Tag: scripture

Proceed with Caution

Today’s readings are Jeremiah 47,48, and 49, Psalm 80, and 2 Peter 2.

2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

2 Peter 2:1-3

These verses and the entire chapter of 2 Peter 2 give us warning to watch carefully who and what we are watching and listening to and their interpretation of Scripture. Churches and pastors are no doubt resources that can help us grow in our faith and relationship with Jesus and yet we must constantly be on guard to make sure what they are teaching and leading us to is the true Word of God which is our measuring stick. The timing of my assigned passages may not be so coincidental as just last week I became aware of warnings of some of the teachings of Andy Stanley who was someone I’ve held in high regard and would have even pointed other believers and non-believers to. As someone shared with me a warning about one of his teachings, I dug deeper and found a few more concerning teachings over the past few years that aren’t what I believe to be consistent with the Word of God tells us. My writing is not to single out Andy who I pray gets back on course, but a good reminder to me which I wanted to share with others that we must always be asking ourselves whether what we are hearing from a pastor or what a church is teaching is truly based from Scripture or an accurate interpretation of Scripture.  The Bible warns us not everyone will follow and teach the pure and true Word of God, but will tend to stray and adapt to please people or the times.

Here are a few other Scriptures I found that underscore the importance of following the entire Word..

“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.”

Deuteronomy 12:32

This verse is very clear that the Bible in its entirety should be taught..all of it.

Yes…Jesus saving grace on the cross and Resurrection is central to our belief as Christians and yet the entire Word is important because it all points to Him. People will commonly say, ”Well..Jesus never commented or talked about this topic.” The book of John tells us He was there in the beginning at Creation and most importantly He is the Word and was not only the culmination of it, but was a part of all of it from Genesis to Revelation making it important that nothing be taken away or added to it.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing that was made.

John 1:1-3

We are also taught in 2 Timothy 3:16…

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

The key theme is simple..ALL of it comes from God.

However, we are warned again to take caution in 2 Timothy 4:3-4…

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander of into myths.

I will end with one of my Mom’s favorite verses which is Hebrews 13:8 which it is also worth noting that Hebrews 13:7 before tells us there are still great teachers of the true Word we should remember and listen to. Hebrews 13:9 after has another warning of false teachers, but in the middle verse 8 reminds us most importantly…

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

He was the same in Genesis at Creation as He is today in current times and the same as He will be in the book of Revelation when He comes again. When we follow Him, we follow the entirety of the Word because He is the Word. Nothing can be taken away or added to Him and His Word which has and will always be the same. I pray this can give you peace and comfort as you go today.

God of Peace

As we explore the God of Peace together today, what comes to your mind with the word peace? Take some time and think about how you would define peace.

In English, the word “peace” conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root slm, which means “to be complete” or “to be sound,” according to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology.

This definition makes me think of words like Perfect. Whole. Righteous.

What does peace feel like to you? Physically? Close your eyes and think about what God’s peace feels like.

I feel a huge inhale and an audible exhale. A release of every muscle and tissue. Hands open. Eyes closing and letting go of the clutter in my mind. An overwhelming sense of calm and perfection. A smile across my face and sun shining down and warming me.

I believe we are created in God’s image, with a desire for peace, a searching for His wholeness to consume us. One day we will be made perfect and live completely whole in His peace. Can you imagine it?!

Are you currently in a season of searching and seeking peace?  Ready to give up the worries and anxiety that we are surrounded by? I don’t know what is stealing your peace today, but lately I know I need:

        • His steadiness for my spiraling
        • His shield for my storm
        • His strength for my struggle
        • His saving grace for my sin
        • His sovereignty for my self-reliance
        • His sanctification for my shortcomings

In order to have more of His peace, I need to draw closer to Him and His ways. I loved Jon’s encouragement yesterday to Cry Out to the I AM! He will rescue us with His peace – the world can’t offer anything close!

Our God isn’t just the author of peace – He also tells us how to have His peace in our life. He wants us to live fully in His peace and He tells us how to do it! Do you believe – truly believe – that living with God’s peace in your heart, is a choice? Do you believe that you can choose to have more peace in your life? His word tells us it’s true, will you join me in clinging to this truth and choosing peace? Let’s start together, today!

When scriptures tell us to “let” something occur, I like to replace that with “allow”. Let’s do our part in all of this ALLOWING:

Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.  John 14

Let the peace of God rule in your heart. Col. 3:15

Think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise…and then the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:8

When you break down piece by piece and put Phil 4:5-7, in your on words, we learn that because God is working, we have no reason to be anxious:

God is here! Pray with gratefulness and ask our Father to meet our needs. His peace – which is greater than anything we can even understand – His peace will protect our hearts and our minds – in Jesus!

Rejoice, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances… hold fast to what is good and abstain from evil, and the God of peace will sanctify you. 1 Thess 5:16-23

Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with another, live in peace. 2 Cor 13:11

Those that love your law, have great peace. Psalm 119:165

The Bible is full of instructions on how to have His peace in your world, while living here in this world. Make your own list of actionable steps from scripture, to have more of God’s peace. I’d love to hear what scriptures have helped you have more peace. The more we spend in His word, focus on Him and what He has for us, the less we focus on ourselves and the unrest of this world.

I will leave you with this final beautiful picture from Isaiah 55:

“For you shall go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall break forth into singing,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Our Prince

 

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Today’s Readings: 1 Chronicles 3-4, Hebrews 9, Amos 3, Psalms 146-147

“I will praise the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 

Put not your trust in princes,

in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;

on that very day his plans perish.”

Psalm 146: 2-4

 It’s been quite a week to live here on this earth in our little country called The United States. At least I’m sure our country is small to our Heavenly Father who is looking down on us, shaking his head as we struggle to be united. My heart has been heavy with the responsibility of writing today. Mostly, because I want to deliver an uplifting message to everyone and maybe because I need one myself. We’ve spent this week, this month, this year focused on the plans that one person has for our country. But we forgot. We forgot that there isn’t a person on this earth that can have dominion over everything.

“…when his breath departs, he returns to earth; on that very day his plans perish.” 

When we put all of our hope and our trust and our faith in a human being, there will be hardship. No matter who it is. No one can carry our lives in their hand, keep us safe, and protect our souls like our Father. It has been a hard lesson, but we are learning. Our country is swept up in fear, hostility and in some places violence. The division is deep, and it hurts. There is one that can heal us. One that shows us each day that our plans are just for now, while we are here. What endures is God’s love, generation after generation.

At another time in my life when I was afraid and alone, a friend took the time to write encouraging scriptures for me on some little yellow note cards. Those cards saved me. Literally, those cards brought the Bible into my life for the very first time. Despite growing up Catholic I had never opened a Bible. The first time I read about God’s promises, they were written on yellow index cards. This opportunity to write for Bible Journal has matured my faith more than I could have imagined, I am reading many of His sacred words for the first time. Now, I hold those passages close to my heart. I speak them out loud, read them in a quiet moment or simply think them while driving from place to place. That small act of taking an hour to write scripture onto note cards had such an impact on my life. As I prayed about what to write for you today, God told me to bring it back to the simplicity of his word. He reminded me that we can’t fix things here on earth. We are a broken world with broken people. He is the only “fixer.” I realized that the uplifting message I have to share with you today is just Jesus. He is our salvation.

Lord, we know that you are in control of everything. We know that you lead us each and every day. Help us to see your way Father.

A few of the yellow cards:

 

“May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

 

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us and eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

 

“Faith is being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see…By faith, I understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what is visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3

 

“God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of calm and well balanced mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

 

“Now unto Him who is able to do more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory forever and ever, Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

 

“Everything that was written in the past was written to teach me, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures I might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Rain Down

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 11; Psalms 95–96; Isaiah 39; Revelation 9 

Deuteronomy 11:13-16
And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full. Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them;

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday!

As only God can do, the rain perfectly comes down as I reflect on where to start for this week. God has his perfect timing for all seasons. He has his perfect timing planned for you today. Enjoy the moments! I pick up my raindrop filled bible and journal and head in.

In Deuteronomy 11 Moses reminds the Israelite’s to love the Lord our God, keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, his commandments. In addition we shall lay His words in your heart and soul, binding them to your hand and teaching them to your children. Now it may sound easy but we know that even the Israelite’s witnessed amazing miracles like the splitting of the Red Sea and they still had trouble remaining faithful.(v. 3-6) Moses reminded the Israelite’s and he reminds us to obey and remain faithful. We all need this invitation or reminder.  For myself, waking up in the morning reading the beautiful heartfelt and God-filled journal writings in addition to the daily reading is that reminder.  It is my highlight of those early hours that helps me through the day.

There are miracles all around us if and when we look. As I start to write this Saturday morning it’s the rain. Tonight, I watch a sliver of a moon in the midst of a red to blue sunset.  I’m filled even as I do drive my son around trying to get him to sleep:). I pray you look for those moments today and praise Him. In the season of deadlines, summer schedules for our children, and everything else that can direct your day, love the Lord, obey Him and serve. He will provide everything you need. He always has, he always will.

God has given us the Bible that has shared a panoramic view of his amazing miracles. This picture is being developed and divinely planned out by Him still now. We are part of this picture. Today, his Word lives in and through us. If you haven’t spent time reading the daily scriptures that go with these journals I encourage you to wake up 15 minutes earlier to feel and allow scripture to live in you. I guarantee the start of your days will change for the better.  They have for me.  He provides lessons from the past, instructions for the present, and opportunities in the future to strengthen our love and faith.

In verse 26 God gives the Israelite’s a choice between a blessing and a curse. A blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, and a curse, if you don’t obey the commandments, turning aside from the way he is commanding you today, to go after other gods. We have this same choice today. We can live for ourselves and other gods or live for the Lord our God who promises eternal life.

What choices will you make today? What gods will surround you pulling you away from our eternal God?  Acts 3:19 motivates us, “So change the way you think and act, and turn [to God] to have your sins removed”.

In addition, Psalms 95 says, “if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart. Come into his presence with thanksgiving and when you’re put to the test, remain faithful”.  As we wrap session 8 of Follow by Andy Stanley I encourage you to refuse to Unfollow.  Keep God close.  Along your faith journey you will be tempted to Unfollow.  But to whom shall we go? John 6:68-69 says Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God. Many things will test us.  His words are eternal.

Moses was speaking to the Israelite’s, he is speaking to us. Don’t be deceived today.

Dear Almighty Father, Show me your ways, Lord, teacher me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Psalm 25:4-5

Ask yourself today,

  • Did I spend time in Scripture today?
  • Did scripture live in me?
  • Did I grow in awe and wonder of God today?