If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15 Do you find it hard to be obedient to God and His word? Do you find it hard to surrender all to him? God loves His children. In order to experience His love and enjoy His love, we have to be obedient to Him. Obeying God is a willing heart towards him, not a cold requirement. God has the best interest at heart for us. What do you think about when you think of obedience? Is it positive or negative? Is it hard or easy? Do you have teenagers? I have and have had a few. They hate rules…
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Reflection Day
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 Today is Reflection Day! I really love reflection day. It’s a time for me to go back and reflect on what God has spoken to me about. It gives me time to pray and seek God about what he wants to speak to change in my life. It gives me time to make a game plan of putting action to what God is telling me and asking of me. Reflection Day gives me a slower pace to really grasp what God is telling me. It gives me more time to…
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Digging Deeper
. Do you know someone who is or has lived a holy life? How does this encourage you to do the same? Why is it important to confess our secret sin to others? What effect could this have on others? Have you seen any evidence of God at work in others? Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in…
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Seeking Him
Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and . . . be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and . . . put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4: 22-24 Apostle Paul shares important insights about the life – long process of pursuing holiness. As new creatures in Christ, we are to put off anything and everything that is apart of our old sinful life. This could be habits, attitude, impure motives, and so forth. We must daily put on the new self. These are the…
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Jubilation Of Holiness
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah. But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah. Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the Lord. Psalm 4: 1-5 What words come to mind when you hear…
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The Heart of the Matter
This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worhsip me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men,’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:6b-8 Do you know where your heart truly is? Is it far from God or is it close? In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders were highly respected and were considered holy. They were the experts of the Old Testament law. The religious leaders prided themselves on keeping the law. Their outward behavior could not be critized. The only person that could was Jesus. He did call them out. True…
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Getting Ready
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27 My second son is getting married this year. There is a lot of planning going on. There is excitement! There is stress! However, on my part, there is peace with this union. I see God, working in both of these young people. They are getting ready both ceremonially and spiritually with all the feels. …
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A Heart Like Like His
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 When you think or hear the word holiness, what comes to mind? Does dour faces, rigid rules, or self – righteousness come to mind? What about when you hear people talk about God and seeking him? Can I tell you a little secret? Seeking God is anything but dull! However, What does it mean to be holy? Well holiness can be defined on two levels. The first one is positional holiness, which is what God imparts to us when we become His children. Since we are sinners and God is holy,…
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Reflection Day
Let us then with Confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Today is Reflection Day! I really love reflection day. It’s a time for me to go back and reflect on what God has spoken to me about. It gives me time to pray and seek God about what he wants to speak to change in my life. It gives me time to make a game plan of putting action to what God is telling me and asking of me. Reflection Day gives me a slower pace to really grasp what God…
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Digging Deeper
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grac, that we may recieve mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Read John 1:14-18; Romans 5:12-17; and Titus 2:11-14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”16 And of His afullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For bthe…