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Trail Thoughts on Temporary Treasures

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Luke 12:13-34

Key Verse:

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:21 (NLT)

I believe “cloudy with a chance of rain” days are for taking a quick walk someplace close. That’s why we chose to walk the Matthew’s Hill Loop Trail last week.

We stood at the top of the hill and admired the beauty surrounding us. That’s when I noticed the hay in the field across the way. Seeing those giant hay blocks stacked beside rolls and rolls of hay reminded me of what Jesus said in Today’s Scripture Passage.

All that hay had me thinking about the focus of my daily choices.

LORD, what motivates my choices? Am I trusting You to take care of my needs? Is my mind fixed on the things of the Spirit or the things of the flesh? Am I rich in my relationship with You?

Now, please don’t misunderstand. I believe the owners of the field should reap the benefits of their hard work. A workman is worthy of his wages. The LORD brings increase by blessing the work of our hands. He shows us His goodness in the land of the living, and absolutely everything we have comes from Him. He wants us to enjoy it and be generous with it!

No, as I thought about all that hay, I began to feel the LORD calling me to set aside some extra time with Him; a time other than our standing morning appointment together.

This was a special time set aside for a specific purpose: to seek the LORD’s point of view on what I’m gathering, stacking, and storing away. This was a time to let Him take out my daily activities and reveal the motives behind each one. A time to ask if my riches are temporary or eternal treasures in His sight.

The encounter was both sweet and salty. My relationship with Jesus was strengthened and enriched. It was a time to be savored, but it also left me thirsty for more of the living waters of Jesus. I was humbled by His gentleness in revealing the answers to my requests with such clarity. I was encouraged to be diligent in seeking His full exposure of my heart more often.

I learned much of what appears eternal is not.

and

Not everything I consider temporary is.

George took this picture so you could see what we passed on our way over to Thornberry Loop Trail — the very next day! We’ve passed this barn a zillion times since moving to the area ten years ago.

Now it’s become another constant and gentle reminder to store my treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust can destroy.

Yes, Jesus has a great sense of humor. His word tells us laughter is good medicine. I think He pointed this corn field, silo, and barn out to me, so I would laugh with Him. Reminding me of His presence and soothing the sore places of my heart.

I encourage you to set aside a special time with Jesus. A time to ask Him to let you see the treasures of your heart. I promise, you’ll be glad you did!

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 6:19-21, Matthew 6:24-34 & 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Trail Lesson 201-C

Today’s Scripture Passage:

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Key Verse:

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 1 Corinthians 3:7 (NLT)

Today is the conclusion of the continuous thought thread I’ve been pulling after our time on the Compton’s Peak Trail.

It began with the reminder Jesus is The Way and continued last week with the importance of Jesus-followers telling others Jesus is The Way. https://barbaracoulson.com/trail-lesson-201-b/

We didn’t get on the trail until almost a week after Alex told us about it. Why am I telling you the timeline between Alex telling us about the trail and us actually hiking the trail?

Well, the LORD’s been calling me to remember the joy of my salvation and share it with enthusiasm. He doesn’t want sharing His Good News to be a chore I check off of my list of things to do today. And He doesn’t want the rejection of what I share to become my responsibility.

Read our Key Verse again…

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 

It is our responsibility to tell others who Jesus is.

It is our responsibility to invite them to believe and follow Jesus.

It is NOT our responsibility to make them accept His invitation.

I can enjoy sharing Jesus when I remember He is the One who makes the seed of His word grow. It’s all about Him and His timing. He’s their creator. He knows them better than anyone else. He’s got this.

I can remember the joy of my salvation and share Jesus with enthusiasm.

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 13:3-9 & 18-23

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Trail Lesson 201 – B

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Romans 10:9-17

Key Verse:

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? John 10:14

Last week was all about us walking on a trail someone else had already created for us and how Jesus, God in the flesh, did the same by making a way for us to spend our ever after in heaven. https://barbaracoulson.com/trail-lesson-201-a/

Today I want to continue with what began during our Compton’s Peak Trail hike.

We hiked Compton’s Peak Trail because a friend told us about it.

We’d seen it on our trail list, but it was just another trail in a list of many.

She didn’t give us a list of reasons why we HAD to hike the trail.

She didn’t tell us we SHOULD hike the trail.

Nope!

She told us she hiked the trail.

She told us about her experience on the trail.

She shared what she enjoyed about it, the effort it took, where it’s located, and how we could get there. Yes! She even told us which mile marker to look for on Skyline Drive. She was very specific when answering our questions without ever giving us the impression we were less than because we had never been on this trail.

Once we were on the trail, all I could think was how thankful I was Alex had told us about the trail.

So what was my spiritual take-away?

Jesus wants His followers to tell others about Him.

Jesus wants us to tell others what it’s like to be a Jesus-follower and walk through life His Way.

Yes! Sharing Jesus with others can be full on scary.

Sharing our own personal journey with Jesus can feel even scarier. Why?

Sharing Jesus means living transparent, authentic, and humble lives.

Sharing Jesus means being disciplined and committed to following Jesus myself!

Sharing Jesus presses me to love Jesus and others as He loves me!

Okay, three things and I’m finished…

1… The more you and I know of Jesus, the more we will understand how wide, high, long, and deep His love is for us. The more we understand just how much He loves us, the more we will love Him. The more we love Jesus, the more we will love others and tell them about Him.

2… We can do nothing apart from Jesus, when we remain in Him, there is nothing we cannot do through Him.

3… Walking by Holy Spirit produces His Spirit fruit in us and protects us from becoming prideful and stingy Jesus-followers.

There’s more from Compton’s Peak Trail, but let’s save it for another day.

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

Isaiah 52:7, Matthew 28, 18-20, Mark 16:15, John 15, Galatians 5, Ephesians 3: 14-19, Philippians 4:13, & 1 Peter 3:15

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Trail Lesson 201 – A

Today’s Scripture Passage:

John 14:1-6

Key Verse:

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6

George and I have been having the best time exploring local trails. We’ve not really been on many of them pre-retirement, but there are enough to keep us busy for a long time to come.

Last Friday, we went to Skyline Drive and used the Appalachian Trail (AT) to access Compton Peak Trail. We enjoyed the views from the west end. The rest and shelter at the bottom of the east end was a welcome respite before our hike back to the car.

One view from Compton Peak Trail West

My mind always goes in a million directions. There’s just so much to see and learn on the trail, but two things keep coming back to me after this trip.

I’m only going to share one this week, and save the other for next week.

Every trail exists because someone went before us and made a way for us.

I have to tell you. Compton Peak Trail was a great hike. For me it was made doubly wonderful because a major portion of it was spent on the AT. Yes, I have a real love for the AT. In fact, it was once my dream to do a thru-hike.

Anyway, back to last Friday. This was not an easy hike. The All Trails site lists it as moderate, but it was hard for me. The east end was very steep and rocky. I was nervous in a couple of places, but the hard work seemed to double the satisfaction I felt when we reached the bottom.

If you look closely, you can see a portion of the trail we used to get to my position at the bottom. It cuts right between those two trees. (This wasn’t even the hard section, but I was too busy trying to stay safe to think about taking a picture for you.)

Okay, here’s the first spiritual picture I saw in this adventure.

We (all mankind) want to spend eternity in heaven. Heaven is where God lives and we cannot get there on our own. God knew this, so He made a way for us to get there. That way is not a trail through a beautiful forest. Nope! The Way is God Himself, in the flesh. His name is Jesus. He is The Way, the only Way, for anyone to be in relationship with God the Father. The only way to spend eternity with Him in His home in heaven.

You might be wondering why that’s the only way. Well, because God says so; He’s the Creator of heaven and earth. That means He is the only One who has the authority to say what is right or wrong (regardless of how many people vote otherwise). He’s the One who defines sin. He is holy. We are sinners.

No! We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. Holiness and sinfulness cannot co-exist. Therefore, we had no access to God.

God created us, loves us, and wants to be in a personal relationship with each of us. So, He made a way for that to be possible. He came to earth, lived a perfect life in a flesh and blood body, died for sins He didn’t commit, and was resurrected again on the third day. This is the Good News.

Why is it Good News? Because in living a sinless life and then dying for sins He didn’t commit, Jesus paid for our sins in His flesh. His resurrection defeated the second death and our souls are now eternal. He defeated forever the power sin and death held over our lives.

One more thing, where we spend eternity is determined by our decision to either believe in and follow Jesus or our own way.

No one is ever forced to follow Jesus, but we will all one day acknowledge who He is, whether we choose to follow Him or not.

We all have an ever after.

If you want to spend yours in heaven, Jesus is The Way to get there!

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, John 3:16-17, Acts 2:21, Acts 4:11-12, Romans 10: 9-11, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 2:9-11

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Trail Lesson 101

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Psalm 25:4-9

Key Verse:

The Lord is good and does what is right;
    he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in doing right,
    teaching them his way. Psalm 25:8-9 (NLT)

Maps help us figure out how to get where we want to go.

Truth? I’m horrible when it comes to reading a map. I’m one of those directionally challenged people who’s continually twisting the map one way and another trying to figure out where I am and how in the world I’m ever going to get where I want to go.

That’s especially true when I look at a Manassas National Battlefield Brochure Map. For instance, just last week, we walked Chinn Ridge Loop twice.

The first time we misread the map and found ourselves on the opposite side of the loop than we thought we were on. We discovered what happened while retracing our steps. We’d missed a turn!

It’s easy to see where we went wrong…now.

The map seems so easy to understand…now.

We went back later in the week and walked the entire loop without a single difficulty.

Map Reminder:

Point of View is important!

Point of View is the position from which something or someone is observed.

(Oxford Dictionaries – Bing Translator)

To properly use a map, I must see it from the map maker’s POV.

The same is true when I read God’s word.

Reading my Bible helps me see things from God’s POV.

The more I align with His POV, the more I understand what I’m reading. The more I understand, the easier it is to know which way to go; the more confident I am in following the directions I read in His word.

Have you ever noticed how the LORD will bring us back to the same place of decision more than once? I like to think it’s His way of helping us practice what we’ve learned.

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 119: 35, 59 & 105, Psalm 139: 23-24, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 47:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, & Hebrews 4:12

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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The Antidote To Worry

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Philippians 4:4-9

Key Verse:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

LORD, we’re so thankful to be citizens of Your Kingdom. We’re thank You for the privilege of being your representative in the foreign land we live in now. Help us to grow in our relationship with You, so we will represent You well. Give us compassion and courage and teach us to love those around us as You love them. We want to love as citizens of Heavens and not citizens of this world!

Digging Deeper:

Isaiah 26:3, Matthew 6:25-34, John 14:27, John 16:33

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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I Did Not See That Coming!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Mark 11:1-11 & 15:6-15

Key Verse:

Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!” Mark 15:12-14

When my sister was about six-years-old, she wanted a bunny bank for Christmas. This wasn’t just any old bunny bank. It was one that looked real; with a velvety coat and everything.

My parents bought it, put it inside a little purse they thought she would like, and wrapped it up. She was so excited about the present under the tree, but when she opened her present on Christmas morning everything changed. She didn’t see the bunny bank and started crying. My parents showed her he was inside the purse, but she never got over her initial disappointment. She refused to use the purse or the bank. She received two gifts in one, but she never enjoyed either.

I’m currently using the Chronological Life Application Study Bible for my daily Bible reading. This Bible puts everything in chronological order of events. That means I read all four gospel accounts of the Triumphal Entry back-to-back. That was the first Palm Sunday.

We know the whole story, but the people celebrating on that first Palm Sunday did not. The excitement was high. Everyone was throwing palms and coats down for Jesus to ride through the streets of Jerusalem. They were celebrating His coming kingdom. Well, they were celebrating what they expected His Kingdom to be.

What were they expecting?

Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom that freed them from Roman rule.

What He gave them was so much more.

He took back His authority as King of heaven and earth, and He paid for mankind’s freedom from sin and death.

Their disappointment over dashed expectations turned their shouts of praise to angry rejection in a matter of days. They were soon shouting for Jesus to be crucified.

Reading this account repeatedly helped me realize we can do the very same thing. We can allow our expectations to cloud our ability to see God’s gifts to us. We too can put Him in the box of our own expectations.

Yes, we need to know what we want from the LORD, and we need to ask. His word is clear about the importance of asking for what we need and asking on behalf of others.

Let’s pause for a second and think about what is it we want the LORD to do for us. For a loved one. For our church family. Our country.

Now for the really hard questions…

Are we limiting God’s answer to only yes, no or wait? Are we unwilling for His answer to come in a different way than we envision?

Are we refusing to see the good things He’s doing all around us because He gives them in a different package than we expected?

Are we going to accuse Him of not loving us? Not caring about us? Being weak? Will we reject what He gives us unless it meets our expectations of what is right and good?

I hope not, because we will be missing all sorts of wonderful things.

Of course, the greatest gift He’s given to all people is the offer of citizenship in His heavenly kingdom. His kingdom is eternal and He’s paid the price for our sin so there’s nothing to prevent us from being citizens except our willingness to acknowledge Him as King of heaven and earth and our need for freedom from sin.

If you’re not yet a citizen of heaven, please do not reject Jesus because He does things differently than you would do them. There’s more on how you can become a citizen of heaven in the green section below.

If you’ve already received your heavenly citizenship, you cannot lose your citizenship! Once a citizen, always a citizen! But citizens can still miss out on the freedom and joy of living for and following Jesus.

We can refuse to see and receive what the LORD gives us. My sister was still my parent’s daughter and still part of our family, but she lost all her joy and was miserable all Christmas day and into the following weeks.

Jesus is the Creator and King of the world. He knows more than we ever will and His ways are far above anything we can ask or imagine. So let’s expect great things from Him, but…

Let’s be careful not to put Him in the box of our expectations.

LORD, You are all-powerful, good, kind, loving, and gentle. Thank You for making us Your prized possessions. Thank You for hearing us when we talk to You. Help us remember not to limit You with our understanding or reject the good gifts You give to us. Help us embrace the unexpected and open our eyes to see Your good gifts all around us. Soothe our hurting hearts when we don’t understand what You’re doing. Enable us to trust You more than our feelings or our limited understanding of what You’re doing.

Digging Deeper:

Isaiah 55:8-9, Jeremiah 29: 11-13, Matthew 22:1-11 & 27:6-15, Luke 19:28-40 & 23:13-25, John 1:1, John 12:12-19 & 19:6-15, James 1:16-18

Friend, would you like to find out how you can be a citizen of heaven? You can use the following link to find out just how to change your citizenship for eternity and live in the freedom and joy Jesus has for you right now. Please let me know if you choose to become a citizen of heaven. I’m praying for you, Friend. https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Today’s Scripture Passage:

I Samuel 16:1-13

Key Verse:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height, for this is not the one. I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions.” I Samuel 16:7 (TLB)

Three weeks ago, we looked at our need for checking the mirror of God’s word and seeing ourselves from God’s perspective. https://barbaracoulson.com/check-the-mirror/

Today I want to look at the potential dangers found in the mirrors on our walls.

I see two…

One danger is looking in the mirror and thinking because our reflection pleases us we’re living a life pleasing to God.

We are deceived if we think living a life pleasing to God has anything to do with our outward appearance.

Another danger is looking in the mirror and thinking because our reflection doesn’t please us we are of little value.

We are deceived if we think our value has anything to do with our outward appearance.

Years ago, our family lived in Hinesville, GA and attended a little church there. We always participated in the monthly potluck fellowships, but one of the summer months included a men’s bake-off for the evening’s dessert.

Those fellowships were always a lot of fun, but the most memorable was that bake-off and the cake we couldn’t eat.

When the judges cut into this particular cake, it wouldn’t cut. It was a beautiful cake. The icing and decorations looked yummy, but this sponge cake was actually made of kitchen sponges stacked up and covered in icing.

I’m guessing you already know what we talked about on the way home. It was a valuable lesson for our children, but just as valuable for us. It’s also just as important a lesson today as it was all those years ago.

The appearance of that “sponge cake” in no way revealed what was inside. There was nothing edible about that cake, and what’s the purpose of a cake if not for eating?

The same is true of us when we forget it’s not our exterior but our interior we must be sure to check regularly. There’s nothing wrong with using the mirror on our walls to check our appearance, but let’s not be fooled into believing what we see there reflects the truth about who we are and the choices we’re making.

God is the only One who can see the thoughts and motives of our hearts. Only the mirror of His word is capable of revealing the real you to you or the real me to me.

LORD, we definitely want to look nice, but please don’t let us get so caught up in our outward appearance that we neglect to pay attention to our heart’s condition. Please protect us from measuring ourselves by the mirrors on our walls. Help us instead, to measure ourselves by the mirror of Your word. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 19:14, Jeremiah 17:9-10, Ezekiel 11:18-20, Matthew 12:34-35, & Matthew 15:17-19

Friend, would you like to find out how you can have a new heart? You can use the following link to find out just how God replaces our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. I would love for you to reach out and let me know if you’ve just been given a new heart. https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Celebrate!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Nehemiah 8:1-12

Key Verse:

So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them. Nehemiah 8:12 (NLT)

Have you ever gotten that AHA moment of understanding while reading your Bible? During a sermon? At a conference? Listening to the radio in your car? Chatting with a friend over a steaming sweet brew?

Have you ever had your initial joy turn to bitter regret? A hollowed out feeling of sorrow and shame? A desire to erase the understanding so you could eliminate the pain? Has your joy in reading your Bible ever turned to dreadful fear of the understanding it would bring?

If so, I understand. So did the Israelites in today’s Scripture passage.

In verse eight, God’s word was being explained and understood by the people.

In verse nine, they were weeping even while they listened.

In my younger years, I was like the Israelites. I totally missed the reason for celebration. I would gain understanding of God’s word, but I would allow the enemy to rob me of my initial joy.

Who’s the enemy? Satan is the enemy. He’s God’s enemy, AND he’s the enemy of every Jesus-follower. Satan is sometimes called the accuser because he stands before the LORD pointing a finger of accusation at us. He wants us to stand before the LORD condemned. He wants to rob us of our joy in Jesus and give us shame in exchange. And what better time to accuse than when we’ve just gained a new understanding of God’s word and how it applies to our lives?

So back to the people who were weeping instead of celebrating. They had missed the blessing of understanding and were wallowing in the pain of shame and regret.

Our son loved all things G.I. Joe as a child. I wish I had a nickel for everytime I heard (or said) the phrase, “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. G.I. Joe!”

The same is true for us as Jesus-followers! Knowing is not a reason for weeping, but celebration. Understanding God’s word enables us to see we can make our choices differently.

Understanding frees us from the chains of misunderstanding. Chains confining us to where we are, doing the same things we’ve always done, and getting the same results we’ve always gotten.

These verses in Nehemiah are our reminder that God doesn’t give us understanding of His word so we will feel bad about our past choices. No! He’s freeing us to make life giving choices in the future.

It’s God’s gift to us every time we are given understanding of His word. So I say, “Let’s practice celebrating!” Yes, let’s definitely confess any sin our new understanding of God’s word reveals, but then let’s intentionally rejoice over our new understanding. Let’s celebrate the freedom we will get to exercise in making new choices. And while we’re celebrating, let’s embrace the struggle of learning to make those new choices.

LORD, thank You so much for Your word. Thank You for the people You use to help us understand Your word. Help us recognize our sin, but teach us to confess it and then leave it in our past. Help us receive Your forgiveness AND also forgive ourselves. Strengthen us with Your joy! Enable us to celebrate our freedom to choose new things and practice living all You’ve helped us understand. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 119:45, 1st John 1:9, Galatians 5:1, & Philippians 3:12-16

Friend, there is no “right way” to read the Bible, but there is one thing I encourage everyone to do BEFORE you start reading; ask God to help you understand what you read. After all, the Bible is God’s word. It’s His message, so Who better to help You understand it’s purpose and meaning? You can read it in any order, but please read it. All of it. Then read it again, and again, and again.

If you’re not already a Jesus-follower, I promise, it’s a lifetime commitment you’ll never regret. Use the link to find out how to take your first step. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Hardship!

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Hebrews 12:1-11

Key Verse(s):

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:7 & 11 (NIV)

Hebrews is a great book, and chapter twelve is my favorite. I feel like Jesus is pulling me up close to His side and redirecting my line of sight every time I read it.

I can almost hear Him asking me to be still for a minute and consider the hardships of my life from His point of view.

It’s like He’s inviting me to exchange my understanding of hardship for His. He’s gently realigning my perspective, and giving me the ability to see hardship as training instead of trouble.

Verse seven informs us hardship and discipline are interchangeable. Verse eleven explains the purpose for discipline is training.

Verse eleven also includes a promise. His training produces a “harvest of righteousness and peace.”

I think the role of hardship is important to every Jesus-follower. We’re being trained to live well in our freedom. Jesus bought our freedom from sin and death. He paid a high price to give us the opportunity to choose between freedom and slavery.

Slavery forbids choice. Freedom requires we make our own choices. Will we choose to submit and practice what the hardships of life are teaching us, or will we submit to our flesh and it’s cravings?

My flesh kicks against the training I gain through hardship. I don’t want to face financial difficulties, heath problems, broken relationships, or death. But it’s not just those big things my flesh kicks against. My flesh doesn’t like to clean the toilets, vacuum, dust, empty the dishwasher, or exercise. My flesh would love nothing more than to spend each day eating good food, reading mystery/suspense novels, and chatting with family and friends while sitting on the beach.

Sounds good, right? Well, maybe your flesh would like something different, but you get my point. That kind of thinking sets me up for a miserable existence of whining and complaining. A life lived missing the adventure and blessings of the LORD’s freedom training.

LORD, help us not be discouraged by the hardships of life. Instead, bless us with the ability to learn from You. Teach us how to live well in the freedom You’ve given us. May we learn to choose wisely and be bold in our confidence in You. Amen.

If you haven’t yet chosen the freedom Jesus has for you, use the following link and find out how to start living in His freedom today. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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