“…for them also which shall believe…”

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
Luke 1:1‭-‬4 KJV

Luke clearly states why he’s writing this book:

“…that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.”

We can have certainty in the things we have been instructed in, because we have the scriptures.

Not only has there been scientific and archeological evidence for the Bible*, but the life of Jesus Christ is proof.

His birth and death were written about long before He was born.

His life was the fulfillment of those prophecies.

These things are for our encouragement and we can rest in the knowledge that Jesus wanted us to know Him and His purpose.

Jesus prayed specifically for those who would believe through the words of the disciples.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
John 17:20 KJV

Because His people are a testimony.

that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 17:21‭-‬23 KJV

Because the world needs to know who Jesus is, who sent Him as a baby in a manger, and the reason for it all: love.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the assurance we can have in Your truth. Thank You for the love so immeasurable that You came to save us from sin. Thank You for Christmas and the opportunity it affords to proclaim the truth of Your life, death, and resurrection. Thank You for the blessed gift of eternal life through You. Lord, please help me to be a reflection of You to those around me. Help me to speak truth in my heart, to know Your Word, and to be transparent about the things You have done for me. Lord, help me to be compassionate, encouraging, selfless, and full of Your love. Please help me to be a blessing. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

* There are many places to learn more about the evidence which proves the Bible, these are my personal favorites:

A Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Evidence for the Bible: 10 Reasons You Can Trust the Scriptures (DVD) https://alwaysbeready.com/

https://evidence-for-the-bible.com/scientific-evidence-for-the-bible/

https://answersingenesis.org/about/

Looking back

This is my Holiday Scrapbook.

I began, years ago, to save recipes and ideas to make my holidays easier.

Our family is extra blessed to have three of our four children all born in December and I found the Christmas season overwhelming at first.

(No, we didn’t plan this, but thanked God for each one.)

It was time consuming and frustrating to dig through my recipe box every year, in search of the recipes my family loved, so I began compiling them and some magazine pages.

(Yes, this was before Pinterest!)

The scrapbook was a gift I’d never used and has been the perfect place for me to coral ideas and recipes.

As the years have passed I’ve added to the book and it now contains not only Thanksgiving and Christmas ideas, but gardening, house keeping, and decorating inspiration which I can refer back to as needed.

With this Thanksgiving approaching, I decided to get it out and read some of the ideas I’ve saved.

I was surprised at how much of the information I’ve put into practice.

It’s been a blessing.

I’m very thankful to God for His gift of this book which helps me organize my Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

Yet, I think there’s a far greater blessing to be found and it’s not in my scrapbook.

God’s Word is the greatest book of all time.

It’s filled with practical advice on everything I deal with daily: attitudes, choices, relationships, perspective,…

It’s truly an engaging read with stories of sorrow, victory, oppression, redemption, trials, blessings, miracles, and love.

Looking back, my time has been used well in my efforts to organize and plan, but an abundance of blessings come from time spent in the Word of God.

One is temporary and the other is eternal.

Luke 11:28 KJV — But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your blessings. Thank You for teaching me to be organized and productive. Thank You for Your Word which gives me clear direction. Thank You for Your truth. Thank You for salvation. Lord, You are great and Your Word is perfect. Please help me apply Your truths daily. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Train up a child

The enthusiasm of our grandchildren having preschool at our house is such a joy.

When Bubba found something green in the kitchen he gladly pointed it out multiple times stating proudly, “Green one!”.

When Faye discovered my socks were the color she was searching for (blue) she excitedly pointed, shouted the color, jumped up and down while clapping her hands.

Scripture is clear that we as parents and grandparents are to train our children.

They are not always excited about that training, but our responsibility is equal whether teaching something they enjoy or not.

God never intended us to “guess” what was the best things to teach, He gave us a guide.

We should revere God and teach our children to do so.

Proverbs 1:7 NKJV — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

We should be reading, studying, memorizing, and applying God’s Word to our lives as well as using it for the foundation of all we train our children in.

Proverbs 30:5 KJV — Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV — For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

As parents, we should avoid using anger as our motivation for obedience, for even young children resent being bullied into action.

Ephesians 6:4 NKJV — And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Rather, we should train them to honor God and the authority God has placed over them, steeping our attitudes and actions in the reality of the value each person has before God, every single one so precious that He died for them.

Romans 5:8 KJV — But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

There are more instructions for parents within the scriptures and it’s both our pleasure and responsibility to seek God’s guidance as we train up the children He has placed in our families.

Proverbs 22:6 NKJV — Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Clearly, the way we should go and train our children to follow is the one Jesus opened to us through His sacrifice and resurrection.

Matthew 7:14 KJV — Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your gift of Your Word. Thank You for children. Lord, please help each one of us to apply Your Word and Your truth daily. Thank You for how You have given us all we need in scripture, especially the instruction to train our children in Your ways. Lord, You are the One who not only created us, You understand us completely, You died to save us from our rebellion against You. Lord, thank You for Your gift of salvation. What an awesome God You are! Thank You for the opportunity to raise up others in the training and admonition of the Lord. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

God’s Word is truth

Psalm 119:160 NKJV — The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

What does it look like, to live in complete understanding that all of God’s Word is truth?

For this to happen, we need to be well acquainted with the entirety of scripture.

No small task.

But one worth our time.

Psalm 33:4 NKJV — For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth.

When we understand what God tells us both about Himself, history, sin, and about the world we live in, our relationship grows.

Even if it’s just baby-steps of learning, when we study God’s Word, we find truth.

In these days of uncertainty and skewed perspective, truth seems more valuable than ever.

God’s truth is not only pure, it is from the best perspective, God’s.

Psalm 18:30 NKJV — As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

In the Bible we find not only truth, but salvation, security for our souls.

That’s definitely worth spending time on.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word, for the entirety of scripture. Lord, please help us to not just read it, but truly understand and grow in our relationship with You. Lord, please place Your Word into our hearts. Help us to make scripture a priority and something we find joy in, not a task, not a chore. For in Your Word we find life, truth, wisdom, and knowledge. Please continue to open our minds to Your Word and teach us what You would have us learn today. Thank You for Your Word. May we cherish the gift of Your scriptures and the love You pour out upon us daily. Amen.

Life lessons

God’s Word is rich.

Lessons and instruction can be gleaned from all types of writing from the history of Genesis to the poetry of Psalms and Proverbs to the letters of the New Testament.

It requires a teachable attitude, a heart surrendered to the Holy Spirit, and obedience.

With these truths in mind let us look to scripture for our daily measure of instruction on what a heart which holds fast, a life which clings to God looks like.

2 Kings 18:6 NKJV — For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

This is written about King Hezekiah and when one reads of the effort he took to purge the country of idolatry, this verse is understandable.

He was very active in seeking the Lord, but not just himself, he encouraged the whole nation to do so as well.

Psalm 119:31 NKJV — I cling to Your testimonies; O LORD, do not put me to shame!

Our daily choice of following the Lord can be pitted and nicked by moments of sin, and thus we, like the Psalmist should return to God and His Word when we realize we’ve erred.

Romans 12:9 NKJV — Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Only through diligent instruction from the Holy Spirit and scripture can we discern the difference between good and evil, but if we are teachable we can learn to abhor evil and cling to good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV — Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Jesus told His disciples to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, because we need wisdom to avoid evil, the tricks and snares of the enemy.

Therefore we must prove all things by scripture and hold tightly to that which is of the Lord.

John 14;15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

This is a deeply personal verse that requires each individual to reflect upon their own state: “Do I love Jesus? If so, am I keeping His commandments?”

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for giving us so much in Your Word. Lord thank You for the direction and guidance that we find in Scripture and through the Holy Spirit. Please, help me to hear and obey You every day, to cling to Your Word and to walk in Your truths. Lord, open my mind to learning from Your Word and impart Your truths to my heart. Let me follow You in spirit and in truth, not in a forced manner, but with love and devotion. Lord, please help me to find joy, peace, patience, and endurance in Your Word, for great is Your faithfulness. I know all I need You will supply. Thank You for the riches of wisdom You pour out of the Scriptures. Please help me to love Your laws and to understand the gift of following You. Jesus, I do love You, please help me to keep Your commandments. Thank You. Amen.

Righteousness

He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21 NKJV

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 NKJV

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;”
Romans 3:10 NKJV

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 10:3‭-‬4 NKJV

For He made Him who knew no sin to  be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
II Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
I John 2:29 NKJV

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord .
Psalms 4:5 NKJV

Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 NKJV

The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
Isaiah 32:17 NKJV

Thus says the Lord : “Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.”
Isaiah 56:1 NKJV

Clearly, God’s Word speaks volumes and we can see our hearts truly need Jesus Christ.

It is the treasure of truth to submit unto God and to unlock the innermost parts of ourselves to Jesus, to find the greatest treasure of life eternal in His sacrifice as well as the gifts of walking in righteousness for His namesake.

What earthly treasure compares?

What achievement can rival thus?

Where would the flavor and joy of life be if not in the promise of heaven hereafter?

How great and blessed we are to be called by the name of Christ Jesus and to be able to surrender ourselves before Him daily.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You so much for Your Word. How incredible it is! I love truth is so clear and yet so profound. Lord, You amaze me in so many ways and Your wisdom is such a treasure. Thank You for giving me Your Word. Thank You for salvation. Lord Jesus, thank You for continuing to show me daily how to walk in Your paths. Lord, I want to follow You with every part of me. I want my whole life to bring glory to Your name. For there is no one who deserves glory, honor, and praise like You. Thank You Jesus! Amen.

All scripture used here was copied from: https://bible.com/bible

Walking in righteousness

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Proverbs 21:21 KJV

For those who have accepted the blood of Christ Jesus as a cleansing from sin, we have the incredible gift of right standing before God through no merit of our own, it’s a gift.

And when we realize the costly grace bestowed upon us we look back at our sinful nature with horror of continually finding it ensnaring us into the old ways, old habits of ourselves before Christ.

To look upon Him whom we have pierced with our sin is to recognize the truth of never wanting to choose that again.

Our hearts long to walk in righteousness before God.

Thus we were given another incredible gift, the Holy Spirit.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”
John 16:7‭-‬8 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/jhn.16.7-8.NKJV

Romans 14:17 NKJV — for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NKJV — Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Walking in righteousness is being led by the Spirit and choosing to follow God’s Word.

For He gave us so much to guide us, especially about being righteous.

Proverbs 13:5 NKJV — A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.

Proverbs 20:7 NKJV — The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

Psalm 37:16 NKJV — A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.

These are only a small taste of the wealth of guidance God’s Word supplies.

It’s a beautiful pairing of God’s Word and God’s Spirit.

The Holy Spirit teaches our hearts and guides our steps, while we immerse ourselves in the Bible.

Psalm 1:6 NKJV — For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word, the Bible. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Helper. Lord Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice that cleanses our souls. Please help us to shine evil and do good, to walk in the way of righteousness. Lord, please continue to purify our way before You, cleansing us of false ideas, freeing us from lies, exposing the trucks of the enemy. Lord, please help us to honor You with our attitudes, our actions, and our words. Lord, please shine through us to those who have yet to know You. May the whole Earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. Amen.

Time

My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,

And from those who persecute me.

Psalm 31:15

And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise

And knowledge to those who have understanding.

Dan. 2:21

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”

Acts 1:7

The Lord is in charge of the times and seasons.

Our lives, as well as the lives of countless people before us, have existed inside the restraints of time.

But God doesn’t.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2 Peter 3:8

God is outside of time, because it was something He created.

And inside this time frame He placed the human race.

Understanding that God both created time as well as every single person, it is logical to conclude that we should pay attention to what He has to say about time.

Col. 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed…But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13:11&14

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Eph. 5:15-16

God’s Word is full of wisdom and He clearly states what is true, what is right, and the way to live to the fullest in the time we have.

Not with lives spent focused on pleasure or self-love, not with chasing after wealth or power or status, but a life devoted to Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

Time spent in relationship with Him is never wasted.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for time. Thank You for giving us Your Word, that we might find life and that more abundantly. Thank You for walking with us through all times and having such love and grace for each one of us. Lord, it is only through You that we can find truth, purpose, or anything worthwhile. Lord, only in You do we find the meaning of life and the use for time. Please help me to spend my time wisely and to be drawing every day from Your wisdom and walking in Your ways. Thank You. Amen.

December 10

Today’s prayer:

Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, And teach me Your statutes. I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.
Psalms 119:124‭-‬125 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for Your Word. Lord, in Your Bible is truth, life, liberty from sin. Lord Jesus, thank You for the way You continually teach and hone my heart through Your Word. Lord please remove anything which would hinder my walk with You. Lord please heal the sick and hurting. Please comfort those who grieve. Lord Jesus please return the prodigal, protect the innocent, and save the lost. Lord we look to you and we ask that you would return truth, honor, integrity, and justice. We want people to see and to know you. Lord Jesus, please let the whole earth know that there is a God in heaven and You are He. Amen.

November 25

Today’s prayer:

You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments.
Psalms 119:4‭-‬6 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You so much for these words. Lord, thank You for Your Word and the life that is within it. Lord Jesus, I want to obey all Your words, to walk in Your ways, to serve You diligently. Lord, I want my family, my friends, my neighbors to know You personally, to walk in Your ways and to find life everlasting in Your salvation. Lord, I want to humbly stand before You on behalf of others, especially those who have yet to know You. Lord, I want people to see the truth and to understand what wickedness and evil do. How there is only life, truth, joy, goodness, and peace in You. There is no other way. Lord Jesus, I know You want these things too. That’s why You came. That’s why You died. Lord, please continue to work in our lives, that we might know You more. Please hone our hearts that we might reflect You to those around us. Lord, I trust You to work through all things to bring about Your purposes. May Your name be glorified throughout the whole Earth! I praise Your holy name, Jesus! Amen.