Growing in Grace

The Blessed Hope Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) We are to expect and prepare for our blessed hope. That hope is not heaven or glory, but Jesus Himself, face to face, closer than ever. We don’t just wait for the coming of Jesus; we live in active expectation of the return of Jesus. We are looking for it. The return of Jesus Christ should be precious for Christians to consider. Jesus came the first time to save the soul of man; He will come a second time to resurrect the body. Jesus came the first time to save the individual; He will come a second time to save society. Jesus came the first time to a crucifixion; He will come a second time to a coronation. Jesus came the first time to a cross; He will come a second time to a throne. Jesus came the first time in humility; He will come a second time in glory. Jesus came the first time and stood before Pilate; He will come a second time an...

But godliness with contentment is great gain. -1 Timothy 6:6 When we live and act without contentment, we are trying to fill needs in our lives. It might be the need to be "somebody," the need to feel secure or cared for, or the need to have excitement and newness in our lives. Most people try to fulfill these needs with material things, but they can only really be met by a spiritual relationship with the God who made us.  -David Guzik, commentary on 1 Timothy 6

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. -Philippians 4:8

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. -Matthew 5:6 Photo Credit

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world,love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. -1 John 2:15-17

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,  since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  -2 Corinthians 4:18

The Lord is my shepherd. . . Photo Credit Photo Credit Photo Credit

Those whose driving force in life is a thirst for God will be completely satisfied.  (Harold J. Sala)

I think you all know that junk food isn’t good for you. Good food, like vegetables and fruit, milk and meat is much healthier for your body than ice cream sandwiches, cupcakes and candy bars. Good food will make you healthy and strong and help you grow. Too much junk food will just make you sick. The same is true about the things you think about. It is easy for us to think bad thoughts. Many times we have bad thoughts because we’ve put bad things into our minds, perhaps by watching violent TV programs or playing violent video games. Maybe we play with friends who use rough language or we listen to a certain type of music. What does God want us to think about? Photo Credit God wants us to think about good things. In Philippians 4:8 Paul wrote the kinds of things we are to think about. He said, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praisew...

Photo Credit God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle. He will provide a way out. -1 Corinthians 10:13 -Sin not only affects us but those around us. -God is to be obeyed, and He will judge sin. -Temptation comes from inside of us when we want our way instead of God's. -Go to God and ask for help in overcoming temptations

A good reminder in our present times. . . 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. -Isaiah 14:24 God is sovereign. He rules over everything. Everything that happens to us must first be okayed by God. If we are God's children and love Him, all things (even bad things) will turn our for our good.

A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. -Proverbs 25:28 (NLT) Self control protects you just like a tall stone wall encircling an ancient city. It can protect you from saying the wrong thing. It can prevent you from doing something you'll regret later. Like all godly virtues, it can protect and provide for you. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. (2 Peter 1:6) Self-control is the ability to: -say no to things that are harmful to you. -put off things that you want to do but can't - or shouldn't -do right now. -discipline yourself to do the things God tells you to do. "Don't engage mouth before you engage brain." Think - better yet - pray before you speak.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. -Ephesians 5:1 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. -Proverbs 15:18 I read these two verses in two separate devotions on the same day. They complimented one another very well though. Because God is self-controlled, He wants us to be self-controlled and to follow the example He sets for us. We shouldn't push people "to get over it." We need to allow others time to calm down when something upsetting occurs. We need to stay calm ourselves, forgive and keep the door open. We need to pray and be patient. As a mom, this was particularly convicting. I often get impatient and hot-tempered with my child's hot-temperedness! And I have been known to say "get over it." These were both good reminders to take a breath. Pray. Give the kids time to calm down. And then speak carefully and patiently with understanding. -Proverbs devotio...

Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. -2 Timothy 2:4 Photo Credit A soldier has to give up many things. Some of them are bad things (pride, independence, self-will), and some of them are good things (his home, his family). Nevertheless, if a soldier is not willing to give up these things, he is not a soldier at all. The things that might entangle a soldier might be good or bad for a civilian. The soldier can't ask if something is good or bad for those who are not soldiers; he must give up anything that gets in the way of being a good soldier or serving his commanding officer. A faithful soldier does not have the right to do anything that will entangle them and make them less effective as a soldier. If Timothy did not endure hardship and if he did not put away the things that entangle him in the affairs of this life, he would not be pleasing to his Commanding Officer. Jesus Christ is the com...

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. -Ephesians 4:31-32 These verses are telling us to: -Receive God's forgiveness. -Be humbled by God's grace daily. -Live a changed life. -Confess anger. -Ask the Holy Spirit to control your mind and emotions. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. -C.S. Lewis

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helping for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. -Ephesians 4:29 Photo Credit The Christian not only stops saying unwholesome things; he also begins to say things that will help build others up. -NIV study notes Rather than using your words to tear down others, use them to build up others. -Bible.org There is the old saying, "If you don't have something nice to say, then don't say anything at all." But I think we are being told here to replace the negative, unkind words we feel like saying with positive, encouraging ones. In other words, don't remain silent, say something nice instead.

Photo Credit A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. -John 13:34-35 This command was presented in a fresh, new way. The Old Testament said to love your neighbor as yourself; but this new law said to love your brethren better than yourself and to be willing to sacrifice for them. The extent of love displayed by Jesus on the cross was a new example of love. Love is the mark of the fellowship of true believers, and all other criteria are strictly secondary. -David Guzik "O God, when I'm wrong, make me easy to change, and when I am right, make me easy to live with." -Peter Marshall When someone says something that could stir you up, don't bite the bait. Send up an arrow prayer: quickly ask the Lord to give you grace and wisdom and gentleness to navigate and not agitate. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." "Thank...

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. -Philippians 2:3-5 While Romans 8:28 is my life verse in that I can trust in its truth; the above verses are the ones I truly try to live by. As we put away our selfish ambitions, our conceit, and our tendencies to be high minded and self-absorbed, we will naturally have a greater concern for the interests and needs of others. And by doing this we will fulfill the two greatest laws - to love God and to love others.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. -Ephesians 4:31-32 Some thoughts on these verses: Bitterness develops over time as we nurse our anger and tell ourselves we have a good cause to be angry. Rage means "to boil". It is outbursts of anger. Anger is a held attitude with the purpose of revenge. Brawling/Clamor is loud angry words. Slander is speaking evil about someone to someone else who has no need to hear it. Malice is wickedness or ill will towards another person. Face up to your bitterness and anger as sin and confess it to God, asking His forgiveness. Accept responsibility for your sin rather than blame others. Replace bitterness and anger with kindness, compassion and forgiveness. We are new creatures in Christ and have been taught a new way of life. We are to put off the old man and put on the new...

Devotion I gave for Friday school Chapel in February: You are called a leap year baby if you were born on February 29th. On the calendar, it looks like your birthday is missing because February shows only 28 days three years out of four. Is there a big mistake? Not at all. When the earth moves around the sun, it takes a little more than 365 days. So approximately every four years, our calendar loses almost twenty-four hours, so in the fourth year we add an extra day to catch up. That day is February 29, and that year is called a leap year. It was created when the Gregorian calendar was introduced in the 1700s. If you only counted your leap year birthdays, by the time you were sixteen you would have had only four February 29 birthday parties. Fortunately, people with leap year birthdays can celebrate on February 28 or March 1 instead, so they can have the same number of birthday parties as all their friends. ( The One Year Did You Know Devotions 2 ) When I think of the word...