Tag: #James3:17

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Lift Them

God revealed to me that it’s time to rise, do the work that He assigned to us and be lifted above irritants that were obstacles to keep us in place for a long season. By His astounding grace, He is now turning up the show lights for all to see Him through us. It’s our time to shine His light brightly!

It’s time to realize more that His grace is greater than our sin and that we had to come into more of His truth before our dreams could come true (Ez 23:27 AMP). It’s time to humbly lift up the unrealized dreams of our youth to God and acknowledge that He alone can bring them to outward fruition. It’s time to invite His powerful grace to do precisely this His way.

God has been and still is in the midst of our dreams, and nothing is impossible for Him. He meets us there to lift us into His prevailing peace by His gracious power, above dreams yet to be fully realized while He makes them happen. So, we can rest in Him, even while we lift others.

Lifting Others

We all need Him, and we all need to ask Him for what we need. To be sure, prayer is His valuable gift to us that we can give to others. It is a best practice and an amazing support for one to pray for another.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 AMP says, “for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up.”

So, it’s not just about us. We need the power of God and the help of many to fulfill our divine purposes on earth and finish our races well, while we help others along the way.

God has taught me and continues to teach me to not hold on too tightly to anyone or anything as I lift others to Him. He teaches me to keep my grip firmly on His hand, remaining close to Him. It’s where God calls all of us to be as we love one another. In this way, we choose a cycle of life that pours from Him through us, then returns a blessing to us and back to Him.

The Journey

Our realities can be God’s peace for the journey when we don’t fall away for enemy lies but hold onto His truth; because one dead thing cannot help another.

Proper tethers give way to the extraordinary weight of sinking vessels. So, we don’t have to go down with the ship of ungodliness. We can will and choose to remain afloat under the weight of God’s Glory-Presence as we continue to point others to Christ. We can abide in Him for true life as death slips beneath us (2 Sa 12:20, 23).

It isn’t haughty to let go and live like this. It’s humility to live in submission to God and honor Him and His ways as righteous and just above all else.

We can know Him as our gracious Provider of life in all circumstances by the measure of faith God gives us when we break past the foolish fear that tries to limit us and open our minds to His renewal.

We must know His protective wisdom, illuminated by Holy Spirit, based on the full counsel of His Word, and apply it appropriately to our situations (Ja 3:17).

We must hear from God and agree with Him to live life to the fullest measure of His abundance for us.

We are called to prosper, to live out His divine purposes, to be fountains of life. So, don’t let the enemy of your soul bury you alive beneath heavy yokes of any kind. Shake off the dead weight, and break free to life with Christ, who leads us gently with bonds of love, eases our yokes and bends down to feed us, even as we worship Him (Ho 11:4).

God has a way of helping us by removing false desires of our hearts that can potentially take us down and by opening our eyes to see Him as higher and better in every way. He works to establish His eternal life more into our souls, and even into our bodies, beyond the bondage of our sin when we agree with His ways by faith above lesser things (Ro 8:11).

His Grace is Bigger

God’s Spirit is more powerful than any sin in us or around us. His righteousness and justice are pillars of His throne in our lives.

1 Samuel 2:8 AMP says, “He raises up the poor from the dust, He lifts up the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor and glory; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the land on them.”

So, let’s lift our heads and keep our eyes on Jesus to live a Heavenly life on earth. Let’s ask and believe God for the impossible above our circumstances and come into a new place, where His covenant blessings prove to reflect His light in our lives. Let’s believe Him at His Word above any past or present reality to experience His new reality for us. Let’s actively agree with Psalm 24:9 AMP, which says, “Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in.”

So, pray with me, if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for helping us to live in Your strength to overcome any situation. May we be overcome by Your goodness, not our circumstances. May we see and receive more of You well into our souls by faith. May You fill us with Your hope for abundant life and help us live it out. Lord, give us Your wisdom for life in the journey. Thank You that Your heart of rich mercy triumphs victoriously beyond our sin that reaps judgment (Ja 2:13). We choose to trust Your love, truth and faithfulness to us. We invite You to make our dreams come true for Your glory.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Sweet Devotion

As I write this week, I am reminded there is beauty everywhere, even in hard places.

On this very day, this very hour, a longtime family friend is laying her husband to rest. At the same time, two of my relatives are preparing to meet our Maker as they near their final days on earth.

And there is more I cannot share.

Yet, God is with them all, and with me and with you.

His Presence is Love, Peace, Joy and Glory.

Undeniably so.

Beyond our understanding.

Our reach for Him is always sweet devotion to His heart.

I am reminded of the prophet and widow, Anna, in Luke 2:36-38, who “never left the temple but worshiped night and day” (NIV). Anna, thanked God for baby Jesus to whom she was drawn. She spoke about Him “to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

She spoke to hope and new life.

Anna encouraged a nation’s redemption.

Anna understood that “God-devotion makes a country strong;” and that “God-avoidance leaves people weak” (Pr 14:34).

Anna understood intimacy and purpose in the precept of 1 Chronicles 16:11 AMPC, which is to “Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!”

No matter what the circumstances, even in one’s latter years.

Other Bible characters knew this as well, such as King David, Daniel, Joseph and so many other disciples.

They all had a sense of identity and their role in God’s command in Acts 13:47 TPT, which says, “I have destined you to become a beacon light for the nations and release salvation to the ends of the earth!”

This blessing, this gift, this calling, the working out of victory-salvation in the hopeful hearts of the truly devoted will never be dashed.

Devotion means “constantly attendant” from sitting near (Strong’s # 2138a). It means “compliant” and “ready to obey” (Strong’s # 2138). It means yielded.

Devotion means “well-persuaded,” already inclined, i.e. already willing (pre-disposed, favorable to); easy to come to terms with” (HELPS Word-studies).

Song of Songs 4:1 TPT says, “…What devotion I see each time I gaze upon you. You are like a sacrifice ready to be offered.”

This kind of devotion our Lord desires is:

Undivided (Pr 3:7 TPT).

Single-hearted (1 Co 11:3 TPT).

Undistracted (1 Co 7:35 TPT).

Loyal (Lk 16:13 TPT).

Obedient (Pr 1:7 TPT).

Lavish (Ma 26:6 TPT).

Passionate (2 Co 8:7).

Extreme (Mk 14:3 TPT).

Undying (So 6:5 TPT).

Let’s also remember the benefits of devotion (Ps 103:2):

We are enriched by our devotion to God (Col 2:7).

“We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God…” (Pr 1:7 TPT).

Wisdom comes when our devotion to Him is undivided and when we avoid all wrongdoing (Pr 3:7 TPT).

As she put God first and worshipped Him alone, Anna was the picture of James 3:17 MSG, which says, “Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.”

Anna’s intimate Redeemer, no doubt brought comfort, value and purpose to her in her widowed status. Therefore, it was easy for her to share about Him with those waiting in hope.

She was fearless in her devotion to God. She appears to regard Him as not only a Heavenly Father, but also a Heavenly Husband as in Isaiah 54:5 ESV, which says, “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.”

Anna’s attitude appears to be like David’s in Psalm 27:4 TPT, which says, “Here’s the one thing I crave from Yahweh, the one thing I seek above all else: I want to live with him every moment in his house, beholding the marvelous beauty of Yahweh, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to contemplate in his temple.”

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your devotion to me. Thank You for watching over my family, my work, my community and my nation. I invite You to awaken my heart to You as I come near to You. I choose to yield myself to Your spirit. My soul and body. You will always be my first, my center, my Heavenly Husband—the source for all my needs. Nothing else compares to You or completes me as You do. As I offer myself to You, may You see perfect, obedient devotion each time You gaze upon me (SS 4:1 TPT).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.