I am not worthy to stand before God, but Jesus makes me worthy and He is waiting for me there. In these troubled days, I find myself crying out to God, not for an explanation of what is happening, but for some relief from the heartache of the unknown. Every day brings more questions, yet God is patient and continues to answer with patience and kindness. He wants me just to be still, trust and wait. Jesus knows exactly what I need and He is providing it in His time…not according to my demands. We can go boldly into the throne room because the door is open to us, and once we get there, we need to be willing to be completely honest. My frustration at feeling helpless, I am laying at the foot of His throne. My anger at a disease that does nothing but destroy, I am laying at the foot of His throne. And the pain I feel for my young grandson, I am laying at the foot of His throne. May God do with it all as He will, but may He know that I am committed to not turning away from Him for guidance and help. He is the only one I can turn to, and I am thankful that He welcomes me into His throne room, even when I’m an emotional wreck.
Category: Scripture
From the Holy Bible
Keep Preaching
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/11
What a challenge this is to keep preaching when it seems none are listening! We live in a world in which so many things grab people’s attention, and unfortunately, God is not usually their attention grabber. In a world of Apple, Microsoft, Google and Tik Tok, we are called to be an “Isaiah,” one who does not let people bad choices dissuade us from sharing the truth. We never know when one might turn to God, and after all, isn’t one soul worth all of the effort we put into going and telling. We are being obedient; God is waiting. Maybe this is our time to step out, accept the challenge and tell until there are no more left to hear.
Amazing Grace
There is nothing better than knowing that God’s grace is there for each of us, His love reaches out to us from an empty tomb, and we can rest assured in the fact that God has a plan for each of us. Part of His plan is to make sure that we spend eternity with Him by asking Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. Life doesn’t always make sense, but God’s plans for eternity do. During this Holy Week, let’s take time to reflect and thank God for His “Amazing Grace.”
Bearing Fruit
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/7
As you read the devotional and Isaiah 5 today, consider that the vineyard can be any nation that the Lord has called to serve Him and to bear fruit for Him. Yes, the verses are applicable to Israel first, of course, but are they not also applicable to the current nations of the world? God has blessed the United States for many years with abundance, prosperity and a reputation as a world leader. As I watch our slowly losing all of this because of our great determination to go our own way and against God, I am not surprised that the vineyard is not producing fruit. We who are Christians need to produce fruit, pray for God’s mercy on our land and give the fruit that we produce to others so that they, too, may know of God’s goodness and provision. We are not producing fruit to consume it ourselves; its purpose is to feed others so that they may live an abundant and God-fearing life.
The Church: A Signpost to God
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/6
Do we as members of God’s great church here on earth attract people to Him or chase them away? Do we get so involved in the sins of the world and our attempts to add our opinions and try to correct them instead of fulfilling our purpose of drawing people to God? This is definitely food for thought. May the church be a signpost pointing to God, not the judge of evil. That is God’s job and He does it perfectly. Our mission is one to lead people to reconciliation and restoration to a relationship with our Creator. As much as we want to condemn, shake our heads and walk away, that is not our purpose.
Action Verbs that Can Change Lives
I am a grammarian from way back, so I notice the use of action verbs, verbs that call for the subject to do something. In a command, the subject is YOU. So, when Jesus tells us to come, we move towards Him and read and study His Word, spending time with Him. When He says “see”, we are seeing the truth of His Word and all that He did for us during His short life on earth. “Go” means just that. Don’t just sit around filling your head and heart with God’s Word…go and tell others the truth of what you have read. Food does no good for anyone if it just sits in the pot and you stir it every once in a while. You have to eat it yourself and then share it with others. And “tell” is sharing the Good News with others. We are quick to share gossip or bad news about the current state of the nation or when our President falls again. How quickly do we share the good news that can change a life forever? I wish that the MSM would start each evening with a prayer and a Scripture. I know that is wishful thinking because they are MSM, but if they were taking part in fulfilling Jesus’s commission to come, see, go and tell, that is exactly what they would do. We cannot take over MSM, but we can influence our little corner of the world. Thus, it is imperative that we come, see, go and tell, for the sake of our world and future generations.
Come, See, Go, Tell.
What we hear affects what we know.
What we know influences what we believe.
What we believe impacts what we do.That’s why it is so important to listen to God’s truth.
“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
Romans 10:17 NLTThroughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we see Jesus inviting His followers to “come and see,” to “go and tell,” and to “listen and understand.”
Paul explains why “going and telling” matters in his letter to the Romans:
“For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!’”
Romans 10:13-15 NLTSo what is this “Good News”?
To truly understand it, let’s first look at the bad news: we’ve all messed up. Our sin separates us from a good and holy God, and there’s nothing we can do to bridge that gap.
Now, the good news: God loves us so much that He has already made a way for us. He put on skin, paid the ultimate price by dying a criminal’s death (even though He was innocent), and has conquered the grave by rising again. He has granted us the right to become His!
This is why “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
So right now, take a moment and thank God for the gift of His Word, and the ability to receive His Good News. Then, ask Him to strengthen your faith by showing you how to share your hope with others.
God: Devoted Doctor and Loving Parent
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/4
I think we can all agree that our society is broken, headed in the wrong direction. The author of this devotional hits the nail on the head when it says it’s a heart and head problem. I would add that it is also a problem of idol worship, the idols being social media and all of the technology that has a corner on the market of minds today. It is not a coincidence that Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air.” I am grateful that God is a doctor who is totally devoted to healing His people as well as a loving Father who disciplines, corrects our way and shows us the right way. How many times have you sat in a restaurant lately and watched a couple have a meal together but never really communicate with each other? Both are absorbed in whatever is on the little screen that they hold in their hands. My husband and I found ourselves doing that a while back and determined that when we go out, our dining table is a no-device zone. The restaurants aren’t always compatible with our philosophy since some have QR codes to read the menu and then to pay at the end. But, we persist in trying to establish a conversation with each other instead of with random strangers online. How many times have we turned to social media for advice or solace when the best advice we can get is from God’s Word and the best solace is from His Holy Spirit? Yes, we are a broken people, but the good news is that God is a devoted doctor and a loving father, and He doesn’t give up on diagnosing the problem and coming up with a solution. He will find a way to get our attention!
He Has Done Great Things
It’s easy to focus on the bad things happening in our lives, but if we keep our focus on God, those circumstances all around us fade away so that we can truly say, “Holy is your Name, O Lord!” Our circumstances don’t change who God is, but God can change how we see our circumstances.
Holy is His Name
Have you ever found yourself feeling uncertain and weighed down by your circumstances? In times like these, it can feel almost impossible to praise the Lord for all He has done.
Life’s trials can often cloud our vision, making it difficult to see past our present struggles. Mary’s declaration in Luke isn’t solely about her blessings; it’s a testament to the unchanging character of God. Despite her uncertainties and forthcoming challenges, she found the strength to proclaim the greatness of God and the holiness of His name:
“For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.”
Luke 1:49 NIVEven when we don’t have all the answers, we can declare, “Holy is his name.”
Even when we’re faced with hardships threatening to steal our praise, we can declare, “Holy is his name.”
Even when the weight of fear presses down on us, we can declare, “Holy is his name.”Our declaration, like Mary’s, is rooted in the belief that God’s faithfulness remains unwavering. The belief in God’s faithfulness strengthens our resolve to glorify Him—especially in the midst of uncertainty.
So, take a moment today to recall the “great things” the Mighty One has done for you. As you do, pray that your heart may be stirred to praise His holy name, remembering He has done great things not just for others but for you, too.
We Have Earned Justice
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/2
The word “justice” is much talked about these days. There is the feeling that justice has been perverted, that there is no real justice. Our understanding of justice is clouded by the actions of those who do not support what true justice is. God is just; He would be totally just in destroying the earth right now, just as in the days of Noah. Instead, He reached out and provided grace and mercy for us in the form of His own Son. It’s difficult for us to fathom what justice would look like if it were meted fairly to all, but that is what God’s justice is all about. But if you explore the Old Testament and the many times that God destroyed an entire group of people because of their sin, or when the Israelites and then those in Judah were taken captive, we see a clear picture that God will not be mocked. We have earned His justice, but He offers us His grace in place of it. It is our choice to accept it or not. I am blessed to have received God’s grace and mercy, His free gift of salvation, over five decades ago. But my story does not end there. Every day is a new day to say “yes” to God and “no” to my own desires. God’s mercy is indeed new every day and we can all be grateful that He loves us enough to show us His mercy instead of His justice. One day His judgment against all of mankind will come, but if you have accepted His gift of salvation, His justice is not to be feared, but rather to be welcomed because it means that we who know the Lord as Savior will be able to live with Him forever. Yes, we have earned justice, but thanks be to God that He has shown us His love and mercy and called us His own. God’s great love for mankind reaches out in love while He holds back His mighty hand of justice until the time is right for His judgment. Why is He waiting? Because He is God and justice and judgment are His choice in His time. I believe, and I think that others believe the same, that God is waiting until as many as possible come to the knowledge of His grace. He does not want to destroy His beloved creation, but one day He will. We will stand before God without excuse because He provided the only way to Him, the way to escape His justice, and so many have turned away and chosen to live in sin instead. May we ever be mindful of the fact that we have earned God’s justice, but He extends His mercy and grace.
Infinitely Costly, Absolutely Free
www.bible.com/reading-plans/3797/day/8
I vividly recall telling our young children that they could not have the latest game system because the cost was too great. I also remember our very precocious son saying, “But you just have to go to the bank and get money for it, right?” Thus ensued the discussion about money having to be put into the bank first and the fact that priorities of life required things like groceries and paying bills instead of a new game system. Trying to teach them the value of a dollar, my husband and I told them that they could save half for it and we would pay half once they had saved enough. They had no idea how many hours they would have to do menial labor in order to earn enough for the game system they had set their hearts on. Well over a year later, they had the money, but their interest in that particular system had waned since a newer, better model had been released. After much discussion, they got the newer one and were well pleased with themselves over all of their hard work paying off, finally.
We sometimes blithely say during this season of Jesus’s death and resurrection that He shed His blood for us. We tell others that the gift of salvation is free to all who believe. But do we stop to think of the cost to Jesus and to His Father? Our freedom from sin cost them the relationship that they had enjoyed from eternity on since for a few minutes when Jesus hung on the cross, His Father could not look on Him. Jesus felt forsaken, but He was willing to give up heaven for each of us to one day be with Him there. I cannot imagine the grief of the Father and of the Son when the moment came for Him to bear our sins. I know that was the plan all along, but it didn’t negate the reality or the pain. Thus, the cost was unimaginable for our beloved Savior, but the price He paid made salvation free for us. We did not have to toil to earn it, do endless good deeds to get God’s attention and hope it worked, or make a sacrifice or a bargain with God so that salvation would be part of our lives. We just had to accept the FREE gift that cost Jesus everything! In my finite mind, it is difficult to understand the ramifications of Jesus becoming sin for each of us. However, I know that because of His willingness to sacrifice Himself, I am able to stand clean before the Father, having confessed my sins and repented of them. Money in the bank? No…a deposit in our soul that is without measure!
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