Tag: hope

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

A Plan to Restore

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Based on “Our God Who Pursues”/LGG Journalpw3d1

Read: Micah 1:1-9; Micah 2: 3-13 (SOAP/2:12-13)

Micah delivers a message of both judgment and hope. While it is easy to gravitate to the hope his words bring, we must not neglect or misunderstand the fact that the destruction and exile they face are a result of their sins. In case you are among those who, like the Israelites in Micah’s day, believe that God’s patience cannot be exhausted – hear the warning of Micah from the LORD: “My commands bring a reward for those who obey them.” However, Moses warned in Deuteronomy that disobedience brings destruction. Clearly, many, if not most of the people had been infected/wounded by sin and drawn away from obedience.

“While the judgment promised may be hard to read, it is also merited. The people wanted their own ways over God’s ways, so God was giving them over to what they wanted. This would end poorly for the people of Israel and Judah. By understanding the judgment promised, we can better appreciate the message of hope. ”

LGG Journal/p95 of Our God Who Pursues

I love that even though God’s Holy character stood firm against the disobedient, He pursued the faithful ‘remnant,’ and by His mercy made a way where there was no way.

“I will certainly gather all of you, O Jacob,
I will certainly assemble those Israelites who remain.
I will bring them together like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in the middle of a pasture;
they will be so numerous that they will make a lot of noise.
13 The one who can break through barriers will lead them out;
they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave.
Their king will advance before them;
the Lord himself will lead them.”
Micah 2:12-13


Keep in mind that God’s pursuit and deliverance of His people comes not out of obligation but from a heart and character full of mercy, love, and grace. As today’s journal entry points out, when we understand this truth, “It allows us to worship Him as we should. We must understand both God’s divine justice as well as His mercy and grace. It’s in light of these characteristics that we can stand forgiven and free through the cross of Jesus Christ. What an incredible God we serve.1”

A personal note from me🦋: Be careful to remember that sin (or a wound as some translate it) is infectious, and no one is immune. After a full winter of illnesses that spread throughout my immediate family, the word “infected” (also translated as “wound”) in 1:9 grabbed my attention. Though our viruses/illnesses were not incurable as Micah described the Samaritans’ to be, they were rough and spread quickly and retentively from family member to family member and among the places we work. Having it once did not ensure you would not get it again. From upper respiratory infections to the flu and the new strain of COVID following Christmas, to another bout with the flu and the coronavirus in January and February – it has been a ‘long, hard winter.’ – My point is this – sin is infectious and we must careful to stay alert that it not grab hold of us. (1 Peter 5:8-11) – One other point from this analogy is that just like the illnesses kept me from work and the reward of those days wages (so-to-speak), the sin that infiltrates our lives, if left unchecked, can separate us from fellowship with our God.

Prayer of Response

Father, thank You for making a way where there was no way. Through Your mercy, love, and grace in Christ Jesus, we have been set free from the law of sin and death. Help us to stay alert to the enemy, and please guard us from the infectious sins that we encounter in our daily lives so that nothing and no one will hinder us from fellowship with You and the freedom to truly worship You. May we be faithful in confessing our sins so that we might enjoy Your faithfulness in forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.

The More We Know

For more insight, click the button below

love God Greatly Blog
  1. Our God Who Pursues, p95 ↩︎

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

God Will Repay

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Read Joel 3

Borrowed from the journal of Love God Greatly’s, Our God Who Pursues, p57

SOAP
Joel 3:16
The Lord roars from Zion; from Jerusalem his voice bellows out. The heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people; he is a stronghold for the citizens of Israel.


INTO THE TEXT


From our earliest years, we are taught the difference between right and wrong. When we or someone we love are treated unjustly by others, or when we see the terrible things that are done to people throughout this world, we often feel anger. Life is unfair and we strongly feel the need to make things right. We know that life here on earth is not what it should be.


Of course, Christians should work hard to promote justice on behalf of those who are oppressed and mistreated. There are many ways we can help to make this world a little more bearable for others. However, when it comes to revenge, that is not ours to seek. It is God’s role. God promises in Joel 3 that there will be a future day of judgment where He will confront all evil and remove it forever. A lot of times, our motives for revenge are out of selfish or angry means. Everything God does, however, is out of His holy character.


For believers, we don’t have to worry about getting even with others or making sure that we are treated with justice. We are called to trust God, who will make sure that every evil deed committed against us or others, if it is not forgiven through the cross of Jesus, will be brought into the open and justly dealt with.


Joel sees a future with two sides. On the one side, there will be salvation and blessing for those who belong to God, for those whose sins have been forgiven through Jesus Christ. But on the other, there will be judgment and destruction for all those who go their own way. At the end of times, God will be for us either a roaring lion or a safe place of refuge.


Let’s run to our Heavenly Father, who offers mercy, forgiveness, peace, and protection. He will give us strength to withstand all the difficulties and injustices of life.


PRAYER


God, I oftentimes want to see revenge and repayment done to those who commit sin and evil around me. Help me to run toward your safe refuge and trust in your timing for seeing justice delivered. Amen.

REFLECTION

Where are you tempted to take revenge or justice into your own hands? How can you open your hands to trust in God’s deliverance and begin to pray for your enemies?

THE MORE WE KNOW

Be sure and check out today’s LGG blog post: Refuge for the Day of Judgment

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

He’s Our Witness

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based on the LGG Study, Firm Foundation, w4d1

Scripture and Observation of the Journey
Read/SOAP: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and Romans 8:15-17

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Romans 8:15-17

The focus of this week’s journey is the Holy Spirit and our salvation. Today’s particular focus is the ‘indwelling of the Holy Spirit.’ So, the question begs to be asked: What is the significance of God’s Spirit in us? I believe one of the best answers/explanations comes from Paul in Romans 8:16, where he writes: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is our witness that we belong to God. Paul actually says that without the Spirit, we do not belong to Christ (Rom 8:9).

The Spirit’s presence in our life is not only an identifying mark that we belong to God, but He is also God’s divine power at work in us. It is the Spirit’s power that enables us to live a godly life, a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Without the Spirit, we would be caught up in the corruption of this world and given over to our human desires.1

Application: Living out the Word of God

We must remember that God bought us at a high price – that is, with the blood of the Spotless Lamb, the only begotten Son of God. Scripture clearly explains that this means we no longer belong to ourselves, to live as we please – for we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit of God. He lives in us, so we are to live in a manner that honors and pleases God.

Christ died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:15-17

It is also helpful and necessary to remember that we were born with a sinful nature. However, praise God, as Paul explains in the passages of today’s journey – God, in love, gives His Holy Spirit to all who, through faith, believe in Christ. It is by His Spirit that we become God’s adopted children, not only placed in the family of Christ but also made joint heirs with Christ. In other words, for a believer, the Spirit changes everything – and He does so from the inside out.2

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

Ezekiel 36:26

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Hebrews 8:10
Prayer of response to the Journey

Abba Father, my heart rejoices to know that I am Yours and You are mine. I praise You for Your Spirit in me – a Spirit not of fear but of power, love, and self-control.3 A Spirit who bears witness that I belong to You, who teaches me all things and reminds me of everything You have said4. According to Your Word, You have given me Your Spirit to fill my heart with Your love5; help me to love as You love. Thank You for teaching me to serve at Your pleasure, but oh, how sweet it is to know that You desired and made a way for our relationship to be one of Father and child and not simply Master and servant6. May the fruit of the Spirit be evident in my life. Help me to faithfully live by the Spirit, following His leading in every part of my life – that You might be glorified in me. – in the name of the Spirit and the Son, I come and pray – Amen!

The More We Know

For more insight on today’s journey, visit lovegodgreatly.com

  1. Galatians 5:22-26 and 2 Peter 1:3-4

    But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Gal 5:22-26
     
    By his divine power, God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4 ↩︎
  2. 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 … Christ died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
    So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ↩︎
  3. 2 Timothy 1:7 … For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. ↩︎
  4. John 14:26 …  But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. ↩︎
  5. Romans 5:3-5 … 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. ↩︎
  6. Hebrews 12:5-11 … And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,“ My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
    Proverbs 3:11-12 … My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
    ↩︎

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

He’s Coming Again

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based on the LGG study, Firm Foundation w3d5

Scripture and Observation

Read/SOAP: Isaiah 25:8-9 and Revelation 1:7

He will swallow up death forever!
    The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
He will remove forever all insults and mockery
    against his land and people.
    The Lord has spoken!

9 In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
    We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
    Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”

Isaiah 25:8-9

I find Isaiah’s words to be dramatically beautiful. However, they led me to search for some commentaries as I wanted to make sure that I understood all the references, such as “He” and “Sovereign Lord.” When I checked out bibleref.com, I found another treasure of words to explain the words of Isaiah. The author writes:

This passage portrays an amazing moment of ultimate grace performed by the King Messiah. This moment occurs at the banquet which launches the Lord’s reign over all the earth. On Mount Zion, Isaiah describes the Lord as “swallowing up death,” the shroud that has been cast over all people since Adam sinned for the first time (Isaiah 25:6–7; Genesis 3:19).

Bible ref.com/Isa 25:8

I particularly love knowing that Jesus, “the King Messiah,” in an act of “ultimate grace,” swallows up death!” Friends, Jesus is coming again, which means death will not have the final say! Sickness, sadness, hurt, and sorrows will no longer be a part of our lives, for “All will be made new and right as we live in God’s perfect kingdom.1“

The LGG Journal entry for today, p 109, describes the Second Coming of Christ as a “beacon of hope for believers, lighting the way through the trials and tribulations of this world.” Isaiah’s prophecy points us to a time when we will forever be with our Savior. Surely, this is something we should wait for and look forward to with excitement and ‘readiness,’ not just to the kingdom Christ will establish but to be with Jesus, our Savior, “King Messiah.”

Living it Out: Application of our Journey

The foundation of our faith should be firmly rooted in the glorious truth that Jesus is coming again!🦋

Actually, the LGG Journal suggests that “Anticipating Christ’s return should influence our daily lives. Every moment carries eternal significance.” Why/how? Because “Our prayers, kingdom work, and evangelism are integral to God’s plan for that glorious day. As we yearn for His return, our actions and faithfulness are crucial in developing our perseverance until His coming.2“

Reflection for the Journey

Is your hope firmly rooted in the certainty of Jesus’ return?

Prayer for the Journey (inspired by today’s journal entry)

Jesus, thank You for your promise to return for us and to swallow up death!, Thank You for the hope of the new Kingdom, where sorrow and sickness will be no more and tears will be wiped away. Help us to be ready and eagerly anticipating that wonderful day! May we make every moment count for Your kingdom. As we wait, Lord, strengthen our faith and fill us with hope. – All of this for Your glory and our good –

  1. LGG Journal, Firm Foundation, p109 ↩︎
  2. LGG Journal, Firm Foundation, p109 ↩︎
The More We Know about the Journey

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

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

Resurrected with a Purpose

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Based on the LGG Study, Firm Foundation, w3d3

Scripture and Observation

Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 and Romans 6:9-10; SOAP: 1 Cor 15:3-4/Rom 6:9

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.

Romans 6:9

Our focus or question of the week is: “What Did Jesus Do?” – So far, we have answered the question with … He never sinned, He was crucified for our sins, and today’s answer/focus is: He was resurrected from the grave … and appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time. He also appeared to James and to all of the apostles, including Paul.

It would be easy to read these truths, celebrate the resurrection, and move on, but God’s call and my hope/goal of journeying through His Word (and taking others along with me on the journey) is more than just reading the words on the pages of Scripture. My hope is to understand the importance and meaning of the words. I believe that we are to learn how they apply to life and godliness and be able to share them correctly with others in everyday life*, both in conversation and in living and loving like Jesus, who is – as we have seen in recent journeys – the very Word of God.

Paul taught Timothy the importance of this in 2 Timothy 2:15, when he told him, and by extension all believers, to *Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

This is why we need to understand the importance of Jesus’ resurrection and His appearing before so many witnesses: let’s break it down …

  1. He was resurrected from the grave: This, like the other truths we have been looking at, is essential to our faith. Why though? Because if Christ is not raised, then our faith is useless, and we are still guilty of our sins.
  2. Friends, Jesus didn’t just walk out of the tomb – He appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters at one time. He also appeared to James and to all of the apostles, including Paul. It may seem of little importance to know how many different people saw Jesus alive after He had been buried – but it is crucial to the testimony of His resurrection, and Paul knew this. – Bibleref.com explains it like this:

“Apparently, the truthfulness of the resurrection, or at least the resurrection of Christians, was being challenged or misunderstood by some in Corinth. Paul wants them to understand not only that the resurrection really took place, but that faith in that truth is essential in order to be saved.”

Bibleref.com/1 Corinthians 15;5


Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.1

*2 Timothy 2:15

So, the question begs to be asked: “Why is the resurrection important to our faith?” Again, it is Paul who answers this most clearly – when he addresses the Corinthians about the matter in 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, saying:

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

1 Corinthians 15:12-23
Prayer of Response to the Journey

Father, We believe in Jesus Christ, that He was given over to death for the sins of many and was raised to life so that those who believe might be born again and made right with You. We believe that on the third day, He rose again, triumphing over sin and death so that we would no longer be slaves to sin but live and walk in freedom with/for You here on this earth and with You forever when You return to take us home. As Paul taught the Corinthians, we believe the truth of His resurrection is of the utmost importance. As Paul shared this message in his travels and writings, may we both celebrate the truth and faithfully pass it on to those in our circles of influence.

The Gospel is the Truth that, according to Scripture we receive and believe; it is the faith on which we stand, the power of God unto salvation, and the message we have been entrusted with and called to share throughout the world. May it be of utmost importance to us, and may we faithfully and boldly pass it on to the world around us. 🦋

In recent days, we’ve walked through Scriptures that have pointed us to the importance of Jesus being sinless and of His death by crucifixion, and have, hopefully, come to understand that we are all sinners in need of a Savior who is blameless of any sin and willing to lay down His life for humanity- so that those who believe might have eternal life.2 If you missed any or all of the journey to this point please visit Firm Foundation

The More We Know

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