Tag Archive | God

Who May?

Mar28

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.

He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;

He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken. — Psalm 15

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Accept One Another?!

Mar27

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. — Romans 15:7

Now that’s a tall order!!! Accept others with all the baggage they carry? Accept those high maintenance, outcasts of society, and the egotistical, arrogant, selfish, prideful, disobedient, unfaithful? . . . well enough talking about me. I’m a sinner. I admit it. But with Jesus becoming my life He is transforming me into a godly person ready for heaven.

Do we reach out to people, just like us, to introduce them to Jesus? Do we accept THAT kind of person when they walk through the doors of our churches or do we shy away and ignore and shun them? Reminds me of a testimony:

A number of years ago a young woman visited the church I was attending. She filled out an attendance card so she made the list for visitation Monday.

An older couple (Deacon and wife) and I were the ones blessed to visit her that Monday. We arrived at her trailer and she seemed genuinely happy to see us and invited us in. In this tiny trailer we stepped over and around toys, dirty clothes, a mattress in the middle of the floor with wadded up sheets and sat on a dilapidated sunk down low, filthy, well worn couch. What would your reaction be and what expression would she have seen on your face?

To the glory of God I marched in there with a smile on my face, thanked her for visiting our church, gave her information and shared the gospel. She was no different than me when it came to my need for Christ.

People need the Lord. Will we let their garbage stop us from accepting them, sharing the gospel and helping them grow in Christ? Jesus accepted our garbage all the way to the cross. What are you willing to do for others?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

One Accord

Mar26

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans 15:5-6

Amazing verse. God who gives perseverance and encouragement — something needed in every relationship and keys to successful relationships — grant us to be of the same mind — that of Christ Jesus — so together we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

He gives His church the tools to accomplish His glory. God is all we need in Christ Jesus.

So persevere and encourage one another in the mind and manner of Jesus for His glory!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Written For You

Mar25

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

Are you desperate to see a future that doesn’t look dismal? Are you existing to just exist? Is life a dark tunnel of confusion and desperation with no light at the end of the tunnel? No purpose. No reason. No HOPE?

The Bible was written for you! It is filled with instructions for living. It is filled with purpose. It is the light that leads to hope. The Word of God is the Light that floods the dark tunnel.

Try. Let the Scriptures encourage you to persevere in life and give you the hope you so desperately need.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Stumbling Block

Mar23

It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. — Romans 14:21

Are you willing to do without for the good of another? Is their godly walk important to you? Does another’s spiritual wellbeing take priority over your physical wellbeing?

Your life affects others if you are an ambassador for Christ Jesus.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Amazing God

Mar22

You are amazing God and the closer I draw to You the more amazing You become. You are everything I am not, everything I need and everything I long to be. My hope is that You will continue to be my amazement as I strive each day to walk with You.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. — James 4:8

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

We Are The Lord’s

Mar20

One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. — Romans 14:5-9

We, children of God, are all different. We are all unique creations of God who belong to Him. That is what unites us, sets us apart from any other gathering of people. Let us be thankful for Christ Himself because it really is ALL about Him. Whether we live or die it is all about Jesus and His saving grace, His unifying love, His purpose. Embrace your fellow Christian’s and your uniqueness, giving thanks to our Lord God for His amazing grace.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Accept as Accepted

Mar19

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables  only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. — Romans 14:1-4

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? — James 4:12

Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. — James 5:9 

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. — Romans 15:7

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Are You Blessed?

Mar18

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. — Psalm 1:1-3

Ancient Paths

Mar17

Thus says the Lord,
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
And you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ — Jeremiah 6:16

There must be an explorer side of me because I have always enjoyed, when I had a few extra minutes to waste, taking new roads I’ve never gone down. I am talking about literal roads here. In doing so I’ve found different routes to get home or to a certain part of town, and found places I would not have found, like a park or golf course, etc., if I had not taken that road.

Well, that is all good when you’re in a vehicle but another story when on foot. I love to walk, enjoying God’s creation and I have had some wonderful talks with my Savior, Jesus Christ, on these walks. Yesterday my walking self met with my exploring self.

For the past eight months, minus the dead of winter months, I have walked the same path several times a week. It is a good four mile walk with hills and flat land and some beautiful scenery. Yesterday, being absolutely beautiful and with an expectant 85 degree high, I thought it to be a good day to walk. Now know that I hadn’t done four miles in about 3-4 months.

So, as I am walking the — let’s call them the ancient paths — of familiarity I get to a crossroad. I’ve been there before. We all have experienced crossroads in our lives. Those times when a decision has to be made that will affect your whole life. My decision was to take the road that I had often wondered where it went. That choice affected the next hour and forty-five minutes of my life. When I finally realized where I was, I was still two miles from home (give or take a few inches. At this point every inch was a challenge).

Did I say that the decision to take that path, the one that veered from the ancient path, affected the next hour and forty-five minutes of my life? Well that’s not actually the whole truth. I was exhausted. Today I’m a little sore. Decisions in our life affect more than just the moment we make them.

Want to make the right decisions? Stand by, watch, examine that way. See, search, ask of the Lord and godly people for wisdom to know what path to take. The ancient paths are good. Find them in Jesus, the Word, our Bibles. If you walk in the knowledge of the Lord, seeking His wisdom and walk in Him you will find rest for your soul.

The choice is yours. Will you choose to walk the ancient path with Jesus or say, “We will not walk in it“?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Thank you, Jesus, for the experience and your Word that brings You to life. And thank you Jana for encouraging me to write a devotion on the subject of my exploration.