Category: Song

What to Put On

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion App3 Comments

Cultivate What Matters Most (You Version Bible App, Daily Devotional, 11-09-24)

Imagine putting on shirts of compassion, patience and forgiveness. That might seem ridiculous, but Colossians 3:12 tells us to “clothe ourselves” in traits that match our identity in Christ. In other words, we need to cover ourselves in actions and attitudes that result in us looking more like Jesus every day. 

So, how do we do this? One way to get started is by thinking of the struggles that keep you from living more like Jesus, and then start to replace them with their opposite action.

  • If your communication leans sarcastic and cutting, choose to say something kind instead.
  • If you tend to come across as harsh, choose to do something that requires gentleness.
  • If you’re holding a grudge, choose to extend forgiveness.

As you go about doing that, choose to take part in activities that build you up spiritually. This could look like connecting with friends who will keep you accountable, memorizing Scripture that you can apply to your life, or cultivating compassion by serving in your community. The more you intentionally pursue actions that lead to humility, compassion, and kindness, the more those traits will become a natural part of your life. 

And as you pursue the qualities mentioned in Colossians 3:12, the changes this produces will be most evident in the way you treat other people. The apostle John said that we can’t claim to love Jesus if we hate each other (1 John 4:20), so a life that reflects Jesus is going to embody love. And according to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, love is “patient and kind. … It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. … Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 

A life marked by God’s love is going to display the very things the apostle Paul talks about in Colossians 3:12. 

So if we want to live like Jesus, then we need to receive the new life He’s given to us and accept His unconditional love. Only then can we begin to reflect His love to others by showing people compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

My Thoughts

Now is not the time to run around and brag about the victory of your favorite candidate. Now is the time to be kind and patient and tender-hearted. I remember how depressed and anxious I felt four years ago when Biden was elected. I was dismayed and in total denial. Now, I can apply that to family members and friends who supported Harris. They need to vent, and I need to be willing to listen. Pointing out the ungodly policies of their candidate will not help them. They are afraid because the MSM told them that Trump will destroy everything. So, instead of using words to point out facts, words that they cannot hear right now, I am choosing to be kind and compassionate and just listen. If they have a question, I will answer without being snarky. I want to show them the kindness that I would want shown to me if the other candidate had won.

This verse is perfect for right now and for every day. I am retired so my choice of attire in the mornings after I shower is warm pj’s or cool ones, depending on the weather. Sometimes, on appointment or meeting days, I even get dressed. But my outward appearance isn’t what matters to other people or to God. They want to see how I will treat them, even if they believe differently than I do. If we want to be like Jesus, we have to be willing to meet people right where they are and to just listen to what they need from us. Sometimes, it’s just kindness and compassionate understanding. Sometimes, we are called to act, like providing a person breakfast or a hot drink. Whatever we can do to be more like Jesus, then we need to choose to do it. It may not be comfortable for us like wearing pj’s all day, but stepping out and helping others know that Jesus is real and loves them is our mission in life. There is nothing more important that showing someone you love them so that they, in turn, can believe in the love of Jesus.

Kindness-Steven Curtis Chapman

Contagious Calm

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Let Your Gentleness Be Evident to All (YouVersion Devotional by Max Lucado: “Anxious for Nothing”)

Unchecked anxiety can unleash an Enola Gay of angry outbursts, rash accusations, and fiery retaliations against those in your path who are unfortunate to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. How many people have been wounded as a result of such unbridled stress? On the other hand, how many disasters have been averted because one person decided to be calm?

It is this composure Paul is referring to when he states, “Let your gentleness be evident to all” (Philippians 4:5 NIV). The Greek word translated as gentlenessdescribes a temperament that is seasoned and mature. It envisions an attitude that is fitting to the occasion, levelheaded and tempered. The gentle reaction is one of steadiness, evenhandedness, and fairness.

Jesus promised that “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). It is as inevitable as the sun rising on a new day—as waves crashing on the shores of a beach. But what you also need to remember is that Jesus has promised to be with you in the midst of those troubles. Before Jesus departed this earth, he said to his disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NIV).

In fact, throughout the Bible, God repeatedly pledged to be present with his people. He was with Abram as he traveled to a new land. He was with Hagar when she fled into the wilderness, and with Isaac when he was forced to move from place to place. He was with Joshua when he faced the Canaanites, and with David when he faced the Philistines. He was with Peter in prison, and with Paul whenever and wherever he found himself in dire circumstances.

God was never watching from a distance. In fact, his very name is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He became flesh. He became sin. He defeated the grave. And he is still with you.

Maybe you’re fighting today to keep a family together, a business afloat, or a school from going under. How you handle that fight will reveal where your trust ultimately lies. If you trust in Jesus and believe he is always with you, the byproduct of releasing the control to him will be a contagious calm that surrounds your life. This calm will allow you to see how God is working in your situation—and others will notice there is something different about you. It will bring healing to your anxiety, mature your faith, and show others that God is always faithful.

Anxiety management is like pulling stumps out of the ground. Some of your worries have deep root systems, and extracting them is hard work. But you don’t have to do it alone. Present the challenge to your Father and ask for help.

Will he solve the issue? Yes, he will. Will he solve it immediately? Maybe. Or maybe part of the test is an advanced course in patience. This much is sure: contagious calm will happen to the degree that you turn to him.

Respond

Who in your life is most impacted by the way you respond to stressful situations?

How would you define the word gentleness? Would you say your responses to others in stressful situations tend to be gentle? Why or why not?

How can knowing that God is always present in your circumstances help you to maintain a sense of contagious calm?

My Thoughts

On Election Day, I spent most of the day alone as my husband is a poll watcher. When he came home a little before eight, he was tired, but in a good way, and we talked a little while about what was going on in the election. I had been praying all day for God’s mercy and as the evening wore on and the results were coming slowly, I decided to go ahead and go to bed. I thought that I would not be able to sleep, but in my prayer, I asked God for peace and His response to my heart was, “Trust.” I woke up about three a.m. as my husband was coming to bed. It looked like President Trump would win, but I didn’t trust the Democrats not to pull a switch or find more ballots. My anxiety kicked in again, and again, God spoke to my heart, “Trust.”

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my word for this year has been trust. I have had to trust God for some hard things, at least hard things for me. I had to drive my husband in heavy traffic back and forth to his appointments for his eye surgery. It sounds easy and normal, but not for me. I have little peripheral vision after my stroke and as a result, I have not driven much for the last ten years. But, God whispered the word “trust” to me and so I just did what I needed to do.

So many times, I have surprised myself and probably others around me with my calm spirit when inwardly I was seething with anxiety. God’s message to me has been the same in every situation, “Just trust.” I have not arrived at the place where I can say that I am not anxious about anything, but I can testify that I am calmer in situations that used to make me so anxious that I would hide from others or explode at them. So, progress, right? God is still working on me, and I am thankful that He never gives up.

Never Give Up-Josh Bates

God Has You in the Palm of His Hand

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion App3 Comments

www.bible.com/reading-plans/18910/day/3

We all know that life sometimes gets difficult, but God wants each of us to look to Him. We are not supposed to hold tightly to our possessions or the people we cherish. When we go before the Lord, our hands should be open, letting go of all that could hold us back from giving everything to God. He has each of us, holding us in the palm of His mighty hand, and we can rest assured of His love and that He will work to fulfill His purpose for us.

Shalom-Legacy Worship

He’s Got the WholWorld in His Hands

Open My Eyes to See God Clearly

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion App2 Comments

This is from my devotional today on the YouVersion:

You Are My Beloved Child  

The Father says, “Before you were ever a thought, I knew every detail of your design. From the number of hairs on your head to the number of days in your life, I have made you for My pleasure and delight. More numerous than the sands on the shore, are My thoughts of love towards you. You are My beloved child, and I’m proud to call you Mine.”

You are a child of God! Many people have grown up in families with fathers that weren’t active, others have grown up with phenomenal fathers, or maybe fathers that weren’t present at all. This piece of our story often becomes the lens through which we see our heavenly Father.

How do you envision your Abba Father?

Allison Fowler says, “The heart is the lens through which we see God. If we refuse to forgive, our bitterness and resentment become the dirt that clouds our ability to see Him clearly.” So invite the Lord to sweep your heart of false beliefs of His character that may have formed from your upbringing or challenges you may have faced. Let the reality of His character settle deep within you: God’s character is the embodiment of perfection, kindness, and love; it is without blemish, flaw, or stain.

Take a few moments, close your eyes, and reflect on God’s stunning nature. Healing oil from heaven is flooding into your heart right now, removing cloudiness, and opening the eyes of your heart. Listen to your Father’s voice as He whispers truth into your spirit, and receive His lavish love that is swelling in His heart for you. The Father says, “You are My beloved child.”

My Thoughts

As I read the devotional today, I was reminded of how much love I felt from my father when I was young and how I felt as though he had abandoned me later in my life, when he turned to drugs. I am thankful that I have a Heavenly Father who has no hesitation about loving me, and He is with me all the time. There is nothing I can do to make God love me more or less. His love is always perfect, and just what I need.

Open the Eyes of My Heart-Paul Baloche

The Shadow of His Wings

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song1 Comment

Do you remember as a child noticing your shadow? Did you have fun trying to make your shadow merge with someone else’s? I vaguely remember that game I played, but since I have young grandchildren and I have watched them playing the same game, it reminded me of the joy I had in such a simple game.

Life isn’t a game in which we chase shadows. The challenges are real and as we grow older, reality sets in and we stop playing the shadow game. I think it’s past time for us to recall our youth and apply it to hiding ourselves in the shadow of God’s protective wings. Do you remember how when your shadow merged with another larger one, yours was no longer visible? God hides us completely if we will allow Him to do so and take shelter there. The world and all of its troubles continue, but we are safely surrounded by the peace of surrendering to His protection.

We can sing for joy in spite of the problems, trials, or news stories that dismay us. God is right there, hovering over us, and protecting us from the things that threaten to overwhelm us and destroy our peace. If you remember, you had to pursue that other shadow and make an effort to stay within it in order to have your shadow hidden. Pursuit of God is the key to peace; meditating on His truths brings the help and joy that are so needed in order to rest in Him.

Let this song remind you that God holds on to you and is right there when you need Him.

Hold On To Me-Lauren Daigle

His Love Endures Forever

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, YouVersion App1 Comment

https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/23192/day/9?segment=0

Sometimes I find myself only taking time to thank God for what He has done for me and not just for Who He is. I want to remember that God is the only One in my life who sustains me, gives me strength and courage and makes me whole. But I also want to always be mindful that God is worthy of thanksgiving just because He is God.

His Love Endures Forever-Chris Tomlin

Amazing Grace

On By vickleaIn praise, Song2 Comments

www.bible.com/en/videos/45318

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.”