Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides (with) You, I desire nothing on earth.
Psalms 73:25 NASB
Whoa. . . I have been pondering this verse for awhile, asking myself, “Is Jesus my only desire? Is He enough? Sufficient? All I need? All I want?”
Can I truthfully say, like Paul, “that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”?
And then to absorb His selfless act of ridicule, abuse and death. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” That is what Jesus did for you and me! “Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Shouldn’t we also be willing to sacrifice our desires and surrender our will for such a great act of love that Jesus did for us? . . Opening the door to the abundant love God has for us. “God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (her).
Philippians 3:8//John 15:13/Ephesians 5:2/1 John 4:16 NASB
It was all in for Jesus. It’s all or nothing. Are you in?
🌹Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17 NASB
I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You.”
Psalms 16:2 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Archive | December 2022
New Year Resolution
Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions. Most resolutions are self-focused; lose weight, eat healthy, get a better job, buy this, buy that and so-on.
I want to suggest a resolution that will change your perspective on life itself, transforming you into a new person, and moving your focus from “me”, “me”, “me” to Jesus Christ. As we become less, Jesus becomes more and our lives are blessed as we become a blessing.
If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. God will meet our needs and provide security. I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. God will bring peace to His children who walk in Him. So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. God will bless us. Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. What more could we want but to have the God of all creation dwelling among us?!
Leviticus 26:3-4, 6a, 9, 11-12 NASB
How can we have these blessings and walk in His statutes and keep His commandments? By being in the Word of God daily. As we read His holy word we are transformed into a new person who knows God personally. Let the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 NASB
🌹Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16 NASB
There are several free Bible apps that have reading plans for the year so what are you waiting for? Let’s go!!
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Entrusted With the Gospel
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 NASB
Holy, Royal, Majestic, God, Your ways are perfect. Your will be done in the lives of Your chosen ones, a holy priesthood, a holy nation of believers, a people for Your own possession. Thank You, God, for calling us out of darkness into the marvelous Light of Christ so that we may proclaim His excellencies. For we once were not a people, but now we are the people of God; we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy. We are not adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from You God. With sincerity may we in Christ, spread the gospel, in the sight of God. For we are a fragrance of Christ to You God. A fragrance to those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. For those who reject You are dead already and facing an eternal death with no hope – an aroma from death to death. But praise be to You God for those who respond to Your call – an aroma from life to life. A life of joy turned to eternal life of abundant joy. I pray that I will be a sweet aroma of Christ to God, speaking the word of God in truth for the salvation of the lost and the glory of my King!! Amen. 1 Peter 2:9-10/2 Corinthians 3:5 NASB
🌹but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Sweet Aroma
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14 NASB
🌹God of the gospel, thanks be to You, God, for Your indescribable gift! The gift of Your Holy Spirit living and working through me, leading always in triumph in Christ! Overwhelming abundant thanks be to You, God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The victory over eternal death!! God, I pray that my confidence be found in the testimony of my conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, I will conduct myself in the world so that my faith will be proclaimed throughout the whole world. God, You said, “Light shall shine out of darkness.” It is You who have shone in my heart to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. I pray that I will abound in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in love inspire others as I seek to abound in this gracious work. Manifest in me Lord God the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ everywhere I go. To Your glory and purpose. Your will be done. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
2 Corinthians 9:15/1 Corinthians 15:57/2 Corinthians 1:12/Romans 1:8/2 Corinthians 4:6/2 Corinthians 8:7 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Live to God
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Romans 6:10 NASB
Jesus died for you. Jesus died for me. Jesus is alive. Do you believe it? Jesus lives to God. Do we?
🌹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Ephesians 5:1-2 NASB
An offering and a sacrifice to God. Are we a fragrant aroma to God?
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Hoping You Have a Mary Christmas
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42 NASB
I hope you don’t miss it.
We can get so caught up in the hustle and bustle and be distracted, like Martha. The gift buying and wrapping; parties, stressing over the preparation; dealing with heavier traffic and people everywhere.
Let us not forget the real, true reason for the season, like Mary, Jesus. “For Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
🌹God bless you and I hope you have a Mary Christmas.
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Jesus, Armor of Light
The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.
Isaiah 9:2 NASB
O let us give thanks to You Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. You rescued us from the domain of darkness, in which we formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience and transferred us to the kingdom of Your beloved Son, Jesus! God You know we were formerly darkness, but now we are Light in the Lord Jesus. Guide our feet to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Use us to walk as children of Light so as to open the eyes of those walking in darkness that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Christ.’ God, cause the Light of Jesus to shine through us into the darkness so they will see the great Light and find peace. Use us for Your glory, Lord God, in whose name I pray, amen.
Colossians 1:12-13/Ephesians 2:2/Ephesians 5:8/Luke 1:79/Acts 26:18 NASB
🌹The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Luminaries
so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear (shine) as lights (luminaries, stars) in the world,
Philippians 2:15 NASB
This verse brought back memories of Christmas time in Arizona while raising our kids. There was this one neighborhood where luminaries would line the street and driveways of the homes. There would be a slow procession of cars, with the lights of their vehicle off, driving through the neighborhood. These luminaries drew crowds out of the darkness of night.
In the same manner we are to be light to the crooked and perverse peoples of our generation. Drawing them out of darkness to the marvelous Light of Christ.
🌹“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 NASB
This Christmas will you be the light that leads others to the true meaning of Christmas?
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Holy One in Our Midst
Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 12:6 NASB
As Sunday, the 25th of December, is celebrated in many countries around the world, I wondered how many are experiencing the Holy One of Israel in their midst. How many will be crying aloud and shouting for joy as we celebrate the coming of Christ in the flesh?
Shout for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For the Lord has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory.
Isaiah 44:23 NASB
Jesus did it! He came to redeem and He shows forth His glory in every redeemed child of His. Is that not something to shout joyfully about? All God’s creation rejoicing together over the great things He has done!!
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Isaiah 43:1, 3a NASB
Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them.
Psalms 69:34 NASB
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Before the Lord, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness.
Psalms 96:11-13 NASB
O Holy One of Israel, I will shout for joy and in triumph! I will rejoice and exult in the Holy One with all my heart! You, Lord have taken away Your judgments against me. Hallelujah to the King of Israel, my Lord!! Abide in our midst; so we need not fear any more. Glory to the Holy One in our midst! Jesus is His name! Amen.
Zephaniah 3:14-15 NASB
🌹Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the Lord. “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you.
Zechariah 2:10-11 NASB
“Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.”
Zechariah 2:13 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Response to “Living Water”
“Living Water” from December 16, 2022 devotion, Isaiah 12:3 mentions drawing water from the springs of salvation. Today we look at the response of those who draw this “Living Water “.
And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that (proclaim to them that) His name is exalted.” Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things (gloriously); Let this be known throughout the earth.
Isaiah 12:4-5 NASB
Oh Lord, I give You thanks as I call upon Your name. Out of gratefulness for my salvation I will make known Your deeds among the peoples; proclaiming that Your name is exalted!! I pray one generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. I pray men will speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. I pray Your people will eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, And Your godly ones shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power; to make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts and the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom. Again, I thank You for the privilege of participating in Your kingdom growth. Use me, Lord, I pray. May You be exalted in my actions to Your glory, amen.
Psalms 105:1/Psalms 145:4, 6-7, 10-12 NASB
How will you respond?
🌹O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him. The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
Psalms 98:1-2 NASB
Continually Seeking Him,
Sharon
Continually Seeking Him 