Thank God I'm Forgiven! And thank Him for so much more! What are you thankful about today? PTL! Tell Him. Count your many blessings! Build those gratitude lists. Redirect your thinking to God as you praise and offer many thanksgivings! Yes this is the day the Lord has made! No matter what you are facing, you can choose joy that comes about as you choose to praise, even in the storms. So, yes, rejoice and be glad in this day! Amen!
Good Morning Masterpieces of God, Made New in Christ, for His Purposes, Earnest and Persevering Worshipers! That's right from Ephesians 2:10. Believe it! pronounce it over you and us out loud with me...I am a Masterpiece of God, Made New in Christ, for His Purposes, Earnest and Persevering Worshiper! Amen! PTL! What does that mean to you? How is God blessing you as you contemplate the depth of His love, mercy and grace towards you? Tell Him and share with others today how blessed you are. Redirect your thinking and renew your mind as you praise--even in the storm you are in. God loves you and is with you right now. be still, know and praise the Lord! He has great plans for you, this day, the year ahead, and our Body of believers to discover, process, embrace and enact. That begins to come into focus as we praise and becomes clear as we sit at His feet and pray and process, That then comes to life as we process with others, discern God's plan and start to move towards it. Come Lord! Draw us close. Speak to our hearts. Encourage us. Bring rest to the weary. Fill us with Your Love and Shalom. Come be the Lord of our hearts, choices and persevering faith. Help us step into Your easy yoke and walk with You today. Amen! Thanks Lord! Your Kingdom come, will be done and may it come alive in me today. Thanks! Thank You for forgiving me and for Your great love, mercy and grace! Thank You for Your good plans for me. May I see You and follow well always. Amen
OK so, man did God speak to my heart through my quiet time this morning. I arose and turned off the noise, stilled my spirit, sat at His feet and received His love, wisdom, encouragement, and some of His plans for me and us for today and beyond. As I dwelt in His love, also dwelt in His shalom and was very blessed to just be in His presence and that he was speaking to my heart. How's that going with you today. Be still and know! I want to start with a devo from Sarah Evans' Jesus Calling devotional and folow that with Chrles Stanley's devo reminding you/us that you/we matter. God knows you and wants to hang with you. he loves you and is calling you by name to come sit at His feet, receive His love and dwell in His presence today. AMEN!
I know some of you are struggling right now with all kinds of burdens, questions, hardships and journeying through a season of grief. Check out the reminder of how King david questioned God yet drew close in worship, trust and persevering faith. God didn't mid the questioning and still doesn't. he knows your heart and is wanting to lead you through whatever He's allowed you you caused to grow and to move to His best. Talk to Him from your heart. he already knows and will help if you allow Him in. The next devo id from a study on season 4 of the Chosen. Check it out and pray through some of those psalms on your way to redirecting your thinking and being able to praise in your storm. Our Daily Bread reminds us that we are part of God's family and Jesus is our big brother and how He can be very real and personal to us. We can move from head knowledge to a heart of faith. We can know Him and make Him personally known to others as they see how real our relationship with Him is, even in our storms. The Upper Room reminds us to stop complaining and be a part of the solution. How can you bring shalom to the chaos? God always wants to do that and uses us sometimes. Quit grumbling and complaining and do something has been God's word to me for a long time and I have begun to be earnest at taking every thought, word, type and action captive before Him and He is changing me and helping me to turn off the noise and be a peace and joy bringer. he will help you too. Turn off the noise and clanging gongs that offer no solutions. Jesus and His wisdom, love and oeace are what will call the chaos. bring that alive as you continue to work at becoming more like Jesus and choosing to live and love more like Him today. And The Word for you today reminds us how to do that as we engage and love on others better by being present. help us Lord. And ask Him for some to help you with this journey or who you might help.
Start with stilling yourself and praise and receive His love, joy, peace beyond understanding and His plans for you to bring that alive everywhere you go as His agent carrying His Good News and incarnating His love. Amen! I've been earnestly praying for you and us and this is God's Word for us today. So rejoice and bring joy alive today. Know His peace and be His agent of love. Amen! Yes thank God I'm forgiven because all His best has become available to me and the gifts and power to bring it alive! Start praising right there ,Masterpieces of God, Made New in Christ, for His Purposes, Earnest and Persevering Worshipers! Amen!
Sarah Evans
CS:
Chosen season 4 study:
ODB:
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Jon was installed as full professor in a prestigious college. His older brother David was pleased, but, as brothers do, he couldn’t resist teasing Jon how he’d wrestled him to the ground when they were boys. Jon had gone far in life, but he’d always be David’s little brother.
It’s hard to impress family—even if you’re the Messiah. Jesus had grown up among the people of Nazareth, so they struggled to believe He was special. Yet they were amazed by Him. “What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son . . . ?” (Mark 6:2-3). Jesus noted, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home” (v. 4). These people knew Jesus well, but they couldn’t believe He was the Son of God.
Perhaps you were raised in a godly home. Your earliest memories include going to church and singing hymns. Jesus has always felt like family. If you believe and follow Him, Jesus is family. He “is not ashamed to call [us] brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11). Jesus is our older brother in the family of God (Romans 8:29)! This is a great privilege, but our closeness might make Him seem common. Just because someone is family doesn’t mean they’re not special.
Aren’t you glad Jesus is family, and more than family? May He become more personal, and more special, as you follow Him today.
By Mike Wittmer
REFLECT & PRAY
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How has Jesus become more personal to you? How might you make sure He remains special?
Dear Jesus, thank You for bringing me into the family of God.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Jesus had an interesting relationship with His hometown of Nazareth. He and His family were known among Nazareth’s townspeople (Mark 6:1-3). It’s also clear that the people had no explanation for His powerful words or miraculous deeds (v. 2). The Bible Knowledge Commentary points out that there may be even more behind their disbelief: “The phrase ‘Mary’s Son’ was also derogatory since a man was not described as his mother’s son in Jewish usage even if she was a widow, except by insult (see Judges 11:1-2; John 8:41; 9:29). Their words, calculated insults, also suggested they knew there was something unusual about Jesus’ birth.”
No wonder Christ responded by reminding them that “a prophet is not without honor except in his own town” (Mark 6:4), which would include Nazareth. Apparently, Jesus was too ordinary for them, perhaps implied by addressing him as “the carpenter” (v. 3), the position of a common laborer.
Bill Crowder |
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UR: Part of the Solution
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? - Matthew 7:3 (NRSVUE)
“It’s a shame people use the side of the road as their own personal trash can!” exclaimed a man coming toward me one morning when I was out for my daily walk. I voiced my agreement while he continued to wave his hands in annoyance at the discarded cans, paper cups, and plastic bottles that littered our road. He shook his head as we moved past each other and continued on our separate ways.
I noticed that he had nothing with him to pick up trash. Neither did I. In that moment, I realized I was not helping to solve the problem. As my daughter once so wisely stated, “Mom, unless you are ready to do something about the problem, quit complaining!” Today’s scripture also reminds me that I can either point a judgmental finger or I can get to work and be part of the solution, leading by example.
It is easy to complain, but solutions require action. I now carry a trash bag with me on all my daily walks. Our road is looking pretty tidy these days, and not just by my efforts alone.
Today's Prayer
Father God, help us to love our neighbors not just with our words but also by taking positive steps to make the world a better place. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.TWFYT:
Harvest:
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Would you pause right now and ask God to burden you for revival and spiritual awakening? That you would be overwhelmed with the reality of the need? Ask Him to create a desperation in your heart and the hearts of each of us that would drive us to extraordinary prayer!
God of Revival, flood my heart with desperation to see the whole earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea! Draw Your people to their knees to plead for the lost, who are burdened and without hope apart from a Savior! Fill Your churches with hearts that are burning to see You move across our lives in power as we obediently cry out for spiritual awakening across our land! Begin with me, Father! Begin with me!
---Adapted from Simply Prayer by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
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- Praise God, whose mind and imagination created the stars, the earth, and the life of all creatures.
- Give thanks for the reaches of God’s knowledge, which far exceeds the limits of the human mind.
- Confess the times in this past week when you have leaned on your own understanding and not followed the teachings of the Lord (Hos. 14:9).
- Commit yourself to studying the Bible regularly to learn what God has to teach you.
- Ask the Lord to make his Word as sweet as honey (Ps. 19:10).
- Pray for young adults and their parents, that the teaching of the Lord may be a living faith passed down from parent to child.
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