragement. When he was in great sorrow, the Psalmist cried (literally wept) and reached out to God

Living the Journey (Application)

Have you ever found yourself just going through the motions of a relationship with God? I confess that for many years of my life, my relationship with God simply included attending church. Then there were seasons when a daily verse—found in a book or on a calendar or app—that took 5 minutes to read sufficed as a relationship builder. Other times, it was a devotion that took five minutes to read. All were great at the moment but left me floundering in the relationship department.

Just like our earthly relationships aren’t built or strengthened by five minutes a day, neither is a relationship with God. – Please understand, that I believe these methods are all beneficial stepping stones, but in and of themselves, they will not build a relationship, cause our light to burn brightly, or offer us protection from the fiery darts of our enemy, the devil.

The Word of God is meant to be read, meditated on, used as a road map, shared with others, and talked about morning, noon, and night – daily.

Consider the importance of God’s Word. According to Paul, it has the power to save (Rom 1:16-17),, and Solomon wrote that it offers life and health and peace (Prov 4:20-22; Jn 16:33). It is a light to guide our feet and a lamp for our path (Ps 119:105), and we would be wise to faithfully follow after It. Let’s –

  • choose to be faithful to the Word of God
  • be determined to live by it in all our ways

 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Romans 1:16-17 NLT
Prayer for the Journey

Yes, Father – Yes! Help us to follow faithfully after Your Word. Help us to be committed to keeping it, determined to live by it – so that You might be honored and glorified as we become healthy and strong in our faith, who walk by the light and power of Your Word! Cause us to shed light on the world around us – reaching others with the Gospel that has the power to save! – Hallelujah and amen!

Question FOR THE JOURNEY

Have you committed to living by the Word or to simply reading a daily verse and going about your day?

THE MORE WE KNOW

You’ll want to check out the LGG post for today’s passage – but before you go – take a minute to read the following.

Another prominent theme in Psalm 119 is the profound truth that the Word of God is all-sufficient. Psalm 119 is an expansion of Psalm 19:7–9: “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.” There are eight different terms referring to the Word of God throughout the psalm: law, testimonies, precepts, statues, commandments, judgments, word, and ordinances. In almost every verse, the Word of God is mentioned.

gotquestions.org
  1. Note the many ways the Psalmist refers to God’s Word in today’s passage: decrees … commandments … Word … instructions … regulations … law … commands ↩︎
Posted in Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Lent, LGG Study, Quiet Time

“I Will Rise Again”

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God / w6d4

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: Matthew 27:62-66 / SOAP: Matthew 27:66

62 The next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “Take a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can. 66”So they went with the soldiers of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Matthew 27:62-66 NET

As I was reading this passage, it struck me a that Jesus wasted no words, in this case, “After three days I will rise again.” The words were shocking and memorable for sure but the fact that Jesus’ statement was remembered by the Pharisees and chief priests led to the sealing of the tomb. The sealing of the tomb gave credit to the fact that Christ did indeed rise up from that grave – just as He said He would.

My friends at Love God Greatly noticed the same thing and wrote a wonderful devotion about what I believe will be both enlightening and encouraging to your Easter celebration.

Very little is recorded about the Saturday between Jesus’ death and resurrection. It was a Sabbath day, so very little happened. There was no work, and people could not even travel far from their homes. The disciples may have stayed hidden, trying to process the events of the previous day and figure out what to do next.

However, the Jewish leaders remembered Jesus’ words and His promise to rise again. Though they didn’t believe Him, they understood the power of His impact and knew His followers were loyal. They had the Roman soldiers set guards over the tomb and secured it with a large stone.

What they didn’t know was what was coming. They sealed the tomb to keep the disciples from stealing the body, but what they didn’t expect was for Jesus to rise again. While they were sealing the tomb, Jesus was sealing the salvation of those who would put their faith in Him. He died, and stayed dead for a time so that he could defeat death once and for all.

Reflecting on these events allows us to examine how we respond when God seems silent. Saturday sits between the most horrific day in history and the most glorious. But nothing happened. When our life and circumstances sit between devastation and restoration, how do we respond? It is not easy to wait patiently for redemption, but we can be sure of this: The same God who raised Jesus from the dead is always working. No matter how long it takes, may we be followers of Jesus who remain steadfast even in the darkness, uncertainty, and silence. -p. 196 of the LGG Lent Journal –

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

There is much to be learned from the Pharisees and Chief Priests remembering the words of Jesus – namely that we should do the same. As was noted in the Love God Greatly devotional, they knew and understood the power of His impact. Because of this, they sought to do something about them.

Read the words and follow the teachings of Jesus –

Never lose sight of the power and the impact that the words of Jesus (and the words God inspired throughout the Scriptures) have on us and on others. For instance, remembering that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation – to everyone who believes should keep us from being ashamed to share God and His message of salvation (the hope of every man – who believes) and should encourage us to lay aside our timidness and eagerly use/share the Gospel and see God’s power at work. ( For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes... Romans 1:16)

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember the words and teaching of Jesus – so that you can be ready with an answer for the hope that is within you, (1 Peter 3:15). Remember, it was Jesus who said that the Holy Spirit was sent to teach us all things and to remind us of everything that Jesus taught, (John 14:26)

Speak/share the words and teachings of Jesus with others. I understand this can insight fear in us – fear that we won’t know what to say or how to say it (Remember though, God told Moses [who was afraid to speak] that He would teach him what to say, Ex 4:10-12). It can panic us because we may not remember what or where something was said- again, remember John 14:26 says that the Spirit will remind us; and in this day and age we have the beautiful tool of computerized browsers that will help us find specific verses or topics. We might also be afraid of how the other person will respond but remember the greater danger is they never hear and how can they be saved if they do not hear? (Rom 10:14-15) –

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, help us to be bold with Your Word. Help us to spend time in Your Word – to let the light of it shine in own lives and radiate out to others. Let us be forever alert to Your Spirit who was sent to teach us all things and to remind us of everything Jesus said. There are lost and dying people all around us and if they do not hear, if Your servants do not carry Your words to others then they will not hear and they will not be saved.

The More We Know

To live unashamed of the gospel means we …

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