Tag Archive | Jesus

FROM WOE TO GO

Jul10

God never ceases to amaze me. He makes Himself visible if we would only seek Him. I usually write a devotional from the Scriptures I am reading in my daily reading plan but God had other plans this morning. Certain events happened this morning that brought me to Isaiah.

And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”
Isaiah 6:3 NASB

Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” Isaiah 6:5‭-‬7 NASB

Right here is the gospel. When confronted with Holy God, the King of Kings, the Lord of hosts we can’t but realize we are ruined, people of unclean lips. We are sinners who can’t possibly live up to God’s standard.

The coal taken from the Sacrificial altar – Jesus the Sacrifice from the altar of God – cleanses from sin, forgiven. We are clothed in His righteousness.

What do we do with this forgiveness, this new coat of righteousness?

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 NASB

One of the events that happened this morning that inspired this devotion was hearing from a sister in Christ who I have had the privilege to watch God’s movement in her and her families lives.

God has worked to bring this family to answer the call of “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”

🌹Salvation is only the beginning of the work of God in you. What will be your response? “Here am I, send me!”?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Sovereignty of God

Jun30

The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand, This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”
Isaiah 14:24‭, ‬26‭-‬27 NASB

God has a plan. He is always at work fulfilling His plan. From the creation of the Universe even up to today, God is working out His plan.

We can willingly be a part of that plan or we can rebel against that plan but His plan will come to completion either way.

My hope is that you look to Jesus, our hope for eternity, and walk according to His plan.

What is His plan? It is written out in His holy word. Read it and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal.

🌹Start by seeking Him daily through His word, asking through prayer for understanding, wisdom, the revealing of His word. Ask for a heart, a soul, a mind that will love Him in it’s entirety. Then watch as the Father transforms your willing heart into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Clutter

Nov12

A friend was writing about piles of clutter in your house. The longer it sits around the more it just becomes a part of the decor, it blends in and becomes unnoticeable.

This reminded me of sin. If we aren’t aware of sin it piles up so much that we don’t notice until we are so deep in the muck and mire that we can’t see our way out and wonder how we got there.

Focusing everyday on Jesus, being in His Word, talking to Him, and putting action to His commands and ways can keep the clutter away.

Set you your mind on the things above; keep seeking the things above. Colossians 3:1-3

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Have You Been There?

Jan13

Coming before the Lord with a heart so heavily burdened?

Believing you have been called for “such a time as this”? (Esther 4:14)

Questioning the calling because things aren’t going according to your plan?

But because you made the right choice to go before the Lord, you find encouragement and affirmation?

The battle belongs to the Lord and His will be done. During my quiet time this morning, the thought came to mind that I need to put on the armor of God. My additional “going deeper” passages for the day included Ephesians 6:11:

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

His Word still speaks today to burdened hearts. Seek Him. I now face this day without the burden, encouraged, and knowing without a doubt I am right where God has placed me for such a time as this.

Be blessed. Seek Jesus!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Focus + Perspective = Praise

Jan7

Genesis 13

Abram trusted God.

How would you have handled the situation of quarreling when the means of taking care of your possessions comes in direct conflict with another taking care of their possessions?

Abram and Lot ran into this. The land could not sustain them both and their possessions. Quarreling ensued. Abram being the older and leader could have taken what he wanted but instead gave Lot the choice to choose land that he wanted. Lot chose the best of the land – plenty of water and fields to eat from.

Abram resided in the land of Canaan. There he built an altar to the Lord. Abram chose to end the quarreling that would bring bitterness and dissension between Lot and himself. Then he chose to build that altar. Where was Abram’s focus? God!

FOCUS on God gives a whole new

PERSPECTIVE: godly; looking through God’s eyes.

I suppose with the right FOCUS and a godly PERSPECTIVE praise comes easy. To our God, Jesus Christ be the glory!

But I enter your house by the abundance of Your faithful love; I bow down toward Your holy temple in reverential awe of You. – Psalm 5:7

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Morning Perspective

Jan6

Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my groaning.
2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
For to You I pray.
3 In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. – Psalm 5:1-3

Ever wonder or even tried talking to God through prayer in the morning and then eagerly watch for the movement of God in your day?

If you want to see God and His glory you ought to try. Walking daily with Him, beginning with conversation, brings about a whole new perspective on your day.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Fruit of Repentance

Jan3

Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance – Matthew 3:8

So what does it mean to “bear fruit”?

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), – Ephesians 5:8-9

Is your “Christian” walk consistent with goodness, righteousness and truth? If this fruit is not evident in your life then now is the time to evaluate your walk and kneel before God in true repentance.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

New Year 2017

Jan2

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. – Genesis 3:7

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. – Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve at the realization of their nakedness, due to sin (disobedience to God), clothed themselves in fig leaves. The leaves would not have lasted long, since removing them from the vine would cause them to wilt, turn brown and deteriorate. The uselessness of our trying to cover up our sin.

But God . . . clothed Adam and Eve in animal skins. (God’s ways are always better). I thank Dr. Steve Thompson for pointing out last Wednesday night, that God sacrificed the first animal. The skins that Adam and Eve were clothed in came from an animal sacrificed because of sin. God sacrificed an animal in the Garden and also sacrificed His Son for the sins of all mankind.

From beginning to end God demonstrates his love for his creation — man and woman.

How about making 2017 the year you turn from sin to God? He made the provision through His Son, Jesus Christ. Today! Pray – asking forgiveness for your sin and your need for a Savior. Believe – Jesus died for you, was buried and arose from the dead three days later. Confess – Jesus as Lord! Live – as if He is your Lord.

May God bless your 2017 as you live for Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

2016 Journey

Dec31

What a glorious adventure I just completed for 2016. For the first time in my life I read the Holy Bible all the way through!!! Oh the beautiful, challenging, wonderful things I experienced on this journey. Looking forward to next year as I “Spend Everyday With Jesus”.

How about you? What made 2016 a journey to treasure for years to come?

 

My New Year’s Resolution:

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!  — Psalm 150

God bless your new year as you praise Him while leaning, trusting, seeking, obeying, serving and loving Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Psalm 146

Dec24

Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.

Do not trust in nobles,
in man, who cannot save.
When his breath leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lordhis God,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.
He remains faithful forever,
executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.
The Lord frees prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects foreigners
and helps the fatherless and the widow,
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.
Hallelujah! — Psalm 146

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon