Tag Archives: God’s Word

Non-Traditional Bible Devotions

  By Rachel | August 3, 2012 - 2:27 pm | Thoughts for the Day
3 Comments

***Today I am sharing a guest post from my new blogging friend Michy over at Loving Our Journey.
Bible

I love reading God’s words in my old, earmarked, highlighted, sticky noted bible.
Being a perfectionist, I feel like I should read the bible everyday, every single morning.
“Rising very early  before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, and where he prayed.”  (Mark 1:35).
After trying over the years to read the bible, whether it be different passages, books, or following a study guide, I feel like I fail over and over again.  I crave His word, His teachings, and have more faith focused days when I do.  The only time this happens consistently, though, is when I was part of a weekly bible study group…that does not exist for me anymore.
Finally, I’ve learned to take a new approach:  accepting what works for God and I along our prayerful journey.
“…your father knows what you need before you ask him.”  (Matthew 6:8)
So when I just open the bible to a random page and start reading, I’ve had the message on the page speak true to my heart.  No plan…and I’ve been brought to tears.
I recently stumbled upon a book Where to Find it in the Bible.  It’s full of topics and bible passages that correspond.  I felt guilty buying it, like I’m cheating.
Learnng to accept what works for God and I along our prayerful journey…
I flip through pages, find what I want to read about, and find it in my bible.  Hours go by.  Non-traditional bible reading…and I’m loving it.
I’m enjoying my bible more.
Being open to God’s words to my heart in any way I can…
Blessings from my heart to yours,
Michy
Michy is a Christian Stay At Home mother writing with passion about her loves: faith, parenting, and healthy living.  She is a past Special Education teacher and Elementary Literacy Specialist who loves learning.  You can visit her on facebook or at her Loving Our Journey blog where she hosts Faithfully Friday Parenting Linky Party.

Shaking Reality

  By Rachel | July 27, 2012 - 11:40 am | Thoughts for the Day
Leave a comment

Shake it Up Baby Now...

The more time I spend in God’s Word, the more I get shook up.

Life as usual just isn’t good enough.

I want more.

I seek God, passionately and desperately longing for my life to change.

Not even sure how it can…  (so many bad habits)

What will it look like?  I keep searching His word- pleading to Him for help.

As I read John 5 today, my soul trembled.

John 5:36-44

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing —testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

The problem comes when you can no longer walk away after reading your Bible and writing in your journal and remain unchanged.

And I feel that line that has been drawn in the sand.

I can’t go back now- I know too much.

I have tasted and seen.

The Word has resonated so deeply, you feel your need for God so profoundly, that you find no rest in “business as usual.”

Change must come- and it is scary and wonderful at the same time.

Scary because it means acknowledging that God needs to be all and me none.

Wonderful because I cannot be any more safe and secure in this life than in the hands of my Savior and God.

Scary because I don’t know what He might ask me to do, to give up.

Wonderful because I cling to promises of glory, heaven, eternity- and this world fades in significance compared to what will come.

Lord, I pray that when I put down my Bible, your Word will continue to stir in my heart.  May my eyes seek you throughout the day- eagerly looking to find you in all that I do and see- to invite you in.  I don’t want to be like one who looks in the mirror- and then walks away and forgets what I look like.  I want to be changed- transform me Lord- shake up my life.  Hold me.  I need You.  By the power of your Holy Spirit, to bring Glory to Your Name I pray, Amen.

 

Preparation for the Soul

  By Rachel | February 29, 2012 - 7:59 pm | Thoughts for the Day
Leave a comment

Spade in soil

I was digging to plant my first Azalea a few days ago, and I got to thinking about how our spiritual lives are in many ways similar to the work that I do when preparing to plant a shrub.

To make sure that the plant is healthy and does well in the location where you have planted it, you need to give it the right kind of soil to grow.  Each plant is unique- so you have to pay attention to the particular conditions that really help that plant to be healthy.

We need healthy soil to be planted in- I like to look at this as our home life- what we do with our time during the day- what we are putting into our brains, what we are thinking about?  How much time do you spend focused on God and eternal things and how much time either escaping or focusing on things of this world?

You have to dig a big hole, usually two to three times the size of the plant ball that you are planting, and it is good to dig a hole twice as deep.
Preparing the Soil

How deep is your foundation?  Do you have basic knowledge and understanding of God’s Word?  When you feel tempted or discouraged, or stressed- do you have passages of Scripture that you look to for comfort? Do you spend time in prayer- or do you head to the fridge, television, video games, or alcohol to escape?  (This was very convicting for me- we talked about this at BSF last week)

Sometimes you have to remove rocks or take out a lot of the native soil because the plant needs a different mix to provide better drainage or to help encourage the roots to reach down deeper for water.

What do you need to take out of your life?  What is lingering in the soil of your soul, keeping you from continuing to grow closer to Christ?  What secret sin are you unwilling to let go of???

When you water the plant, you water for long periods, letting the water soak down deep, encouraging the roots to extend downward rather than staying close to the surface of the ground.

Do you have a solid root system?  Does your faith run deep, not easily shaken by life circumstances?  How do you respond when bad things happen to people?  How do you handle the doubts in your life- are you confident in the promises of Scripture?

Do you know the promises that we can claim as children of God?  Can you list some of the attributes of God’s character and point to places in Scripture that support your list?

A thick layer of mulch is necessary to keep the plant cool and to help hold moisture in the soil and keep weeds at bay.

What weeds have taken over in your soil?  Are there things that choke you daily and discourage you- do you feel like you are fighting a losing battle?

Do you use Scripture to combat those areas of weakness in your life?  Do you pray when hard times come or you lose your temper and say something that you regret?  Do you seek forgiveness from those you have wronged and from God?

Have you spent time preparing your soul today?  Are you so busy that you don’t have time to stop and even ponder the state of your soul?  What can you change- no matter how small- to make a conscious effort to make time for God today?

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Pink on blue

Intentional Living

  By Rachel | February 19, 2012 - 6:24 pm | Thoughts for the Day
Leave a comment

Reach Out!

Being a parent has made me even more aware of how important it is for being to make conscious effort in thinking about my priorities.  What do I spend my day doing?  What is most important to me?  And how do my actions either confirm or raise suspicion concerning what my priorities really are?

I am a planner, so usually first thing as the day begins, I have started a mental list of all the things that I want to get accomplished.

I like productivity- to be able to see something tangible that shows how productive my day has been-an immaculately clean house, a new crochet project completed, 3 chapters written in my book, a delicious meal prepared.

Life changed for me forever with the entrance of our two little miracles (our children).  They have thrown a wonderfully inconvenient wrench in all my plans and guided me towards what is really important.

Sometimes I forget to look for the eternal significance of things.  How am I spending my time furthering God’s kingdom here on earth?  Am I making a conscious effort to reach out to those around me with God’s love?  Am I in tune with the Holy Spirit?

Am I even listening to where God is guiding me today?

Through my children, and the love I have for them, God has been calling to me, to hear His voice- to be obedient to His call- and that has taken me places- and into situations that I never imagined.  It is not always easy, but it is so good-so good.

And I find myself trying for the first time in my life- to order my days according to someone else’s will and not my own.  Letting my own selfish wishes and wants be pushed aside as I listen to God’s call- my children have guided me out of a selfish existence.  I don’t think I even realized how consumed I was with self at times.

I think our society places so much emphasis on self and pleasure for the self, instant gratification, treat yourself- that sometimes we don’t wonder- or even ask, what God wants from us- what He is trying to teach us- how He is trying to use us.

Colossians 3:1-17

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is yourlife, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

I pray that we will have the mind of Christ- that we seek opportunities to serve- to open ourselves up to God’s leading- to listen.

 

 

 

When I’m Discouraged

  By Rachel | February 9, 2012 - 3:32 pm | Thoughts for the Day
1 Comment

Some days, I feel so discouraged.  I feel like nothing I am doing is making a difference- I hear these negative messages replaying over and over in my head and I get this hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I start to despair.  I feel like so much of my striving day to day is pointless.

When I start to focus on negative thoughts, it can spiral out of control pretty fast, and before I know it I am entertaining thoughts that I know are not true.  But I am not refuting them with the truth of God- instead I am entertaining them- giving them power.

Calling a Christian friend or family member can sometimes help me out of this slump- but the tried and true way for me to escape this downward spiral of negativity is to focus on God.  Sing some praise songs- even if I don’t really feel like it at first- get out my Bible and read some of the Psalms about being discouraged, and then pray and tell God about my discouragement.

Then I try hard to think about things I am thankful for.  This is all an effort of the will, and I’m not going to lie- sometimes I don’t want to do it.  Sometimes I spend a good portion of the day wallowing and letting negative thoughts invade off and on- my mood is somber and everyone notices it.

Thoughts are powerful.  Emotions can be too.  But we have the power to change them through force of will- through discipline- through combatting the lies with truth.  This is something I am still working on.

Just like those times when I know my actions are wrong and yet my pride keeps me from owning up to it- sometimes I know my thoughts are wrong- and yet I do nothing to correct them.

My prayer today is that when that attack comes- when discouragement rears its ugly head- that I will cut it down with the Word of Truth- I will cling to the Lord and hold tight to His promises- to who He is and who I am in Him- and not let the lies win.

Here is a great list of who we are in Christ- there are many more- but it is a great place to start on those discouraging days.

  • I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10).
  • I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).
  • I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
  • I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).
  • I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).
  • I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).
  • I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).
  • I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
  • I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
  • I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).
  • I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17-18).
  • I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues.  I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19).
  • I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me (Colossians 3:9-10).
  • I have given, and it is given to me; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men give into my bosom (Luke 6:38).
  • I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
  • I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).
  • I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
  • I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
  • I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23).
  • I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).
  • I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
  • I am a spirit being alive to God (Romans 6:11;1 Thessalonians 5:23).
  • I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (2 Corinthians 4:4).
  • I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22,25).
  • I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).
  • I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37).
  • I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).
  • I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).
  • I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).
  • I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9).
  • I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
  • I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19).
  • I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13).
  • I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
  • I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).
  • I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).
  • I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).
  • I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13).
  • I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7).
  • I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9).
  • I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).
  • I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12).
  • I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).
  • I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11).
  • I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).
  • I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (Philippians 3:14).
  • For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
  • It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

List found at Joyce Meyer Ministries, to see original post, click here.