power – Me From the Inside Out

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

All Powerful God

Posted on October 3, 2025October 3, 2025 by

based on the LGG Study, From Beginning to Forever/w1d5

Read: Genesis 11:1-9; SOAP: Genesis 11:8-9

At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. ²As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.

³They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) ⁴Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”

⁵But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. ⁶“Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! ⁷Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

⁸In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. ⁹That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.
Genesis 11:1-9 NLT (KJV)

“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. The mountains are His the oceans are is, the stars are His handiwork to. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do.”

As I wrapped up my study and notes from today’s journey, this little chorus that I sang to and with my girls as they were growing up, ran through my mind and then flowed from my tongue. Here’s why: Today’s journey begins with the people of the “whole earth” sharing a common language, settling on a plain in Shinar, and eventually coming up with a plan to build a city and a tower that reaches to the heavens. I suppose this isn’t a bad plan, I mean, my grandson loves to build things with blocks and tiles, he finds the activity fun and exciting to see how high he can go before they topple over, or he knocks them down, whichever comes first. His objective is purely from a creative mind and a desire to have fun. However, this was not the case for the people who had settled in Shinar.

Scripture clearly says their goal was to make a name for themselves. Clearly, they enjoyed and/or knew the benefit of their unity through one common language; they realized that there was power in numbers and did not want to be scattered. Some commentators suggest that their motive was born out of a deliberate attempt to guard against another flood by making a structure specifically intended to protect mankind from God’s judgment.

As I continued on in today’s journey, moved past the people of the plain, and read about God’s reaction to their plan, I noted that God was paying attention. There is no plan or motive that He does not know or see, and He is in perfect control of it all. It was then that I zeroed in on verses eight and nine, where we read that the people stopped building the city, now known as Babel, because the Lord had confused the people with different languages and scattered them all over the world. It is important and helpful to note here an observation by Bibleref.com concerning God’s actions in this matter:

God points out to the Trinity or the angels (it is unclear who He is speaking to) that “mankind is capable of enormous evil, when their sinful natures become aligned. God is not attempting to stifle mankind’s potential to accomplish ‘anything’ good, but He is very concerned about their potential to accomplish ‘anything evil.”

It was here that the chorus began playing in my mind, and I jotted down the following note in the margin of my journal – a good reminder for us all:

We cannot protect ourselves from the power of God. No matter the language or the location or the power and control we obtain, no person or group of people will ever be greater than God or clever enough to outsmart Him. There is comfort in this truth.
Me~from the Inside-out🦋

May the words of the chorus ring through your mind and penetrate your heart. May it be an encouragement to lean into the power of God, to rest in His power, and to depend on it – rather than to run from or attempt to overcome or go around His plan and will for your life.

“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. The mountains are His the oceans are is, the stars are His handiwork to. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do.”

Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Secure In Christ

God’s Full Armor

Posted on September 9, 2025September 9, 2025 by

based on the LGG Study, Secure in Christ/w6d3

Read: Ephesians 6:10-12/SOAP: verse 12

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹²For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:10-12

Oh, how I love this passage! It is one of my top 10 favorite passages. I love when God gives us the “what to (be strengthened in the Lord), how to (by putting on the full armor of God), and the reason to (so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil)” do what is needful to live as He has called us to live. Perhaps the best part is knowing that we are not expected, nor should we try, to rely on our own strength to live as He has called us to live. Instead, we are trained and encouraged to depend on God’s power. Only then will we be able to overcome the battles and faithfully live out the real-world scenarios and warnings that Paul has given throughout his letter. His instructions have called us to love, obedience, and faithful living, to forgiving others, putting others first, and everything that comes with putting off the old nature and putting on the new. Because our new nature is from Christ (2 Cor 5:17), we are blessed to be able to put on God’s full armor, which Paul will elaborate on in the next section of this passage.

I love when God gives us the “what to (be strengthened in the Lord), how to (by putting on the full armor of God), and the reason to (so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil)” do what is needful to live as He has called us to live.
Me from the Inside Out🦋

Friends, to truly resist the devil as James warns us¹, we must daily and deliberately put on and use every weapon God has made available to us. The devil, as Paul points out, is strategically scheming and purposefully coordinating plans to destroy the people of God and/or their obedience and good works. However, we have nothing to fear, for we can rest in and celebrate the truth that the enemy is no match for the power God has given us to “stand against²” the devil’s schemes!

Ephesians 6:12 clearly indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. We are not given a list of specific tactics Satan will use. However, the passage is quite clear that when we follow all the instructions faithfully, we will be able to stand, and we will have victory regardless of Satan’s strategy.
Gotquestions.org

I do not like being in the dark about things, which is why verse 12 is one of my favorites in this passage. While I may not know precisely how Satan will attack, I like that Paul tells us exactly who, what, and where the battle comes from. God has trained me, and continues to train me, that I need to stop seeing people as my enemy. For, as Paul so beautifully describes, this is not a physical battle but a spiritual one. The devil may use people³ or things as part of his attack, but our true enemy, according to God’s Word, is the devil/sin itself, and the only way to overcome him is to heed Paul’s ‘how to’ instructions daily. The armor is a great gift and accessory of our faith, and if we hope to stand firm against the schemes of the devil, we must never lay it aside or forget its incredible power.

The More We Know

Dear reader, only those who have believed in Jesus as their Savior have access to the full armor of God and the power to stand against the enemy. If you have not trusted in Christ, I would love to share Him with you. The Bible says that there is salvation in no one else! I encourage you to connect with me in the comment section and to visit the “Know These Truths“ link below.

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

Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Love, Secure In Christ, Thanksgiving

Imitators of God

Posted on August 31, 2025August 31, 2025 by

based on the LGG Study, Secure in Christ/w5d1

Read: Ephesians 5:1-5; SOAP: verses 1-2

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children ²and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. ³But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. ⁴Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving. ⁵For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesians 5:1-5

Paul has been teaching/reminding the believers how to live the Christian life. Specifically, he has been teaching them not to live by the sinful nature as they used to before salvation, but to live by the Spirit, living and loving like Jesus. Specifically, here Paul says, they are to be kind to one another, they are to be compassionate and forgiving, “just as God in Christ” forgave them.

Living He loved me…dying He saved me…buried He carried my sins far away…rising He justified, freely forever…one day He’s coming…O glorious day! ~hymn/chorus, Glorious Day

As believers, we are to live and love like Jesus, or as Paul writes here, we are to be imitators of God. When we follow Christ, we choose to consistently live and love like Him. We are to purposefully practice His way of life, which Paul explains to the Ephesians was not only a life of love, but one of sacrifice that pleased God.

Paul leaves no ‘wiggle room’ for the believers. He not only makes it clear what imitating God looks like. He makes it very clear what it does not look like, namely, sexual impurity of any kind…greed…vulgar speech…foolish talk…and/or coarse joking. Paul says that all of these things are out of character for a believer/follower of Jesus and goes on to say that our words should instead be filled with gratitude/thanksgiving. – Please note the More We Know section for helpful explanations on this list of ‘things not to do’.

While verse five is not our focus today, I believe it is important to understand the meaning behind it. God makes it very clear in His Word that we cannot lose the gift of salvation that He has graciously given to all who believe in His Son, (Eph 2:8-9) However, as Paul rightly points out here, when/if we are still choosing to live, act, speak, think in the ways of the old sinful nature that once ruled us, we would be wise to ask ourselves why. As Scripture says, we cannot serve the true and living God and the gods and the pleasures of this world. We must choose “whom we will serve” – the true and living God or the gods of the world and the flesh.

As you take this choice into consideration, consider first the words of Paul to the believers in Rome. He makes it very clear that one leads to death and the other to life. For if you live by the sinful nature, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. As you evaluate yourselves, be careful and honest in your evaluation. If you are living by the sinful nature ask God for help to turn from those practices and choose instead to walk in the power of His Spirit in you. Choose you this day whom you will serve; will that way lead to death or life and peace?

⁶So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. ⁷For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. ⁸That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
⁹But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) ¹⁰And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. ¹¹The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
¹²Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. ¹³For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
Romans 8:6-13

May God help us be careful in our evaluations of ourselves. May we make no excuses for any actions or words that are not pleasing to Him. May we put to death anything in us that leads us away from God, and may we be filled and living faithfully by His Spirit.

The More We Know

But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind,or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints.

Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving.

Still living by the old sinful nature? Want to know the power and gift of life in the Spirit? Check out Know These Truths and let me introduce you to my Jesus, God’s gift of love and grace.

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

Bible study, Devotion, For Such A Time As This, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Against All Odds

Posted on May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 by

from the Love God Greatly Journal, For Such A Time As This, p181¹

Read: Esther 9:1-10 and SOAP: Psalm 71:13

Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.
Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me.
Psalm 71:13 NLT

I love the “BUT GOD” moments of everyday life and consider them nuggets of gold when I find them in His Word. I’ve even been compiling a list of them from my own life for years. I especially love today’s moment where it is written, “In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies (Esther 9:1).

Haman’s edict to kill all of the Jews was scheduled for this day. But God, through His sovereign power, intervened, and the Jews were not only spared, but they also put to death their enemies, including the sons of Haman (Esther 9:1, 5-10). With this in mind, when I read Psalm 71:13, I couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Esther or Mordecai, or any number of the other Jews who prayed and fasted in those three days before Esther approached the King, prayed a prayer similar to David’s prayer. Did they ask God for Haman and the others rising up against them to be humiliated and defeated? Did they pray for those who wanted to harm them to be covered with scorn and disgrace? From the outcome of death and shame that came to Haman, his family, and the others who rose up against the Jews, it seems very possible, or at least quite plausible, to think this is exactly how they prayed.

May we not lose heart in our battles. May we remember that contrary to expectations, the Jews who were supposed to die at the hands of wicked men, instead, (surely by Your hands), gained power over their enemies and lived to celebrate the triumph and deliverance You gave to them. May our eyes be open to see Your fingerprints and all the ‘but God moments’ of our own lives – and may we be quick to celebrate and rejoice – giving God all the glory.

Today’s devotional by Love God Greatly is below (I apologize for marking it up so much but it is exceptionally good and inspiring). Soak it in, then ask God to remind you of a but God moment in your life and share it in the comment section. 💕

The More We Know

A question that came to my mind as I thought about this prayer was, how should we pray for those who rise up or plot against us today? A couple of verses came to mind as I considered this question, the first being Matthew 5:44, where Jesus taught that we are not only to love our enemies but pray for them. The second verse that came to mind was Romans 12:19, where Paul used a quote from Deuteronomy to remind the people that vengeance belongs to God. – May God guide us in our battles with the enemy/enemies of our lives. May our prayers be based on love and the knowledge that vengeance belongs to the Lord. May we trust God to stand with us and fight for us and deal with the enemy as He sees fit.

But I say love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:44

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Romans 12:19

Journal entry by Love God Greatly; embellishments/notes by me ↩︎

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

Love: The Foundation of All Strength

Posted on February 26, 2025February 26, 2025 by

I remember going to a conference where the speaker spoke on the love between God and His children being a reciprocal love. She used many examples, but the one that still sticks out in my mind was how she would pray or journal, naming all of the ways she had seen God show her his love – and she found herself responding at the end of the prayer – “I love You too.”

Friend, our relationship with God isn’t meant to be one-sided where He lavishes His love on us and we simply say thank you – His desire is for us to love Him in return. Today’s devotion is a beautiful illustration of what happens when we love God with all of our being. Click the devotional button for some wonderful encouragement =

Devotional

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

The Life-Changing Power of God’s Love

Posted on February 24, 2025February 24, 2025 by

Originally posted by ourdailyverse.com / Feb 11, 2025

What a beautiful truth to know that we can rely on the love God has for us. It is a gift to know that the God who created us and adopted us as His own – is Himself – LOVE and has invited us to abide in Him … click the devotional button for encouragement and inspiration about the life-changing power of God’s love.

Devotional

Advent, Bible study, Christmas, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Rejoice

The Power of Christ

Posted on November 18, 2024November 18, 2024 by

For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.
Luke 1:69

In my late twenties, not too long after my salvation moved from a religion to a relationship, I began really studying the Scriptures and quickly learned that the meaning of God’s Word can be found within His Word. Today’s passages are prime examples¹. For instance, Bibleref.com shares many references that explain the horn of salvation and connect the dots to David. The commentary explains that “In biblical texts, “horns” are symbolic of power (Psalm 75:10; 89:24; Numbers 23:22; Daniel 7:7; Revelation 17:12). Referring to Jesus (Luke 1:31–33) as a “horn of salvation” (Psalm 18:2) echoes the idea that Messiah will be from the lineage of David (Psalm 132:17; Jeremiah 23:5). When Hannah, mother of the prophet Samuel, praised God for her son’s birth, she used similar phrases (1 Samuel 2:10).” – That’s what I call Scripture squirrels, and while they can take up a lot more time, I’ve realized through the years that they add so much to my time in the Word by helping me to understand what I read.

As we read Zechariah’s declaration of “the horn of salvation” in Luke 1:69, we come to understand, by his reference to “the house of God’s servant, David,” that the “horn of salvation” refers to the Messiah who would redeem His people from their sins. This Messiah is the same baby Jesus born in a manager, fully man but fully God, The God of power and of might, who conquered the grave and crushed the enemy – and continues to give us power over the enemy today! Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was that they would be strengthened with all might according to the glorious power of Christ. This is the same power that Peter writes about when he wrote about the divine power given to believers that would enable them to live a godly life and escape the corruption of this world. Just as John was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth as the angel promised, the promise of the Messiah was realized when Christ was born in Bethlehem, and with that birth came all the power and love of God.

“With the arrival of Jesus, God’s power has broken into our world. He is the risen Lord. He lives. He is here. He is with us, and He is our strength. In faith, we can connect our weak lives to His mighty power, counting on His help and experiencing Jesus as the Horn or our Salvation.”
Rejoice Study Journal/p47

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
2 Peter 1:3-4

A Prayer of Response

Jesus, as I am reminded daily – You are my strength when I am weak. Your Spirit empowers me to overcome the enemy, to stand firm in temptations, and to endure the troubles of this world. As Paul prayed for the Colossians, I pray for this group and all Your people throughout the world that -in these troublesome times, as we wait for the return of the Messiah, the Hope of Heaven – we will be strengthened with all His glorious power so we will have all the endurance and patience we need – and be filled with joy, to Your glory and honor – Amen!

A Beautiful Song to Celebrate Jesus, our Messiah, strong and kind.

Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

More Powerful than Lions

Posted on October 24, 2024October 24, 2024 by

based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d5

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:19-28 (26-27)

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,
    and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
    and his rule will never end.
²⁷He rescues and saves his people;
    he performs miraculous signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”
Daniel 6:26-27

Observations and Applications

Rescued by God

Yesterday’s journey left us hanging as Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s den. We pick up today with the king getting up early and hurrying out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”What a beautiful picture we are given of the King’s concern for Daniel’s fate with the Lions and the hope that he placed in the power of Daniel’s God, which is evident in the king’s question. However, I’m sure the king’s call to Daniel paled in comparison to Daniel’s reply to the king: “My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me –

The king was so relieved and happy that he decreed throughout his kingdom that everyone should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. The words the king used to describe God were evidence of the impact Daniel and his God had made on the King. Read them again. Do they ring true in your heart? Is this how you see your God? If asked, would people you spend time with or neighbors in your community know you as a follower of Jesus, or would they be surprised to hear that you are a Christian?

For he is the living God and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.
He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders
in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Daniel 6:26-27

Friends, God’s faithfulness isn’t in question – but ours is. In all the heartaches, struggles, and mountaintops of this life, our faith is to be on display. Paul said that we are to live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever we say or do.¹ We are His witnesses not only in what we do and say but, as today’s journal entry points out: “in what we don’t do or say. -Our lives can point people to the living God or just blend in with the world around us.”²

Friends, God’s faithfulness isn’t in question – but ours is. In all the heartaches, struggles, and mountaintops of this life, our faith is to be on display. 🦋

Daniel’s faith wasn’t made strong overnight. It grew firm layer upon layer from incidents demanding he trust God. I’m sure we haven’t been told about every difficult situation he faced, the trials he endured, or the heartaches he experienced, but we know from what has been revealed that with each situation, he turned to his God and encouraged others to do the same. I can’t help but think of the words of James, who encouraged believers to consider their troubles as opportunities for great joy. He reminded them that when their faith was tested, their endurance would have a chance to grow, and when their endurance was fully developed, they would be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4) Our faith is built up, strengthened – layer upon layer of life – growing firmer and firmer in Christ, the object of our faith … so that when we stand at the entrance of a Lion’s Den or fiery furnace, we do not cave to the world – but instead we can answer – yes, my God is able.

Prayer Response to the Journey

God in heaven, You who rescued Daniel from the power of the lions have rescued those who believe in Your Son from the power of the grave and the cunning ways of the enemy. You have used the cancer of my daughter, the crippled feet of my younger daughter, a life-threatening tubal pregnancy, the hurts of friendships, a husband walking away, the loss of my brothers and father, and the dementia of my mother – and so many other troubles and sorrows – to grow my faith stronger day by day, every pit you’ve pulled me from, every valley you’ve walked through with me, and every hill You’ve strengthened me to climb. Through it all, I continue to learn that there’s always going to be an uphill battle, but of this, I am sure – You will always be there to see me through, and I will be stronger on the other side of the ‘battle.’ – Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow – and for this I give will continually give You all of my praise, glory, and honor! – Amen

The More We Know About the Journey

For more insight, visit Love God Greatly

Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

No Excuses

Posted on May 12, 2024May 12, 2024 by

based on the Love God Greatly Study, Triumph over Trials / w5d1

THE JOURNEY (SCRIPTURE AND OBSERVATION)

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-4 and SOAP: verse 3

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.

2 Peter 1:3

How many times and different ways can I say it? This is one of my top ten encouraging verses and it has made such a difference in my walk with God. Why? Because He used it to stop my excuses. You know, the ones like “peace is not my virtue” as an excuse for losing your temper or not wanting to make an effort to live at peace with someone difficult to deal with. Or there’s the excuse of gluttony that sounds something like – “I just have no self-control when it comes to pizza (chocolate or a myriad of other vices). We’ve all got weaknesses when it comes to living a godly life – and for every weakness, there is almost always an excuse just waiting to be offered up. The thing is the excuses don’t hold any credibility in the light of Peter’s teaching and God’s gift. For, If God has called us to ‘it’ then He has equipped us for ‘it’ – whatever ‘it’ may be.

I love the following explanation by bibleref.com. Check it out and ask God to help you use the spiritual tools He has supplied through His divine power, which He gives to all of us who are in Christ.

We are fully equipped. But we have a choice about whether or not we’ll really use those spiritual tools. This requires effort on our part.

How are we equipped? It didn’t happen naturally. We weren’t born with it. We didn’t earn it through hard work or good behavior. For those in Christ, God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Like salvation, all of this was ours when we came to know God (through faith in Christ). As Peter will make clear, knowing God, the source of all life, is the only path to being fully equipped to live as God calls us to do.

And how does He call us? By His own glory and goodness, meaning “moral excellence.” Jesus sets the standard for what is good and glorious, calls for us to follow, and fully equips us to make the journey. ¹

LIVING THE JOURNEY (APPLICATION)

Live a godly life, a life of “moral excellence.” Let this verse be your mantra when tempted or weary of battling sin.

We must choose to apply the power, whether it is to do something or abstain from something.
- i.e., do you struggle with listening to gossip or spreading it? Either way, God’s Word makes it clear that it does not align with His will/pleasure, (Romans 1:29b-32).
- So we must be intentional about putting off the old (gossip) and putting on the new (encouragement, truth, love, …)—(Proverbs 21:23). Those who guard their tongues keep themselves from calamity. So we must guard our tongues and refrain from the sinful act of gossip. If we surrender our natural desires to the Lord, He will help us to remain righteous. May we all follow the Bible’s teaching on gossip by keeping our mouths shut unless it is necessary and appropriate to speak.²
We must rely on God’s divine power, given to us through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
Let the promise be an anchor of hope and strength. God has given us everything we need, including the power we need for a godly life. This power enables us to overcome temptations or deal with any weaknesses we may have.

Question FOR THE JOURNEY

Where are you on your journey of spiritual growth? In what area do you need to take ground: surrender, knowing God’s Word, trusting in God’s timing, etc.?

PRAYER FOR THE JOURNEY

Father, Spirit, and Son, we are weak without You. We are dependent, as always, on You, and we are encouraged to know that, in Your goodness, You have given us everything we need to live a godly life. Help us when we are weak to remember You are strong and able to keep us from all wrong. You have promised to show us a way of escape when we are tempted and have filled us with Your Spirit, equipping us to live lives of moral excellence! We pray and thank You in Jesus’ name – Amen –

THE MORE WE KNOW

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

“I Will Rise Again”

Posted on March 27, 2024March 28, 2024 by

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

⁶²The next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate ⁶³and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ ⁶⁴So 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.” ⁶⁵Pilate 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.