Tag: Waiting

Posted in Bible study, Come, Lord Jesus, Come, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

Encouragement as We Wait

Posted on by

Based on the LGG Study: Come, Lord Jesus, Come / w6d3

Scripture: Our Road Map for the today’s Journey

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 / SOAP vs. 9-11

For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing. 1 Thess 5:9-11 NET

Observations and Applications for the Journey

For those who have placed their faith in Jesus this passage is another beautiful reminder of God’s grace in pouring out the wrath that our sins deserved onto His Son so that we might live an eternal life with Him!💜🫶 – As I contemplated the passage a declaration from John’s first epistle came to mind – “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”.1 Jn 3:1 – Ah the unbelievable beauty of God’s love! May this be our encouragement to one another as we wait through these trying days for His return.

May we be found faithfully living as children of the light and of the day so that those in the darkness might see and hear our message of faith and hope and be saved from the wrath that is to come on those who have not believed.

– Me, from the Insideout 🦋

If you do not know Christ as Your Savior my prayer is for you to hear and understand the truth of God’s Word – that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory and that those sins are deserving of death. But, in God’s great love and mercy He gave Jesus, His only begotten son, to die in our place – so that ALL who believe in Him would have everlasting life. Because of this exchange there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. All who have believed will be spared the wrath that is to come on those who have not believed. – If you would like to know more about these truths and how you can share in this hope I invite you to read “Know These Truths” before it’s too late.

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths/
Prayer of Response for the Journey

(borrowed, in-part, from the LGG Journal)


Dear Lord, give me words to build up those around me. Help me to be generous with my encouragement and lead me to those I should encourage and give me the right words to say. Help me be a better encourager in these last days. Show me how I can be Your hands and feet to those who need it. Thank you, Jesus, for how You love and sustain us. Thank you for bearing God’s wrath on the cross. You are amazing in every way! Until the day when we can see you face-to-face, we pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. – May we be found faithfully sharing the Gospel message of salvation until that day, so that all who have not yet believed may hear and know and believe in the TRUTH before it is too late. Amen.

The More We Know: Side Trails of the journey

Be sure and check out today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Waiting

Posted on by

based on Psalm 119, Seeking Him with ALL our hearts… – A Love God Greatly Study/w4d2

Scripture: Psalm 119:81-85 / SOAP verses 81, 83-84

 I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
    When will you comfort me?
83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
    but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.
84 How long must I wait?
    When will you punish those who persecute me?
85 These arrogant people who hate your instructions
    have dug deep pits to trap me.

Psalm 119:81-85 NLT

At first glance, this psalm may seem like a complaint, and perhaps it was. However, for me, it offers encouragement and a bit of a boost in the relationship I see between the Psalmist and God – as well as the determination and commitment of the Psalmist to stay faithful even when the waiting seems like it will never end. The Psalmist is tired of waiting, asking again and again – “When will You …?” or “How long …” Yet, even in the waiting, he remained hopeful, he kept his eyes fixed on God and His promises, and he continued to obey God’s decrees and trust Him to act on his behalf. Oh, that I might be so faithful in the times of waiting.

I just returned from Disney with my daughters and my 2-year-old grandson, and I couldn’t help but think of them as I observed the words and actions of the Psalmist. If you’ve never been to Disney, you may not be able to picture the amount of waiting that is required, and when you stay on the property, the waiting is compounded. I don’t know that waiting comes easy for anyone, but it certainly doesn’t come easy for a 2-year-old.

We waited in line to check in at the airport, we waited in security, we waited through two delays to board the plane, we waited to take off, we waited on our bus to the resort, and for four wonderful days, we waited in line after line for rides and food and characters and transportation … over and over, we waited and over and over we heard the 2-year-old version of the Psalmist’s questions of “how long?” or “when?” – which typically sounded like, “my turn?” or “I’m ready, go.”

Each day and each waiting experience brought more confidence that the ride, food, transportation, or character would eventually come. As that confidence grew, so too did his patience. Like the Psalmist, our little guy learned that even when he was worn out with waiting, the line we were in was leading to the promised adventure. He would strain to see the ‘promised’ ride and found hope in what he could see ahead – or when he couldn’t see it, he found hope in our reminders of what was coming.

This is the encouragement I see in the Psalmist in today’s passage. The waiting wasn’t easy—it left him weary and worn, but he remembered God’s promises. He kept his eyes on the prize, and he did not lose hope or forget to obey.

Living out the Journey (Application)

Waiting isn’t easy, but learning to wait well is important in the Christian life. The key is to keep our eyes on the Lord, remembering His promises, knowing that He is trustworthy and putting our hope in Him. Waiting is not an excuse to go off on our own or do things our own way. Though we may grow weary in the wait, we must not forget to live as God has called us to. Like my grandson, we must learn to expect what God has promised – be it His presence, His protection or provision, His comfort, or the new heaven and earth – what He has promised – He will do! And the wait will be worth it all!

Response to the Journey (Prayer)

Father, You are God—faithful and true to Your Word. You are worthy of our trust no matter the wait—worthy even when we can’t see You anywhere. Even when we are in danger or weary and worn, we can trust You. Help us to wait with hope—our eyes straining and fixed on Your promises—our resolve to obey You unshaken! In Jesus’ name—amen and amen!

The More We Know

Why is waiting on God so difficult?

https://atomic-temporary-62140760.wpcomstaging.com/2023/03/14/know-these-truths
Posted in Advent, Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Promised Messiah

God’s Grand Plan of Redemption

Posted on by

based on the LGG Study of Advent, The Promised Messiah / w4d2

Scripture: Luke 1:1-25 / SOAP verse 25

“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Luke 1:25

I love when the goodness of God is so visible on the pages of Scripture. I see it here in the words of Luke and I here it in the words of Elizabeth’s response to the great surprise of her pregnancy. Luke’s account of the ‘grand redemptive plan’ through Christ starts with the announcement of another prophecy to be fulfilled. It was a prophecy of Isaiah who told of a messenger, who would declare, “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight”. In Luke’s account of the Christmas story, there would be a child who would be born to a priest and his wife, who, as Luke describes, were childless because the woman was barren and they were “both very old.” The child would be named John and grow to me the messenger that Isaiah spoke of – a messenger that would prepare the hearts of the people to receive Jesus and the message He came to bring. The center of the Christmas story will always be the redemptive work of God through the gift of His Son, born of a virgin, to take away the sins of the world; but as we see in today’s story the redemptive plan isn’t just a collective salvation of all who believe but a personal plan that works through individuals like Zechariah and Elizabeth to deliver the messenger who would prepare the way for Christ. Likewise, the plan involves those God would call to prepare the way throughout the centuries – catalyst of the Gospel like John and the disciples who would join Jesus in spreading the Gospel during and after His time on earth.

I find great encouragement in seeing and knowing that redemption wasn’t just collective but personal and deeply meaningful, as Elizabeth and her words of praise testified. God not only used her to bear the forerunner of Christ but, in using her, He freed her from the shame and disgrace and burden of childlessness in that day.

Like those who came before us, God’s “grand redemptive plan” continues to reach down through the ages as He sets all who believe in Jesus – free from slavery to sin and the shame it places on us. He also assigns us to carry the love of Christ, (John 13:34) and His Gospel Message to the world, (Matt 5:13-16). May we, like Elizabeth, realize what the Lord has done for us and give Him praise – not just with our lips but with our obedience to His call upon our lives.

Going Further

How did John the Baptist fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy?

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

Waiting Without Doubting

Posted on by

Based on The Promised Messiah, a Love God Greatly Advent Study

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

2 Corinthians 1:20

If someone made you a promise, how long would you have to wait before you began to doubt their promise? One day, three days, or forty … a year, two, ten… how long before you gave up hoping and believing that what they had promised would ever be realized? We live in a cultural of quick and easy gratification. It’s often referred to as a “fast-food mentality” – referring to the quick and easy method of placing an order for your food and driving off with it in five minutes or less. There is no question that the convenience is nice but it has fostered impatience and often a demanding time-table for everything in life. However, when it comes to God’s timeline we must be careful with our expectations. We must learn from those who have gone before us – from the garden to John’s last words of the revelation God’s promises are not always realized quickly. While He created the world in seven days He was not always so quick in His actions. There were often decades of waiting for children that had been promised or for a shepherd boy to become a king, there were centuries of waiting for the promised Messiah’s birth and we are still waiting for His promised return. The good news is – not only has He demonstrated that we can trust Him, but His Word declares that all of His promises are “Yes!”. We can trust that each and every promise will one day come true and that God’s timing is always perfect and for a good reason, whether we understand it or not. Borrowing from a line in the LGG devotional for today that I found most encouraging, I pass on to you these words, “We may be waiting longer than we’d like for some things, but we can be confident that all His promises are “Yes,” and we can say “Amen” and give glory to God when we see them fulfilled.” To this, my heart responds with the Psalmist, “wait patiently for the Lord.”

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14
Response To The Word

Father, thank You that all of Your promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus! Thank You for the reminder from Your Word that we can trust You without question or doubt and please help us to wait patiently, knowing that Your timing and reasons in all things are perfect – to Your glory and honor amen and amen.

Reflection for the Journey

Are there promises you are waiting to see God fulfill? What are they and how does this passage help you to wait patiently?

Going Further

Check out today’s LGG Blog Post for more insight

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

Waiting is Difficult

Posted on by

Based on the Love God Greatly Study, From Broken to Restored

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Ezra 1:1-4, 7:1-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13 / SOAP: 2 Peter 3:9-10

 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:9-10

Part of the back story of our study is that God allowed Jerusalem to be taken captive by Babylon because of their idolatry and disobedience. During this time many people were killed, the temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was laid to waist. It’s easy to consider this ancient history of God’s people not relevant to us today but it is – not just concerning the history of God’s people but concerning the promises and faithfulness of our God. Commentators for gotquestions.org describe it as something that Christians should be familiar with, saying:

The seventy-year period of the Babylonian captivity is an important part of Israel’s history, and Christians should be familiar with it. Like many other Old Testament events, this historical account demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His people, His judgment of sin, and the surety of His promises.

gotquestions.org

In their devotional on today’s passages the LGG team wrote the following:

The Babylonians captured Jerusalem and took the people into exile by transporting them to Babylon, where they remained for seventy years. -Nehemiah was living in Persia, not having returned to Jerusalem like many others. However, God used Nehemiah and his connections to the king of Persia to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and to turn the hearts of the people of Judah back to Him.

From Broken to Restored / week1day1

Are you waiting on something? Whether it is God’s promised return or a job, marriage, a house, a child or perhaps God’s healing hand on you or someone you know – waiting is difficult. Seventy years must have seemed like forever for the Israelites, and whatever your wait is may seem like forever – but we must remember, God is working all things together for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose Whether it is the redemption of His people or the strengthening of their faith – God is not waisting the time.

Father God, thank You that You do not waste time – instead You use it for good … Your good, Your glory, the good of Your people, and to accomplish Your good and holy purpose. Thank You for the hope that is ours while we wait on You God, for we see and know the truth of Your promises and the depth of Your faithfulness! In Him we pray

Going Further

What was the Babylonian captivity/exile?

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

Living While We Wait

Posted on by
Today’s Verse: Isaiah 60:22

“The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” Isaiah 60:22

Whether it is the result of a medical test, the birth of a baby, the answer to a job interview, or a pressing need not yet provided – waiting is difficult. For many of us, it is the most difficult part of life – as it causes anxiety to rise and holds us back from living while we wait.

Our verse today speaks hope to this anxiety and promise that graces us with the strength to go on living – despite the wait. Why? Because God knows when it is time for Him to act – and He will do so swiftly.

Check out today's inspiration for this post @ "our daily verse"
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer, The Importance of Prayer

Commit to Wait Expectantly

Posted on by

Read: Psalm 5 and Proverbs 8:17; SOAP: Psalm 5:3

Lord, in the morning you will hear me;
in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.

Psalm 5:3

What a beautiful example of prayer David presents here. I can hear his desperation in the preceding verses as he calls on God to – listen, consider, and pay attention all before he is praying. He is specific with God as to when he will be praying and he is boldly expectant of an answer, declaring his commitment to wait. The rest of the prayer (4-12) bears witness that he prays in accordance with God’s will, as he expresses knowledge of what God doesn’t accept and what he rewards. These are all very important parts of prayer …

  • the desperation showing he understands his need for God …
  • calling on God to listen reveals David isn’t just interested in praying but in talking to God (it’s about the relationship not the religious act) …
  • the specific time indicates his seriousness …
  • and the term, “I will wait expectantly”, indicates commitment and trust, which is our focus today …

The first part, “I will“, is a commitment, the evidence of our trust. The second part, “wait expectantly“, indicates how he will wait. While there is something to be said about leaving our requests at Jesus’ feet, trusting Him to answer, it’s the expectation that keeps our eyes on God. It doesn’t mean we stop and wring our hands or pace the floor while we wait, but simply that we are aware that we have asked something of God and are anticipating its arrival. This combination of commitment and expectation is also what keeps us coming back – asking, seeking, knocking – and what moves our heart to rejoice when we receive the answer.

Be Sure to check out today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer, The Importance of Prayer

Waiting for God’s Answers

Posted on by
Inspired by “The Importance of Prayer”, An LGG Study – w4d3

Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3:19-26; SOAP: 25-26

The Lord is good to those who trust in him,

to the one who seeks him.

26 It is good to wait patiently

for deliverance from the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26
Reviewing the Situation

Like with so much of Scripture it is easy to zoom in on the verses of hope and joy and the “good parts” of God’s story – but we can’t fully understand or appreciate these verses if we don’t know why the hope or joy or deliverance taste so sweet. Take for instance, Jeremiah’s words in verse 19 – he remembers the afflictions and wanderings, the bitterness and the awful conditions he had endured – the taste of it all was still fresh in his mind – but why? What had been happening that was so bitter and brought so much depression? We could go back through the history of God’s people to fully see and comprehend how things were as Jeremiah records, but for the purpose of today’s passage it will suffice to simply look back to the first of Lamentations. You see, the book of Lamentations begins with Jeremiah mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction – The Temple was destroyed, the people were defeated and taken captive and his sorrow ran deep. So deep was his sorrow that the entire book is saturated with it. Even chapter three still finds him expressing words of lament but with one difference – a glimmer of HOPE! So where did his hope come from in the midst of all the sorrow and devastation? Why, when God’s people were still waiting for deliverance, did he find reason to HOPE? This is what we must not miss in order to truly share in the hope Jeremiah speaks of as we find ourselves waiting for the Lord and His deliverance. Read what he writes in verses 19-21, notice the depth of his despair and then it’s like a light bulb goes on – and he declares, “But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope:

[I] Remember my impoverished and homeless condition,
which is a bitter poison.
20 I continually think about this,
and I am depressed.
21 But this I call to mind;
therefore I have hope:

Lamentations 3:19-21
What Does He Call to Mind? Why Does He Have Hope?

We don’t have to look far to find out. It happened just after remembering the days of his own impoverished and homeless condition – which could just as easily have led him away from the Lord. Instead, he purposefully “called to mind” the goodness of God which led him to HOPE in the LORD. He chose to remember God’s kindness, compassion, and faithfulness – and then he once again declares his hope in the LORD.

The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases;
his compassions never end.
23 They are fresh every morning;
your faithfulness is abundant!
24 “My portion [security, hope] is the Lord,” I have said to myself,
so I will put my hope in him.

Lamentations 3:22-24 NET

You see, what Jeremiah realized, and what we would be wise to learn from him, is that by remembering the “goodness of God” we will be led to hope and hope will move our heart, as it did his, from despair to ‘trusting in God, seeking Him, and waiting patiently for His deliverance.” It seems to me the key was in a change of focus – he went from “continually thinking about” his past and problems or misery to choosing to remember God’s goodness.

So, what are you waiting on today? Provision for a need? Wisdom for a decision? Healing? Whatever it is, fix your thoughts on the goodness of the Lord, determine to “call to mind” what He has done for you already and let those truths move you to HOPE, and from that hope may you ‘trust in him, seek him and wait patiently for His deliverance. In the meantime, rest and delight in knowing that His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great!

Want more? Be sure and visit Love God Greatly for the Wednesday blog.

Posted in Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, Quiet Time, The God Who Restores

Shout for Joy

Posted on by
The God Who Restores, A Love God Greatly Study – w3d2
Today’s Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
SOAP: Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you.”

Zephaniah 3:17 NET
Observations: The Day of Hope
Are these the things you believe about your God?
  • Do you know that He is in your midst, that He is with you?
  • Do you see Him as a mighty warrior who not only can but has delivered you from the power of sin and death?
  • Do you believe, despite what you know about yourself (and despite what He knows), that your God takes great delights in you?
  • Have you experienced the calming, renewing effect of His love in your life?
  • Can you hear Him rejoicing over you with singing?
Application: It’s all in the attitude

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating … What we believe will steer our attitude. We will either be shouting for joy at what God has promised that is yet to come and rejoicing over what He has already done – or, we will doubt who He is and miss all that He has for us while we wait here on earth – and possibly what He has promised those who belong to Him in the future. We must be intentional, write it down on paper or better yet, put it in the notes section of your phone. When doubt or fears arise and hope dwindles pull it out and read it as a mantra- Perhaps something like this …

God is my God and He is with me, my mighty Savior who takes delight in me, with gladness! I will remind myself often that it is in Him and because of His love that I find a calming peace and a renewal my spirit.

Me, from the inside-out
Prayer:

Father – how great is Your love! You dwell with me – my warrior who has saved me. I am Your daughter and You take great delight in me – even shouting for joy over me with song! I am forever grateful for your word and for Your messages and promises of hoped contained within it! –

Reflections:

What does Zephaniah 3:17 show us about God’s coming restoration? How can you find joy and proclaim His goodness today?

Posted in Advent, Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, The God Who Restores

God Restores

Posted on by

The God Who Restores, wk3d1; A Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: Psalm 126

Today’s SOAP: Psalm 126:4-6

Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:4-6

I have gotten behind on a few things and will be posting a little differently this week, or at least for a few days this week (as time will tell). I trust you will understand and bear with me – I am borrowing devotional writings from the LGG Team provided in the journals and will be posting my SOAP/thoughts on the passage in the comment sections, as I hope you will do too. 😊

INTO THE TEXT – A LOVE GOD GREATLY DEVOTION

w3d1 of The God Who Restores, p90

The people of Israel had seen God’s restoration. They had seen Him restore Zion in such miraculous ways that they believed they were dreaming. They shouted for joy, praising God for the incredible things He accomplished for them. God had brought the people back from exile in Babylon and restored and rebuilt the temple and the city walls in Jerusalem.

This psalm was written after that restoration, when the people of Israel were again waiting for God’s deliverance. They were once again in desperate need of His healing and His intervention and this psalm reminded them of His faithfulness and gave them joy as they looked to what He would do in the future. Though they were still awaiting God’s restoration, they remembered His kindness, compassion, and faithfulness.

This week, we focus on the incredible joy we have in the Lord. After remembering the promise of His return and our great need for Him, we turn our focus to the joy that we already have in him and the fullness of joy we will have when He has restored us.

When we focus on the joy we have in the Lord, no matter our circumstance, we find hope. We do not ignore our suffering, but we focus on God’s faithfulness and what He promises to do. He promises to restore the world. He promises to return, defeat the enemy, and establish His kingdom on earth. God promises to dwell with us forever and to give us eternal life when we place our faith in Him.

[Since we know] God can keep these incredible promises to us, and [because we know] he can restore the world, surely He can restore our current circumstances. Not only is He powerful enough to intervene, but He cares deeply about the pain and sorrow we face today. He promises to restore all things. Though God’s ways and timing may look different than what we hope for, we can have joy as we anticipate His fulfilled promises and His coming restoration. May we shout for joy, even as we wait for Him.

Written by an LGG Team Member

Today’s Reflection:

  • How have you seen God restore your life or circumstances in the past?
  • What are you asking of Him or waiting for Him to do for you today?
  • How does His past faithfulness give you joy in your present season of waiting?

Want more? Visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/