Tag: Love

Posted in Bible study, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 1

Lydia, part 2

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Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p 27-28

Read: Acts 16:11- 40

She is the first recorded convert in Europe

Our previous day’s journey focused on Lydia and how the Gospel she heard from Paul changed her life. Her life was no longer about a religion or religious acts – instead, it was now about a relationship with God, made possible through the grace of God and the saving work of Jesus Christ, His Son. This change in Lydia’s heart is a prime example that “there is”, as the study guide puts it, “a difference in knowing something, and actually believing, or placing your faith in it” (p 26).

After her heart was opened, she placed her faith in Jesus and never looked back. Scripture tells us that she (and her household)* were baptized … she then provided housing for Paul and those with him on more than one occasion. One commentary describes her as one who is “generous and passes on that generous spirit to the church that started in her home (Phil 4:15-16).

And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent something for my need.

Philippians 4:15-16

While Lydia’s name doesn’t appear often in Scripture, it is easy to see – from her salvation (believed to be the first in Europe)…to her public profession of faith through baptism…to her willingness to house Paul and the others…to opening her home so others could hear the message and grow in their faith…to laboring with Paul and others in spreading the Gospel … and using her income to help missionaries whom she often hosted in her home – why it is believed that “she had a great impact on the church.”

“She had a great impact on the church.”

She Volume 1, p 27

Lydia was not bashful but bold with her faith. As the writers of our study guide point out, “She must have told all that were in her household what the Lord had done for her” – for they were baptized with her. Lydia was so excited and passionate about her faith that she had to share it with those around her. What a beautiful picture she is of “the effects the Gospel can have on our lives.” Surely she is an inspiration to be active and open in our walk of faith, generous and purposeful in ministry, and ready and willing to share the Gospel, mindful that the person seated beside you week after week in church may need to hear the Gospel message of salvation.

Words of Encouragement: For Faith and Duty

Sharing the Gospel does not come easily for everyone. From our personalities to our understanding of the Gospel, and everything in between, there are many reasons or excuses we allow to hold us back. Perhaps we’re afraid we will say the wrong thing or offend someone – there are a myriad of other reasons we can offer, but there is one reason that should outweigh all of the reasons/excuses we can think of – and it is found in John 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Simply put, it is a choice between life and death. Trust me, I’m not making light of the ‘difficulty’ we have with this all-important commission. I still freeze up sometimes, and/or I make excuses that it’s not the right setting or timing … or I can’t remember what to say … and sometimes those things may be true, but I have found that if I just open my mouth – God will lead the way and the conversation. Sometimes it ends up being an invitation to church; other times it is putting the Gospel information in their hands; still others, it is actually sharing the Gospel, as Paul did with Lydia – and even then the outcome isn’t on us … for only God can open someone’s heart and mind to understand the message of salvation.

Consider this … When Moses was sent by God to speak with Pharaoh, Moses told God: “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words, neither formerly nor since you’ve been speaking to your servant, because my mouth and my tongue are clumsy.”  God heard Moses’ response and replied back: And Yahweh said to him: “Who made man’s mouth? Who makes him dumb or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! And I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you shall speak.” Exodus 4:10-12

Friends, the battle belongs to the Lord! Just as God came down and spoke to Moses – leading Him to set His people free from slavery to Pharaoh – Jesus came down to set sinners free from their bondage to the law of sin and death. Like Moses, we have been commissioned to be the mouthpieces and the lights that lead them out – the hands and feet of Jesus, His love (the very message of the Gospel) in and to a lost and dying world.

Reflection/Application

What does Lydia inspire you to do? – share your answer, question, or comment in the comment section below – or jump over to my Journey Through the Word page

The More We Know

Need help sharing the Gospel? Check out this step-by-step plan of salvation from my church’s website. You can also message me for something to share with those who may need to hear the Gospel message.

Who Made Man’s Mouth?

Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

From Sickness & Death To Thanksgiving

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17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways,
and suffered because of their sins.
18 They lost their appetite for all food,
and they drew near the gates of death.
19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
20 He sent them an assuring word and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people.
22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done.

Psalm 107:17-22

As he did in verses 6 and 13, the Psalmist once again calls the people to “give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” He not only calls them to give thanks but to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and to declare the LORD’s works with rejoicing. What wonderful encouragement these passages are. They are good and necessary reminders that if we are going to cry out to the LORD in our trouble, we should first look for the deliverance He will surely bring, and seeing it, we should give Him offerings of thanksgiving1 and declare His works with rejoicing. This not only glorifies God but also opens the door for others who may be in a time of trouble and need to know that there is a loving and faithful deliverer!

When the people cried out for help in verse 13, we read in verse 14 that “He brought them out of the utter darkness, and tore off their shackles.” However, in today’s passage, when the people cry out to God for help, the Scripture says that not only did He bring them out of darkness, but He also sent His word and healed them, and He delivered them from their destruction.“Oh, how glad I am that we serve a God who will lead us out of darkness, even darkness that we have brought upon ourselves through rebellion, whether the darkness of sin or death, or other distresses. His Word and the testimonies of His people bear witness to His faithfulness to rescue and deliver us when we cry out to Him.

  • “All that God has to do, in order to save us, is to send us his word. He has done that by sending his dear Son, who is the incarnate Word. He sends us the word in the shape of the Holy Scriptures; he sends us the word in the preaching of his servants; but what we want most of all is to have that word sent home by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Spurgeon)

Friends, how have you seen God “heal you” with His Word? Perhaps you are in a season of darkness or destruction now. If so, take heart and call out to Him, for He is able to deliver you out of your troubles.

The More We Know
Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Thanksgiving

Out of the darkness to Thanksgiving

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Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
Therefore, He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

Psalm 107:10-16

Oh what a gloomy psalm …While the previous section of this Psalm (4-9) describes God leading His people out from the wilderness, where they were lost and homeless and so hungry and thirsty that they nearly died…this section describes God’s people as prisoners, sitting in darkness and the shadow of death – bound in affliction and irons. Why? The Scripture declares that it was because the people had rebelled against the words of their God, they had turned away from His instructions, and despised His counsel. So bad was their situation that they fell down, and the Psalmist says there was no one there to help them. It was then, at their lowest point, they cried out to God for help, or as one commentator put it, “God’s imprisoned people begged Him for help,” ~ “and He delivered/saved them from their distress, bringing them out of the darkness and shadow of death, and breaking their chains in pieces.” – I love the way David Guzik defines this answer from God as “pure grace and mercy.” Guzik goes on to quote commentator John Trapp, who said of this verse: “This is comfort to the greatest sinners; if they can but find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart…”

They cried out to the LORD in their trouble: In their chains and hardship, God’s imprisoned people begged Him for help, and He answered. He saved them out of their distresses and broke their chains in pieces. This was pure grace and mercy from God; these prisoners were under God’s own discipline. Yet when they cried out to Him, He mercifully answered. (Guzik)

  • i. “This is comfort to the greatest sinners; if they can but find a praying heart, God will find a pitying heart, and rebels shall be received with all sweetness, if at length they return, though brought in by the cross.” (Trapp)
Enduring Word

Now, the psalmist again, and rightfully so, calls those who have seen and experienced such grace from the Lord to “give thanks to God for His goodness and wonderful works.”

Friends, where have you seen His grace and mercy … His goodness .. and His wonderful works? ` Let’s make it a habit, when we see these things, to stop and praise Him.

Sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Colossians 3:16

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Thanksgiving

Let the Redeemed Say So…

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Today’s “Thankful” passage is part of a chain of verses that caught my attention this past weekend. I was originally led to verses 4-9. However, after reading the entire Psalm and realizing that it is a beautiful crescendo of words that are best read together, from the introduction of the Psalmist’s declaration of God’s enduring love, or “loyal love”, as one translation puts it — to the conclusion, where God’s wisdom allows us to understand His loving-kindness and we are led to praise Him all the more.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

Psalm 107:2-3 KJV

Sin’s Power Is Broken –

6 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:1-11 NLT

Friends, if you are a believer, it is so important to remember that we were once slaves to sin, and though freed from that slavery, we are still the target of our enemy, the devil. “He actively works to nullify the effect of the Word of God in people’s hearts (Matthew 13:3–4, 19), and he blinds the intellect of those who do not believe so they cannot understand the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4).1” The payment for our sin was death2, meaning we were desperately in need of a redeemer.3 God sent Jesus, our “Kinsman Redeemer,4” to pay the penalty we owed, so that we might not only live but have eternal life!5 His death on the cross broke the power of sin over all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

While commentator, David Guzik, rightfully notes that, “We might be redeemed from the world, the flesh, the devil, or countless other snares. Here, the psalmist has in mind redemption from the hand of the enemy, probably connected with the exile of God’s people.” However, once we realize the detailed truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, (outlined for us here and throughout God’s Word), would it not be the epitome of rudeness to be silent about such a great gift of His redeeming us from the power of sin and death? Oh, how little we must think of His great and unmerited gift of life, if we do not daily proclaim our redemption to Him with thanksgiving and to the people around us, that they might also be redeemed. After all, to declare our redemption is to make known the Gospel Message, of which we are ambassadors who are not to be ashamed, for the gospel message is God’s power to save.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

Romans 1:16

Friends, may we be faithful stewards of our words – both in praises to God and in sharing His redemptive plan with the world around us. – Or as the old chorus echoing through my mind says:

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

I’m redeemed, I’m redeemed, Praise the Lord!

The More We Know

The word gospel means “good news,” which is the message of forgiveness for sin through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is essentially God’s rescue plan of redemption for those who will trust in His divine Son in order to be reconciled to a just and holy God.

Posted in Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

God is Good …

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It is good to give thanks to the Lord! Scripture says it, and I have personally found it to be true in my life. The writer of this Psalm obviously knew it to be true, for throughout the chapter, he calls his listeners/readers to proclaim God’s goodness. He also continues to reveal the goodness of God throughout the entire Psalm.

 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Ps.107:1

I love that the Psalmist not only calls us to give thanks but also tells us why to give thanks. He calls us to give thanks for two specific reasons that we are wise to remember and daily declare.

  • He is good.
  • His mercies (or loyal love) endure forever.

To know His goodness and mercies is a wonderful thing/feeling, but more than that, it is a catalyst for knowing Him intimately. His goodness and mercy allow us to know Him. They draw our eyes upward. They open our eyes to His love and kindness. They convince us of His faithfulness to never leave or forsake us. They are seen in His grace to save/deliver us from our sins, and in His power to transform us from the inside out. His goodness knows no boundaries – for God is only, always, good.

The gotquestions.org commentary explains it like this: “To say that God is good means that God always acts in accordance to what is right, true, and good. Goodness is part of God’s nature, and He cannot contradict His nature. Holiness and righteousness are part of God’s nature; He cannot do anything that is unholy or unrighteous. God is the standard of all that is good.”

Friends, let’s ask Him to open our eyes to see His goodness and mercy throughout the day, and may we be quick and faithful to give Him thanks, declaring aloud: ‘Thank You, God!’ For You are good and Your mercies endure forever!

The More We Know

What does it mean that God is good?

If you do not know God or would like to know more about Him, I would love to introduce you to Him … simply click on the Know These Truths link below.

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

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

A Beautiful Forever

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Based on the LGG Journal, From the Beginning to Foreverw6/d5

Read: Revelation 1:4-8; 20:7-10 and 21:1-6/SOAP: Revelation 21:3-4
Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:4-8 (NKJV)

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 20:7-10 NKJV

All Things Made New

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

Revelation 21:1-6 (NKJV)

Friends, as today’s LGG Journal entry points out, “This is the future reality the Bible paints for us.”1

We can only imagine what that day will be like… The sights and sounds, the reality of God wiping away every tear, death, sorrow, crying, and pain no longer being a part of life…The inexplicable joy of coming into the presence of God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…the One who will “freely give us, for all eternity, spiritual blessings to enjoy…resources from God that will be at our disposal for the enjoyment of the new heaven and earth.”2

Perhaps, like me, you are longing for that day…a day when God will dwell with His people as He did in the garden…a day when pain and sorrow and all of the harsh realities of this life will be over…the day when we will live in the New Jerusalem. “Oh, what a glorious day that will be!”3 If you do not have the certainty of that hope, but would like to learn how to share in it, I invite you to continue reading this post and then visit the link “Know These Truths.”

Revelation is unquestionably a complex book, especially for those of us who like things spelled out more than we appreciate descriptions or depictions that are a challenge to fully grasp and leave us shaking our heads, saying, “What?”. Honestly, while I dive into nearly every other book of the Bible without hesitation, I have tended to steer clear of the book of Revelation, not out of fear of what’s to come, but out of frustration and concern that I will be confused by or misunderstand the complexity of John’s words. However, as I find myself praying more and more, “Come, Lord Jesus, come,” I have become increasingly drawn to the book. I have a hunger to know more than the clear and certain truths of the end times that I have professed for years: Jesus is coming again…He will defeat not only Satan but all of His enemies…and He will rule forever as King. While traveling through “From the Beginning to Forever,” I have been reminded of the need to live with the full reality of eternity in mind – not just that I am going to live with Him forever in the New Jerusalem, but that those who have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ will spend their eternity in hell. If I lose sight of this, I give the enemy a foothold to hold me back from sharing the message of the Gospel, which is the good news that Jesus saves, and that salvation is not only the promise of forgiveness and eternal life, but that it is the free gift of God to all who believe.4

Friends, knowing what our “forever” is, is a blessing above all blessings, for we know that, “We will day be glorified and spend eternity with the Savior.”5 However, may we never lose sight of the truth that those who have never believed face a real and certain eternity in anguish in the flame.6

The More We Know

How can I evangelize my friends and family without pushing them away?

The Gospel Message (message me if you would like a card or bookmark of this plan, I’ll mail them to you for free)

Today’s LGG Blog Post: Faith To Be Made Sight

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study

The Road that Leads to Grace

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There is such beauty and hope in the book of Romans. It is the hope of our salvation. It is the glory of the Father and the reality of the Son. It is the forgiveness of sin, the promise of Heaven, and the gift of eternal life. It is the message we have been commissioned to carry to the ‘farthest ends of the earth, so that all might hear and believe and share in the hope of our salvation.

When we come to Christ as broken sinners, He exchanges our sin for His righteousness.

Gotquestions.org

Today’s journey is a collection of passages known as the Romans Road, which leads us straight to God’s gift of eternal life—by grace, through faith in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9). This road through Romans is the main thoroughfare of our faith. It presents the problem, which is sin (Rom 3:23), and then the answer/provision, which is God’s deep, deep love for us, even while we were sinners (Romans 5:8). The next stop on the journey (Romans 6:23) reminds us that our sin demands a payoff, and that payoff is death. But thanks be to God, Jesus paid our debt! So that now, when we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9-10). ~ As today’s journal entry puts it: “It is at this moment that we are saved and cross over from death to life. God no longer views us by our sin but by Christ’s righteousness.”

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21.

Friends, while God’s gift of eternal life is good news for us who have believed and been saved, for those who have not yet believed in the message of the Gospel, there is bound to be a fair amount of discouragement and misery on this Romans Road. For without faith in Jesus and the eternal life that is available to all who believe, there is no hope. This, my friends, is why we must not neglect our calling to shine the light of Jesus wherever we go in this dark, foreboding world.

Father, may we align our hearts with Your desire for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth1 – and may we live and pray to that end. ~ In the name of Jesus and for Your eternal glory, I pray ~Amen.

If you have not put your faith in Jesus Christ, if you do not know the hope of eternal life, I invite you to visit the link ‘Know These Truths’ and let me introduce you to the One who gave His life so that you might live. If you have questions or are ready to take the next step, please message me at m.black@lmbc.org ~

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Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study

Devotion To…

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Based on the LGG Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w6d2

Read Acts 2:38-47; SOAP: Acts 2:42

(for further reading: Acts 9:1-19; Acts 16:16-34)

 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 2:42

From the start of our journey, we have listened and watched as God’s plan of rescue was set forward and carried out. We have witnessed His death on the cross and stood with Mary and the others looking into the empty tomb. Now we cling to the hope and promise of the forever yet to come. We wait and we watch, perhaps even more so as the day draws closer but as the two men clothed in white told the early disciples, we must not stand gazing up into the sky watching for His return. Instead, we are to be about the mission He gave to all who follow Him. “Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Spirit.”

As people heard and believed, they began forming local churches where they devoted themselves around the preaching of God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship.

From the Beginning to Forever, p177

As we see in today’s passage of the journey, the early disciples did this, and thousands were accepting the message, repenting (turning away from their old way of life) and being baptized. The church was growing, the message was spreading just as Jesus intended; and now, the people were devoting themselves to the teaching of the Word, to fellowship with other believers, and prayer (a.k.a: a relationship with God). Oh the beauty and inspiration of seeing God’s plan in motion. It is inspiration, or perhaps conviction, and raises the question: “What am I devoting myself to?” Because we will be devoted to something ~ won’t we? We see two examples in the extra passages of today’s journey. Acts 9:1-19 reveals Paul, before His conversion, as one who was devoted to seeking the destruction of those who followed Jesus; but then in Acts 16:16-34, he is revealed not only as a devoted follower and messenger of the Gospel, but also as one who found himself in danger because of his devotion to the message of Christ.

Friends, there are many things in this world that we will devote ourselves to, but may God help us to be steadfastly devoted to Him and to the mission He has given us above everything and everyone else, May we remember that there is still work to be done, whether it is carrying the Gospel to the farthest parts of the earth or sharing it with our neighbors and co-workers or family. May God work in us and through us as He did in the apostles of Jesus’ day, to spread the good news and continue adding to the building up of the Church.

The Church’s one foundation
  Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation
  By water and the Word:
From heav’n He came and sought her
  To be His holy Bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
  And for her life He died.

Elect from every nation,
  Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation,
  One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
  Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
  With every grace endued.

’Mid toil and tribulation,
  And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
  Of peace for evermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
  Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
  Shall be the Church at rest.

The Church’s One Foundation,
Samuel John Stone (1839-1900)

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study

A Helper for Our Mission

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Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w6d1

Read: Acts 1:6-11, SOAP: v8; Acts 2:1-12

I don’t know about you, but I do not like to know that something is going to happen, but not know when it will happen. Well, this is exactly where we find the disciples in our journey today. For three years, Jesus has been telling them about a coming kingdom, and now, after being raised from the dead, He has spent forty days giving them more information on the “Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). It is only natural that we find them wondering if His resurrection means that the kingdom is coming to Israel. ~His answer, “You are not permitted to know…” must have been so frustrating, and I’m guessing a bit confusing to them. However, Jesus immediately refocuses their attention to what is really important in the here and now, telling them: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.1”

The next thing we are told is that: “After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.”2 As one can only imagine that scene, it stands to reason that the disciples would have been stunned and trying to figure out what just happened. It doesn’t surprise me that they stood staring into the sky, after all, He had already risen from the grave – surely they considered he might also return from the sky. In essence, this is what they were told by the “two men in white clothing,” He’s coming back in the same way you just saw him leave, but you don’t need to stand here watching. – In other words, sometimes we don’t get to the ‘what’ but not the ‘when,’ and in the meantime, we don’t let the unknown hinder the work Jesus called us to, but we carry out the mission3 He gave to His disciples.

Friends, as followers of Christ, it is vital for us to remember that we have been called to be His witnesses wherever we are. It is equally important and helpful to keep in mind that the Holy Spirit has been given to equip us for the job4. Likewise, He will be the one to convict unbelievers of their sin and open their minds to understand the Scriptures, that they might be saved. Just as a person cannot come to Christ without the Father drawing them, one cannot understand the Scriptures and do the work of the Master without the presence and help of the Holy Spirit. This is why, before Jesus left them, He told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they had received His power. It is why Jesus said that it was better for them that He go away so that they could receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Romans 10:14-15 NKJV

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Beginning to Forever, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

The Promised Rescue

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Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From the Beginning to Forever/w5d5

Read: John 20:1-9 and Matthew 28:16-20/SOAP: Matthew 28:19-20

So the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20 NET or NKJV

Hey friends, today is the first day of November, which means Thanksgiving is just around the corner, with Christmas quickly following – BUT Easter is the highlight of today’s devotion and the main event of our FAITH – for great is the victory that overcame our sin! If you’re still journeying with me in this study, you won’t want to miss the beautiful and encouraging words from the Love God Greatly team that I’m sharing with you today.

“The Saturday of Easter weekend was one of the darkest days of human history. But then Sunday morning came. As the sun rose, the ground shook, and the stone that kept the tomb closed rolled back. Jesus had risen! The grave could not hold Him. Sin and death were defeated forever, winning our salvation. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest news ever. No longer do we have to stay in our sins or live without hope. Salvation and freedom are found through faith in Jesus. The rescue that was promised in Genesis 3:15 had been accomplished.” -From the Beginning to Forever, p163

Sisters, if you are not all kinds of excited and shouting hallelujah, please read that quote again – because it is the greatest message of hope there has ever been or ever will be! As believers, not only is it our hope in life and death, but we have been given the incredible task and privilege of sharing it with the world around us. Which, as today’s journal entry points out, “is not a commandment that we can opt in or out. It is one we are all meant to obey.”

Friends, please do not let this commandment unnerve you. It can be daunting for sure, but remember – when we share this message, we share the hope of eternal life with a lost and dying world.

What is our message of hope? JESUS LIVES!

Or, as the songwriter, Melody Green, wrote:

There is a redeemer
Jesus, God’s own son
Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Holy one

Jesus my redeemer
Name above all names
Precious lamb of God, Messiah
Hope, for sinners slain.

When I stand in glory
I will see his face
And there I’ll serve my king forever
In that holy place.

Thank you oh my father
For giving us your son
And leaving your spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done.

*There Is a Redeemer lyrics © Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publ., Birdwing Music, Ears To Hear Music, Ewi Incorporated

May this be our first of many things to give thanks for in the days and weeks to come.🦋

Join me on Monday for the final week of this journey.💕

Dearest Reader, if you do not know Jesus, the hope of the promised rescue, I would love to introduce Him to you. You can start with the link, Know These Truths, and/or contact me at mryelnb@aol.com or m.black@lmbc.org

https://mefromthensideout.wordpress.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/