I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/42932/day/4
The good news keeps coming! Yes, we are weak humans with a finite time on earth. But the good news is that, with Jesus and His resurrection power, we have hope for an eternal future. That is the source of our joy on earth. We don’t have to go around feeling defeated by all of our earthly diseases and pains. We are ultimately victorious, and we need to live like we are victors, with a smile on our face and joy in our hearts.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/42932/day/3
I’m sure that when you were a child, you played the game “Follow the Leader.” There was great discussion among my friends whose turn it was to be the leader, but once that was decided, off we romped, twisting, turning, rolling on the ground and laughing as we went. The leader didn’t say anything; he just did actions which we did our best to follow.
Now that we are adults and following Jesus, we have to not only follow His actions but we have to also listen attentively for His voice. He called us His sheep and said plainly that we hear His voice and recognize it. It’s like when my husband calls on the phone. I know it is him because I know his voice well. That’s how we are supposed to know Jesus’s voice…immediately and well because we have spent time with Him, in prayer and in His Word. His actions are not ones of twisting and rolling around but rather they are actions of helping others, serving and leading others to know Him. As long as we are following Christ, we are on the right path. We don’t have to be concerned about getting lost on our journey to eternity because Christ is leading the way. Our task is to follow and not to stray off. As humans, it is easy to walk away and choose our own path, thinking that we know better or that we can do just this one little thing (sin) and then get back to following Jesus again. But straying leads not just us on the wrong path but others who have been looking to us for guidance may stray as well. We have to be ever aware that others are watching, some to see if this faith we profess is real and others to rejoice in our fall if it happens. Thus, we are called to follow closely to our Good Shepherd, not straying or lingering where we should not, but always moving forward behind Him in our march to our eternal destiny.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/42932/day/2
There are many in today’s world who choose to live in darkness. Some don’t even realize that the place where they abide is filled with the darkness of the world because the enemy of our souls has blinded them to the truth. Those of us, however, who know the truth are called to stay in the light that Jesus has provided, not to join our fellow men in their darkness, but rather to invite them to come into the light with us. There should never be a time when we join others in the darkness because Jesus called us out of that place of ignorance and sin. Why would we go back in only to stumble around again and perhaps fall? The obvious answer is that we who are pressing into God and listening to the leading of His Spirit would not choose darkness over light. We are the light that Jesus left on the earth to shine into darkness, not to become a part of it. So when we condone sin and say it’s not a big deal, let’s be clear that it is a big deal to God and we are taking a dangerous step into darkness. We should always remain in the light, never wavering or flickering, but shining brightly in spite of those who are offended by the light.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/42932/day/1
All of us are constantly looking for something. Maybe it’s something bigger, better and what we think will be more satisfying. It’s not the things in our lives that satisfy. It’s not even the various people we hold dear that can bring satisfaction. It is only a relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who loves us so much that He gave His life for us and offers us His daily bread to satisfy our hungry souls.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/15112/day/6
We take Communion every Sunday at our church. That was a new thing for me at first because in our previous churches, we took Communion once a month. I like the new way better because I don’t think that there is any time of any week or any church service when we should not be remembering Jesus and His sacrifice for us. After all, He is the reason we are there worshipping and the reason for our hope and our being! How often do you take Communion at your church? Is everyone allowed to participate or just the members? At our church, you may participate if you have been baptized and confessed your belief in Jesus as Lord. Communion is a holy time for me each week. For those few minutes, I reflect on Jesus’s sacrifice and all that He has done and is doing for me. I am thankful always and sad sometimes if I know that I have once again fallen short of His expectations of me. But I know that He loves me, forgives me and remembers me…just as I remember Him.
I have read the scripture verse repeatedly and I admit that today is the first time that I see that it is truly about salvation. God can save anyone at any time, even those whom we deem a hopeless cause because He makes all things possible. But then, there is that little sticky point called free will. God can cross that threshold but He chooses not to do so. Thus, it is up to the free will of the individual to accept the gift of salvation. God will do everything He can to get the attention of the unbeliever and to bring him or her to the knowledge that what they really need in life is Jesus Christ. God can and will do the impossible if we believe. He will act according to His timetable and His plan. If this post seems a little muddled and not quite clear, that is how I am actually feeling. I know that God can do the impossible and will save those who come to Him. The hard thing to understand is that they have to choose to come to Him. He doesn’t drag anyone kicking and screaming to the altar of salvation. God will do His part, but we cannot expect Him to force someone to be saved. That is not part of His nature or His plan. So, if you, like me, are believing for the salvation of a loved one, perhaps pray for God to do the impossible but also pray for the person to want to be saved, to see the need for salvation, so that they come to the Lord willingly. That may seem impossible, but God does answer prayers. After all, I’m a living testimony of someone who had no idea I needed Jesus Christ as my Savior until one day I did know and I did come to Him and repent!
Jesus Does the Impossible
Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:26 is often taken out of context. Many people have taken this verse to mean that they can do anything they want in life because God can do the impossible. Often this can lead to us asking God to do something selfish.
In order to understand what Jesus is saying, we should read the preceding verses. In Matthew 19:16-22, a young man comes to Jesus asking for eternal life. Jesus tells him that he must give up all of his earthly possessions–something the young man is not willing to do. Because he failed the test, the young man failed to inherit eternal life.
Jesus says in Matthew 19:23 that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter heaven. The point is that loving Jesus requires everything we are. Our ultimate love cannot be split between Jesus and something else.
The disciples then ask, “Who can be saved?” Jesus responds in Matthew 19:26 that it is impossible for man to save himself—but it is possible with God. God can do the very thing that man cannot.
We cannot earn our salvation. We cannot work hard enough to attain it, and we can’t achieve it on our own. It is impossible. But with God all things are made possible for us to be saved. It is only through the work and power of Jesus that we have access to salvation. And through the empowerment of the Spirit, we are enabled to have faith in God.
What in your life is keeping you from faith in Jesus? Maybe it’s a relationship. Maybe it’s material possessions. Maybe it’s a wrong mindset. Whatever it might be—God has the power to remove these things from your heart so that you can have faith in Jesus.
So spend some time with God today, and ask Him to search your heart. Ask Him to reveal anything within you that is keeping you from loving Jesus better. Then, do something daring—surrender those things over to God.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/15112/day/2
In order to fully appreciate all that God does for us on a daily basis, we should be approaching His throne the way Hannah did, with open hands and a surrendered heart. She wanted a child so badly that she was willing to look foolish to the priest in the temple, then she was willing to give back to God the much sought for child. God, in turn, blessed her with Samuel (whom she dedicated to the Lord after weaning him) and five other children. When we let God be God, He can bless us above what we are hoping for and give us an awesome testimony for Him.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/15112/day/1
I think being forgotten and feeling rejected go hand in hand. So many times in my youth and after, I was the one not picked for the teams until the teacher pointed out that I had not yet been chosen. I was the one who seemed to be “forgotten” and I did feel rejected. When I got married, I thought those days were behind me. But the wives of the military spouses had their own cliques and once again, I often felt rejected and forgotten. My husband was busy building his career and gaining rank while I was in a new place with no friends. But I quickly found out that God had not forgotten me. Each time I prayed for a job in a new place, I got one. And if there was no job, God opened doors for me to do volunteer work and get to know others that way. I also always found a church to belong to so that when my husband was thousands of miles away, I still had a support system. God has always been there for me and has reminded me over and over that He has not forgotten me. I am thankful that He doesn’t need strings on his fingers or a notepad to carry with Him to remind Him of me. He just remembers, and I pray that I will never forget all of the times that He has faithfully and lovingly remembered me.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/26293/day/21
I will confess that it is hard for me to let go of things while I wait for God to act. Like Sarah, I am probably the one who is going to try to help God out so the waiting doesn’t take so long. The advice in this devotional is just to take your hands off, step back and wait for God to act. Easier said than done, but I am working on it. I have a tendency to look around and check to see if there is anything God might need some assistance with, only to find out later that He doesn’t need my help and as I used to tell my children, “I will let you know if I need your help.” God will tell us if there is something He wants us to do while we wait. Meanwhile, just wait, hands off and up in the air, surrendered to Him and His will and timing.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/26293/day/20
No matter how old you are or how “creaky” you feel, thank God for each day you have had on the earth and for all the ones He will give you. We don’t know how many years we will live, but we do know that we are called for a purpose and we will be here until that purpose is fulfilled. Jacob lived long enough to see Joseph again, to bless Joseph’s sons and include them in the twelve tribes and to fulfill God’s purpose for his life. Let’s all be like Jacob and leave this world blessing others!
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 