Tag: Love

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

Responsibilities of Faith

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w3d2

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-14 and SOAP: verses 10-12

For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.
11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil.

1 Peter 3:10-12 NET

Friends, never forget – ours is an active faith – filled with responsibilities and expectations which are made clear to us by God in His Word. In part, this is where Peter’s focus is in this section of chapter three.

He points out that we are to be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. That’s a pretty big list of challenges, and they are followed by what seems to be a very specific set of “instructions.” The instructions aren’t suggestions but “must-dos and don’ts.” He highlights the challenges and explains what he means by these five goals for believers so that we know exactly what God expects.

I love it when God is specific and leaves no room for speculation of how we are to live.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

If, as believers, we hope to enjoy the rich and satisfying life Christ came to bring then we MUST follow His ways and abide by His instructions.

  • do not return evil for evil or insult for insult
    • instead, bless others 1
  • keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies2
  • turn away from evil and do good
  • seek peace and pursue it3
  • be a person of righteousness and prayer4
Question FOR THE JOURNEY

How can you intentionally use your words to speak life into someone’s situation this week? How can you pursue peace in a current relationship?

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, our sinful earthly nature, which still lurks within us, is quick to return evil for evil and insult for insult. It bids us away from the good we want to do to do the evil we are meant to turn away from. It entices us to speak lies and hurts rather than blessings and truth, and to fight back rather than seek peace. Thank You for this reminder from Peter, that Your face is set against those who do evil but that Your favor is on those who live out Your righteous calling, and Your ears are open to our prayers – for this, we are grateful and seek to live accordingly. Help us to be devoted to what is good and right in Your sight, and if we suffer for doing what is right help us to remember You have promised blessing. In this, let us be confident so that we are neither terrified nor shaken. – In the name of Jesus I pray and trust – amen and amen!

THE MORE WE KNOW

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

For The Lord’s Sake

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w2d4

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:13-17 and SOAP: verses 15-16

 For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.

1 Peter 2:15-16 NET

Peter continues his instructions on remembering that what we do matters—certainly with respect to the unbelievers but also, as he points out here, to those in authority over us. He breaks it down a little more in verse seventeen. From his focus on unbelievers witnessing our good conduct in our previous session, Peter’s focus broadens to include all people, the family of believers, God, and the king. The NLT translation says it like this:  “Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.“

Granted, there may be many times we are tempted to question or, at the very least, wonder why we should respect or honor the ‘king’/governing authority over us; after all, they don’t always lead well. Bibleref.com addresses this very natural question by believers something like this: Though we are foreigners here on earth, we have not been granted immunity, but instead, we are called to submit to every human authority—why? Peter clearly answers this question in verse thirteen of chapter two, when he says: – “for the Lord’s sake.” That’s right, we submit to all authority on earth for the sake of our Sovereign God – and we do so because we love Him and we understand that “the reputation of Christ is built by us, His followers.“

Peter makes it clear that we are not to submit to the world authorities simply because we deem them to be good or right – neither are we to rebel against them simply because we find them full of flaws; but rather we are to submit to their authority over us because God calls us to and to show that Christ is good. By doing so, the good that we do will silence the foolish people. Thus, Peter encourages us to live as the free people we were created to be—doing what God wants and not the evil we would otherwise do.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

 It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.  For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

1 Peter 2:15-16 NLT

God wants us to live honorable lives, lives that are obedient to His Lordship over us. He intends for us to live as the free people he arranged (John 3:16) for us to be. For through the death of Christ on the cross and His victory over the grave, those who have placed their faith in Christ have been set free from the law of sin and death, (Rom 6:14-15). God even sent His Spirit to live in us so that we would be equipped to live the holy life He has called us to live. (2 Peter 1:3-4).

Pardon the redundancy, but Scripture says it many times, so I believe it’s worth repeating here one more time. What God doesn’t want us to do is use our blood-bought freedom as an excuse to do evil, saying as I have heard many say: It is my Christian liberty to do what I want, go where I want, say what I want, and the list goes on. However, to believe these statements is to misunderstand the freedom we have in Christ. Paul said it like this in his letter to the Galatians: For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. Remember, God wants us to live as representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ. God wants the good we do to reveal Him and His Spirit in us. This is why we are commanded to love others, just as Jesus has loved us, John 13:34-35 — “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

  • Honor all people.
    • That’s a broad statement, but it also makes life very simple for believers. Instead of picking and choosing who is worthy of our respect, God’s will for us is to give respect to every single person. Will everyone deserve such treatment? Obviously not. But Christians are supposed to be known as people who give respect to others because of our obedience to Christ. Period. Bibleref.com
  • Love the family of believers.
    • Second, love the brotherhood or the family of other Christians. Again, this is a blanket statement. Peter doesn’t mandate strong feelings here. He does not say, “like each other.” He describes action—an act of the will to give love to every other Christian. Jesus said that the world around us would know we are His disciples by our love for each other (John 13:35). Peter likely has that in mind here. Bibleref.com
  • Fear God.
    • When used in reference to God, the word fear is not necessarily a command to live in shrinking terror of God, afraid that at any time He may decide to crush us. God has already demonstrated His love for us and promised us an eternal place in His family. But Peter’s command reminds us to continue to hold His power, majesty, and sovereignty in awe and wonder. We are to continue to fully submit to Him as humble servants, or “slaves,” as in the previous verse. Bibleref.com
  • Honor “King”.
    • Finally, honor the emperor, or king. Again, the emperor or king may not be an honorable person. In fact, the emperor at the time Peter wrote this was probably Nero, a definitively evil leader who persecuted the people of God. Still, the command stands. As Paul wrote, there is no authority not established by God (Romans 13:1). We give honor and respect to the king as free and foreign citizens answerable to the authority who allowed the king to come to that throne. Bibleref.com
Question FOR THE JOURNEY

How can you use the freedoms and resources that God has entrusted to you to be a blessing in your community and reflect God’s love and grace to others?

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, we are your servants. We do not belong to ourselves for you bought us with a high price, even the price of Your only begotten Son’s life. We are forever indebted to You for the freedom You purchased and the love You have lavished on us. It is by You and for Your sake that we live and have our being and we are to reflect You in all that we do. As Paul said, we are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are to give thanks to You through Him. Thus, we are to live as He lived, love as He loved, and obey/submit to Your will as He did – and in doing so – Peter says we will silence the ignorance of foolish people. Father, help us to live as the free people You have created us to be, not using our freedom for evil but for the good, You have called us to do, which is to honor all people, love the family of believers, live in reverence to You, and honor the authority over us, for in this Christ will be seen and You will be glorified! – In Jesus’ name – Amen.

THE MORE WE KNOW

Wonderful insight on these verses is available at the following links by biblerefcom:

https://www.bibleref.com/1-Peter/2/1-Peter-2-13.html

https://www.bibleref.com/1-Peter/2/1-Peter-2-14.html

https://www.bibleref.com/1-Peter/2/1-Peter-2-15.html

https://www.bibleref.com/1-Peter/2/1-Peter-2-16.html

https://www.bibleref.com/1-Peter/2/1-Peter-2-17.html

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

What You Do Matters?

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w2d3

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-12 and SOAP: verses11-12

 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 12 and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.

1 Peter 2:11-12

Have you ever wondered if what you do matters? Let me clarify, I’m not necessarily talking about vocation but rather the conduct of your life. Your words, actions, reactions, thoughts, behavior, choices, activities – do they matter? God makes it crystal clear through Peter that these things most certainly matter. It isn’t a grey area of the Christian life. It is black and white; our conduct matters greatly! Translation after translation warns, urges, and even begs believers to maintain good conduct or, as some translations say – honorable behavior- either way – the way we live matters; and I dare say from Peter’s words that the way we live can have either a good or adverse reaction upon the unbelievers who are watching.

Peter wasn’t concerned here about how other believers saw us or judged us. Instead, his specific and expressed concern was for the “non-Christians” or “unbelieving neighbors.” He explains that while they may malign or accuse believers of being evildoers they may also see the good and honorable behavior of the believer and glorify God when He appears. I love the way bibleref.com summarizes it: “Our good works will attract unbelievers to our Father.” I’m not sure there’s a better reason than this for committing to and maintaining good and honorable behavior. From the things we think to the things we do and say may we speak and live in alliance with God.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)
  • We are to avoid worldly desires and abstain from anything that does not align with God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.
    • We cannot serve man and God, for we will choose one over the other— likewise, we cannot serve our fleshly/worldly pleasures and God.
  • We are to live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
  • We are to be salt and light in this tasteless world of spiritual darkness. Matthew 5:13-14
  • We are not to live to please man (Galatians 1:10 and Acts 5:29) but to glorify God in all we do and say, which will glorify God in the end, and that is our chief goal.
Question FOR THE JOURNEY

How can you navigate the tension of being in the world but not of it, living in a way that both honors God and authentically engages with those who don’t know Him yet?

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, we want to please You. We want to be salt and light in this world so that our unbelieving neighbors, friends, and family will see our good and honorable behavior and give You glory. We want to serve you and not our own desires for we know that we cannot serve two masters. We know that satan is working against us and we long for Your help to stand firm against his fiery darts and wicked schemes.

THE MORE WE KNOW

For more insight visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

A Royal Identity

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THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture:  1 Peter 2:4-10 / SOAP: 1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9

I would venture to say that most, or at least very few, of us, count ourselves among the royals or consider ourselves to be priests. However, in today’s journey through the Word, we read a message from Peter, who declares that we, as believers, are indeed – a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people!

When we believe in Jesus, who is Christ the King, we are given a new identity. In Peter’s words from today’s Scripture, a portion of that identity includes being part of a royal priesthood.

Peter’s words give believers today the same qualities or attributes that were used to describe the tribe of Israel, God’s natural-born children, and particularly the Levites who served as priests, “Very few held the honor and responsibility of actually coming into God’s presence. But in and through Christ, the King, all believers are priests with direct access to our Father. We need no other mediator.”

Christians, together, are a royal priesthood. In Israel, under the Law, one tribe was given the task of serving as priests, performing the duties of mediators between God and the rest of the nation. Very few held the honor and responsibility of actually coming into God’s presence. But in and through Christ, the King, all believers are priests with direct access to our Father. We need no other mediator.1

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 2:9

While Peter’s words do identify us as God’s chosen people, “a chosen race,“ there is a difference that must be noted and appreciated. “Unlike Israel, – we are not a race in the sense of our family, ethnicity, skin color, or country of origin. We are a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. In that same meaning, we are a “holy nation,” a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations.”

God has formed this nation, this race, this priesthood to take possession of us. We are His people in a very real way. It’s not just that we pledge our allegiance to Him; it’s that He has taken ownership of us. We belong to Him.

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 2:9

We are “God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Yes, I realize I have already said this – more than once – it is not a mistake but rather a repetition that I hope will stick with us as we go about our day(s). We are sons and daughters of the KING, chosen by God – not because He had to – but because He wanted to make us His own. Because He did, we not only have bold access to His throne, but friends – we have the hope of eternity through the blood of God’s only begotten Son.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

As God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own – we have been given the privilege of proclaiming God and Christ to the world (Mark 6:15). We are called out of the darkness, which means we are no longer to live like those of the world (Rom.12:2) who chase after their own pleasures and give no consideration to God. We are to love and honor Him above all else and we are to love others as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). We are to bring Him honor and glory in all that we do and say (Col. 3:17). Our choices are to reflect His presence in us and lead others to see and follow Him (Matt 5:14-16). We are to live as the royals we were made to be not the slaves (Romans 6:14-15) and orphans (Galatians 4:4) we once were. We have the honor(Hebrews 4:16) and responsibility (1 Thessalonians 5 16-17) of coming into His presence, and we should do so faithfully(Colossians 4:2) – not just on behalf of ourselves but as mediators for others (Ephesians 6:18).

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, we are Your Children, sons and daughters of the King of Kings. You have chosen us to be Yours – a spiritual race, in the sense that, in Christ, we share a single spiritual Father. In that same meaning, we are a holy nation, a specific group of people called out and set apart from all other nations. Help us to walk in the light for you have called us out of the darkness. Help us to love You more than anyone or anything and others as ourselves. Help us to be salt and light to the world around us, to live in ways that make You known and bring You praise. Help us to remember whose we are and to faithfully live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to You through Him. You have graciously given us a beautiful identity, help us claim it with joy and live it out loud – in Jesus’ name – amen.

Question for the Journey

How can you live this week in a way that reflects your identity as a chosen, royal, and holy child of God? How can you contribute to the harmony and unity within the body of Christ?

THE MORE WE KNOw
  1. In and through Christ our King ↩︎
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

God Provided for our Triumph

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w1d5

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter1:22-25 / SOAP: 1 Peter 1:24-25

22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.  24 For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

Before making observations on verses 24 and 25, it is interesting and helpful to examine verses 22 and 23. Bibleref.com

Peter says, we should go for it with everything we’ve got. We should abandon our own “evil desires” and work hard at loving each other, instead. The word translated as “earnestly” or “deeply” in this verse—ektenōs in Greek—means “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain.” Just as an athletics coach might tell a player to “leave it all on the field,” Peter tells us to completely exhaust all of our resources in a single-hearted effort to give love to each other.

Bibleref.com / 1 Peter 1:22

I particularly love v23, which talks of our new birth. Peter emphasizes an important truth that when we place our faith in Jesus we are born again – born to a new life in Christ – but not by a seed that eventually dies but rather by an “undying seed, through God’s undying word,” as Bibleref.com explains. The undying word is also known as the Gospel, which is the truth and message of Jesus Christ. “It is the message from God that He will forgive our sins and make us spiritually alive forever in Christ.” (all quotes from bibleref.com/1 Peter 1:23)

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the flesh, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NET

Verse twenty-four and twenty-five are first found in Isaiah 40:6-8 and quoted here by Peter.

As I read these verses, two things stood out to me. The first was that the mortal, perishable body decays through the years and eventually succumbs to physical death. This is a harsh reality for sure, but the second thing that grabbed my attention trumped the harsh reality with the glorious hope and joy in knowing that, as believers, we will live forever through the precious blood of Jesus – by which, as Peter said, we are made new. Paul explained it like this in 1 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ the new has come, the old has gone, the new is here.”

Humans are like grass that withers and flowers that fade. Whatever glory we possess is soon gone, but if our foundation is based on the solid rock of God’s unfailing Word, our future is eternally secure .

Gotquestions.org /(Matthew 7:24–27)
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)
  • believe the Gospel message, which is the Word of God
  • obey God’s Word – obedience is a key factor in the life of a believer
  • stand firm on the Word of God – of course, this means you need to know it and remember it
  • love others as Christ loves us is one of the most important commands we have been given
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, thank You for redeeming us through the blood of Jesus! Through Him, the living Word, You have ensured our triumph—over trials and sins and all of life! Through His death, burial, and resurrection, we have hope; through His Spirit, we have power; and through Your Word, which has been proclaimed, we have the promise of eternal life! We are not invincible in and of ourselves, but through FAITH in Jesus—His Spirit in us—and God’s Word before us, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. We are new creations in Christ Jesus and the lives we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in Your Son who loved us and gave Himself for us – so that we might have eternal life! For this, we give You, the God of mercy and grace, the praise and glory due to Your name – Amen!

THE MORE WE KNOW

What does 1 Peter 1:22 mean?

In his letter, Peter has described what our lives were like before we trusted in Christ for our salvation by God’s grace. We lived in ignorance, driven along our empty, futile way by our selfish passions or evil desires. We served ourselves, to our own destruction, and could do nothing else. All of that changed when God saved us. He declared our lives worthy of the blood of His Son. He rescued us from emptiness and set us apart for one thing: His purposes. Then, Peter wrote, God commanded us to “be holy,” to stop living for self and to be fully available to Him.

Now Peter writes that our obedience to the truth has a purifying effect on our souls. It’s not that we make ourselves clean from sin by our obedience. God has declared us clean from sin through the blood of Jesus, His death in our place. Rather, it’s that when we obey, we are not sinning! We are living the pure, holy lives God intends for His people. When we obey Him, we stop being double-minded, torn between our selfishness and fulfilling His will for us. Setting our desires aside allows us to give ourselves over fully to loving each other—without being half-hearted or false.

So, Peter says, we should go for it with everything we’ve got. We should abandon our own “evil desires” and work hard at loving each other, instead. The word translated as “earnestly” or “deeply” in this verse—ektenōs in Greek—means “at full stretch” or “in an all-out manner, with an intense strain.” Just as an athletics coach might tell a player to “leave it all on the field,” Peter tells us to completely exhaust all of our resources in a single-hearted effort to give love to each other.

Bibleref.com/1 Peter 1:22

Don’t forget to check out lovegodgreatly.com for more insight

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

A Call to Holy Living

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w1d3

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16 / SOAP: verses 14-16

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:14-16 NLT

Today’s SOAP calls us to focus on verses 14-16; however, I included verse 13 in the mix as well. because I love the encouragement Peter gives here!

  1. Prepare your mind for action and exercise self-control.
  2. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you … (ie. That is in God’s grace to us at the future coming of Jesus, the moment in which all the longings of our hearts will be fully satisfied. – Bibleref.com)

Friends, if we are not intentional with our thoughts, we will lose sight of the HOPE God has given us in and through Jesus! Faith and obedience require attention and determination; dare I say – they require work. This is why Paul told the Philippians to work out their salvation with reverence and awe. – Please understand that Paul is not telling us to work for our salvation. but rather to live it out. Or, as bibleref.com explains —“to practice, demonstrate, and exhibit—the salvation which believers have in Christ.”

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, 13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God.

Philippians 2:12-13 NLT

The world and our old nature will vie for our attention. So we must mentally prepare and be determined to stand firm in the Holy lifestyle God has called us to. This won’t be easy, which is likely why the Scriptures teach us to set our minds on things above, to fix them on God. If we don’t do this, our loyalty will be divided between God and the world, and we will be more likely to live by our old nature – the sinful nature that held us captive before we knew the TRUTH and placed our FAITH in Christ. This is crucial to the instructions Peter gives to “live obediently as God’s children.” For it is only through faith in Christ that the old nature passes away and the new nature is put on.

Paul said it like this: “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

– He even encouraged the Colossians to “put on their new nature and be renewed as they learned to know their Creator and to become like Him.” Colossians 3:10

Our new nature is obedient as opposed to our old rebellious nature. Because of this we are equipped to answer the call to “Be holy as He is holy.” As Peter will point out in his second letter, we are without excuse.

 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 1:3-4 NLT
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

We will not be perfect this side of Heaven but we must set the goal and strive to attain Holy/righteous living. We do this by:

  • living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-26
  • working hard to show yourselves approved a workman for the Lord – 2 Timothy 2:15
  • And doing everything as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, You have called us, as believers, to change our conduct to fit our identity. Help us to remember that when we placed our faith in Jesus we chose to identify with Him as Your sons and daughters. You have removed our sin-stained clothes and covered us with the righteousness of Jesus Christ! You have called us to live like Jesus – to be holy in all we do and say. Therefore, we shouldn’t be okay with our sins; we shouldn’t accept falling into the patterns of our old nature – Paul wrote that the new has come, and the old is gone! Help us to remember these truths and the strength of Your Spirit in us and by His power to live the holy lives You have called us to. Forgive us when we fall short, and pick us up with Your victorious right hand when we stumble or fall. – I pray this all in the name of Jesus, amen and amen –

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

isaiah 41:10 NLT
Music for the journey

I couldn’t find a version of this that I liked on YouTube – so I’m simply sharing the lyrics as encouragement for the call to be holy as God is holy –

  1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
    Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
    Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
    Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
  2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
    Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
    By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
    Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
  3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
    And run not before Him, whatever betide.
    In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
    And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
  4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
    Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
    Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
    Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

 William D. Longstaff

THE MORE WE KNOW

Be sure and check out today’s Love God Greatly blog post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Triumphs over Trials

By His Great Mercy

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w1d1

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-5 / SOAP: 1 Peter 1:3-4

From Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those temporarily residing abroad (in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bithynia) who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by being set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with Jesus Christ’s blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure!

New Birth to Joy and Holiness

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:1-5 NET

These opening words of 1 Peter always bring me delight and remind me of the hope that comes with the peace we have with God through the blood of Jesus Christ!

Before I truly understood the truths of grace and mercy, I lived in a constant state of ‘hide-n-seek’ with God – striving to please Him but “hiding” from Him when I chose my way over His. Then I would work harder to please Him, somehow believing this would make everything better and help maintain the way God looked at me and the quality of my place or inheritance in Heaven. However, God mercifully placed me in the path of someone who explained the truth of His grace and mercy, and my life was forever changed! It was infused with a ‘living HOPE!” My hope is not born of the little engine’s chant: “I think I can, I think I can,” but by the grace of God that sent Jesus to the cross and raised Him to life again!

Grace: The undeserved favor of God

Mercy: Withholding a negative consequence that is deserved

Our hope is not meant to be based on our lifestyle or determination but rather on the knowledge that our inheritance in Christ is totally dependent on the grace, mercy, and peace of our God and Savior—through our FAITH in Jesus Christ. For it is only by God’s grace that we are able to know peace with God through the blood of Jesus.

It’s one thing to hope we will be saved, to yearn for life after death. Jesus proved that this hope is not a fantasy. He died, then showed Himself alive to many witnesses. Our faith is not a wish for a better world. The reason for our hope in an eternity with the Father is that our Lord is alive. Because He lives, those who believe in Him will also be resurrected.

bibleref.com / 1 Peter 1:
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Do you strive and worry about what God thinks of you? Does your confidence ever waiver concerning the status or state of your inheritance in through Christ? If so, let this passage be a wake-up call or reminder to:

  • Live in peace with God.
  • Stop striving and worrying.
  • Maintain a confident and living hope in an eternity with the Father through your faith in Jesus Christ, His Son.

Ultimately, like Peter, our response should be praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Who, by His great mercy, gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! And by that resurrection not only a living hope but an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading – in other words – untainted by us. It is reserved, as Peter wrote, in heaven for us, and it is protected by God’s power through faith.

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, help us never lose sight of You and of Your power, love, grace, and mercy and the peace we know with You through Jesus Christ. How blessed we are to be Yours, set apart by the Spirit and sprinkled with the blood of Christ. All praise and glory belong to You. Help us to rest in You, to stop striving and worrying and instead to trust that Your promises are truly ‘yes and amen’ in Christ, our Lord. – In and by the name of Jesus I pray, amen

THE MORE WE KNOW
A Guarded Inheritance

God is guarding our inheritance, and He is guarding us from anything that might cause our inheritance—our eternal life with Him forever—to be lost. The Greek term used in this verse is phrouroumenous, a military term, also translated as “shielded,” “kept,” or “protected.”

bibleref.com / 1 Peter 1

In regards to 1 Peter 1-2

I love that God knows/sees the beginning from the end from before the foundations of the earth were laid (Eph 1:4). I love knowing the truth of Jeremiah 1:5, that God in His infinite power “formed” Jeremiah in his mother’s womb and chose him to be a prophet to the nations – before Jeremiah was even born! — Oh, the beauty of God’s grace we see in His “foreknowledge” – that He didn’t choose only the best of us” to be His, but He chose the prodigals, the adulterers, the murderers, the thieves, the greedy, poor and wayward … And to us, those who by faith would believe, He gave the right to become His adopted children – with full rights of His only begotten Son! Galatians 4:1-8

Music for the Journey
Posted in Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Lent, LGG Study, Quiet Time

The Importance of the Resurrection

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God / w6d5

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: John 20:1-18; and SOAP: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 NLT

I love that Paul simply identifies and shares what is the most important information to pass on. He starts with the three things – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus – one by one. Then he reminds his audience that these things, the hope on which our faith is built, happened just as they had been written about “in the Scriptures,” and were witnessed by many. The citing of Scripture and witnesses most likely was meant to emphasis and ensure the people that they do not have to depend on Paul’s word alone.

According to Bibleref.com, the truthfulness of the resurrection, or at least the resurrection of Christians, was being challenged or misunderstood by some in Corinth. Paul wants them to understand not only that the resurrection really took place, but that faith in that truth is essential in order to be saved.

For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

1 Corinthians 15:13-19 NLT
LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Tell the story of Jesus, with your words or the Scriptures or by sharing the testimonies of other’s you have heard or seen God do a great work in. Share the truth of the cross and of Jesus’ love and sacrifice, and of the love of God that brought Him down to man, and of the grace that says, “whosoever, Jew or gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free – whosoever may come and enjoy a new life in Jesus – not only here in this world but in the Kingdom yet to come.

20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. 23 But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NLT
PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, even after all these thousands of years later – the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection are still humbling and a bit overwhelming. Your gift of love come down, your sacrifice of Your only begotten Son, Your Word come true, Your detailed plan down to the witnesses before and after boggles my mind and yet fosters the hope of all my faith proclaims.

THE MORE WE KNOW

For more insight read today’s LGG Blog

Do you share in the hope of the resurrection? Do you want to?

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Posted in Advent, Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Lent, LGG Study, Quiet Time

“I Will Rise Again”

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God / w6d4

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: Matthew 27:62-66 / SOAP: Matthew 27:66

62 The next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “Take a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can. 66”So they went with the soldiers of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Matthew 27:62-66 NET

As I was reading this passage, it struck me a that Jesus wasted no words, in this case, “After three days I will rise again.” The words were shocking and memorable for sure but the fact that Jesus’ statement was remembered by the Pharisees and chief priests led to the sealing of the tomb. The sealing of the tomb gave credit to the fact that Christ did indeed rise up from that grave – just as He said He would.

My friends at Love God Greatly noticed the same thing and wrote a wonderful devotion about what I believe will be both enlightening and encouraging to your Easter celebration.

Very little is recorded about the Saturday between Jesus’ death and resurrection. It was a Sabbath day, so very little happened. There was no work, and people could not even travel far from their homes. The disciples may have stayed hidden, trying to process the events of the previous day and figure out what to do next.

However, the Jewish leaders remembered Jesus’ words and His promise to rise again. Though they didn’t believe Him, they understood the power of His impact and knew His followers were loyal. They had the Roman soldiers set guards over the tomb and secured it with a large stone.

What they didn’t know was what was coming. They sealed the tomb to keep the disciples from stealing the body, but what they didn’t expect was for Jesus to rise again. While they were sealing the tomb, Jesus was sealing the salvation of those who would put their faith in Him. He died, and stayed dead for a time so that he could defeat death once and for all.

Reflecting on these events allows us to examine how we respond when God seems silent. Saturday sits between the most horrific day in history and the most glorious. But nothing happened. When our life and circumstances sit between devastation and restoration, how do we respond? It is not easy to wait patiently for redemption, but we can be sure of this: The same God who raised Jesus from the dead is always working. No matter how long it takes, may we be followers of Jesus who remain steadfast even in the darkness, uncertainty, and silence. -p. 196 of the LGG Lent Journal –

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

There is much to be learned from the Pharisees and Chief Priests remembering the words of Jesus – namely that we should do the same. As was noted in the Love God Greatly devotional, they knew and understood the power of His impact. Because of this, they sought to do something about them.

Read the words and follow the teachings of Jesus –

Never lose sight of the power and the impact that the words of Jesus (and the words God inspired throughout the Scriptures) have on us and on others. For instance, remembering that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation – to everyone who believes should keep us from being ashamed to share God and His message of salvation (the hope of every man – who believes) and should encourage us to lay aside our timidness and eagerly use/share the Gospel and see God’s power at work. ( For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes... Romans 1:16)

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember the words and teaching of Jesus – so that you can be ready with an answer for the hope that is within you, (1 Peter 3:15). Remember, it was Jesus who said that the Holy Spirit was sent to teach us all things and to remind us of everything that Jesus taught, (John 14:26)

Speak/share the words and teachings of Jesus with others. I understand this can insight fear in us – fear that we won’t know what to say or how to say it (Remember though, God told Moses [who was afraid to speak] that He would teach him what to say, Ex 4:10-12). It can panic us because we may not remember what or where something was said- again, remember John 14:26 says that the Spirit will remind us; and in this day and age we have the beautiful tool of computerized browsers that will help us find specific verses or topics. We might also be afraid of how the other person will respond but remember the greater danger is they never hear and how can they be saved if they do not hear? (Rom 10:14-15) –

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, help us to be bold with Your Word. Help us to spend time in Your Word – to let the light of it shine in own lives and radiate out to others. Let us be forever alert to Your Spirit who was sent to teach us all things and to remind us of everything Jesus said. There are lost and dying people all around us and if they do not hear, if Your servants do not carry Your words to others then they will not hear and they will not be saved.

The More We Know

To live unashamed of the gospel means we …

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

Trust His Heart

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Lent – A Season of Drawing Close to God / w5d5

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: Psalm 22  SOAP: Verse 19

But you, O Lord, do not remain far away.
You are my source of strength. Hurry and help me!

Psalm 22:19

Have you ever felt abandoned by God? You pray, but it feels as though He isn’t listening; you watch, but You do not see Him move on your behalf. That’s where David seems to be in this Psalm, at least at first – but oh, how I love it when David begins to remember and to remind God of how his ancestors had trusted in God and He had rescued them, how they had cried out to God and they were saved. I especially love that his ancestors had trusted in God and were not disappointed.

I love these reminders David brings up to God because I have found that when we find ourselves where David was, it’s the recalling of God’s faithfulness and goodness that begins our ascent from the pit of woes and feelings of desertion. It’s calling to mind who He is and what He’s done that leads us to remember to trust His heart even when we cannot see His hand at work in our lives. It is remembering and reminding Him that He is our source of strength that leads us to call to Him believing He is listening and will come to deliver, rescue and save us.

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

When we can’t see God’s hand we must remember who He is and what He has done in the lives of people throughout Scripture, in our lives and the lives of those around us.

When we cannot see His hand and we feel abandoned – we must trust His heart, His love that sent Jesus to the cross, and His promises to hear us when we call to Him.

When we cannot see His hand we must continue to trust that He will never leave us or forsake us.

When we cannot see His hand we must continue to trust that He is forever our source of strength.

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, thank you for teaching us in Your Word and by experience that when we cannot see You we can trust Your heart of love and acts of abundant goodness and complete faithfulness. We confess it isn’t always easy and we ask for help to pray as David did – recalling that not only are You good but You are our source of strength and You will always hear the prayers of Your children. –

THE MORE WE KNOW

I want to ask you to do me a favor, one that will bring a rich blessing to your heart and enhance your Easter celebration more than you can imagine. It is a quick and easy listen – though I will warn you I have listened to it about five times already and intend to listen to it again and again. I plead with you to listen all the way to the end – I promise you won’t regret it!

I listened to this a week ago and yet came to the Psalm yesterday in our study … You’ll understand once you’ve read our study verse and then listened to this short podcast when I say – only God!

The recording is from The Grove Podcast (one of my favorite). This episode was part of the 2023 Grove Conference and recently posted on The Grove Podcast on February 28, 2024 –

The Crimson Worm :: Brooke Ligertwood The Grove Podcast