The old covenant of law is a picture of the new covenant of grace in Christ -Quiet Walk

Quiet Walk

Hebrews 9

The old covenant of law is a picture of the new covenant of grace in Christ.

INSIGHT

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin (v. 22). We are not told why that is true, only that it is. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Wherever there is sin, someone must die. We can pay the penalty for our own sin, which is our own eternal, spiritual death, or the death which Christ suffered can be placed on our account. His death can count for ours, and we do not have to die spiritually. Faith is the vehicle by which this transaction takes place. Whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but will have eternal life.
(John 3:16)

PRAYER

Because God has allowed His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place, praise Him with the words of this psalm:
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night . . .
To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him (Psalm 92:1-2, 15).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
(1 Corinthians 10:13)

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
(John 17:3)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater faithfulness in sharing Christ,
national and world affairs,
whatever else is on your heart.

Close your worship time with this prayer to the Lord:
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17) 

Praise and Proclaim the Lord

"In the new covenant there is a spiritual sanctuary."- Quiet Walk

Quiet Walk

Hebrews 8

The old covenant, being imperfect, was replaced by the new covenant based on grace.

INSIGHT

All the major features of the old covenant, which existed on a literal, physical level, are found in the new covenant on a spiritual, heavenly level. The old covenant had a physical sanctuary, a human high priest, and used real animals for sacrifices. This covenant was inadequate in that it could only deal with sins temporarily; it could not remove sins permanently (v. 7). In the new covenant there is a spiritual sanctuary, a heavenly High Priest, and a celestial Lamb whose death provides permanent forgiveness of sin for an infinite number of people. It is a 'better covenant, which was established on better promises.' (v. 6).

PRAYER

Praise the Lord that Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient for the sins of all humankind:
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God (Psalm 90:1-2).

Pause for praise and thanksgiving.

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Israel, return to the Lord your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
Take words with you,
And return to the Lord.
Say to Him,
"Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips." (Hosea 14:1-2).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
(Revelation 3:20)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
greater love for others,
missionaries in the Middle East,
your activities for the day.

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Thessalonians 5:23) 

God is Always With You -Living Free Everyday

Living Free Everyday

God is Always With You

Today's Scripture

"The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope." - Psalm 34:18 CEV

Thoughts for Today

Have you ever stood in the middle of a crowded room and yet felt alone?

We have all experienced loneliness. People with chronic depression feel as though they are alone most of the time. They often feel that no one cares or understands … as though even God is distant and unavailable.

If you are feeling alone, try looking in the Bible for the truth. You may feel alone, but the truth is thatGod is always with you. Here are just a few of his promises: I am with you (Genesis 28:15). I walk with you (Leviticus 26:12). I am near you (Psalm 34:18). I hold your right hand (Isaiah 41:13). I carry you even into old age (Isaiah 46:4).

You can be encouraged by reading these scriptures and others like them. Write your favorites down and put them where you see them all the time. Speak them aloud. Substitute your name for the wordyou. God says, I am with (your name) … I walk with (your name) … I am near (your name).

Consider this …

God is speaking these promises to you personally. Remember … you are never alone. Jesus is with you. He is with you this moment. He will be with you tonight … and tomorrow. He will be with you through the good times and bad. He will never leave you.

Prayer

Father, thank you for your many promises to be with me—always. Help me believe your promises more than I believe my feelings. In Jesus' name …

OUR GOAL IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD

What makes the church work? -Time with God

Time with God

Colossians 2:18-19

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

What makes the church work? Holding fast to Christ!

Don’t let anything loosen your grip on Jesus! If you want your church to “grow with a growth which is from God”, you must allow His life to flow through you and your church. What makes your church healthy will not be a better strategy or worship style or ministry resource, but rather a healthy inner life—a close walk with Jesus, a focus on His word and on His person, a sensitivity to His Spirit.

When you choose strategies and styles and resources, choose those that will focus your church on these things and your church will be on its way to good health.

Before you allow a critical spirit to gain a foothold in your relationship to your church, make sure that you yourself are walking with Christ, living in love, sacrificing for others, allowing Christ to speak and act through you, and focused on others rather than yourself. Then you’ll be a force for spiritual renewal in your church.

Unconditional Love For YOU -Living Free Everyday

Living Free Everyday

Unconditional Love For YOU

Today's Scripture

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." - Ephesians 3:19 NLT

Thoughts for Today

Do you sometimes feel as though you are fighting your way through life and losing the battle? That you are such a failure that no one can help you?

We've probably all had these feelings at times. And if you suffer from chronic depression, you might feel alone and hopeless most of the time. When well-meaning people try to cheer you up by pointing out your good qualities, you may hear what they are saying as either false praise or else as words of one who doesn't really know you that well.

There is someone who knows you better than you know yourself. Someone who wants to give you hope and help you win the battle. His name is Jesus. He promises you peace (John 14:27). He intercedes to God the Father for you (John 17:9). He promises to work all things for your good (Romans 8:28). He rides on the Heavens to help you (Deuteronomy 33:26).

Consider this …

You may say, "Those promises sound good for someone else, but they couldn't be for me. I don't deserve them. You don't know me."

This may be true … but Jesus DOES know you. And he loves you. If no one else had existed, he would have died on the cross just for you. He loves you that much. None of us deserves that kind of love, but Jesus gives it freely and unconditionally.

Let him love you. Open your heart to the hope and healing that come only from him.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for dying for me. When I'm feeling down, help me to remember your love for me, to experience your love, and to share your love with others. In Jesus' name …

Humility - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

Humility - Christ’s Commission Fellowship
Peter Tan-chi

Humility is a neglected virtue that we should constantly pray for, yet we lose it the instant we think we have acquired it. 1 Peter 5:5-7 says, “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” According to this passage, there are three reasons why we must heed God’s command to be humble.

God is opposed to the proud. The word ‘opposed’ is used to describe an army that is organized to attack an enemy. This image shows that God takes pride seriously and He is constantly set against proud people. Pride is a root sin that produces many sins. It goes against our deep need for God. This is exactly why proud people don’t want to be corrected and refuse to repent.

Luke 18:10-14 tells of a repentant tax collector and a proud Pharisee. Spiritually proud people tend to judge others. On the other hand, humble people do not judge others easily because they are aware of their own failures and shortcomings. Jesus said, “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (v. 14)

God gives grace to the humble. The Christian life, from beginning until the end, can be lived by God’s grace alone. Just the same, we have an important part to play. We are neither to be controlling nor to be passive. We are to cooperate with God so He can work His way through us.

King Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful king of Babylon who did not acknowledge the God of the heavens. He was warned: “Break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your inquities…” (Daniel 4:27). But still he considered himself above God. Therefore, God humbled him.

He lost his mind and behaved like a beast (Daniel 4:31-32). When he finally came to his senses, Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and worshiped God. He realized that God alone has the power to give or withhold success to whomever He wishes (Daniel 4:17) and that God is able to humble those who walk in pride (Daniel 4:37).

God exalts in due time. God gives us the grace to depend on Him by humbling ourselves under His mighty hand “that He may exalt [us] at the proper time.” God’s timing is always perfect. When Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and revered God, he was reestablished to his position and was blessed by God even more (Daniel 4:36).

Proud people would never admit that they are proud. Here are some tests by which you can personally assess yourself: Are you grateful when corrected? How do you respond to criticism? Do you submit to authority? Do you long to be recognized by others for your work in the ministry? Are you too concerned about how other people think about you? Are you anxious and strive to control your circumstances instead of surrendering them to God?

Being humble does not mean looking down on one’s self. It is having a proper perspective of who we are in God’s eyes. God loves us despite our imperfections and failures. In our weakness, He is our strength. He fixes and transforms broken lives to bring glory to His name. Having a mindset that we cannot boast about anything will guard us against pride. The moment we refuse to give God His proper place in our lives, pride will surely enter our hearts.

The truth is we need God’s help to be humble. The Bible tells us that God is opposed to the proud. He will use circumstances and people to humble us. We must cooperate with Him as He transforms us into Christ-likeness and trust in His promise that He will give grace and will exalt the humble in His perfect time.

The Problem of Unmet Needs

The Problem of Unmet Needs

Psalm 84:11-12

If the Lord has promised to provide and is able, why doesn't He always meet our needs when we ask? Since He's completely faithful to His Word, the problem is obviously with us, not Him. In today's passage, His promise of provision has a condition--it's given to "those who walk uprightly" (v. 11). So if God isn't providing for our needs as we think He should, He may have a different plan for us. But we should also examine our lives for possible hindrances.

Sin. One reason our prayers may not be answered is because we've allowed sin in our lives and are not walking uprightly. If the Lord ignored disobedience and granted our requests, He'd be affirming a sinful lifestyle.

Laziness. Another possible explanation for unmet needs is that we haven't done our part. Although God is the ultimate source of all we have, He's given us the responsibility to work in order to provide basic necessities (2 Thess. 3:10-11). If you're an able-bodied person who's unwilling to work and wants something for nothing, the Lord is not going to reinforce your laziness.

Desires. Perhaps God hasn't provided as you expected because your "needs" are really desires. If He knows that what you want won't fulfill His plans for your life, He will withhold it in order to provide something better.

To avoid disappointment with God, understand that His actions and character always align. He won't reward rebellion or laziness, and His answers to prayer fit with His goal of conforming us to Christ's image. If He's withholding something you deem essential, He's working something even better for you.

http://www.intouch.org/

Sowing and reaping -Parenting by Design

Parenting by Design

Sowing and reaping

Gal. 6:7-8: Do not be deceived.  A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (NIV).

One way to help our kids learn this biblical truth is to be consistent in our discipline. When we consistently follow through in giving needed consequences, children learn that their choices really are important and that they will affect the quality of their lives—in other words, they will have to reap what they sow.

No doubt about it, disciplining our kids takes time and energy. We may be tempted to forego consequences because it's inconvenient, we're tired, or we dread our child's reaction. It helps to focus on the big picture and the purpose behind our discipline. While it's important to learn that choices affect life on earth, it's more important for our kids to understand that they will reap what they sow eternally when making a decision to accept Christ.

Teach your kids about sowing and reaping, and help them sow the ultimate seed.

In Brokenness - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

In Brokenness - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

Truth be told, we don’t want to be broken. We’d rather appear strong, sure, and dependable, to our families, friends, to other people, and even to God. We’d like to take charge and maintain the course of our lives by our own capacities and sheer know-how. As popular poetry would claim, it is better to be the captain of our own souls.

Choosing to stray down the path of self-sufficiency when we are God’s children is a dangerous proposition. Only through a close and intimate walk with God can we be strong and sure in our direction in life, and so when we decide to strike out for ourselves, God is willing to break us to remind us that we can do nothing without Him (Jn 15:5).

Nowhere do we get a clear picture of spiritual benefits of brokenness than in Jacob’s life story. We know that Jacob is one of the forefathers of the Jewish nation. He is very revered in that when Israelites make a reference to Yahweh, the God of heaven, they call Him “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”. He is among the highly-honored patriarchs of the Jewish nation, and one of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.

Yet, did you know that Jacob himself did not start out living righteously in front of God to begin with? His very name means “supplanter”, “deceiver”, or “manipulator”. Both of them were prophesied to be the ancestors of upcoming nations, yet despite the great blessing on them, his shrewd character was already on display the moment he came out of his mother’s womb: he grabbed his twin brother Esau’s heel and held on to it (Gen 25:6).

Because of his dubious nature, Jacob became a rampant schemer, and even tried to bless himself by buying God’s blessing. Through trickery, he compelled his older brother to sell his birthright to him and got the firstborn blessings from his father, Isaac (Gen. 25:31).

Yet something happened to him at the lowest point of his life. Faced with the threat of annihilation from Jacob’s enraged brother, God meets him as he is and, of all things, wrestles with him until daybreak (Gen 32:24). God dislocates Jacob’s hip to demonstrate that he was no match for Him. At this point in time, Jacob is broken.

Once Jacob realized that he was wrestling with God, he desperately held on to Him. God now gives him a new direction and purpose, and with it, a new name: Israel – the one who struggled with God and men and has overcome.

Within that moment, Jacob abandoned all his ability to make it through life successfully and surrendered his all to the Lord, broken and repentant. Jacob is blessed by God and his descendants have been richly blessed because of him. His new namesake became the namesake of the entire Jewish nation even up to now.

The presence of God, as well as its accompanying blessings, can come only through an intimate relationship with Him—sometimes through the context of brokenness.

What is brokenness? It is when we surrender to God; relinquishing control of our lives to God; realizing that all we have is not enough until we have Him. Brokenness is when our failures are exposed and the flaws of our character and our lingering sins are brought out into the open, and then God deals with them.

Brokenness is God showing us through the circumstances of our lives that we are nothing without Him. It is the realization that He alone is enough.

Perhaps some of us are going through some tough times right now. These times are no accidents, for they are designed for our good (Rom 8:28). It may help to ask ourselves these questions: Is there anything that I have intentionally put between myself and God? Is there something in my life that God is stripping away? Is there something that I love and trust more than the Lord himself?

We know God can be relentless. However, despite the crushing and breaking, we can take comfort in the fact that God is ultimately good. Brokenness can indeed bring us closer to Him.

Pursue Intimacy With God Series
Speaker: Joby Soriano Date: May 27, 2012

His Eyes are Upon Us

Paul’s Mighty Prayer - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

Paul’s Mighty Prayer - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

The apostle Paul’s prayer is often different from the way many of us tend to pray (Colossians 1:9-14). His prayer is unselfish, focused and God-centered.

To be more intimate with God, we need to learn and make it a habit to pray like the apostle Paul. We must pray to know God’s will, to walk worthy of the Lord, and to be empowered by His supernatural strength and be thankful for the saving grace in Jesus Christ.

To Know God’s Will (Colossians 1:9)

Sometimes we think that God’s will is a secret, but the truth is, we can know and understand His will (Ephesians 5:15-17). There is nobody who wants us to know His will more than God Himself but He wants us to seek Him by staying intimate with Him through His word. The Bible is filled with instructions, principles and guidance to reveal His general will for all of us and His specific will for each one of us. As we obey God’s general will, we are placing ourselves in a path where God can guide us specifically, step by step (Psalm 32:8).

To Walk Worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:10)

Knowing God’s will is one thing, obeying it is another. To walk worthy of the Lord is to walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), and to walk in humility (Ephesians 4:1-2). People around you are watching your life and expecting something different from you, not your perfection but how you live your life and respond to circumstances that may convince them to believe in Jesus.

To Be Empowered (Colossians 1:11)

There is no way we can understand the will of God and walk worthy of Him, unless we are empowered by the Spirit of God. The purpose of this power is for attaining steadfastness and patience to bear the pressure of difficult circumstances and difficult people. Jesus has qualified, rescued and redeemed us. He has qualified and rendered us worthy of His kingdom. We have been qualified by the grace of God to be heirs of His kingdom. He has rescued and redeemed us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into His kingdom. (Colossians 1:12-14)

The Light of His Word

God is Near... I can't be Disgraced

I WANT TO SEE...TO UNDERSTAND

Between Two Worlds -Greg Laurie Daily Devotions

Greg Laurie Daily Devotions

Between Two Worlds

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. - (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

I have noticed that many times, the previews for a film are better than the film itself. All of the best bits are in the preview. But people don’t go to the movie theater to see a preview; they go to see the movie.

In many ways, life on earth is like the preview, and the film is like eternity. The big event is the afterlife, because eternity is eternal, needless to say. It has been said that eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset, but eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise.

Everyone will live eternally, Christians and non-Christians alike. So that is not the biggest issue. The biggest issue iswhere we will spend eternity. As a believer, I know that I will be with Christ in heaven. And I know that one day Jesus will come back to Earth and establish His kingdom. I have put my faith and my hope in Christ. And this hope is not wishful thinking or blind optimism; it is a quiet confidence, a supernatural certainty.

Where do believers get this hope? We get it from Scripture. As the psalmist wrote, “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word” (Psalm 119:114).

From the moment we are born, we are on a quest, prewired to long for something more. The reason is because God has made us in His image. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”

Deep in our hearts, we have a longing to be with God. And until that day, we are essentially living between two worlds.

SINLESS FOR THE SINFUL

The love of God is so unfathomable in depth and width, He did not hold back in allowing His own Son to go through death just to bring salvation to us, and thereby restore us to His glory.

IRREVOCABLE FREEDOM

Ask God for His Will

Knowing God's will for our life is understanding the purpose of our existence.... and our pathway towards spiritual growth and successful endeavor. This will put a stop also to our anxieties over things we thought we need, because it is but natural to be provided with all things we need when we are in the presence of the LORD.

God is able to keep you from stumbling in your spiritual life!-Time with God

Time with God

Jude 1:24

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

God is able to keep you from stumbling in your spiritual life!

These words aren’t just a beautiful benediction to be recited at the end of a church service, they are spiritual truth for your life! You may be stumbling badly in your spiritual life, but God is able to keep you from stumbling.

No matter how far you have drifted away from God, no matter what has become a sinful habit in your life, no matter how dim your hope has become that anything can change, no matter how many times you have tried to change and failed, God is able to keep you from stumbling.

The key to victory in your spiritual life is not to try harder. The key is to surrender the leadership of your life to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can live a holy life in the middle of our godless world, and He is ready to live that life through you.

Today He wants you to stop trying to change on your own and invite Him to live through you…no matter what it means.

The Marvel of His Voice

Worship Only Me

Those blessings are not the ultimate benefit we get in worshiping God, but a natural effect of His presence. The ultimate benefit then is God himself, the privilege of communing with our Saviour, who is God in all aspect of His person, but so humble in mercy and grace, that no matter how frail and susceptible we are in falling short of His glory, He never gets tired to catch us in His arms and guide us back to the path of righteousness, as He works on us toward our completion according to His standard.

One Prayer, One Calling

All Things Under Christ

Inseparable Love

Assurance in Trials-In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

Romans 8:32-39

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ³³ Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was ^[a]raised, who isat the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of^[b]Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁶ Just as it is written,

“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We all experience hardship, and trials can shake us unless we cling to truth. Let me share three assurances to remember when troublesome circumstances arise.

First, God will always meet our needs. This doesn't mean He provides everything we want. Instead, the Lord will bless us with all that is necessary to fulfill His purpose for our lives. His goal is to sanctify us, not simply to satisfy each immediate desire.

Second, we're never alone. God promised to be with us always (Heb. 13:5). Loneliness often accompanies hardship, so we may feel deserted or opposed by family and friends. But our Father has sent His Spirit to be with us and in us, until the day He brings us to heaven (John 14:16-17). He is all we need--our advocate, guide, helper, and comforter. Recognizing His intimate presence gives us confidence in the midst of trials.

Third, God's love is eternal. Regardless of our circumstances or poor decisions, His care is unconditional--even when He reprimands us. Loving parents allow disobedient children to experience the consequences of wrong choices; they recognize the benefit of learning from mistakes. Of course, there are also times when we are negatively affected by others' wrong actions. Even then, God is sovereign and allows only what will bring good in His followers' lives.

In difficult times, we can remember that God will meet all of our needs, is always with us, and loves us forever. Though Jesus said we would face troubles in this life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate victory is His. So keep in mind that trials are fleeting, whereas our Father's love is forever.

Exasperating Your Kids -Parenting by Design

Parenting by Design

This verse is packed with parenting instruction. It immediately follows the passage instructing children to honor and obey their parents (Eph 6:1-2), and it helps us see how to make it easier for our children to obey us. The key is to avoid exasperating them.

The Greek word translated "exasperate" means to provoke to anger or to enrage. And, the fastest way to exasperate a child is to micromanage every move, correct each misstep, and point out all the areas he needs to improve. Kids who are nagged and lectured soon become frustrated and often respond by rebelling, withdrawing, or "losing heart." We are so inclined to over-correct, we often end up fighting about small things that aren't important. We may win the argument, but lose the war as we find our kids disconnecting from us.

Instead, try walking beside your kids as you lovingly allow them to experience the consequences of their choices. This is a far better way to create an environment in which a child can understand and embrace God's design for his life.

No one can be affliction proof, good thing we are surrounded with people of God who are spiritually strong and mature to walk with us in our affliction. Above all we have God who will not just give us comfort in the midst of our affliction but is able to lift us up and translate us into  His presence where we can find rest and healing.-But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.Job 36:15 

Jehovah-Rohi, our Shepherd -Living Free Everyday

Living Free Everyday

Today's Scripture

"THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place." Psalm 23 AMP

Thoughts for Today

God, our heavenly Father, watches over us, feeds us and is our personal friend. He is Jehovah-Rohi, our Shepherd, as described in the familiar 23rd Psalm. Even the best of earthly fathers cannot provide the gentleness, consistency or personal friendship our heavenly Father brings.

This Psalm is a wonderful description of God as our Shepherd. Spend some time today meditating on its comforting words. We learn in these verses that we can have a personal relationship with God. That he leads us with peace. He understands our need for rest. In every situation, he restores and guides us.

When we go through valleys of depression or trauma or need, he is with us, helping us every step of the way. He prepares a feast for us in the presence of our enemies. He blesses us with his goodness and love. And Jesus, the Good Shepherd, paid the price for our sins that we might be in his presence forever.

Consider this … 

How wonderful that Almighty God, our Creator, cares so much for us. No matter what our daily circumstances, we can always have the hope, the comfort and the security of knowing that our heavenly Father, who loves us more than we can imagine, is in control. He will work all things out for good. He is Jehovah-Rohi, our Shepherd.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that you are my Shepherd. Thank you for protecting me, guiding me, loving me unconditionally and blessing me in so many ways. Help me to follow you more faithfully. Remind me to focus more on the blessings in my life. In Jesus' name …

God’s ability is far greater than you think! -Time with God

Time with God

John North

Ephesians 3:20

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

God’s ability is far greater than you think!

Even if you’ve studied the attributes of God and believe that you have a grasp on what God can do, your concept of God’s ability falls far short. The Apostle Paul certainly knew his theology. He could define and debate with anybody. But as he wrote these words he was so aware that he only had a grasp on a little corner of God.

The greatness of God is unimaginable; there is no way that our minds can grasp what God is really like. He has revealed what we can know, but He also tells us that there is so much more than He has revealed!

What is there that you long to be a reality in your spiritual life, but you are not sure that God could do that in you. He can.

Whose walk with God do you see and wish that you could live that way? You can! God’s able to do far more abundantly beyond that in you, if you allow Him to! What do you need to do to allow God to do His work in you?

"The LORD is There." -Living Free Everyday

  Living Free Everyday

Today's Scripture

"The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on will be: The LORD is There." - Judges 6:24 NLT

Thoughts for Today

God, our heavenly Father, is always present and attentive to our needs. He is Jehovah-Shammah, which means "the Lord is there."

Many children grow into adulthood with an earthly father who is absent because of illness, work, unconcern or separation. Others have fathers who were present in the home but did not provide a positive and meaningful presence. Godly fathers can be a model of our heavenly Father by providing a feeling of security and helping their children grow spiritually and emotionally by "being there" for them.

However, our heavenly Father has some characteristics that our earthly fathers can never provide. Our heavenly Father is perfect. Our heavenly Father is all-powerful, present in all places at all times, and all-knowing. Our heavenly Father never changes.

Consider this … 

When we receive Jesus as our savior and develop a personal relationship with him, we can experience the constant presence of God. When we are hurting … he is there. When we are lonely … he is there. When we are tempted … he is there. When we are joyful … he is there. He is always there for us, offering his comfort, his love, his guidance and his strength.

Growing in knowledge of our heavenly Father is a lifetime process. In future days, we will see the Lord face-to-face. But today and each day of our lives, we can experience his presence. Through the Bible. Through prayer. And through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He is always there. Always attentive to our needs. Jehovah-Shammah. "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14 NIV

Prayer

Lord, help me remember that you are always there. Even when I don't "feel" your presence, help me remember that your Word tells me you are there and you will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank you for your never-ending love and presence. In Jesus' name …

No Condemnation - In Touch Daily Devotional

No Condemnation

Romans 8:1-4

Some believers are plagued by feelings of condemnation. Either they think they'll never live up to God's expectations for them or they're nearly drowning in guilt over past sins. These men and women cannot seem to shake the sense that God is displeased with their puny efforts at being Christlike.

The book of Romans confronts this lie head-on: "There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). When the Savior went to the cross on our behalf, He lifted the blame from our shoulders and made us righteous before God. Those feelings of condemnation do not belong to us; they are from Satan. He amplifies our guilt and feelings of inadequacy and then suggests that's how the Lord feels about His "wayward child." Nothing could be further from the truth. Our sins are wiped clean, and we are chosen and loved by God.

Condemnation is reserved for those who reject the Lord (John 3:36). Sin is a death sentence (Rom. 6:23). Anyone who chooses to cling to sin instead of seeking divine forgiveness must pay the penalty, which is an eternity separated from God. Two synonyms of condemn are 'denounce' and 'revile.' Those words certainly describe Jesus' statement to unbelievers in Matthew 25:41: "Depart from me, accursed ones."

There is no condemnation for those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. The believer's penalty for sin is paid, and he can stand blameless before God. Trust in the Lord's love and let go of Satan's lie. God's beloved children are covered by His grace and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

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Only By His Mercy