calling

SoulSearching Sunday~God Of Second Chances

12:00 AM

Sunday, October 28, 2018


Week Forty-three...

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was John 18 - Acts 12...

 1. In what relationship would you love to have a second chance. Ask Jesus to provide that opportunity for you. Thank God for giving you many second chances.

 Once more He asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “LORD, you know everything. You know I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)

 2. How often do you pray? What kind of results do you expect? Consider the greatness and the power of God. Ask Him to move mightily on the earth and bring many to salvation, as He did in the days of the early church.

 They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1:14)

 3. When have you sensed God calling you to a specific ministry? How did you respond? What were the results? Where do you sense Him directing you today?
As for Philip, an angel of the LORD said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (Acts 8:26)




Believe

SoulSearching Sunday~The Power Of A Changed Life

12:00 AM

Sunday, October 21, 2018


Week Forty-two...

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was John 5 - 17...

 1. What fears have you allowed to drown out God’s voice lately? We can face our fears with confidence, knowing that God is with us even in the storms. Take your fears to the One who alone can deal with and overcome them.

 Soon a gale swept down upon them as they rowed, and the sea grew very rough. They were three or four miles out when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but He called out to them, “I am here! Don’t be afraid.” (John 6:18-20)

 2. What in your life can only be explained in terms of the supernatural, that is to say, “God did it”? Make a list of the most significant changes God has made in you. Thank Him for what He has done for you; then look for an opportunity to tell those around you.

 “Yes, LORD,” the man said, “I believe!” And he worshiped Jesus. (John 9:38)

 3. Describe a time when you were shocked by someone’s act of humble service. What would you feel if Jesus, the LORD of the universe, were washing your feet? Today, how can you serve others with the caring and compassion of Christ? Thank Him for His example of humility and love.
And since I, the LORD and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. (John 13:14-15)



example

Scripture Saturday~Washing One Another's Feet...

12:00 AM

Saturday, October 13, 2018



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is John 13:14,15...

 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should was one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (NIV)

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

iWorship Bible

SoulSearching Sunday~Prioritize

12:00 AM

Sunday, June 24, 2018


Week Twenty-five

Welcome!  We pray that you have all had a precious time worshipping the Lord this morning!  Below you will find some thought provoking questions that will provide you a starting point to your journal writing to complete this week.  We hope that you will find this time soul satisfying!

Our reading this week was Proverbs 21 - 31...

 1. What are your priorities? How could you change your daily activities to align them with God’s priorities of godliness and love? Ask God to help you put first things first. Meditate on His promise that “life, godliness, and honor” will follow.

 Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)

 2. List things that you don’t understand about God. For which questions would you be able to find answers? Which questions require submission and trust? Humbly praise God for His unsearchable greatness and His mysterious and wonderful ways.

 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in His fists? Who wraps up the oceans in His cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is His name-and His Son’s name? Tell me if you know! Every Word of God proves true. He defends all who come to Him for protection. (Proverb 30:4-5)

 3. What people do you regularly encounter who could be described as poor and helpless? In what ways could you speak up for them? How do you feel when you consider the fact that service to others is service to God Himself?

 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. (Proverbs 31:8,9)


Deuteronomy

What Does The Lord Ask of You? {Deuteronomy 7-10}

9:00 PM


 

God’s people are getting set to cross over into the promised land, and The Lord feels the need to remind them of a few things from their past and what is required of them moving forward:

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but [reverently] to fear the Lord your God, [that is] to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being, To keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” - Deuteronomy 10:12–13 (AMP)
Through Moses, God gives them 5 commands/requirements that God expected of them as His people and still expects of us as well. They were:
 ___To [reverently] fear the Lord your God. Reverence is a healthy fear and sometimes it can be the only thing that motivates people to fulfill their obligations. A reverential fear is one that honors the Lord by submitting to and having the highest respect for Him.
___To walk in all God’s ways, To walk with someone is to be close to them; which begs the question, how close are you with the Lord? Are you seeking each day to walk blameless, giving Him your whole heart each day and seeking to know Him more deeply and intimately as you journey together?  To walk in all God’s ways simply means we’re to conduct our lives according to His ways not ours. (Pr. 3:5-8)
___To love God. Jesus stated in Matthew 22:37-38, “You shall 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 also explained that love is an action in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Our love for Him enables us to trust Him. Therefore we need to ask ourselves, do we truly love Him? Do our actions convey this? For we can be sure: If Jesus is not the object of our affections, something or someone else is! We need to remember, “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)\
___To serve the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being. The Lord is to be the central focal point of our lives, which would be the natural outcome of loving Him. Because we love Jesus we are anxious to serve Him.  It would be wrong for our love to do nothing. True love always longs to show itself in action, by doing the work He has assigned to us in particular. Are you actively involved in serving Him and others just now?
___To keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today. This in essence means, to obey Him and all He has required of us. There is a saying that goes, “Partial obedience = disobedience” Are you obeying Him wholeheartedly and right away?
And then the Lord gave them a simple but profound reason why He is giving them these requirements: “for your good.”

It may seem strange to some that God’s commandments are actually for our own good. We often view any limits to our “freedoms” as something that would hinder our chances of enjoying life to the fullest, but in fact the opposite is true. We see that rather than limiting us and making life “less free,” it turns out that following the LORD brings blessings, and often in abundance! (John 10:10), “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

These same requirements given to Israel before they entered the promised land are still required of us? How are you measuring up?

On this day, which happens to be Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday, why not take some time and sit quietly before Him and allow Him to reveal any areas the two of you may need to work on together? How can you love and cherish Him more? How can the two of you together love others?

I hope you'll join me today on WitW Facebook page where I'll be sharing more on The Lord loving others through us! AVD the difference between loving and cherishing! Did you know there was a huge difference?! I'm just discovering this for myself! Come join me!


Lisa Thayer

The Known and Unknown Friends of Christ {Mark 14}

12:00 AM



By Lisa Thayer

We begin Chapter 14 with Jesus and His disciples at the home of Simon the Leper. Jesus must have healed Simon, although we don’t read it here. Simon would have lived in the tombs and not in Bethany because a leper was considered unclean. So we can assume Jesus healed him and now in his gratitude he has invited Jesus and the followers of Jesus into his home to share a meal.

In verses 3, we read that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anoints Jesus’ head with very expensive perfume. Anointing is not something we are accustomed to in Western culture. But in the Eastern culture, every great somebody gets anointed. In the Old Testament they anointed their kings, their priests, and their prophets. It was something done out of love and exultation. We in the West find it strange for a man to be anointed with perfume – it would be unmanly for us, but not to them. It is a beautiful and precious ritual.

This perfume Mary uses to anoint Jesus is worth one year’s wage for a man. When we first met Mary, she simply sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Jesus teach. She didn’t spend much time preparing for the needs of all of His followers, she left that to her sister Martha. Mary owes Jesus so much. Jesus raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. She seemed to recognize the eternal life He had to offer. She also seemed to understand, better than even the disciples, why Jesus was going to die. So this anointing was for Jesus – something beautiful and precious she had to offer Him in return. Love is extravagant isn’t it?

Judas, the only Judean (the only cultured and educated one), the elected treasurer of the group, sees this as an outlandish and unbelievable act. And the other disciples join him in his observation of this wasted performance and ridicule Mary by saying that this perfume could have been sold for a year’s wages and given to the poor.

Jesus tells them to leave her alone because she has done a beautiful thing. Jesus had told the disciples three times already that He would die. “She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial” (v. 8b). And Jesus tells them that she will be remembered whenever the gospel is preached. (v. 9). Jesus praises her for her unselfish act of worship. The essence of worshiping Christ is to regard Him with the utmost love, respect and devotion, and to be willing to sacrifice to Him what is most precious.

In verse 12, Jesus sends two disciples to go and prepare for the Passover. It doesn’t tell us here in Mark, but in Luke 22:8 we find out He sent Peter and John. Who does Jesus tell them they will meet? A man carrying a jar of water. I discovered that men of that time did not carry jars or jugs of water, the women did, so it would be obvious for Peter and John to notice this man. And they were to “Follow him.” I found this passage very interesting as it appears that Peter and John are preparing something for Jesus, but really, it’s Jesus who has prepared it all. He had taken care of all the details. All Peter and John had to do was to “Follow him.”

This unknown man, who will be easily recognizable, has a house and a room, already prepared. We don’t ever find out who this man is. He’s just a humble, plain ole man, never to be exalted, never named, but loves the Lord.

I have to admit, I have found myself like Elijah at times, feeling like ‘I’m the only one.’ Do you remember that? In 1 Kings 19:14, Elijah complained that he thought he was the only one left. But what did God tell him? “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” What about Paul when he was discouraged in Corinth? Corinth was full of heathens. Paul had just come from Athens where they scoffed and laughed at him. What does Jesus tell Paul? “…I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:10)

Do you ever feel discouraged because no one seems to listen to you? Maybe you are not being noticed for your change in lifestyle now that you are a Christian. And you simply feel all alone…
Back to the upper room. Where do the disciples return after Jesus is crucified? They gather in this upper room. Where does Jesus appear to the disciples? In this upper room. Where does Jesus appear to Thomas after he doubted Jesus’ resurrection? In this upper room. Where does the Holy Spirit come to the disciples? The upper room. This humble, unnamed man, whom Jesus prepared to be ready for all of these events, must have loved Jesus extravagantly to give out of what he had over and over.
Have you ever noticed that when you find the rejection of Christ, it is among those who are the prominent? But what about those people who chose to live among the unreached? They humbly go about their lives just talking about Jesus to their neighbors. They are unelected. They are very humble and unassuming. Unknown. They are those willing to give out of what they have and share the grace of God with those around them. They are devoted to the Word of God and offer hospitality to their neighbors.

Am I lost in the service I do for Christ? Can I let go of what it will cost me to serve Him? Can I give out of my wealth? Is my love and devotion ready to welcome Jesus at any moment? Am I humble enough to follow the fragrance of Jesus? Am I willing to be unknown for my service?