Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/6]

Posted on March 6, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 8:1-11
Verse: John 8:7 (NIV 2011)
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

By reading the surrounding passage, we learn that a woman’s sinful acts have been discovered.  The religious leaders brought the woman to Jesus for Him to judge and exact punishment.  However, this passage and verse should remind us that a sin is a sin; all sin separates us from God.  Whenever I find myself judging someone else… and seeking to exact my own kind of judgment and punishment, I am convicted of my own sin.  I find the grip I have on the stone is loosened and it falls from my hand.  May we be humbled as we are reminded of our own sin.  May we be encouraged to know of God’s mercy.  May we seek to extend God’s grace to others as it has been freely extended to us.  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/6]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/5]

Posted on March 5, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 7:37-53
Verse: John 7:37 (NIV 2011)
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.”

I expect we each know what it feels like to be thirsty – to be really thirsty and to really want a drink of water.  It can be experienced as an inner feeling of need that consumes our thoughts and dictates our actions – a need that must be quenched.  While I have been talking about physical thirst, a spiritual thirst might be experienced in a similar way – as an inner feeling that needs to be satisfied.  Just as we can experience the intense thirst, both physically or spiritually, we can also experience true fulfillment when we quench our physical thirst with a cold glass of water… or our spiritual thirst with a special encounter with God as we focus or meditate upon the Word of God found in Christ, through the Scriptures, or as we are guided by the Holy Spirit.  May we be truly satisfied from above.  May we thirst for a fresh encounter with God.  May our belief in the one who provides be strengthened as our thirst is quenched!  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/5]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/4]

Posted on March 4, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 7:25-36
Verse: John 7:36 (NIV 2011)
What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

In this passage, Jesus was speaking to a group of Jews.  However, most of these Jews were not His friends.  Actually, many sought to kill Him because of His heavenly claims.  Many knew about Jesus’ earthy family and where Jesus was physically from, but they did not know or understand who had sent Jesus to them or where Jesus would go to after His earthy ministry was over.  Jesus knew His earthly fate and that He would soon be returning to the Father.  We know, as believers, that we will follow Christ to our heavenly home, but unbelievers will not have the same fate.  They cannot go where Jesus goes.  They will not know where to look or where to find Him.  May we, as believers, appreciate our position in Christ.  May we faithfully follow Him now and into eternity.  May we always seek to share the reasons for our faith in the One who saves us so that others might also be saved.  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/4]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/3]

Posted on March 3, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 7:14-24
Verse: John 7:24 (NIV 2011)
 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.

This verse might remind some of us of the old saying, “you can’t judge a book by its cover.”  However, it seems we judge much by outward appearances.  It isn’t just people we judge in this way.  We also judge things and circumstances just by how they look to us.  It is very possible we will judge wrongly when we judge by appearances.  Nothing is ever that simple.  We must look beneath the surface to see the truth.  In another portion of Scripture, Jesus accuses religious leaders of being whitewashed sepulchers [or tombs] full of dead bones and unclean things [Matthew 23:27].  May we learn to see things more clearly.  May we look below the surface and find the truth.  May we move beyond judgment toward improved understanding, compassion, and mercy toward others.  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/3]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/2]

Posted on March 2, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 7:1-13
Verses: John 7:6-7 (NIV 2011)
Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.  The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.

Timing is important.  We tend to rush things and often want things to happen right now!  Jesus knew the political climate of His day and understood the circumstances He would soon be facing.  Sometimes we need to follow Jesus’ example; we need to step back, watch patiently, and plan our next moves carefully.  We may face situations that are similar to the one described in today’s Scripture verses.   If so, may we have sufficient discernment to be able to avoid unnecessary setbacks.  May we ask for and receive a sense of God’s timing for all things.  May we persevere… and in the end – stand. (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/2]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/1]

Posted on March 1, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 6:52-66
Verse: John 6:57 (NIV 2011)
Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

Have you ever “feasted” on every word that came out of the mouth of a respected mentor, friend, or family member?  It can seem to sustain us.  But, we must remember where our true sustenance really comes from.  Matthew 4:4 tells us that Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.  We are also told in the both the Old and the New Testaments that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God.  In the Apostle John’s gospel account, we are told that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Jesus is the Word of God come alive!  In our understanding of the Trinity, as Christians, we know God as three persons in one – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  May we feast on the Word of God as found in the Scriptures.  May we feast on Word of God as seen in the living example of Jesus, the Christ.  May we feast on the Word of God as expressed through that wee, small voice that lives within each of us, as believers.  And, may glory be to the Father! (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [3/1]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/28]

Posted on February 28, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 6:34-51
Verse: John 6:35 (NIV 2011)
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

What is it that sustains us?  Is it a loaf of bread or the Word of God?  Oh, we need nourishment, but not only for the body.  We need nourishment for our spirit.  May the Spirit of Christ live within us.  May our thirst for understanding be quenched by the wisdom and knowledge imparted to us by the Holy Spirit. May this understanding be the foundation of our belief in Jesus.  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/28]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/27]

Posted on February 27, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 6:25-33
Verse: John 6:27a (NIV 2011)
 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

In other portions of Scripture, we learn that we are not to live by bread alone.  May the Word of God, as is found in the Holy Bible, be the bread of life we seek.  By living out the Scriptures in the way we live our lives, may we honor the Lord, our God.  May the choices we make lead to eternal life with Jesus. (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/27]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/26]

Posted on February 26, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 6:16-24
Verse: John 6:20b (NIV 2011)
“It is I; don’t be afraid.”

Jesus is capable of doing miraculous things.  In this passage, He walked on water and calmed rough seas.  He can meet us anywhere and guide us through all the storms of this life.  May we remember that He is always with us.  We need not be afraid!  May we give thanks… and trust in Him each and every day.  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/26]

Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/25]

Posted on February 25, 2013 by FaithfullyYoursForever

Passage: John 6:1-15
Verse: John 6:12b (NIV 2011)
“Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

Do we always appreciate the things that have been given to us? Sometimes we take things for granted and forget how blessed we really are.  In this passage of Scripture, we learn about Jesus feeding about five thousand people.  He is our provider!  In addition, we learned how Jesus instructed His disciples to collect the food that was left over.  We, too, are not to let the things that the Lord provides go to waste.  He provides for us in so many ways.  He blesses us with life… spiritually, physically, and emotionally… each and every day.  May we appreciate the many blessings we receive.  May we share from our abundance, so nothing that we have received will go to waste.  May we ask the Lord for those things we truly need and trust that He will provide.  (inspired by Reflecting God – Devotions for Holy Living, WordAction Publishing Company)

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Inspirational, Prayers, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reflections… a Scripture verse and inspiration for daily living [2/25]