“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”  Psalm 16:5-6

This verse came to mind this morning as I am attending a Leader’s Retreat for Bible Study Fellowship in Southern California.  God is gracious to bring me to pleasant places so that I may worship Him more fully and learn more about Him.  As I struggle to understand the hard things of life, I am secure in the knowledge of who holds my future and where He has placed me is exactly where I need to be today.  God has made the boundaries of my life and this is a promise that I can claim with HOPE!   If we do not understand the events of our lives, we can  rest assured He knows us and our inheritance is secure.   I love the message of  1 Peter 1:3-4 “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, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you.”  

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for keeping me in just the right place at just the right time.  Help me to rest in the assurance of your boundaries on my life and the hope I have in Christ.  Thank you that my inheritance in Christ will never end, spoil or be faded by things of the earth.  Help me to trust in your boundaries today.  Amen.

Loving pleasant places with Him,

Linda

I I have been referring to this verse all week and just realized the blog I wrote never got published. Here’s my starting thoughts on Micah 6:8.  I pray they will bless you even if I got a bit mixed lip.

On your Lenten journey, are you feeling Jesus in your life each day in a more real way? Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you , O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of  you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  That seems so easy to say-right?  To feel Jesus in a more profound way I need to do as He says- strive to act justly toward others- even when I don’t feel like it.  To feel Jesus in a more profoundly  I need to love mercy- that means giving others the benefit of the doubt, treating them like they deserve my kindnesses towards them and not judging.  To feel Jesus more profoundly I need to walk humbly with God- be unassuming, loving, not boastful, prideful or taking credit for what God is doing.   The thing is – none of this is possible without Jesus in my life.  He is the one who enables me to act justly, love mercy and walk with Him in an attitude of humility.  Thank you Jesus.

Prayer:  Lord, you know the desire of my heart is to live for you with just actions, love and mercy for others and to have an attitude of humility.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may live for you and bring honor to your name.  In Jesus all things are possible, so I ask you to work these things in my life for your glory.  Amen.

Striving to walk with you daily,

Linda

Since we have been considering Micah 6:8, how does one walk with humility?  Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  He describes himself as humble.  As we desire to grow more and more like Jesus so we too should strive to be humble.  I found a few scriptures that describe a humble person for us to think about.

Proverbs 27:2 “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth, someone else and not your own lips.”  Jesus did not brag on himself.  He spoke of himself truthfully.  He did not try to convince other of His greatness or the greatness of His works.  His Words and Works stood for themselves.  We likewise do not need to brag, or seek adulation for what we have done.  God knows and will reward us.  His praise is far better than mans!

Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”  Jesus came to seek and to save.  He did not come seeking glory or the praise of men. He considered himself a servant even though He was greater than all He served.  Do I do things out of selfish ambition or simply for self gain?  Where are my motives truly placed?   If I am a leader, am I a servant leader?

1 Peter 5:5 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time.”   Jesus totally submitted to God’s plan and went to the cross.  He was lifted up for you and for me at the hand of the Father.  Am I submitting to what God wants for me or am I rebelling and desiring to do things my way?

Let humility be your food for thought today.  Join me in looking at our motives, our words, and our actions and reviewing them in the light of Jesus.

Prayer:  Father, show me your ways today.  Keep words of boasting out of my mouth and  help me to examine my motives.  Give me the ability to submit to your will with grace and joy.  Guard my steps today that I may walk with Jesus all the way.  Amen.

I need to remember this quote by the famous theologian C.S Lewis as I walk with Jesus today,

Linda

 

 

 

This morning I was thinking about my walk with Christ and His desire that I act justly, love mercy and be humble.  What does it mean to love mercy?  Mercy from God is not getting what I deserve which is death as payment for my sins.  Romans 3:23 “for the wages of sin is death.”  God in His mercy provided a way of atonement for me in Jesus.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16   God’s mercy involves giving me a way to be right with Him through Jesus, forgiving my sins and giving me a place in His family where I am continually filled with His Holy Spirit.   Those are God’s actions towards me but His Word tells us we are to love mercy.  My questions today is-What does that look like in my life?  How am I a lover of mercy?  Do I go out of  my way to be right with others- even when it costs me personally?  Do I forgive easily or do I hold grudges ?  Do I accept others in the name of Christ and welcome them into God’s family of Christian believers?  Do I do acts of mercy towards others in the name of Jesus?  God says I am to love to do merciful acts and to love being merciful toward others and myself.  Today I want to think about mercy and look for ways to show that I  love mercy.  God gives us the power we need to accomplish His work if we depend upon Him.  I found this definition poster convicting.

Prayer:  Lord, you desire that in my walk I be one that loves mercy.  Help me to see how I can be merciful to those around me in Your name and how I can have a forgiving attitude and heart towards those I need to forgive.  Give me a heart that is filled with mercy and not judgement.  Thank you Lord for your indwelling Spirit that gives me the power to live loving mercy. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Desiring to walk with mercy today.

Linda

Yesterday I wrote about Micah 6:8 and what God wants for us- to act justly, seek mercy and walk humbly with Him.  Saying those words or reading them do not put them into action. Today I want to leave you with verses that show us HOW to do this in our lives.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”    

According to Solomon, a walk for the Lord involves trusting Him with everything in our being and acknowledging that His ways are best. I looked up the definition of trust-a firm belief in the honesty, integrity, reliability and justice of another, confident expectation and to commit with confidence to be cared for. Does that describe the relationship you have with God?   We are also suppose to acknowledge God in everything we do- acknowledge means-to admit to being true, confess, recognize the authority or claims of , to express thanks for and affirm as genuine. Do you recognize God’s authority over your life?   Do you thank Him for His genuine ways that protect and defend you?   The last line in the proverb talks about God making our way straight.  This means walking with God on His pathway we won’t be lead astray, waste time doing things that have no eternal value or will not glorify God and He will remove obstacles that would keep us from our appointed goal for God.   A life that achieves walking in love, justice and humility must be based on full trust and acknowledgement of who God is and His power to direct and guide us.

Prayer:  Father, I desire to follow you each day.  Help me to trust you more fully knowing that your are completely trustworthy, reliable and just.  Help me to acknowledge you in all I do by telling others of your truth and submitting to your authority over my life.  Thank you for the knowledge that being guided by You will bring You glory and achieve the purpose You have for my life.  Only in the power of Jesus, Amen.

Desiring to walk trusting  Jesus,

Linda

 

 

 

How would you measure your faith?  Is it small and growing?  Is it large, well established and firm? Or is it medium with the ability to go up and down depending upon how it is tested?  In Titus, Paul describes his faith as “a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” Titus 1:2  He knew that what he believed in conjunction with what he knew about God had to be based on Christ and his hope was in the promise of Christ- eternal life.  Paul knew that he could trust this faith in Christ and the promised eternal life because God said it would be so from the beginning of time and God does not lie.  God can not lie as He is truth (John 4:24).  Hebrews 6:18 tells us “God did this so that , by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.”  Just like Paul and the author of Hebrews, I am greatly encouraged by the hope offered to me through faith in Jesus and assured by the fact that my God is truthful and incapable of lying to me.  What about you?  Is your faith rooted and grounded in Christ?  Are you encouraged by God’s promises in Christ?

Prayer:  Father, give me faith that is growing and knowledge of you that is expanding each day.  Hold me in the palm of your hand so that I may know you are real and feel the truth of your being within me.  Thank you for the hope I have in Christ that you set in motion from the beginning of time knowing that I would be in need of a Savior. Help me to grab hold of that hope today and put it into action towards others.  In Jesus, Amen.

Living with hope with God’s promises,

 

Linda

Today we are a week closer to the cross of Christ having meditated on the Grace and Mercy of God and the benefits of knowing our Savior. This psalm seemed to capture where we have been and our thankfulness to Jesus.

Psalm 40:1-5  “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.  Blessed is the man who makes LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.  Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done.  The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”  

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for lifting me out of sin and setting me on solid ground  Thank you for the new song in my heart and giving me a testimony that will reflect your work in my life.  Thank you for all the wonders you have done for me.  Thank you for Jesus.   Amen.

Have a blessed Sunday worshiping our Lord.

Linda

Today I am staggered by the thought that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to die for my sins to redeem me, save me, to keep me wholly secure for eternity.  What about that did I deserve?  Nothing.  I can never do enough or be good enough to earn this favor from God.  I have to accept it as a gift from God.  When you think on the grace of God and His mercy to us- it seems beyond comprehension.   Psalm 84:11 seeks to explain God’s attitude of grace towards us.  “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”  My walk is definitely not blameless.  The only way this fits me is through my faith in the cleansing power of Jesus.  My faith in Him gives me the ability to appear before God as blameless in His sight.  As I consider God’s grace and mercy towards me, I don’t understand it but I am so grateful.  1 Peter 5:10 “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after  you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I desire to be strong, firm and steadfast in my Christian walk and through God’s grace and mercy Jesus is there to lead me and bring me through this life, the suffering for a little while, into His glory.  Thank you Jesus.

Prayer:  Father, thank you for the grace and mercy you bestow on me through Jesus.  I desire to walk with you daily and be strong, firm and steadfast.  Help me to focus on Jesus today and claim the victory in His name. Amen.

Desiring to walk daily with Jesus,

Linda

Today I was meditating on God’s Mercy.  David reminded of my need to confess before God. “I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:5    Solomon wisely warned. “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” Proverbs 28:13  

What is this mercy that God gives the one who repents?  Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  What we deserve from God is death. Our sinful state makes us unclean, unrighteous and wholly unacceptable to be in God’s presence.  God is Holy and can not look upon sin or tolerate its presence.  Because of Jesus and His atoning work on the cross, God sees us clean and pure through the blood of Jesus.  He does not give us what we deserve- death, because of Jesus.  Without the mercy of God and the sacrifice of Jesus, I stand condemned.   Thank goodness for our merciful God!

Prayer:  Father, thank you for your great mercy towards me in sending Jesus to bear the burden of my sin.  Because of Jesus I can someday stand before you, have your Holy Spirit living within me and receive eternal life beginning now and forever.  I praise you for your Mercy.  Your mercy gives me hope. “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23  Thank you Lord for your great mercy.  Amen.

Thankful for His great mercy towards me,

Linda