April 19, 2024

This Week…Hebrews 10:23

July 2, 2015 by

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So let us seize and hold fast
and retain without wavering
the hope we cherish
and confess and our acknowledgement of it,
for He Who promised is reliable
(sure) and faithful to His Word.
Hebrews 10:23 AMP

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are finishing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that ‘we boast in the hope of the glory of God’!  Here are a few of their thoughts….

In Hope (A Profession), Ann encouraged us with these words…

In the KJV the same verse says, ‘Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful that promised).’

What are we seeing here?  Hope is the profession of our faith.  What is  ‘profession’ then?  In biblical terms, this is a calling.  It is ‘an occupation, practice, or vocation requiring mastery of a complex set of knowledge and skills through formal education and/or practical…’.

So if we take the AMP version that we should hold fast…without wavering…the hope, we are saying we should take the profession of our faith without wavering.

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In Unswerving Hope, Ahmee shared her own testimony and reminded us of Abraham and Sarah and their hope….

When I first got saved this verse held me up through many storms and confused nights.  I’d cry from feeling so close to defeat, but would cling to knowing that “He who promised is faithful.”  Written in my Bible I have a note next to this verse that says “regardless of how things seem!” How true?!

God promises us things that seem so impossible sometimes.  We know that His promises are true.  We know He cannot tell a lie and we know He is faithful.  And yet, what our eyes see and our minds perceive is something totally different.  The question remains: “Which do you believe?” We rely on our eyes daily to show us the world around us. Our eyes are tangible. However, we KNOW that God is to be trusted. Both seem right.

A prime example of this type of situation is that of the story of Abraham….

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This Week…Romans 5:1-2

June 26, 2015 by

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Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through Whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand.
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are continuing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that ‘we boast in the hope of the glory of God’!  Here are a few of their thoughts….

In Spiritual Hope (2), Ann reminds us to trust, and not doubt, God….

Whatsoever God spoke concerning our lives shall come to pass. Let us not doubt God.  We will be rewarded as we believe Him.

For in this hope we were saved.
But hope that is seen is no hope at all.
Who hopes for what he already has?
Romans 8:24

Hope is ‘…expecting something you are visualizing but it is not there yet.’  Brethren, when hoping for something, let us put ourselves in totally trusting God; do not have something in mind already…That is why in Romans 15:4 the Word says “…for everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

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In Hope in the Glory of God, Ahmee writes about our amazing God….

God is amazing in so many different ways!  I looked up the definition of the word glory.  It means “…high renown or honor won by notable achievements.”  To say that we have hope in the glory of God is very true. God has done many amazing things.  Some we have seen ourselves and others we have heard from other people and, some even, we have read in the Bible. God is amazing!

To speak up and say “This is possible all by the grace of God!” is an enormous thing to do.  It points to the glory of God – the same glory that is our hope.  So, point to it…continue to point it…and don’t ever stop pointing to it so that others can find the hope that we have. So, that others can hope in the glory of God.

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In Helmet of Hope, Tina shares an encouraging quote with us….

I am currently re-reading Derek Prince’s book Faith to Live By. In his book, there is a chapter Faith versus Hope in which he states,  “Hope, in the biblical sense, is a confident expectation of good – a steady, persistent optimism. Hope protects our minds. Every Christian should wear a helmet of hope twenty-four hours a day. If we lay aside the helmet and begin to dwell on negative thoughts and gloomy forebodings, our minds are vulnerable to Satan’s subtle attacks.”

Our thoughts need to be focused on what is positive, good and worthy. Prayer—along with becoming aware of what we are thinking, watching, and listening to—will begin to change our thoughts and behavior patterns.  It will not be given to us.  We will have to focus on what is right.

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This Week…1 Peter 1:3-5

June 12, 2015 by

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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead and into an inheritance
that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you,
who through faith are shielded by God’s power
until the coming of the salvation
that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we are continuing a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have shared the Truth given us in this week’s passage reminding us that biblical hope is a ‘living hope!’ Here are a few of their thoughts….

 In Imperishable Hope, Tina reminded us of God’s promise.

Did you just read what Peter said?  We have a living hope to an imperishable inheritance  through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  AND it is a place reserved in heaven with Jesus and our Father.  What a great promise we have!

We all have a hope to be with God in Heaven one day.  As we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we will be there.  It is like waiting to go on a long-awaited trip, or finally being able to accomplish a dream… God has a plan to bring us to Him as His own.  Our hope is in Him and He is attainable.

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In Living Hope, Cynda encouraged us with the great value of this inheritance.

Our hope is provided by the death of Christ.  Because of His Resurrection, our hope possesses life and vitality—a living hope.  We can hold tight to the confident hope we have in Christ because He has paved the way for us.  Look at Hebrews 6:19:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus….

Amazing, isn’t it?  Christ went before us to give us hope and provide us with an inheritance.  Ephesians 1:11 states “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance.”  As I read through different translations of 1 Peter 1:3-5, these are a few of the words used to describe our eternal inheritance:

incorruptible, imperishable, undefiled,
priceless, unsullied, and unfading

Can we say that about any earthly inheritance we might receive?  Plus, this eternal inheritance is already ours.  We do not have to do anything to earn it and it can never be taken away from us.

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In Regeneration, Ann tied another verse together with our theme verse…

For you have been born again not of perishable seed,
but of imperishable through the living and enduring Word of God.
1 Peter 1:23

Combining these two verses shows us that the resurrection of Jesus Christ has given us a new identity.  We need to embrace this new identity and live a life that is worthy of the calling of child of God.  We are regenerated—made new.   The old things have gone and behold all things become new.  Our character, our attitude, our thinking,  our abilities should match with the new status we have been given.

Dear friends, let us live a life that is pleasing unto God and appreciative of the love that God had for us by sending His Son to die for us to take away the sinful nature and giving us new life.

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In Hope In Eternity, Ahmee shared the example of the Apostle Paul and his hope.

Paul is a very good example of what hope on Earth is supposed to look like—He experienced many hardships while here on Earth and yet he never seemed to waver in the hope that he experienced.  He said about his Hope,

He has delivered us from such deadly peril, and He will deliver us again.
On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us,”
2 Corinthians 1:10

Look at the faith that Paul had!  His hope was unwavering.  Is ours? Are we so consumed with our day-to-day hope in our daily circumstances that we miss out on the big picture?  Do we sometimes get so consumed with our current situation that we forget what God has done for us?  His track record proves that we can trust Him…but do we not sometimes forget?  Doesn’t THIS situation somehow seem different than other situations?  We forget sometimes that our hope is that of an eternal hope.  It can never be misplaced if we are placing it in God.  It is impossible.

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This Week…Romans 15:4

June 5, 2015 by

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For whatever was written in former days
was written for our instruction,
that through endurance
and through the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 ESV

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have begun a mini-series on the subject of HOPE.  Our devotional writers have brought light to the verse highlighted above truly bringing us ‘the encouragement of the Scriptures.’  Here are a few of their thoughts….

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In Positive Attitude, Tina wrote about a woman in the Old Testament who had great hope…

God gave hope to Hannah.  Hannah was barren.  She went to the temple and prayed for God to take away her shame.  When the prophet, Eli saw her praying, he thought that she was drunk instead and questioned to her. When she explained she was praying for what she requested of the Lord yearly, Eli sent her on her way, asking God to grant her request.  And God did.  She gave birth to a son, Samuel, whom she dedicated to the Lord.  She was also blessed with other sons and daughters for her faithfulness. (Click here to read this account.)

God still shows up in this way today…There is power in prayer and belief.  Within these lies our hope.

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In Hope Waits, Ahmee shared that having hope means we wait…

Waiting goes hand in hand with hope.

Sometimes it’s a matter of seconds…sometimes it’s a matter of years.  Hope can be lost.  Hope can be found.  We can temporarily lose sight of the hope that we hold.  Hope is something that we have to focus on; something that is actually intentional.  Hope helps you keep a smile on your face when it’s raining.  Hope is a matter of perspective, but also, knowing that we are loved by the Creator of the world who only wants good for us.  With God, the hope we have has a real chance of actualizing.  Otherwise, we are just wishing for good things to happen.

God has promised us many things in His Word, and because of this it is possible for us to have hope.

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In Spiritual Hope, Ann reminded us of the hope that the Word of God gives us…

The Word of God always gives comfort and strength.
The Word of God is an oasis of hope.

Believing the Word of God and living by it takes us from the arena of hope into faith.

And hope maketh not ashamed
because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:5

That means hope never disappoints. The reason it does not disappoint is that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Hope is one of the three creative principles of the human spirit. They are also abiding principles.

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Meaning that when all else fails, these three principles will remain and not pass away.  They are given to us and are in our spirits.  We are to choose to act on faith, to always be hopeful towards God, and to walk in love.

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In Circle of Hope, Cynda gave us a great example of how biblical hope works…

Scripture
Purpose = Instruction
Result = Hope

The purpose of Scripture is our instruction.  The Scriptures encourage us to persevere, to endure.  They offer us comfort and give us hope. Psalm 119 reiterates how closely hope is tied to the instruction of Scripture. Look at the following verses:

Do not snatch Your Word of truth from me,
for Your regulations are my only hope.
verse 43 NLT

You are my Refuge and my Shield;
Your Word is my source of hope.
verse 114 NLT

This is the circle of hope—the more we seek God through His Word…the stronger our hope becomes; the stronger our hope…the more we seek God.  This serves us well in times of trouble.  Instead of being filled with despair, we can remember the nature of God and be filled with hope.

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This Week…Ephesians 2:10

May 22, 2015 by

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For we are His workmanship,
having been created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God has before prepared that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have reminded us that we ARE God’s workmanship, handiwork…truly His masterpiece.  Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Ann, Ahmee, Cynda and Tina wrote earlier this week.

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In Finding Purpose, Ahmee shared her own struggle in the past in finding her own purpose…and coming to realize that we do not have one single purpose in life.

“What is my purpose?  This is a question that everyone has to answer.  People struggle with answering this question…people die trying to answer this question…people search their whole lifetime trying to answer this question.  Some of us start asking this question at a very young age; some have just always known.

So, your purpose?  Well, your purpose can be in the moment. Your purpose doesn’t define your worth…your worth is always found in God Himself.  Your purpose is simply the role(s) you are in at any given moment.  Your attitude during any season determines whether you see yourself in your purpose.  Purpose isn’t just a one-time ultimate goal.  It shifts.  God has “good works” for us.  Not just one single work / purpose.

Make sure that you are mindful of your current purpose…and not blinded by your end game goal.”

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In Good Works, Ann focused on what are the good works God has created us for.  She wrote,

“The anchor Scripture for this week says we were ‘created to do good works.’  What then are the good works, those that God prepared for us to do in advance?

  • Matthew 5:16
    In the same way let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
  • 1 Timothy 6:18
    Command them to do good to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share.
  • Titus 2:7
    In everything set them an example by doing what is good.  In your teaching show integrity seriousness.
  • Hebrews 10:24
    And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.
  • James 2:17
    Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by good deeds, is dead.
  • James 2:18
    But someone will say you have faith I have deeds show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith but I do.

Brethren, as we are doing good works it is not unto man but it is unto God (according to the Scriptures).  Let us take up this noble call with our whole hearts and pursue the calling.”

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In Seond Chances, Tina reminded us of David (a man after God’s own heart) and God’s purposes for him…and us.

“While David was living his life, he did not know what he was going to be or where God would have him.  He served God in the areas where he was needed.  From being a shepherd in his father Jesse’s household to showing up where his brother’s were serving in the king’s army.  I am certain David did not plan on slaying a giant that day!  But David did what was asked of him.  David was not perfect.  But he did do what was required of him to serve God and His people.

Can you and I have a relationship like David did with God?  Of course we can.  God will always be there for us to call upon Him and for us to talk to Him.  All we have to do is trust Him and believe God wants the best for us.  Why else would God send His Son Jesus to live among us? Why would God sacrifice his only Son?  Because He loves us.  As our Father, He disciplines us, loves us, hugs us and holds our hands all throughout our lives.  All we have to do is reach for Him.”

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And in Living the Good Life, Cynda wrote about the good, blessed life God has prepared for us—truly, a gift!

“When we carry out the good deeds God has predestined for us, it is a way of expressing our gratitude for the good life He has provided for us.  In turn, God blesses us even more.

The Lord will open for you His abundant storehouse….
Deuteronomy 28:12 HCSB

I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
Zephaniah 9:12 NLT

Job was blessed more in the latter part of His life than in the beginning (Job 42:12).  As if His abundant gift of mercy and grace wasn’t enough, God chooses to bless us even more.  We cannot outdo God.  His gifts are never ending!

Why does God give us gifts we could never earn or hope to repay?  Because we are His handiwork—His masterpiece —born anew through the death of Christ on the Cross; which is the greatest gift of all.  All because God loves each one of us more than we could ever imagine!”

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This Week…Galatians 2:20

May 16, 2015 by

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 I have been crucified with Christ
and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God,
Who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 NIV

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have reminded us again and again of this truth.  Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Ann, Ahmee, Cynda and Tina wrote earlier this week.

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In The Great Exchange, Cynda brought our attention to the truth of what Christ accomplished for us.

“I know Christ was crucified for me. But I never thought about what that really means.

  • Christ swapped places with me
  • We exchanged lives
  • He became the sinner, I became the sinless

Even as I type this…I cannot comprehend the full impact of that statement.

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?  Galatians 5:24 NLT puts it like this:

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed
the passions and desires of their sinful nature
to His cross and crucified them there.

Quite an exchange, isn’t it?  Why would Christ sacrifice Himself in exchange for me?  Romans 8:37 NLT holds the answer “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”  Christ loves us and wants us to be victorious. He laid down His life in exchange for ours, so we could spend eternal life with Him.  He chose to die for me.  Now that is amazing love.”

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In Living A New Life, Tina shared some important points of the Apostle Paul’s (formerly Saul) conversion.

“Paul was freed from the Law.  He was freed from the rules the Pharisees had created for the Jewish people to follow, making the burden impossible for everyone to come close to God.  With Paul’s conversion and baptism, he could speak to the Jews and the Gentiles with authority and eloquence.  He learned about faith.  He learned about Jesus’ love for everyone, not just the Jewish people but also for the Gentiles.

I am glad Jesus recruited Paul for the Gentiles.  He is a great example of what Christ did for you and me.  He sacrificed for us His life to give us the gospel.”

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In So Wait…Who Am I Then?, Ahmee shared some thoughts concerning her purpose and place in God’s eyes.

“One of the first things I had to learn to do was die to myself.  This is something that has to be done daily.  I hesitated.  If I was to let go of who I had always been, then who would I be?  How could I be me and not be me at the same time?  To me this seemed impossible. God was going to change me into someone different, someone I didn’t know. And the last thing I wanted to do was give up my uniqueness.  It took some time, but God showed me that he did not want to eliminate me…He was proud of creating me.  What he wanted was to improve me. When you improve something, the original is there, but its been made better and that was God’s plan. The angry Ahmee would be kinder, gentler Ahmee. All the while my uniqueness is still present just more Christ-like.

I was then who the world made and influenced me to be.  I am now who my Father says I am.  Each day I am growing and changing to be more like the person God intended me to be.  All the while I am and will always be the only Ahmee He ever has made or will make.  Why not be the best version of me?”

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And in Dying With Christ, Ann reminds us of our new life…Resurrection life!

“As Christians we have died to the Law as a means of salvation and now live through Christ for God.  Sin no longer has control over us.

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,
why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?
Colossian 2:20

As Christ was risen from the dead we also now live with Him in Resurrection life.  Christ and His Strength lives within us becoming the Source of all life and the center of all our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.  It is through the Holy Spirit that Christ’s risen life is  continually communicated to us.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:3″

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This Week…Colossians 3:1-3

May 8, 2015 by

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Since you have been raised to new life with Christ,
set your sights on the realities of heaven,
where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have reminded us again and again of these truths.  Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Cynda, and Ahmee wrote earlier this week.

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In Why?, Cynda shared a couple of questions…

“If we have died and our life is hidden with Christ then

Why do I need to keep seeking Him?
How long must I continue to seek Him?

The second question was a little easier to answer than the first.

Hosea 10:12 (HCSB) says: It is time to seek the Lord until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.
1 Chronicles 16:11 (NKJV) tells us: Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
Psalm 105:4 (HCSB) states: Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always.

But WHY?

Scripture tells us:

  • If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
  • As long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.  2 Chronicles 26:5 NASB
  • …that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a straight and right way…  Ezra 8:21 AMP
  • Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.  Psalm 69:32 NLT
  • Seek Me that you may live…  Amos 5:4 NASB
  • Seek the Lord that you may live…  Amos 5:6 NASB

I don’t know about you but, for me,
that is reason enough to continually seek Christ!

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In Taking Our Thoughts Captive, Tina issued a challenge…

We look at what others have and say: “Why can’t I have that?”  “Why do they get to go on those great trips all the time?” “I want a car like that!” God knows what we desire.  He hears, He sees, and He wants to bless us.  But where the correct thinking should be is where are we storing up our treasures?  These things we desire will corrode, tarnish, wear out, or we will forget them.

This week, ask God to show you how you can honor Him.  Listen and watch for those moments where you and God will be lifted up and you will be amazed at the blessings you may have been missing.  Today, find your quiet time and reflect on the words in the verses above.  Ask God where you can make changes in your thoughts and actions to glorify Him.

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In In The Middle: It’s Called Balance, Ahmee shared an excellent perspective…

“Verse 1 of this passage tells us to ‘…set our sights on the realities of heaven…’.  I agree with this statement (it is in the Bible, after all, and it is not wise to argue with the Bible).  However, I also believe in balance.  Although the reality of heaven is very real, we are not to be blind to that which is going on around us.  If we did this, a countless number of souls would be lost because everyone would be solely concerned with the afterlife.

I believe what this verse is saying is that we need to live our lives with heaven in mind; but not to ignore our earthly life now and live in a dream world.

Colossians 3:3 says, “…your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”  Let us live for our God.  Let us point people towards Him. Let us remind each other and comfort each other discerningly with the very real reality of heaven.”

Be productive for God…always point people to the Father.
And remember that heaven isn’t all that far away.

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This Week…1 John 4:4

May 2, 2015 by

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Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He who lives in you
is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have been encouraging us with this Truth.     Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Laura, Cynda, and Ahmee wrote earlier this week.

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In Success, Cynda did a Biblical word search on ‘success’ and shared a number of verses with us.  She wrote of a common struggle we have:

“All of us want success.  Yet so many times we get bogged down and frustrated.  Why?  We forget to let God lead.  We forget He is always with us.  We forget He is greater than anything we could come up against.”

(And then reminded us of the truth:)

“Who brings about our success? God
Why? Because we seek His guidance and leadership
How? Because God is Greater than he who is in the world”

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In Who You Are, Ahmee shared some things that have been happening in her life and the struggles she has been going through.  She shared some good encouragement about what we choose to believe about ourselves.

“Be mindful of the spoken words you choose to believe about yourself. John 8:44 says that the devil is ‘the father of lies’.  The people we encounter may not be of the devil or demons, but their words can be used to plant seeds that Satan will use against us.  Anything time you choose to believe words spoken about yourself, first test it against the Word of God.  God has the final say about who you are, because He made you.  God is greater than Satan.  He will always be greater than Satan. Therefore, His Word is always going to be greater than anything Satan could have to say about us.  Test the words you hear, against the Almighty’s words. ”

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In Living In Us, Tina  shared a very good question:

“How to be in the world but not of the world.  We strive everyday to live in a fallen world…surrounded by hate, mistrust, deception, malice, negative thoughts, and backbiting.  We are guilty of it no matter how hard we may try to remove ourselves from it.

The question is, how do we live in the world but not of the world ?
By inviting the Holy Spirit to live in us.”

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In Weapons of God, Laura shared an experience and how it reminded her of Who is living in her and how that protects us.

“This past weekend I had the joy of enjoying the Priscilla Shirer simulcast…her topic was on the armor of God.

God is greater than all in the world.  He is greater than man and greater than all disasters and sin on the earth.  It is hard to protect ourselves from the world.  Yet, when we accept God we are from God. He sends us to spread His message, and we must be prepared.  The armor of God is a set of weapons that we can use to protect ourselves with and be part of the one who is greater than us.”

 

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This Week…I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14)

April 4, 2015 by

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Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

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 Jesus said to him,
I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life;
no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
John 14:6

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have listened to the words of our Lord recorded in John chapter 14.  Here Jesus made it clear that He is the only Way to the Father.   Jesus was direct in His words…it was ‘all or nothing’ (as Cynda so succintly put it)!  Our devotional writers have shared some insight on these words spoken by our Lord…specifically regarding the statement He made, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”    Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Laura, Cynda, Ann, and Ahmee wrote to encourage us.

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In One Path, Cynda encouraged us to believe Jesus’ statement in verse 6.

“In this verse, Jesus makes a very bold statement—one that forces us to make a decision.  It is an all-or-nothing deal.  There is simply no middle ground. Either Jesus is the only Way to the Father or Jesus is not telling the truth.  (That was so hard for me to type!)

Consider the following verses:

Jesus said to her, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life.
The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.
Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever.
Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 HCSB

“Do you believe this?”  That is the crux of the matter.  Those four words sum it up in a nutshell.   What do you believe?”

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In Your Compass, Ahmee reminded us of the importance of knowing the Truth from the Scriptures.

“If ever we wonder what we should do, we have a Compass to point us in the right direction.  Jesus said that He is “…The Way, The Truth, and The Life.”  So, when we come across new teachings we need to be diligent in comparing this teaching to the Word of God that we know.

Anyone can look at the Bible and interpret it the way they want; but that doesn’t mean that you should blindly follow every interpretation of the Bible.  Go to it and read for yourself.  What does God say to you about what you are reading, and what does He say to you about the teaching you just heard?

There are concepts and things in the Bible that we KNOW for a fact.  We would know it immediately if we were to hear a teaching that contradicted what we KNOW to be true from our time spent in the Word.”

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In Jesus IS The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Ann pointed out the dangers of being without The Way, The Truth, and The Life!

“Without The Way?  There is no going…where can you go if there is no way through?  We cannot go to the Father except through Jesus.  The way gives us access to wherever we want to go.  Therefore Jesus is the True Access to the many blessings the Lord has in store for us.

Without The Truth? Wow, just having Christ in us and us in Him we are assured of having knowledge of the truth of the great things—for Christ knows all.  For it means we know God, too!

Jesus is life.  Without The Life?  Well,  “no Jesus=no life”.  Accepting Him as the Lord and Savior gives us eternal life.  We thank God for giving us life through Christ Jesus.”

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In The Map to Salvation, Laura reminded us of the practical application of being able to follow directions when we follow Jesus.

“Here on Earth, directions can be very confusing.  Directions can especially be confusing when landmarks are similar, or the person giving them can confuse me if they start describing landmarks or road names when I have never been in the area.  It is probably this way for a lot of people.

Yet, when it comes to eternal life, we have a great road map for directions!  Jesus gave us this road map when He spent His last moments before the Crucifixion with His disciples.  He told them that He is the Way to God.  He is the Truth from God.  Jesus brought God’s truth to us and gave us the life.”

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And in Know The Father Through His Son Jesus, Tina pointed out how Jesus, being the very image of His Father, made Him known to the Apostles.

“Through their training and living with Jesus, the Apostles may have just looked at him as just a man with an anointing from God.  Not as Who He truly is—Jesus being the image of God.  This thought is pretty cool though.  Just think of being around Jesus, who is the image of God, for three years.  I would imagine I might  just take for granted Jesus being with us everyday, not thinking He was going to ever leave.  I would, not intentionally, not listen as intently. I would hear, but not really.  Then once He was gone I would regret not having been more intentional in listening, as well as noting everything being said…watching the miracles being performed…wishing I had asked for God to anoint me in much the same way as His Son. ”

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Have you had the opportunity to read through these blogposts this week?  If not, I would encourage you to do so!  Our bloggers have made these as well as some other wonderful points to direct us towards Jesus, Who IS The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  Through Him, and ONLY through Him, do we have access to God the Father.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

This Week…I AM The Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18)

March 21, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM…

I AM The Light of the World
I AM The Bread of Life
I AM The Door
I AM The Good Shepherd
I AM The True Vine
I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life
I AM The Resurrection and The Life

Each week during this season of Lent, here on the Seeking Him blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus’ revelation of Himself as I AM.  The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice—His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death…and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead.  We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them.  And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus’ words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I AM the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep.
So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.
Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
I AM the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me—
just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—
and I lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.
I must bring them also.
They too will listen to My voice and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd.
The reason My Father loves Me
is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again.
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.
I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
This command I received from My Father.
John 10:11-18

This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have shared some insight on these words spoken by our Lord.  What love and sacrifice Jesus has proven as He laid down His life for us, His people…the sheep of His flock.  Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Laura, Cynda, Ann, and Ahmee wrote to encourage us.

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In Surrender, Cynda brought our attention to Jesus’ example of choice.

 2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV) tells us, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.”

“Christ led by example.  He became our example.  He is our Good Shepherd—the one who cares for us and leads us to safety.  He has called us.  Yet the choice is ours.  No one else will make the decision for us.  No one is going to snatch our struggles from us.  We must willingly…voluntarily…surrender our will to His and allow Him to lead us.

For me, the surrender is daily; sometimes minute-by-minute.  But when I do and I trust my Good Shepherd following His lead, well, therein lies the victory!”

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In The Good Shepherd is Selfless, Tina shared the record of Jacob and his tireless efforts as the shepherd, as well as God’s love.

“If God cares enough for the sheep to have those kind of shepherds like Jacob, how much more will He care for us…?  God’s love is so immense.  It is so full of goodness, and will help us overcome our feelings of inadequacy. As long as we lay our feelings down at His feet, we will be able to overcome them.  God loves us so much.  The fact that He sent His Son to die on the Cross is evidence of His great love.”

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In Dedicated to You, Ahmee reminded us of how much the Lord loves us and is always there to be our Good Shepherd by leading and guiding and watching over us.  She also asked an important question.

“God cares for us. He sent us Jesus. Jesus cares for us, and because He does, He has chosen to be our everything.

  • Are you hungry…physically or spiritually? He will lead you to the food you need.
  • Are you tired? He will give you a safe place to rest.
  • Are you lost? He will guide you.
  • Are you scared? He will shelter you.

He is our EVERYthing. There is nothing in this world that you can experience that He Himself cannot help you with. The real question is…

Will you let Him be your Good Shepherd?”

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In The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep, Ann also encouraged us to follow Jesus’ example and to be shepherds. 

“Christ was mentioned as Good Shepherd in John 10:11-14; Great Shepherd in Hebrews 13:20; and the Chief Shepherd in 1 Peter 5:4.

We also, as His followers and believers, are shepherds.  We win souls, we are shepherds of His sheep also.  Others (pastors/evangelists) also shepherd the flock.  Do we sacrifice ourselves for our sheep or we leave them to die of thirst?  We are to take our sheep to the river banks where they can get water (the Word of God).  As true believers we are to care for the sheep, and are to think about the sheep first and then ourselves.

Let us truly take care of the sheep—pray with them, feed them with the Word every day, and follow up with them—so that they should not be in any want.”

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In The True Shepherd, Laura made the comparison between how Jesus has shepherded our lives, and how parents are to shepherd their children.

“When I see that sheep, I think about how my children are my sheep. They are mine to lead and take care of until they are grown.  It is my job to help them learn right from wrong.  It is my job to help start their spiritual foundation.  I am supposed to nurture them and help them.  They listen to my voice and look to me for security and love.

Just as my children are my sheep, we are the sheep of God.  We are His children.  When we listen to His voice and accept Him as our Savior, we become part of His flock.  Jesus laid down His life so that we may be reconciled to God and return from sin.  He went to the Cross to bring us home.  He is the Good Shepherd.”

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Have you had the opportunity to read through these blogposts this week?  If not, I would encourage you to do so!  Our bloggers have made these as well as some other wonderful points to direct us towards Jesus, Who IS The Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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