BE KIND

 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.-Ephesians 4:32

This verse has been on my heart and mind recently. When we remember the infinite depth of God's mercy and grace and the high price He paid for our salvation, then being kind, having a tender heart, and showing/expressing forgiveness well, it's something we should strive for.

ADVENT-Hope

ADVENT-Coming

Christmas is the season of hope. Children hope for the latest popular toy or game. Families hope that everyone can make it home for the holidays. But the hope that Christmas commemorates is much bigger than our holiday desires. JESUS, the “Desire of All Nations” (Hag. 2:7), HAS COME! He has “delivered us from the power of darkness,” bought our redemption, and forgiven our sins (Col. 1:13-14).Christ in us gives us the hope of glory. Praise God for the hope of Christmas!-From the pages of Our Daily Bread

Looking and Listening LORD

 

Scripture Psalms 123:1 Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.

Daniel 9:18-19 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!”

Daniel 10: 19  So, when he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

Observation Daniel cried out for the Lord’s attention, to listen/hear, to look/see, to act, to be merciful, and forgive.

Application I, too, can cry out for God’s attention and can know that He is listening, that He is looking and sees the need, that He is merciful and forgiving.

Prayer Father, this day, as I lie here in my bed, thank You for reminding me that You see me, hear me, You are merciful, and give me the peace and strength I need and am longing for.

Precious Blood

 Scripture I John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Observation/Application  Confession brings cleansing and forgiveness of sin.

Prayer Thank You, Jesus, for shedding Your precious blood that my sins may be forgiven.

Confidence in Christ

 Scripture Psalm 118 :8-9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

Observation Trusting in the Lord is far better than trusting men/princes.

Application I will put my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ above and before all else.

Prayer Thank You, Jesus, for Your love and forgiveness. My faith and trust and confidence is in You.

Beyond Abundance

 

 Scripture Psalms 86:5, 13, 15  For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

 For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth.

Observation You, Lord, are good, forgiving, compassionate, gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth.

Application All that You are is beyond my comprehension, yet You offer it all up to me and for me.

Prayer Father, thank You for Your goodness, forgiveness, compassion, grace, longsuffering, mercy, and Truth, all beyond measure and comprehension, all poured out to and for me.

Listen to and Learn from Jesus

 

Day 159 Ecclesiastes 7-9 Ephesians 4

Scripture Ephesians 4:21   if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Observation You have been taught by Jesus, Who is The Truth, follow His example of forgiveness.

Application Hear, listen, to and learn from Jesus, The Truth, and be forgiving, just as He forgave you.

Prayer  Dear Jesus, today I would listen to and learn from You, Who are The Truth, and extend forgiveness to others.

Only Faith

 Scripture Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

Observation The faith of others can result not only in physical healing but people receiving forgiveness of sins.

Application I would be diligent in my prayers for others and seize every opportunity to bring them to Jesus.

Prayer Lord God, I would seize every opportunity  to bring others to Jesus.

Always and Forever

 

Scripture Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Observation Because of God’s goodness and mercy I  have forgiveness and a forever home with Him.

Application You are always with me, now and forever.

Prayer Father, thank You for Your love, goodness, mercy, grace, and a forever home with You.

JESUS CHRIST My SOLID ROCK

 

Scripture Psalms 26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip.

Observation David knew he needed God’s forgiveness. He desired to be a man of integrity, trusting, walking on a solid foundation.

Application Jesus Christ alone offers the forgiveness we need, gives a solid foundation on which to walk, and helps us live a life of integrity.

Prayer Thank You, Father, for graciously forgiving me. I desire to be a man of  integrity, trusting You wholeheartedly, walking/standing on a solid foundation that only You can provide.

 

 

 

 

ONLY JESUS

 SCRIPTURE-Leviticus 22:21 And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.

II Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

OBERVATION-only the sinless Son of God, Jesus, can pay the price, make atonement for our sin.

APPLICATION-my faith and trust is in Christ alone for the forgiveness of my sin.

PRAYER-Thank You Father for giving/sending Your one and only Son, Jesus, to pay the price, to make atonement, for my sin. Thank You, Jesus, for being obedient to Your Father. Thank You both for loving me so. 

Jesus Paid it All

 

Scripture -Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.

Romans 3:22-26, Ephesians 1:7-In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Observation-All throughout Leviticus there is the repeated shedding of blood for atonement for the soul. However, Jesus Christ came to bring redemption, forgiveness, through His blood once and for all, by His grace.

Application-Jesus paid it all, once and for all, once and for always.

Prayer-Thank You, Jesus, for being my Redeemer!

Jesus, My Great High Priest

 

Scripture So the priest shall make atonement for them/him, and it shall be forgiven them/him.- Leviticus 4:20b,31b, 35b; So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it shall be forgiven him.- Leviticus 5:10b, 13a, 18b, 6:7

Observation Repeatedly, 7 times, in these 3 chapters in Leviticus, the phrase about the priest making atonement for forgiveness of sin is used.

Application We, now, have a Great High Priest, Jesus, Who has graciously, once and for always paid the price, made atonement for our sin.- Hebrews 4:14-16

Prayer Thank You, Jesus, for paying the price, being the sacrifice for my sin, once and for always.

Week Four Status 2011

Lord,let Your Word have its full effect in my life to make me more like Jesus!

What's the greatest gift you have ever received? On November 15, 1981, I received the greatest gift of my life. I placed my faith in Jesus Christ and received His gracious gift of eternal life. As a result, my past is forgiven, my present is blessed, and my future is secure.

Status Week Thirty 2010

Father, help me to have a faith that sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and experiences the impossible.

Thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Prayer is the voice of faith, trusting that God knows and cares.

From the rising of the sun to its going down, the LORD'S name is to be praised. ~Psalm 113:3

Have a GREAT and BLESSED new day and month filled with God's LOVE and GRACE!

O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. ~ Psalm 107:1

Though we cannot see Him with our eyes, we can believe with our heart—He is Lord!

Forgiven, forgotten, all cleansed in the blood, my sins are remembered no more. They have all been atoned for by Calvary's flood, my sins are remebered no more!

They Never Meet

I came across this today from the pages of Our Daily Bread and found it very interesting, enlightening, un-understandable(?)...His ways, His thoughts higher (infinitely) than ours! Thought I'd pass it on.

Did you know that the farthest point east and the farthest point west in the United States are both in Alaska? It’s a geographical trick, actually. Pochnoi Point in the Aleutians is as far west as you can go and still be in the US. But if you travel a few miles farther west, you’ll end up at Alaska’s Amatignak Island. Because that spot is west of the 180th meridian separating the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, it is technically east of the rest of the US.
But you’ll never find a spot where east and west are actually next to each other. In going west, you never “find” east. East goes on forever. West goes on forever. They never meet. You can’t get farther from something than that.
What difference does this make? Just this: When you read in Scripture that your forgiven sins are separated from you “as far as the east is from the west” (Ps. 103:12), you are assured that they are an immeasurable distance away—gone forever. If that’s not enough, try this: God says, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isa. 43:25).
Concerned about your sins? Through Jesus’ death on the cross, God is able to say, “What sins?” But He will do that only if you put your faith in His Son. — Dave Branon

Wow...our God is an Awesome God!