Waiting for Hope

https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11-13

Paul writes these words to Titus, whom Paul describes as my true child in a common faith.

Paul gives Titus and us a picture here of God’s working in our lives and the reason for each of those steps He takes on our behalf.

Through God’s grace for us, his children He:

 

*brings salvation for all people,

                God saves us from our sin. Jesus took all our sin onto Himself when He went to Calvary.

*trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions,

                God, through His word and the Holy Spirit, shows us what He finds unacceptable to Him.

*trains us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives now,

                When we allow the Holy Spirit to have control of our lives, we possess self-control. When we have self-control, we lead upright lives that please God.

God does all these things as we await the hope of seeing the risen Christ appear in all His glory.

The LORD Is...Part 2)

by Gaye Lynne LaGuire

Provider

Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

Genesis 22:8, 14 (ESV)

We all have heard the story of Abraham and Isaac and Abraham’s discussion as they journeyed to the mount of God to offer a sacrifice. Isaac noticed they had all the supplies they needed except the animal for the offering. Abraham responded that the LORD would provide.

In each of our lives, the LORD has provided for us. Employment, shelter, food, and friendships. He even provides guidance when we are uncertain of how we should respond to circumstances in our lives.

Hope

 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence

For my hope is from him.

 He only is my rock and my salvation,

 my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

Psalm 65:5-6 (ESV)

David writes this thought twice in this Psalm. When a writer in the Old Testament does this, He chooses to place emphasis on the thought.

What does David say? He reminds himself to wait in silence for God because David trusts him implicitly. David does not waiver from his devotion to God. He praises God for being His protector and his strength.

As we face stressful times, we can call upon the Lord to give us the strength to carry on and know that He will be faithful and true and lead us through the murkiness we face. 

Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks

http://www.christianityeveryday.com/index.php/rejoice-pray-and-give-thanks/

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Paul tells the believers at Thessalonica this guiding principle.

           

Rejoice: be joyful, express praise.

Always: do it at all times.

 

Wait a minute! No one can be joyful when they have a car wreck, when they lose a loved one through death, or when they are faced with a divorce.

In times like these, we can be thankful that Jesus is there to give us the strength to guide us through the difficulties, the grief, and emotions.

At certain times, we may have to search for reasons to rejoice about the issue we face but, if we ask His guidance, Jesus always shows us His purpose, according to His timing.

pray without ceasing

How can a believer do this? How can we be in prayer non-stop throughout our days?

We should maintain an attitude of prayer. We can pray whenever we come across a need, be it ours or another’s. When we hear another person express a need or a concern, we can offer to pray right then. When we face upsetting circumstances ourselves, we can cry out to Jesus in our hearts.

give thanks IN all circumstances

Paul then tells the Thessalonians and future believers to “give thanks.” When we thank another person, we convey our appreciation of them and their deeds. When we give thanks to the LORD, we humble ourselves before Him and express gratitude for what He has done.

He then tells us to do this in all circumstances. When we first read this, we might gloss over the preposition. He tells us to express our appreciation IN ALL circumstances-whether good or bad.

When we give thanks to the LORD we give homage (honor) to Him for His presence with us. For what He has done for us, or for what He will do to guide us through to the resolution of the issue we face.

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Paul further tells us why we should do these actions. God desires to have us acknowledge Him and what He does on our behalf.

In Times Like These

Pray Continually (Believing.)

Quiet Spirit 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

The Apostle Paul wrote these words of guidance to the believers at Thessalonica and to us. What does He mean?

He encourages us to be in an attitude of prayer. To listen to those who share their concerns and offer to pray with them at that time.

I recently read a novel, River to Redemption, ⁽¹⁾ in which one of the main characters expressed this verse as “Pray believing.” This character loved the LORD and used it as his life’s verse, guiding him through many trials of his life, accepting each thing as God’s Will and always told those around him to “pray believing.” How can we pray believing? We believe that

         ● God hears our prayers,

     ● God will answer those prayers, according to His Will,

   ● God will be with us as we go through difficult times.

         ● God will bring about His Will, however it affects us.

Since I read this novel and thought about the way I have prayed in the past, I have begun praying in a slightly different, a more energized, way.

Have you ever received an idea that changed the way you pray?

(1.) River of Redemption- Redemption, by Ann H. Gabhart, Revell, Grand Rapids, © 2018                        

A Message for All Who Believe In Jesus

https://www.gotquestions.org/effective-witness

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (ESV)

A young girl, recently graduated from high school, used this verse in a message she gave during our worship service this past Sunday. The thought resonated with me, “And they recognized they had been with Jesus.”

            Peter and John had been placed under arrest. “Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander and the rest of the high-priestly family” (v. 6) had gathered with the other powers- that-be. Their purpose was to hear the case against Peter and John. Their ‘crime’ was of healing, “teaching, and proclaiming to the people about the resurrection of the dead.”(v. 2) 

            When our youthful speaker read this, the thoughts came to me. “Do people today recognize that we have been with Jesus?” “Do people see Jesus in me?”

            How can people recognize that we belong to Jesus in our fast-paced, hurry-it-up, look-at-me world?  The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Galatians, gives us a list of qualities that show Christ in us.

            We are to:

           

            *show LOVE to one another even if we don’t agree with that person on something. If we don’t like his or her behavior, Jesus still commands us to love that person.

           

            *be filled with JOY even when we are unhappy. Joy comes from having Christ in our hearts, while happiness comes from our outward circumstance.    

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            *be PEACE lovers and practitioners in all our relationships with others. This means we are not confrontational, unless Jesus allows us to be.

             *show PATIENCE with one another. Patience is a learned response that comes as we grow in the LORD.

             *show KINDNESS to one another. When we have to wait in line for a cashier to get to our purchases and her register is not working as it should. We need to extend kindness and be as patient as we can be in this scene.

             *show GOODNESS to those around us who are in need. By sending a greeting card to someone who is ill or has suffered a loss, we show a kindness that they will remember.

             *show FAITHFULNESS. As followers of Christ, are to stand by our word. A Christian should follow through on all he or she says they will do.

             *show GENTLENESS to those in our world. A gentle word calms the soul and stems any anger another person may have in their hearts.

             *show SELF-CONTROL. I believe Paul placed this virtue at the end of his list because, to me, it seems to be the culmination of all the other virtues he highlights.

            In case you think I have it all together, I struggle with a few of these and especially that last one.

Interview with Jairus

Pinterest. com

Another interview with someone who had an encounter with Jesus.

Quiet Spirit: Today, we have with us Jairus, a Synagogue official. Welcome, Jairus.Could you please share with us your story about your encounter with Jesus.

Jairus:  Thank you. I was a ruler of our Synagogue in Capernaum. In my work there, I looked after the building, ran the school through the week, supervised the worship services, and found Rabbis to teach on our Sabbath days. My life was blessed by God; I had a wonderful wife and a beautiful daughter.

Q.S.: How did you meet Jesus?

Jairus: I first met Jesus when I engaged Him to preach in our Synagogue one Sabbath. His message set me to thinking. Could what He preached be true? Several of the priests and scribes were not pleased with Jesus’ words.

            Later, when my daughter fell ill. I sought Jesus out, I heard He was in our town againI sought Him out. I fell at His feet and begged Him to heal my daughter. As I spoke to Him, two of my servants approached me with the message that she had died. I became confused, fear overcame me. In that instant, I lost hope. The Teacher spoke words of comfort to me. He said words I have not forgotten, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

            Jesus accompanied my servants and me to my home. By the time we arrived, a large group of mourners was there. They cried and wailed so loudly, I couldn’t hear The Teacher’s words to my wife and me. He told them that our child was not dead, just asleep. I am afraid those people acted rudely to Him. In spite of their rudeness, Jesus restored our daughter’s life.

Q. S.: How did the community of Capernaum react to you after your encounter with the Lord?

Jairus: The merchants of our town gave us better service. They were friendlier to our servants and to our family. Those associated with the Synagogue treated me differently than before; they were more distant, less friendly. Jesus chose to move to Capernaum, allowing those in the Synagogue to witness His miracles and hear His preaching more often. I am sorry to say that not all the town’s people accepted Him for who He is. There were some who did but they had difficulties dealing with the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Q. S.: How has your experience with Jesus affected your life?

Jairus: My experience with Jesus gave me a new outlook on life. I learned not to take anything for granted; I also learned to treasure my family and my friends.

Q. S.: How do you feel about what Jesus did for you?

Jairus: I am thankful for Jesus’s presence in our town. I am thankful for meeting Him and, especially for His returning our daughter to us. I will forever be thankful to Him for what He did for us.

God Holds You in His Arms

Restoring God's Truth.com

January—Rest Refresh

“The Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with his love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah. 3:17 (NIV)

            This beautiful verse comes in a prophecy from God through the prophet Zephaniah. In reading the preceding chapters and the background of the time in which this passage was penned, I found some amazing information.

            King Josiah decided to purge the temple of the pagan tools of worship and get back to the worship of the One True God. Hilkiah had discovered the scrolls that told the people NOT to follow the deities of the land surrounding their land He gave them.              

            Zephaniah tells of the actions God will take to make His people come back to Him. And then, his focus changes to the city of Zion. We know it as Jerusalem, the City of David.    

             

            He tells the people of Zion (Jerusalem) that God is with them. He doesn’t say ‘maybe’, or Í think.’

            He finishes this thought with “he is mighty to save” How many times have we found ourselves in predicaments that we couldn’t get out of by ourselves and had to call on Jesus, the only one who can save us?  

            I love this next part. He will take great delight in you, sometimes, people need to know someone cares about them. Here Zephaniah tells His children of Zion that God really cares about them.

            Also, He will quiet you with his love, I have had times when I wanted to speak out and make my opinion on a subject known. But I don’t always find myself opening my mouth and speaking my mind. As I study these words, I realize I am supposed to allow God to speak, not me. If I look at this from my point of view, it is not always easy to do. Since I came to this understanding, I find I am more peaceful and happier.

              And, He will rejoice over you with singing.” God rejoicing over His people gives me peace. In past generations, mothers of young children usually sang to their babies to comfort them or to get them to relax and drift off into sleep.

            May we all find rest and refreshing in the arms of God.

           

Discipline and Healing

“Blessed is he man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the almighty.

For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heals.

Job 5:17-18 (NIV)

               Blessed has several meanings. Among them is the word ‘fortunate.’ God chastises those He loves. We are not to despise discipline because when God uses it we learn about Him and even about ourselves.

               We learn that He watches over us and teaches us to be mindful of our future actions. In addition, we learn that we NEED His strength to get through each part of each day.

               There are times that God’s discipline causes us pain but He also soothes the hurt. Having to go through the process of His correcting us might make us feel very low; however, when He deems us ready, He lifts us up. We learn to be humble during the time of the Lord’s chastisement.

               Just as a broken bone heals and becomes stronger than it was before, when we respond positively to God’s discipline, we become stronger people. In our 21^st Century world, we see people whose mannerisms and words play to the crowd, an attempt to win the masses over to his or her way of thinking. As believers, we have to be aware of the pitfalls of allowing those people to influence us in a worldly way. God will deal with us as a people-group in ways that only he can.

               

Judgement and Discipline

 “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgement. When we are judged by the LORD, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (NIV)

               Have you ever evaluated your actions or your attitude toward another person? Were your thoughts realistic? Or were they what you wanted them to be? Did you rationalize your stance, finding someone who had done worse deeds than you on which to pick?

               I once knew a young woman who thought of herself with an inflated mindset. It was not always in her best interests when she did this.  As I saw her do and say certain things, I wondered how she could mature if she kept this way of thinking.

               When God chastises us, it is definitely for our own good. We learn what He expects from us and what we are to do as we live for Him.

               God sets a standard for us. We cannot meet that norm by ourselves. He gave us Jesus so that we could become acceptable to Him.

               When God returns to judge the world for its sin, He will separate those who belong to Him from those who have rejected Him. Those He will reject will be dealt with on His terms, not theirs.

A neat Thought

Forever is composed of nows. Emily Dickinson

     I saw this on a blog I ready. The blogger allowed those reading to share this anyway we wanted.  I love the message. Just wanted to share this with all of you.

Faith Hope and Charity

Faith “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Faith, reliance on another, helps when we find ourselves facing an experience we can’t handle by ourselves. We display our faith when we arise in the mornings and begin our days. We exercise our faith when we purchase a home or a vehicle.

Hope “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. . .” 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) One of my fellow bloggers left me a comment that defined hope as earnest expectation. I like this meaning.

Charity “. . . but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV) Charity is an old-time word for love. I wonder which Greek word for love is synonymous with charity. We display charity or love when we stand with a friend as that friend faces a tough time.

a song from the past:The Bible Tells Me So

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graphic thevinylplace.blogspot.com 

Hope in Us

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not been made known.

 But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.’

1 John 3:2-3 (NIV)

“ . . now we are children of God. . .” We become God’s spiritual children when we ask Him into our hearts. We give Him full reign over every part of our lives.

“. . . what we will be has not been made known.” God makes us into the person He wants us to be. The transformation of our attitudes, our minds, and our hearts is in His hands.

“But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him. . .” As we await Jesus’ return to earth, we who follow His teaching become more like Him. He makes us into His image. We grow closer to Him. We adopt His attitude, taking all our needs before Him.

“. . . for we shall see him as he is.” We shall see God. We shall know Him.

“Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself. . .” When we have Jesus in our hearts, we allow ourselves to be purified by our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. We yield ourselves to Him.

“. . . just as he is pure.” When god calls us home, our transition is complete. Our souls longer mimic the world but reflect God.  


* graphic from: www.corkhope.com