Tag: Worship

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, LGG Study, Quiet Time

But, At Your Word I Will …

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Inspired by: LGG’s / He Sees, He Knows, He Cares / w2d2

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:31-5;11; SOAP / Luke 5:8-11

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people!” 11 So when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:8-11 NET

Oh, how I hope you read the full passage today (and everyday) as each day has so much to offer. For as Paul wrote, “All Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness; so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” But honestly, outside of that truth – I hope you read it just because it is interesting and full of insight, intrigue, hope, and so much more. Like today’s story about Jesus and the demons knowing His name …

Our focus passage today picks up sometime after Jesus’ encounter with the demons. The crowds were growing in size and pressing Jesus for more of the miracles they had seen or heard about. However, He kept moving on, telling the people He had to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns, reminding them it was what He was sent to do. On one occasion when the crowd was pressing around Him to hear what He was teaching, He got into a boat by the lake, He “put out a little way from the shore, and taught the crowds from the boat. Luke writes that when Jesus finished speaking, he said to Simon Peter, the boat’s owner – “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon explained that they had already done that, they had worked hard and had caught nothing, “But”, Simon said, “at Your word I will lower the nets.” You probably know the rest of the story, how that when he did as Jesus said they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. So, Simon enlisted their partners to help and still there were so many fish that their boats were about to sink. Simon was moved beyond words and fell down before Jesus, which is where our focus verse comes in today. Read it again –

“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people!” 11 So when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.“

THE POWERFUL EFFECTS OF OBEDIENCE

It’s not always easy doing what Jesus asks of us or going where He sends us. Fear and uncomfortableness, tiredness and lack of understanding can be some of the mitigating circumstances that cause us to hold back. No doubt, this is how Simon Peter was feeling when Jesus told him to – “put out into the deep water and lower [his] nets for a catch.” Despite how Simon felt about it, he submitted to Jesus’ request and did just as He was told. And, because he did, his life was changed – as he not only realized the greatness of Jesus but, in comparison, the greatness of his own sin. Realizing the depth of His sin, he told Jesus, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Simon’s reaction is, no doubt, a beautiful picture of what happens when we truly see ourselves in the light of who Jesus really is. However, we must not miss that Simon Peter wasn’t the only one impressed and drawn to Jesus that day, for we read in verse 11, that “all who were with Him left everything to follow [Jesus].” I believe this is important, as it teaches us that our obedience to even the silliest and seemingly unnecessary tasks can have a huge and lasting impact that we may never realize this side of heaven.

But, Simon Peter said, at Your word I will lower the nets.

Luke 5:11 NET
The Recap

I see at least three things about obedience that we can learn from Simon Peter’s statement. First of all, obeying a request or a command that we do not understand, such as lowering nets again after you’ve already had them lowered and caught nothing, reveals our trust and/or respect for the one we obey. Not only that, but our obedience can lead to a broken and contrite heart, which can lead to a right relationship with Jesus, which leads to worship, and possibly to others seeing, knowing, and following Jesus.

Response to the Word of God

Father, let the greatness of Jesus wash over me every day. In the light of who He is, may the depth of my sin and unworthiness move my heart to yield in confession and to worship You – Holy three in one! Help me to faithfully encourage and invite others to share in what You’ve done and who You are! Let nothing Lord, absolutely NOTHING – stand in the way of You! In the great and mighty name of Jesus, I pray – Amen!

Worship in Song

Have you decided to follow Jesus today? I would love to know and rejoice with you.

Would you like to know more about following Jesus? I would love to share more of the good news and help you understand what it’s all about. Visit Know These Truths [link below] for more details –

If you answered yes to either question please leave a comment here or email me, m.black@lmbc.org – i would love to send you a small gift in celebration or in answer to your questions.

KNOW THESE TRUTHS

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

Praise the Name of the Lord

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The Importance of Prayer – A Love God Greatly Study, w1d4
Read Psalm 145 and SOAP Psalm 145:2-3

2I will praise you every day;
    yes, I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
    No one can measure his greatness.

Psalm 145:2-3

For me, soaping this passage might look like the following –

Scripture: 2I will praise you every day;
    yes, I will praise you forever.
3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
    No one can measure his greatness. Psalm 145:2-3

Observation: 1. David makes it personal. He isn’t simply leading others to praise God – He is declaring his personal heart felt adoration for His God. 2. David is committed, pledging to praise God every day – forever. 3. David declares the Lord to be great and worthy of praise. 4. David is certain that no one can measure God’s greatness.

Application: If I am to emulate David, who was a ‘man after God’s own heart, I should seek to praise God forever and ever. I will declare His greatness, remember that He is “most” worthy of praise, and not allow anyone a greater place or tribute in my life – not because I’ve been told that He is great or because other people are praising Him but because I personally know that so great is He, His greatness cannot be measured.

Prayer: Father, thank you for David’s reminder that you are great and most worthy of praise. Help me to praise you throughout every day of my life, forever and forever. – Amen!

My SOAP

SOAPing Scripture is a beautiful and helpful technique of studying and understanding God’s Word. However, it is important, when doing so, to allow yourself the time and the joy of mining for other treasure. Or, as I like to say, to chase some ‘scripture squirrels’. So, naturally when my study for today – The Importance of Prayer by Love God Greatly – called for me to read Psalm 145 and SOAP only verses 2-3 – I ended up chasing down some squirrels.

As we discovered yesterday, praising God makes for a great time of worshipful prayer. This Psalm of David is an excellent example. He begins by lifting up, or exalting, the Lord in verse 1 and is still praising Him in verse 21. David declares in his own singular praise – I will exalt you, my God and King, and I will praise your name. Keep reading though and you will see that his praise leads to more praise, followed by an invitation or the expressed hope (4) for others to continue the praise – “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” Watch, then, as he purposes to meditate on some of the most beautiful characteristics and works of our God. According to David, when we think of God’s majestic, glorious splendor and His wonderful miracles we will proclaim His greatness. And because praise is contagious God’s awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue not just his own; David will proclaim God’s greatness, yet not just His greatness toward David, but an extensive resume’ of God’s character and previous works.

  •  He keeps His promises;
  •  He is gracious in all He does.
  • The Lord helps the fallen
  •  He lifts those bent beneath their loads.
  •  He gives them their food as they need it.
  • He satisfies the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
  • The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
  • He is filled with kindness.
  • The Lord is close to all who call on him,
  •  He grants the desires of those who fear him;
  • He hears their cries for help and rescues them.
  • The Lord protects all those who love him
  •  He destroys the wicked.

Look back with me to verses 5-13, and note that by proclaiming some simple yet profound truths of God, like His greatness and the fact that He is worthy of praise, David’s Psalm turns from the singular ‘I will’ statements to declaring that ‘everyone will’ and ‘they will’.

Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

Psalm 145:7

David knows what it is to benefit from or to see the Lord’s mercy and compassion or to experience His goodness. He knows how his own heart responds in praise to these things and surmises, based on his own experience, that because the Lord is merciful and compassionate and because the Lord is good to everyone, that His faithful followers will also cry out in praise. He says, they will speak of the Glory of God’s kingdom, they will tell about His mighty deeds and give examples of His power and talk about the majesty and glory of His reign.

… your faithful followers will praise you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
    they will give examples of your power.
12 They will tell about your mighty deeds
    and about the majesty and glory of your reign.

Psalm 145:10b-12

David ends the Psalm with the same declaration that he opened with, the pledge that “I will praise the Lord.” He then entreats everyone on earth to do the same. May we follow David in this most worthy quest. May our eyes and hearts and minds be opened to see, to hear, and to experience God – and then may we respond with praise – not just silent or whispered praises to Him but bold and confident praise that will testify to His goodness, His mercies, His grace, love, and magnificent works. May our praise ignite more praise both in us and in all those who hear or see what He is doing.

I will praise the Lord,
    and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
    forever and ever.

Psalm 145:21

Me, from the inside out

Reflection: What is something you can praise the Lord for today? I invite you to be the spark and leave a comment below.

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Worship Filled Praise

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The Importance of Prayer, w1d3

Read Jeremiah 10:6-7

6Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.
7 Who would not fear you, O King of nations?
That title belongs to you alone!
Among all the wise people of the earth
and in all the kingdoms of the world,
there is no one like you.

Jeremiah 10:6-7

To ‘revere’ is to feel deep respect or admiration for (something or someone). Our prayers are often the way we express our deep respect and admiration for God, which is what Jeremiah was doing here. Read it again, listen as He declares, “There is no one like You … You are great … Your name is full of power.” He questions, “Who would not fear You? He then addresses Him as the “King of the nations” and declares He alone is worthy of the title! Then Jeremiah’s praise crescendos with His final declaration, “Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like You.” What a beautiful prayer for us to borrow from the Scriptures, a wonderful example of ‘revering’ God and attributing the highest of wisdom to Him. – Me from the Insideout 💗

“Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like You.”

Jeremiah 10:7

I believe to fully comprehend and appreciate these two verse, we first need to read the words of God to Israel in verses 1-5, where Israel is warned that idolatry brings destruction:

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O Israel! 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Do not act like the other nations,
    who try to read their future in the stars.
Do not be afraid of their predictions,
    even though other nations are terrified by them.
3 Their ways are futile and foolish.
    They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
4 They decorate it with gold and silver
    and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
    so it won’t fall over.
5 Their gods are like
    helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
    and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
    for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

Jeremiah 10:1-5 NLT

In these five verses you find that the people of the other nations make their own gods, they dress them and prop them up so they will not fall over. Our God, however, not only talked to His people, we’ve also read how He was heard by Adam and Eve walking in the garden in the cool of the evening. — But the gods of the other nations cannot speak and have to be carried because they cannot walk. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” It’s quite easy to boast of our God’s power, might, goodness, love and all the other namable qualities – but our “boasting” means nothing unless we truly understand the truth that there is NO ONE like Him.

Making it personal

We must get to know God for who He is in order to worship Him as He deserves. Likewise we must be aware that all other gods pale in comparison to Him. I believe when we do this our prayers will flow with worship-filled praises like we read here by Jeremiah.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, there is no god like You. There is no one like you in heaven or on earth. For, as the prophet wrote, You are great, and Your name is full of power. Who is there that would not fear You, O King of nations? That title belongs only to You! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, we can not say it enough – there is no on like You! Help us to spend so much time with You that we realize, like Jeremiah, that all else pales in comparison to You – and may our lips flow with the praise that You alone are due. – In the powerful name of Jesus! – Amen –

Don’t forget to visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/ for today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, She, Volume 2

Anna: Never Ceasing Prayer

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TODAY’S READING: Luke 2:36-50 (37-38)
She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
MY OBSERVATIONS:

Wow! How can one small passage pack such an amazing message? From the obvious to the somewhat obscure, this familiar passage held so much that jumped off the page as though I had never read it before in my life.

helpful background details
  • Anna was a prophetess (verse 36), which means she was a woman who proclaimed God’s WORD – speaking everything God gave her to speak – and boy, did He give her a lot to speak on this day.
  • As verse 36 tells us, Anna was the “daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher“, meaning she was a descendant of Jacob.
  • When verse 38 says, “At that moment”, it is referring to the time Mary and Joseph had come to the Temple to present Jesus to the LORD; setting Him apart to the LORD was fulfilling the law’s requirement for every firstborn male.
Anna

Anna spent her life at the Temple. She worshiped God through fasting and praying both night and day, clearly she was devoted to God. In 2022, my Pastor preached on ‘worship’ as part of a series titled “The 7 Habits of Deeply Spiritual People”. The first, and what I believe he called the core habit, is “worship”. He shared several definitions of worship, including:

  • “giving or showing someone their worth“
  • “the outpouring of a soul because we’re at rest with God“
  • “the occupation of the heart with God Himself”
  • and “a conscious passion to glorify God in everything because He alone is deserving”

Pastor Lemming made the point that this type of worship only happens when we see God for who He really is. Clearly, Anna saw God for who He really was, and because she did, she was able to see Jesus, even as a young child, for who He really was – the long-awaited Messiah! It was her surrender that fueled her awareness of who He was, which in turn fueled her mission to “speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem”.

Essential to Anna’s story and her worship is that she was a prayer warrior. She’s actually a great example of what Paul instructed the Colossians to be like in Colossians 4:2, when he said: “Be devoted to prayer.”

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

Colossians 4:2

Note again Anna’s reaction in verse 38, “At that moment, [Anna] came up to [Mary and Joseph, and Jesus] to give thanks to God and to speak about the child, [Jesus], to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” With a heart beautifully surrendered to God, Anna was positioned to see and be a part of God’s presence and work.

How Then Should We Live?

Surely we are to live beautifully surrendered like Anna, daily worshiping God. We may not be at the physical “temple” night and day as she was, but what hit me as I was reading and digesting the passage were the words of Paul to the Corinthians that – we, our physical bodies, are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and was given to us by God. We are meant to worship God – showing Him His worth, recognizing His vast superiority, having a conscious passion to glorify Him in everything – “night and day”, just like Anna.

We are meant to proclaim Jesus just like Anna, for Jesus is the Gospel message, the very message that Paul said is the “power of God for salvation”.

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 NET

We are to be devoted to prayer as she was; it should not be something we only do in the morning and evening or when we have a desperate need. We are meant to pray “without ceasing”, staying alert to the opportunities and needs throughout the day to call on or cry out praises to Him on our own behalf or for others.

Prayer Response

Father – what beautiful words and instruction from a Scripture passage so familiar and yet somehow so new. Help us to live like Anna – devoted to You in every way – worshiping You night and day, fixed on You, unceasing in prayer, and unashamed to proclaim Jesus! ~ In the name of Jesus, so let it be ~

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study
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Jesus Looked After His Mother – Even From the Cross

Friday, Week 1 of Beautifully Surrendered, a Love God Greatly Study

Today’s Reading: John 19:20-30 (SOAP 26-27)

26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, look, here is your son!” 27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:26-67 NET
My Observations:

In the Throes of Agonizing Death

How sweet is this scene’s depiction of the Savior’s intimate care for His mother even in the throes of a horrendous death. The beauty of the reality that His love for ‘all’ did not negate His love and care for her as an individual. Also, something that stood out to me this time was the trust He had and placed in this disciple and how well-placed it was.

From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19:27
How Then Should We Live?

Let’s factor in what we know from this passage first. While God so loved the world and offered salvation to ‘whosoever” believes – what we see here is Christ loving not just a collective group of believers but we see Him tenderly revealing His very personal love for His mother. Jesus’ position as God the Son, did not interfere with His earthly position or emotions as Mary’s son – or for that matter our friend (John 15:14-15) or brother (Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29). Knowing these descriptions from Scripture coupled with how we see Him treat Mary – tells me, that because we belong to Jesus’ family, we can TRUST His love for us is equally personal and that He will treat us not just as another believer but as dearly beloved.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

Romans 8:29 ESV

We also don’t want to miss the other factor, which is that He entrusted His mother, Mary, to one of His disciples. I’ve read and heard this passage many times, yet this time the words jumped off the page at me. I found myself immediately wondering if He sees me as a trustworthy disciple, one He can confidently trust to do His work in His absence. I believe Paul’s letter to Timothy, concerning the character of a person who serves Christ, explains how to be such a disciple and what this trusted disciple might be like when he made the following statement about an approved worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. (I’ll tell you right now, I have a lot to work on and sure am glad He equipped us with His Spirit so that we have the hope of reaching this goal.)

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, ... “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.” 20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. 22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. 23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 2 Timothy 2:15-26
My Prayer Response

Father, oh the beauty of Your Son and the larger than life or anything we can understand GIFT He is. He who loved us all enough to GIVE His life for our sins, and be on earth suffering rather than in Heaven – He also showed us that His love is personal and now we live with this HOPE and JOY that He is looking out for us too, and that He will entrust others to us as He sees the need when He knows us to be faithful. Father, let me be found faithful and true – hands and feet and a light and voice for You. In Jesus’ Name and power.

My Worship Response

I recently used this one but it is the one that kept playing through my head as I wrote this devotional. https://youtu.be/r6U8O_WnPZY (this song does not belong to me but is by David Aslesen and found on the above Youtube link)

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Wk 5, Wednesday Wrestle or Surrender

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READ: HOSEA 12:1-8, JOEL 2:13; SOAP: HOSEA 12:5-6

Hosea 12:1-8 New Living Translation

The people of Israel feed on the wind;
    they chase after the east wind all day long.
They pile up lies and violence;
    they are making an alliance with Assyria
    while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.

 Now the Lord is bringing charges against Judah.
    He is about to punish Jacob for all his deceitful ways,
    and pay him back for all he has done.
3 Even in the womb,
    Jacob struggled with his brother;
when he became a man,
    he even fought with God.
4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won.
    He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him.
There at Bethel, he met God face to face,
    and God spoke to him—

The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,
    the Lord is his name!
6 So now, come back to your God.
    Act with love and justice,
    and always depend on him.

7 But no, the people are like crafty merchants
    selling from dishonest scales—
    they love to cheat.
8 Israel boasts, “I am rich!
    I’ve made a fortune all by myself!
No one has caught me cheating!
    My record is spotless!”

Jacob lost the fight and wept. He came to the place where he knew God had beaten him, and all he could do was hang on to God and plead for a blessing.

Read the full LGG devotional here

Joel 2:13 New Living Translation

Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
    but tear your hearts instead.”
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
    He is eager to relent and not punish.

WORSHIP WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE: DOES ANYTHING FROM TODAY’S READINGS CAUSE YOU TO WORSHIP GOD? IF SO, PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO SHARE IT IN 5 WORDS OR LESS 
Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

The Gospel of Mark: Week 5, Friday – Alabaster

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Read: Mark 14:1-21; SOAP: Mark 14:8-9

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating,[a] a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages[b] and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7 You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

The Last Supper

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 As they were at the table[c] eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”

19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”

20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man[d] must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

May we love Jesus and honor Him the same way Mary did: with all we have. 

Read the full devotional

Mary poured an alabaster jar of oil on Jesus’ head. What can we learn from this encounter? – 

Read today’s LGG Blog to find out 
Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Draw Near: Week 1, Thursday

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Today’s Scripture – Psalm 95; Job 38:4-5 (SOAP: Job 38:4-5)

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
    and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

Come, let us worship and bow down.
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7     for He is our God.
We are the people He watches over,
    the flock under His care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah,
    as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested and tried My patience,
    even though they saw everything I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from Me.
    They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in My anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter My place of rest.’”

Job 38:4-5

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know so much.
5 Who determined its dimensions
    and stretched out the surveying line?

LGG Devotional

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Everlasting Covenant: (4) Wednesday, Mary and Elizabeth

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Today’s Scripture: Luke 1:39-56 (S.O.A.P. Luke 1:46-50)

Mary Visits Elizabeth

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

Mary responded,

Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.

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