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Posted on 01/01/2024 3:15:48 PM PST by luvie
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(((((Hugs, and God Bless!)))))
Bible in a Year :
I trust in you, Lord . . . . My times are in your hands.
Mag had been looking forward to her planned trip to another country. But, as was her usual practice, she prayed about it first. “It’s just a holiday,” a friend remarked. “Why do you need to consult God?” Mag, however, believed in committing everything to Him. This time, she felt Him prompting her to cancel the trip. She did, and later—when she would have been there—an epidemic broke out in the country. “I feel like God was protecting me,” she notes.
Noah too relied on God’s protection as he and his family waited in the ark for nearly two months after the flood subsided. After being cooped up for more than ten months, he must have been eager to get out. After all, “the water had dried up from the earth” and “the ground was dry” (Genesis 8:13). But Noah didn’t just rely on what he saw; instead, he left the ark only when God told him to (vv.15-19). He trusted that God had good reason for the extended wait—perhaps the ground wasn’t completely safe yet.
As we pray about the decisions in our life, using our God-given faculties and waiting for His leading, we can trust in His timing, knowing that our wise Creator knows what’s best for us. As the psalmist declared, “I trust in you, Lord. . . . My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15).
Reflect & Pray
What do you believe God is saying to you about a decision you may be facing? How can you trust Him and wait for His guidance?
Father, please grant me the wisdom and guidance to move according to Your will and ways, for I trust in Your plans for my life.
God Bless Y'all!
Bible in a Year :
Use whatever gift you have received to serve others.
When Krystal first started work at a Virginia coffee shop, she served a customer named Ibby. Because Ibby is hearing impaired, he placed his order using a typed note on his phone. After Krystal learned Ibby was a regular customer, she determined to serve him better by learning enough American Sign Language so he could place his order without writing it down.
In a small way, Krystal showed Ibby the kind of love and service Peter encourages us all to offer one another. In his letter to believers in Jesus who’d been scattered and exiled, the apostle indicates that they ought to “love each other deeply” and use their gifts “to serve others” (1 Peter 4:8, 10). Whatever skills and abilities He’s equipped us with are gifts we can use to benefit others. As we do, our words and actions can bring honor to God. Â
Peter’s words were especially important to those he wrote to, for they were experiencing a season of pain and isolation. He encouraged them to serve one another during the time of distress to help them bear up under their trials. Though we may not know the specific pain another person experiences, God can help us to show empathy as well as graciously and cheerfully serve one another with our words, resources, and abilities. May God help us serve others as a reflection of His love.
Reflect & Pray
What do you believe God is saying to you about a decision you may be facing? How can you trust Him and wait for His guidance?
Father, please grant me the wisdom and guidance to move according to Your will and ways, for I trust in Your plans for my life.
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Bible in a Year :
“You are the God who sees me,” for [Hagar] said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
“Get down!” my friend said firmly to her son after he climbed onto the church pew and waved his hands. “I want the pastor to see me,” he innocently replied. “If I don’t stand up, he won’t see me.”
While standing on the pews is probably not encouraged in most churches, my friend’s son had a good point. Standing and waving his hands was certainly one way to be seen and to capture the pastor’s attention.
When we’re trying to get God’s attention, we don’t have to worry about being seen by Him. God sees each of us all the time. He’s the same one who revealed Himself to Hagar when she was probably at the lowest, loneliest, and most frustrating time in her life. She’d been used as a pawn and given to Abram by his wife, Sarai, to produce a son (Genesis 16:3). And when she did get pregnant, Abram allowed his wife to mistreat Hagar: “Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her” (v. 6).
The runaway slave found herself alone, pregnant, and miserable. Yet in the midst of her desperation in the wilderness, God compassionately sent an angel to speak to her. The angel told her that God had “heard of [her] misery” (v. 11). She responded by saying, “You are the God who sees me” (v. 13).
What a realization—especially in the midst of the wilderness. God saw Hagar and had compassion. And no matter how tough things are, He sees you.
Reflect & Pray
What wilderness situations are you facing? How does knowing that God sees you help you to keep going?Â
Dear God, thank You for seeing me. I know You’re with me even during my toughest times.
Thank you.
Welcome
Bible in a Year :
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
During World War II, US Navy medical corpsman Lynne Weston went ashore with the marines as they stormed enemy-held islands. Inevitably, there were gruesome casualties. He did his best to patch up wounded combatants for evacuation. On one occasion, his unit encountered an enemy soldier with a bad abdominal wound. Due to the nature of the injury, the man couldn’t be given water. To keep him alive, Petty Officer Weston administered intravenous plasma.
“Save that plasma for our fellas, Swabby!” bellowed one of the marines. Petty Officer Weston ignored him. He knew what Jesus would do: “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44).
Jesus did far more than speak those challenging words; He lived them. When a hostile mob seized Him and took Him to the high priest, “the men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him” (Luke 22:63). The abuse continued all the way through His sham trials and execution. Jesus didn’t merely endure it. When Roman soldiers crucified Him, He prayed for their forgiveness (23:34).
We may not encounter a literal enemy who’s trying to kill us. But everyone knows what it’s like to endure ridicule and scorn. Our natural reaction is to respond in anger. Jesus raised the bar: “pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Today, let’s walk in that kind of love, showing kindness as Jesus did—even to our enemies.
Reflect & Pray
How do you respond to those who despise or misunderstand you? How does God want you to respond?
Heavenly Father, please help me love others the way You love me.
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Bible in a Year :
In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
The state of Mizoram in northeast India is slowly climbing out of poverty. Despite their lack of income, since the gospel first came to this area, believers in Jesus have practiced a local tradition called “handful of rice.” Those preparing meals each day set aside a handful of uncooked rice and give it to the church. Mizoram churches, poor by the world’s standard, have given millions to missions and sent missionaries around the world. Many in their home state have come to Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul describes a similarly challenged church. Believers in Macedonia were poor, but that didn’t keep them from giving joyfully and abundantly (vv. 1-2). They saw their giving as a privilege and gave “even beyond their ability” (v. 3) to partner with Paul. They understood they were merely stewards of God’s resources. Giving was a way to show their trust in Him, who provides for all our needs.
Paul used the Macedonians to encourage the Corinthians to have the same approach to giving. The Corinthians excelled “in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in . . . love.” Now they needed to “excel in this grace of giving” (v. 7).
Like the Macedonians and the believers in Mizoram, we too can reflect our Father’s generosity by giving generously out of what we have.
Reflect & Pray
Where have you witnessed sacrificial giving? How can you give generously in response to God’s generous giving to you?
Father, I pray for the Mizoram church as they continue to give generously to Your work.
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Isn’t it great this week we can be happy and relieved after months of turmoil and suspense?
All glory to God.
Happy GratiTuesday!
I am so grateful for President Trump.
🥳
Amen. I haven’t felt this relieved and stress-free for a very long time!
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