Tag: Truths

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

A Beautiful Forever

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Revelation 1:4-8 (NKJV)

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

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

Revelation 20:7-10 NKJV

All Things Made New

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

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

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

Revelation 21:1-6 (NKJV)

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

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

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

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

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

The More We Know

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

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

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

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

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

Because He Has …

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based on the LGG Study, Rejoice, Celebrating the Season of Advent

Scripture: God’s Road Map For Our Journey / Luke 1:46-49; Matt 11;25-30;1 Cor 1:18-31

because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

Luke 1:48-49
Observations and Applications of the Journey

Just in case you’re thinking, ‘Wait, didn’t we just read this yesterday?’ and wondering if I put down the wrong reference … yes, we did read this yesterday, and no, I did not give you the wrong passage for today’s journey. We will actually be reading portions of Luke 1 throughout the week, ingraining into our minds and hearts the rich history of our Savior, born of a virgin, a lowly handmaid, to save an undeserving people. Why? Because, as Mary said, “God has looked upon the humble state of His servant…” and “because God who is mighty has done great things for us, and holy is His name.”

And Mary said,

“My soul exalts the Lord,
47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior,
48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant.
For from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

Luke 1:46-49. NET

You see, Mary boasted in the Lord because she realized that God did not have to choose her. He could have chosen a woman of nobility, but instead, He chose her, a lowly handmaid/servant, to carry His Son – The Messiah – into the world. I don’t believe that Mary was looking down on or belittling herself here; I believe she was looking up to her God. Mary hadn’t just heard the words of the angel, Gabriel; she had believed them and given great thought to them. She considered what they meant about God, about herself, and about what it meant for the world both then and for the generations yet to come. So, when Elizabeth proclaims how blessed Mary is, Mary responds by exalting the Lord and rejoicing in Him because He is mighty and He has done great things for her. As was mentioned in the previous post, this is not about Mary, and she realizes it – this is about God and what He has done for her. Friends, we would be wise to realize this same truth in our own life.

After reading/dwelling on this for a bit, I was hit by a barrage of questions in my mind. They are both challenging and convicting to me – but such is the word of God: “For it is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.”1 I am confident the Holy Spirit prodded me with these questions because I needed to hear them, but perhaps someone else needs to consider them as well.

  • IF I WERE TO LIST THE GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE, WOULD THE LIST START WITH AND CENTER AROUND HIM OR ME?
  • WOULD OTHERS FACTOR INTO THE LIST OF THOUGHTS?
  • DOES MY SOUL MAGNIFY/EXALT THE LORD?
  • DOES MY SPIRIT REJOICE IN GOD, MY SAVIOR?
  • DO I REALIZE MY “LOWLY ESTATE” AND UNDERSTAND HIS GREATNESS?
  • DO I UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAS CHOSEN ME TO CARRY HIS SON’S MESSAGE TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD?

Have you, like Mary, come to know how exalted and holy God is? Do you know how small and sinful you are in comparison, and how much mercy and grace He has poured on you through His Son, Jesus Christ? Think about it: the infinitely great and perfect God has chosen you to be His beloved daughter. He has lifted you out of your sin and depravity. He has promised you eternal glory in heaven by your faith in Jesus. You are highly valued and infinitely loved by Him. May we, like Mary, rejoice in God’s holiness.

Rejoice Journal / p105
Prayer of Response to the Journey

Holy Lord, most holy Lord – You alone are worthy of my praise! Like Mary, I am captivated by Your beauty and filled with joy in Your presence. I do not forget who I was and how You have changed me from the inside out – making me a new creation in Christ Jesus. Because of Your love and mercy, I have been set free from condemnation. Because of Your grace, I have been set free from the chains of sin and the fears that once bound me. There is no end to Your faithfulness and no boundaries to Your greatness! Of this, I am certain, and therefore, I have hope. – Amen

The More We Know about the journey

Instead of being scared of this mighty, exalted, and holy God, Mary was captivated by His beauty and filled with joy in His presence. His greatness has not kept Him from doing great things for her. God could have chosen the daughter of the king or high priest to give birth to Jesus. He could have chosen a girl who was rich, beautiful, educated, and admired. But, unlike us, God is not impressed by these attributes. Mary herself says that she was a “humble state”, meaning she was probably a nobody in her community, overlooked by the important people, an insignificant servant. And yet, the holy God chose her, a peasant girl from Nazareth, to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary was amazed that God would be so great and yet see somebody as low as her.

Love God Greatly, Rejoice Journal / p105

How do you see yourself? Do you think more of yourself than you should? Or do you see yourself in light of God’s greatness and realize your “humble state”? – Consider the words of Paul in Romans chapter twelve, verse three: Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Paul understood that unless we see ourselves as we truly are, we will struggle to trust that we can do what He has gifted/called us to do. – I encourage/urge you to click here to read the commentary by bibleref.com for Romans 12:3 – it’s a game-changer you won’t want to miss.

The Truth About Our Journey

God used Mary to deliver Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, into the world. Through Jesus, we are given the opportunity to have a relationship with the great and holy God that Mary proclaimed in her beautiful song of praise. Do you know know Him today? If not, I invite you to read Know These Truths and find out how you can share in this life-changing faith – If you do know Him, will you please help me share these truths with others who need to know the love of Jesus?

  1. Hebrews 4;12 ↩︎
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Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, He Sees He Knows He Cares, He Sees He Knows He Cares, He Sees He Knows He Cares, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Gospel

Understanding Is Key

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Today’s Scripture: Luke 7:18-50; SOAP / Luke 7:47-50

 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:47-50 NET
The Whole Picture
The Alabaster Jar

Have you ever come in on the end of movie and wondered what in the world was going on, or what those closing words meant? It’s like starting a book at the ending paragraph and reading “… and they lived happily ever after”, which leaves you wondering who “they” were and what led up to the “happily ever after.” Today’s focus passage, like much of Scripture, is the happily ever after but the story starts in verse thirty-six, where a Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. The story isn’t so much that Jesus went – but what happened at the dinner. A woman, described only as a sinner, learns that Jesus is going to have dinner at the Pharisees house and she decides not only to go but to take with her a costly jar of “perfumed oil”, which she uses – along with her tears and hair – to anoint the feet of Jesus.

Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. 

Luke 7:37-38
She’s a Sinner

It’s a beautiful picture and event that Jesus turns into a teachable moment for the Pharisee and for all who were listening then or reading it now. Luke writes that when the Pharisee saw what the woman did, “He said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.‘” Jesus responds to Simon’s thought with a lesson on cancelled debts between two debtors, one who owed much and one who owed little. His point being, that when both debts were freely forgiven, the one whose debt was greater would have more “love” for the creditor. This story is followed by a more pointed lesson, as Jesus uses a comparison of how they had each treated Jesus from the time He entered Simon’s house.

Simon

Simon recognized Jesus as a teacher and nothing more. Unlike, Simon Peter, who compared or saw himself in the light of Jesus’ righteousness – Simon, the Pharisee, compares himself to the sinner and sees himself as righteous and worthy of Jesus’ being in his home – but the woman as unworthy to even touch Jesus. When he does compare himself with Jesus, it is to acknowledge that he could see the woman for who she was but Jesus couldn’t.

  • He gave Jesus no water for His feet
  • He gave Jesus no kiss of greeting
  • He did not anoint Jesus’ head with oil
The woman/Sinner

She knew about Jesus but didn’t let her sin hold her back from Him. She went to where He was. She saw Jesus for who He was and she treated Him as such. Her love bearing witness to her faith and the forgiveness she had known.

  • She wet Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her tears
  • She did not stop kissing Jesus’ feet
  • She anointed Jesus’ feet with perfumed oil
The Meaning

Jesus, then sums up the lesson and the comparison with the revelation that even though the woman’s sins were many – she was completely forgiven; and her love, poured out in tears and oil and the use of her hair, showed her understanding of this. However, while Jesus’ illustration pointed out the Pharisee, who was a strict and religious follower of the law, had sinned less, didn’t understand the depth and debt of his few sins, and placed no value on the forgiveness of the debt or the forgiver.

As the end of our focus passage reveals, those at the table did not truly understand who Jesus was, as they questioned his authority to forgive sins. You may remember this question being asked before in Luke 5:20-21, but it is a vital question we should all ask at some time:

  • Who do I believe Jesus is?
  • AND – Do I believe He can forgive sins, be they ‘big’ or ‘little’, many or few?

Don’t miss that the woman understood exactly who Jesus was and it showed, but it wasn’t the evidence of her love that saved her, rather it was the evidence of her faith – as Jesus tells her, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace.”

Some Applications / Turning facts into action (or knowledge into wisdom)
  • The Apostle Paul says that we are to be honest in our evaluation of ourselves, measuring ourselves by the faith that we have been given – Romans 12:3-5.
  • In other words we are to see (judge/measure) ourselves in the light of Jesus not the light of others – Romans 12:1-2.
  • Seeing our sins, seeking, and finding forgiveness should promote, provoke, and reveal evidence of our love and appreciation for Jesus and what He has done for us

Response to God’s Word

Father, how deep Your love is for us, so vast beyond all measure – that You should forgive one, let alone the multitude of our sins. YET! in love, in kindness, compassion, abundant grace, and mercies that are NEW EVERY MORNING, You have forgiven much – and I am forever grateful! Thank You Father for the reminder to not judge others by their sins and to not think I am better or more righteous than another. May my love bear witness of who You are to me and what You have done for me – and may I respond to You accordingly!

Vital and Revealing Questions
  • Who do you say Jesus is?
  • Do you believe he can forgive your sins – big or little, many or few?
  • What do you believe saved you?
    • Your Faith
    • Strict/religious keeping of the God’s Word
Know These Truths