For me it is people. If I am sad or scared or worried or discouraged I go to my husband or friends.
But people are not the only source of comfort, right? Some seek comfort in their money, retail therapy, food, work, or sleep. Others try to escape through fiction books or movies. And sadly, some pick really dangerous ways of coping by using drugs and alcohol.
There is nothing wrong with seeking comfort from others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us that we are to encourage each other. It is also fine to watch a funny movie to make us laugh when we are feeling a bit down. But we can’t rely on earthly things to bring real lasting comfort.
Once the friends leave or the movie is over we are right back in the midst of our suffering. Earthly things can only comfort us in part, but the Psalmist tells us that there is a place we can go to find real lasting comfort.
Each eight verse section in Psalm 119 has a theme, and today Psalm 119:49-56 deals with God’s word as our comforter. Verse 50, in particular, is a key verse for us:
This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me.
If we accept them by faith then these words become personal. These words are not from some God, but from our God. They are words to us from our Father and from our Redeemer. We belong to him, and he cares for us.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction ~ 2 Cor. 1:3-4
God’s word can give us peace while we are in the midst of a wild storm. It can bring comfort while we are afraid, tired, and worn out. We can have hope that he will see us through to the other side.
Romans 15 tells us that “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
The best comfort we find in Scripture is that Christ died for us. It puts everything else into perspective. We have something far better waiting for us. These hard times – while they are difficult – will only last for awhile.
God’s word has the ability to give us life in the midst of any circumstance… life that is made up of hope, joy, praise and strength.
22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For all fleshis like grassand all its glory like the flower of the grass;the grass withers and the flower falls off,25 but the word of the Lordendures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.
1 Peter 1:22-25
Before making observations on verses 24 and 25, it is interesting and helpful to examine verses 22 and 23. Bibleref.com
Peter says, we should go for it with everything we’ve got. We should abandon our own “evil desires” and work hard at loving each other, instead. The word translated as “earnestly” or “deeply” in this verse—ektenōs in Greek—means “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain.” Just as an athletics coach might tell a player to “leave it all on the field,” Peter tells us to completely exhaust all of our resources in a single-hearted effort to give love to each other.
Bibleref.com / 1 Peter 1:22
I particularly love v23, which talks of our new birth. Peter emphasizes an important truth that when we place our faith in Jesus we are born again – born to a new life in Christ – but not by a seed that eventually dies but rather by an “undying seed, through God’s undying word,” as Bibleref.com explains. The undying word is also known as the Gospel, which is the truth and message of Jesus Christ. “It is the message from God that He will forgive our sins and make us spiritually alive forever in Christ.” (all quotes from bibleref.com/1 Peter 1:23)
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the flesh, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NET
Verse twenty-four and twenty-five are first found in Isaiah 40:6-8 and quoted here by Peter.
As I read these verses, two things stood out to me. The first was that the mortal, perishable body decays through the years and eventually succumbs to physical death. This is a harsh reality for sure, but the second thing that grabbed my attention trumped the harsh reality with the glorious hope and joy in knowing that, as believers, we will live forever through the precious blood of Jesus – by which, as Peter said, we are made new. Paul explained it like this in 1 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ the new has come, the old has gone, the new is here.”
Humans are like grass that withers and flowers that fade. Whatever glory we possess is soon gone, but if our foundation is based on the solid rock of God’s unfailing Word, our future is eternally secure .
believe the Gospel message, which is the Word of God
obey God’s Word – obedience is a key factor in the life of a believer
stand firm on the Word of God – of course, this means you need to know it and remember it
love others as Christ loves us is one of the most important commands we have been given
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY
Father, thank You for redeeming us through the blood of Jesus! Through Him, the living Word, You have ensured our triumph—over trials and sins and all of life! Through His death, burial, and resurrection, we have hope; through His Spirit, we have power; and through Your Word, which has been proclaimed, we have the promise of eternal life! We are not invincible in and of ourselves, but through FAITH in Jesus—His Spirit in us—and God’s Word before us, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. We are new creations in Christ Jesus and the lives we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in Your Son who loved us and gave Himself for us – so that we might have eternal life! For this, we give You, the God of mercy and grace, the praise and glory due to Your name – Amen!
THE MORE WE KNOW
What does 1 Peter 1:22 mean?
In his letter, Peter has described what our lives were like before we trusted in Christ for our salvation by God’s grace. We lived in ignorance, driven along our empty, futile way by our selfish passions or evil desires. We served ourselves, to our own destruction, and could do nothing else. All of that changed when God saved us. He declared our lives worthy of the blood of His Son. He rescued us from emptiness and set us apart for one thing: His purposes. Then, Peter wrote, God commanded us to “be holy,” to stop living for self and to be fully available to Him.
Now Peter writes that our obedience to the truth has a purifying effect on our souls. It’s not that we make ourselves clean from sin by our obedience. God has declared us clean from sin through the blood of Jesus, His death in our place. Rather, it’s that when we obey, we are not sinning! We are living the pure, holy lives God intends for His people. When we obey Him, we stop being double-minded, torn between our selfishness and fulfilling His will for us. Setting our desires aside allows us to give ourselves over fully to loving each other—without being half-hearted or false.
So, Peter says, we should go for it with everything we’ve got. We should abandon our own “evil desires” and work hard at loving each other, instead. The word translated as “earnestly” or “deeply” in this verse—ektenōs in Greek—means “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain.” Just as an athletics coach might tell a player to “leave it all on the field,” Peter tells us to completely exhaust all of our resources in a single-hearted effort to give love to each other.
Bibleref.com/1 Peter 1:22
Don’t forget to check out lovegodgreatly.com for more insight
based on the LGG Study, Lent – A Time of Drawing Close to God / w1d5
Scripture: Luke 5:33-35 / SOAP: verse 35
A Discussion about Fasting
33 One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?” 34 Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. 35 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” This isn’t another trick question from the Pharisees but rather a legit question of wonder from unidentified people. Why do the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees fast while the disciples of Jesus do not? Jesus’ answer is, and I paraphrase, ‘Because I am still with you. When they come and take Me away from you that will be a time to fast.’ Luke 5:33-35
From the Journal / LGG Lent Journal, pg 58
“When Jesus was with His disciples, there was no need for them to fast. But now, since Jesus is not physically with us, since He has completed the work of His first coming and is preparing fo rHis second, we fast.
Fasting reminds us that, without God, we are nothing. It heightens our longing for eternity and reminds us to recognize how empty we are without Him. We fast and pray, earnestly longing for Him to come and restore and redeem all things.
Now is the time to fast. Now is the time to turn our hearts toward our Risen Savior. Now is the time to remember His love, mercy, compassion, and grace. Now is the time to remember that without Him, we are nothing. And now is the time to remember and remind one another of God’s incredible grace and the victory we have in Him!”
While these are all incredible reasons to fast, it hit me as I was reading/studying and highlighting the passage in my journal – that while Jesus may not be physically with us now He rose again and walked among the disciples again and He ascended into Heaven with the promise that He will come again. We cling to that promise, not in mourning, but with HOPE and we look forward to that day with JOY – we no longer mourn as the disciples did in the three days between the crucifixion and the resurrection after He had been led away or “taken from them” – but we rejoice in the grace of God poured upon our lives and we remember that the grave could not hold what “man took away!”
I”m not saying we shouldn’t fast – but for me the fasting isn’t in mourning His absence, for Joy and Hope follow the resurrection and ascension – because He is alive and will come again – just as He promised! – Me, from the Insideout 🦋
I wait, perhaps fasting and praying, as Anna did – for His coming – keeping my mind set on Him – watching and listening and hoping always … but I do not mourn at His absence for He is with me! Scripture says, I abide in Him and He abides in me. In an effort to comfort their sorrows, Jesus actually told the disciples in John 16:7 that it was to their advantage for Him to go away. The commentary from Bibleref.com on John chapter 16 is quite enlightening concerning the way the disciples would have felt following the resurrection –
Modern believers have the benefit of hindsight. We read the description of Jesus’ arrest (John 18:1–3) and crucifixion (John 19:18) knowing He will be resurrected (John 20:19). The disciples originally listening to Jesus didn’t have that perspective. That three-day period (John 2:19) will fill them with unimaginable sorrow, fear, and doubt. Jesus compares this to the experience of a woman in childbirth. During labor, pain is almost the only thing a woman can process. However, once the baby is born, agony is no longer the center of her attention. She doesn’t literally lose all memory of the pain, but the joy of a newborn vastly outweighs memories of labor. The same will be true for Jesus’ followers: they will quickly move through extreme pain and into tremendous joy (John 16:16–24).
bibleref.com
Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy
16 “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”
17 Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18 And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”
19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. – John 16:16-24 NLT
Today’s Scripture is Luke chapter 2. (SOAP verses 10-12)
but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12
Oh, how I love this chapter of the Bible, the cast and characters of Christmas on grand but humble display. Shepherds and angels, Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus, Simeon and Anna the prophetess who had both faithfully waited for the promised Messiah … Each of them a beautiful part of the Christmas story – the Advent of our Christ.
I know it’s easy to zero in on the soap passage, but I invite and encourage you to read each verse with fresh eyes and an undistracted mind that takes it all in as though it were unfolding before you on a stage with all the pageantry of Christmas. Walk with Mary and Joseph on the streets of Bethlehem, see the baby lying in the manger, Mary and Joseph in awe and wonder of it all. Listen with the shepherds to the angelic announcement and to the army of angels proclaiming – “glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will to men!” Hear the words of Simeon and Anna the hope fulfilled and the worship that poured forth. I pray that it will lead you, on this last day of our journey, to stop and worship Christ, the new born King – saying with the angels – “Glory to God in the Highest!”
“Rejoice rejoice of Christian, lift up your voice and sing – Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King – The hope of all who find Him …” the long awaited and promised Messiah! May we, like Simeon, find ourselves saying, “-my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all people: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And, and like Anna – may we give thanks to God and speak about the Messiah to all who need the salvation He came to bring.
This is like a segment from the memorable Paul Harvey and his segments known as “The Rest of the Story.” Previously in Luke’s story we learned of an angel named Gabriel who appeared to a priest who was serving in the Temple, with an announcement that the priest and his wife, both very old, would have a son, whom they were to name John; and John would be the messenger for the coming Messiah. Which of course, is exactly where the story picks up today. Elizabeth gives birth to a son and she named him John. Their neighbors and relatives rejoiced with the miraculous birth but questioned the name she gave since it was not a family name. Zechariah, though still mute because of his disbelief in the angelic proclamation, confirms by writing on a tablet – “His name is John.” Scripture says that Zechariah immediately regained his speech and blessed God and then, filled with Holy Spirit, he prophesied, saying:
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.
Luke 1:68-71
I love this response and am quite convicted by them. Zechariah’s words, his first words spoken in months, weren’t a story about what had happened to him but they were about God. They were words of praise that would have brought to the people’s minds God’s long awaited promises to His people – promises of a messenger (Malachi 3:1), a savior (Isa 7:14 and 9:6; Micah 5:2), and of salvation from sin (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
“But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. . . . Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Gotquestions.org
I see several applications as I read through and study this passage. Certainly we learn the importance of believing and obeying God’s word. I also noticed and was reminded of the importance of keeping our minds on God, whether we are in the midst of hard times or celebratory ones. The ultimate example being how in all of the excitement of the birth of a son to a couple well beyond the years of having a child – the fulfillment of the angel’s message – and the return of his speech – Zechariah’s focus remained on God. Undoubtedly, this was a result of the the filling of the Holy Spirit – but let us remember, this is the same Spirit that fills us who have believed, the Spirit of whom Paul said bears within us the fruit of self-control. Both of these examples lead me to the third, you see – because Zechariah believed and obeyed God, evidenced in his naming the child John, Zechariah was given back the ability to speak and maintaining his focus on God, even in all of the excitement, his words poured forth a beautiful prophesy that pointed the people to God and what He had done and was yet to do. The combination of these examples led me to this ultimate application – when we obey God and keep our minds on Him – what pours forth from our lips will be about what He does or has done in the past – it stirs up thought and attention to who He is and what else He can and will do. Thus, we become the salt and light God has called us to be.
Reflection For the Journey
God undoubtedly saw Zechariah and Elizabeth in their years of pain and longing. He was merciful despite their mistakes and used both to encourage their community and make His name great. He is the same God today. What might He be working to restore in your life, even to your longing or momentary unbelief?
From the LGG devotion journal, p 134 / The Promised Messiah
Scripture: Hebrews 9:27-28; Matthew 24:30-31 / SOAP: John 14:1-3
“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. 3 And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.
John 14:1-3
Oh, how I love the promises of God. The best part of His promises is that they are all, yes and amen in JESUS! Which, I’m sure, is why this old hymn kept playing through my mind as I was reading today’s Scripture.
Standing on the promises of Christ, my King, Through eternal ages let his praises ring; Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain: Standing, standing, Standing on the promises of God, my Savior; Standing, standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail. When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, By the living Word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the promises of God.
Promise after promise is fulfilled throughout Scripture but perhaps none sweeter and certainly none more endearing to our hearts than the one we celebrate during this Advent season. The birth of the baby in Bethlehem, the city of David, to a virgin – brought great hope to the watching world as it does to us today. Some thirty-three years later another great, albeit tragic, promise was fulfilled in the death, burial, and resurrection of that same child. Those who know Him cannot help but weep at His death and yet rejoice at the freedom we know because of it – and the hope we know in the empty tomb and His ascension into Heaven.
The fulfillment of these promises and all those that came before them or those we have seen evidence of in our own lives, even to this day, are what give us the beautiful hope in the promise of Jesus in John 14:1-3. You see, Jesus had made known His upcoming departure and here, in the fourteenth chapter of John, He gives His disciples and, by extension, all – who by faith have chosen to follow Him, the ultimate promise of hope. It is a promise meant to sustain us as believers . For to press on in His work during His absence it is vital that we keep believing in Him – in who He is, in what He is doing, and in the promise that He will return for us and take us with Him – so that where He is we may be also.
Jesus is making a place for us Jesus will come again Jesus will take us to be with Him
The HOPE of John 14:3
There is one catch about His promise to return and take us with Him – it is only for those who have placed their faith in Him. So, as we wait on His promised return may we be faithfully active in making Him known. May we live out His love, share His message of peace and hope, and continually pray for the salvation of the lost.
Marvelous message we bring, Glorious carol we sing, Wonderful word of the King, Jesus is coming again! -Chorus: Coming again, Coming again, May be morning, may be noon, May be evening and may be soon! Coming again, Coming again; O what a wonderful day it will be -Jesus is coming again!
“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
They replied, “He is the son of David.”
Matthew 22:42
We know and celebrate Jesus as the Son of God, but in today’s reference, and many other places in the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the “son of David.” Jesus even says of Himself, “I am the root and the descendant of David …” in Revelation 22:16, identifying Himself as both the creator (root) of David and David’s descendant. Only Jesus can claim both titles because He alone is the true and living Son of God come down to earth in the flesh – just as God promised David through the prophet Samuel.
The title “Son of David” is more than a statement of physical genealogy. It is a Messianic title. When people referred to Jesus as the Son of David, they meant that He was the long-awaited Deliverer, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.
gotquestions.org
Our traditional Christmas celebrations are centered around the nativity. We talk of Mary and Joseph and others like Elizabeth and Zechariah or Anna and Simeon who are all part of the narrative. We sing of the baby in a manger, of shepherds and the angels on the night of His birth, and of the wise men who visited him from the East, and these are all good and true parts of the story worthy of rejoicing in. However, in recent years, I have grown to love this season of Advent – the time leading up to the celebration, a time when we look forward to the nativity by remembering God’s promise of a Messiah to His people and, ultimately, the world. It is a time of hope, peace, joy, and love coming down to earth in the flesh, Jesus – the Light and Savior of the world. Advent is a time of remembering that while Jesus is fully God, He is also the promised Messiah, the “son of David.” Combining the history of this long-awaited Messiah with the sweet baby boy in the manger has helped me more fully appreciate and celebrate Christmas for who and what it’s really about. The twinkling lights, the music, the presents, and childlike wonder are always going to tug at my heart of nostalgia and childlike delight – but the Advent will forever move me in awe and wonder of God’s love and fulfilled promise the Messiah – Immanuel – God with us!
May we press on faithfully in the observance of Advent and draw near with hearts of worship and wonder worthy of our God and Savior.
For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing itand strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6-7
In our larger passage, verses two through five are a message from the prophet Isaiah that tells of a time when God will send light back to Israel. War will cease and Israel’s enemies will no longer rule over them. Verses six and seven tell us how that will happen.
Oh the beauty of a promise kept and of hope given. Through God’s Word we have seen the child, the son that Isaiah spoke of, born to a virgin who called His name Emmanuel. We have seen Him on a cross bearing the weight of sins that belonged to the world. We have watched as God let Him die and listened as He cried in agony, “My God, My God – why have You forsaken Me?” We’ve peered into the tomb with Mary and the others to see the grave clothes but no body and then watched as He later ascended into heaven. Perhaps we’ve even doubted with Thomas but then realized the reality of His presence and cried out as Thomas did, “My Lord, and my God!” By faith we now believe that He sits at the right hand of God’s throne interceding on our behalf. And by faith we believe and wait with great anticipation for His promised return. Yes, oh yes! There is beauty in a promise kept and that beauty comes in the hope, peace, and strength that come from knowing Him .
Feel free to share your thoughts (observations, application …) about today’s passage – in the comment section
Reflections on Today’s Journey
Who is Jesus to you?
Why is He such an important person?
Why do so many people still follow Him?
Going Further
For more insight on today’s reading be sure and ready today’s blog from the LGG Team
Happy Monday Friends! Let’s look to the Lord for the help we need today💜 For we know that God will hear us when we pray and we can be confident that just as He saved us from our sins He will rescue us from our troubles or walk with us through them.
Today’s Verse comes from Micah 7:7 which says:
I
It seems like everyday (sometimes every hour or minute) has something that we need help with – something we are crying out to God for. Whether it is health … provision … wisdom … strength … peace … or a myriad of other needs that arise – God is able. Whether it is us or someone else we know that is in need, God tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us, (1 Peter 5:7). From the least to the greatest of the cares He has invited us to bring them all to Him. So what is it you need to look to God for today? He’s ready and always listening – so let Him know and then wait confidently for His help.
What about this verse can you thank God for today?
How can I pray for you? Share a request in the comments or private message me at my email or facebook account –
mryelnb@aol.com (please put prayer in the subject line
@facebook/ MaryEllen Black
How have you seen God answer recently? Give Him praise and let it be a reminder that you can trust Him and a catalyst to continue looking to Him for help.
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Mark 8:36
Have you ever known someone that was never satisfied? You know, the person who seems to have everything going for them but they’re just never content. Their lack of satisfaction or contentment motivates them to grasp at the next best thing “the world” offers with the thought or the hope that “it” will make them happier. A better car… a bigger house… a better relationship…a better job… more money… more status… more accolades… more happiness… you get the picture. The list is endless and exhausting, and according to today’s verse – it can be dangerous.
Don’t get me wrong, none of these things in themselves are bad – but the danger comes when our motive is based on what the world offers or says is best rather than on the reality of what God has given us. For God has graciously gifted us with “life to the full”(John 3:16 and 10:10). This gift includes the Kingdom of Heaven and an eternity in paradise with Him! There is nothing better or anything in the world that can make our joy and contentment fuller than this.
Me From the Inside Out 