I don’t always read the devos from the LGG Journals – and never before I do my own journaling because I don’t want their take on the Word to influence what God might want to show me. However, as I was looking over my soap journal for today, an entry I made days ago, I was curious to see if they included any thoughts about – “apart from Him I can do nothing”, and boy did they! While this first one wasn’t the first one I read – it seems to highlight this week’s theme, “Created for Community With God”.
“The fruitfulness of our lives is a direct result of our connection to Jesus, not anything we can do. The love that we show to others, the joy we experience, the peace in our hearts, and the kindness that we share, it is all because of what God is doing in our lives, and He deserves the credit.“
Not Made To Be Alone, an LGG Study – p42
Nuggets of Gold
The following are more quotes from the LGG devotional for day 3, week 1 of Not Made To Be Alone. I encourage you to read these slowly and then read them again. May the truth of them penetrate and influence our minds and hearts as we proceed not only through this study but through life and living in community with God and others
“Community is not one-sided. … God is with us, not because He is obligated to do so as our Creator, but because He loves us.”
Ok, so this next one is my favorite and may become my new tag-line on my blog page as it highlights the reason I chose the name of the blog –
*** “When we live in community with God, we are changed from the inside out.”
This last one is some wonderful and encouraging advice – that I pray the Spirit will help us to recall every day. Check out what happens when we remain with Him and depend on Him –> out of a close relationship with Him flows life. 🦋
“As long as we remain in Christ, we will bear much fruit. We must choose, each day, to remain with Him and depend on Him. And when we do, He is there for us. We choose, through [love and obedience], to grow close to Him, and out of that relationship flows life. Being in community with God helps us rely less on ourselves and more on Him.”
This song was shared by a Journey Through the Word group member yesterday – seemed fitting for today’s post as well – may it lead you to worship and seek and reciprocate God’s abiding presence –
26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” 27 God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27 NET
Not Made To Be Alone
Re-read the Scripture passage today, paying special attention to all of the plural pronouns. As He begins this portion of the creation process – the creation of man – He converses with the other parts of the trinity, saying – “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air … God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.” Note – God makes it clear that the full trinity is present – He is not alone, the creatures are not alone, and man is not alone for it says, “he created ‘them’ in his image, male and female he created ‘them’.
In His Image
It is clear by this passage that we are created by God. It is also clear and important to understand that we are made in His image. If we look back at verse 26 – which I think is necessary to fully understand and appreciate verse 27 – we see that God doesn’t just say “let us make man in our image, but He goes on to say – “after our likeness,” – why? He immediately makes this clear, “So they may rule overthe fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” I found the clearest explanation for being made in His image at bibleref.com, which says –
“…this verse raises the question of what it means to be made in God’s image, or in His likeness. Without question, this statement does not mean that God created humans to resemble Him physically (John 4:24 [where we read that God is Spirit]). Rather, this seems to support the idea that God endowed humans with a certain kind of awareness, one which animals and birds and fish were not given. In other words, humans would possess the capacity for reason, morality, language, personality, and purpose. In particular, the ability to use morality and spirituality are unique to human beings among God’s creations on earth. Like God, we would possess the capacity to experience and understand love, truth, and beauty.
Humans are made in God’s image in another way: as a model, or a representative. God is the Maker, and all of creation belongs to Him. He is Lord over it. However, in the moment of creation, God gives mankind the responsibility to rule over all other life He has made on the earth. In that sense, humans would stand as God’s image, God’s representatives, on earth as we rule over and manage all the rest of His creation.
So, how in the world do we apply the knowledge that we are made in His image?
We embrace it, allowing ourselves – even applying ourselves to experience and understand love, truth, and beauty in the relationships, and various places and positions God has placed us in.
And, we bear His image, living as His representatives here on earth. Perhaps this is best explained by what Paul told the Colossians – “.whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus,…” He had just explained what this looked like – namely, ”
“clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”
Response to God’s Word
Father, help us to live out Your plan for us to bear Your image – to somehow serve as Your representatives here on earth, to rule over and manage all the rest of Your creation. Your image is larger than life but You have created us in that image and to bear it. You have empowered us to do so by Your Spirit in us. May we rise daily to do so in Jesus’ name. For, as Paul wrote, we have been crucified with Christ – we no longer live but He lives in us. The life we now live in the flesh we live by faith in Your Son, who loved us and gave Himself for us. Help us to love like Him, to serve like Him, to obey like Him – laying down our will for Yours – that You might be well pleased with us as You were with Him. It is in His name that I pray and for Your eternal glory and praise – amen and amen.
Memos
If you missed yesterday’s introduction to the new study I encourage you to take a minute to look back and read through it. It is both informative and encouraging as it gives us a glimpse of what we will be striving for.
Don’t forget every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you can dive a little deeper by reading the blogs by the Love God Greatly Team. You’ll find them at https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/
He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
The day I gave birth to Annie, my first daughter, was filled with excitement. Seventeen days past her April Fools due date we were finally going to meet this child I had waited on and prayed for, for eight long years. From the early morning ultra-sound to the late-afternoon delivery the day was filled with excitement and wonderment, and the room and hallway filled with family and a posse of friends from our new church. After the excitement of the day – when the room stood empty – friends and family gone …new dad home to rest … baby girl wheeled back to the nursery for TLC from the nurses ..and me – alone. Alone to absorb all that had happened, to embrace the reality that I was a mother, that God – after all these years – had not only heard my prayers for a child but had answered them. I reached for my Bible on the nightstand beside me and there was peace in the stillness of the room – peace in the knowledge that I was not alone. While there isn’t time or space here to explain all that transpired between me and God in the beauty of the stillness – I can tell you that it was in those still and quiet moments that He awakened my soul; and while I didn’t know it at the time – He started me on a path that would lead me to understand the truest meaning of ‘Be still and know that I Am God’. A statement which is best defined in the context of our verse today as “cease striving”.
Actually, He had started me on the path just about a year before Annie was born. Long story short, I had worked for years trying to make God happy enough with me that He would give me a child. When the prayer went unanswered despair and poor choices would inevitably follow and then the days of striving to be good enough would begin again. This was a cycle that continued for years – That is, until my mom shared Philippians 4:11-13 with me, a passage that teaches contentedness in whatever circumstances we are in. In need or in plenty, well-fed or hungry… and yes pregnant or not – God wanted me to be content – not just with my circumstances but with Him and His will for my life. Which is exactly what I committed to do. Don’t get me wrong, it did not stop the prayers for a child but it changed the way I prayed and the response to the monthly answer. And now here I sat, talking with God, in a hospital room waiting for the nurse to bring me my baby girl! I could have never seen then what would come through this child and the years ahead of us but through it all – and to this day – I have learned (and continue to learn) with much practice – to:
“be still and know that He is God”
rest, knowing He is in control
stop, and remember His will is always better than my desires
cease striving to get what I want … and instead
surrender to His will
let go of frustration and disappointment ~ and
trust His way and perfect timing
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12 NET
I hope you enjoy this bit of a different view today – straight from inside the pages of my journal, the heart (my heart) of the study. Whether you journal on the pages of your Bibles, or in a notebook, or an LGG Journal, or on post-it-notes it doesn’t matter. I believe what matters is that you journal. One word or 50 – more or less … the amount isn’t the point the journaling is. It’s a place to capture your thoughts or questions or even the title of a song that came to mind. When you look back in your journal it will tell a story of what God was teaching you and so much more. In the weeks ahead my goal is to share more of these pages and give some pointers on journaling for those who are interested.
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man—“I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home.”
Luke 5:24 NET
Luke packed a lot of information in these 15 verses …
You Can Make Me Clean
We see a man with leprosy, who comes to Jesus and is so moved that He bowed down at the very sight of Jesus. He begged Jesus for healing, saying: “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” His words were evidence of his heart that he firmly believed in the power and work of Jesus. So great was the man’s faith that Jesus healed him immediately.
His Need To Be Alone
Luke pauses between this miracle and the next to tell us two things
crowds were gathering “to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases”
and that, “Jesus Himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.”
Don’t you love knowing that Jesus found the need to both withdraw from people and to pray? Please note, His need to withdraw was more than a need to be away from the people – He needed to be alone to talk with His Father (God).
Faith moves mountains and stirs the heart of Jesus
Then we meet a paralyzed man, unable to walk on his own, he is carried on a stretcher and finding no other way to get him past the crowd and into the house where Jesus was, those carrying him lowered him through the roof “right in front of Jesus”, and “when Jesus saw their faith,” He said to the paralyzed man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Do you see it? It seems to me that their actions demonstrate how ‘faith moves mountains’. For when it seemed impossible to get through the crowd, instead of their faith being shaken it appears that their faith increased their determination bit it also moved the heart of Jesus. It’s important to note that the initial response wasn’t – “get up and walk” as I’m sure everyone expected. Instead, what they heard was – “your sins are forgiven’ – a pointed statement signifying to all listening that not only could Jesus heal but He could forgive sins. This was an important milestone in Jesus’ ministry. The response of forgiveness was also what prompted ‘the experts in the law’ and the Pharisees to begin wondering “to themselves”, who Jesus was and how he could so boldly speak such blasphemies, for they knew that only God could forgive sins. I’m sure they were surprised when Jesus, who knew what they were thinking to themselves, not only questioned them – saying, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk?” but He also said to the paralyzed man – “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home.” Which he immediately did.
“God honors the faith of those who seek to bring others to Christ. When we pray, we orient our attention toward the issue and watch for God to work. God performs mighty deeds that no one realizes. When we are paying attention, however, we have the opportunity to be seized with amazement, filled with awe, and glorify God, declaring, “We have seen extraordinary things today” (Luke 5:26).
Father, thank You for instilling in me an ever deepening faith in You, the Holy-Three-In-One. Jesus, thank You for responding to my prayers and faith. May faith in You always move me toward You – moving the mountains that are in my way – and may I stand in the gap for others who need You – lifting them up and bringing them to where You are! – Amen! in Your Holy and powerful name!
“This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.”
Luke 1:25 NET
Do you ever pray and wonder if God is hearing you? Or perhaps you trust that He has heard you but find yourself questioning why He hasn’t answered or at the very least, why His answer was no. From the response of both Zechariah and Elizabeth in today’s story, I picture any or all three of these scenarios running through the minds of Zechariah and Elizabeth. I know they ran through mine every year for eight long years of praying and waiting for a child. I felt the disgrace among the people as more and more of my friends were pregnant while I grew more and more bewildered, hurt, and angry, and less and less hopeful. Then, like Elizabeth, I knew it was Him who had allowed the eventual pregnancy and I was overwhelmed with the graciousness of His gift, and all these years later (33 to be exact) I still see glimpses of what I am certain were and are purposes in His timing.
I was thankful that I read the larger passage, which admittedly I had skipped over since I had read it so many times before (why oh why do we do this? I mean, can we ever read His Words too much). In looking back to confirm who was speaking in verse 25 and what “this” they were referring to, I was blessed by the beautiful story yet again. I was thankful for the reminder that God hears our prayers (13), and of His perfect timing (v25), His grace towards His people (vv14-17) – both as a nation and personally (vv14, 25), and His purposes in every answer (vv13-17). Granted, Zechariah’s prayers that day would have surely been for the nation of Israel but God’s assurance is that His answer would include the child for which I am certain they had personally prayed for. I am equally certain by Zechariah’s initial response (v18), that any hope of this prayer being answered with a child was given up long ago because of their age.
Turning Knowledge into Wisdom
On the heals of the recent study of God’s attributes and the encouragement to turn knowledge (facts) into wisdom (application of facts), I found myself following up my reading today with the question, “How do I take these facts and make application?”
FACTS [KNOWLEDGE]
Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people – faithful servants of God
They most likely had prayed for a child
They had remained childless into their ‘very old age’
They had given up hope of having a child
Elizabeth had dealt with disgrace because she was childless
Application of the facts [Wisdom]
Live as a faithful servant of God even when life doesn’t go as planned
Pray, and keep on praying and believing
Know that God doesn’t always say ‘yes’, but that His silence isn’t always a ‘no’
Keep hoping, don’t give up on God, He is able to do more than we ask or imagine
Recognize the answered prayers of God and acknowledge/praise Him for them
My Prayer Response to God
Father, “ancient words” are often easy to scan or to simply read and lay aside, as I was tempted to read only the SOAP verse You prodded me to look deeper, to see it with fresh eyes and a yielded heart to the Spirit’s teaching of these old but treasured words of truth and beauty. Words, that reminded and encouraged me that You hear the prayers of Your people, even when it would appear to our human understandings that You have not heard our cries. You always answer, your timing is always perfect, and Your actions are always purposeful- with the intention of carrying out Your will, which is good and pleasing and perfect – for the world and for Your people. For this I praise You – in and through the Name of Jesus, my Savior❣️ Amen!
According to the last chapter of “In His Image”, the last of the 10 attributes of God that we are to imitate is wisdom. As the author points out “wisdom is closely related to knowledge, but distinct from it.” They are so closely related that you may be wondering exactly what the difference is, my short take on it is this – Wisdom, is the application of knowledge, which is to “possess the facts”. Mrs. Wilkin goes on to point out the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, saying – “The wisest human you know is capable of choosing wrongly, simply because he does not possess all the facts.” However, she explains, “Because God holds all knowledge, He is able to choose [the] perfect [outcome].” This means there is a difference between worldly wisdom and godly wisdom, which James, the brother of Jesus, explains in James 3:13-18. Wilkin states that “worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom are antithetical and adversarial” and summarizes the differences as such:
Worldly wisdom seeks the highest place. Godly wisdom seeks the lowest place.
Worldly wisdom avoids the mirror of the Word. Godly wisdom submits to the mirror of the Word
Worldly wisdom trusts in earthly possessions. Godly wisdom trusts in treasures in heaven.
Worldly wisdom boasts. Godly wisdom is slow to speak.
Worldly wisdom says trials will crush you. Godly wisdom says trials will mature you.
Worldly wisdom says temptation is no big deal. Godly wisdom says temptation indulged leads to death.
Worldly wisdom says, “seeing is believing.” Godly wisdom says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”(John 20:29).
Worldly wisdom wields might. Godly wisdom works in meekness.
The bottom-line is this, “The worldly-wise place themselves in opposition to God, operating from their own perspective of what is best, a perspective that seeks only the best for them.”
If you find yourself wondering how to possess “Godly wisdom”, you’ll find the answer in James 1:5, where we are instructed to simply ask God, who will give it generously.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:5
You see, God is the source of all wisdom. Job said, “With God arewisdom and might … [God] has counsel and understanding … With him are strength and sound wisdom.” (Job 12:13-17) This statement from Job introduces a third word into the mix of wisdom and knowledge, that being ‘understanding’, which has been defined by many to be the “comprehension of the facts”. I believe understanding is crucial to the mix – as it will, or should, help us better apply the facts in a more godly way – especially if we add prayer to the mix as well – which is a must for any reading of God’s Word. For how can we read and hope to comprehend the words of one whose thoughts and ways are so far above our own if we do not pray for understanding?
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:26
God has actually placed the source of understanding within every believer, through His gift of the Holy Spirit. Scripture says that the Spirit was given to teach us all things and remind us of everything that Christ said. Being finite creatures who do not hold all knowledge nor retain everything we hear, see, or even understand, we will find ourselves constantly in need of a “sustaining supply of godly wisdom”, and we must not be afraid to ask, or slack in asking for it. In other words, don’t just read to be reading and checking off a list – read for knowledge, to know the facts, about Your Creator God and to become like Him (Colossians 3:10) … pray and read to understand …. and then ask Him for the wisdom to appropriately apply it to your life. He will hear and He will answer and we will be forever changed
Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions based on the knowledge available.
Jen Wilkin, In His Image -p 136
So, let’s ask the question that we started with two weeks ago, “Who should [we] be?” God’s Word instructs us in the way of wisdom so it is safe – and wise – to say that He wants us to be wise, not as the world is wise but as He is. So how can we be wise like God? – We open His Word – where pictures of His wisdom are sprinkled throughout the pages. Or as Wilkin writes, “We do so by declaring, as Solomon did, “Bring me a sword”. For, as the author of Hebrews wrote, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Wilkin goes on to write: “The Word of God gives us discernment into what is arguably the area we need it most: the thoughts and intentions of our own hearts. In seeing our own depravity, we develop a right reverence (fear) of the Lord. And wisdom begins to be formed in us. When God points out your sin, you are wise to turn from it. The most basic act of wisdom is repentance. Turning from sin trains us in how to hate it, in how to anticipate the temptation points, and in how to seek the Holy Spirit’s aid in finding the way of escape.”
Father, I give You praise for revealing wisdom to us in Your Word and in the example of Christ our Lord. show us if and where worldly wisdom control our thoughts, words, and actions. Show To the only wise God, my Father, be glory and majesty. Show us where we are are requesting knowledge instead of godly wisdom. Grant us wisdom and prod us to keep on asking for it – and help us to trust You to give it generously as You have promised, in Jesus’ name. Now, to the only wise God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalm 103:1-5
What a beautiful Psalm to remind us that our prayers should be filled with praise, acknowledging the greatness of the One to whom we pray. Read and listen, hear how David names and thanks God for the things He has done personally for him. Praising God like this comes from the heart – from within the very soul of a person – and it flows from a relationship built through time and trials and abiding with one another.
Look at the flow of David’s thoughts poured out into words. He remembers how God has poured Himself out – both to him and for him and through the praises he reaches a testimony of being renewed like an eagle. Notice how this prayer of praise – declares a wholeheartedness and an acknowledgement of God’s holiness. David expresses his own desire to not forget the good things God has done for him and then begins to name them … forgiveness, healing, redemption, love and mercy are the things he names but suddenly, it’s as though you can hear David become overwhelmed at the thought of all God has done for him as he exclaims that his whole life is FILLED with good things – following these words of praise it’s as though he exhales with the realization that because of all of these good things his strength has been renewed and he feels young and strong – like an eagle. One commentary explains that ‘exhale’ like this: “The eagle molts: it casts off its old feathers and grows new ones, thereby gaining a new lease on life. Regardless of the believer’s age, he finds the strength and vitality he needs to do the Lord’s will.”
The eagle molts: it casts off its old feathers and grows new ones, thereby gaining a new lease on life. Regardless of the believer’s age, he finds the strength and vitality he needs to do the Lord’s will.
BibleRef.com – Psalm 103:5
The rest of the Psalm is just as beautiful as he begins again to name and expound on the good acts and character of God. The final passage of the Psalm, verses 20-23, is a call by David to the LORD’s angels, armies, servants, and even his own soul to give praise to Yahweh!
It is clear and evident that praising God leads to more praises. Remembering and naming the things He has done sparks more and more praise to flow until there is an energy and excitement to ignite the fire of praise in everyone – clearly emphasizing the importance of prayer and the beautiful benefit of the outcome.
Be sure and read the final LGG Blog of this study on “The Importance of Prayer”.
9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
Philippians 1:9-11
Paul’s prayer is for the love of the Philippians to overflow …. and that they will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
Why? Because he wants them to understand what really matters
Why? So that they may live pure and blameless lives
He also prays that they may always be filled filled with the fruit of their salvation
What is that fruit?
Paul explains that it is the righteous character that Jesus produces in them
Why does the fruit of righteousness matter?
Because it brings praise and glory to God …. and that is what really matters. We know this because we are told in Scripture that we were created by Him and for Him.
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
Revelation 4:11
Paul’s prayer here for the Philippians is probably one of the most important prayers we can pray for each other as well as for ourselves. He’s praying about what really matters – not just that they might grow in love but in the knowledge and understanding of how to live and love like Jesus Christ. Paul knew that the more we understand about how Jesus lived the more like Him we will be. It’s hard to imagine living “pure and blameless lives” but that is the prayer and encouragement of Paul. – Not just because he believed it was possible but because Paul understood what really matters and he wanted the church to understand it as well – because He knows it will bring praise and glory to God. He explains the secret behind it – and that is Jesus Himself living in us – His Spirit doing the work and producing the fruit that bears witness that our faith is real – and that glorifies God.
Today’s Reading: John 15:12-13; 1 Peter 4:8-10; SOAP: John 15:13
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:12-13
Jesus takes love seriously, to the point that He gave a commandment concerning the issue. He not only tells the believers to love each other but he explains how they are to love each other – namely, the same way He has loved us. Just in case the people had forgotten or were not really alert – He went on to give them an example of the greatest love –> He compared it to laying down your life for your friends. Jesus isn’t telling us we have to literally die for our friends as He did – but rather that we have to give of ourselves – it’s more than saying the words, it’s acts of kindness and of grace … it’s forgiveness and compassion … it’s laying down my agenda for yours – it’s praying and hands-on help … even when these things don’t always come easy or seem desirable.
There’s one thing for sure – we can never outlove Jesus or God! But we can and should seek to love others just as Christ loved the church.
Father – thank You for Jesus. Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for us – Your friends. Thank you for showing us what real love is – the giving of self.
How are you loving others? Share some ideas in the comment bar below.
Me From the Inside Out 