LGG – Page 75 – Me From the Inside Out

Friendship: Week 4, Friday –The Importance of Love

Posted on July 2, 2021June 27, 2021 by

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 13, PROVERBS 12:26; SOAP: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7

Love Is the Greatest –

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! ⁹Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! ¹⁰But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ¹²Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13 (NLT)

We all need to be reminded that if we truly love our friends – then we will treat them the way true love does.
Read the rest of today’s devotional

The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 12:26 NLT

WHAT’S YOUR TAKEAWAY? Scroll down to share your thoughts

Personal Reflection Questions:
What does it mean that love rejoices with the truth?
How can you live this out in friendships?

Be sure and visit Love God Greatly for today’s blog post

Friendship: Week 4, Thursday — The Impact of Our Words

Posted on July 1, 2021June 27, 2021 by

READ: EPHESIANS 4:29, PROVERBS 16:24, PROVERBS 16:28; SOAP: EPHESIANS 4;29

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 NLT

Our words are more powerful than we can imagine.
Read the rest of today’s LGG devotional

Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. – A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16:24, 28

WHAT’S YOUR TAKEAWAY? Please share your comments in the reply bar

Personal Reflection Questions:
Why are we instructed to watch we say?
How can your words impact your friendship?

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 4, Wednesday Red Flags

Posted on June 30, 2021June 27, 2021 by

READ: PROVERBS 22:24-25 AND 27:4, 1 CORINTHIANS 15:33, AND JAMES 4:4-6; SOAP: JAMES 4:4

Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, ²⁵or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. – Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous. Proverbs 22:24-25 and 27:4

Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Cor. 15:33

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. ⁵Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. ⁶And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:4-6

Friendship with the world means that we have become too comfortable with the fallen order of things …
read the rest of today’s LGG devotional

WHAT’S YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM TODAY? Share your thoughts in the reply box –

Personal REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Why does friendship with the world mean hostility toward God?
What does friendship with the world look like?
What can we do to guard against falling into friendship with the world?

*Don’t forget to check out today’s blog post*

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 4, Tuesday Threats to Biblical Friendships

Posted on June 29, 2021June 27, 2021 by

READ: EPHESIANS 6:12, PROVERBS 11:9, PROVERBS 11:13: SOAP: EPHESIANS 6:12

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NLT

What’s your takeaway from today? I would love to know your thoughts, which can be shared in the reply bar

We can guard ourselves against false friends, but we also need to remember who our real enemy is.
Read the rest of today’s LGG devotional

With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. – A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. Proverbs 11:9 and 13

Personal REFLECTION QUESTION: HOW DOES BAD COMPANY CORRUPT GOOD MORALS?

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 4, Monday Counterfeit Friendships

Posted on June 28, 2021June 27, 2021 by

READ PROVERBS 17:9, ROMANDS 16:17-18, 2 TIMOTHY 3:2-5; SOAP: ROMANS 16:17-18

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. PROVERBS 17:9 NLT

For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:2-5 NLT

Paul’s Final Instructions

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. ¹⁸Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words, they deceive innocent people. Romans 16:17-18 NLT

The early church and our current churches face a similar problem: people who are only interested in serving themselves.
Read the rest of the LGG devotional

–What’s your takeaway from today? Feel free to leave your response in the reply bar

Personal Reflection Question: How can you ensure you are not a friend who creates obstacles and conflict in your relationships?

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 3, Friday The Need for Forgiveness

Posted on June 25, 2021June 20, 2021 by

READ: COLOSSIANS 3:12-14, EPHESIANS 4:32, AND PROVERBS 17:17; SOAP COLOSSIANS 3:12-14

Colossians 3:12-14 New Living Translation

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Ephesians 4:32 New Living Translation

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Proverbs 17:17 New Living Translation

A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE-AWAY?

All of our friendships will require forgiveness at some point or another. –
Read the rest of the LGG devotional here

You can read today’s Love God Greatly Blog Post at Love God Greatly – Online Women’s Bible Study Blog

REFLECTION QUESTION: WHY IS FORGIVENESS IMPORTANT IN FRIENDSHIP?

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 3, Monday — The Golden Rule

Posted on June 21, 2021June 20, 2021 by

READ: LUKE 6:31-36; SOAP: LUKE 6:31

Luke 6:31-36 New Living Translation

Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

³²“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! ³³And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! ³⁴And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

³⁵“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. ³⁶You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE AWAY? (scroll down and leave a reply)

Don’t forget to read the Blog and Devotional from Love God Greatly

REFLECTION QUESTION: HOW DO YOU WANT OTHERS TO TREAT YOU?
Feel free to share your answer in the comment bar

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 2, Friday –Support In a Broken World

Posted on June 18, 2021June 12, 2021 by

Read: Hebrews 10:24-25 and Ruth 1:16-17; SOAP: Hebrews 10:24-25

Hebrews 10:24-25 New Living Translation

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Ruth 1:16-17 New Living Translation

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. ¹⁷Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

We can be an encouragement by our persistent friendship!
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Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 2, Thursday Lifting Each Other Up

Posted on June 17, 2021June 12, 2021 by

Read: Galatians 6:1-10; SOAP: Galatians 6:2

Galatians 6:1-10 New Living Translation

We Harvest What We Plant

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. ²Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. ³If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

⁴Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. ⁵For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

⁶Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.

⁷Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. ⁸Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. ⁹So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. ¹⁰Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Our relationship with God should flow into the way we treat others.
Read the full devotional here

Bible study, LGG Study

Friendship: Week 2, Wednesday Thicker Than Blood

Posted on June 16, 2021June 12, 2021 by

Read: 1 Samuel 18:1-4 and 1 Samuel 20; SOAP: 1 Samuel 18:1-4

1 Samuel 18:1-4 New Living Translation

Saul Becomes Jealous of David

After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. ²From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn’t let him return home. ³And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. ⁴Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt.

1 Samuel 20 New Living Translation

Jonathan Helps David

David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”

²“That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!”

³Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the Lord and by your own soul!”

⁴“Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed.

Read David’s plan and the rest of the story

David and Jonathan are good examples of how strong a friendship can be when it’s rooted in a mutual love for God.
Read the full devotional here

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