Simple Devotions

Tag: read to learn

  • no longer a slave

    Sharing a journal entry from March of 2021.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I should walk in the newness of life.

    According to Romans 6 ~ I am no longer a slave to sin.

    Living as a new creation saved by grace through Jesus Christ.

    Sin shall have no dominion over me because I am no longer under the law but under grace.

    To be obedient to this word so I may be lead to ” right living” righteousness. My life – body – mind – spirit needs to be a willing vessel to right living, instead of wrong living which makes one under the penalty of sin.

    Galatians 4

    No longer a slave to sin ~I am a child of God!

    By grace = saved through faith not of myself but a Gift from God, not by works. However created new in Christ for good works which God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them.

    Ephesians 2

    And like Jesus sweet spirit I need to walk in His will to serve in love & faithfulness. He shared PEACE. I need to also reflect this likeness.

    Only when we love Jesus will there be a spring of action in our steps. This is the action of love – serving for God’s glory. Not self.

    1 Peter 4

    The end is near ( at hand) therefore I need to be serious and watchful in prayers.

    When prompted to pray..do it.

    And above all things have love for one another for love will cover a multitude of sins. Love of family in their weakness – love of friends in their own “lost sense” because we know love heals.

    Love is powerful & divine

    “A soft answer turns away wrath” Proverbs 15

    1 Corinthians 13

    Love suffers long and is still kind.

    This a foretaste of Heaven, if love was used this way.

    Be hospitable towards others without grumbling.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I just shared the working out of the scriptures in study. Did you notice how one layer of truth builds upon another and another giving a firm foundation? This helps us to understand better the way the Lord is wanting us to walk.

    This is why it is so vital to study to understand. Acts 17:11

    The only way I can speak about the Word is by the ability He gives me in bringing it forward to my mind, my part is to study to put it there so that I will be able to see and testify to His glory.

    In this, He creates within us the gift of life to share with others freely. Being tender hearted, compassionate and courteous, this is what He calls us to do so that HE may be blessed and seen.

    Better is the end of a thing than its beginning and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecc 7:8

    I encourage you to journal your study times to see how He leads you in understanding, it only takes willingness.

    In Christ Love, Amen

  • John 17:17

    In this passage Jesus is speaking to the Heavenly Father in prayer,

    “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

    Sanctify means to set them apart, He speaks of the mission that He was sent to do, to give the Word. He requested that God the Father would protect those who receive the word and that they would not be overcome by the evil in the world.

    And then He went on to complete the mission, fulfilling the Word completely.

    This is the testimony of Jesus, the gospel message gone out to all the world, every nation; tongue and tribe.

    To those who believe in His word, they are able to attain His salvation in truth.

    Salvation in Jesus the son of God as our Savior, means we know we need to be cleansed from our own sinfulness.

    Psalms 119:9 ask the question how can one be cleansed?

    The answer: take heed according to the Word of God.

    Righteousness is everlasting because God’s law is truth and because Jesus was the fulfillment of it. He is truth.

    The Word is Holy forever.

    Yes, Lord’s beauty is in the grace He abounds toward us however it’s because of His Word that there is grace.

    Remember in John 17, when Jesus was asking the Father to protect those who heed the word. That’s grace, knowing we would need something and we didn’t ask for it.

    In Psalms 119: v. 142 – v. 151 – v. 152 His truth is the law that doesn’t condemn us to death, but saves us from sin.

    The truth of His Word sets us free. The testimony of His way, is not something new, it has always been, even before the foundations of the World.

    So the Word of God is forever, eternally.

    Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Luke 21:33

    Isaiah 40:8 The Word is a Rock – This Rock is Jesus, the living Word of God who stands forever.

    Closing thought:

    From the beginning to end we need to consider the whole matter which was written for our benefit. In the Word is life, and more abundantly, those who truly accept the righteousness of Christ Jesus will give serious consideration to the Word of God, because it works to cleanse us, to give us light to walk and to show us the way to a life everlasting, this is what it means to be set apart from this world that lives and dies in darkness.

    In Christ Love, Amen

  • harden

    “Do not harden your hearts, as in rebellion as they did in the trial in the wilderness.” Psalms 95:6-11

    God’s unfailing care for forty years to the children of Israel were daily reminders of His miraculous provision, God gave them food from Heaven which the angels served and they were taught that having God’s promises they were secure from want or harm.

    The problem was they did not appreciate what they were saved from or what they were given. And this was the hardening of their hearts. They complained often, He was giving them freedom and the love of a master but they said it would have been better back in Egypt, how quickly they forgot their trials. They did not trust in His salvation which was leading them to the promise land.

    The truth is the “manna from Heaven” He gave was like the “bread of Heaven ” who came down to give life. John 6:26-40

    The connection here is that God truly cares. We are blind to what we live in, we don’t see His gifts as life, because it doesn’t look like what we want. Matthew 15:14

    Have you ever watched a child receive a pair of gloves or a new jacket and the disappointment on their faces because they wanted something to play with, it wasn’t an object of affection to their own expectations. However give that kid a few years or a really cold day and they are going to love those new things that will help to keep them warm while they play outside. With God the Father its about needs, not wants.

    Our hearts are set against Him when we say “I’ll do it my way..” like those in the wilderness we have a lot in common, until we learn to trust and be obedient we will not be able to hear and follow His call and receive His care.

    His promises contain power.

    In every command, in every promise of Gods word is the power, the very life of God, by which the command is fulfilled.

    His Promises = His Provision

    So those who by faith receive His word, receive the very life and character of God. John 5:24

    So today trust Him, do not harden your hearts.

    In Christ Love, Amen