Tag: hope

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

No Longer Ashamed

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based on the LGG Study, Firm Foundation, w2d1

Scripture and Observation

Read: Romans 6:21-23 / SOAP v23 (It is most helpful to read the entire chapter)

So, what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. 23 For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

WOW! Talk about. a truth that changed everything and is essential to our firm foundation. We could stop here with the reading of these three verses, soak them in and move on – but we would do ourselves an injustice. You see – the question asked in verse 21 requires us to look back to the previous verse(s) to see what Paul is talking about. I found reading the whole chapter to be most helpful, but even going back a few verses revealed that he is referring to slavery to sin, which had resulted in impurity and lawlessness.

Before believing in Christ, the people had been free from the obligation to do/live righteously, and the result of that freedom led to sin and shame. However, and a mighty HALLELUJAH! The result of believing in Christ brought freedom from sin and shame and a life with God, which leads to eternal life!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 NLT
Application from the Journey

If you haven’t placed your faith and hope in Jesus Christ – I plead with you to do that today. – The Bible tells us the way to this salvation, this hope, and freedom from slavery to sin, and the shame sin brings is to “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.”1 – If you have believed – rejoice in the freedom from sin and shame and live the holy life He has called us to by giving yourselves as slaves to righteousness, through the power of Christ and His Spirit in us. 2

I am so thankful for the freedom from sin and truly rejoice in the freedom from shame. That’s right – God didn’t just free us from the law of sin and death – He poured His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom He gave to us, and because of that hope, we do not stand in shame but rejoice in the righteousness of Christ and His blood that covers us! (please tell me this brought a hallelujah!) Friend, because of this hope: “There is now no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus! Scripture makes it clear that …

  • We are made right with God by faith (Rom 5:1,3, 5 and 7)
  • We have peace with God because of what Christ did for us (Rom 5:1)
  • Our sins are put out of sight (Rom 5:7-8)

“Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

(Romans 5:5)
Prayer and Worship Response to the Journey

Father, You are worthy of more praise than we can give – for You have saved us not only from our sins but from the stain and shame those sins marked us with. You have removed their power over us, and You have covered us with the righteousness of Christ and poured the love of Your Spirit out into our hearts! We are most blessed to stand before You, forgiven and cleansed – not because of anything we have done or ever could do but because of what Christ did for us on the cross. He took our sins and their shame upon Himself that we might be made right with You, have peace with You, and have our sins be put out of Your sight! Ah! Lord God – Hallelujah! How very loving and merciful You are! – May we, in turn, give ourselves fully to You, living as slaves to righteous living… being holy as You are holy, hating sin and all that is wrong, and clinging to what is good. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus who bore my sin and shame – Amen and amen!

The More We Know
Click Here for more insight from Love God Greatly

Last week’s journey led us through a lesson on the holiness of God and His instruction for His children to be holy as He is Holy. In backing up and reading the passage that led to our verses today, I found this nugget of gold. If we want to become/live the holy life, “we must give ourselves to be slaves to righteous living.3“

Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

Romans 6:19

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

To Fear or Not to Fear

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based on the LGG Study, Rejoice – Celebrating the Advent of Christ

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Luke 1:49-50 and 12:1-8; Heb 12:25-29

from generation to generation He is merciful to those who fear Him.

Luke 1:50
Observations and Applications from Our Journey

The long and short of it is this … my sins deserved death, and nothing I do or say can change that. But, in love, God sent His Son – who knew no sin – to die for me so that my sins might be covered by His blood. There is no greater love, there is no richer mercy – and they flow deep and wide from generation to generation to those who “fear Him.”

To Those Who Fear Him…

After reading today’s passages, all of which mention or elude to “fearing God,” one thought came to mind: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” This, of course, led me on a little “Scripture squirrel hunt.” which began in Proverbs 9:10, where we read: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” For those of you who know me, you know the hunt didn’t stop there. Because, – while I knew that the basic meaning of fearing God is reverential awe, I wanted to know more and see how/if this thought that had now captivated my mind intertwined with our journey today.

My journal page was quickly filled with notes from my own thoughts, to quotes from gotquestions.org and other verses that came to mind. Most of which, I will attempt to convey here, for the greatest impression I hold from the hunt is this vital truth: “Without the fear of the Lord, we make final decisions based on our faulty human understanding.”

Without the fear of the Lord, we make decisions based on our faulty human understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6). When we incorporate the fear of the Lord into every moment of our lives, we make decisions based upon His approval. We live with the knowledge that the Creator of the universe is intimately involved in our every move. He sees, knows, and evaluates all our choices, and we will answer to Him (Psalm 139:1–4).

Our respect for God’s majesty causes us to honor Him (Psalm 29:2). Our gratitude for His mercy causes us to serve Him well (Psalm 2:11; 107:15). And the understanding that our God of love is also a God of wrath inspires enough fear to help us stay away from evil (Romans 1:18; Proverbs 8:13). Sin is foolish; righteousness is wise. When we live righteously, we are on the path to wisdom, and everyone in our lives benefits (Proverbs 13:20; 19:8).

So, if fear is vital to our Christian walk, it stands to reason that we must understand what it means to fear Him. As gotquestions.or points out, “‘In the Bible, the word translated ‘fear’ can mean several things.” The commentary gives examples of each and concludes that “The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these.”

  • The terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25).
  • It can mean “respect” in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14).
  •  Fear can also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5).

Those who fear the Lord have a continual awareness of Him, a deep reverence for Him, and sincere commitment to obey Him.

gotquestions.org

So, how do we live with a continual awareness of God? How do we maintain a deep reverence for Him and sincerely commit to obeying Him? I believe the answer lies not just in knowing who God is but in being in a relationship with Him. When we ‘walk and talk’ with God daily, we will know what pleases Him and what does not. We will make decisions based on how He feels about something rather than our own understandings and desires.

Our respect for God’s majesty causes us to honor Him (Psalm 29:2). Our gratitude for His mercy causes us to serve Him well (Psalm 2:11; 107:15). And the understanding that our God of love is also a God of wrath inspires enough fear to help us stay away from evil (Romans 1:18; Proverbs 8:13). Sin is foolish; righteousness is wise. When we live righteously, we are on the path to wisdom, and everyone in our lives benefits (Proverbs 13:20; 19:8).

gotquestions.org

To be clear, the ‘fear’ believers are to have of God is not one of terror in the sense that we are terrified to approach Him, but we must understand and respect the fact that while He is a God of love, He is also a God of wrath- Jesus makes this clear in the words found in Luke 12:5-7, where we read: But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. 6 “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid(of man)*; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

*But Jesus has told believers not to fear these hypocrites. At their very worst, they can only kill the body. Instead, they ought to fear a God who will mete out eternal death to those who refuse to repent. It is God who will send sinners to hell, and it is God who knows every sparrow (Luke 12:1–6).

Bibleref.com/Luke 12:7

If you have not placed Your faith in Jesus Christ, I urge you not to wait. For as the passages of today’s journey point out, God delivered judgment on those who ignored His warnings. As the journey revealed today, it is even more foolish to ignore the warning from Christ and the invitation of His Gospel message to believe in Him and be saved from death to everlasting life. (Jn 3:18 and Romans 6:23) If you would like to know more about the journey from death to life, check out “Know These Truths”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, Holy is Your name. You are a God of love and of wrath, both welcoming us into Your presence and imposing a sentence of death on all who do not come to You through faith in Jesus Christ. I praise You, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that I do not have to tremble before You but can enter into Your courts with praise and bow before You in reference and awe of who You are and what You’ve done. I pray for those who are lost to hear the truth from Your Word and turn to You in faith, receiving life over death – Amen

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

Philippians 4:4

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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Philippians 4:4

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 than one battle.

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 ingrain them and use the words 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 relationship with God, teaching me to spend time in prayer, talking to God, not just at Him. From there, I began learning to trust Him, to fix my thoughts on Him, and to experience the promised peace.

To this day, these words of Paul 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 of my life.

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!

“Joy is the flag flying high above the castle of the hear, announcing that the King is in residence there.”

~Unknown

Loving Heavenly Father, my strength and hope are from You and 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 rule and reign – announcing to all that You – my God and King – are in residence here!💜 – And to borrow from today’s devotion from “Our Daily Verse,” “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.”

 

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

Hope For the Exiles

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w6d3

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Jeremiah 29:1-14 (11)

For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 is used to congratulate graduates, comfort those whose lives aren’t going the way they hoped, or encourage those who are facing some of life’s big decisions – but it is important to keep in mind that the verse was initially given to God’s people whose world had just been turned upside down. By God’s own hand, they were living as exiles in Babylon, which I can only imagine seemed like the furthest thing from hope and a future of any kind, but that is precisely the message God sent through Jeremiah, one of “hope and a future” and the reminder that God did not plan to harm them. He wanted them to remember “whose” they were and that He was in control, even when it didn’t seem like it.

It may not have seemed to the Israelites that God even remembered them, but He did, and as today’s journal entry points out, “God was working out His plan of salvation amongst all people, in all places, throughout all time. It wasn’t just for those in exile. God was at work to restore and rebuild what was broken when sin entered this world. From the returned exiles, a descendant would come who would be the Savior of the world!”

As we have seen throughout our journey, the faithless Kings and people of Babylon saw evidence of Israel’s true and living God—who protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace and shut the lions’ mouths to protect Daniel. When Israel’s restoration comes, it will be for all nations to know that He is the Sovereign LORD.

We may not always get what we want, and our plans may not work out the way we envisioned, but this promise of hope and a future is for us as well. Today’s journal entry says it best: “God’s plans involve you! His plans are to use you to encourage other believers and be a light to those who don’t yet know Him. You are the carrier of His hope to the world around you, which is often so hopeless.”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Heavenly Father, you bring hope to me and this whole world. Help me to trust you, Lord, when my days are in turmoil, and I cannot understand. May I know you as the author and perfecter of my faith. Use me to bring You hope to someone in this hopeless world. – Amen

borrowed from Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, p189
Encouragement for the journey –

Friends, this group is not a place for political conversations, but it is a place for encouragement and hope between sisters and brothers in Christ – which is why I am sharing this verse and the story behind it … The day before the election, when my anxiety started rising again, God reminded me of this verse which we recently read in our Daniel study,

“…the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever HE chooses.” — Daniel 5:21

Regardless of how we voted or the outcome of the votes, we all need to remember that our God, the true and living God, is in perfect control! He rules and reigns over Kings and dominions. He is sovereign over all. 💜

The More We Know

For More Insight, be sure to check out today’s LGG Blog

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

The Undisputed Champion

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 7:9-18 (14)

I realize that some people love to read the end-time visions of Daniel and others, like John from the book of Revelation, but my mind struggles to comprehend them. So, when I read today’s opening paragraph in the Love God Greatly Journal entry, I was honestly relieved to read that: “We will go faster through the rest of the book of Daniel, which now shifts to recording the apocalyptic visions Daniel received from God.” I was further relieved to read these encouraging words, “don’t worry if you don’t completely understand some of the visions. Daniel didn’t either!”

The visions emphasize the main themes of the book, which are:

  • God has all authority and power.
  • He is working out His purposes through the seasons of history – and
  • He will humble the arrogant.

I will say that “soaping,1 the passage did help me, though I depended heavily on the bibleref.com commentary and some ‘Scripture squirrels’ I chased along the way.

The vision opens with our Creator God, or as Daniel sees Him in this vision, the Ancient of Days, taking His seat on His majestic throne and being ministered to by an overwhelming number of spiritual beings. We read of four different beasts; one is killed, its body destroyed, and thrown into the fire; the other three are allowed to go on living for a period of time, but they no longer have any authority. As Daniel kept watching the vision unfold, he was allowed to see “one like the Son of Man2,” to whom the Ancient of Days gave “ruling authority and supreme power over “ALL.” As He has been worthily called by many- Jesus, (the “Son of Man),” was revealed as the undisputed champion. Not only does He have all power and authority, but His Kingdom will never end.

I am not sure if Daniel could have fully understood or appreciated the magnitude of what he was being shown. Nor do I believe we can fully grasp just how encouraging the reality of this vision is for us. The simple albeit profound truth is – the vision is further confirmation that JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – and of His Kingdom, there will be NO END!

Daniel didn’t have the full canon of Scripture as we do, so you can imagine how he must have felt. In his own words, he was “distressed and alarmed,3” undoubtedly desperate to understand the meaning of the vision. So, he records, “I asked one who was standing beside the throne what it all meant.” “The divine interpreter gives Daniel good news to go with the prior bad news. These earthly human kingdoms will not last forever. Yet true believers in God will be given an eternal kingdom.4“

“These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. 18 But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”

Daniel 7:17-18. NLT

Friends, I want to share one more quote from the LGG Journal, as an encouragement to all believers – “We live in the time between Jesus’ first and second coming. During this time, the devil has already been defeated. Yet, God has allowed him to remain for a season until his ultimate demise at the end of time. While the devil has power, it is limited. Jesus gives us the power to resist the devil. We know that ultimately good will triumph.

Prayer Response to the Journey /borrowed from the LGG Journal, p151

Lord God, You are the Alpha and Omega. I long for Jesus’ return when there will be no more sin or death, and Your kingdom comes in all its glory. Lord, I pray for the church, Your people across the world. Strengthen us. Help us to resist the devil and encourage us to live faithfully. Amen

The More We Know

For more insight, visit the LGG BLOG POST

Note: This vision of Daniel’s was one from the first year of Belshazzar’s reign

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

The Great Commission

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based on the Love God Greatly Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w6d5

Scripture: The Road Map for The Journey
Matthew 28:16-20 / SOAP: 19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20. NET
Observation and Application from the Journey

This passage speaks volumes for itself! It is the climatic statement of Jesus’ mission and His final instructions for His disciples. In large part it is a message of “commission” to continue His mission of making disciples of all nations1 They are to do with others what Jesus has done with them. What they have learned from Jesus they are to teach and model to others from every people group; as Paul says in Colossians chapter three: “It doesn’t matter if they are Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free …”

Make no mistake, Jesus’ commission started with this face-to-face with the eleven, but it is clear that it was meant for all disciples who would come after them.

Followers of Jesus are to make followers of Jesus.

original source unknown

As we’ve come to the end of our present journey – Come, Lord Jesus, Come – that has been filled with these important instructions, we must not miss that the message also contains some of His final words of enduring encouragement for then and now: “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” He is with us to the end of the age, He is with us when we are “going” to make more disciples, He is with us when we are afraid, He is with us when we are in need, He is with us in grief and in joy. He is with us while we wait on His return. He is always and forever with us! – Of course, He didn’t mean this as a literal. physical presence but rather in Spirit, for all who believe in Jesus receive the gift of His Spirit from God. The Spirit is our Advocate and Counselor, and His presence graces us with both peace and strength for all we face in this life/world.

“I have spoken these things while staying with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.

27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.

John 14:25-27. NET

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, we wait for You – for Your perfect timing in sending Jesus to redeem His people. We wait to see His face and to be in Your presence. We wait with Hope and we pray for courage and obedient, yielded hearts to Your co-mission of us to carry the message of the Gospel to the world. We pray for Your help in living our faith out loud, in praying faithfully for the lost, in being ready with an answer for the Hope that is within us, We praise You for our salvation and the presence of Your Spirit with us – even to the end of the age! In the name of Jesus our Redeemer we pray and we watch and wait with hope and faith. – AMEN!

The More We Know: Side Trails along the Journey

From the LGG Journal – words of encouragement and of hope and beauty. May they be an inspiration to all who read them.

Jesus is with us to the end. We know our purpose. We know our mission. We are instructed to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations. Going out into the world means traveling to other countries, and it also means crossing the street or, in some cases, even the rooms in our homes. We need to share Christ with those near and far. We need to teach others God’s Word and how to obey it. That is more than just a conversion; Jesus wants us to disciple this generation.

When you think of the model of how Jesus chose to disciple His twelve disciples, you’ll see that He not only taught them God’s Word but also how to live it out. It’s not enough to know God’s Word in our minds; we must allow God’s Word to penetrate our hearts and change us from the inside out. God’s Word must impact the way we live our lives, the way we love, serve, and treat others. While this is all a process and takes time, we see that Jesus did life with and invested in a select group of twelve men. These men were far from perfect. They didn’t always understand Jesus, but Jesus never gave up on them.

Discipleship is hard. Discipleship takes time. But this is the command Jesus left us with: do as I have done. Numbers don’t matter. Pour your life into a group of individuals. Teach them God’s Word and how to obey it. Reach out to those locally and those at the ends of the earth. No one is too far from God. All are welcome at the foot of the cross. Jesus knew that the work He was calling us to was no easy task. But, He has promised us something that is a game-changer: He is with us always.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, thank You for the promise that You are always with us. Today, I pray for favor and open doors to share boldly with those near me and anywhere You might send me. Thank You for this opportunity to play a part in this amazing love story You are writing with our lives. Please open the hearts and minds of this generation to Your love. I pray this generation will turn from their sinful ways and turn to You. I pray for salvation for those who don’t yet know You, and I pray for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through those of us who bear Your name. I pray for a mighty harvest like never before. I pray for Your kingdom to come and Your will to be done. Until the day we see You face-to-face, we will pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

Have you heard the Truth? Do You know the Way? If not or if you’re not sure please take a minute to read “Know These Truths” – You might just be surprised how this Truth can change your life and renew you from the inside out! 🦋

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Set Apart - Living a Life for God's Glor

The Matchless Power of His Grace!

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Based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w6d2

Scripture: The Roadmap for our Journey

Titus 2:11-15 / SOAP vs 11–13

 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13. NET
Observation and Application of the Journey

Have you ever considered the power of God’s grace? His grace appeared … His grace brought salvation to all people … His grace trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives … and it does all of these things while we wait for the fulfillment of our hope when Christ our great God and Savior appears. The same Savior that John wrote of in John chapter 1:14 – where he wrote: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

 He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. 15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you. Titus 2:14-15. NET

You see Christ gave Himself over to death for us so that we, those who believe in Him, might be set free from the law of sin and death. By His death we have been purified and set apart as a people who belong to Him and are eager to do good. Only the power of Christ’s perfect life and His spotless blood was powerful enough for this type of redemption!

Prayer of response to the Journey

Father, may we never take for granted or forget the cost of our salvation. A salvation born of Your grace so powerful that it conquered the depth and deadliness of our sins, sins that made us Your enemies, condemned unclean! Yet, now we stand before You purified by the blood of Your Son and adopted as Your dearly loved children, joint heirs with Your only begotten Son. May we be quick and faithful to communicate this message to the world around us – the rich and powerful message of the Your grace God – a grace available to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ, the representation of Your grace and the coming fulfillment of our hope. – It is in His name I pray, amen!

Music inspired by the Journey
There is no power greater than the gift of God’s Grace poured out through the blood of Jesus Christ ! ❤️

Do you want to know the power of God’s Grace? Do you want to share in the Hope of Jesus Christ? Please click on Know These Truths and let God transform your life by the power of His Grace!

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The More We Know; Side Trails of our Journey

Encouragement from the LGG Journal Entry for w6d2, p176

As we wait for this happy fulfillment of our hope in Christ’s glorious return, let’s intentionally live lives that reflect the love we have for God. May our obedience flow from our love for God. Instead of looking at the world with dread, let’s see it as a place of opportunity and share Christ with those who do not know the reason for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). Now is the time to share this amazing gift of hope in Christ with those around us. We don’t have to have all the answers, but we do need a passion to do our part in helping to bring salvation to all people. Make no mistake, you have been born in this exact generation for such a time as this.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, create in me a love and passion for those in this world who are far from You. Help me see them the way You see them, with eyes full of love, grace, and mercy. Use me powerfully now, on this day, to help reflect You to a watching world. Give me opportunities to share with those who are searching for the reason for the hope that I have. Until the day You come back, use me powerfully with the gifts You have given me. As I eagerly wait for Your return, I’ll continue to pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Watch and Pray

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based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w5d5

Scripture: Our Road Map For the Journey / Luke 21 (SOAP: verses 34-36)

 “But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36 NET

Observation and Application from the Journey

For the last five weeks, we have heard, in various ways, the reminder that Jesus is coming again. We have been warned to stay alert and to be ready. We have read words of excitement, hope, doom and gloom, warning, and victory. Today’s message is much the same.

The signs will be clear; the Kingdom of God is near! The question is, will we be so caught up in the world that we are too earthbound to grow excited about what and who is coming?

Today’s passage, specifically vs. 34-36, draws our attention once again to the warning to be alert but not just to the signs around us. Here, the disciples are warned not to become weighed down or caught up with the pleasures or worries of this life, allowing those things to blind them from the clear signs that God’s Kingdom is near.

He does not want them so consumed by the things of this world that they fail to pay attention to the signs of His coming kingdom.

Bibleref..com

Whenever and wherever in history we are found waiting for His return, Jesus makes it clear that His disciples are to: “Stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

With Christ, we will always have the hope of heaven, a hope that will one day be a reality for all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. –1

Prayer of response to the journey

Father, so much around us heightens our senses to the coming reality of Christ’s return. Help us not be so caught up with the world that we shrink back from the excitement that the Hope of Heaven brings. Help us not to tremble in fear or be weighed down with worries but to pray, as Jesus said, that we have the strength to escape all these things that must happen and to stand before Him. Put Your hedge of protection around us and fill us with Your peace that passes all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May we wait with patience, excitement, and alertness to those around us who need to know JESUS, and may we be quick to share Him in Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen and Amen!

The More We Know: side trails of the journey

Wisdom and Encouragement: “Being on guard is something we must do actively and purposefully. We must intentionally fight back against the worries we face in this life by bringing our burdens to God in prayer, realizing that this world is not our home. Better days are ahead. Jesus could return at any time. The pains, tribulations, and worries of this life will not last forever. God has a plan, and nothing is out of His control.” LGG Journal entry, Come, Lord Jesus, Come p. 170

  1. LGG Journal entry, Come, Lord Jesus, Come p. 170 ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Calvary Covered It All

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based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come, w5d2 / art work by LGG

Scripture: Our Roadmap for the Journey – 1 John 2:28-3:3 / SOAP 2:28

 And now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.

1 John 2:28. NET
Observations and Applications from the Journey

For those of us with a less than perfect past – after receiving Christ – standing before Him with confidence and not shrinking back in shame when He returns, may seem a bit daunting or even impossible. However, reading the fuller passage, specifically verses 28-29 and 3:3 – I found hope in John’s words. Specifically, John’s encouragement that those who live more and more like Christ in this world can look for the return of Christ with HOPE rather than shame and fear of the future judgment.

When we are walking close to Christ, life will be different. We will live different from the world, we will look and sound more like Christ than the world. Acts of kindness, gentleness, and patience will simply be part of who we are. Peace will overcome fears, Joy will overcome sorrows, love will overcome hate, and we will look forward with great anticipation to Jesus’ return.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..

Romans 8:1. NET

Living like Christ, walking in a close relationship with Him and the Father, builds our confidence that we truly belong to Him and that both our salvation and relationship are solid – meaning we have nothing to be ashamed of, because as Paul said, there is no condemnation for those who “are in Christ Jesus.”

This promised security doesn’t mean we are to sit back and chill while we wait. We are to be living out our faith by practicing righteousness, for then we will be light and salt to the world around us. Some will hate us for it but others will be drawn to the light and hopefully come to know the Savior like we do.

 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17. NET
Prayer: A Response to our Journey

Father, may we heed John’s word and remain in Christ, practicing righteousness and living and loving others as Christ loves us. May we not waiver in our FAITH that Jesus, covered all of our sin and shame at calvary, When we are walking close to Christ, life will be different. Help us to faithfully live different from the world, to look and sound more like Christ than the world. When the world sees us may they see peace overcoming fears, joy overcoming sorrows, love overcoming hate, and may they see us looking forward to Jesus’ return with unwavering faith and hope. – In the Jesus’ name I pray – amen and amen.

The More We Know: Side Trails of the Journey

It should be noted that remaining, or “abiding in Christ as taught in 1 John 2:5–6, is synonymous with “knowing” Christ (verses 2 and 3). Later in the same chapter, John equates “remaining” in the Father and the Son with having the promise of eternal life (verses 24 and 25). Biblically, “abiding in,” “remaining in,” and “knowing” Christ are references to the same thing: salvation.” Quotes from Gotquestions.org1

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