Tag Archive | Bible

B.I.B.L.E.

Aug19

With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. — Psalm 73:24
For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death. — Psalm 48:14

God’s counsel is for all of life. He has not left us to flounder in this world without Him. It is His character to guide us. What comfort it is to know that He loves us, desires us to trust Him as He guides us, and will not stop guiding us until death when we are ushered into glory.

Remember that God’s word is truth. Those times when you feel like life is overwhelming and you have no direction, cling to God’s promises. His counsel is what guides. Where do we find His counsel? In the Holy Word of God, the Word of Truth, the Bible. God has a wealth of information, counsel, guidance right at our fingertips. What is stopping you from receiving His counsel? Seek Him today and know the counsel of our Lord to guide you until death.

One of my sons has an acronym for Bible:
Basic
Instruction
Before
Leaving
Earth.
I thought it fit for this devotional.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

How About You?

Aug16

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? (Some messages read see the face of God) — Psalms 42:2

I don’t know about you but I am so looking forward to seeing the face of God, standing before Him, seeing His glory. All fear gone, all hope fulfilled, O glorious day! There is only One living God and my soul thirsts for Him. My soul is quenched by reading His word and spending time in prayer with Him. But then I get thirsty again. I need the thirst quenching words of God daily. How about you?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Son of God

Aug4

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. — 1 John 5:20 (NLT)

Do you know that the Son of God has come? I hope so. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus came to earth because of God’s great love for His creation. Jesus suffered and died on a cross so that we could have the opportunity to know Him, the only true God. Because of Jesus we are able to know God.

We live in fellowship with God because of our relationship with Jesus. A relationship that comes by belief in who Jesus is and surrendering our lives to Him. We ask forgiveness and follow Jesus and His example in life allowing Him to lead and guide us. This relationship is an eternal relationship.

So, do you know Jesus? Seek Him through His Word. Trust in Him as your Savior. Ask Him to come into your life so that you may experience an eternal relationship with God, your Father. Jesus is waiting to hear from you so that He may give you understanding so that you may know the true God. Jesus is the way, truth and life. Seek Him today.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Set My Soul Afire Lord

Jul31

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. — Acts 4:13

Were Peter and John uneducated? I believe they were educated by the Master Himself. It must have been a different education because “they” were amazed and recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. They were different. They had performed a miracle in the name of Jesus. What about today? Are miracles still possible? Is Jesus still alive?

Today we lack, my opinion and observation, being recognized as being with Jesus. I do know some who have sat at the Saviors feet and been instructed by His Word and Holy Spirit. I bet you know a few yourselves. You can just tell that they have been with Jesus by their countenance. Many of those have a passion for the things of God. A heart like God’s. How does one get a heart like God? A passion for the things of God? From God Himself. From sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from the Master.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

Psalm 51:10-13

Time spent at the feet of Jesus allows the Lord to do a work in us. It is by His power, and His only, that we can have a clean heart. Surrender to His ways. He will renew our spirit to be steadfast in the passion He puts in our heart. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide our steps, our way, our coming and our going. He will sustain a surrendered, sacrificial and willing heart. Why would God do all this? So that we can teach transgressors His ways and see the awesome glory of God as sinners are converted to Him. Your daily time of seeking the Lord is so very important. God can use you. Spend time at His feet so He can set your soul afire.

  • Set my soul afire Lord
    Set my soul afire
    Make my life a witness
    Of Thy saving pow’r
    Millions grope in darkness
    Waiting for Thy Word
    Set my soul afire
    Lord set my soul afire — Chorus to Set My Soul Afire

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Where Is Hope?

Jul30

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. — Romans 15:4

Is hope lacking in your life? As you look around you are people moving through life with no hope?

Hope can be found in the pages of a best selling book — the Bible. Do you need encouragement, direction, comfort, courage, hope? Open the Word of God and seek what you need. For whatever was written in earlier times was written for us — the Old Testament and the New Testament. And not only is the Bible a great source of hope for us but as we find our hope in the Bible we can share that hope with the world that is in need of hope also.

Seek the hope found in Jesus Christ through perseverance as you study the Word and are encouraged by the Scriptures. Then share the gift of hope with others.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Hope For The Future

Jul24

“There is hope for your future,” declares the Lord, “And your children will return to their own territory. — Jeremiah 31:17

I believe there is no greater joy than when you see the years of prayer you put in for your children begin to be answered.

My husband and I have often discussed how we were not the best parents but did the best we could — most of the time. We both believe it is by grace that our children managed to survive our rearing of them. I thank God that He is perfect and loves my children more than I could ever love them.

All our children have reached adulthood, despite their parents, and have not always followed our advice and counsel nor that of the Lord. They have wandered out into the world and made mistakes — but haven’t we all. In my 21 months away from my family I focused a lot on praying for my husband and kids, many times on my knees crying out on their behalf. My children were introduced to Jesus, all making a profession of faith, and then wandered into the world without Christ. It has just been recently that I see the miracle transformation taking place in all of them and I am ecstatic.

Rebellion from attending church has been turned into faithful consistent attendance. Never seeing them open the Word of God to asking where their Bible is, and seeing them reading it. Finding one in prayer and meditation with an open Bible. Alienation from church and Christians to a desire to fellowship.

The point of this is that my ever faithful God, in His perfect timing is answering my prayers and my tears are now tears of joy. Thank You Lord God for listening and for answering. Thank You for what You are doing in the lives of my children. May You continue to be glorified in their transformation. There is hope for my future and theirs.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

God Gave Light

Jul23

thFor God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. 17 Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to rescue a world headed toward certain destruction.

18 No one who believes in Him has to fear condemnation, yet condemnation is already the reality for everyone who refuses to believe because they reject the name of the only Son of God. 19 Why does God allow for judgment and condemnation? Because the Light, sent from God, pierced through the world’s darkness to expose ill motives, hatred, gossip, greed, violence, and the like. Still some people preferred the darkness over the light because their actions were dark. 20 Some of humankind hated the light. They scampered hurriedly back into the darkness where vices thrive and wickedness flourishes. 21 Those who abandon deceit and embrace what is true, they will enter into the light where it will be clear that all their deeds come from God. — John 3:16-21 (The Voice)

God gave us the Light. Come to the Light. Bow before Jesus in prayer. Know the Light. Read God’s wonderful story of Jesus in the Bible. Seek the Light and worship the Light. Jesus is the light of the world.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Accurate Handling

Jul21

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. — 2 Timothy 2:15

How can we accurately handle the Word of truth if we don’t know it?

So many have come to the altar seeking forgiveness from sin, asking Jesus into their heart and then walking out the door to live a life unchanged. What makes the difference? The Word of God. It is God’s love letter to His children where He tells us everything we need to know to live a life for Him. To live a life that will bring Him glory. To live a life unashamed. To live a life approved by God.

An approved workman tells others that Jesus is alive! He has risen from the dead and desires to walk daily with them. He wants the best for us so He guides us by His Word. When we tell others of Jesus, we need to be sure we are representing Him in truth. How can we know that we are speaking the truth of God? Open the Bible and study it. Read it everyday. Meditate on it. Memorize it. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We have the hope of being an adequate workman for God when we study the Word of God, accurately handling the word of truth so that we are fully equipped to fulfill God’s plan for us all.

Are you equipped? Are you ready? Diligently seek Christ through the Word of God.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

The Bible

Jul8

BIBLE
Treasure
Truth
Perfect
Sure
Wisdom
Everlasting
Guidance
Insightful
God’s Word

Who could want or ask for more? All we need for life. The Word is Jesus Christ!

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.  Psalm 19:7

The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting. — Psalm 119:160

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are my constant guide.
Yes, I have more insight than my teachers,
for I am always thinking of your laws.
I am even wiser than my elders,
for I have kept your commandments.
Psalm 119:98-100 (NLT)

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Compare

Jun29

I have had the honor and privilege to teach Bible Studies to an array of different women and children. From school age to women well into their 80’s. It has become my passion but it didn’t start out to be.

Being involved in church found me wanting to serve and after all the church was in need of Sunday School teachers so it was only obvious that I should step up and serve in this way. Three year-olds, five year-olds, fifth and sixth graders. I’ll have to admit I did it without fervor or passion, just commitment. I decided it was not my calling. I would of course still substitute now and then.

Well, God had other plans. As I studied the Bible the more excited I became about its contents. The more excited I became, the more I wanted to tell others and Jesus opened the doors to do just that. I am truly honored that God would mold me into a teacher — not of my will — but of His, which makes it that much more important that I teach to honor God.

One of the things I stress to everyone I have the privilege to teach is for them to “open your Bible”. I am merely an imperfect human and although I have been given the gift of teaching and I try very hard to not dishonor God’s Word I can make mistakes. I would prefer someone to call me on it than to take my teaching as truth.

As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. — Galatians 1:9-10

How can we know if the truth is being preached or taught correctly if we don’t check it against the Word of God (Bible)? If I am taking the word of another without testing it against the Word of God, is that not just the same as seeking the favor of man? If I accept whatever that person says as fact, can that be construed as striving to please man? If I am willing to accept man’s word as truth then I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. Those words are very convicting.

The truth of the gospel must be taught with truth but it is our responsibility to know if the truth is being spoken. Open the Bible and compare what you hear to what is written in the Word of God.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon