John 8:12 ESV, “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus is the light of the world. I hope that truth brings you joy this Christmas season.
Photo by: David Orsborne of the UK 🇬🇧
As you reflect on this past year, you like me, have had highs and lows. And even if you still find yourself trying to navigate certain struggles, I encourage you to keep following Jesus. He has promised to give us the light of life, as we follow Him.
His light will sustain us and give us the perspective we need to keep trusting Him and moving forward in His grace. Knowing that Jesus is always with us, makes a difference.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
When we know He is with us, we do not have to have all the answers or understand every why. Although our human nature would like to know everything, not having to know it all is actually part of the privilege we have in knowing Jesus. He will give us wisdom when we ask. He will bless us with discernment to be led by His loving Spirit and recognize His precious voice. We can rely on Him to tell us what we need to know and guide us appropriately.
I pray that this Christmas season and beyond, God gives you the wisdom and discernment you need. And the strength to keep following Him and walking in His light. The darkness of this world will not overcome us when we stand firm in our faith in Jesus. May you feel His love and presence today.
1 Peter 3:10-11 ESVFor “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”
These are wise words that help lead us to good days and a life we can enjoy. It challenges us to keep a guard over our tongues, turn from evil, do good, and to seek and pursue peace. Since our words and actions have an impact, asking God to help us to be mindful in these areas and being sure to talk to Him about our specific struggles will invite Him in to help us.
We are often ready to get to the next season of life. Especially when we are going through something difficult. However, learning as much as we can right where God has us, will benefit us now and when we enter the next season of life. And the wisdom found in these verses to not indulge in harmful words and evil actions will help us as we go through the learning process.
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We often cannot fully perceive what we are missing out on until we are willing to trust God and obey what He is telling us to do. Then our obedience leads to blessings and better understanding.
The final words of these verses say to seek peace and pursue it. I have found that peace brings clarity and the ability to better hear God’s voice and follow His leading. We serve a God who is willing to give us peace in exchange for our worries; so cast your worries on Him today because he cares for you (Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7).
Matthew 6:11 NIV, “Give us today our daily bread.”
Lately, I have thought of this verse to remind myself that the Lord is willing to give us our daily bread to navigate our lives. Not only through the trials we may face but also to get through our daily tasks and responsibilities. We just simply have to be willing to ask for help and then surrender to God and trust Him to answer. James 4:2 reminds us that we have not because we ask not.
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When we keep our focus on Jesus, we can take courage knowing He loves us and that even in the midst of our difficulties, He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). The lessons we are learning will make us even more wise and teach us more about the character of our God. And we never know who is watching us; how we act and what we say can inspire others and shine the Light of Jesus into their lives.
God sends us the people and resources we need to help us. He is the source of anything good and He is willing to share His goodness with us everyday. It’s a simple truth that is easy to overlook, especially when we feel pressure to have all the answers. But it’s true, all we have to do is ask.
Psalm 37 is my favorite Psalm. I have been meditating on it over the last couple of weeks and have found comfort in its words. So I am sharing it with you and I hope it brings you comfort also. It encourages us to remember that God sees evil and injustice (which are two things we see a lot of nowadays). He will deal with wrongdoing so we do not need to worry. It also reminds us that refraining from anger, delighting in the Lord and trusting Him, leads to blessings.
The final two verses, 39 and 40, ensure us the Lord is our Helper and He saves those who take refuge in Him. Enjoy reading Psalm 37 and have a blessed week.
Photo by: Tara Winstead of the USA 🇺🇸
Psalms 37 NIV
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
23 The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed ; the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.
32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;
33 but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34 Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked.
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Galatians 5:16 NLT, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
Most of us can probably agree that it is not always easy to live by the Holy Spirit. As the verse mentions, the sinful nature rises up to entice us. Plus, we live in a hectic world that sends us many signals, signals that work to draw our hearts and minds away from the Lord. Remaining intentional about staying tuned in to the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit will help us to not be lead astray.
Photo by: John-Mark Smith of the Ukraine 🇺🇦
When we read and meditate on God’s Word, it will strengthen us so our thoughts and actions stay in line with His will. And honest communication with the Lord about everything through prayer, will remind us that He is with us, is sovereign over our lives and loves us unconditionally. Exchanging our worries for prayer, will also lead us to God’s perfect peace.
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We all have times in life where we go through difficult challenges, and our faith and trust in God are tested. During these times, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us may seem especially hard, but no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, God is willing to help us in our time of need. Remember, nothing we face is too hard for God and He is faithful to us. He never changes. His love always remains the same.
Psalm 36:5 ESV, “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”
Stay tuned in to the Lord. He promises to direct our paths as we trust Him.
Isaiah 30:18 NLT, “So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.”
Compassion is something that seems to be scarce in the hustle and bustle of today’s world. Showing compassion requires us to take time to be aware of those around us and to listen to what they have to say. When we listen, we can learn and understand what others need.
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As the verse says, the Lord is faithful to show us love and compassion when we come to Him. It is a blessing that we can take that same compassion that we receive from Him and give it to others. God is always willing to help us do what He ask us to do. We just need to be willing to act in obedience.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Now is a good time to ask God to keep our hearts and eyes open to those who need to receive His compassion. Especially with the holidays approaching, since it is often a difficult time for many people. Chances are we won’t have to look very far because it’s usually the people we interact with daily. Or perhaps it may be a stranger who crosses your path. But either way, it’s an honor to be able to extend the compassion of God our Father. May He help us and bless us as we aim to shine the light of His compassion in a dark world.
Romans 15:13 NIV, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
If you live here in the U.S., welcome to Fall! I hope that you had an enjoyable summer. Or whatever part of the world you’re in, welcome to your new season! My daughter is spending some time in South America and she says they just entered spring, which is my favorite season. I consider her lucky to get to enjoy spring twice.
At the beginning of the year, I shared that persevere was my word for 2024. Almost ten months into the year, I can definitely see why the Lord gave me that word. I have certainly had to persevere through some difficult things. As you reflect on the word persevere, I am sure you can think of multiple things you too have had to persevere through. Or perhaps, you’re still in the battle.
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I have been thinking about hope lately, and I think that to remain hopeful takes courage, determination, and perseverance. Especially in the midst of the many changes that life often brings our way.
I saw this simple definition of hope from Oxford languages, “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” This definition alerts us to the close relationship between hope, expectation and desire. When we’re hoping in someone or something, we usually have expectations and desires attached to that hope.
We all know it can be disappointing when our expectations are not met, and our desires go unfulfilled. Even sometimes when we hope in God and have expectations of Him, we may feel He has somehow let us down. However, I love it when God’s word reminds me of His faithfulness in the midst of my anxious thoughts…
Psalm 145:16 NIV, “You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
Psalm 37:4 NIV, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
I believe there is hope in the fact that God always sees and hears us and will ultimately do what is best for us. Even when we don’t see the results right away.
In my own life, I have had to decide, sometimes daily, not to give up on hope. Romans 15:13 tells us, God is called the God of hope and He is willing to fill us with joy and peace that will cause us to overflow with hope. This promise assures us that we can keep persevering in hope, by His grace.
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My biggest hope is to live eternally in heaven with Jesus, but as long as I am here on Earth, I have hopes for this life. I trust God to meet my needs and show me His goodness in this life. I encourage you to keep trusting Him as well.
Psalm 27:13 NIV, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
Even in the midst of persecution, trials, difficult people or disappointing circumstances, decide not to lose hope. Decide not to give up on the God of Hope. He is the Giver of Hope and of all good things.
James 1:17 NLT, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
Remember, God has not forgotten you and He never will. So don’t lose hope.
Drawing Closer to Christ 