Tag: hope

Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, From the Vault, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Rejoice, Some of My Favorite Things, Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving

Posted on by

originally posted November 10, 2024

…in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

After reading my morning verse recently, I found myself journaling these words: “Father, You are good. How long ago did You show me this verse? How many years since I sat at my kitchen table reading and rereading it and the verses that followed? How many times and ways since then have you shown me the truth of those verses?”

Sometime in the early nineties, I sat at the table of our newly built home, enjoying the quiet moments of my baby’s nap time. Sometimes, when she slept, I would rest or clean, but most often, I would spend some alone time with God in His Word. As a newly “revived” believer, I was hungry for the Word and eager to build/rebuild a relationship with God.

Today’s verse brought that table and time to mind, as it was there that I first remember beginning to study Philippians 4:4-7, specifically – Paul’s words, “Rejoice in the Lord always. (I will say it again: Rejoice!) 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Note: while verse eight wasn’t included in my early study, it soon followed and has rescued me from more battles than I can count.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8

God seemed to embed those words in my mind that day. Through the three decades that have followed, He has continued to faithfully ingrain1 them in my heart and to use them to help me through many turbulent days/years of this life/world. These words … have taught me to fix my eyes on God and His will … to ‘rejoice’ even when the days are hard, sad, or downright scary. The words helped me develop a deeper relationship with God, teaching me to spend time in prayer ( in every situation, by prayer and petition), talking to God (present your requests to God.), not just at Him. From there, I began learning to trust Him (And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus), to fix my thoughts on Him, and to experience His promised peace.

To this day, Paul’s words remind me that God is near, that His return is imminent, and that in and with God, I can have, know, and be filled with peace even in the tumultuous storms of this life! God’s peace is truly a peace that surpasses all understanding. It is a peace that gives strength and hope in both the good and challenging seasons; this strength and hope have led me to “re-joy-cing” in God for more than thirty years.

As I read the words again this morning, they were not new to me, but they caused my mind to stop and remember God’s goodness so many years ago and every day since to change my life from the inside out!🦋

Loving Heavenly Father, my strength and hope are from You ~ through Christ in me. Your grace and power fill me with the confident JOY to keep going when hope seems far away, and sorrows weigh me down. When I am weak, You are strong! So in my sorrow for this world and despite my concerns, please continue to help me KEEP my eyes and thoughts fixed on You – and let the flag of JOY fly high above the castle of my heart – where You alone rule and reign. May it be a clear announcement to all, that You – my God and King – are in residence here!💜 – And, to borrow from today’s devotion2 “May my life be a testament to the unshakable joy found in a relationship with You. Let this joy be my strength, a light to others, and a reflection of Your constant grace in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

  1. Ingrain means to establish a habit, belief, or attitude so firmly that it is very difficult to change, or to work something deeply into the natural texture or material of an object. [1, 2] ↩︎
  2. OurDailyVerse.com ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, From the Vault, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Rejoice

Good Reminders

Posted on by MaryEllen

originally published July 7, 2019

Do you ever wake up with thoughts of the past that stir up regrets, or thoughts of the future that stir up fears? This morning was one of those mornings for me.

As I lay there, struggling with the ‘if onlys’ of the past and the ‘what ifs’ of the future, God, in His goodness, prodded me with His Spirit, reminding me (speaking words right into my very soul, it seemed) to fix my thoughts on Him. He was specific, reminding me that this is the day that the Lord has made, and I should rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). He whispered, Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. I quickly rose in the strength of the reminders – knowing they were words of life and victory over the enemy’s attempt to steal and kill and destroy – but I found myself still trying to shake off the regrets and fears that had been stirred up; unfortunately, they didn’t shake off like sand but stuck like caked-on dirt. He rescued me, though, with one final word – PEACE – reminding me that those who trust in Him and fix their thoughts on Him are kept in perfect peace (Isa. 26:3). With that, I was able to move forward, thankful to be free from the debris of fears and regrets, and find myself in worship and awe of God’s goodness.

Thankfulness leads to an awe of God that fills the heart and overflows in worship ~💜

As I spent time in the wonder and worship of what had just transpired, I looked up the reference He had whispered about Jesus being the author and finisher of my faith – curious as to why that verse for this situation, and I found these words preceding those:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down (i.e. Fears and regrets) especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus … Hebrews 12:1-2

Familiar words for sure, hidden away in my heart/mind but not thought of or quoted for a while now – but certainly putting into deeper perspective the beauty of how God uses His Spirit and His Word in our lives.

…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26

My child pay attention to what I say, listen carefully to My words. Don’t lose sight of them, for they are life to those who find them and healing to their whole body. Proverbs 4:20-22

Prayer: Father, You are good, and in Your goodness You have won the battle over the thoughts of regrets and fear that plagued my mind. When You are for us, what can stand against us? So, in gladness I have risen to meet this day, and with thanksgiving I fix my eyes on Christ, the author and finisher of my faith, through whom I find forgiveness and renewed strength. It is with steadfast hope and thanksgiving that I entrust – not just this day – but all the days of my future, whether here on earth or in heaven with You. Yes, God, You are good, and I thank You for Your Presence in my life and for the work of Your Spirit to remind me of everything You have said. You are a good, good Father! It’s who You are, and You are mine because of my faith in Jesus Christ. I know You are working all things together for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose – and in this TRUTH I find PEACE. Thank you for intimately knowing every detail of my life, for knowing the words I needed to hear this morning, and for speaking them into me. Is it any wonder that I love and trust You? For surely I have tasted and seen that You are Good! My heart is exceedingly glad ~ and forever thankful!

Blessings – Me from the Inside Out 💕

For more on the meaning of Psalm 118:24, click here –>Rejoice and be glad in it… 

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

Living Beyond Earthly Desires: A Call to Seek Heavenly Things

Posted on by MaryEllen

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Colossians 3:1-4 (soap verses 3-4)

On our last day’s journey, we looked at the first two verses of this passage, where we were reminded that because we have been raised with Christ, we are to keep seeking and thinking about things of God, not the things of earth. Today’s passage picks up with an explanation from Paul telling us why: which is namely, because we no longer belong to the ruler of this world, but we belong to God, who has placed us in Christ. You see, Christ is more than the giver and sustainer of life – He is our life.

Christ is more than the giver and sustainer of life – He is our life.

Bibleref.com, Colossians 3:4

Consider these words from today’s LGG, Christ Is All I Need, journal

Why do we need to keep seeking the things above? Paul stresses that it’s because we are united to Jesus by faith. When Jesus died, we died with Him. He rose to life, raising us with Him. He now lives inside every believer. He is our Life.

Remember that you have been united to a Savior who lived His whole life on earth denying Himself. He expects you to do the same. Don’t live for the glory of this world. Don’t strive to “be somebody” now.

The real you is not visible on earth yet, and it’s not meant to be. It’s not what you see in the mirror. This earth is not your place of rest. One day, when Jesus returns, you will be revealed with Him in glory, shining like the sun in sinless perfection and being finally and truly at home.

Friends, I don’t know about you, but these words (particularly the last paragraph) left me shouting HALLELUJAH ~ COME JESUS COME! They also started me singing My Jesus, I love Thee. When I looked up the lyrics (so I could copy and paste), I learned they were originally a poem written by William Ralph Featherston following his salvation. Featherston was just a teenage boy at the time, somewhere between the ages of 12 and 16. His raw emotion and expression of thankfulness and love struck a chord in millions of hearts. Writing with the passion of a teenager, yet with the wisdom of someone years beyond his age, Featherston captures the beautiful, intimate relationship we have with our Saviour, and the glorious future that awaits us in eternity.1

Response of Worship

My Response of Prayer

Father, thank You for the beautiful truth that Paul writes about – the truth that we are dead in our trespasses and sins, but by Your grace and mercy and our faith in Christ Jesus, You have raised us to new life and placed us safely in Him. Thank you for loving us first. Jesus, thank You for dying, for wearing the crown of thorns, so that all who come to You by faith can be saved and walk in an intimate relationship with You, while we wait for Your return. Thank You that one day we will live with You in glory and endless delight, where we will adore You forever – even more than we do now. ~ In Jesus’ glorious name ~ Amen and Amen!

Reflection and Application

Do you find it difficult to set/keep your mind on things above (things of God and Jesus)? If your answer is yes, as I imagine everyone’s is, today’s journal entry suggests this as one of the reasons:

It is hard for us to set our minds on things above is that we can’t yet experience those blessings with our physical senses. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could already see, hear, feel, or touch the blessings that are stored up for us in heaven? We can’t because God wants us to live by faith, not yet by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).2

In the world we live in, it is common to work for and/or even expect the glory, recognition, and honor of the people around us, which is why we must remember our lives are not our own to do with as we wish. For as Paul writes, we died to this life, and our real life is hidden with Christ in God. Today’s journal entry explains this best: “This world is not the place for us to strive for glory, recognition, or honor. In fact, Jesus taught that following Him means daily taking up our cross and denying ourselves. (Matthew 16:24)”3

  1. The story behind My Jesus I Love Thee ↩︎
  2. Christ Is All I Need, p142, paragraph 1 ↩︎
  3. Christ Is All I Need, p142, paragraph 2 ↩︎
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. ↩︎

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.

Biblical synagogue, Jesus healing bent woman
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, She, Volume 4

The Woman with a Spirit of Infirmity

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from the study, She, delighting in the examples of women of the Bible, volume 4/pp95-96

Today’s Scripture Reading: Luke 13:10-17 and Romans 5:20

The women with a spirit of infimity serves as an example of what Christ has brought us from.

She, volume 4/p96

He Touched Me

Since I’ve met this blessed Savior
Since He’s cleansed and made me whole
Oh, I will never cease to praise Him
I’ll shout it while eternity rolls

Oh, He touched me, oh He touched me
And oh, the joy that floods my soul
Something happened, and now I know
He touched me ~ and made me whole

Shackled by a heavy burden
‘Neath a load of guilt and shame
Then the hand of Jesus touched me
And now I am no longer the same

He touched me, oh, He touched me
And oh, the joy that floods my soul
Something happened, and now I know
He touched me ~ and made me whole

I do not remember how old I was, but I do remember where I was and who I was with when I first remember hearing this song. I was most likely between the ages of 10 and 12, sitting on the piano bench with my grandmother while she was playing and singing. Whether it was her singing or her playing that caused the song to grab my attention and my heart, I do not know – I only know that it captivated me. Little did I know just how much it would define my life and soul until nearly two decades later, when Jesus began calling/leading me out of “the wilderness”… out of the muck and mire of my own load of guilt and shame of sin that ensnared me. Bill Gaither could have written no truer words to describe this time/season of my life than the ones he penned in the chorus of this song: “Something wonderful happened, and now I know – He touched me and made me whole.”

 One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11 he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13 Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!

Luke 13:10-13 NLT

Needless to say, I can so imagine this woman with the infirmity hearing Jesus call her to come, and how she must have felt when she heard the words of healing and experienced the compassion that followed: ‘Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!’ “Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight!” Can you just imagine how she must have felt? Oh, the joy that must have flooded her soul! For not only had Jesus seen her, but He called her to Him, spoke healing over her, and then He touched her and made her whole! She was no longer crippled and bound by the power of the demon, but set free ~ standing straight and glorifying God.”

… And now I am no longer the same

Friends, as today’s study journal points out, “We were all bound in sin before we met Jesus.” I’m here to tell you, sadly from experience, we must be careful after we meet Him, lest we become caught up in those chains again. This is why Paul warns believers to “be alert, because our enemy, the devil, prowls around looking for someone to devour.” Satan can never take us from God, but he wants nothing more than to cripple us, binding us up in the mindset and chains of this world. Remember, though, when we belong to Jesus, we have been set free from the chains of sin and death, and Satan no longer has authority over us.

Satan has no authority here in this place; he has no authority here! For this habitation was fashioned by the Lord, and He has all authority here 💜

Reflection and Application

The More We Know

In His rebuttal to the angry ruler of the synagogue, commentator David Guzik writes, “Jesus did not respond with gentleness.” Instead, He called the ruler a “Hypocrite!” Guzik continues, “With authority, Jesus confronted the ruler of the synagogue who valued extreme extensions of Biblical commands more than the compassionate and life-changing power of Jesus to heal a long-afflicted woman.”

The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound; think of it; for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

(Luke 13:15-17)


“Jesus gave several compelling reasons why it was appropriate to show her mercy, and more appropriate than helping a distressed animal.” The first two reasons centered on the ruler himself:

Hypocrite! “Jesus did not respond with gentleness,” but “With authority he confronted the ruler of the synagogue who valued extreme extensions of Biblical commands more than the compassionate and life-changing power of Jesus to heal a long-afflicted woman.”

i. “Thou hypocrite to pretend zeal for God’s glory, when it is only the workings of thy malicious, unfeeling, and uncharitable heart.” (Clarke)

b. Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? Jesus’ reply was simple. If you can help an animal on the Sabbath, why can’t you also help a suffering person on the Sabbath?

…and then the last four, in compassionate defense of the woman:

· She was a woman – made in the image of God and now long-afflicted

· She was a daughter of Abraham, a Jewish woman, with a covenant connection to Abraham. This may also indicate that she was a woman of faith, as well as her attendance at synagogue.

· She was one whom Satan had bound, and every day is a good day to oppose the work of Satan and to set free his captives.

· She was afflicted for eighteen years, long enough to suffer greatly and to draw forth the compassion of Jesus and others.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 3

Elizabeth

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from the She study, volume 3, pp11-12

You will show me the way of life,
    granting me the joy of your presence
    and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 16:11

Elizabeth is a well-known woman of the Bible. She is a beautiful example of faith and of the fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord. We find her story in Luke, chapter 1, verses 5-80, where we learn that she was the wife of Zachariah, the prophet, and she was very old when she conceived. She was also the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is this part of her story that we will focus on today.

Not long after Mary learned that she was pregnant with Jesus, the Son of God, she traveled to visit her cousin Elizabeth in Judea. Let’s stop and marvel for a minute at the contrast of the miracles God had worked in both women. Mary, a young, unmarried virgin, has just learned that she has become pregnant through immaculate conception, while Elizabeth, who was described as ‘barren and very old’ in Luke 1:7, is now six months pregnant. I can’t help but notice how their stories accentuate the beautiful truth that: “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 

Luke 1:35-36

While I love the entire story of Elizabeth and Mary, I particularly appreciate the beauty of Elizabeth and her baby when Mary arrived.

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Luke 1:39-45

Elizabeth was clearly overwhelmed at Mary’s arrival, but it was more than excitement to see Mary. Scripture says that it was because “at the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s baby leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” This was evident by Elizabeth’s “glad cry and exclamation to Mary,” that “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.” Elizabeth goes on to question why she is so honored to be visited by the “mother of her Lord.” What a moving and beautiful example of how the joy we find in the presence of the Lord our God affects those around us.

Experience and Application

Friends, I know that I share (or perhaps overshare) various stories of how God has worked in my life – so forgive me if you have heard this too many times. However, I cannot read this story without remembering my own experience with being unable to conceive for eight long and often torturous years. While I realize this in no way compares to the number of years that Elizabeth waited, it did offer me a similar experience as God restored a joy that had long been stifled by life’s sorrows and disappointments. For it was during my pregnancy and the birth of my first daughter that God sent several “Elizabeth’s” to me who poured out encouragement and joy by feeding my soul and mind with the Word that I had somewhat tuned out for years because of my disappointment in myself and in God. The pregnancy itself brought a sense of joy because I had hoped so long for it, but through the joy of godly friendships, He began doing the work of changing me from the Insideout and when that baby girl was born and they held her up to me – I knew my life would never be the same … not only because I had been blessed with a child but because I was filled with an awareness of His Presence in me.

“May we all seek to be an Elizabeth to someone else.”

She, Volume 3, p12

The More We Know

  • Who is an Elizabeth in your life?
  • Who was Elizabeth’s Son?
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

The Woman With an Issue of Blood, Part 1

Posted on by MaryEllen

Adapted from She, Volume 2/pp95-96

Read: Matthew 9:20-22 and Luke 8:43-48

But a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 For she kept saying to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

Matthew 9:20-21 NET

Desperation can cause us to do things we would not usually do; this is the case with today’s woman in the Bible. She is not named, but oh, how we need to know her story, share it with others, and let it affect our faith.

We are not told how she found out about Jesus (Mark 5:27) or how she came to believe that if she could only touch his garment, even the hem of it, she would be healed. Her disease wasn’t one that she could simply walk up to Him in public and talk about. It wasn’t a disease that any doctor or remedy she was given had been able to cure, but it was one on which she had spent all of her money in an attempt to find a cure, only to have the disease grow worse (see Mark 5:25–26).

As bad as those details sound, add to it “the Jewish Law that declared her to be ceremonially unclean due to her bleeding issue (Leviticus 15:25-27).” Which, as gotquestions.org explains, “meant that she would not have been permitted to enter the temple for Jewish religious ceremonies. According to the Law, anything or anyone she touched became unclean as well. The fact that she was in the crowd pressing around Jesus means that each person who bumped into her would have become unclean, too—including Jesus.” However, as has already been said, desperation can push us to do things we would never do otherwise. Such is the case here. “After twelve years of suffering, she was obviously desperate for a miracle.” So, “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed’” (Mark 5:27–28).

If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”

Matthew 9:20 KJV

And so it was, just as she had believed. Scripture bears witness to us that the woman was made whole (Luke 8:47 and Mark 5:30). We could stop there with that testimony and celebrate both her faith and the victory that she experienced because of it. However, I can’t resist sharing the following commentary from gotquestions.org, which offers a wonderful bonus reason to lift our hands in praise for Jesus’ transforming power through her faith.

“As soon as the woman touches Jesus, her bleeding stops and she knows she’s been healed. In an instant, Jesus does what no doctor in twelve years had been able to. This proves the power of Christ, of course, but it also illustrates an important point about Jesus and the Law. In Leviticus 15:31 God says, “You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.” In the Old Testament, the temple was where God dwelt among the Israelites, but in the New Testament, God dwelt among men in the person of Jesus Christ (see John 1:14). Through Jesus the penalties of the Law are reversed, and the contamination of this world had no effect on Christ. The woman did not make Jesus (God’s dwelling) unclean—He made her clean!”

Friends, I don’t know about you, but to that beautiful picture of ‘faith’s glorious victory’ I am shouting a loud amen and hallelujah!

Reflection and Application
  • What was so special about the garment Jesus was wearing?
The More We Know

Join me tomorrow as we look at another example of this woman with the issue of blood. It’s amazing what these women can teach us.

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, She, Volume 2

Ruth, Part 3

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Adapted from She, Volume 2, pp 67

Read: Ruth 2:14-23

There is a version/translation of the Scriptures called the Message. I’m assuming most are at least familiar with it but if you aren’t it is, as Christianbooks.com describes it, “a unique, contemporary paraphrase of the Bible that captures the heart, tone, and vibrant imagery of Scripture in everyday language—making it an inspiring choice for personal devotion, fresh insights, and connecting with God’s Word in a relatable, emotionally engaging way that speaks powerfully to both new believers and longtime readers alike.” ~While I do not use the Message as a study Bible, I do appreciate its tone and imagery – particularly in books like Ruth, as it seems to capture the heart and voice of the characters and the all-encompassing love and personal care of our God.

14 At the lunch break, Boaz said to her, “Come over here; eat some bread. Dip it in the wine.”

So she joined the harvesters. Boaz passed the roasted grain to her. She ate her fill and even had some left over.

15-16 When she got up to go back to work, Boaz ordered his servants: “Let her glean where there’s still plenty of grain on the ground—make it easy for her. Better yet, pull some of the good stuff out and leave it for her to glean. Give her special treatment.”

17-18 Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. When she threshed out what she had gathered, she ended up with nearly a full sack of barley! She gathered up her gleanings, went back to town, and showed her mother-in-law the results of her day’s work; she also gave her the leftovers from her lunch.

19 Naomi asked her, “So where did you glean today? Whose field? God bless whoever it was who took such good care of you!”

Ruth told her mother-in-law, “The man with whom I worked today? His name is Boaz.”

20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Why, God bless that man! God hasn’t quite walked out on us after all! He still loves us, in bad times as well as good!”

Naomi went on, “That man, Ruth, is one of our circle of covenant redeemers, a close relative of ours!”

21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “Well, listen to this: He also told me, ‘Stick with my workers until my harvesting is finished.’”

22 Naomi said to Ruth, “That’s wonderful, dear daughter! Do that! You’ll be safe in the company of his young women; no danger now of being raped in some stranger’s field.”

23 So Ruth did it—she stuck close to Boaz’s young women, gleaning in the fields daily until both the barley and wheat harvesting were finished. And she continued living with her mother-in-law.

Ruth 2:14-23 ~The Message

What a beautiful love story that unfolds on the pages of Scripture as God leads Ruth to the field of Boaz, one of their Kinsman Redeemers, and the heart and actions of Boaz respond with tender compassion and protection for Ruth and her mother-in-law.

Equally as beautiful is the visible melting of Naomi’s bitterness when she hears what God has done for them and declares, “Why, God bless that man! God hasn’t quite walked out on us after all! He still loves us, in bad times as well as good!” (Ruth 2:20).

Friends, this is such an important truth for us to know and remember throughout all of life. Even when life is overwhelming and the way ahead seems uncertain, we have the promise of God’s never-ending love and wisdom. We have the promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, and that He will lead us and guide us by His Spirit and His Word.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 42:16

Isaiah 42:16 was the passage of a morning devotion I recently read, and it came to mind as I was working on today’s journey through Ruth chapter 2, where Ruth knew no one and was desperately trying to help provide for herself and Naomi. There is no indication that she knew which fields were safe or who they belonged to. There is, however, overwhelming evidence that God was guiding her along unfamiliar paths, turning her darkness into light, and making the rough places smooth. Ruth had chosen to leave her pagan gods and family behind, committing herself not only to Naomi but to her true and living God, the faithful God of Israel. Now, she would begin to realize His love and personal involvement in her life as He provides not only safety but the attentiveness of a kinsman redeemer and the handfuls of barley purposefully dropped along the path for her to pick up as she gleaned.

She returned home to Naomi with the reserve of barley, and the amount sparked the interest of her mother-in-law.1

She held abundant grace within her hands.2

The passages (Ruth 2:14-23 and Isaiah 42:16) are worth rereading, for they reveal the absolute beauty of God leading, guiding, planting … us where He wants us, both for our good and His purpose and glory. Even the Isaiah passage is evidence of that truth in my own life, as I had not gone looking for the verse, the people who post the daily verses do not know me or what I would be studying – nor do I believe it is a mere coincidence, but rather the beautiful direction and timing of our lovingly purposeful, sovereign God.

May God continually open our eyes and hearts to behold all the wonderful things in His Word and His work in and around our lives. May we, as Naomi, trust, see, and declare that, regardless of how difficult our days and situations may be, God has not abandoned us, He still loves us – “in the bad times as well as good,” and may we bless His Holy Name.

“Why, God bless that man! God hasn’t quite walked out on us after all! He still loves us, in bad times as well as good!” Naomi went on, “That man, Ruth, is one of our circle of covenant redeemers, a close relative of ours!”

Ruth 2:20

I love that we not only see Naomi’s scales of bitterness falling away, but we can hear the restored hope in her words to Ruth (2:20). We can also hear the beautiful evidence that she truly considered Ruth her daughter. As we move toward the end of our journey with Ruth over the next day or two, we will see that those around Ruth could see these truths as well.

Reflection and Application

What have you recently gleaned from the Word of God?

The More We Know
  1. She, Volume 2/p67 ↩︎
  2. She, Volume 2/p67 ↩︎

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

A Beautiful Forever

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Based on the LGG Journal, From the Beginning to Foreverw6/d5

Read: Revelation 1:4-8; 20:7-10 and 21:1-6/SOAP: Revelation 21:3-4
Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:4-8 (NKJV)

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 20:7-10 NKJV

All Things Made New

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

Revelation 21:1-6 (NKJV)

Friends, as today’s LGG Journal entry points out, “This is the future reality the Bible paints for us.”1

We can only imagine what that day will be like… The sights and sounds, the reality of God wiping away every tear, death, sorrow, crying, and pain no longer being a part of life…The inexplicable joy of coming into the presence of God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…the One who will “freely give us, for all eternity, spiritual blessings to enjoy…resources from God that will be at our disposal for the enjoyment of the new heaven and earth.”2

Perhaps, like me, you are longing for that day…a day when God will dwell with His people as He did in the garden…a day when pain and sorrow and all of the harsh realities of this life will be over…the day when we will live in the New Jerusalem. “Oh, what a glorious day that will be!”3 If you do not have the certainty of that hope, but would like to learn how to share in it, I invite you to continue reading this post and then visit the link “Know These Truths.”

Revelation is unquestionably a complex book, especially for those of us who like things spelled out more than we appreciate descriptions or depictions that are a challenge to fully grasp and leave us shaking our heads, saying, “What?”. Honestly, while I dive into nearly every other book of the Bible without hesitation, I have tended to steer clear of the book of Revelation, not out of fear of what’s to come, but out of frustration and concern that I will be confused by or misunderstand the complexity of John’s words. However, as I find myself praying more and more, “Come, Lord Jesus, come,” I have become increasingly drawn to the book. I have a hunger to know more than the clear and certain truths of the end times that I have professed for years: Jesus is coming again…He will defeat not only Satan but all of His enemies…and He will rule forever as King. While traveling through “From the Beginning to Forever,” I have been reminded of the need to live with the full reality of eternity in mind – not just that I am going to live with Him forever in the New Jerusalem, but that those who have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ will spend their eternity in hell. If I lose sight of this, I give the enemy a foothold to hold me back from sharing the message of the Gospel, which is the good news that Jesus saves, and that salvation is not only the promise of forgiveness and eternal life, but that it is the free gift of God to all who believe.4

Friends, knowing what our “forever” is, is a blessing above all blessings, for we know that, “We will day be glorified and spend eternity with the Savior.”5 However, may we never lose sight of the truth that those who have never believed face a real and certain eternity in anguish in the flame.6

The More We Know

How can I evangelize my friends and family without pushing them away?

The Gospel Message (message me if you would like a card or bookmark of this plan, I’ll mail them to you for free)

Today’s LGG Blog Post: Faith To Be Made Sight

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