Category: Christian Living

Third Sunday of Lent, 2022

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Each Sunday I have been highlighting a portion of Psalm 139. Not only do I love this Psalm but it is one of my friend Elizabeth’s favorite portions of scripture (See Favorite Bible Verses for Confident Living in Jesus series). She had many that she uses for specific situations that give her strength, however, this was her favorite psalm. I decided to bring you a portion of this wonderful psalm each Sunday during Lent. On the First Sunday we discovered how God knows all there is to know about our thoughts and motives. The Second Sunday we learned there is no where we can go that God cannot find us, and that He will always be our light in a dark world. Here are verses Psalm 139: 13-16.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

These verses assure us that God made us even as we were developing. He knows us and nothing about us is hidden from Him. That can be both assuring and scary as God knows our innermost thoughts, desires and motives. He see our actions and will hold us accountable for all our deeds and words. May the thought that your creator knows you bring you comfort, as He assures us that there is nothing we are going through that He did not foresee or allow. He promises to be with us wherever we go and He is greater than anything we can ever face.

One last thought from the line- Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. I find great comfort in knowing God’s works are wonderful and good. Things do not happen by chance and are for His glory and my good. Also, my soul understands the wonder of God even if I don’t fully get it. My finite mind cannot grasp the magnitude of God’s greatness, but my soul knows it and realized who God is. Thank you Lord for the greater understanding you give to my soul. May it be transmitted to my heart more and more each day.

Blessings this third Sunday of Lent.

Linda

New Life is Awesome! I can’t say enough.

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Today’s ‘put on’ verse comes from Hebrews 8:10-13. The author of Hebrews is talking about the ‘new covenant’ that God made with those who believe in Him through Christ. I love the images and words used in these verses- let them sink into your heart and soul.

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
    after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
    and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
    from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.”

13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

God and his covenant with his people has not changed because God does not change. He promised to be our God and we will be His people. That applied to the ancient Hebrew people and new believers who accepted Christ as their savior. The thing that changed was the scope and method of knowing God. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know God and have His ways written on my heart through the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. Praise God! We can now know and experience God and His love intimately through Christ. We can be assured of our salvation, our relationship with Him is one of Father and child, we are adopted into His forever family and we will dwell with Him for eternity. Our relationship with Christ begins at the moment we accept Jesus as savior and take His gift of faith, and it fills our life from then on.

Praise God! We can live a new life in Christ!

Linda

Words from Paul on How To- Put on the Good Stuff!

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In yesterday’s blog from Colossians 3:1-10, Paul began with the reason we have a new life to put on. Christ is the reason for our new life and with that new life we are to put off, put away, stop doing things that are not godly. Paul had quite a list for us to consider: 3:5, 8-9 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.

In today’s scripture from Colossians 3:12-14, Paul tells us what we are to put on, as we seek to live for Jesus. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Because we now belong to Christ, Jesus wants us dressed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 22:37-40, when asked what is the greatest commandment,  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Putting on godly behavior means seeking to love the Lord and all those around us. Jesus put it this way in John 13: 34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Becoming a Christian is more that acknowledging Christ as your Lord and Savior. It is about growing in His character through the power of the Holy Spirt, so that others will see Him and His love through you. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can love God and show His love to those around me in the things I say and do. Have a little ‘put on’ check today. Ask yourself, am I acting in a way that others can see Jesus in my actions? Am ready to forgive when wronged? Am I being loving to those I know and those I don’t? Meditate on Colossians 3:12-14 as you ponder these questions. Also consider your own growth as a Christian and whether or not you are open to God creating His character within you through the power of His Holy Spirit. If you are willing, He is ABLE!

Linda

The How to of Putting on the New Life in Christ

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Colossians 3:1-10 gives us why we are to ‘put on a new self in Christ’. Paul begins in verses 3:1 with the reason for our new self.  “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  Our faith in Christ aligns us with Him and causes us to want to seek the things of God. 3:2-4 Tells us more about our new allegiance to Christ and how our thinking needs to be aligned and set on heavenly things. 2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Having our minds set on Christ causes us to be hidden within Him, protected by His righteousness and salvation. Paul also mentions our future is set with Christ in heaven.

With those reasons in our hearts and minds, Paul leads us to the list of unsavory actions that unbelievers or those not committed to Christ indulge in: Verses 5-7 5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  Paul reminded the Colossian believers that this was what their ‘unsaved’ life looked like but No More! They are now in Christ and must put these things away and focus on their new life in Christ.

Paul tells the Colossians, and us too, that the time for action is right now, today! 8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.“

Putting off, turning away from and turning to Christ brings a new life in Him. With that new life comes renewal and knowledge of God. It is a blessed life that is renewed and lived hidden in Christ, protected by His love and righteousness. Today’s truth is: Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have a new life that is renewed in Christ and leads to greater knowledge of God. Do you desire this new life? Christ has it. Turn to Him with a penitent heart and accept His gift of faith. He will lead you all the way!

Linda

Do you Need to drag out your Sackcloth?

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The action of ‘putting on’ is seen in ancient Nineveh. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach a message of repentance to the Ninevites. Jonah did not want to go so he ran in the opposite direction. God confronted him in the belly of the big fish and Jonah repented of his own rebelliousness and sin and went to Nineveh. Our section begins with his preaching to the Ninevites about God’s impending destruction in 40 days if they did not repent and turn to Him.

Jonah 3:4-8  Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.

The king of Nineveh realized his sinfulness and turned to God. He also called his people to repent. His actions saved that generation. What did his repentance look like? Scripture describes he mourned over his sin by putting on sackcloth and sitting in ashes along with calling for a fast for everyone. Sackcloth was coarsely woven cloth that would have been scratchy and uncomfortable. Ashes were from the firepit and were a sign of mourning too. The idea was to make yourself uncomfortable so that you would contemplate your sins and abandon the cause-repenting. In fasting you are abstaining from food with the purpose of heightening your own awareness to your needs and then putting them aside as you focus on God and His goodness and your sinfulness. Mourning over your sins shows genuine humility and sorrow for sins committed before Almighty God. These action (sack cloth and ashes) were done to turn their thinking and desires away from self and towards God with a change of heart = repentance.

As I meditated on this today, I asked myself, what does my sorrow over sin look like? Does it cause me to dress differently, sit and contemplate in an uncomfortable place, pray fervently or am I inclined to fast? Our own mourning is personal, but as we see it needs to be exhibited in some way that causes you to be uncomfortable and show you are truly sorry for what you did. True repentance leads to turning in a new way or direction towards God. Remember, repentance of the heart is turning away from the worldly pull and its desires towards God and what he desires. Here are a few verses describing repentance for you to consider:

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 Our repentance turns us away from sin towards God and salvation for then their is no grief and death.

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 Our repentance leads us to find forgiveness, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and peace with Christ. Amen!

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 Our heavenly Father wants all to turn to Him, acknowledge their sin and begin anew with Christ.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can find repentance and full forgiveness in Christ. What does your repentance look like? Will you examine your heart today and see if there is any wicked way in you that needs to be changed. Christ makes all things possible.

Linda

Ask Jesus, He has the Answers You Need!

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John 5:2-8 recounts the healing of a man Jesus encountered at the Pool of Bethesda. The man was disabled and could not get into the pool fast enough when the healing spirit stirred the waters. He was feeling sorry for himself and voiced his complaint to Jesus when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed. “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.”

As I meditated on this story, I asked myself what am I not doing because I expect others to do it for me? Am I not exercising because I don’t have anyone to walk with me? (Boy that really hits home.) Am I not serving because I feel the jobs they need done are not enough or maybe they won’t miss me if I’m not there? Am I not calling or visiting friends because I am too busy? Do I want to let someone else visit or call who has more time? Jesus wants us to identify our needs and ask Him. Go to the source for help and not blame inactivity on circumstances or others. Jesus says when we have needs to ask Him. In Matthew 7:7 Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” It is our responsibility to ask our heavenly Father when we have needs. I also want to add in James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” When we ask, we need to consider why we are asking, is our motivation godly or pure and unselfish? God won’t just give us what we want, especially if we are asking with the wrong heart attitude.

The man in this story had a need and asked Jesus for help. Jesus answered him directly with his command- take up your bed and walk! What do you need to ask Jesus about? Whether it is motivational, spiritual, or physical, Jesus has the answer and will answer. You may have to wait (hard part) but Jesus promises to answer our prayers. If His answer is ‘NO’, then we need to trust in His plans for the future and cling to Him. Psalm 4:3 “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.” Call upon Him. He has the answers to all our needs.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can ask my heavenly Father to meet my needs with confidence and hope, knowing He will answer.

Linda

Ruins at Bethsaida today.

Night to Day, that is You in Christ!

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This has been a few stress filled days as I traveled to Los Angeles to attend and speak at the Celebration of Life for my dearest friend Joan. I am home now looking at our picture on my desk, remembering her smile of encouragement, her faith and her being family to me. She encourages me to write and keep speaking out about our beloved Savior.

In today’s passage, Romans 13:12-14 Paul is speaking to the Roman Christians about their behavior. Since they belong to Christ, much is expected because they no longer walk in darkness and have been given the fortitude by Jesus to meet the new high standards He has set for all of us. “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

The Roman Christians had just come out of idolatry and the worship of pagan idols. They were asked to give up those practices that focused on the fleshly nature of man and live morally upright lives based on love for one another in Christ. It was a tall order then, and is today too. There are many ‘idols’ that pull us away from focusing on Jesus and, they seek to occupy our time, talents and monies. Paul exhorts the Roman Christians to put on the armor of light. What is the armor of light? I have been pondering this and I feel it is God’s character that was shown to mankind in Jesus. In verse 14, Paul tells them to ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ’. Both of these phrases, suggest we need to put on the godly character of Jesus in place of our old nature. His godly character has support, armor and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirt that makes it tough enough to withstand than anything we can ever face.

How do we put on this armor of light? First, we need to be committed to Jesus and firmly believe Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” We need to believe in Jesus and His saving work on the cross on our behalf.

Second, we need to spend time in God’s Word getting to know who He is, what He has done, what He will do and how we are to live lives for Him. Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Secondly,(again) we need to spend time in prayer talking with God- Adoring Him for who He is, Thanking Him for all He does or has done, Confessing what you know and He reveals to you as sin and seeking His help by asking Him to intervene in the circumstances of your life. Psalm 46:10 ““Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Thirdly, we need to seek the fellowship of other believers so as to encourage and strengthen each other in Christ.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can put on Christ’s armor of light to successfully live each day. With His armor of light, you will be as different as night is from day in your new life in Him!

Linda

Blessings this 2nd Sunday of Lent, 2022

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Our scripture for today comes from Psalm 139:7-12. The first Sunday of Lent we looked at verses 1-6 and saw that God knows me and lovingly cares about me. Today the psalmist exclaims that God is everywhere; He surrounds us. There is nowhere we can go to ‘get away’ from God. If you are running from God, like Jonah did, you will soon realize that you can’t out run God. He will find you and seek you out. If you know God, it is a comfort to know that He is always near and there is no where you can go on earth or in heaven where He will not be! Praise God! He is omniscient and omnipresent in all things and in all ways.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.

May you be comforted by the loving presence of God in your life today.

Linda

A True Homegoing

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My dear friend Joan recently passed and is now in heaven with her Savior. As I speak at her celebration of life today, I’ve chosen 2 scriptures to highlight in memory of her. She was a friend like no other. Our example in scripture of true friends is Jonathan and David. They had each other’s backs, could see good when evil was present, kept their focus on what was right in spite of dangers and loved each other. 1 Samuel 20:42 “Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. Today as I think about bidding my friend good-bye, I know that we will be reunited forever and for now I am to go in peace filled with the knowledge that she is with Jesus. We are and will be forever friends. She was a true friend to me like David and Jonathan.

The second scripture I chose was James 5:16-17 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.” My friend was a prayer warrior. I could call her anytime and ask her to pray and she would. She upheld me before God and covered me with His comfort and love. She would always hold my confidence and I never had to worry that she would speak to others about me. Like Elijah, she was a woman of prayer and prayed fervently for others. She prayed believing all things were within God’s power. What a true gem.

I know my friend Joan loved Jesus. She sought to follow Him, intercede with Him, study about Him in the Word, speak out about Him and worship Him. Now she is rejoicing in heaven, singing praise to her God. I was mightily blessed to have her in my life.

Thanks you Jesus for the gifts of love and hope she brought into my life. I am truly richer for having known her.

Because Christ died and rose from the dead, I can rejoice in the homegoing of my dear friend.

Linda

Knowing and Rejoicing, Assured in Jesus

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There is amazing comfort in today’s ‘put on’ verses. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 is one of my favorites because it gives me assurance and hope as a believer in Jesus.

“And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.“

Paul was reassuring the Corinthians Christians, and us too, that God is the one who keeps us with Christ. He is the one who anoints us as believers. He is the one who puts His seal upon us and has given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. What an amazing promise to all who believe! Paul also states in Romans 8:16 that “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” We can know and be assured that we belong to Jesus. We can feel and know His Spirit within us confirming we belong to Him. We can know that He is our heavenly Father and we are a child of His.

**Who does not want to feel grounded and supported in their faith? God has this.

**Who does not want to feel anointed, blessed and chosen in their faith? God did this in Christ.

**Who does not want to be indwelled by His Holy Spirit, knowing that it is God’s seal of guarantee on your life? God did this through Christ. He keeps His promises.

**What is our response to all God has done? Believe in His Son, Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be guaranteed His seal and indwelling Holy Spirit to guide me as I seek to walk with Jesus day by day.

Have a blessed day rejoicing in His Spirit and the knowledge that you belong to Him! Your are SEALED!

Linda