Tag: Love

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

O’ the Depth of His Love

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Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:6-11 / SOAP: Philip 2:8-11
THe Love and Example of Jesus –

Though he, [Jesus], was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

The Reaction of God The Father –

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11

I love the way that the LGG Team worded it in today’s devotion (journal p 52)

When Jesus left the glories of heaven to come into our broken world, He emptied Himself, not of His divinity, but of His divine privileges as God. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was willing to take on human nature, entering into all the pain, frustrations, and afflictions of our fallen world. he humbled Himself by submitting to the Father’s will.

Jesus’ obedience went beyond living as a human, even to the point of His gruesome death. He was humiliated and hated, murdered by the very people He came to save. Yet, because of that, God has highly exalted Him.

The Promised Messiah, by LGG, devotion journal p52

To know God is to love Him and to know the depth of His love is to worship and adore Him above all else. I mean seriously, our God is an awesome God! Yet we will never truly understand how incredibly awesome He is until we understand the depth of His love. Consider these closing words from today’s devo: “[Jesus] was willing to humble Himself completely to save us. He left His place in heaven so that we could have a relationship with Him. He gave everything so we could gain everything.” –

When we understand the depth of His love we will bow to the supremacy of Christ and we will follow/adopt His attitude toward God and man.

O’ Come let us adore Him! May we forever exalt His name – for He is forever worthy of our praise!

Father, God – thank You for sending Your Son to save us. Jesus thank You for Your obedience to the Father on my behalf and for His glory – Help me to live and love like You! In Your name I pray Jesus – Amen.

Posted in Advent, Advent, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah, Uncategorized

A King from Bethlehem

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Hosea 11:1; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:5-6 and14-15 / SOAP: Matthew 2:6

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

God’s Perfect Plan and Provision

Isn’t God the coolest? He’s thoughtful and attentive, a detailed organizer, and a planner. He’s quite the designer and very creative. His imagination is unmatchable, He’s a great communicator and a fierce but loving protector; and He’s given us a King, a ruler who will shepherd His people well. We can rest assured that we are safe under His ruling care – and we can rejoice that His Kingdom knows no end.

The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth were nothing short of miraculous. The timing, location, and events that occurred were ordained by God, long before Jesus was conceived.

LGG Devo p48, The Promised Messiah
Going Futher

Foreshadowings: Micah 5:2 is a Messianic prophecy quoted when the magi were searching for the king born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:6). These wise men from the East were told that from the tiny village of Bethlehem would come forth the Prince of Peace, the Light of the world. Micah’s message of sin, repentance, and restoration finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:24-25) and the only way to God (John 14:6). (to read the full commentary visit https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Micah.html)

Tod

ay’s readings are a beautifully designed landscape. From Hosea, to Micah, to Matthew we see how the Scriptures paint a wonderfully vivid picture of God’s work and unfolding plan. For me it is a picture that fosters trust and instills comfort and peace. The artistry of our Master Creator both in creation and His Word makes me love and worship Him and leaves me wanting to spend more time with Him. to see Him close-up and to know Him more.

Posted in Advent, Advent, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, The Promised Messiah

Son of David or of God?

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 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “He is the son of David.”

Matthew 22:42

We know and celebrate Jesus as the Son of God, but in today’s reference, and many other places in the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the “son of David.” Jesus even says of Himself, “I am the root and the descendant of David …” in Revelation 22:16, identifying Himself as both the creator (root) of David and David’s descendant. Only Jesus can claim both titles because He alone is the true and living Son of God come down to earth in the flesh – just as God promised David through the prophet Samuel.

The title “Son of David” is more than a statement of physical genealogy. It is a Messianic title. When people referred to Jesus as the Son of David, they meant that He was the long-awaited Deliverer, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

gotquestions.org

Our traditional Christmas celebrations are centered around the nativity. We talk of Mary and Joseph and others like Elizabeth and Zechariah or Anna and Simeon who are all part of the narrative. We sing of the baby in a manger, of shepherds and the angels on the night of His birth, and of the wise men who visited him from the East, and these are all good and true parts of the story worthy of rejoicing in. However, in recent years, I have grown to love this season of Advent – the time leading up to the celebration, a time when we look forward to the nativity by remembering God’s promise of a Messiah to His people and, ultimately, the world. It is a time of hope, peace, joy, and love coming down to earth in the flesh, Jesus – the Light and Savior of the world. Advent is a time of remembering that while Jesus is fully God, He is also the promised Messiah, the “son of David.” Combining the history of this long-awaited Messiah with the sweet baby boy in the manger has helped me more fully appreciate and celebrate Christmas for who and what it’s really about. The twinkling lights, the music, the presents, and childlike wonder are always going to tug at my heart of nostalgia and childlike delight – but the Advent will forever move me in awe and wonder of God’s love and fulfilled promise the Messiah – Immanuel – God with us!

May we press on faithfully in the observance of Advent and draw near with hearts of worship and wonder worthy of our God and Savior.

Going further

Be sure and check out today’s blog post by the LGG Team

Reflections on the journey

Who do you say Jesus is?

Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

The Hope of Israel

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Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7 / SOAP: Isaiah 9:6-7

For a child has been born to us,
a son has been given to us.
He shoulders responsibility and is called
Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity.
He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

In our larger passage, verses two through five are a message from the prophet Isaiah that tells of a time when God will send light back to Israel. War will cease and Israel’s enemies will no longer rule over them. Verses six and seven tell us how that will happen.

Oh the beauty of a promise kept and of hope given. Through God’s Word we have seen the child, the son that Isaiah spoke of, born to a virgin who called His name Emmanuel. We have seen Him on a cross bearing the weight of sins that belonged to the world. We have watched as God let Him die and listened as He cried in agony, “My God, My God – why have You forsaken Me?” We’ve peered into the tomb with Mary and the others to see the grave clothes but no body and then watched as He later ascended into heaven. Perhaps we’ve even doubted with Thomas but then realized the reality of His presence and cried out as Thomas did, “My Lord, and my God!” By faith we now believe that He sits at the right hand of God’s throne interceding on our behalf. And by faith we believe and wait with great anticipation for His promised return. Yes, oh yes! There is beauty in a promise kept and that beauty comes in the hope, peace, and strength that come from knowing Him .

Feel free to share your thoughts (observations, application …) about today’s passage – in the comment section
Reflections on Today’s Journey
  • Who is Jesus to you?
  • Why is He such an important person?
  • Why do so many people still follow Him?
Going Further

For more insight on today’s reading be sure and ready today’s blog from the LGG Team

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

A Promise of Hope

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It’s Tuesday friends and one day closer to the Thanksgiving Holiday and some time off with family and friends. If you’re like my daughters and are already enjoying a nice week-long break – I pray it is off to a good start. 🙂 Our new advent study, The Promised Messiah, begins next Monday (Nov.27) but for now let’s continue through our journey of Scriptures that prompt praise and worship for all God is and does.

 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:28
What is the promise?

The promise is, for those who are saved, all things will indeed work together for good. “All things” should be taken to mean each and every circumstance one might experience, even pain or suffering. “Work,” or “work together,” must be understood in light of God taking action in the world. He is the one who causes all things to work together or, perhaps, works in and through all circumstances toward a specific end. What is that end? “Good.”

Bibleref.com

From Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers to Jesus hanging on the cross for our sins this truth/promise brings us hope as it is played out in the lives of those who came before us and certainly in our own trouble or regrets. Is there anything in your past that you would do over if you could. Are there decisions you made then that have adversely affected your now? Take some time right now to remember or grasp hold of the truth from this verse of promise and hope – perhaps for the very first time. I used to think it said, “And we know all things work together for good…” and I remember the day and the place when I realized what it really said/meant: “…God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Mistakes, regrets, things you had no control over, hurts, betrayal … these will surface in our minds from time to time – the enemy uses them as arrows but this powerful truth will combat them.

We must be careful to keep these words in the context Paul intended – and that was to bring hope to those believers who were struggling or suffering in life. He wanted them to remember that God is good and He is in perfect control on behalf of His children and according to His purpose, which by the way is perfect. Take hope in the encouragement that Paul’s words offer to those who belong to God – and trust that He truly has been and is continually working all things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.💜

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Joseph, to his brothers – Genesis 50:20
Your Turn

What about today’s verse, Romans 8:28, makes you thankful?
Is there a way you have seen its truth played out in your life? – If so give thanks!

Will you take a minute and share your response(s) in the comment section –
It may be just the encouragement that someone else needs and for certain it will bring God glory.

Worship Through Music

I do not own the rights to this music nor do I use it for any profit or gain –

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time

We Will Remember

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Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever. – YET how quickly they forgot what he had done!

Psalm 106:1, 13a

Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34 and so many other passages call us to “give thanks to the LORD.” The passages site various reasons like His faithfulness, His goodness, His steadfast love and more. The problem is when we fail to be impressed with the Lord’s character and acts of kindness and when we fail to notice His miraculous works. There is great danger in forgetting to acknowledge Him with praise and thanksgiving. For look at the example of the Israelites in today’s passage who failed to be impressed with the works of God’s hand and then quickly forgot what He had done. May we never find ourselves in this place – but rather daily find time and reasons to sing His praises and give HIm thanks – even for the littlest of blessings or fingerprints –

Your turn

What is that impresses You about God? – Make sure to journal it or write it out somewhere or even tell someone – and don’t forget to give thanks to Him to whom the praise/thanks is due. We must be intentional about this discipline in our life – not being so captivate by the day or the moment or the person but fully captivated by God alone – and intent on remembering the works of His hands. 💜

We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
You’re our creator, our life sustainer
Deliverer, our comfort, our joy
Throughout the ages You’ve been our shelter
Our peace in the midst of the storm
With signs and wonders You’ve shown Your power
With precious blood You showed us Your grace
You’ve been our helper, our liberator
The giver of life with no end
We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
When we walk through life’s darkest valleys
We will look back at all You have done
And we will shout, our God is good
And He is the faithful One … Hear the entire song at
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=AcUA7x9CVgs&feature=shared

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

The Benefit of Praise

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Scripture: In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Give thanks.” God’s Word is full of this phrase from the Old Testament to the New. From Joseph’s attitude of gratitude in Genesis to the words of the twenty-four elders who fell down in worship in John’s Revelation, saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.” These examples and all of the others we find between them are not just words on a page. They are there to teach us and to remind us that God is worthy of our praise – those that flow from a truly thankful heart. Such gratitude can’t help but flow forth from heart and tongue when we truly realize the good and perfect gifts that flow from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Thankfulness keeps our hearts in right relationship to the Giver of all good gifts.

Gotquestions.org

Giving thanks to God isn’t for God’s glory alone – but it is a benefit for us as well, as God uses our acknowledgment of gratitude and our words of thanksgiving to remind us that everything we have is from Him. Every good and perfect gift, every awareness of Him acting on our behalf, keeps us centered on Him rather than on self and any problems or fears we might know.

Giving thanks also reminds us of how much we do have. Human beings are prone to covetousness. We tend to focus on what we don’t have. By giving thanks continually we are reminded of how much we do have. When we focus on blessings rather than wants, we are happier. When we start thanking God for the things we usually take for granted, our perspective changes. We realize that we could not even exist without the merciful blessings of God.

gotquestions.org
Let’s Apply It

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and as an encouragement to others and glory to God please share one thing, here in the comment section, that you are thankful for today. Then at home grab a journal or make a note on your phone and write down as many gifts from above that you notice throughout the day. I promise you will feel better and others will be blessed – it’s a win-win!

Worship through song: Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart is one of my favorites. You can find it on youtube

Prayer of Response to God’s Word

Father, You are beyond worthy of our praise and honor. You are worthy of our thanksgiving, worthy of our acknowledging all that you do and have done for us. Forgive us where we get caught up in our days and thoughts and ways and fail to thank You for Your acts of mercy, love, and grace – or for Your gifts of peace, and strength, and protection or provisions. We are most blessed and should faithfully tell You so. Open our eyes to see all Your fingerprints through any given day of our life. – In Jesus’ Name amen.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Armor of God

Don’t Let Your Guard Down

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based on the LGG Study, The Arrmor of God / w6d1

Scripture: Ephesians 6;10-18 / SOAP verses 17-18

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 6:17-18

Hopefully, after six weeks of starting Mondays with this passage, we have all become more familiar with the wisdom, truth, and help it offers us – so that we will not let down our guard. May we keep the armor of God on 24/7, 365 days of the year – ready to help us stand firm and resist the devil’s schemes.

Let’s not forget the necessity of suiting up daily with the whole armor of God. Let’s make it a daily practice to put on…

  • the Belt of Truth
  • the Breast Plate of Righteousness – and
  • the Shoes of Peace

May we faithfully…

  • Take up the Shield of Faith – and
  • Put on the Helmet of Salvation and
  • take the Sword of the of the Spirit

And don’t forget to …

  • pray at all times… for all believers everywhere

We will study the final piece of our armor this week, which is the sword of the Spirit – defined by Paul as the Word of God. Then, we will, at Paul’s suggestion, cover it all with prayer and an alertness. Remember this armor belongs to God and we will not be successful using any of it without first seeking His strength and power as Paul instructed us in the beginning of our study.

“Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.”

Colossians 4:2
Did You Know?

I found a fascinating note about the Sword of the Spirit that helped me understand just how powerful this offensive weapon really is. When I picture a “sword” I pictured a long sheath like sword, however, according to BIbileref.com the sword Paul describes is a short-bladed sword, easy to carry and draw quickly in combat. It is meant to kill and defeat the enemy during attack.

God’s Word is able and meant to be used like this in our spiritual battles. Christ Himself sets the example for us as we read in Matthew 4:1-11, where we find three examples of Jesus using the Word of God to defeat the enemy. I encourage you to read how He did it and not to miss the ending when the devil left him alone. May we be quick to follow His lead by being prepared with the Word whenever the enemy strikes.

Our Secret Weapon

When Jesus told His disciples He would be leaving them He also told them about another that would come and be with them so that they could carry on the work of the Father. Here in our passage today, Paul tells them to “pray in the Spirit,” the One that Christ said would be their helper.

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and will remind us of everything [Christ] has told us.
John 14:26

Reflecting on the Journey

What is the importance of praying at all times?

Response to God’s Word

Father, hide Your Word in our hearts that we might stand firm in the battles with temptation and all of the devil’s schemes. May we be sensitive to Your Spirit and powerful in Your might. Help us to remember that the battle belongs to You and You have empowered us with all that we need to stand firm. Remind us to stay devoted to prayer not only for ourselves but for the body of Christ and as the enemy wages war against Your people. May we not be detoured by his tactics and lose sight of the call to spread the Gospel. In Jesus’ Name – Amen!

Going Further on the Journey

Don’t forget to check out today’s Love God Greatly Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Armor of God

The Transformer

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God / w5d3

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2 / SOAP: verse 2

 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 NLT

It may seem odd to hear Paul – or anyone for that matter – encourage the believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, but Paul was teaching, as Bibleref.com explains, “as the Jewish people offered killed animals as sacrifices to God, Christians should instead offer ourselves, our bodies, to Him as living sacrifices.”

For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.”

Romans 11:36

Paul’s point is that God is worthy, or as he says – “It is your reasonable act of service” to know and live out the will of God. Paul understood as we saw in our journey yesterday, that when we keep on thinking about the things of God – all He is and has done or promised to do – then our minds will be transformed and our will aligned with God’s. His desires become ours and we will be able to better distinguish what is good and pleasing to Him.

When we keep our mind on earthly things we will be influenced by those things, or people, or cultural norms which is the natural bent of humans. The sinful nature leads us to follow after our own desires rather than God’s, however, we are told throughout the letters of Paul to “put on the new nature – and be renewed.”

The way to escape conformation to the world is through transformation by God, which is the renewing of your mind -🦋

Me🦋 FromtheNsideoutt

It is important to understand that we cannot transform ourselves. Paul says to, “Let God transform You into a new person by changing the way you think.” In other words, we do not – actually we cannot – transform ourselves. Notice with me, while in many of his writings Paul tells us that we need to put off the old and put on the new, he does not tell them here to change they way they live, look, or even act but instead he tells them to “Let God change the way they think.” Paul is teaching them the same thing he taught the Colossians, the mind greatly influences our decisions. When we allow God to transform our minds from the old nature to the new one we have been given in Christ we will live in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to Him.

One way I have found to let God change the way I think is through His Word. Whether it is reading it, listening to it in sermons, memorizing it, singing it, or discussing it with others, God’s Word will bring real and lasting transformation of our minds which will lead to a life-changing transformation from the inside-out 🦋 affecting not just us but all those around us.

 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5:14
Prayer of Response to the Word

Father, please help us to faithfully stay in Your Word and to live by it. Let us be women of faith who dwell in the Word so that Your Word may dwell in us – so that we may be forever changed – living lives that are pleasing and acceptable to You and igniting change in others! In Jesus’ Name I pray – Amen!

Going Further in the journey

Be sure and read today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Armor of God

Our Standard of Thinking

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based on the LGG Study, The Armor of God / w5d2

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-11 / verse 2

Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth

Colossians 3:2

So what does mean to “keep thinking about something?” The bottom line is it means to continually choose to think about a certain thing, event, or person. When we do this we allow that thing, person, or situation to become what influences our choices – such as how we talk or what actions we take or who we spend time with. When we do this our thinking will ultimately influence what goals, priorities or standards we set.

Setting our minds on things above establishes Godly priorities and sets Godly standards.

me – from the inside out 🦋

Paul poses two courses of thought, things on earth or things above, and he guides the Church to set their thoughts on the things above. The NLT translates things above as the realities of Heaven, but both mean the same thing: Think about the things of God. Think about what He’s done for us through Christ. Think about His promise of eternity and anything else that turns our thinking toward God. Okay, you say, but we have families and jobs and responsibilities that also take thought, right? Yes, and we do have to give thought to those things during the day, and in times of crises that arise here on earth life can demand or require our attention; but Paul’s point is not to neglect thinking about the crisis situations nor even what you’ll fix for dinner or which job you’ll take or where your kids will go to school. Instead, his point is to “keep on” thinking about the things of God even while you are weighing out or dealing with the other issues of life. Basically, we are to have our minds so set on the things of God that those thoughts influence all the other aspects of our life.

How can we do this while living on earth? Paul gives us the answer in many of his letters, but perhaps no where more clearly than here in Colossians chapter three. He makes it clear to the church that they are no longer to live by the standards of their old life. In verse five he uses some very strong words to emphasize the importance of setting new standards by saying, “put to death” any part of their old “earthly” living – including everything from sexual immorality to greed. He makes the point that these things are not pleasing to God. Paul understands that this is the way they used to live and that some were still struggling with the ungodly issues he referenced – and just in case they might have been thinking – ‘good grief, I’m not that bad’, he also covered things like anger and malice, as well as slander and ungodly words. When we profess Jesus as our Lord with our mouth we are to profess Him with our lives as well.

What does It Look Like?

Paul gave us a pretty good snap shot of what we will look like when we “keep thinking about things above instead of things on the earth.” He described those who choose to think like this as ones ” who are filled with tenderhearted mercy, they are kind. gentle, and patient, and they live in humility rather haughtiness. They remember how the Lord has forgiven them and loved them despite their faults – so they make allowance for other’s faults and are forgiving of those who offend them. They are loving and live in harmony with others and are noted for the peace that rules in their hearts; it’s a peace that helps them to live in peace with others. Their’s is a peace so obviously from Christ that is a reflective light of our faith.

Prayer of Response to God’s Word

Father, I confess it isn’t always easy to keep my mind from getting weighed down with the cares of this world. Whether it is the day to day routines or events or people in my life or the seasons of crises and turmoil – if I’m not careful – my mind is easily captivated and I find myself struggling with fears and worries or a myriad of other emotions that rob me of the peace that I have known when my mind is fixed on the things of Heaven, instead of the world. Thank You for continually reviewing this truth with me, for using this passage to change my life in so many ways. Help me to keep my mind on things above, to know Your strength when I am weak, and to avail myself often of your loving invitation to cast all my cares on You – because You care for me –

Going Further in the Journey

Colossians 3:12-17