Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Feasting As Warfare
~ The habit of gratitude protects us from the trap of discontentment and endless striving.
Scripture Reading:
"Even when I go through the darkest valley, I will fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff — they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." ~ Psalm 23:4-6
Psalm 23 portrays feasting as a form of trust amid adversity. Imagine the courage it would take to sit down at a banquet with a horde of angry enemies surrounding you. Yet this is God’s invitation to us in every struggle and trial: Come. Sit at My table and rest. I’ve prepared a place for you in the presence of your enemies.
What keeps us from sitting at God’s table and rejoicing in the story of God’s faithfulness in our own life?
Three obstacles come to mind: striving, discontentment, and deception.
Striving is the internalized sense that we must always keep moving forward in pursuit of success, money, and acclaim. We think, More is always better, and rest is for the weak. This inability to slow down and appreciate God’s gifts breeds a profound sense of unfulfillment, making joy and peace elusive. The world’s competitive striving and restless dissatisfaction are fueled by the enemy’s most ancient and insidious deception: My way is better than God’s way.
But when we feast, we declare that God’s way of gratitude, rest, and simplicity is better than the world’s deceived way of striving and discontentment. We feast to challenge the enemy’s lies. In this way, feasting — slowing down to savor God’s gifts and remember His faithfulness — is an act of spiritual warfare.
To feast is to trust in the Lord.
_____________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/feasting-as-warfare
•
I am rejoicing with you over the salvation of your mother! I am praying for her continued spiritual growth, and physical health and well-being. Please refer to my private message concerning the other aspects of your post. God bless!
•
Mom's in mayo hospital..... cant see, feel, walk.... or hear much... I've had to cook for her..... do shopping for her.... etc..... over the last year-ish..... She is a wonderful Woman!! Soo...... She's fading out ............. She actually called me a couple weeks ago and said, "I have no problem with Jesus!" WOWWW!!! She claimed to be an atheist... the catholic church, from her youth, used to scare/hurt her emotionally in order to get compliance from her!!!! She Hates the catholic church, and she has "lumped-in" all "Christianity" because of it!!!!!! BUTT..................
Any $ help would be help...
VENMO: @Bigfootbud
CASH APP: $Bigfootbud
ZELLE: gkaye2@cox.net
IT WAS SSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL TO HEAR HER SAY, (when She called me out-of-the-blue) "I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH JESUS"!!!
Ummmmmm MUSTARD SEED????????????????????????? :)
JESUS LOVES HER!!!!!!!!!!! Love all to all here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Growing Deeper [maybe it's time to share your faith]:
“So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” ~ Colossians 1:10
At age six, Henry John Heinz began helping his mother tend the small garden behind their family home. At twelve, he was working three and a half acres of garden, using a horse and cart for his three-times-a-week deliveries to grocery stores throughout the city of Pittsburg. He went on to found his own company and named it Heinz 57 Varieties, a name brand now known around the world.
Heinz was well-known for his Biblically-based business principles and his Christian treatment of employees. However, there was an incident in his life that changed this godly man to grow even more deeper in his faith. One day after an evangelistic service, the speaker turned to him and said:
"You are a believer, but with all your energy why aren't you up and at it for the Lord?"
Heinz went home in anger. That night, however, he couldn't sleep, thinking about the question he’d been asked. At four o'clock in the morning, he prayed that God would use him to lead others to the Savior. A day or so later at a meeting of bank presidents, he turned to the man next to him and told him of his joy in knowing Jesus. His friend looked at him in surprise and said, "Because I knew you were a Christian, I've wondered many times why you never spoke to me about salvation." That gentleman became the first of 267 converts - people of different varieties, from all walks of life - that Mr. Heinz eventually won to Christ!
In his will, Henry John Heinz said: "I desire to set forth at the very beginning of this will, as the most important item in it, a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I also desire to bear witness to the fact that throughout my life, in which there were unusual joys and sorrows, I have been wonderfully sustained by my faith in God through Jesus Christ."
_______________
~ published by: The Daily Encourager
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
•
Works in Progress
~ God patiently guides drifting believers back into His will.
Scripture Reading:
"Yet Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hands. Lord, do not be terribly angry or remember our iniquity forever." ~ Isaiah 64:8-9
In a studio, the potter has complete power over the clay. The same is true of God: As our Creator, He can do with us whatever He chooses. That might sound scary, but remember that God’s sovereignty cannot be separated from His other attributes.
While the Lord is sovereign, He is also loving, gracious, and thorough — and that influences how He shapes us. Just as a potter works the clay with patience, God forms our Christlike character slowly — one experience at a time. He knows that spiritual maturity can’t be rushed.
And just as clay can slip from the middle of the wheel, we too might find ourselves off-center from time to time — whether due to an old wound, a new hardship, a recurring habit, or something else. However, we don’t have to worry. In His grace, God always maneuvers the drifting believer back into position and begins remolding. He never discards His vessels but patiently works to mold them.
Our Father is a personal Potter. His creations reflect Him, and His Spirit is poured into each believing vessel so He can be an intimate part of our life. The result is a work of true beauty — a saint dearly loved by the Lord.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/works-in-progress
•
Molded by the Master
~ You have been perfectly designed to accomplish the work God has planned for you.
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-6
If you have ever watched a potter work, as Jeremiah did in today’s passage, you know the wonder of seeing a vessel take shape from a lump of clay. It was an object lesson for the prophet — God was teaching that the nation of Israel needed to be shaped by His hand. In fact, we are all vessels designed and molded by the master Potter.
In the studio, when clay is placed on the wheel, the potter already has a specific design in mind for it. The same is true of us — the Lord has determined how He plans to work in our life and what part we are to play in building His kingdom. Each believer is shaped differently to worship and honor God. But regardless of how He made us, we all bear our Potter’s unmistakable imprint.
Too often we look around at the talents and abilities of others and wish to be more like someone else. But we have been perfectly designed for God’s purposes, and He makes no mistakes. Know this: As a born-again believer, the Master is pleased with who you are in Him, for you are “awesomely and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Take a moment and ask God to let this truth sink into your heart and mind today.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/molded-by-the-master-2
•
The Provider
"I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content — whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:12-13
It is easy for us to compartmentalize the seasons of life. It makes it simpler to cipher what is fun and what is hard and what is in between. The plains can seem boring. What is “in between” becomes a kind of apathy. A complacency that undermines the value of daily living.
God provides in mysterious ways. Within every moment, He provides all that we need for life and for righteousness. His goodness is in abundance. It is even in sorrow. As strange as it sounds, His provision can be found even among the most “boring” of circumstances.
After all, boredom is a matter of perspective. If we are bored, it is no one’s fault but our own. Boredom is an inability or unwillingness to see and celebrate God’s provision. The Israelites got bored in the desert. Bored with manna. Bored waiting on Moses to come down from the mountain. Because of this they missed God’s blessing and incurred God’s wrath.
In all that we are and all that we face, God has already provided. The question is whether we have eyes to see. The Apostle Paul learned to be content no matter the circumstance. That means he learned to adopt a perspective that he was being blessed no matter his surroundings. He didn’t learn this through radical independence, but radical dependence. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” applies to every situation, even the routines of daily life.
_______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net/devotional/the-provider/
•
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
2 Peter 1:3
.."Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ....
1 Peter 1:13
Where do we find hope? Where do we find peace? Those two questions are the questions most folks are asking themselves every single day. All you have to do is look around and it dont take long to see that most folks have no hope and peace...however...there is hope and there is peace for this world. But that hope and peace is found only in Jesus Christ...let me say that again....hope and peace is found only in Jesus Christ! You see...when you and i turned our lives over to Jesus as our Lord and savior...we were born-again to what the Bible calls a “living hope”...a hope that is not wishful thinking...but a hope that is based on the reality of God Himself thru the power of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead....adopted us into His family as children of the living God! This living hope means we can persevere through trials...rough spots and even pain. This living hope means we may stumble and fall sometimes...but we will not falter completely because we are in Jesus Christ. And this living hope means we have a future that is sure and established thru Jesus and that we are not alone as we walk this earthly path. The peace God gives us when we accept Jesus is a peace that the unsaved world can never know. It means that we can enjoy the serenity of heart no matter what happens to us. Jesus told us in John 16:33...“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." So...where is the hope? Where is the peace? That comes only from a personal relationship Jesus Christ and thru our surrender to Him! Have you invited Jesus into your heart? My prayer is that you will experience that hope and peace in your heart today…..and every day!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
Are you Straddling the Fence?
Meaning...Walking with God and holding hands with the devil. Shame on you! How long will you be caught between two opinions...two lifestyles...two beliefs...two directions...two mindsets...two masters...two desires. You can’t be 50% Christian and 50% worldly. It doesn’t work that way...and...the Bible says it cannot be done. You must take sides. You are either following Jesus or you are following satan. There is no middle ground. Trying to keep one foot in the world and one foot in the church. Ain’t gonna work! The problem is you don’t want to give up your sin. You don’t want to give up your status in the world. Naw...you’re having too much fun. You want your cake and ice cream too. Well you can’t have it! Ain’t no mixing of allegiance to God with other gods! You got to choose! Either God is your daddy or satan! Who’s your daddy? Time to decide! You cannot remain neutral. You cannot straddle the fence and you can’t just give Jesus lip service. Listen...you cannot...and must not...compromise to any of satan’s conditions. Ultimately...everything you have and ever hope to be...must be laid on the altar. Make the transition from declaration to discipleship. That is...declaration to dedication. Don’t let satan deceive you and rob you of the greatest blessing man has ever known...salvation from sin through Jesus Christ our Savior and redeemer. Stop straddling the fence. Liberty is not a license to compromise. You are either with Jesus fully...or you oppose Him. Which is it? The record of choice...life or death...blessings or cursing. God wants wholehearted dedication or nothing! It’s time to make up your mind! Are you ready to serve the Lord? The application could not be clearer...“Choose for yourselves this day Whom you will serve.” There is no room for neutrality. Make your choice. Cast your vote. Choose your God. I pray you will make the right choice. As for me and my house...we will serve the Lord!
Lou Coleman
God's Gift of Second Chances:
~ God’s desire to forgive and restore is always greater than our capacity to fail.
John 21:15-17 tells us this:
“When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Feed My lambs,” He told him.
A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.
He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.”
“Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.”
Before we discuss today’s verses, let’s look at one other passage. Take the time to read Matthew 26:69-75 (see below at end of post) and consider Peter’s emotions in that moment. The more people asked about his relationship to Jesus, the more emphatic his denials became. At first, he said, “I do not know what you are talking about” (v. 70). Then he denied Jesus with an oath, and finally “began to curse and swear” (vv. 72-74).
But when the rooster crowed, he remembered his words from the night before: “I will never fall away!” He had even gone so far as to declare he’d never deny Jesus, even if it meant dying with Him (Matthew 26:31-35 see below at end of post). For all that false bravado, the apostle failed exactly as Jesus said he would. No wonder he sobbed bitterly.
A few days later, when he saw Jesus on the shore, Peter hurled himself into the sea and hurried to his Savior. Imagine how it must have felt to stand there, dripping wet, staring at the One you loved and had betrayed. After the meal, Jesus allowed Peter to rewrite his answers that had been given in a haze of panic and fear. And with each affirmation, the disciple knew he was both forgiven and profoundly loved. Jesus offers that same experience to us, now and always. He never stops seeking, never stops offering forgiveness to all who call Him Lord and Savior.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
Peter Denies His Lord:
“Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant approached him and she said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”
“But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!”
“And again, he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man!”
“After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.”
“Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
~ Matthew 26:69-75
Peter’s Denial Predicted:
“Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away because of Me, for it is written:
“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered” [Zechariah 13:7]
“But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
“Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”
“I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”
“Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.”
~ Matthew 26:31-35
•
Power in the Word
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." ~ Romans 10:17
In the famous and epic movie "The Ten Commandments", whenever Pharaoh would make a decision or issue an edict, he would say authoritatively, “So let it be written; so let it be done!” The royal scribes would dutifully record the Pharaoh’s words for posterity. The message was clear: Pharaoh’s words were powerful; they were the guiding force in Egypt.
In an even more authoritative way, the Words of God are alive and powerful:
"For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." ~ Hebrews 4:12
By His Words, God spoke into existence the earth and everything in it. Jesus is called the "Word of God" — the incarnation of the will and Words of God:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." ~ John 1:1-2
And Peter says that by God’s Words — His “great and precious promises” — we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). And Paul writes that our faith comes by hearing “the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
We gain power and maturity in our spiritual life as the Spirit of God illuminates the Word of God on a daily basis. Make God’s Word a priority in your life.
Charles Spurgeon once said, "I hold one single sentence out of God’s Word to be of more certainty, and of more power, than all the discoveries of all the learned men of all the ages."
_______________
~ by David Jeremiah, Turning Point Ministries (https://www.davidjeremiah.org)
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
•
The Power of Love
~ We can show others the heart of God by caring for them as He does.
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-32
In today’s well-known passage, Jesus tells a parable about a man with two sons. The younger son made an untimely request for his share of the inheritance and then left for a faraway place. After spending all he had, the young man decided to return home and beg for his father’s forgiveness. When he was still a long way off, his father ran to welcome him — no apologies necessary.
Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son never mentions the word love directly, but it’s there in every one of the father’s actions. Putting yourself in the father’s place and then the younger son’s, reread today’s passage with an eye toward expressions of love. What examples can you find?
Notice that godly love enables us to:
• Respond graciously in trying circumstances.
• Sacrifice without complaining.
• Wait patiently for others instead of pushing them to change.
• Encourage others.
• Forgive those who have wronged us.
• Give generously and serve joyfully at all times.
• Assist people who are struggling.
• Show kindness to those who misjudge or misunderstand us.
Keeping this parable in mind, how can you begin to love others more fully, as the Lord does?
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-power-of-love-2
•
Living a Life Worthy of God
"For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God." ~ Colossians 1:9-10
How can anyone live a life that is worthy of God?
If God is perfect, does He expect perfection from us?
No. Our sins don't surprise God. If anything the one sure thing that God could expect from us is failure!
So, if He doesn't expect perfection, what does God desire from us?
He desires:
• Repentance, rather than rejection
• Love, rather than lip-service
• Worship, rather than works
• Obedience, rather than offering
• Relationship, rather than religion.
• Living a public faith, rather than a private faith
• Time with us, rather than testimonies from us
• Our pursuit of holiness, rather than giving us a perfect life
• Our desire to truly know Him, rather than just to know about Him
_______________
~ by Marji "Mike" Kruger, "Anchor Your Life"
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
•
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
—1 Peter 1:23 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
When Loneliness Overwhelms
~ What should you do when you feel alone?
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:5-6
Solitude can be nice — relaxing, even — especially after a busy day or a long shift at work. Spending time alone can leave you feeling recharged and rested. But loneliness is different.
So, what should you do if you feel lonely?
• First, ask yourself if you’ve accepted Jesus’ invitation to have a personal relationship with Him. He is the nearest, dearest friend you can ever have.
• Second, remember that God repeatedly promises that He will never leave or abandon you (See Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5, 9; Psalm 27:10; John 14:18).
You can also ...
• Pray. Ask the Lord to help you have a right understanding of who you are as His child. Scripture tells us that God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and that He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Ask Him to help you to feel His love and friendship.
• Memorize the Lord’s promises. We mentioned a few up above, but are there any you want to add? Prayerfully examine Scripture to find a few that encourage you.
• Pray about godly friendships. Ask God to bring the right people into your life — particularly those with whom you can laugh and pray. Friendship is an extension of the Lord’s love and goodness in your life.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/when-loneliness-overwhelms
•
No Fear in Love
~ The perfect love of God compels us to courageously love others.
Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:7-21
If you’ve ever enlisted in the military, joined a rescue team, or even given birth to a baby, you know people don’t take on dangerous tasks because they falsely believe the mission is safe. No, we agree to face potential peril because someone or something we love dearly is worth taking any risk.
This can help us understand why God so often tells His followers not to be afraid and then gives encouragement to boldly move forward in obedience, courage, and trust. While fear may spur us to action, love is a more powerful motivator. We will do out of love what we would never do out of fear.
So divine love compels us. God — who created this world, who took on flesh to walk among us and redeem us, who died to save us — has given us perfect love. And we demonstrate this love from God by loving each other. Even when we are afraid.
What a mission God has given us — to both receive His perfect love and demonstrate it to each other. In the process of carrying out that mission, we will find that where love abounds, there’s no room left for our fears.
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/no-fear-in-love
•
Do Not Be Afraid
~ Our loving, faithful, and powerful God will never leave us, so we need not succumb to fear.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41:9-10
Throughout the Bible, God’s messengers and prophets tell His people to resist fear. Phrases like “Do not be afraid!” and “Don’t be anxious or worried!” abound. It’s enough to make us think perhaps the world is the safe and comfortable place we’re always dreaming it could be. With all these commandments not to be afraid — often backed up with the promise that God is with us — we might start to feel invincible.
But a closer look tells a different story. To whom did God say these words?
• To Hagar, the abused slave, alone with her young boy and about to perish in the desert. She wasn’t safe. Her life was in shambles. But God saw her.
• To the Hebrew slaves, mistreated for generations, now facing the terrifying reality of spending their life in the wilderness.
• To the exiles who watched their cities destroyed, only to be carried away to their conqueror’s homeland. God promised return — but not for 70 years, a full lifetime.
None of these people were safe, and most of them never would be. Yet God said, “Do not be afraid.” He says this to us today, too, amid our own grief. Though the suffering may not pass, God’s love and faithful presence will never leave our side.
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/do-not-be-afraid
•
Amen Brother! Glad you stopped by! Pray that all is well with you and yours.
•
If you have never been saved...born again...never ask Jesus to forgive you your sins...and yet you find yourself here reading....i can assure it is not by mistake...the Holy Spirit could very well be convicting you to pursue a relationship with Jesus....that my friend...in all your years here on planet earth is the most important decision you will ever make....to invite Jesus into your heart. Jesus...is your only way to heaven when you die....so...how do you get saved....become born-again....just talk to God and ask Him to forgive you....somethink like what ive typed here below...and then....talk to us here....find a church and tell someone there....continue to read post here and most importantily....start reading your Bible every day and let the spirit of God start to change you into the likeness of Jesus....
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that You love me and want to save me. Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God, who died on the cross to pay for my sins. I believe God raised You from the dead. I now turn from my sin and, by faith, receive You into my life as my personal Lord and Savior. Come into my heart, forgive my sins, and save me, Lord Jesus. In Your name I pray , Amen.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
What is our response? We can ignore God’s love or we can believe it. We can reject God’s gift or we can receive it. If we choose to believe Jesus is the Son of the living God who died on our behalf and was raised again, and if we surrender our lives to Him, according to John 3:16, we can live.
What we could not do for ourselves, Jesus has done for us! "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). This is the story of Jesus. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for us, was buried, and then was raised from the dead on the third day to prove that His payment was acceptable to God (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus then ascended into Heaven and He is alive today to have a relationship with you!
All that remains is our acceptance of God’s payment and forgiveness. He will not force it on us. And this is a decision each person needs to make personally: No one else can do it for you. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
-Love Worth Finding-
Love is patient...love is kind. It does not envy...it does not boast...it is not proud. It does not dishonor others...It does not insist on its own way...it is not easily angered...it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects...always trusts...always hopes...always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Infinite Forgiveness
~ Relationships work well when we become channels of God’s mercy and grace.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:15-22
Some people say the most difficult part of any job is not the task itself or the challenge involved but getting along with coworkers. Are you surprised? Getting along with other humans is where things likely fall apart. So, after Jesus drives home God’s intention that not even one of His little ones should perish, the immediate takeaway He gives the disciples is conflict management advice.
Jesus says to point out transgressions privately to a brother or sister in sin. Few of us love confrontation whether we’re on the giving or receiving end. But if we find the courage to address this kind of situation correctly, we may save a relationship.
Of course, confrontation often goes sideways. As Jesus unpacks this possibility, Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother — even seven times?
That small number represents a large amount of pain to the disciple. But Jesus doesn’t hesitate: Yes, and even seventy times seven times. In Jesus’ culture, the symbolic “seventy times seven” didn’t equal 490; it equaled infinity. In other words, forgiveness is something Christ followers should always practice.
Salvation is instantaneous, but discipleship is a lifelong journey. We will need each other’s encouragement — and the grace and mercy of God — as we learn to forgive the way Jesus taught us.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/infinite-forgiveness
•
These Little Ones
~ Every life is precious in God’s sight — and should be in our sight as well.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:10-14
“What do you think?” Jesus asks His disciples in Matthew 18. “If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost?” (v. 12).
Well, what do we think? If we had a hundred sheep and one of them wandered away, I’m not sure any of us would leave the rest to go searching. It’s likely that the single missing animal would feel like a reasonable loss — a small impact on the bottom line, something already factored into the budget.
But in this passage, Jesus makes it clear just how precious “these littles ones” are to Him. He is driving home a point about the person who seems worthless — the one we tend to overlook or don’t care much about: That’s the one God is looking out for.
In other words, God’s spreadsheet doesn’t look like ours. In His budget, there are no calculations for loss with regard to His “little ones.” No one is considered collateral damage. That’s good news, because the One who watches over lost lambs and tiny sparrows is watching out for us as well. But these are also challenging words, for God asks us to live with compassion, too. Thankfully, His grace is sufficient to equip us for this good work.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/these-little-ones
•
Good Things Versus God Things
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God." ~ Romans 8:14
The greatest sign that you and I are maturing in our walk with God is when we can discern the difference between "good things" and "God things". When the people of Israel journeyed out of Egypt through the desert, the cloud led them by day. They could move only as fast as the cloud. If they went ahead, they went without God's presence. If they lagged behind, they also lost God's presence.
Each of us must have the discernment to know when God is leading in a matter, or if it is simply a good idea. There are so many things in which you and I can be involved, and the more successful you become, the greater the temptations to enter into things where God has not called you. Entrepreneurs are especially prone to see all the opportunities.
I recall one time when I entered into a project that I thought was a great idea. It would help many people. After two years, the project had to be discontinued. It was a great lesson on understanding what projects have God's blessing on them. There are some projects you and I might get involved in that result in little fruit compared to the investment put into them. That is because they may never have been birthed by the Holy Spirit.
As sons and daughters of God, we are called to be led by the Spirit. This requires a level of dependence on God in which many of us really do not want to invest. It requires listening, waiting, and moving only when God's Spirit tells us to move. Workplace believers are "action" people. We know how to get things done, but our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness.
Today, ask God to make you a Romans 8:14 man or woman who is led by the Spirit of God. Pray against lagging behind or moving too far ahead. Ask God to reveal whether the next project you consider is a "good thing" or a "God Thing."
________________
~ by Os Hillman, TGIF - Today God Is First
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
•
Looking Forward
~ Because God promises a glorious future, Christians can find the strength to wait — even when it’s difficult.
Scripture Reading: Joel 1:1-20; Joel 2:1-32; Joel 3:1-21
More often than not, waiting involves a lot of stress — especially when we don’t know how long it will be until the holding pattern ends. During the wait, we sometimes turn away from God and yearn for a time when things felt easier. But what if we turned towards God and looked forward instead?
The prophet Joel spoke to God’s people during a challenging time when their land had been invaded by locusts. Livelihoods were destroyed by drought and pestilence, and people were starving. Those were days full of destruction, darkness, and utter gloom.
Yet God did not point them back to the good old days. Instead, He pointed them to the future, to Himself. He called them to return to Him and reminded them that a day of vindication and redemption would ultimately come. And while it’s true that “ultimately” could be generations away, there is comfort in knowing His promise of restoration is certain. On that day there will be tremendous rejoicing — vats will overflow and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32).
By turning our eyes forward towards that certain-yet-far-off day, we too may find the strength to keep waiting.
__________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/looking-forward
•
Living Abundantly
~ Our best life is found when we trust God completely and live surrendered to His will.
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 3:5-12
God created us with a longing to know that we matter. He also designed us to find the fulfillment of that desire through His Son.
Dependence on God is central to an abundant life. Trusting Him with all our heart means giving Him control over everything — our family, finances, emotions, and thoughts. Today’s passage emphasizes how essential trust is to a fruitful life: It cautions against being wise in our own eyes and warns not to lean on our own understanding (vv. 5,7). When faced with decisions, it’s tempting to choose the answer we think is right. But we can’t know all the facts or predict with certainty how others will respond. The Lord, however, does know. He reads our heart and perceives every thought (1 Chronicles 28:9). No aspect of our situation escapes His notice (Psalm 11:4), and He cares about everyone. That’s why He alone is certain which decision will be best.
The abundant life also involves acknowledging God in all we do. Speaking about Him is just part of what it means to give Him recognition. As His children, (those of us who are believers) we are to have a marked resemblance to our heavenly Father — in thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
Life becomes fruitful as we surrender ourselves to God and carry out His will. When His Spirit lives through us (Galatians 2:20), our life will be characterized by significance and satisfaction.
__________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/living-abundantly
•
Having Time Alone
~ God has a better beginning to every day in store for us if we’ll follow Him.
• Why is time alone with God so important?
• Why can’t just going to church, a community group, or a Bible study be enough?
Those of us who have grown up in church or have been going to church for many years have been told that time spent alone with God is vital to our relationship with Him. Many of us, however, were never given a reason why. And in order for us to consistently and effectively engage in this crucial practice, we must understand why it is so important.
Here’s what we learn from Scripture about having time alone with God:
Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Jesus spent time alone with His heavenly Father.
Luke 5:16 states: “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Mark 1:35 states: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.”
Often in Scripture, Jesus withdrew from the crowd to pray.
So, the first reason to spend time alone with God is because Jesus did. If Jesus needed time alone with His heavenly Father, we can all be sure we need it even more. Jesus walked in God’s presence constantly. Jesus constantly responded to God’s will for His life. He is our perfect example. And even still, He needed time alone with God.
We also see from Jesus’ example that time alone with God empowers us to carry out God’s purpose for our life. It was after withdrawing into the wilderness in Luke 4 that He began performing miracles. Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane filled with grief and sorrow, asking God for a way other than His own death to achieve salvation for His people. After spending time alone with God, He came out of the garden empowered to endure the worst atrocity in history. Spending time alone with God empowers us to live a life filled with a knowledge of God’s purposes and the ability to faithfully see them through.
Lastly, Jesus is clear in Matthew 6:5-6 how we are to pray:
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
God rewards time spent alone with Him in prayer. It’s by praying in secret that we clearly and tangibly encounter God’s love for us. It’s by spending time engaging in conversation with the Spirit that we learn what His voice sounds like. It’s by asking God questions that we discover His will. And it’s by spending time alone with Him that our lives become centered around His nearness and goodness.
All of the money in the world cannot buy the rewards God longs to give you. All the favor of men will not satisfy your insatiable desire to be fully known and fully loved. Receive right now the best gift you could be offered, one-on-one communion with your heavenly Father.
God’s desire to spend time alone with you is not meant to add stress or pressure to your life but to relieve you from it. He is not a God who is after you religiously checking off a quiet time box, but a good Father who longs to fill your life with His grace, power, and love. Spend some time today mulling over these important questions from Brennan Manning written in his book, “The Furious Longing of God”:
“Is your own personal prayer life characterized by the simplicity, childlike candor, boundless trust, and easy familiarity of a little one crawling up in Daddy’s lap? An assured knowing that the daddy doesn’t care if the child falls asleep, starts playing with toys, or even starts chatting with little friends, because the daddy knows the child has essentially chosen to be with him for that moment? Is that the spirit of your interior prayer life?”
May your day be marked by the love of your kind, good Father.
_______________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/having-time-alone-2024/
•
The Mercy Exchange
“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” ~ Matthew 7:5
It is annoying to see others get away with something. We want justice to be done – except when it’s us.
Perhaps when we reflect on this, our longing for justice is an opportunity for self-reflection. Perhaps the injustice we see bothers us because we have something deep within us that needs to be dealt with.
Usually the reason we can see the speck in the eye of another is because we have the same problem. The more the behavior of another annoys us, the more likely we are in need to deal with that behavior ourselves.
The next time someone annoys you, or you are inclined to judge, use it as an opportunity for self-examination:
• What fault is this showing me I need to deal with in myself?
• Is there a slight that needs forgiving?
When we judge, we are doing a job that properly belongs to God. We can trust that justice will reign – God has promised it. At the same time we can be grateful Jesus has borne our sins in full payment for our own injustice. When we see others in sin, perhaps we need to hand it over to God, to let Him deal with it in due time. Or, perhaps we need to do a speck removal. But only after we have dealt with our own issues.
Looking within ourself causes us to fall on the mercy of God. Thank goodness He is merciful!
______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net/devotional/the-mercy-exchange/
•
Life In Surrender
~ I hope today that we all learn about the value of living out our lives in surrender, and experience the life that comes through actually dying to ourselves, that we might live in Christ more fully.
There is a life available to us as believers that few find — a life free from burden, fear, boredom, and emptiness. The problem is that the road to life requires a complete sacrifice of ourselves. The road to purpose, passion, joy and freedom requires that we die to ourselves every hour of every day. Jesus made the way to freedom open and clear for us. Scripture serves as the perfect practical handbook to walk that narrow road. And the Holy Spirit serves as the perfect guide and friend along the way. We have everything we need available to us, however, most of us lack a willingness to sacrifice fully so that the seeds of our surrender lead to the fruition of an abundant life.
Jesus charges us to lose our lives in order to gain life with God. In Matthew 10:39 He says:
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
The only way for us to truly find abundant life in God is to surrender our life for His sake. In fact, all of creation testifies to this truth. Think for a second of those trying to find their lives on their own instead of in God. Humans have an insatiable lust for affection, purpose, security, and love. No matter how loved a person is by society, it’s never enough. No matter how much money a person makes, they could always make a little more. No matter how driven a person is, there is always more they could be doing. We are lost without God.
Seeing these people makes me evaluate my own life and search for areas I haven’t surrendered to God yet. Thinking about their insatiable lust for more makes me look for my own. I need my life to have purpose. I need to be loved, to have freedom, and to feel satisfied. I experience satisfaction only inasmuch as I have surrendered my life to God. God will not fill what is closed off to Him. He does not force His will upon us. Rather, He waits patiently, quietly beckoning us to lose our lives so that He can lavish on us a life greater and more filled with His goodness than we could have ever imagined.
Our Father longs for us to be loved completely. He longs for us to be completely secure by trusting Him. He longs for us to be fully satisfied.
• Will you answer His beckoning today?
• Will you choose to trust Him?
He is so faithful — more faithful than we will ever fully know. You cannot count all the ways in which He desires to love you. The immense depth of His love is bottomless.
• But will you spend your life trying to search it out?
• Will you search out the depths of God’s love today?
• Will you make as much room in your heart as possible for him to come dwell?
• Will you lose your life today so that you may find it in him?
The road is narrow. It will take work. It will take sacrifice. It will take everything. But you will gain immeasurably more in return.
Listen to the Spirit today as you enter into a time of prayer and respond in whatever ways He leads you.
You can only experience the fruit of the Spirit through things born of the Spirit. God cannot bless sin and selfishness because it isn’t good for you. If God were to bless something that wasn’t best for you, you would keep doing it! If a dating relationship isn’t blessed, if it isn’t born of the Spirit, get out of it. If a friend leads you away from God instead of to Him, stop hanging out with him or her. If a lifestyle choice you are making doesn’t have the peace of God in it, quit doing it. Surrender seems to cost so much at the time, but it will be the best decision you ever make. Set your life on the narrow path God has laid out for you. Live your life in response to the Spirit and to His Word. The life you find in God will be immeasurably greater than any life you could find on your own.
_______________
~ based upon an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/life-in-surrender-2024/
•
Renewing Your Mind
~ I pray that after today’s time, your mind is clear and focused on truth, and that your emotions and actions are marked by abundant life as a result.
Your mind is the battleground on which the war for your emotions, purpose, effectiveness, and fullness of life is won or lost. It’s your mind that is attacked daily by the enemy. It’s your mind that the world is trying to influence for its own benefit. And it’s your mind that the Lord desires to renew daily in order for you to live in abundant relationship with Him.
• If the mind truly is a battleground, how do you come out the winner?
• How do you come out victorious over Satan and his schemes?
Scripture says clearly that to achieve victory over your mind it must be continually renewed by the power of God’s Word.
Romans 12:2 states:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
God puts conforming to the world and being transformed by the renewal of your mind in opposition. There is no grey area. Your mind is either being won for the kingdom of God or lost to the world. You are either thinking pleasing thoughts to God or not. You are either experiencing the abundant life Jesus made available to you or not.
For a long time, the idea of renewing my mind felt exhausting. Honestly, reading the Bible was incredibly boring for me. But I discovered that the Bible is only as life-giving to me as I am willing to be transformed by it. Until we actually sit down, open our hearts, and allow ourselves to be transformed by God’s Word, we will never experience the life that comes from victory in our minds. The thoughts that plague you — the thoughts that rob you of freedom, peace, and joy — will never leave you until you allow your mind to be renewed by God’s Word.
To ignore the war being waged around us is to lose the war. Our enemy longs for us to become complacent against his attacks. He longs for us to believe sinful thoughts, wrongful attitudes and lies are just a part of life on earth. He knows he has no power against the ability of God’s Word to transform us.
So, how do you renew your mind?
Philippians 4:8 says:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Set your thoughts on the things of God. Begin every day by setting your mind on the wonderful character of the living God and your new identity in Christ. If you will allow God’s Word to be the foundation of your thought life by spending your first moments meditating on Scripture, the battle for your mind will be won for the Kingdom. The negative thoughts and insecurities you face daily will flee from you in the glorious light of God’s Truth. That’s God’s promise for you today and every day.
Take time today to meditate on Scripture and experience the transformative power of grace over your thoughts as you enter into prayer.
God’s Word is truer than how you feel, and if you will align your life with the truth of Scripture it will begin to powerfully affect your emotions. Emotions are the result of the way we think. We feel loved because we believe we are loved. We feel joy because we believe there is cause for joy. In the same way, when we believe a lie from the enemy our emotions are powerfully impacted. When we believe we’ll never get victory over a sin, that no one loves us, or that we’re not good enough, our lives begin to bear the fruit of those lies. But there is power when we root ourselves in the Word of God. Transcendent joy and peace come when we establish God’s Word as our basis for truth. May your day be marked by a new freedom as the result of renewing your mind.
_________________
~ based upon an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/renewing-your-mind-2024/
•
Hope Fuels Perseverance
~ Look beyond today’s hardship and trust the Lord, who is working for your good.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:28-31
Pain can serve as a warning that something in the body is wrong. After a physical injury or surgery, however, discomfort is often part of the journey toward recovery. At such times, many people might be tempted to let pain keep them from working through the rehabilitation process to regain strength and mobility. For that reason, physical therapists will frequently challenge their patients to push just past their comfort zone. They know that a good outcome depends on more than enduring pain once or twice and then quitting before recovery is complete.
Successful rehab is dependent on the patient’s hope in a better future — in other words, they must look beyond their uncomfortable or painful present circumstances.
Isaiah recognized that even strong young people have limitations (Isaiah 40:30). They run out of energy. They stumble. In contrast, the prophet noted that God never grows tired, nor are there limits to His insight (Isaiah 40:28). Understanding our weariness, He calls us to wait for Him (Isaiah 40:31). At the same time, our Father realizes waiting can be even more spiritually and emotionally uncomfortable than trying to push through exhaustion in our own strength. But hope and trust in Him can help us to persevere and, over time, grow in ways we never imagined.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/hope-fuels-perseverance
•
Start Your Day with The Best Thing
~ I pray that your life would be marked by a new grace to consistently and powerfully encounter the living God.
Key Scripture Verse:
“How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear [revere, worship] You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world.” ~ Psalm 31:19
As Christians we know we are supposed to start our day off with God. If you have been a believer for any length of time, you have likely been encouraged by a pastor, teacher, mentor or friend to spend time every morning in God’s presence. However, many of us have never been told why God wants us to spend time with Him in the morning. We’ve never discovered all God longs to do in the first moments of our days. We just carry the weight of knowing we should spend time alone with God.
Why should you spend time with God every morning?
God longs for your day to begin with the absolute best thing, and the best thing is His presence. If encountering God’s presence is the best part of your day, then you already know the impact it has made on you. For most of us though, I am going to bet that we’ve yet to fully discover how great spending time with God is. Take a look at your life.
How often do you spend time with God?
This isn’t a report card where the people with the most consistent quiet times get a gold star. Be real with yourself. This is for your benefit. Take a moment and assess how often you actually spend time meeting with God.
You see, we will only ever consistently do that which we want to do, especially with our free time. We might have to go to work. We might feel obligated to people or practices. But with our personal time, our wants will always win out over our obligations. For many years I tried to spend time with God out of obligation. As a result, I hardly ever did it. It wasn’t until I encountered the incredible love and peace inherent in God’s presence that I began to actually desire to spend time with Him. Once I felt the satisfaction only His presence can bring, I began to crave time with Him out of a need to satisfy my longings for love, purpose, and relationship. I discovered that my time spent with God was the absolute best part of my day.
Psalm 16:11 says:
“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
And Psalm 84:1-2 says:
“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”
I can attest that consistently receiving a revelation of God’s love has been the single most transformative part of my life. The days I don’t start with the best thing, being in His presence, are my worst days by far. His presence ignites me with passion, love, purpose, and a sense of belonging that nothing else can give.
• Wherever you are in relation to God today, do you want to know Him more?
• Do you want a deeper revelation of His goodness and love?
Take time to open your heart to God and allow Him to satisfy your eternal need for communion with the Father. Allow Him to fill you with His presence that you might experience the reality of His love. And let a true, transformative encounter with the living God fill you with a greater hunger to consistently encounter God in the first moments of each day.
May your time spent today encountering God in prayer be filled with the “fullness of joy”.
Before you go to bed tonight take a minute to get in God’s presence. Let His goodness be the last thing you think of before you go to sleep and the first thing you wake up to in the morning. Throughout the day, if you feel down, passionless, or weary, take a minute to reflect on the goodness of God. He longs to spend time with you throughout your day, filling you with joy, passion, and purpose for bringing His kingdom to earth in all you do. May your day be filled with the fullness of God today.
_______________
~ based upon an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/start-your-day-with-the-best-thing-2024/
•
Yet Will I Hope in Him
~ Even when our situation is bleak, we can trust God.
Scripture Reading: Job 13:1-15
Satan came before the Lord and requested permission to unleash a series of tests on Job. The barrage of hardships was meant to crush the faithful believer’s soul and reveal he wasn’t the righteous person God claimed. After Job lost his possessions, family, and health, his friends came to comfort him. They didn’t know the real reason behind his suffering — but that didn’t stop the would-be comforters from assuming Job was receiving punishment he deserved. As the old saying goes, “With friends like that, who needs enemies?”
Have you ever received the kind of advice Job’s unhelpful friends offered? At times when we’re experiencing hardship, we too may find ourselves on the receiving end of judgmental “consolation.” Early in the discussion with his misguided comforters, faithful Job responded in a way that put their counsel in the proper perspective. Despite having no idea why he’d lost so much, Job declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15).
Job’s bold pronouncement is both a realistic take on his current circumstances and an expression of confidence in God’s character. His hope was not some pie-in-the-sky spiritual cliché that diminished his suffering but a conscious decision to trust God in the midst of it.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/yet-will-i-hope-in-him
•
How to Serve God
~ When you confidently pursue God’s call, He will overcome every obstacle and empower you to succeed.
Scripture Reading: Titus 3:5-8
When you encounter opportunities to serve the Lord, how do you respond?
God wants us to be servants willing to seek His specific plan for our life and to do whatever He calls us to do. He uniquely gifts His followers to serve according to His will. But if we’ve already decided what we can’t, won’t, or are ill-equipped to do, then we’re acting by our own will. We don’t want to miss the blessings that come with trusting God.
You may serve the Lord as a godly parent, as an employee who shares the gospel with coworkers, or as a friend who listens to people who are hurting. There is no restriction on what God can do with a willing heart. The strength of His Spirit overcomes human limitations.
• Don’t have enough courage? God can fix that.
• Don’t have the right skills? God can fix that too.
Laying down our excuses is the wisest thing we can do to serve the Lord. Trust that He will empower you to accomplish whatever He calls you to do — and will see to it that you are properly equipped and trained (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 13:20-21).
All He asks of you is that you say yes.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/how-to-serve-god
•
The Presence of God
~ My hope is that today the presence of God is demystified a bit, and becomes a regular part of every day we set aside to meet with Him.
One of the most important pieces of spending time with God is encountering His presence. His presence is meant to be at the core of all that we do. God so hated separation from us that Jesus was sent to pay the ultimate price. And at Jesus’s death the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from mankind was torn in two — signifying that God’s presence was no longer contained but made available to everyone.
Psalm 139:7-8 says:
“Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.”
And Psalm 84:3-4 says:
“Even a sparrow finds a home, and a swallow, a nest for herself where she places her young — near Your altars, Lord of Hosts, my King and my God. How happy are those who reside in Your house, who praise You continually.”
God’s presence is everywhere. There is nowhere you could go that He won’t be there. There is no situation, conversation, job or place in which you can’t meet with God.
• So how do we encounter the presence of God?
• How do we experience His nearness?
Encountering God is similar to encountering another person. I don’t seek an experience with a friend; I simply seek to know them by spending time with them and gain an experience as a result. I don’t seek to hear the voice of a friend; I simply engage in conversation with them as an act of wanting to know them and hear their voice as a result.
The only thing about seeking God that makes it different is that He is spirit rather than flesh.
John 4:24 says:
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
But it’s for that very reason that we can truly know Him!
Scripture is clear that God is everywhere and that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. His presence is already with you. Encountering Him is as simple as taking some time to become aware of His nearness.
God longs for you to know Him. So great is His desire to meet with you Spirit to spirit, heart to heart, that Jesus gave His life. Take time to simply seek God. Meditate on His Word. Allow Scripture to fill your heart with faith. And make space to rest in God’s presence that your heart might come alive at the revelation of His nearness.
Once you begin consistently encountering God’s presence you will find it becomes easier and easier to set aside that time to meet with Him. So many Christians are calling the time they spend reading the Bible “time they spend with God,” without actually encountering Him. We preach as Christians that Jesus is alive; our faith hinges on that fact. Yet we go so long without encountering our God who is alive and present. If we’re not regularly encountering the God we serve, we are living and preaching a false gospel by our actions. God’s presence is meant to be encountered. He is present, near, active, and full of love for you. May your time spent with Him be marked by His satisfying presence as you experience the transforming power of encountering the living God every day.
_________________
~ based upon an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/the-presence-of-god-2024/
•
Communion With God
~ May God guide us ever closer to Him as we create room for Him to fill us right now.
Scripture Reading:
“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. “Yes, I AM the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” ~ John 15:4-5
The Christian life is meant to be marked by union with God. By the powerful sacrifice of Jesus, the Holy Spirit now dwells within us — longing to make His nearness known. He longs for His perfect love and peace to be the foundation of everything we do, think, and feel.
Brother Lawrence wrote about a life lived in continual communion with God in the book, “The Practice of the Presence of God”. He said:
“I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of GOD. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of center of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.”
The more we grow in our knowledge of the profound union that exists between our spirit and the Holy Spirit, the more we will discover our great need of His tangible, constant presence.
• Maybe you are at a place where you don’t feel like you really know God.
• Maybe you know about Him but don’t know Him like a friend.
In describing the process of coming to know God, Brother Lawrence wrote:
“In order to know God, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.”
An amazing transformation takes place in our hearts as our souls awake to our union with God. His love has the power to ignite us toward a lifestyle of seeking greater communion with Him.
In many ways our God is infinitely more knowable than any person. Because God is spirit and now dwells within the hearts of believers, He is perfectly able to reveal Himself in deeper, more knowable ways than you have access to with anyone else. He has the ability to reveal His thoughts, feelings, power, love, and will moment by moment and in ways that surpass the miscommunication that language often brings. He speaks straight from His Spirit to yours that you may truly know Him to greater depths than anyone else. The question is not can we know God, but are we willing to center our lives around the knowledge of Him.
Take time in prayer today to experience union with God. Ask Him to reveal His nearness that you might know Him in deeper, more tangible ways. May your day be marked by God’s presence and love moment by moment as you seek to walk with Him in all you do.
Your God is both patient and kind. He longs to be with you so you might know His peace. He longs for the foundation of your life to be His love for you. Seek His face throughout your day today that your life may be marked by His perfect nearness. Don’t settle for an ordinary day, but strive for the fullness of life God has for you. May your life be marked by a moment-to-moment knowledge of God’s nearness and love for you.
_________________
~ based upon an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/communion-with-god-2024/
•
From the Pastor’s Heart – January 2024
~ Start the new year with your eyes fixed on Jesus.
We wish you a Happy New Year!
Here at In Touch we look forward to the new beginning that every January brings, and we hope you’re filled with faith and confidence as well. Here are some challenging words — and practical advice — from Dr. Stanley to help you make this a year of great spiritual growth.
_________________
What’s your outlook on beginning a new year?
Some people think making New Year’s resolutions is foolish. And it’s true that many are quickly forgotten or abandoned, but that doesn’t mean the whole practice is a waste of time. It’s a way of setting your course in the right direction for the coming months. If you don’t make plans for improvement, the only alternative is to drift along doing the same things you’ve done before — whether or not they’re fruitful.
As the old year transitions into the new, take some time to evaluate your life.
Not just based on worldly accomplishments, but on a deeper spiritual level. In the last week of December, I always review my diaries to see how I’ve responded to the Lord’s guidance, promises, or warnings throughout the year. The goal is not to judge my performance, but to check the condition of my heart and remind myself of the lessons I’ve learned.
Try asking yourself the following questions:
• What did I achieve last year?
• Have I done anything that will outlive me and have eternal significance?
• Did I spend my time, energy, and resources accomplishing what I wanted or what God desired?
• Have I grown in my relationship with Christ?
These questions relate to the most important aspect of your life — and the key to anything you hope to experience in the future. Let’s consider Paul’s example in Philippians 3:7-16.
First, Paul had one desire that superseded all others:
“Whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (vv. 7-8).
That’s a challenging standard, isn’t it? Are career, family, financial, material, or social goals more important to you than gaining deeper knowledge of, and intimacy with your Savior? There’s nothing wrong with pursuing other things, but they need to take second place to your relationship with the Lord. That means you have to make time to spend with Him, in His Word and prayer.
Second, Paul had a primary goal in life:
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (v. 10). This wasn’t just a superficial familiarity. Paul wanted to know Christ personally and experientially by (1) joyful, daily surrender to His resurrection power, (2) suffering for righteousness as He did, and (3) being continually conformed to Christ by putting sin to death in his life.
Is knowing God better honestly your primary goal? Most Christians would like to say yes, but the way they invest their time and effort indicates otherwise. The desire may be there, but the action is not; there’s no “follow-through.” No one ever drifts into fulfilling a goal. Without expending effort, you have a wish, not a goal, and no progress is made without a plan to fulfill it.
Third, Paul whole-heartedly pursued his goal:
“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (vv. 13-14).
Paul uses the imagery of a race. To make forward progress, you can’t carry baggage from the past (Hebrews 12:1). Former accomplishments trip you up with pride, while failures and regret drag you down. Instead, run unencumbered, stretching forward with all your might to reach the finish line.
Did Paul succeed in achieving his goal?
Listen to his last recorded words, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
Wouldn’t you like to finish life like this, having set a goal of eternal value that you pursued with all your heart from year to year?
It’s possible. And it’s never too late to begin.
Ask God for a fresh start. Relinquish any old baggage. And let this New Year spur you on to know the Lord above all else.
_________________
Are you ready to start 2024 with your eyes fixed on Jesus?
That’s how Dr. Stanley lived his life, and he always encouraged us to do the same. There’s nothing better than maturing in Christ, no matter how long you’ve known Him. We pray you’ll grow by leaps and bounds this year. Till next time, God bless you.
For His Glory,
Your Friends at In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/from-pastors-heart/january-2024
•
Starting the New Year in Freedom
“His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. 'We are your slaves,' they said. But Joseph said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.'" ~ Genesis 50:18-20
If you were to reflect on the past year, I am sure that some may be reminded of hurt feelings. Perhaps some of us are dragging these feelings into the new year. While it may be easier to ignore those feelings, if not dealt with, these feelings can produce bitterness and anger in us. It is hard to practice gratitude with these feelings in our hearts. Instead of trying to sweep these issues under the rug, we can choose to enter the new year with the freedom of forgiveness.
In order to truly forgive, we must surrender it all to God. This can be difficult because we typically associate the word surrender with defeat or losing the battle. But when our hurts are surrendered to God, this is when He lifts the weight off our shoulders and handle's the situation as He sees fit. Our healing begins when we come in total surrender to God. He covers us in His love, mercy, and fills us with His peace. Our human nature may want revenge on those who have hurt us, but when we surrender to God, we can trust that He will take care of it. Romans 12:19 says, "Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God… 'I will take revenge; I will pay them back', says the Lord."
The story of Joseph is a perfect example of this. When he saw his brothers before him that day, I am sure that all those feelings of hurt came back for all they had done to him. He had suffered greatly because of their jealousy. But he acknowledged God's control over everything and realized how God had used the hurt to accomplish His plans for Joseph. In the same way, God can take our pain and use it for good when we surrender it all to Him.
If we want to have peace, we need to surrender our hurt feelings over to God. We need to relinquish control. If there is someone you need to forgive, take it to God in prayer right now, leave it in His hands, choose to forgive, and trust Him with the results. Forgiveness is not about the other person, but about us and the freedom we can enjoy in Christ.
Suggested Prayer:
Lord, I surrender my feelings and those who have hurt me to You. Please heal my heart and help me forgive where necessary. I trust You and know that You have complete control over my life and all that happens in it. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.
__________________
~ by Dick Innes (https://www.actsweb.org)
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
•
What is a Devotional?
~ May our time together help you get even more out of this space for God’s presence.
The devotional section of First15 began with the belief that we need our affections for God to be constantly stirred. In the chaos of life, we need a reminder of God’s goodness and loving kindness towards us. With all the darkness that surrounds, we need help remembering that God has overcome the world and brought us to the light. This devotional exists to serve that need.
Many wonderful and anointed devotionals line our bookshelves. We can access a seemingly limitless amount of incredible teaching available today. I hope that First15 will faithfully draw you into a daily encounter with the heart of God and fill you with a desire to know Him more.
You were created for real, tangible relationship with God. You were created with longings that cannot be satisfied until you experience the fullness of God available to you through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I firmly believe that if you will simply make your heart available to be stirred up by the truth of God’s nearness and love, then you will experience whatever it is you’ve been looking for.
If you will engage with a daily time of devotion and open your heart that God might speak to you, the Holy Spirit will guide you into an encounter with your omnipotent, omnipresent Creator. God longs to be encountered. He longs for you to know His love. If you will begin each day simply seeking to meet with Him, your heart will soften and be stirred to live wholly centered around God’s goodness.
Encountering God leads to life transformation. Trivial things that seemed to matter before will no longer matter. That which robbed you of joy, purpose and abundant life will no longer have a hold on you. God’s love is powerful and real. His desire is for you. His presence is available to you. Take the next few minutes to open your heart and receive a transforming knowledge of God’s love.
“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” ~ 1 John 4:16
Evelyn Underhill writes, “This is adoration; not a difficult religious exercise, but an attitude of the soul.” May all our lives be marked by an attitude of adoration. May we seek to simply love God moment by moment rather than in infrequent bursts. And may experiencing glorious union with the Holy Spirit as afforded us by Jesus’ sacrifice be the foundation for all we do, think, and feel. I pray that your day today would be marked by humble, simple adoration of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
_______________
~ based upon an article by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/what-is-a-devotional-2024/
•
Bless all!! Jesus loves us! :) Below is something I leave for people to find....
I put them in little envelopes and label them: TO: YOU
I leave these on sidewalks and places where people walk alot.
I have seen some people pick them up and then take it with them! I know it helps! :)
And,,, below are pics of a dream I wrote down after waking up back in the mid-eightys! A couple years after I accepted Jesus as my Savior! :)
To See the Glory of God’s Purposes
~ The light of Christ provides hope, love, and power to overcome any darkness.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:18-19
If you’ve ever stumbled through your house in the dark, then you know that even perfect vision is useless without light. But flip a switch, and everything suddenly becomes much clearer.
That’s what Paul’s getting at when he prays “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18). It’s not a prayer for some kind of spiritual X-ray vision; rather, he’s asking that God enable the Ephesians to view everything they experience in the best light of all — His light.
What did they need to see? The scope and richness of salvation in Christ. First, it’s grounded in hope, something the Ephesians didn’t have before their encounter with Jesus. They’d been outside God’s kingdom, but as a result of His calling, they became His people. That reality transformed not only their future but also their present.
Now, as God’s treasured people, they were no longer to rely on their own strength. With the King and kingdom resources at hand, believers had “boundless” divine power working for, in, and through them (v. 19). It’s also a good reminder for us. Despite the world’s apparent darkness, we can live in the light, hope, and power of God’s good news. So let us confidently join Paul in praying for a perspective illuminated by the gospel.
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/to-see-the-glory-of-god-s-purposes
•
What Does It Mean to Have Time Alone with God?
We all have a hunger to know why we’re here. We all possess an insatiable desire for love, passion, and purpose. Maybe you’ve had a relationship with God for years. Maybe you’re still trying to figure out if God even exists or if He is knowable. Wherever you are in your journey with God, know this — God longs to satisfy your hunger. He knows everything about you. He’s counted every hair on your head and thinks about you more than the grains of sand (Psalm 139:18). And He loves you more than you could ever comprehend. So great is His steadfast love for you that He has a perfect plan for every one of your days. He longs to transform your thoughts, emotions. and actions with His loving kindness that your life may be filled with passion, purpose, satisfaction, and the wonderful peace of His presence.
We all require transformation. We all need the freedom and healing that comes from relationship with our Creator. And we serve a God of miraculous transformation.
Scripture says:
“Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” ~ Genesis 2:7
Psalm 139:13 states that God knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made for relationship with your heavenly Father (Psalm 139:14). Your heavenly Father longs to bring about miraculous transformation every day of your life so that you would be increasingly marked by the powerful work of His presence.
• So how does God desire to bring about transformation?
• What are His perfect plans for filling your days with passion, purpose, and love?
God’s main avenue for transformation is through spending time alone with Him every day. No matter where you are in your relationship with God, time spent in the presence of your Creator receiving a tangible revelation of His steadfast love will be the catalyst to living a life transformed. Just as a candle must be ignited with a flame to burn, so you must continuously encounter the fire of God’s love to live a transformed, joy-filled life. He is the only constant source that you have. You will only find lasting satisfaction through His nearness. Nothing else will supply all you need to live the life you truly desire.
That’s what First15 is all about. First15 was created to give you a practical resource to meet God every day. No matter how busy you are, you can set aside fifteen minutes to connect with your Creator and Sustainer. God longs to meet with you. He waits patiently to spend time with you.
Think of that! The Creator of the universe, of all things wonderful and good, is patiently waiting right now to spend time with you!
The choice of how you will spend this year is entirely up to you. I pray that you would be filled with the longing and strength to spend time with your heavenly Father. I pray that this resource is helpful in connecting you to the Father that your longings would be fully satisfied in meeting with Him. God is a limitless ocean of grace and help. And all that’s necessary to receive from Him is some time, open hands and an open heart. God calls you His beloved and longs for you to know to greater depths “the breadth and length and height and depth” of His great love for you (Ephesians 3:18).
Spend some time in prayer receiving the love of God. Answer the call to seek His face as David did in Psalm 27 saying, “Your face Lord do I seek.”
The best way to consistently encounter the transformative love of God is to set aside time early each morning that you’ll never miss. Creating a habit can often be difficult. But there is no greater pursuit than a deeper relationship with God. The time you spend with God is of eternal value. Pick a time you can consistently meet with Him. Before you go to sleep ask God to give you grace and desire to wake up and encounter Him. The more you do it the easier it will become. And as you grow in the knowledge of God and His goodness, time spent with Him will become your favorite time of the day. May your day be marked by His transcendent peace and tangible nearness.
_______________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/what-does-it-mean-to-have-time-alone-with-god-2024/
•
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 💖
Dream
~ May your heart be filled with the fruit of His incredible plans today.
God longs for His children to dream. He longs for us to set aside time with Him to wish and wonder about what life could be. I fear that many Christians have lost the art of dreaming with God out of a misunderstanding of His heart. While God most definitely has a will for our lives, He also longs for us to dream with Him so that His desires become our own. While He most definitely has perfect plans for us, He longs for us to want His plans that we might co-labor with Him rather than being dragged by Him like an ill-tempered child into what’s best. May we make time today to dream with God that our hearts may be filled with His longings and desires.
The chief way in which God wants to lead you is by planting dreams in your heart and then satisfying those dreams.
Psalm 37:4 says:
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Our Father longs for us to be so delighted in Him that we would want what He wants. He longs to fill us with right desires and then satisfy those desires in His perfect timing and in His perfect way. He longs for us to trust Him as our Good Shepherd to such a depth that we joyfully follow Him wherever He leads.
You see, Psalm 37:4 is more about delighting ourselves in God than getting what we currently think we want most. It’s more about the pursuit of Him as our chief joy than anything we could receive from Him. God alone knows what’s best for us. He alone has the perspective and wisdom to shepherd us to a truly abundant life. And we will never follow someone we don’t trust has our best will at heart.
To make God our chief joy is to surrender our lives to the overwhelming goodness and grace of an omnipotent, omnipresent, and fully loving Father. God is both willing and able to lead us into the fullness of abundant life. He is both willing and able to fill us with right longings and desires if we will simply open our hearts and trust Him.
Until we center our hearts, and therefore our lives, totally and completely around the goodness and will of our heavenly Father, we will never experience all this life has to offer. The gateway to living filled and satisfied is simply enjoying God and allowing our hearts to become like His.
Know today that your heavenly Father longs to dream with you. He longs to hear what it is you most desire. He longs to have conversation with you about what’s best. And He longs to be your chief joy, that the greatest cry of your heart is to delight yourself in Him and receive whatever comes with fully restored, unbridled relationship with Him. May your day be marked by a filling of new desires from your loving Father.
Psalm 37:23-24 says:
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he falls, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
There is no greater pursuit than simply delighting in the Lord. When we delight ourselves in Him, life becomes incredibly simple. It’s in the mixing of God and the world that our hearts feel burdened and confused. Assess the status of your heart today.
• To what level are you delighting in God?
• Will the chief pursuit of your life be God or the world?
Get lost in the love of your heavenly Father today and allow your life to become swept up in His overwhelming goodness.
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/dream-2023/
•
Hope in God's Nearness
~ As we make space for His presence today, I pray that He fills us with a new measure of hope and life in His nearness.
As sons and daughters of the living God, faith founded on God’s nearness should be at the core of our hope.
Psalm 139:7-12 says:
“Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol [the grave], You are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night” — even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.”
There is no greater source of hope than God’s resounding declaration of His nearness. Jesus paid the ultimate price that you and I might be no longer separated from God. His presence now dwells within us through the Holy Spirit. And that fact brings a pervasive hope that has the ability to profoundly impact every aspect of our lives.
As you look forward, know that the God who dwells within you knows every little thing that will happen next. He dwells within all of eternity. Time for Him is not as it is for us. And He promises to be with you in the midst of any trial, pain, victory, or defeat. He longs for you to know His presence moment by moment in everything you will do.
Your heavenly Father says:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” ~ Isaiah 41:10
You can have the fullness of hope because the God who fashioned time is “your God.” He will help you and be there for you. He will never “leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
While the rest of the world sits in fear and worry over what the future holds, your God is leading you in the path of peace that comes from trusting in His presence. But the choice is yours. Will you place your hope in yourself, others, the world, or in God? If you try and build your hope on the foundations of this world, you will find yourself tossed about by the ever-changing waves of man’s opinion. But if you choose to found your hope on the rock of God’s nearness, your life will be filled with all the goodness and mercy of God’s steadfast love.
Take time right now to place your hope in the loving nearness of your heavenly Father as you enter into prayer.
• Why do we live as if God isn’t near to us?
• Why do we fumble through life on our own when Jesus paid the ultimate price that we might have restored relationship with our loving Creator?
God has made available a better way of living and has called us to walk in it. He wants us to know His will, love, and power moment by moment. He wants our thoughts, emotions, and actions to be fully founded in His unshakable nearness.
Paul’s prayer in Romans 15:13 is my prayer for you today:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
May your day be filled with the peace that comes from trusting in God’s nearness.
_________________
~ excerpt of an article published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/hope-in-god's-nearness-2023/
•
Grace and New Beginnings
~ Because of the immeasurable grace of God, it’s never too late for a new life.
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-18
After a long winter, cherry blossoms emerge in splendor, signaling the arrival of spring and new life. Visitors travel great distances to experience the glorious spectacle in cities like Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
God’s grace, like the cherry blossom, brings beautiful new beginnings through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8). The gift of salvation is a gentle reminder that our past doesn’t define our future. The Lord, in His infinite wisdom and love, invites us to release yesterday’s burdens and embrace the promise of tomorrow.
In this season of newness, God’s grace urges us to look ahead for what is to come — though He never changes, He’s always doing a new thing. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that just as the cherry blossom signals renewal, God is continually working to bring new vitality and purpose into our life. “Do not call to mind the former things, or consider things of the past,” he writes. “Behold, I am going to do something new, now it will spring up ... I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Is your heart open to the transformative work of God?
He can bring renewal and hope to your life, creating paths in desolate places where you may have felt lost or abandoned.
God is a trustworthy guide. Follow Him.
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/grace-and-new-beginnings
•
New Beginnings
~ May you get a real sense of redemption and grace today as we seek the heart of God together.
A new year marks a new beginning: a time for the children of God to reground themselves in the love of the Father. God loves to use new seasons to remind us of His desire to continually make us new. From winter to spring we see that which appeared dead burst forth into beautiful arrays of God’s glorious work. And God longs for the same fresh start in our lives as He does for His creation. He longs to make things new as the new year begins.
Lamentations 3:22-24 says:
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!”
We have hope in the steadfast love of God. His powerful love can make new all that needs restoration. God’s heart is to free you from that which weighs you down and robs you of the abundant life Jesus came to bring you.
With this year coming to a close and a new year fast approaching, it’s time for us to gain perspective on that which needs rebirth. Whatever sin has entangled you this year does not have to gain victory over you in the next. Whatever lie you’ve believed that’s wrecked your emotions, thoughts, and actions does not have to win the battle over your mind next year. Whatever wound or disappointment that has hurt you can be healed and reborn to empower you for that which is to come.
God’s heart is to meet you where you are today. He longs to meet you at your greatest point of weakness and pain and wrap you up in His love. He longs for you to know He is with you, for you, and will walk with you into newness of life. “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). God has limitless, powerful grace for you today. Run to Him with your sin. Run to Him with your failures and struggles. Run to Him with the pain of others’ words that He might speak His healing truth over you.
Your heavenly Father loves you and is for you. He has new beginnings in store for you. But just as a tree needs fresh sunlight, warmth, and rain to bear fruit again, you need the refreshing rain of God’s grace and the warmth of His steadfast love to be made new. You can’t do it on your own. You weren’t made to do it on your own. All you need for a new beginning is wholly available in the arms of your loving Father. Open up your heart to Him today and receive the newness of life He paid the highest price to give.
Oftentimes the road to a new beginning is wrought with a host of mistakes and defeats. But know that to continue on the path side by side with the Holy Spirit is a victory in itself. Don’t give up on new life. Seek the fullness of God’s goodness with all your might. Allow Him to help you, forgive you, and strengthen you along the way. He will be faithful to shepherd you into all His wonderful plans. Follow His leadership [obedience to His Word] and enjoy His nearness. May you find comfort and hope in the powerful presence of your loving Father today.
_________________
~ excerpt from an article published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/new-beginnings-2023/
•
Followers
|
93
|
Posters
|
|
Posts (Today)
|
1
|
Posts (Total)
|
31363
|
Created
|
03/01/07
|
Type
|
Free
|
Moderator Ranb2khz | |||
Assistants tenac Ragin_Cajun |
LIVING FOR THE SUPERNATURAL:
"OUR HEAVENLY FATHER & CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE"
SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT LINKS:
(Click on Any Picture Below - Website Will Open in New Link)
LINKS FROM
ORIGINAL I-BOX:
(Click on Any Picture Below - Website Will Open in New Link)
LINKS TO OTHER
CHRISTIAN-RELATED I-HUB BOARDS:
Prayer Warriors
Bible
Christian Rock Cafe
Tunes to Spirit in the Sky
Christian Investors
Persecuted Christians
Thank you for visiting and contributing to the Eternity board.
It is our prayer that you are being encouraged, blessed, transformed, energized, and renewed
by the Holy Spirit as you read and participate (post) in this forum.
May our loving, merciful and compassionate Heavenly Father keep you and yours
safe and well throughout your days & nights.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Posts Today
|
1
|
Posts (Total)
|
31363
|
Posters
|
|
Moderator
|
|
Assistants
|
Volume | |
Day Range: | |
Bid Price | |
Ask Price | |
Last Trade Time: |