Tag: LGG

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, The Promised Messiah

Jesus Suffered For Us

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Isaiah 52:13-53:12 / SOAP: Isaiah 53:5

He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds, crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.

Isaiah 53:5

I don’t know that there is any verse in the Bible that can make clear to us what Christ did for us. This is the verse that makes it personal, that reminds us it wasn’t just something Jesus did to satisfy God. I challenge you to think about all the wicked, evil, ungodly things you’ve ever said or done or thought. Now reread the verse but read it like this … He was wounded because of ‘my’ rebellious deeds, crushed because of ‘my’ sins he endured punishment that made ‘me’ well because of his wounds ‘I’ have been healed. Let that sit in your soul and mind for a minute. Be still and know what your God and your Savior have done for you. Ask yourself what it means to you? What should your response be?

Words of Worship

 O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love;
leading onward, leading homeward
to Thy glorious rest above.

2 O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore!
How He watcheth o’er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own;
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o’er them from the throne.

3 O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
love of every love the best;
’tis an ocean vast of blessing,
’tis a haven sweet of rest.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
’tis heav’n of heav’ns to me;
and it lifts me up to glory,
for it lifts me up to Thee.

Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #321

Going Further

Be sure and check out today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

O’ the Depth of His Love

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Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:6-11 / SOAP: Philip 2:8-11
THe Love and Example of Jesus –

Though he, [Jesus], was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

The Reaction of God The Father –

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11

I love the way that the LGG Team worded it in today’s devotion (journal p 52)

When Jesus left the glories of heaven to come into our broken world, He emptied Himself, not of His divinity, but of His divine privileges as God. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was willing to take on human nature, entering into all the pain, frustrations, and afflictions of our fallen world. he humbled Himself by submitting to the Father’s will.

Jesus’ obedience went beyond living as a human, even to the point of His gruesome death. He was humiliated and hated, murdered by the very people He came to save. Yet, because of that, God has highly exalted Him.

The Promised Messiah, by LGG, devotion journal p52

To know God is to love Him and to know the depth of His love is to worship and adore Him above all else. I mean seriously, our God is an awesome God! Yet we will never truly understand how incredibly awesome He is until we understand the depth of His love. Consider these closing words from today’s devo: “[Jesus] was willing to humble Himself completely to save us. He left His place in heaven so that we could have a relationship with Him. He gave everything so we could gain everything.” –

When we understand the depth of His love we will bow to the supremacy of Christ and we will follow/adopt His attitude toward God and man.

O’ Come let us adore Him! May we forever exalt His name – for He is forever worthy of our praise!

Father, God – thank You for sending Your Son to save us. Jesus thank You for Your obedience to the Father on my behalf and for His glory – Help me to live and love like You! In Your name I pray Jesus – Amen.

Posted in Advent, Advent, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah, Uncategorized

A King from Bethlehem

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Hosea 11:1; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:5-6 and14-15 / SOAP: Matthew 2:6

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

God’s Perfect Plan and Provision

Isn’t God the coolest? He’s thoughtful and attentive, a detailed organizer, and a planner. He’s quite the designer and very creative. His imagination is unmatchable, He’s a great communicator and a fierce but loving protector; and He’s given us a King, a ruler who will shepherd His people well. We can rest assured that we are safe under His ruling care – and we can rejoice that His Kingdom knows no end.

The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth were nothing short of miraculous. The timing, location, and events that occurred were ordained by God, long before Jesus was conceived.

LGG Devo p48, The Promised Messiah
Going Futher

Foreshadowings: Micah 5:2 is a Messianic prophecy quoted when the magi were searching for the king born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:6). These wise men from the East were told that from the tiny village of Bethlehem would come forth the Prince of Peace, the Light of the world. Micah’s message of sin, repentance, and restoration finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:24-25) and the only way to God (John 14:6). (to read the full commentary visit https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Micah.html)

Tod

ay’s readings are a beautifully designed landscape. From Hosea, to Micah, to Matthew we see how the Scriptures paint a wonderfully vivid picture of God’s work and unfolding plan. For me it is a picture that fosters trust and instills comfort and peace. The artistry of our Master Creator both in creation and His Word makes me love and worship Him and leaves me wanting to spend more time with Him. to see Him close-up and to know Him more.

Posted in Advent, Advent, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, The Promised Messiah

Son of David or of God?

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 “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.

Going further

Be sure and check out today’s blog post by the LGG Team

Reflections on the journey

Who do you say Jesus is?

Posted in Advent, Advent, From the Insideout, He Sees He Knows He Cares, LGG Study, The Promised Messiah

Messengers

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Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-3; Malachi 3:1; Mark 1:1-13 / SOAP: Mark 1:1-2

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way,

Mark 1:1-2

We may not always know or specifically see what the next trial or blessing will be but we can rest assured that they are coming and that God is preparing us for them along the way. We must also remember that Christ has called us, much like God did John – to “prepare the way” for more disciples. Consider Christ’s words to the disciples in Matthew 28:19, when He commissioned them to go into all the world and share the message about/from Christ, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are the commissioned messengers of today. For more insight on what this means read today’s devotional from the LGG Team –

Prayer of Response

Father, thank You that you are a God of purpose – interactively involved in our life. Thank You for going ahead of us and preparing the way and for using us to prepare the way for others. Help us to be faithful to the call upon our lives. Tn Jesus’ Name Amen!

Reflections on the Journey

God is always preparing us for what He has for us – whether that be trials, blessing, or meeting Jesus for the first time. How is God working in you today to prepare you for what is to come?

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

The Hope of Israel

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Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7 / SOAP: Isaiah 9:6-7

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 it and 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

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, The Armor of God

A Pure Life

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God / w6d5

Scripture: Psalm 119:9-16 / SOAP: verse 11

In my heart I store up your words,
so I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11

Oh my goodness, I love-love-love this passage. I can’t remember when I first ran across it, but I believe it was one of the first set of verses I put to memory back in the early nineties. I’ve probably said it here before, but I love passages of Scripture with straightforward, step-by-step instructions like this one.

The Psalmist asks, “How can a young person maintain a pure life?” From the same pen flows the simple but complex answer(s). Obviously, the SOAP verse is the crux of the answer: to “hide or store up God’s Word in our heart.” As we saw in the previous post, this is undoubtedly a chief means of combating the enemy in battle. Jesus is a testimony of this throughout His ministry, but very clearly in Matthew 4:1-11. However, by way of application to our everyday life we must also note all the other ways the Psalmist outlines living a pure life.

  • Living by God’s Word
  • Knowing God’s Word
  • Staying faithful to God’s Word
  • Focusing on God’s Behavior
  • Seeking God
  • Praying to God for Help
  • Praising God
  • Being taught by God
  • Delight in God’s way
  • Remember God’s instructions
  • Meditating on God’s precepts*

*Rules dictating behavior

Is Living A Pure and Holy Life Possible?

Absolutely! Everything God has called us to is possible through Him, who called us by His own glory and goodness. However, it takes intentionality and consistency in choosing God’s way over yours. Applying the criteria the Psalmist lists takes a lifetime of dying to self and daily following Christ’s steps, which is basically what Christ told the crowd in the ninth chapter of Luke when He said: “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” When this is how we choose to live, when we intentionally and consistently choose God’s way over the world’s, we will find ourselves living the pure and holy life the Psalmist sought after and that God has called us to live.

God has already made us holy in Christ. He has already set us apart and saved us. Now he calls us to make choices that reflect who we already are.

Commentary on 1 Peter 1:15-16 / Bibleref.org – See Going Further in the Journey
Prayer of Response to God’s Word

Father, You have called us to be holy as You are holy. This can seem an overwhelming demand upon our life until we also remember that Your servant Peter said that You have empowered us to be all that You have called us to be. We are able to be set apart and holy because through Christ You have made us new creations – the old has gone and the new is here. Help us to live up to what You created us to be. Help us to live lives that are set apart from the world, lives that reflect You and not the world. Help us to die to self and live for You, to follow in the ways of Christ our Lord and Savior. Help us to remember that we are Yours and have been set apart for You. Help us to be hungry for your Word, to hide it in our heart so that we might not sin against You. Help us to stay faithful to Your Word that it might dictate our behavior. In this You will be glorified as we live as Your representatives in Christ – in Whose name I pray – Amen and amen!

Reflecting on the Journey

What role does God’s Word play in our lives, and what impact does it have?

Going Further in the Journey

but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 1 Peter 1:15

since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

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

Silencing the Enemy

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God / w6d4

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11 / SOAP: 10-11

Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs.

Matthew 4:10-11

I love love love this example from the life and trials of Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t love that He had to suffer the temptations of Satan, but seeing how Jesus handled it has been a life-saver and an encouragement to me over and over again. Our temptations may not always be the same but the way to handle them is. When we speak God’s Word to the enemy he will flee. James says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you -” which I assure you is a tried and true promise I have experienced. The key is knowing how to resist the devil. I have found the only way to truly resist him – is to do as Jesus did and draw on the strength we find in God and His Word. I have also found and experienced the reality of praise silencing the enemy, as we read in Psalm 8:2 – where the Psalmist declares: “You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.”

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Verses ten and eleven of Matthew chapter four are beautiful words of encouragement and a testimony of how the enemy responds when we hit him, the father of lies, with the Truth. However, they are even more beautiful in the context of verses one through nine. If you missed them go back and read them – better yet open your Bible so that you can highlight or make note of Jesus’ response to every temptation that Satan hurled at him. Note how the enemy came at him at a time when Jesus would have been ‘famished’, as the NET version puts it. Read each verse and watch as Jesus uses God’s Word to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes and lies and note how Jesus had great victory in the battle – heard clearly in the words of verse eleven – “Then the devil left him”. We can have this same victory when we know and use the Word of God to put the devil in his place.

What’s it look like in the day to day?
  • Note cards with verses
  • Sticky notes on the car dashboard or the inside of the refrigerator at home
  • Praise and worship music playing in your car or your ear
  • Regular quality time with God in His Word
  • Praying the Word back to God
  • Working on memorizing God’s Word
  • Church
  • Small Groups
  • Bible Studies and/or discussions with others
  • Anything that gets you into God’s Word and God’s Word in you
Prayer of Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for showing us ways to combat the enemy and not just showing us ways but equipping us with the armor and empowering us with Your Spirit and for the praise that flows from just knowing You as our God! There is power in Your name, power in Your Word, power in Praise, power in prayer, power in resisting the devil though the power of Your Spirit! Help us to faithfully spend time with You in Your Word and with Your people so that we might stand faithfully firm against the evil one. Help us to remember that he has no power over us for we belong to You. Help us to remember the words of John, who said – that greater is He that is in us than the one who is in the world! Help us to stay alert and stand ready in body, mind, and soul – to Your glory – Amen – in Jesus’ name.

Reflecting on the Journey
  • How did Jesus stand against temptation in the wilderness?
  • What does this teach you about how to stand against temptation in your life?
  • What are some practical and/or supernatural ways we can defeat the enemy?
Going Further in the Journey

Why will resistance cause the devil to flee? Because he knows he cannot have victory over us if we are prepared to do battle against him. As mentioned before, the Bible assures us that we need only put on the full armor of God to be fully protected from evil and to actively resist it. There is nothing more frightening to Satan than a believer who is fully equipped with spiritual armor, beginning with the “helmet of salvation,” which protects our minds, and the “breastplate of righteousness,” which protects our hearts because it is the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Only a true believer wears these because only those who have received God’s forgiveness by grace through faith have eternal salvation and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them.

Read More…. https://www.gotquestions.org/resist-the-devil.html

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

Human Standards or Christ’s?

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God / w6d3

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:1-5 / SOAP: verse 3-5

For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments 5 and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

In the first two verses of the Scripture for today, Paul makes it clear that he doesn’t want to be seen as living according to human standards but rather by the meek and gentle qualities of Christ. As Paul has made known in many if not all of his letters – while we are human beings we are not to live by the old nature of the flesh but by the new nature of Christ and His Spirit in us. This is true in every situation of life, even, if not especially, the times when we seem to be at war.

When the enemy engages us in battle it is important to not fight back from our own strength or our human emotions – these get us no where in the spiritual battles. We must use the weapons that are made powerful by God, such as the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, as well as prayer and praise. Only with these will we be able to tear down the arguments or arrogant obstacles that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. Only with God’s Word will we be able to take our thoughts captive, making them obedient to Christ. God’s Word is not only a light to our path and a lamp to guide our feet but it is His power for every situation we will face. It is His power against sin and for salvation, and for life and breath and peace and all else we have need of. With it we have victory and without it we face anxieties and sure defeat.

Prayer of Response

Father, Your Word is a lamp to our feet it is a light that guides us in the way we should go, it brings joy and strength and peace to every day. Through it we have hope and know Your love. Help us to know Your Word Father and to use it well in the spiritual battles of this world. Help us to lift up our prayers and praises to You faithfully for in them there is great power to defeat the enemy! Thank You that this world is not our final home and that Your Word and the truth of who You are and what You’ve done is ours to know and use as victorious weapons in the battles that wage around us. Thank You for not only equipping us but for being with us in the battles – for we know that You never leave us or forsake us – and we know that we do not fight alone!

Worship Through Song

Check out Michael W. Smith’s – Surrounded (Fight My Battles) for a beautiful time of worship and emphasis that we do not fight alone. God has provided His Presence, His Armor, and a Garment of praise (Isa 61:3). https://youtu.be/YBl84oZxnJ4?feature=shared (I do not own the rights to this song.)

Reflecting on or Journey

How can we destroy the strongholds and arguments in our lives?

Going Further in the Journey

Be sure and check out today’s LGG Post

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

The Way of Success

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God / w6d2

Scripture: Joshua 1:7-9 / SOAP: Joshua 1:7

Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep. Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do.

Joshua 1:7

In today’s verse, Joshua charges the people with three things that will lead them to success as God’s people. As believers, we are to live in this same way. Joshua gives a list to the people in his day of what this looks like, and it carries over throughout Scripture. We see it in the verses we have used consistently throughout this study from Ephesians 6:10-18.

According to Joshua, we are to be strong and brave, to carefully obey God’s commands, to stay on God’s path, which leads to success for the believer, and to memorize, or to know, God’s Word. Note the similarities in Paul’s instructions to find strength and power from the Lord and to clothe themselves with the whole armor of God. We also know that both the belt of Truth and the Sword of the Spirit – which are the first and the last pieces of armor have to do with knowing the Word of God; in actuality, every piece of the armor comes back to the Word of God. For surely there is no righteousness or peace or faith aside from God’s Word. As Joshua told the Israelites, their success depended on their obedience, and so too does ours, as failure to use the weapons God has given us will undoubtedly lead to our destruction rather than the victories we experience when we live obedient to Christ.

Knowing God’s Word

We cannot live obediently to something we do not know, and we will not know that which we do not expose ourselves to often.

ME from the Inside-out

I know that memorizing Scripture can be daunting, but clearly, it is our calling as God’s people. However, please remember that while the word memorize means to commit something to memory, it also means to learn something by heart. I would venture to say that while you may not be able to tell me word for word what the Bible says, if you have been a believer for very long, you would be able to tell me the way to Christ or the way of forgiveness or who created the world and in how many days. Spending consistent and meaningful time in God’s Word will always lead to knowing God and His Word, and the more time we spend, the more we will know. I would also remind you before you say you just can’t – that God has empowered us to do everything He has called us to do.💜

I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. 4 Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.

2 Peter 1:3
Prayer of Response

Father, I confess that without Your Word I am not strong and brave, without Your Word and the power of it I would live by the fleshly desires of this life rather than by the godly ways you have made known to us. Thank You for today’s reminder that we are to not just come to a saving faith but we are to know Your Word so that we can know the way You want us to live and so that we will live successfully as Your sons and daughters. Help us to remember Your Word. Help us to spend quality time in Your Word so that we can remember It – help us to remember that Your Word is a sure and present and victorious weapon agains the evil one and those who prey upon Your children. We are Yours – In Jesus Name – help us to be strong and brave. Amen and Amen.

Reflection of the Journey

How does Joshua 1:7 encourage us to be strong and courageous in the face of challenges and difficulties?

Going Further in our Journey