Tag: Love

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Fruit of the Spirit

It’s About Faith and Relationship

Posted on by MaryEllen

Based on The Fruit of the Spirit Study, by LGG / W2D2


Today’s Road Map for the Journey: James 1:2-4; SOAP: James 1:2

2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 

James 1:2 NLT

I would venture to say that none of us delight in trials (troubles and suffering). However, in this life, they will come, and when they do, they are meant to be useful teaching tools that produce endurance and perfect us in godliness. It is not only helpful to remember this truth but to embrace it so that we do not run from the troubles that come into our lives.

So, how are you when trials and troubles disrupt your life? Do you welcome them with open arms, seeing them as opportunities for great joy? Or are you prone to grumble and avoid them at all costs? Or does your reaction vary depending on the type of trouble? Not finding your favorite travel mug might be a problem; however, not finding your car keys is a much bigger situation, often affecting not just you, but your kids’ transportation or a meeting at work. From the most incidental trial to a seemingly insurmountable problem to a full-blown catastrophe, James encourages his readers to see them all as opportunities for great joy. But – how and why?

How? How are we to rejoice or count our troubles as opportunities for joy? We are not told exactly how, but yet it is inferred with these three words: “Because you know…” and the ones that follow: “when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow…” We can because we know. What/who do we know that will help us see our troubles as pure joy? We know God; we know He is faithful, loving, kind, and trustworthy… which means if our faith is being tested, we can trust that He has a purpose, and it is for our good, not our harm. James quickly defines why our faith is tested by explaining that when it is tested, our endurance has a chance to grow, ultimately making us and our relationship with God more mature and complete.

So, James says that when a trial or hardship comes our way, we should label that moment as joyful because it will test our faith. By definition, a trial creates a moment where we don’t know how things will work out. A trial wrecks our plans. A trial takes away our ability to see the clear path to getting what we think will make us happy. It is in those moments that we make life’s most critical choices. Either we will decide, “If God let this happen to me, I will not trust Him. If He will not prevent days like this, I will find someone else to trust.” Or, the struggle will push us to turn to God for more help, to trust more deeply that He is with us and for us, to believe that He will carry us through.

When we choose to trust Him, He provides. Our endurance—the ability to keep trusting Him while trials continue unresolved—grows. And since our faith is the most important thing to our God, that is worth rejoicing.

Bibleref.com / James 1:3

It should be noted that “counting it all joy” does not mean jumping up and down with cheers that our tire is flat or the doctor’s report is bad. It does, however, include/require trusting God to know the situation and to help us through the troubles that will come. It means fixing our eyes on Him and not the problem. After all, our problems generally prompt statements like: “I can’t do this…” “I don’t know how I’m going to do this…” and/or a load of others, including: “Why me?” However, when we switch our minds from the problem to God, the One who can help us do ‘it’ and the One who knows the way and the why ~ He fills us with His peace (Isa 26:3). God not only has all of the answers and strength we need; He has given us the answer to the ‘why’ through the words of Paul: ‘because the testing of our faith produces endurance, v3’ which leads to a ‘healthy and mature faith/relationship with God, v4 ‘. As Bibleref.com points out, and I have found to be true in my own experience: “trials test our faith. When we keep trusting God through the trials, our faith in Him grows. From God’s perspective, our growing faith in Him is far more important than not experiencing hard things.1“

“Trials test our faith. When we keep trusting God through the trials, our faith in Him grows. From God’s perspective, our growing faith in Him is far more important than not experiencing hard things.”

Bibleref.com

Prayer Response

Father, I confess that I don’t enjoy when troubles and trials come my way, nor do I like it when they plague my children, family, or friends. Yet You have faithfully taught me that I never walk through them alone. You faithfully hold me up with Your victorious right hand and guide me through them. You have taught me to refocus my mind, to trust You, to call out to You, to look for You, to depend on You; and through all of this You have strengthened my faith and deepened my relationship with You. I am forever grateful and filled with joy knowing that Your purposes are good, trustworthy, and true ~ whether in times of trouble or peace, and in this I find JOY! Amen💜

Worship Response

Reflection and Application

What trial in your life right now could God be using to develop perseverance, character, and hope in you?

The More We Know

Consider it pure joy. That’s a hard truth to swallow when you feel like your life is falling apart. If we are honest, most of us read those words from James and think, “easier said than done.”

Consider it joy when I face trials? When the diagnosis comes? When my marriage is struggling? When the finances fall apart? When the thing I prayed hardest for doesn’t happen?

James isn’t being dismissive of our pain. He isn’t telling us to pretend everything is fine or paste a smile over our heartbreak. He is pointing us toward something deeper, a joy that is forged not found. A joy that is produced through the very trials we would never choose for ourselves.

The testing of our faith, James tells us, produces perseverance. And perseverance, when it has finished its work, produces maturity, completeness, and wholeness that cannot be manufactured any other way. There are no shortcuts to becoming the woman God has called you to be.

Please know that God is not wasting your hard seasons. He is using them. They serve a greater purpose. Every trial you walk through is an opportunity for your faith to be tested and strengthened. Every painful season is a classroom where God is developing something in you that could not be developed any other way. The woman who comes out on the other side of a hard season with her faith intact is a woman who has been refined and made stronger. That is not an accident. It is God intentionally, painstakingly working in your life.

This is why joy is possible in the middle of trials. It is not because the trial is good but because God is good. He is at work in the middle of it. When we trust this truth, joy becomes possible.

You are not forgotten in your trial. You are being formed. Keep going. Better days are ahead. That’s God’s promise.

Love God Greatly / Fruit of the Spirit Journal / p 71 digital
  1. James 4 commentary ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Fruit of the Spirit

Joy In the Midnight Hour

Posted on by MaryEllen

Posted on by MaryEllen•Edit

Based on The Fruit of the Spirit Study, by LGG / W2D1


Today’s Road Map for the Journey: Acts 16:22-25; SOAP: Acts 16:25

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.Acts 16:25

Paul and Silas were under attack because they had cast out a demon from a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She had been following them around, shouting that they were there to tell people how to be saved. Whether it was because she was distracting from the message of the Gospel or simply irritating Paul and Silas, Paul commanded the demon to come out of her, and it instantly left. This no doubt pleased Paul and Silas, but it angered the men who owned the girl because they had been making money off of her ability to tell fortunes. Thus, the subsequent arrest and severe beating they had to endure before they were thrown into the prison and fastened by their feet in the stocks, as Luke described.

Having been beaten like they were, they had to be in pain – yet they were praying and singing hymns to God. Though they were in chains ~ they prayed and praised God, and the rest of the prisoners who undoubtedly were also in misery were listening to them. I like to believe it gave them some kind of hope and encouragement. What a beautiful testimony of their faith in and love for God. And ~ what a beautiful example of the power of God’s peace that passes all understanding, not only for the other prisoners in Paul’s day but for us now.

That isn’t the end of the story, though ~ instead, it was what I like to call a “BUT GOD” moment! Here’s what happened next…

…26Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28But Paul shouted to him, ‘Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!’
29The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’
31They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.’ 32And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
35The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, ‘Let those men go!’ 36So the jailer told Paul, ‘The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.’

Excuse me for shouting, but what a GLORY HALLELUJAH MOMENT OF LIFE! Paul, the former persecutor of Christians, was used by God to lead this jailer and his family to Jesus and the salvation that He offers! Paul’s life was filled with suffering and imprisonment and, I imagine, regret from his earlier life, when he persecuted and/or encouraged the persecution of all believers. Luke describes him in Acts 8:1 as one of the witnesses to Stephen being stoned to death for his profession of faith. Luke goes on to say that not only was Paul (then called Saul) there, but he completely agreed with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.1“

As I made notes in my journal about today’s passage, specifically concerning the words “they were praying and singing hymns to God”, this line from an old hymn, “Pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love,”2 filled my mind.

Sweet friend, you may not be sitting in a Roman prison, but you may be sitting in your own kind of midnight. A season that is painful, confusing, and uncertain. A place where joy feels completely out of reach.
But be encouraged. The same God who was with Paul and Silas in that cell is with you right now, in yours. And the same joy that filled their midnight can fill yours, too. His joy is not reserved just for the easy days. It was made for the midnight ones, too.

Love God Greatly Digital Journal / The Fruit of the Spirit / p60

Friends, here on this earth we will face trials and troubles of many kinds, but even then ~ when we don’t know what will happen to us ~ may we remember that we can trust God. And may we let that trust/faith lead us to pray and praise God without ceasing. ~ See 1 Thes 5:16-18. May we never forget that the rest of the prisoners were listening, for it seems to me, at least in part, that this is crucial to the story, as it serves as a lesson/reminder that how we respond to trouble/persecution/fears…is noticed by others and used by God, as we see in the case of the guard who was saved (Acts 16:27-32). We cannot know that our suffering or responses to the daily trials of this life will lead another person to Christ, but I believe we must live as those who know that it can. Whether it is in a dark, damp jail cell, a hospital room, a doctor’s diagnosis, a financial crisis, a broken relationship, a courtroom, a graveside, a classroom, an office … wherever we are, may our lives be filled with prayer and praise and ready with an answer for the hope that is within us.3

16Always be joyful. 17Never stop praying. 18Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. NLT

Prayer Response

Father, please help me to pray and praise You without ceasing. Help me to be found delighting in Your love and filled with joy regardless of the circumstances of my life or those around me. Help me to always be ready with an answer for the hope that is within me – for that HOPE is Jesus Christ, Your Son who came to seek and save the lost. Whether I am living in plenty or in want, in sorrow or in joy, in health or sickness, peace or mounting fears – help me keep my eyes on You, and as James wrote – to consider even the troubles of this life an opportunity for great joy4. ~In Jesus’ Name ~ Amen💜

Worship Song of Response

Reflection and Application

Paul and Silas chose to worship God in the middle of their darkest and most painful circumstances. What is your midnight season right now? What would it look like for you to choose joy and praise God in the middle of it?

The More We Know

The Roman Empire strongly controlled which gods people could worship. This is the likely explanation for the anger and drastic measures taken in the arrest of Paul and Silas… for the full explanation, read Bibleref.com/Acts 16:22. (See also Acts 9:16 and 2 Cor. 11:24-28)

The Answer of Hope:

In the previous verse, Peter instructs Christians not to fear those who cause them to suffer for the sake of Christ. In this verse, he reveals how believers should choose to respond

instead.

First, we should set aside our hearts as the place where Christ is fully honored as the Lord. Peter is writing to people who are already believers. His audience already understands Jesus to be the Lord of all. Still, he instructs Christians to focus intently on Christ’s role as our master, living as if that were absolutely true in all cases, even in suffering. Peter calls us to full submission to Christ.

When we set apart Christ as Lord, it will change us. Peter says those who observe us will notice the difference. That difference is hope. Even in the midst of our suffering, our hopefulness should be apparent. So, Peter instructs us to be ready to answer the question our life should inspire: “How can you be so hopeful in such difficult circumstances?”

Peter anticipates people will become curious. Hopefulness and joy are starkly different from the normal human response to suffering. So much so that people will be eager to understand it. What will we say when they ask? We must be prepared to give our defense, to make the case for faith in Christ. We need to reject the cultural pressure to keep our beliefs to ourselves. Instead, believers should openly share the good news of redemption through faith in Christ.

The Greek word translated as “make a defense,” or “give an answer,” is apologian, from the root word apologia. This is not related to the English word “apology,” where one expresses regret or remorse. Rather, the term means a justification, or an “answer back,” or a reason. This is the source of the terms “apologetics” and “apologist,” which refer to a rational defense of the Christian faith.

Finally, it matters how we make that case for Christ. We must present it with gentleness and respect. Christians are not called on to condemn those who are curious about our hopefulness. Nor are we to be vindictive, vengeful, or insulting to those who disagree. Rather, we should explain our faith without harshness or dismissiveness.

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 3:15

  1. Paul (a.k.a. Saul) the persecutor ↩︎
  2. Love Divine All Loves Excelling ↩︎
  3. The Answer of Hope ↩︎
  4. Consider Troubles Great Joy ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, The Fruit of the Spirit

Why Love One Another?

Posted on by MaryEllen

Today’s Road Map for the Journey: 1 John 4:7-12; SOAP: 1 John 4:7-8

7Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:7-8 NLT

Today’s LGG journal entry begins with some pretty significant words for our journey through the Fruit of the Spirit. The author points out that “Before we can love well, we need to understand where love actually comes from.” The point is valid, for how are we to love others, and I mean really love them, not just pretend to love them (as Paul warned his readers in Romans 12:9)? For believers to love well means to love like Jesus has loved us (Jn. 13:34). He left a throne for a stable…wore a crown of thorns instead of a kingly crown of gold and jewels…hung on a criminal’s cross though he had never sinned…took the form of a servant though He was God in the flesh…loved His enemies and prayed for those who persecuted Him… and the list goes on and on, including obedience to God…even though it meant death on a cross.

Oh, how He loves you and me, oh, how He loves you and me, He gave His life ~ what more could He give? Oh, how He loves you, Oh, how He loves me ~ Oh, how He loves you and me.

I love this old hymn. It flooded my mind as I wrote the list of how well Jesus loves us and all of the ways He demonstrated that love. It’s not just Jesus who demonstrated love for us, but God the Father demonstrated His love as well when He “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son into the world, not to condemn the world but to save the world (John 3:16-17). Actually, John doesn’t just write of how God loved the world; He wrote that love comes from God, because God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). To borrow another quote from the journal, “Love is not simply something God does. It is who He is.” And, because we live in God and He lives in us ~ not only are we loved by God, but we are empowered to love Him and others!

“We love him, because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19
  • 1 John 4:8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
  • 1 John 4:16: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” [1]

Friends, so that we don’t miss the importance of understanding that God is love, I’m borrowing one more final quote from today’s LGG Journal: “Love is essential to Christian living because it is an essential part of God’s identity.” Read it again, write it in the front of your Bible or wherever you keep important notes. Hold on to its amazing truth ~ for it is the key to carrying out the mandate that we read in today’s passage: “…continue to love one another, for love comes from God (1 John 4:7).

Reflection and Application

Have you ever said, ‘I hate this person or that person; I could never love them’? Regardless of who they are or what they have done, if the love of God is truly in you/us, John writes that: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” So let us love well, as Christ has loved us. It won’t always be easy, but when we remember that we were unlovable before He rescued us and that we were His enemies, and yet He loved us enough to give His life for us. How then, can we not also forgive those who have hurt or angered us, or even sinned against us?

The More We Know

Meaning and Context

  • God Initiates: Our ability to love God and other people does not start with us. It begins as a response to God loving us first through Jesus. [1, 2]
  • The Source of Love: God’s unconditional love gives us the power and example to show love and kindness to others. [1, 2]
  • Connected Command: The surrounding verses (1 John 4:20-21) explain that if we truly love God, we must also love our brothers and sisters. [1, 2]

Do you know Him? If you don’t, please visit the link to KNOW THESE TRUTHS, for we cannot truly love God and others if we have not been saved by God. And unless we have been saved, we cannot have a relationship with God and experience His love,

Know These Truths
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, The Fruit of the Spirit

What Love Really Looks Like

Posted on by MaryEllen
Inspired by the LGG Study, The Fruit of the Spirit / week1, day2

The Road Map for today’s Journey: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; SOAP: verses 4-5

Patience and Kindness

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

I believe 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 is one of (if not) the most beautifully written passages Paul wrote. I have memorized it, stitched it, and tried to practice it. I have also failed at it and found myself thankful that His love never fails.

While we will focus on verses 4 and 5 today, we would be remiss not to address Paul’s opening remarks in this portion of His letter to the Corinthian believers. They apparently had misunderstood the value of their spiritual gifts, which he addressed earlier in his letter. At the very least, they had allowed their gifts to cause division within the church. They had come to believe, as Bibleref.com explains, that “some were more spiritual than others because of their gifts,1” which was causing even more division in the Church. Paul’s words here were meant to help them understand that their gifts, and even their sacrifices, were of no value to themselves or for God’s glory without love.

Now that he has addressed their misunderstanding and/or misappropriation of their gifts, Paul begins to explain what love is and how it should look. Keep in mind that Paul is not referring to brotherly or sexual love here, but to agape love, a selfless love not based on feeling but poured out, like Mary’s oil, in action. It is meant to be ongoing action in a believer’s life and relationships.

Godly love, from a godly perspective, is defined by what Christians do or do not do.

Bibleref.com / 1 Corinthians 13:4

Paul gives his readers a list that includes many descriptions of what godly love is and is not. We will look at nine of them today. Two of them belong in the love is category and the rest in the love is not list.

  • Love is patient heads the list. If you’re wondering how this is an action, it requires waiting; and as some commentaries point out, it waits without resentment or guilt directed at the one or the thing you are waiting on.
  • Love is kind, which is defined by bibleref.com as “acting for the good of others even when it does not benefit us.”

The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we begin to look like Jesus. His patience becomes our patience. His kindness becomes our kindness. His love becomes our love.

Want to be more loving? Make sure you stay connected to the source of love, Jesus.

Love God Greatly / Fruit of the Spirit Journal / p38

The first of the is not / does not list is

  • Love is not envious (or jealous). This was particularly important for the Corinthian believers to understand, given their obvious struggle with envy when it came to their spiritual gifts. However, we would be wise to keep ourselves in check in this area as well – as we live in a ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ kind of world. Remember, love is not envious but sets aside “self” to celebrate the success of others.
  • Love does not boast (or brag). Similar to not being envious, this one reminds us not to promote self but instead to praise God and lift up others for the good they have done or said.
  • Love is not puffed up (or arrogant). As explained by bibleref.com, “Arrogance involves confidence in oneself above all others and the expectation that everyone else should feel the same way. Love removes the obstacle of self from the purpose of serving others well.
  • Love is not rude. The word rude here is more than just forgetting to open the door for a lady or interrupting a conversation. To make sure we have a right/full understanding of rudeness in this context, I’m sharing the full statement from bibleref.com on this ‘is not’: “To be rude is to act “indecently.” Rudeness was on display in the church in Corinth in their disorderly worship services and selfish communion meals (1 Corinthians 11:17–22), as well as in the man who was sleeping with his father’s wife (1 Corinthians 5:1–2). Rudeness insists on self-expression and self-gratification at the expense of the feelings and experience of others.
  • Love does not demand its own way (is not self-seeking). I love this helpful explanation from bibleref.com: “Love yields.” The commentary goes on to explain that much of the church’s problems would have disappeared if they focused on looking for ways to meet each other’s needs before satisfying their own.
  • Love is not irritable (or easily angered). A quick temper, according to bibleref.com, is often evidence of viewing other people as obstacles to reaching one’s own goals. Instead, the commentary suggests, “Love views serving other people as the goal itself, removing one reason to flare up when they get in our way.”
  • Love is not resentful (or does not keep a record of wrongs). It is easy to hold on to a grudge, to keep a running list of how others have offended us, to vow that we will never forgive them for the hurt they have caused us; but friends, that is not love. Instead, the love of Christ in and for us should move us to love and forgive as He has loved and forgiven us. Ask yourself, what has He forgiven me for – make a list if you have to – even if you don’t; it is a good list to have and to refer to often, especially if/when you are struggling to forgive others. Remember, He doesn’t just forgive us; He died so that we can be forgiven.

Remember that love put into action is not something we can manufacture on our own. Love comes from God first and foremost. It is supernatural. In order for us to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, we must stay connected to Jesus. Loving others well is not a checklist to work through. It is a picture of what Christ’s love living through us actually looks like.

Sweet friend, it is important for you to know that God is not asking you to love people perfectly in your own strength. He is asking you to stay close to Him so that His love can flow through you naturally, the way fruit grows naturally through a healthy vine.

Love God Greatly / Fruit of the Spirit Journal / p38

Reflection and Application


Looking at the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13…

  • Which characteristic of love feels most challenging for you right now? Why?
  • How did Jesus exhibit patience and kindness?
    • What are some ways you show patience and kindness?

The More We Know

  1. What does 1 Corinthians 13:3 mean? ↩︎

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Fruit of the Spirit

A Gift Born of Love, Worship from the Heart

Posted on by MaryEllen
Inspired by the LGG Study, The Fruit of the Spirit / week1, day1

The Road Map for today’s Journey: John 12:1-8 / SOAP: John 12:3

Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. ~ John 12:3

“The fruit of the Spirit is love…” This doesn’t surprise me, since the Spirit is from God, and God Himself is love, and He loves like no other. After all, the Bible tells us that He loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die on a cross so that all who believe in Him might live and have everlasting life. ~ Now this is love!

9God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10This is real love — not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.11Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.13And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. ~ 1 John 4:9-13 NLT

God also gives His Spirit to everyone who comes to Him by faith in Jesus Christ, and as we will learn on this journey, Paul wrote to the believers at Ephesus that His Spirit in us produces fruit. The fruit Paul refers to isn’t tangible, edible fruit ~ instead, it is the evidence of Christ living in us through His Spirit. There is no greater evidence of Christ in us aside from His love – for, as Paul wrote, anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Love is essential to Christian living because it is an essential part of God’s identity.1

Today’s journey reveals a beautiful illustration of love in Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, and a friend and follower of Jesus. John describes the scene in detail when he writes of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and of the celebration that followed. Lazarus and his sisters were among the guests. John writes that Martha was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table. Mary, however, is once again at the feet of Jesus. Unlike the account of  (Luke 10:38-42), where she sat listening to Him teach while Mary served, here she is found worshiping Him ~ literally at the feet of Jesus. She is pouring herself (emotionally and physically) out on her Lord ~ in true sacrifice and worship. Undoubtedly she worshiped Him for raising her brother from the dead, but it was more than that; her worship poured forth from her heart for who He was. This is made clear by the outward act and expense of the act, not just monetarily but emotionally, and as Bibleref.com explains, it was a self-exposing act, putting her in a position of lowliness…” as she wiped his feet with her hair. The commentary goes on to say, “Mary’s behavior was uninhibited worship and submission to Christ.” Some commentators suggest that it was more than her gratefulness for the resurrection of Lazarus, but John writes that Jesus defended her actions (which were harshly judged), saying: ‘Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’ (John 12:7-8)

If you’re wondering why Mary’s worship of our Savior was so extravagant, consider this truth pointed out in the LGG study journal: “Mary’s love for Jesus flowed from a heart that had been sitting at His feet. She knew Him. She had learned from Him. And she had spent time with Him. It was out of that closeness that her love overflowed into one of the most beautiful acts of worship recorded in all of Scripture.”

Friends, as the journal goes on to point out, the love Mary displayed in this passionate act of worship “is the same kind of love that the Holy Spirit produces in us.” That’s right, His presence in us ignites and grows a love that is neither “safe, calculated, or convenient” but it is a wholehearted and transforming love that moves us to live, give, and worship not because of who’s watching or what’s expected but because of who He is and what He’s done. In Mary’s experience, that surely included her brother being called out of the grave ~ in mine, it was being hit by a car as a 6-year-old child but living unscathed…it was seeing my baby’s crippled feet made straight and whole…and witnessing my 10-year-old daughter’s cancer being cured ~ through years of difficult days and trials, yes ~ but surrounded by and filled with His love and strength for each new day … and the list goes on. What has it been for you?

These experiences and the ongoing awareness of His presence in and around me have led me to stay at His feet and my heart and mind to yield in praise and worship to Him. Whether in church, the quiet of my room, driving in my car, or in conversation with family, friends, or even strangers, praise and worship flow in abandonment to Him. Whether expressed inwardly or with arms lifted high and my voice crying/singing out, praise and worship are no longer affected by worry or fear of the people around me. To borrow another line from the journal – “it is a wholehearted, I’m-all-in-until-the-end kind of love.”

As I was writing and the term abandoned worship flowed from my fingers to the keyboard, I stopped to see if there was a definition for what I was trying to convey. I looked up the phrase, and while I am not a fan of AI, this AI overview of the worship song, “Abandoned“, was spot on with what I was trying to say: “… complete, unreserved surrender to God in response to the profound sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” Oh friends, may this be the way we serve and worship and live out our life on earth, with the hope that others will see/hear Him in us.

Who Am I? By Casting Crowns also came to mind as I was typing out the blog … “Who Am I is one of the most powerful and enduring contemporary Christian worship anthems by the band Casting Crowns. The song captures the humbling contrast between human frailty and God’s infinite love and sovereignty. Inspired by Biblical truths from Psalm 8 and James 4, the lyrics remind believers that God’s care and grace are not earned by human merit, but given freely because of who He is.” Is there any better reason to love and worship Him than this?

Who Am I

Who Am I, That The Lord Of All The Earth
Would Care To Know My Name,
Would Care To Feel My Hurt?
Who Am I, That The Bright And Morning Star
Would Choose To Light The Way
For My Ever Wandering Heart?

Not Because Of Who I Am
But Because Of What You’ve Done.
Not Because Of What I’ve Done
But Because Of Who You Are.

I Am A Flower Quickly Fading,
Here Today And Gone Tomorrow.
A Wave Tossed In The Ocean.
A Vapour In The Wind.
Still You Hear Me When I’m Calling.
Lord, You Catch Me When I’m Falling.
And You’ve Told Me Who I Am.
I Am Yours, I Am Yours.

Who Am I, That The Eyes That See My Sin
Would Look On Me With Love And Watch Me Rise Again?
Who Am I, That The Voice That Calmed The Sea
Would Call Out Through The Rain
And Calm The Storm In Me?

Not Because Of Who I Am
But Because Of What You’ve Done.
Not Because Of What I’ve Done
But Because Of Who You Are.

I Am A Flower Quickly Fading,
Here Today And Gone Tomorrow.
A Wave Tossed In The Ocean.
A Vapour In The Wind.
Still You Hear Me When I’m Calling.
Lord, You Catch Me When I’m Falling.
And You’ve Told Me Who I Am.
I Am Yours.

Not Because Of Who I Am
But Because Of What You’ve Done.
Not Because Of What I’ve Done
But Because Of Who You Are.

I Am A Flower Quickly Fading,
Here Today And Gone Tomorrow.
A Wave Tossed In The Ocean.
A Vapour In The Wind.
Still You Hear Me When I’m Calling.
Lord, You Catch Me When I’m Falling.
And You’ve Told Me Who I Am.
I Am Yours, I Am Yours, I Am Yours.

Personal Reflection and Application

  • Mary held nothing back when she expressed her love for Jesus. What is one area of your life where God is inviting you to love Him more extravagantly and hold nothing back?

Response of Prayer

Father, thank you for who You are and all that You have done. From creation to the giving of Your Son in human form, His death on the cross, His resurrection from the grave, His ascension into Heaven where He sits at Your right hand. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me. Thank You for giving me Your Spirit that I might love as You love and for all the ways that You have made a difference in my life. I am forever grateful and my heart is filled with love for You which I pray will forever overflow in word and deed from my life ~ for Your glory. Amen ~

The More We Know

2. (3) Mary anoints the feet of Jesus.2

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

a. Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus: In the midst of the supper, Mary gave a remarkable gift to Jesus. It wasn’t unusual to wash the feet of a guest, but it was unusual to do it during the meal itself, to use very costly oil of spikenard to do it, and to wipe the feet with her hair, using the hair as a kind of towel.

· Mary’s gift was remarkably humble. When a guest entered the home, usually the guest’s feet were washed with water and the guest’s head was anointed with a dab of oil or perfume. Here, Mary used this precious ointment and anointed the feet of Jesus. She considered her precious ointment only good enough for His feet. “To attend to the feet was the task of the most lowly slave. Thus Mary’s action denoted great humility as well as great devotion.” (Morris)

· Mary’s gift was remarkably extreme. She used a lot (a pound) of a very costly oil of spikenard. Spices and ointments were often used as an investment because they were small, portable, and could be easily sold. Judas believed this oil was worth 300 denarii (John 12:5), which was worth a year’s wages for a workingman.

· Mary’s gift was remarkably unselfconscious. Not only did she give the gift of the expensive oil, she also wiped His feet with her hair. This means that she let down her hair in public, something a Jewish woman would rarely do.

i. Oil of spikenard: “Both John and Mark describe it by the adjective pistikos (Mark 14:3). Oddly enough, no one really knows what that word means. There are four possibilities. It may come from the adjective pistos which means faithful or reliable, and so may mean genuine. It may come from the verb pinein which means to drink, and so may mean liquid. It may be a kind of trade name, and may have to be translated simply pistic nard. It may come from a word meaning the pistachio nut, and be a special kind of essence extracted from it. In any event it was a specially valuable kind of perfume.” (Barclay)

ii. “It was very costly, but it had not cost a penny too much now that it could be used upon him. There was a pound of it, but there was none too much for him. It was very sweet, but none too sweet for him.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “The act is all the more striking in that a Jewish lady never unbound her hair in public. That apparently was a mark of loose morals. But Mary did not stop to calculate public reaction. Her heart went out to her Lord and she gave expression to something of her feelings in this beautiful and touching act.” (Morris)

iv. In all of this, Mary is a study of devotion to Jesus. “The life of Mary is painted for us, in three memorable pictures, in each of which she is at the feet of Jesus.” (Erdman)

· Luke 10:39: Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and learned.

· John 11:32: Mary fell at Jesus’ feet and surrendered.

· John 12:3: Mary anointed Jesus’ feet and honored Jesus.

v. “You must sit at his feet, or you will never anoint them; he must pour his divine teaching into you, or you will never pour out a precious ointment upon him.” (Spurgeon)

b. The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil: The sense of smell makes for long-lasting memories and John remembered how Mary’s essential oils made the whole house smell good.

  1. Bibleref.com, 1 John 4:8 ↩︎
  2. by David Guzik ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time

Why Start Your Day With Jesus?

Posted on by MaryEllen

“Starting with Jesus doesn’t mean the day will be easy—it means we’re reminded who walks with us through all of it. Before the schedules, responsibilities, worries, and noise take over, spend a little time in His presence. Let His truth steady your heart before anything else has the chance to shape it.” Quote and photo borrowed from Salt & Light ~

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. – Psalm 143:8 NIV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
– Psalm 30:5

It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening.
– Psalm 92:2

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
– Mark 1:35 NIV

Through the years, I have learned that starting the day with Jesus can make a huge difference. Whether in attitude, strength, peace, hope, joy, and ~ well, pretty much any other emotion a person can have. Our outlook on the day ahead can be affected by what we’re facing ~ worries, fears, a tough day at the office, a dreaded appointment, overwhelming daily tasks, leftover anger or hurt from the day before… However your day starts, whether it’s when your eyes open or after your feet hit the floor, there is one sure way to get even a good day off to a better start ~ and that’s with our eyes on Jesus. A verse, a study, a prayer … time in His presence is a difference-maker in attitude, heart, and mind. It can change how we see, speak, and listen to others. It can alter how we hear others, forgive others, and serve others. The presence of God, before us – behind us – and in us changes us from the inside out. It makes life sweeter and brighter because, as this ‘oldie but goodie’ by the Gaithers says: “Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.”

Pilgrims and musicians crossing a mountain path toward a distant chapel
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word

Worship Over Worry

Posted on by MaryEllen

“The battle is not yours, but God’s.”

— 2 Chronicles 20:15

Happy Tuesday, friends! God is so good to give us another day – let’s live it well for Him💜 Today’s devo, borrowed from Salt & Light, is an excellent source of encouragement for any given day of the week. Check it out – and take heart, my friends. The battle(s) ahead of us are not ours; they’re Gods! (2 Chronicles 20:15) – On any given day, we may feel outnumbered; we may be overwhelmed; we may be weak, and tired, and too weary to continue on – BUT – as today’s devo encourages us, we can praise God and declare His goodness before we ever see the victory!

Let’s “let worship speak louder than fear. And trust the God who fights for His people.” ~ Salt & Light

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat received terrifying news: a vast army was coming against Judah.

They were outnumbered. They were afraid. And they didn’t know what to do.

So Jehoshaphat called the people together and sought the Lord.

And God gave them a powerful reminder:

“The battle is not yours, but God’s.”

— 2 Chronicles 20:15

Then came the most unusual battle strategy.

When Judah marched toward the enemy, Jehoshaphat sent singers ahead of the army.

Not the warriors… Not the strongest men… The worshipers.

They went before the soldiers, praising God and declaring His goodness before they ever saw the victory.

And as they began to praise, the Lord set ambushes against their enemies, and the enemy armies turned against one another. By the time Judah arrived, the battle had already been won.

What a picture of faith.

They praised before the breakthrough.

They worshiped before the victory.

They trusted God before they could see what He was doing.

Maybe you’re facing a battle right now that feels bigger than you.

You may not know how God will make a way.

You may not know when the answer will come.

But you can still praise Him.

Because praise isn’t pretending the battle isn’t real.

Praise is remembering that the battle isn’t yours to carry alone.

Put praise on the front line.

Let worship speak louder than fear.

And trust the God who fights for His people.

“The battle is not yours, but God’s.” 🙏🏻🤍

📖 2 Chronicles 20:15–22

Winding dirt path through a sunlit forest with tall trees and ferns
Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, prayer, Quiet Time

A Journey of Self-Reflection

Posted on by MaryEllen

“Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.” —

Proverbs 21:2, NASB 1995

I recently read a post by Salt & Light that included the above verse, but what stood out to me was this quote: “This verse makes me stop and look at myself. It’s easy for me to think I’m right. I can explain how I feel and why I think something should happen a certain way. But God sees deeper than my explanations. He knows my heart, even the things I don’t clearly see in myself.“

Oh how true this is in my own life, and what a blessing – though one that convicts and allowed me to truly resonate with the author’s prayer. Lord, search my heart, like David prayed in Psalm 139:23–24. Show me what needs to change. Help me trust You enough to receive Your correction and follow where You lead.1

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life. ~Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

These verses made me think about a chorus that I’ve sung for years. Particularly when I’m struggling with something that doesn’t align with God’s will, or when He’s leading me in a way that stretches my faith and trust. One thing I have learned through the course of 64 years of life is that God’s way is always right and always best. Knowing He is the Potter truly leads me to not just sing this chorus but to trust Him to mold and make me after His will

Change my heart, O God, Make it ever true;

Change my heart, O God, May I be like you.

Chorus You are the Potter, I am the clay;

Mold me and make me, This is what I pray.2

  1. Prayer borrowed from Salt&Light post ↩︎
  2. words by by Eddie Espinosa  ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Gospel

Finish The Work

Posted on by MaryEllen

A Handwritten Note From Paul

The following is the final page of the LGG, Christ Is All I Need Journal. It is sweet evidence of Paul’s sincere love and concern for these believers in Colossae whom he had not even met. It is evidence of a bond that believers experience within the church body – even when they haven’t formally met – to pray for and share needs with one another. I took particular delight in this, as it is in some form an example for us as we meet day after day, through these online written formats.

May this encourage each of us to be devoted to praying for and encouraging one another daily. May we be purposeful in our participation, allowing God to knit us together, whether near or far apart, that we might be strengthened in our faith, hope, and love in the Lord.💜

A personal note from Me

Will you especially join me in praying for the Love God Greatly Ministry and the team of women behind the scenes💙 ~ This study and the others that we have done come about from the hard work and faithful stewardship of women devoted to prayer and studying the Scripture, with the intended purpose of reaching other women with the Gospel message and encouraging us to grow in our faith. It also comes from the painstaking work of the many translators who make it possible for women around the world who would otherwise have no hope of participating in these invaluable studies.

Be part of the story…

We’re so glad you are here! Our story is about what God can do through a team of women, each using their gifts for a common purpose. Did you know that more than 61% of women globally don’t have access to Bible study materials or a Bible study community? We are here to meet that urgent need, and we’d like to invite you to be a part of the story…

More than Bible study tools… we are a community

Our desire is to help EVERY WOMAN in EVERY NATION have access to God’s Word in THEIR LANGUAGE. To accomplish this goal, Love God Greatly has developed a network of trained translators, who help us translate all our Bible studies into 40+ languages (view languages). As a result, we have been able to establish hundreds of Bible study communities globally, and our Bible study tools have now reached 100+ of the countries of the world!

We publish 6-7 Bible studies annually as either topical or book-based journals, which are available for purchase on Amazon. The funds from each Bible study journal purchase go right back into the LGG ministry, allowing us to train and equip our translators as they build communities.

Want to know how you can be part of the story?

Week 6 / Day 5

Friday / Finish the Work
Read: Colossians 4:7-18; 1 Peter 4:7-11 SOAP: Colossians 4:17-18

And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting by my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. – Colossians 4:17-18


Paul ends his letter to the Colossian believers with some personal notes and greetings. One of the people he mentions is Archippus, whom Paul cared about enough to tell the whole church to encourage him to complete the ministry he had received.

God has given each of us some special work to do. And we need to be reminded to keep going in that ministry, to get back to it if we have quit, and to complete it if we feel like giving up. Do you know what God is calling you to do? Have you left your work unfinished? Sometimes we get tired, distracted, or discouraged, and we leave our God-given ministry in order to find something easier. But God says to us, “Don’t quit. Finish the work.”

As in all of his letters, Paul ends by saying, “Grace be with you.” Grace, or God’s unmerited favor, has come to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul has taught us that being a Christian is about sharing the very life of Jesus, being called to join in the eternal purposes of God, and having all His limitless resources available to us.

As we live to complete the work we have been called to, let’s look to Jesus. He has loved and redeemed us. He has nailed all our sins to the cross, and He has raised us to new life. By our faith in Him, we have been made gloriously rich. He is enough.

Let’s continue to be faithful in our God-given ministry. Let’s join Paul when he says: “I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:29).

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to finish the work you have called me to do. I praise you for your gracious gift that is salvation and life in Jesus. Amen.

Posted in Bible study, Christ is All I Need, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Understanding the Necessity of Prayer

Posted on by MaryEllen

Thursday / Devoted to Prayer
Read: Colossians 4:2-6; 1 John 5:14-15 SOAP: Colossians 4:2

Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2

Attitude matters. It matters in our relationships and conversations. It matters in classrooms, in the home, in the office, in the neighborhood, at church, in difficult situations. Honestly, attitude matters in just about any scenario we can name, even (or perhaps especially) prayer. Why? Because our attitude spills forth in our words and actions. From smiles to frowns to tears and scowls…from kind words/actions to hateful ones; our attitudes feed our behavior.

A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone, something, or an idea, which is typically shown through a person’s behavior. 1

When it comes to prayer, Paul teaches that our attitude is to be one of devotion, alertness, thankfulness, and of course, faith. We are to be committed to praying. We are to be watchful, making sure we pray purposefully and not offering up empty prayers. This requires effort and intentionality from us to know who and what needs to be covered in prayer. This helps us to pray with purpose and to align our prayers with God’s expressed will and/or character. We may not always know what God wants in a situation, but we know that He is the great physician, so we can pray for healing. We know that He came to save sinners, so we can pray for the lost. We know He can do more than we ask or even imagine, so we can pray for the seemingly impossible. We know that He wants us to know peace and to have rest – so we can and should call out to Him for both.

To be clear, for a believer in Jesus Christ ~ prayer is communication with God based on the promise2 that He hears and answers us according to His will. It is a privilege to come boldly before His throne…it is calling out to Him in fear…pain…desperation…It is lifting up praises and thanksgiving for things He has done…It is a relationship builder and strengthening agent of our faith.

Friends, Paul makes it clear throughout this letter and others that we need to exercise our faith, and one way we do that is through prayer. That’s right, prayer strengthens our faith in God. Go back and read Paul’s prayer for the believers in chapter one of Colossians.

So how is your attitude toward/in prayer?

  • Do you see it as simply a duty or a privilege and joy?
    • Is it a hurry and get it done attitude or cherished time with God?
  • Do you pray in faith, or does doubt creep in?
  • Do you come to Him as a Father/Friend or as an unseen deity?
  • Do you come with your heart and mind on Him or with the distractions of the world?
  • Do you pray with an attitude of thanksgiving that flows from trusting God?

We exercise our faith by going to God and asking Him for everything we need, especially spiritual fruit, trusting Him to provide and thanking Him for it.

Christ Is All I Need / LGG digital Journal / p 190

As John wrote in 1 John 5:14, when we pray, we can have confidence that, when we pray according to His will, God hears us. In other words, our confidence doesn’t come from praying, but from the One we pray to… and praying in accordance with His will ~ ie., the things we know He wants (salvation for the lost3, obedience4, unity5, love6, peace7, understanding His Word and will8, wisdom9, His help10…)

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him. ~ 1 John 5:14-15

Whether you pray in a quiet room or a noisy office, in your car on the way to work, or as you wait in line at the grocery store – pray. Prayer is not relegated to a closet (though those moments are priceless); it is an ongoing, open line of communication with the Creator of the universe. Remember, while Jesus got alone with God in the garden, He also called out to God from the cross. The One who spoke the worlds into place has invited us to come, not just with certain things but with all of our cares (1 Peter 5:7). And He doesn’t invite us out of obligation but because He loves and cares for us. I have found that the more we devote ourselves to prayer, the more we find ourselves devoted to God – and vice versa. From this devotion comes a growing confidence in and understanding of God, as well as an unshakable faith – that allows us to say with the Psalmist, I keep my eyes always on the Lord; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Ps 16:8)

Prayer demands ongoing attention, just like the guard at a city gate. In practical terms, this means prayer is not supposed to be a careless, casual, or frivolous act. We should pray with specific purpose and with deliberate intent.

Bibleref.com / Colossians 4:2

Paul is nearing the end of his letter and is impressing on the people that they will need to be people of prayer. He knows they will need courage and help in the call to be witnesses and that they still have much to learn about living the Christian life. They will face trials and carry burdens, and they will need God’s help. Paul understands that their source of help, strength, and wisdom is from God and that they only need to ask. So he urges them not just to pray but to devote themselves to the habit and practice of prayer. Like breathing, it is to be a way of life for every believer. They will need to make time for prayer, and friends, we need to do the same ~ which is why we must understand the necessity of prayer. As we called out to God for our salvation, we must continually call out to Him for our daily needs, for the forgiveness of sins, and for the help we need to escape the temptations to sin. He is our strength and our fortress, a very present help in times of trouble – all we need to do is call to Him, and He will hear and answer us.

Response of Worship

Reflection and Application

  • As we are called to be devoted to prayer, what things do you need to take in prayer to Christ today?

Prayer Response

Father, thank You for the privilege of prayer. Thank You that You want to commune with Your children and for the promise that when we call out to You ~ You will hear us and answer according to Your will. Thank You for being such a personal God, inviting us to come with just ‘certain things/needs’ but with all of our cares. You are a good, good Father, and we are most blessed to be Your children ~ Amen and Amen!

The More We Know

Studying the book of Colossians has really shown us how much we need prayer if we want to live wisely. The Christian life cannot be lived any other way except by faith. We exercise our faith by going to God and asking Him for everything we need, especially spiritual fruit, trusting Him to provide and thanking Him for it. Christ Is All I Need / LGG digital Journal / p 190

Jesus taught us to never give up praying. He has given us wonderful promises: “Ask and it will be given to you,” (Matthew 7:7) and “whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” (John 15:16). And then there is this sobering statement by James about lack of prayer: “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Christ Is All I Need / LGG digital Journal / p190

  1. Merriam-Webster and other online sources ↩︎
  2. 1 John 5:14-15 ↩︎
  3. 1 Timothy 2:3-4. ↩︎
  4. John 14:15 ↩︎
  5. John 17:23, Ephesians 4:3 ↩︎
  6. Mark 12:29-31; John 13:34 ↩︎
  7. John 16:33 ↩︎
  8. Eph 5:17 ↩︎
  9. Prov 4:7, James 1:5 ↩︎
  10. Psalm 121:1-2 ↩︎