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.
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.
Today’s devotional was all about getting close to God and resting in His presence. I have always had a tendency to have my entire day planned out. From the time I wake up each morning, my mind is racing with the schedule for the day and how to get everything done. God is calling me to rest in His presence. It’s not in being busy that I will find Him; it is in the quiet moments that I spend resting in His presence. Recently, I have been spending what I consider some quality time with God each morning. I am doing a Bible study on prayers in the Bible. As I find a prayer in my reading, I am writing it down and really thinking about what the person was praying. I am also starting to intentionally memorize scripture verses again. I kept making the excuse that my brain will not allow me to remember verses, but I found that when I actually focus and try, that is not true. My goal is a verse per week. Not a lot, I know, but for me, it’s a good start. I am also finding myself to be eager to get to my Bible study each morning. The Bible didn’t change…I did! I want that time with God as much as I want a drink of water when I am thirsty. Some mornings with medical appointments are hectic, but I just cannot start my day without my God time. And it’s not a “hurry up and get it done so I can do other things” kind of time. The time with God is a time of peace and relaxation for me, a time of reflection, a real quiet time where I can talk to God and then listen for Him to talk to me. I want my time with the Lord to be a dedicated time just for us to talk like friends. He already knows my heart; I desire to know His and the only way to do that is to get close to Him.
Here is the devotional I did today that started me on this blog post today:
www.bible.com/reading-plans/18910/day/2
Isn’t this what we all desire…for God’s presence to go with us throughout the day and for His rest to be a part of our lives?
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
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I start a project and then I get tired of doing it and I put it aside. I have every good intention to go back to the project at a different time, perhaps when my arthritis is not so bad or my eyes aren’t so tired, but the truth is that I don’t always finish what I start. I am so thankful that God always finishes what He starts. I am a work in progress, and He did not put to the side, saying that He will get back to me later and then forget about me. Not at all! God works on my daily to help me to be more like His Son. His plan for me is a good one and He methodically and purposefully is finishing what He started in me.
He Started It
When the Apostle Paul was locked in a Roman prison for telling people about Jesus, he sent a letter of hope to his friends back in Philippi. A portion of it said: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 NLT Though Paul was writing to specific people in the first-century Church, his words are just as true for the global Church today. Think about it: Who started this thing we call life? Who made this world and everything in it? Who fine-tuned the universe to actually make sense? Who put you here—at this specific time in history? Who handcrafted your body, your mind, your strengths, and your unique-to-you personality? Who began this good work? Before you were ever born, God already had you in mind. Before you could even walk or talk or have dreams for yourself, God already had a plan. Before you knew to look to Him or to follow Him or to worship Him, God was already at work—in you, around you, and through you. Sometimes it feels like we’re just wasting time and taking up space, without real purpose. But—it turns out—God is intentional and He makes no mistakes. To top it off… God always finishes what He starts. The story isn’t over. When Christ returns once and for all, the work of God through His people will finally be complete. Until then, let’s commit to God’s good work inside of us. Let’s magnify Him in everything we do. Let’s believe that He’ll finish what He has begun.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.3.14-21.ESV (Emphasis added by me)
I am doing a study of prayers in the Bible and this is one that the apostle Paul prayed. Even in his afflictions, imprisonment and troubles, he prayed for all the saints everywhere, for all generations. That’s us! I am praying this prayer for you today…no matter how busy your day is, don’t be too busy to pray.
http://seekingdivineperspective.com/2024/10/25/before-sitting-this-one-out/
Please go to the original post and follow…and VOTE!
What were we created for? What is our purpose? Well, folks, that’s the big question, isn’ it? Most of us go through life and cannot figure out what in the world God put us on earth to do? I think my church’s motto answers this question: Love God, Love Others, Serve Both. No matter where you find yourself in life, you can live out this motto. Think about it and then go out and be a blessing!
From the YouVersion Daily Reading for Today:
Made for This
Do you realize that you were purposefully, lovingly, and carefully designed by God? King David said it like this: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 ESV Your eyes, brain, heart, muscles, nerves, fingernails, eyelashes, smile, everything. Not only are you wonderfully complex, but you were also planned before life as we know it existed by your Heavenly Father. Even as you read these words, your body is doing some incredible things—without your conscious consent. Your fingers are scrolling, your eyes are capturing, your brain is processing … All the while, your heart is pumping blood, your lungs are managing breath, your eyelids are blinking away dryness, your blood cells are multiplying by the second, your brain is directing your body while simultaneously storing memory—and so much more. David also points out in other portions of Psalm 139 that God knows everything about us, His presence is inescapable, and He thinks about us so much that such thoughts cannot be numbered. The point? You are uniquely and intentionally created by God to love Him and the people around you—to know Him, and make Him known. So, be encouraged. You were made for this.
There is nothing, absolutely nothing that will happen today that you and God cannot handle together. Walk with Him, not ahead of Him, not behind Him…side by side with Him whispering in your ear about His wonderful plans for your life. May your day be blessed with His almighty and loving presence!
The character that we all want to have is to be more like Jesus. That is only possible by spending more time with Him in His Word and in prayer. I want to not only act as Jesus would act but to react the same way He would react, too. I am a work in progress, knowing that God is helping me daily to be more like Him.
From the YouVersion: Building Strong Character
How to Build Strong Character Paul, the author of the letter to the Church in Rome, frequently encouraged the believers in Rome amidst the persecution and adversity they were experiencing. The first half of Paul’s letter corrects some of their thinking, while the second half is focused on their character and actions. In Romans 12, Paul is encouraging the believers to let love be the primary motivation for everything they do. When love is the foundation of who they are, then God can renew and transform every area of life. When they allow God to transform their character, that’s when they’re able to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Christians have a unique hope in Jesus–we know that Jesus is victorious over evil and will one day return to make everything right. This means we can have hope in the midst of suffering or difficult times. Paul knew that affliction produces steadfast character within us. When we choose to endure through suffering, Jesus forms strength and confidence within us that we couldn’t attain otherwise. But perseverance through affliction also requires constant communication with the One who transforms us through His love. Prayer is a vital part of this. It is the primary way we communicate with God, and it’s also part of how the Holy Spirit strengthens us for following Jesus. These three things create within us a stronger character in life. They mold us into the image of Jesus who was joyful in hope, patient in suffering, and faithful in prayer. So today, take some time to think of a few ways that you can become more like Jesus in these areas.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 