Category Archives: Christian Growth

Christian Growth, Devotionals

Blessings

photo credit: Hindrik S <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/63991153@N00/48337028812″>Water Ballet</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/”>(license)</a> 

1 “I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26 NASB).”

 

There Shall Be Showers of Blessing [Daniel W. Whittle, 1883/Public Domain]

There shall be showers of blessing:
  This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
  Sent from the Savior above.
  Showers of blessing,
  Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
    But for the showers we plead.
2 There shall be showers of blessing—
  Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
  Sound of abundance of rain.
3 There shall be showers of blessing;
 Send them upon us, O Lord!
Grant to us now a refreshing;
  Come, and now honor Thy Word.
4 There shall be showers of blessing;
  O that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
  Now as on Jesus we call!
5 There shall be showers of blessing,
  If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
  If we let God have His way.

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

The Green Grass of (My) Home

photo credit: Pamela P. Stroud <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/138014685@N08/48788069887″>Gospel Movie Clip – “Is the Lord Jesus the Son of God or God Himself?”</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/”>(license)</a>  

 

“They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. They found rich and good pasture, and the land was broad and quiet and peaceful (1 Chronicles 4:39-40a NASB).”

Green, green…

As a child I ran through the green grass of home; I did somersaults and stood on my head. When tired, I laid down to rest on the green grass of ‘my home.’

“The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:1-2a NASB).”

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Women

TAKE ME AWAY!

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Wishing CALGON TM, could take you away?

From time to time, we can all feel overwhelmed.

“Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah  (Psalm 61:1-4 NKJV).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Relationships

He Called Him Friend

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Ever been betrayed by a friend?

“While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people.  His betrayer had given them a sign: ‘The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!’ So he went right up to Jesus and said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him.

‘Friend,’ Jesus asked him, ‘why have you come?’

Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him (Matthew 26:45-50 HCSB).”

Jesus knew who His betrayer would be. He knew what was in Judas’ heart. Yes, the Master knew very well. Yet, He called Judas friend.

‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’ [Joseph Scriven/Public Domain]

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit;
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who with all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3 Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In his arms he’ll take and shield you;
You will find a solace there.

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Weighing In

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Thinking that you need to go on a diet?

My clothes have confirmed what I’ve been reading on the bathroom scales. I could ignore the scales; I have daily reminders when putting on my clothes. The first 5-7 pounds I gained showed minimal change; the last 5 pounds reveal a noticeable difference.

The signal light turned from caution to stop!

It’s time to put the brakes on. I don’t count calories; instead, I watch my portion sizes and cut down on sweets. This is not the first time I’ve gone this route; it takes patience and determination. 

I’m tempted to overindulge. Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread.

“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’

But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:3-4 NKJV).”

Christ hungered for a far greater food.

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest (John 4:34-35 NKJV)!”

LORD, I want You to control my hunger…

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6 NKJV).”

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Women

Blondes-the Brunt of Jokes

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I was naturally blonde until my early teens.

For the next several years I cheated; I dyed my hair. I hope I wasn’t the brunt of dumb blonde jokes.   

Some blondes are beautiful.

“A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout (Proverbs 11:22 HCSB).”

Pity the dumb blonde. She lacks common sense.

“… develop common sense, you who are foolish (Proverbs 8:5b HCSB).”

Some blondes are foolish.

“The fool says in his heart, ‘God does not exist (Psalm 14:1a HCSB).” 

He does exist; He lives.

He loves.

He knows the number of hairs on a beautiful blonde’s head!

“Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted (Luke 12:7a HCSB).”

 

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Pastor Appreciation

photo credit: hoyasmeg <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/62126383@N00/512265649″>Keith Hill @ last 9:30 service_2456</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>(license)</a>    

 

Are you familiar with the concept of Pastor Appreciation Month? 

The month of October has been designated as pastor appreciation month. Pastor Appreciation Day falls on the 2nd Sunday of October. Our pastors deserve special recognition. They need our prayers, support and encouragement.  

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 NKJV).”

Why not make every day a pastor appreciation day?

 

 

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

WHO you gonna’ serve?

Who you gonna’ serve?

Many people are slaves to sin and self.

“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin (Roman 6:5-6 NASB).”

What will it be?

We have a choice.

A slave to sin or obedient servant to the Master?

“Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:16-23 NASB).”

 

 

 

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals

Crossing Over

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At intersections… before crossing, stop-look & listen.

 

At train-tracks… before crossing, stop-look & listen.

 

Crossing over into new adventures… before crossing, stop-look & listen.

 

God speaks words of encouragement.

 

“Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them: ‘I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’ The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said (Deuteronomy 31:1-3 NKJV).”

 

He crosses before you.

 

 “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed (Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Resurrection

ALIVE and Kicking

 

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photo credit: Onasill ~ Bill Badzo – OFF – 63 Million Views – Me <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/7156765@N05/46609274665″>Toronto Ontario – Canada – Allan Gardens Conservatory – Toronto Tropical Garden – White Lily Macro</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/”>(license)</a

Faith is only as firm as the foundation upon which it rests.

Easter faith is Rock solid.

Resurrection power is not fable sentiment; there were hundreds of witnesses to Jesus appearances in His resurrection body. (1Corinthians 15:3-8) I’m  thankful for the accounts recorded in the Gospels and forever in His debt for revealing the redemption story to me.

We look back to Calvary and the empty grave; Job looked forward and sealed his future.

“I wish that my words were written down, that they were recorded on a scroll or were inscribed in stone forever by an iron stylus and lead! But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh. I will see Him myself; my eyes will look at [Him], and not as a stranger. My heart longs within me (Job 19: 23-27 HCSB).”

Jesus is ALIVE and kicking’!

He defeated Satan and triumphed over the grave and death. “Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, He also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death – that is, the Devil- (Hebrews 2:14 HCSB).”

Yes, Job knew that his Redeemer lives; he witnessed in Rock solid faith.

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