Tag: Love God Greatly

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Draw Near: Week 6, Tuesday — Knowing God’s Word Helps You

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Today’s Scriptures: Joshua 1:7-9; Deuteronomy 11:16-23 (SOAP: Joshua 1:8)

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9

“But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. 17 If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you.

18 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.

22 “Be careful to obey all these commands I am giving you. Show love to the Lord your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him. 23 Then the Lord will drive out all the nations ahead of you, though they are much greater and stronger than you, and you will take over their land. Deuteronomy 11:16-23

While Joshua was a good leader, many after him were not. These leaders did not know God’s laws and therefore, did not follow it. In order to live …

Read the full devotional at LGG
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Draw Near: Week 6, Monday — Praying God’s Word

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:14; 2 Timothy 2:14-19 (SOAP Psalm 19:14)

Remind people of these things and solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen. 15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. 16 But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness, 17 and their message will spread its infection like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group. 8 They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people’s faith. 19 However, God’s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil.” 2 Timothy 2:14-19 NET

The Bible is the most important book in the life of a Christian. It is where we find God and through Him, eternal life. We believe that prayer is very important. It is how we communicate with God. It is through prayer that we repent of our sins, praise who He is, and approach Him with our needs.

What if we faithfully used prayer and Scripture together?

Read the rest of the blog at LGG

The words we speak begin with the thoughts in our heart. In other words, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:45). That is why it is so important that we meditate on God’s Word and His works, which are the first two themes of Psalm 19.

Read the rest of today’s LGG Devotional

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Draw Near: Week 5, Friday Reframing Our Minds Around Application

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:12-13; Psalm 119:9-16 (SOAP: Psalm 119:11)

How can a young person stay pure?
    By obeying your word.
10 I have tried hard to find you—
    don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 I praise you, O Lord;
    teach me your decrees.
13 I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.
14 I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.
15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.
16 I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Psalm 119:9-16

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. Psalm 19:12-13

There are two things a text will show you. Either it will teach you something you should know, or it will tell you something you should do. … Don’t skip over the passages that don’t clearly tell you about something you should be doing. Look for truths that will help you renew your mind and love God more.

Read the full blog/lesson at LGG

When we memorize and remember God’s Word we can cling to the truth we’ve received during difficult moments. Instead of being taken captive by lies or despair, we can call to mind the truth of God’s Word when we need it most.

Read the full devotional at LGG
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Draw Near: Week 5, Thursday Written For Our Instruction

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Today’s Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-2; Romans 15:1-5 (SOAP: Romans 15:4)

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Living to Please Others

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”  4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

God’s book has it all. Job lost his job, his possessions, and all of his children, yet God preserved his life, and restored him, and blessed him. Daniel was betrayed by co-workers and thrown into the lions’ den and survived. Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers and sold as a slave, but God used his experience for good. Paul wrote many of his letters while he unjustly sat in jail. Jesus was accused of crimes He didn’t commit and crucified next to criminals on a cross.

Read the full devotional LGG

Would you to know more about God’s Word and why Jesus died on a criminal’s cross – simply type – ‘I would like to know more -‘ in the comment bar.

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Draw Near: Week 5, Wednesday Applying God’s Commands

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:12-13; James 1:19-27 (SOAP: James 1:25)

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin. Psalm 19:12-13

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger[a] does not produce the righteousness[b] God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:19-27 NLT

The commands of God guide us in living. God’s commands show us that there is a better way to live. God teaches us through His principles what we should be doing in order to glorify Him and in order live a fruitful and faithful life. We need to ask, “how should I be living?”

Read the full blog/lesson at LGG

 As we look to God’s Word for instruction and encouragement, let us also remember the signs of His faithfulness and set up our own pillars of remembrance.

Read the full devotional at LGG
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Draw Near: Week 5, Tuesday — The Living and Enduring Word of God

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Today’s Scripture: Psalm 119:105; 1 Peter 1:22-23 (SOAP: 1 Peter 1:22-23)

1 Peter 1:22-23

You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. — 23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

The Word of God and the Spirit of God are essential in bringing to light our sinful hearts and leading us to repentance. Without the light of God’s Word our darkened hearts cannot be wakened to our need for a savior.

Read the full devotion at LGG

If you have questions about God’s Word or would like to know Jesus as Your Savior, please leave me a comment with your question or simply say: I want to know –

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Draw Near: Week 5 — Monday On to Application

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Today’s Scripture – Psalm 19:12-13; Psalm 1:1-2 (SOAP: Psalm 19:12-13)

Psalm 19:12-13

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

Psalm 1:1-2

Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.

For most of us, the application of our Bible study tends to be the favorite part of our quiet time. We live in a world where we can have access to everything quickly. This mindset can creep into our Bible studies and cause us to want to skip the hard work of observation and interpretation and we move straight to “How can I apply this to my day, week, life, or circumstance?”

For a better understanding of the application process – Read the full blog/lesson at LGG

 God’s word can bring to light hidden faults and can warn us of what displeases God so we can confess and avoid these offenses.

Today’s SOAP passage is also our memory/focus verse this week – Read its corresponding devotional at LGG

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Draw Near: Week 4, Wednesday Cultural and Historical Background

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Today’s Scripture – Ps 19:10-11; Matthew 4:1-4 (SOAP: Matthew 4:4)

Psalm 19:10-11

They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

Matthew 4:1-4 The Temptation of Jesus

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

3 During that time the devil[a] came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Each book of the Bible was written in a specific place, in a specific period of time, by a specific author, to a specific people or person who were a part of a specific culture, with a specific intention. The Bible, and everything in it, is a part of history. Understanding some of the historical background can give us a more robust and well-rounded understanding of what we are studying.

Read the full lesson/blog at LGG

 There is amazing power in God’s Word in fighting the lies of the enemy. Jesus in His humanity, inspired by the Holy Spirit, spoke truth to overcome the fraudulent words of Satan.

Read Today’s Devotional at LGG
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Draw Near: Week 4, Tuesday — Open My Eyes

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Today’s Scripture – Psalm 119:17-18; Luke 11:28 (SOAP: Psalm 119:17-18)

Psalm 119:17-18

 Be good to your servant,
    that I may live and obey your word.
18 Open my eyes to see
    the wonderful truths in your instructions.

Luke 11:28

Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

“In these verses we are reminded that we need the Word,”

read more at LGG
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Draw Near: Week 4, Monday — Dealing With Hard Passages

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Today’s Scripture – Psalm 19:10-11; John 17:14-19 (SOAP: Psalm 19:10-11)

Psalm 19:10-11

 They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

John 17:14-19

I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

Have you ever become discouraged with your Bible study because you have encountered some confusing passages? … We all have passages of Scripture that trip us up, but I hope that today’s words will be an encouragement to you. Let’s begin with some words of caution.

For the full blog/lesson Dealing with Hard Passages – Love God Greatly

One pound of pure gold is worth almost $20,000. Yet, God’s word is worth more to our souls.

https://lovegodgreatly.com/devotional-draw-near-w4d1/