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Book #4 of 2023 📖 “Disciplines of Grace” ✍🏻 Jerry Bridges 📚Christian Living ⭐️ 4/5 Quote: “Run, John, run the law commands. But gives me neither feet nor hands. Better news the gospel brings- it bids me fly and gives me wings!” Discipline and grace are not two words I would normally interchange or expect to see in the same sentence. Yet such is the Christian life as Jerry Bridges explains in his exposition of the role grace plays in our pursuit of holiness. Just as both wings of an airplane are crucial for flight, this book reminds us that the exercise of both discipline and dependence is absolutely necessary in our walks as children of the King. What I liked most about this book was that everything led back to the gospel. The gospel shaped each truth shared and fueled each encouragement written. I’ve heard many times from various Christian teachers to “Preach the gospel to yourself daily” and reading this book was such a practical and spiritually refreshing way to do that. Titus 2:11-12 says “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” How beautiful that not only does God’s grace save us to live for him, but enable us to live for him! . . . #goodreadschallenge #bookstagrammers #readingaesthetic #ilovetoread #christianbookreviews #bookstaexplore #ilivetoread #readwriteunite #faithinspired #readbelievedo #christianbookbloggers #aspiringauthorsofig #emthewordenthusiast #bookishpost #readreadread #bookwormlife #booksonbooks #jerrybridges #thedisciplinesofgrace #pursuitofholiness #christianbooks #christianbookreview #navpress (at Grace) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsuEU7PuJC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
#4#goodreadschallenge#bookstagrammers#readingaesthetic#ilovetoread#christianbookreviews#bookstaexplore#ilivetoread#readwriteunite#faithinspired#readbelievedo#christianbookbloggers#aspiringauthorsofig#emthewordenthusiast#bookishpost#readreadread#bookwormlife#booksonbooks#jerrybridges#thedisciplinesofgrace#pursuitofholiness#christianbooks#christianbookreview#navpress
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Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Lord, Teach Me Wisdom Paperback Carole Mayhall.
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COURAGE for the UNKNOWN SEASON- a review
Courage for the Unknown Season, a book review
#JanSilvious#NavPress#Tyndale
COURAGE for the UNKNOWN SEASON
Navigating What’s Next with Confidence and Hope
By Jan Silvious
Even though Jan Silvious titled her book, Courage for the Unknown Season, we know what that season is-the season of aging and its inevitable, relentless progression toward death.
We’ve seen it, some of us are already in it, and it can be a scary place, with many unknowns other than the end. Jan…
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Humility in Relationships
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
06/13/2023
"
"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"
- 1 Peter 5:5b
I'll never forget the first time I discovered what a feeling was. It was in my early forties. "Surely not!" you may be thinking. Yes, it is true. Since then, I have discovered many men still live in this condition. It took an older mentor to help me understand the difference between information and a feeling. Wives are frustrated because their husbands share information, but not their feelings. They want to know what is going on inside their man. The fact is, most men have not been taught to identify feelings, much less how to share them. It is something that men must learn to do because it is not a natural trait. If they do share their feelings, society often portrays them as weak. No man willingly wants to be portrayed as weak.
In order to become an effective friend and leader, one must learn to be vulnerable with others and develop an ability to share feelings. It is a vital step to becoming a real person with whom others can connect emotionally. This is not easy to do if your parents did not teach you to share your emotional life with others. Emotional vulnerability is especially hard for men. Author Dr. Larry Crabb states,
Men who as boys felt neglected by their dads often remain distant from their own children. The sins of fathers are passed on to children, often through the dynamic of self-protection. It hurts to be neglected, and it creates questions about our value to others. So to avoid feeling the sting of further rejection, we refuse to give that part of ourselves we fear might once again be received with indifference. When our approach to life revolves around discipline, commitment, and knowledge [which the Greek influence teaches us] but runs from feeling the hurt of unmet longings that come from a lack of deeper relationships, then our efforts to love will be marked more by required action than by liberating passion. We will be known as reliable, but not involved. Honest friends will report that they enjoy being with us, but have trouble feeling close. Even our best friends (including spouses) will feel guarded around us, a little tense and vaguely distant. It's not uncommon for Christian leaders to have no real friends. [Larry Crabb, Inside Out (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Navpress, n.d.), 98-99.]
If this describes you, why not begin on a new journey of opening up your life to others in a way that others can see who you really are? It might be scary at first, but as you grow in this area, you will find new freedom in your life. Then, others will more readily connect with you.
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TGIF: Roundup for May 13, 2022
We’ve been sharing photos from our Asian American Leadership Conference on Instagram, and you can find more on the conference website. Videos of our main sessions and special interviews are coming soon! Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss out.
Here are some Mother’s Day articles you might have missed: Learning From Mary, Jesus’s Mom And Disciple by Grace Lung, What God Does With Yes: Serving God as a Stay-at-Home Mom by Kristen You and Karisa You, Finding My Neediness In Postpartum Hours, Days, And Weeks by Amy Loh, and Rethinking Productivity and Love in Pregnancy by Heidi Tai.
Our monthly newsletter features our most popular resources. Read our latest and join for free. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and listen to our TGIF Playlist on Spotify. Reach me on Twitter or Instagram.
We thank God for TGC, SOLA, KALI, and the inaugural Asian American Leadership Conference! See our photos on Instagram.
Articles From Around The Web
Jared C. Wilson: 3 Ways the Gospel Changes Every Man’s Life Today
“In yourself, you are worse than you think, actually, but—wonder of wonders!—in Christ, you are more loved than you realize.”
Related: Comfort for Weary, Bruised, and Broken Gospel Servants by Sam Wan
Abigail Dodds: The Sacred Life of a Mother’s Mind
“When a mother’s mind is fixed on the Spirit, it becomes a wellspring of blessing to those around her.”
Related: No, I’m Not a Pro: How to Parent our Children’s Souls by Faith Chang
Simon Liu: The Worst News Becomes the Best: Dangerous Mission
“God says, ‘Let those who are hopeless in this life, live.’ This is the dangerous gospel I bring to each of you.”
Related: When Faith Becomes Sight: A Book Review of “Faith in the Wilderness” by Aaron Lee
Follow us on YouTube to stay connected with us! Interviews, podcasts, conference messages, and more. You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
Thanos to Theos Podcast: Moon Knight and Mental Health
Clark Fobes, Mike McGarry and Kevin Yi discuss Marvel’s latest Disney+ series.
Walnut Women Podcast: What Good Has Come From My Miscarriages?
Jennifer shares with Leslie about her journey going through multiple miscarriages. Finding comfort, peace, and answers has helped her to embrace God’s greater eternal purposes through this trial for His glory.
Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book Reviews: Refreshed by John Hindley, Endure by Daniel Ritchie, Come Boldly by NavPress. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.
Check out our Asian American Issues collection, featuring 9 of our most recent articles. Thank you for supporting our work at SOLA Network!
Featured This Week On SOLA Network
Daniel K. Eng: Five Things We Are Teaching Our Kids for this Messy World
“We are building a solid foundation on the Bible’s message for our children so that they can think critically about the world’s messages. We constantly pray for the Spirit to work in their lives to start them and keep them on the narrow path to life.”
Moses Y. Lee: The Generational Healing of “Turning Red”: An AAPI Christian Perspective
“Turning Red isn’t encouraging the pursuit of our hedonistic desires; it’s about rightly framing our individuality while appropriately bringing honor to our parents, our traditions, and perhaps even our faith.”
Alice Kim: Hope for Brokenness and Broken Families During the Holidays
“Hope is powerful. It is defiant. It is risky, vulnerable, and sometimes, dangerous.”
Hannah Chao: Ten Questions to Ask Your Mom after Mother’s Day
“I pray that these questions will help you to see your mom as a precious daughter of God and love her and honor her even more.”
TGIF: Roundup for May 6, 2022
Discouragement Can Take You Deeper: Finding Christ in Our Failures / Don’t Expect Instant Gratification from Your Quiet Time / Friendship and Belonging in Middle Age
General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors.
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Nuestro maravilloso Dios
jueves, 12 may. 2022
¿No es ofensivo?
«El Señor le dijo [Jonás]: "Tu sientes lástima por la enredadera, por la cual no trabajaste, y a la cual no hiciste crecer; durante una noche creció, y a la noche siguiente dejó de existir. ¿Y yo no habría de tener piedad de Nínive, esa gran ciudad con más de ciento veinte mil habitantes que no saben distinguir cuál es su mano derecha y cuál su mano izquierda, y donde hay muchos animales?"». Jonás 4: 10-11, RVC
CUANDO UNO LEE DEL GRAN ENOJO que sintió Jonás cuando Dios perdonó la maldad de los ninivitas, ¿qué relato del Nuevo Testamento viene con facilidad al pensamiento? Obviamente, la parábola del hijo pródigo.
Imaginemos estas dos escenas. En la conocida parábola, el hijo mayor se enoja cuando el padre recibe con los brazos abiertos al hijo que ha derrochado la herencia familiar; y cuando el padre hace fiesta para celebrar el regreso del que estaba perdido, entonces el mayor, indignado, se niega a entrar.
En el caso de Jonás, primero se disgusta «en extremo» porque Dios ha perdonado a los ninivitas (4: 1-3); y luego lo vemos acampando debajo de una enramada, «para ver qué sucedería en la ciudad» (vers. 5).
¡Qué curioso! Si la Escritura dice que hay gozo en el cielo cuando un pecador se arrepiente, ¿por qué estos dos «aguafiestas», en lugar de alegrarse, más bien se enojaron? Sin ánimo de disculparlos, James R. Edwards explica su enojo de esta manera. Imaginemos que al llegar al cielo nos encontramos con el vendedor que nos estafó, el canalla que lloró para que le prestáramos dinero y que nunca nos pagó, el compañero de trabajo que nos calumnió para quedarse con el ascenso que nosotros merecíamos. ¿No nos sentiríamos un tanto ofendidos de ver en el cielo gente de esa «calaña»? ¿No es ofensivo, acaso, que Dios perdone al ladrón, al asesino, al adúltero...?
Es «ofensivo», por supuesto, de acuerdo a nuestro sentido de justicia, pero no para el Dios que, además de justo, es también misericordioso; el Dios que no quiere que ninguno de sus hijos se pierda, sino que anhela que todos se arrepientan (2 Ped. 3:9). Esta es justamente la lección que nos recuerda nuestro texto de hoy: si amamos a Dios, ¿cómo no vamos a amar a las almas por las que Cristo murió, sean ellas ninivitas o israelitas?
Qué interesante resulta el hecho de que, según el mismo Edwards, la palabra «piedad» en Jonás 4: 11 es en hebreo chus, que significa «ojos llenos de lágrimas».* El Dios que derrama lágrimas por ti y por mí, ¿por qué no habría de derramarlas por el pecador que perece?
Ayúdame, Padre, a amarte cada día más, y también a quienes, en apariencia, no merecen ser amados. Capacítame para entender la gran verdad de que también por ellos Cristo murió.
*James R. Edwards, The Divine Intruder, NavPress, 2000, p. 104.
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Book Review: Come Boldly, by NavPress
How can saints from the past help you to grow in your prayer life? In Come Boldly, NavPress offers a devotional reader featuring timeless daily encouragements on prayer.
Classic Books on Prayer
NavPress mined the best Christian thinkers to help you commune with your Heavenly Father. My personal favorites included C. S. Lewis, E. M. Bounds, A. W. Tozer, and R. C. Sproul — but I was also pleased to read from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John Bunyan, and Hudson Taylor. This book is a great way to introduce yourself to some of the classic books on prayer as well as their authors.
Each day is paired with Scripture, and the daily pattern of preparation, examination, confession, worship, and request gets you into a good rhythm. The readings are short so you can take your time as you dwell each day in God’s Word. With the outstanding list of contributors, I felt like I was spending time with an old friend each day.
Inspiring and Insightful
A Scripture index as well as a topical index will make this an excellent resource for preachers and teachers. There is also a small paragraph giving a brief biography of each contributor. You will find quotes and illustrations as you prepare your sermons and lessons. More importantly, you will be reminded to pray for your people as well as your own heart as you deal with the Word of God.
Inspiring and insightful, this book will breathe fresh air into your prayer life. You will find a Biblical basis as you journey to the throne room of God. You will be strengthened and encouraged to carry everything to God in prayer.
I received a media copy of Come Boldly and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.
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Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus
Author(s): Paul E. Miller
Publisher: Navpress
Price: $2.51 (Ends Feb 29)
Who Is Jesus? His name has recognized the world over. Christians claim to follow Him. Muslims honor Him as a prophet. And many Jewish rabbis regard him as a great teacher. Everyone knows about Jesus, but how many of us fully understand what He was like as a person?
In Love Walked among Us, Paul Miller invites us to get to know Jesus, to observe his life and His love as they unfold in the Gospel narratives. The book investigates such questions as How do you love someone when you get no love in return, only withdrawal or ingratitude? How do you love without being trapped or used by another person? How do you love when you have your own problems? When do you take care of yourself? When you are compassionate, people use you, but when you are honest, people get angry—so how do you love with both compassion and honesty? In every way, Jesus’ life exemplifies the full potential of what we were intended to be. And the better we know Him, the more we will be drawn to follow His perfect example.
Click the following post title to view these deals with the purchase links: Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like Jesus
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This is no ordinary book. It tackles passiveness in the Christian theology of sanctification. If you have ever used the phrase "let go and let God" ...this is for you ! Dig in. #read #books #bookstagram #bookclub #thetransformingpowerofthegospel #jerrybridges #navpress (at Kikuyu, Kenya) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByUkGd0gGie/?igshid=c37ejxflfitc
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a feeling there is something more than the mundane, and a reason for our plodding
I fell in love with books. Some people find beauty in music, some in painting, some in landscape, but I find it in words. By beauty, I mean the feeling you have suddenly glimpsed another world, or looked into a portal that reveals a kind of magic or romance out of which the world has been constructed, a feeling there is something more than the mundane, and a reason for our plodding."
—Donald Miller, To Own a Dragon: Reflections on Growing Up Without a Father (Navpress, January 1, 2006)
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Repost from @thenavigators - Beloved pastor and NavPress author, Eugene Peterson passed away this morning surrounded by his family. Eugene will be forever connected to the ministry of The Navigators and his legacy will live on through his words of truth. He will be greatly missed as his long obedience comes to an end. Please join us as we extend prayers to the Peterson family.⠀ -⠀ -⠀ -⠀ -⠀ #theNavigators #EugenePeterson #TheMessage #NavPress #NavPressBooks https://www.instagram.com/p/BpQOSZwHGLe/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=165iljgxyba1y
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Humility in Relationships
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
06/13/2022
"
"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"
- 1 Peter 5:5b
I'll never forget the first time I discovered what a feeling was. It was in my early forties. "Surely not!" you may be thinking. Yes, it is true. Since then, I have discovered many men still live in this condition. It took an older mentor to help me understand the difference between information and a feeling. Wives are frustrated because their husbands share information, but not their feelings. They want to know what is going on inside their man. The fact is, most men have not been taught to identify feelings, much less how to share them. It is something that men must learn to do because it is not a natural trait. If they do share their feelings, society often portrays them as weak. No man willingly wants to be portrayed as weak.
In order to become an effective friend and leader, one must learn to be vulnerable with others and develop an ability to share feelings. It is a vital step to becoming a real person with whom others can connect emotionally. This is not easy to do if your parents did not teach you to share your emotional life with others. Emotional vulnerability is especially hard for men. Author Dr. Larry Crabb states,
Men who as boys felt neglected by their dads often remain distant from their own children. The sins of fathers are passed on to children, often through the dynamic of self-protection. It hurts to be neglected, and it creates questions about our value to others. So to avoid feeling the sting of further rejection, we refuse to give that part of ourselves we fear might once again be received with indifference. When our approach to life revolves around discipline, commitment, and knowledge [which the Greek influence teaches us] but runs from feeling the hurt of unmet longings that come from a lack of deeper relationships, then our efforts to love will be marked more by required action than by liberating passion. We will be known as reliable, but not involved. Honest friends will report that they enjoy being with us, but have trouble feeling close. Even our best friends (including spouses) will feel guarded around us, a little tense and vaguely distant. It's not uncommon for Christian leaders to have no real friends. [Larry Crabb, Inside Out (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Navpress, n.d.), 98-99.]
If this describes you, why not begin on a new journey of opening up your life to others in a way that others can see who you really are? It might be scary at first, but as you grow in this area, you will find new freedom in your life. Then, others will more readily connect with you.
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Media Celebrates "Beatitudes" as "Uplifting and Inspiring"
Media Celebrates “Beatitudes” as “Uplifting and Inspiring”
Multi-Artist, 18-Track Album Gathers 5-Star Acclaim, Encourages Peacemakers “Peacemaking is not peace-talking or peace-loving or peacekeeping. Peacemaking costs us.” – Stu Garrard (more…)
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#TheBeatitudesProject#Beatitudes#NavPress#peace-loving#peace-talking#peacekeeping#peacemakers#peacemaking#Stu G#Stu Garrard#Stugiology Music#The Beatitudes Project#The Fuel Music#View From The Hill#Words From the Hill (An Invitation to the Unexpected)
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Put First Things First
Shortly after we were married, Pippa and I went to a conference about marriage. One of the sessions I will never forget was about priorities. We were given five cards – each with a word on it: ‘work’, ‘God’, ‘ministry’, ‘husband/wife’ and ‘children’. We were asked to rank these in order of priority. With hindsight, I can see I got them in completely the wrong order.
I put ‘God’ first (at least I got that one right – but it was fairly obvious!), followed by ministry, wife, work, and, finally, children (we didn’t have any children at that stage so they didn’t seem very important!).
As the leaders of the conference took us through these priorities, it became clear to me that my order should be: first of all God, then my wife (my primary calling), our children, my job (my primary ministry), and finally my ministry – which, though obviously very important, should not be allowed to displace the primary responsibilities of my life. As the philosopher Goethe put it, ‘Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.’
Put first things first. The things which matter most to God should take first place in our lives.
Psalm 22:12-21
Priority of relationship
Your relationship with God should be your number one priority. In this psalm we see that the psalmist’s first priority (and prophetically Jesus’ first priority) was his relationship with God.
The gateway through which we pass into a restored relationship with God is the cross. As with the first part of the psalm, we see a continuation of the prophecies about Jesus’ death that are fulfilled in the New Testament.
It is as though this psalm is written in the first-person singular by someone hanging on a cross, hundreds of years before the Romans even invented crucifixion. It is an extraordinarily accurate prophecy about the suffering of Jesus – describing the cruelty of crucifixion.
‘All my bones are out of joint… My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth’ (vv.14a,15b; John 19:28).
‘They pierced my hands and my feet’ (Psalm 22:16c; John 19:37).
‘A band of evil people has encircled me. I can count all my bones, the people stare and gloat over me’ (Psalm 22:16b–17b; Luke 23:17,35).
‘They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing’ (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23–24).
As we saw yesterday, the suffering of Jesus on the cross was far greater than even the horror of crucifixion. He bore our guilt and was God-forsaken on our behalf (Psalm 22:1). Jesus died for you so that you could be restored to a relationship with God.
Thank you, Jesus, that you went through the agony of crucifixion for me in order that my relationship with God could be restored and become the number one priority in my life.
Mark 1:29-2:17
Priorities of Jesus
I love Jesus. He is absolutely amazing and wonderfully attractive. He loved the people: he was filled with ‘compassion’ for them (1:41). The people loved him: ‘The people... came to him from everywhere’ (v.45). Everyone wanted to see Jesus: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ (v.37).
They would do anything to get other people to see Jesus (2:4). The crowds came to him (v.13). When he said to people, ‘Follow me’, they followed him (v.14). They brought all the sick to Jesus and he healed them (1:32–34), including Simon’s mother-in-law (vv.30–31). He loved tax collectors and sinners and was quite happy to go and have dinner with them (v.15). He came for us ‘sinners’ (v.17).
You can tell people’s priorities by how they spend their time. In this passage we see how Jesus spent his time.
Praying to God
Most people do not get up very early unless they have something important to do. Jesus’ first priority was his relationship with God the Father: ‘Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed’ (v.35). This challenges us all to get up early, find ‘a secluded spot’ (MSG) and pray.
Personally, I have found the only way to get up early on a regular basis is to go to bed early on a regular basis!
Proclaiming the kingdom
Jesus said, ‘Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come’ (v.38). The message he preached was good news about the kingdom of God and the need for people to ‘repent and believe the good news!’ (vv.14–15). It was a message all about forgiveness (2:5,10) and it was good news especially for ‘sinners’ (v.17), which everyone needed to hear. For Jesus, forgiveness was an even higher priority than healing.
Power evangelism
Jesus was ‘filled with compassion’ (1:41). Out of love for the people he wanted to bring them first the good news of forgiveness. But it was not just words. He also acted to heal the sick (vv.40–42; 2:8–12) and to drive out demons (1:39). Through the healing of the paralytic, Jesus demonstrated that he is the one who has the authority and power to forgive sins (2:9–11).
Jesus’ priorities were clear. It was God first and then people second – and everything else was about acting out those two great priorities.
Lord, help me to prioritise my relationship with you. Thank you that I am able to proclaim the good news of forgiveness to others. May I be filled with compassion as I pray for the sick and seek to see people set free.
Exodus 19:1-20:26
Priority of love
Although God invites you into intimacy with him, never forget the wonder of his holiness and power. God has such a passion for you, and therefore he will not let you be less than you can be. He wants us to learn holiness from him.
From Exodus 19 to Numbers 10:10 the people of God stay in the same place learning how to be God’s people. They begin by learning the holiness and power of God. They cannot even touch the mountain on which his presence rests. Then he speaks to them about their prioritiesthrough the Ten Commandments.
God loves you
The context is in 20:2: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.’ God is a God who shows ‘love to a thousand generations’ (v.6). We see pictures of his love earlier in the passage. God says, ‘I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself’ (19:4). He says, ‘You will be my treasured possession…’ (v.5). Our love is a response to God’s love.
The context of the Ten Commandments is God’s love for you. Some people miss this fact and see them merely as a set of rules. God gives the commandments as an act of love for you. Seek to obey them as an act of love for God.
Love God
The first four commandments are about how we respond to God’s love by loving him: ‘We love because he first loved us’ (1 John 4:19). Our love is to be exclusive (Exodus 20:3–4), respectful (v.7) and is demonstrated by setting aside time to be with him (v.10).
Love others
The last six commands are all about our love for others – our families (v.12), our husbands/wives (v.14) and our neighbours: ‘No murder. No adultery. No stealing. No lies about your neighbour. No lusting after your neighbour’s house – or wife or servant’ (vv.13–17, MSG).
Jesus summarised it like this, ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’ (Matthew 22:37–40).
The Ten Commandments were not given as a ladder that people had to climb up to get into God’s presence. Rather they were a God-given pattern of life for those who had already known God’s grace and redemption. They are not given to restrict your freedom, but to safeguard it. They help you enjoy the freedom of living in a relationship with God, showing you how to live a holy life just as God is holy. Your love for God flows out from, and is a response to, God’s love for you.
Heavenly Father, I worship you today with reverence and awe. Thank you that you carry me on eagles’ wings and bring me to yourself. Thank you that you say that I am your treasured possession. Help me to make it my first priority to worship and to love you with all of my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind. Help me to love other people unconditionally in the way that you love me.
Pippa Adds
‘Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.’ (Mark 1:35)
I am challenged by the words ‘very early’. I am not very good in the morning and even worse while it is ‘still dark’. The temptation to stay in a warm bed just a little longer I find hard to resist. But, I realise that it probably is the best time to find uninterrupted peace. If Jesus got up early to pray, I should at least try to do the same.
Verse of the Day
‘Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed’ (Mark 1:35).
References
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
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