Tag: Bible

Your Life is Not Your Own. Thoughts from the Life of Joseph – 2025 Day 57 (Genesis 49-50)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 25, Genesis 49-50

His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.”

Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Genesis 50:18-21 ESV

Joseph understood that his life was not his own. He recognized that his life was too be lived in service to his fellow man and his God. Whether refusing the advanced of his boss’s wife, interpreting dreams, obeying his father, or providing for the needs of the Egyptians or the brothers who has sold him into slavery, his life was lived as an offering back to God. Can we say the same?

Is your body “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God”? (Romans 12:2 ESV)

Do you see your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have received from God, such that “you are not your own,” … that you will live to “glorify God in your body”? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)

If your answer is “no,” let me make two simple, but not simple, suggestions:

  1. You can’t live what you don’t believe. If you don’t believe God’s Word … if you don’t believe that Jesus is the perfect, sinless God-man, the spotless Lamb who died for your sins and was raised to life again … if you don’t believe that God is good and all-knowing and all-powerful over all things, then you won’t be able to trust God enough to surrender your life to Him. Start there. Start by simply reading His Word each day, while asking Him to help you in your unbelief.
  2. You can’t give what you don’t have. If you don’t belong to God, if you’re not filled with His Holy Spirit, then you simply don’t have the power to live for Him. Surrender your life now to God. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn away from your sins and follow Him with an obedient spirit. Ask Him to change you from the inside out and fill you with His Spirit.

Please pray with me.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for coming after me while I was lost in my own sins. Thank You for giving us the book of Genesis, that we can know how the world began, but also that we can know the true stories of ordinary men and women like Abraham and Sarah and Joseph who possessed extraordinary faith.

Help us to trust You more, to believe that nothing is too hard for You, that You have good plans for us and that You have a purpose for our lives. Make us pure and holy vessels of Your Spirit. Make us living offerings for Your glory. We love You. We trust You. Help us to love You more and trust You more, for You are worthy.

In the name of Jesus Christ who is our Savior and our Lord we pray. Amen.

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“I am Not my Own”
Keith + Kristen Getty, Skye Peterson

The Miracle of Faithful, Forgiving Love – 2025 Day 49 (Genesis 33)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 17; Genesis 33

But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

Genesis 33:4 ESV

Twenty years earlier Jacob had fled for his life after lying to his father and cheating his brother Esau out of his father’s final blessing. Jacob was terrified to go back and see Esau again. He expected Esau to kill him, his wives, and his children. At a minimum, we would expect Esau to at least give Jacob a severe tongue lashing, right?

Esau running to embrace Jacob is certainly not what anyone would expect. Forgiveness and reconciliation are rare commodities in human relationships, even between brothers.

Esau’s actions reminded me of the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.

“How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

– Luke 15:17-24 ESV

I’m reading about Esau, but all I can think about is God’s overwhelming, never-ending, faithful love. He loved me while I was yet His enemy. Truly He loved me first. I am able to love Him ONLY because He first loved me!

I confess that I don’t really understand how all this works, but I do know that it all begins and ends with our loving Father. He pursues us. He lavishes His mercy on us, and His mercy draws us to repentance.

Esau’s ability to forgive his selfish, lying, deceiving brother, takes an act of God.

Has someone hurt you? Are you struggling to forgive them? You need God to act. And He CAN! He can do it. Dear sisters, God is able to do it through us! What is impossible for man is possible for God! God can give us the strength and humility to forgive others who have hurt us.

And, let’s not forget, He commands it of us. We must forgive others because we have been forgiven of SO MUCH!

Which reminds me of another parable that Jesus told. This time in Matthew 18.

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’

So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.

Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’

And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

-Matthew 18:21-35 ESV

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Please give us the strength and humility we need to forgive others. Help us to say what our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Remind us of Christ’s own words as He was being crucified, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Help us to lovingly pursue others while they are sinners, like Jesus pursued us. Help us to overcome evil with good rather than repaying wrong with wrong. Please, Father, make us more like Jesus who was willing to suffer, in order that we could be forgiven and redeemed.

Help us to love others like you have loved us.

By the power of the Holy Spirit and the lavish, overwhelming grace of Christ, we pray this, Amen.

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Jehovah Jireh –  The Lord will provide – 2025 Day 44 (Genesis 24)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 12, Genesis 24

When I read the story of Abraham offering Isaac in Genesis 22, I noticed in verse 8 that Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering” and then in verse 14 that Abraham called the place, “the Lord will provide.”

“The Lord will provide” is the Hebrew name of God, “Jehovah Jireh.”

It really clicked in my mind, though, when I was teaching an online English Beginners Bible class focusing on Matthew 6:26-33.

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not of more value than they?

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Which then reminded me of Philippians 4:4-6

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Reading Genesis 24, I kept thinking about how Abraham trusted Jehoveh Jireh, the providing God. I’m Genesis 22, Abraham was willing to offer up his dearly loved son, Isaac, because he had full confidence that God would provide. And now again in Genesis 24, Abraham fully trusted that God would provide a wife for that very same son.

This, friends, is FAITH. Faith is trusting that God will provide whatever we need, whatever is best for us.

Yesterday, my husband and I spent the day together as our youngest son, our own dearly loved son, attended a scholarship competition for a Christian university not too far from home. We are praying for the Lord to provide for him. Meanwhile, our youngest granddaughter has a bad case of hand, foot, and mouth. She’s miserable, and Mommy is exhausted. Again, we are praying for the Lord to provide for them. 

What do you need the Lord to provide? I’d love to pray for you. Leave a comment below.

Heavenly Father,

You own the cattle on a thousand hills. You are all-powerful, and You are good. You see us. You hear us. You know our every need. You are a good Father who delights in giving Your children good gifts.

Again and again you force us to rely on You. Truly, Father, this is a severe mercy. We are thankful for our neediness, so that we can recognize our desperate need to rely on Your power.

We are such a weak and needy people. We need daily bread. We need breath and food and rest. We need strength. We need wisdom. We need forgiveness. We need peace and hope and comfort and joy.

But what we need most, Father, is Your presence. Please, stay close to us, Father. Walk with us. Hold our hand. Abide with us and guide us by Your Spirit.

Thank You, Father, for providing everything that we need according to Your riches of glory in Christ Jesus.

Will you please provide for the specific needs that we each find ourselves in? I’m asking You to provide the finances, healing, and strength that my family needs. I know that You are able. Be glorified in our lives.

In the Almighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

Do Not Worry by Rain for Roots

God Almighty – El Shaddai – 2025 Day 41 (Genesis 17:1-18:15)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Psalm 9; Genesis 17:1-18:15

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,”
– Genesis 17:1 ESV

“The LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.’”
– Genesis 18:13-14 ESV

Nothing is impossible for God. Nothing.

Nothing is too hard for Him.

No one is beyond His saving grace.

No prayer request is too difficult for Him.

Whatever need You have today, you can trust God with it. He is God ALMIGHTY!

Indeed, “those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10 ESV)

Let’s pray together.

God Almighty, El Shaddai, nothing is too hard for You. We trust You, Lord. Help our unbelief. Forgive us, Lord, for the ways in which we have lived in unbelief. Forgive us for doubting Your power and Your goodness. May we never scoff at Your wisdom, which is higher than ours. You are indeed the God who sees, the God who hears, the Almighty God. We lay our lives at Your feet and say, “Have mercy on me, a sinner.” You alone are worthy of our love and our trust.

In the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

El Shaddai by Amy Grant
Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? by Wonder Kids

Craftiness and Blame-shifting – 2025 Day 31 (Genesis 3)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 31, Genesis 3

My, my, how quickly things change! God creates a very good universe and in steps that crafty, cunning, shrewd snake, the devil. Like we read in John, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy… He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 10:10, 8:44 ESV).

While God speaks for man’s good, the serpent speaks for our harm.

The blame-shifting begins as soon as God speaks to Adam. Adam blames the woman, but also subtly blames God saying, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12) Eve then blames the serpent for her disobedience. (Genesis 3:13) Sadly, I relate all too well to this struggle. It is easier to blame others than accept responsibility for our own actions.

We need to be careful not to shift blame to other people, whether our husband, our children, the cashier at the grocery store, the customer service representative on the phone. Whoever. Likewise, we need to be careful not to shift blame to our circumstances. I was hungry. I was tired. I’d a long day. It was “that time of the month.” Whatever.

Adam and Eve may have spoken the truth, but their hearts were proud and stubborn. Yes, Eve did ___. Yes, the serpent did ___. Yes, your husband ____. Yes, your child ___. Yes, the driver in front of you ___.

Those blame-shifting thoughts
and words may be true, but they are not helpful or humble.

Instead, let’s accept responsibility for our own sin, confess it to God, and repent of it. Don’t forget that repentance is more than just feeling remorse (feeling sorry that you did something bad). True repentance involves turning away from evil and turning your face toward God.

And, don’t forget what we read in 1 John 1:9-10 ESV, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” When we repent, we can be sure of God’s loving forgiveness.

Our choices (forgiven or not) still have consequences. Adam and Eve still had to leave the garden. They still had to face death. Yet, God is so full of grace and love.  He Himself made garments to clothe Adam and Eve, and when we surrender our lives to Him, He promises to clothe us in pure white garments through faith in Jesus Christ who shed His blood to cleanse us of our sin.

For further study – read Romans 5:12-21; Romans 6:23; Revelation 3:5, 18 and Revelation 19:7-9.

Will you pray with me?

Heavenly Father, We don’t want to be like that crafty snake. We don’t want to be deceivers or blame shifters. Please help us to accept responsibility for our sinful thoughts, attitudes, words and actions.

Thank you for sending Your only son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sin, shedding His blood that we could be forgiven.

We confess to You how often we have chosen to follow our own selfish desires instead of following Your clear commands. Please help us to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.

Help us to trust You and lean not on our own understanding, but to acknowledge You in all of our ways. We pray that You would direct our steps in a way that brings You honor and glory and brings good to those around us.

It is in the holy and righteous name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, that we pray, Amen

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

The Gift of Being Created to be a Helper – 2025 Day 30 (Genesis 1-2)

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 30; Genesis 1-2

I like to read Genesis one and two together because I see Genesis chapter two as an expansion of the account of the creation of man in chapter 1. There’s so much in these two chapters that I read both of them together, two days in a row.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

– Genesis 2:18-24 ESV

God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone, so He wanted to give Adam a helper who was fit for him. Not just any helper would do. He didn’t just need the strength of an ox or the beauty of a peacock or the loyalty of a dog. No, Adam needed a suitable helper, designed especially for man, and so God gave him a woman.

Being a helper is a gift to both the man and the woman. The man needs the woman … And the woman needs the man. They both have been given very important jobs.

God always has such perfect timing. When I initially wrote this devotional in January of 2023, I was visiting my parents hundreds of miles away from my husband, and I thought about how much my husband misses me when I’m gone. Yes, he misses me cooking and cleaning for him. Yes, he misses me making his morning coffee. Whether he missed them or not, I knew he needed my help in the little reminders I give and the times I’m an extra set of hands in the projects he’s working on. But I was especially struck by the thought that what he misses most is my company, simply having someone to talk to and share life with.

It is good to be needed and missed.

It’s a blessing to be created to be a helper.

Now, in 2025, as I reflect again on Genesis 1-2, my husband and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary, our daughter just got engaged, and our youngest son is preparing to graduate from homeschooling through high school and go away to college this fall.

I’m again reminded how careful we most be to not allow our children to take our husband’s place. Children are made from the seed of their father, not from his rib … or yours.

Children are created to
leave their parents,
but husbands and wives are created to become one flesh until they are parted by death.

Sisters, don’t leave your husband in the dust while you’re attending to your babies. Those babies are going to grow up and move away, but your husband will be by your side for the rest of his life. He needs you, and you need to be needed. Make sure you keep your children and your husband in their rightful places in your hearts, minds, and lives.

I speak from personal experience. This is hard, but it can be done. Here are a few ideas I’ve learned (and am still learning) over my 30 years of marriage.

  • Schedule regular dates with your husband to keep those flames of friendship burning.
  • Look for something small that you can do to serve your husband every day – make him a cup of coffee or write him a little note or send him a text over lunch.
  • Express to your husband (and others) how grateful you are for him. Let them know how much they mean to you and how much you value them.
  • Keep a careful watch over your thought life. Complaining thoughts turn into complaining attitudes and complaining words. Nothing works more powerfully against your marriage than having a complaining spirit. When those thoughts (true though they might be) come into your mind, grab hold of them and replace them with the truths of hope and grace found at the foot of the cross.
  • Make praying for your husband a priority. Ask God to bless him and guide him. Check out this video to a wonderful prayer for your husband – from his head to his feet.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You so much for the gift that my husband is. Thank You for making me his helper. Thank You for making him such that he needed me. And thank You for making me fit for him.

Help me to recognize the blessing it is to be needed. I pray that I would make my husband a priority in my life. Help me to do him good and not harm all the days of his life. Help me to submit myself willingly and cheerfully to him, and to trust You, Lord, in the process.

Father, help me not to grow weary of doing good and to trust that in due season I will reap a harvest if I do not lose heart.

I pray that You would bless my husband with every spiritual blessing according to the riches of Your glory in Christ Jesus. I pray that You would take care of him physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Give him the strength and wisdom that he needs to lead our family and give him the humility that he needs to turn to You in his weakness.

I pray also for my married children and their spouses. Make the men servant leaders and the women responsive helpers. Give them a deep love for Your Word and Your church. Show them their need for a savior and grant them the humility they need to live daily in love with the sinner they married.

I pray also for my not-yet-married children and their someday-spouses. Help them to guard their hearts, for they are the wellspring of life. Protect them, body, mind, and spirit, for Your glory and their good. May these days and years be used to prepare them to be a humble leader or a humble helper, to be fit for one another and for Your kingdom.

In the good and gracious name of Jesus Christ , my Savior and my Lord, I pray.

Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

In the Beginning – 2025 Day 29 (Genesis 1-2)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 29, Genesis 1-2

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

– Genesis 1:1 ESV

Before the creation of the heavens and the earth, there was God. God is the creator. He is the only “I am,” the only One who was and is and is to come. Think about that for a minute. In the light of His eternal power, my life and problems look much more fleeting.

“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.

And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

– Genesis 1:2-5 ESV

The very first thing that God created in the universe was light. The earth was dark, but God was not dark. Like we just read in 1 John 1:5b ESV, “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” God created light before He created the sun and stars. There was day and night, and light and darkness before there was a sun.

At the end of the Bible, in Revelation, we read that in the new city on the new earth, there will be “no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:23 ESV)

“And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so.”

– Genesis 1:14-15 ESV

Yet God created the sun, moon, and stars. Why? 1. He made them to separate the day and night. 2. He made them for signs and seasons and days and years. 3. He made them to be lights in the darkness of the heavens.

I love the thought that God created time. God gave us a sun and moon and stars to mark days and nights and seasons. How could we count the days until our baby is due or the days until Passover or the Feast of Booths or Resurrection Dayif we didn’t have a sun? God is so wise and merciful!

And think of all the things like eclipses and comets and the Milky Way that draw people (including me) to consider God’s existence and power. Like Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

There’s so much I could write about Genesis 1! I’ll add just one more thought that I hope you already noticed, but took me years to pick up on. On days 1, 2, and 3 God created the things (the light, atmosphere, and land) and then on days 4, 5, and 6, He filled them (Heavenly bodies, air and sea creatures, animals and man in the land). God is intentional and orderly.

This revelation also helped me to remember the days of creation. On day one, God separated the light and the dark, and then on day four He put the sun, moon and stars in the heavens. On day two, He separated the water from the sky, and then on day five he filled the air and the water with animals to inhabit them. On day three, God separated the land from the water and then on day six, He put the man and animals on the land.

Heavenly Father,

You are the God of light. There is no darkness in You. Our world is indeed so dark, but You sent Your only Begotten Son Jesus to be the light of the world, to light it up, to draw people to You.

I pray that we would be a city on a hill, that the light of Jesus would shine brightly out of us and point people to you, that we would let our lights shine.

I pray that people would see the sun, moon and stars and the intricate, inexplicable, perfect beauty of all that You have created and they would know that You are indeed real and good and mighty and eternal.

Father, I pray that our study of Genesis would point us to You, the eternal almighty God.

In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

In God’s perfect timing, one of the elders at my church preached today on  Genesis 1-2 and creation, so I’m updating my blog to add a link to it.

Collierville Bible Church podcast — January 26, 2025

Apple

Spotify

Speaking Face to Face – 2025 Day 28 (2 and 3 John)

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Read Through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 28, 2 John and 3 John

“Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

– 2 John 1:12 ESV

“I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.”

– 3 John 1:13-14 ESV

At the end of both of these letters, John says that he has so much to say, but he doesn’t want to use a pen; he wants to see them and speak face to face.

It struck me as funny, reading these verses and thinking about all the people who have read things that I’ve written but have never met me and will never meet me face to face. How different it is to communicate when you can’t see your audience face to face, yet how thankful I am that John went ahead and picked up his pan and wrote down his thoughts, that we can still read them almost 2,000 years later.

I know that my words are in no way like John’s words. My words are not inspired by the Holy Spirit like John’s were. Yet, I hope my words will make an impact on this generation as well as generations to come. I pray that children not yet born might be impacted directly by my words but also indirectly through their mothers and grandmothers being encouraged and equipped through the thoughts that flow from my pen (or stylus or keyboard or phone as the case may be).

How can your words
whether written or spoken
make an impact today
and for generations to come?

Do you keep a journal?

Do you blog?

Do you make videos?

Who do you need to write a letter, or call, or meet for coffee today?

I’d love to pray for you. Please leave a comment below.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the blessing it is to be able to write words down. Thank you for preserving Your written Word for hundreds of years that people today can read the very words of Moses and Jesus and John. Thank you for the blessing of being able to preserve our own thoughts for generations to come and to send letters to people who live far away. And thank You, too, for the gift of phone, internet, and video technology that allows us to communicate in real time with people that we can’t see face-to-face.

Thank You for each man and woman who has impacted my life through writing books and blogs and recording videos. I pray Your blessings on them and their families.  Give them wisdom in what to say and encourage them when they grow weary.

You are always good and Your love endures forever.

In the eternal name of Jesus Christ who is our perfect Savior and Lord. Amen

Click here for more information on reading through the Bible in Two Years.

A Prayer for God’s Dearly Loved Children – 2025 Day 25 (1 John 3-4)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 25 and 1 John 3 and 4

“I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.”

1 John 2:21 ESV

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

1 John 3:1a ESV

“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”

1 John 3:9 ESV

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4 ESV

Heavenly Father,

Please fill us and lead us by Your Holy Spirit, that we would know, love, and walk in truth. Help us to discern truth from lies. Help us to turn to You when we need wisdom and knowledge, and to trust that You truly do abide in us.

By our faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, You have made us Your children. You have caused us to be born again and we are new creations in Christ. Your seed abides in us.

Give us the wisdom we need to test our faith to see if we are truly in You, and if we are not actually in You, please reveal that truth now.

But, Father, if we are Yours, then help us to be conformed into Your likeness, loving not merely in words or talk, but in deed and truth.

Help us to live holy and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Keep us from bitterness, wrath, anger, malice, envy and slander. Give us clean hands and pure hearts to the Glory of Your Name.

By Your power at work in us, give us both the desire and the ability to turn away from sin and turn our faces to You. Help us trust Your Word that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Transform our hearts and lives that we would come out of the dark and be useful, shining vessels of Your light.

In the matchless name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord we pray, Amen.

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Loving and Hating – 2025 Day 24 (1 John 2-3)

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Proverbs 24; 1 John 2 and 3

“Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

– 1 John 2:9-11 ESV

Love is an emotion as well as an action. Love wants for someone’s good while hate wants for someone’s harm. You might say that you love someone while you practice deceit and cunning. You might say that you love someone while turning a deaf ear to their cries for help or even leading them astray. People say all kinds of things in the name is love, but really that love is simply hate wrapped in shiny paper. True love desires for the other person’s health, wholeness, and holiness, even when it hurts. Even when it’s inconvenient. Even when it’s messy.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

– 1 John 2:15-16 ESV

At its very essence, love of the world boils down to love of self. The love of the world is the love of selfish desires: comfort, safety, and pleasure.

Truth be told, my love of the world rarely looks like God’s love of the world, that John 3:16 love, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” My love of the world usually looks a whole lot more like my love of me and my own good, not my neighbor’s good and not my Lord’s good. Father, forgive me.

When my life is full of loving me, there’s no room left to love my Heavenly Father or my neighbor. To truly love my Heavenly Father, I must put His glory and His commands over my own fleeting pleasures. To truly love my neighbor, I have to put his well-being over my own, and that takes Holy Spirit power! I can never do it in my own strength. I must abide faithfully in Him and allow His Word and His Spirit flow through me.

Won’t you pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

We want Your glory and majesty to fill the earth. Make us Your vessels. We want to walk in the light as You are in the light. We want to love our neighbor as ourselves. We want to love others as Christ loved us.

But, Father, we can’t do it on our own.

Please forgive us for how far and how often we have gone astray. We have loved the world and the things in the world, instead of loving You and loving our neighbor. We have loved ourselves and hated our brothers.

We repent of our sins. We turn to You, knowing that You are our only hope in life and death. Thank You for the forgiveness and grace available to us through the blood of Christ. Thank You for Your power and guidance available to us through the Holy Spirit.

We need You every hour. We cry out to You and ask for Your help and we know that You hear us.

Thank You! Thank you! Thank you! By the perfect righteousness of Christ we come to You.

Amen

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