Today’s
scripture: 2 Peter 1:12
Had any “senior moments” lately? That’s what my mother-in-law used to call
those moments when you can’t remember a very familiar name or why you walked
from the kitchen to the living room. I get them all the time.
Even though I know something, I can sometimes forget. Sometimes I need a
reminder—or two or three.
Sometimes we need reminders of why we believe what we believe or how we know
what we know. And that’s why it’s so important to spend time in God’s word and
time with His people. When we focus on God and His word, we’re able to speak of
our faith more easily. We’re ready with a logical answer for our beliefs.
Peter continues to remind us of what we already know. And we can do the same
with our brothers and sisters. We can remind them of what they already know and
help them to grow in faith. They can do the same for us.
So when you have a senior moment, when you can’t remember a verse or a biblical
principle, go back to the source. Let God’s word jog your memory. Let other
believers help remind you of what you already know to be true.
Today's scripture:
Colossians 2:6-7
So many people call themselves Christians because they were born in the United
States, or their family background is Christianity. Others say, since they're
not anything else (Muslim, Buddhist, Hindi, Jewish), they must be Christian.
And tragically, much has been done by so-called Christians that has been
detrimental to the truth.
Being a Christian—a true follower of Christ—is so much more than a name. Being
a Christ-follower means one has "received Christ Jesus the Lord ..."
She has accepted the gift of salvation the death, burial, and resurrection of
Him. Most of all, it means she walks with Jesus every day. She focuses on
becoming more and more "firmly rooted ... built up in Him and established
in [her] faith ..."
To be firmly rooted and built up and established requires a few things:
We must know truth—God's truth—through daily study and meditation on His word.
We must read the Bible and prayerfully seek God's will as we do so.
We must pray. Praising Him. Thanking Him. Interceding for others. Listening to
His voice. As the apostle Paul wrote, we should, "... pray without ceasing
..." (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
We must worship with others. The writer of Hebrews reminds us to “not forsake …
assembling together” (10:25). Something really, really special happens when
we're surrounded by others who share our faith in the one true God.
We must practice Christ-likeness. To do this, we need to study His character.
How did He interact with others? How did He interact with His Father? What was
more important to Him than anything else? How did He react to temptation? When
we study the character of Christ, we learn how to love others, how to show
mercy and grace, how to counteract the enemy's lies.
We must demonstrate the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, gentleness,
self-control and all the rest (Galatians 5:22-23).
If we practice these things, we become were to practice these things, the world
would see something very attractive, very compelling in us. And perhaps we
might be the light the brings someone to Jesus.
Today's scripture: Psalm 40:9-10
One of the greatest joys I have in being a Christ-follower is that I'm part of
His family. I have brothers and sisters all over the world, and I can rejoice
with them when God works in and through them.
I love sharing stories of God's faithfulness. It's one of my favorite things to
do. I love hearing stories of His
faithfulness as well. When I'm feeling discouraged or doubtful, sometimes just
hearing about how God has worked in someone else's life gives me hope.
I think this is one of the reasons God calls us to "assemble" with
other believers. We certainly need to listen to God's word through the teaching
of godly men and women, but it also gives us the chance to hear what God is
doing.
This is also why it's important to be part of a small group. When you meet with
the same group of people regularly, you share stories. You have a front-row
seat to God's work. I had the greatest privilege of being part of a small group
for two years. We knew each other very well. We saw God's hand through amazing
blessings, and we saw His comfort through the deepest pain. Without fail, my
heart was blessed when I heard of God's righteousness, faithfulness, and
lovingkindness through their stories. Although the our season together has
ended, and I'm now part of a new group, I keep in contact with many of my
sisters ... and I still rejoice in their joys and weep in their sorrows.
We really do need to "proclaim" God's faithfulness and not
"conceal" it. Through stories of God's faithfulness, our faith grows.
If you're not already in a church where you hear truth, I pray you find one. If
you're not part of a small group of believers with whom you can share God's
stories, again, I pray you find one.
Proclaim His truth. Share His stories. You will be blessed.
Today's
scripture: Psalm 42:4
I love the fact that when I find myself with a group of Christ-followers, I'm
with family. Since I don't have children of my own, and my own family is spread
across the country, I find myself seeking others to be my "family."
I've found family at church ("... the house of God") and in small
groups. I've found family at one of my favorite places to be—LifeHouse Theater
in Redlands. I've found family in pockets of believers at past jobs.
There's a reason why we're told not to neglect fellowship with other believers
(I apologize: I'm having a bit of fibro brain this morning and can't remember
the passage this comes from ... I think it's in Hebrews?). Being around other
people who share our faith and believe in our Lord helps us to grow in our own
faith.
Seeing how the Lord answers others' prayers reminds us that He always does. Hearing stories about His
provision assures us He always will
provide. Reading of how He's miraculously intervened in difficult situations
gives us confidence that He still does miracles today.
While it is important to be in a good, Bible-teaching church home, we can find
those "multitudes" that lift up "voice[s] of joy and
praise" in so many places. Work. Someone's home. Even a faith-based
theater.
Just find that place where you feel surrounded by the love of Jesus. Find that
family.
You'll be so blessed when you do.
Today's scripture:
Colossians 2:1-5
I somehow missed writing yesterday's devotional ... My only excuse is I've been
sick since Sunday, and I just missed it ...
Anyway, let's focus on today's scripture. One of the greatest gifts—among so
many—about being a follower of Christ is the fact that we're a family. Those of
us who believe in and follow Christ are brothers and sisters. What I love most
about this is, no matter where you go, you can find a whole new set of
Christian "siblings."
My husband and I talk often about "slowing down" someday. Somewhere
less hectic and quieter than Southern California. One time when we were talking
about moving, he, who is not a follower of Christ, made a very true statement:
Wherever we "land," I'll quickly find a new church home and a new set
of "siblings." I'll soon be part of a small group of women who will
pray for me and with whom I will fellowship.
It's such a blessing! And as Paul writes, even when we're not physically with
our Christian brothers and sisters, we're still part of His family. I have
Christian friends whom I rarely see in person, but who pray for me and love me.
As I do them.
And know, even if I don't see you often, I pray for you!
What a wonderful gift!
Today's
scripture: 3 John 1:13-14
We are created for relationship. God put something deep in our hearts that
needs to connect with others. And as I wrote in another posting, it’s not
enough to merely connect via all the technology
available to us.
I have the great privilege to be a
part of a small group of wonderful women through
my church. We meet once a week for a time of Bible study, prayer, and
fellowship. Monday evenings are truly one of the highlights of my week. We have
built solid relationships. We laugh. We cry. We worship. We hug. We
genuinely love each other. In fact, we met last night, and I was so blessed!
There’s something that satisfies the heart when we meet face-to-face with those
we care about. In our mobile society, sometimes that’s hard, I know. All of my
family lives far from my Southern California home, so phone calls and texting
are the only way I can regularly connect with them. But there’s
nothing—nothing—like those times when I can look into my mom’s eyes or bear-hug
my sister and brother or love on my nieces and nephews.
Make time for your friends and family. Schedule a coffee date with a dear
friend. Plan a family reunion. Do something to connect—face-to-face.
