"Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Author: Jeff Foster (Page 1 of 5)

Thank You Jesus

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 9:1)

In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves seeking miracles, looking for grand signs that will affirm our beliefs. But sometimes, it’s the smallest, everyday moments that hold the power to kindle profound joy in our hearts.

My friends, our path to gratitude and joy begins with mindful appreciation of the daily blessings that surround us. It’s easy to overlook these gifts, but they are like precious gems waiting to be discovered. It might be the warmth of the morning sun, the laughter of a loved one, or the simple taste of a well-cooked meal. Each of these is a marvelous work of the Creator.

As we start our gratitude practice, let us remember that it’s not about the grand gestures but the little things that light up our hearts. Try this: today, pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and think of three things you’re grateful for. They can be as humble as a gentle breeze or a cozy blanket. When we express our gratitude with our whole hearts, we begin to uncover the joy hidden in these small, everyday wonders.

Remember, my dear friends, that as we foster gratitude, we not only find joy in the little things but also draw closer to our Heavenly Father, who delights in our praises and showers us with His boundless love.

In this journey, we invite God to help us in fostering our gratitude and finding joy. Let us pray together:

Heavenly Father, we come before you with open hearts, seeking the joy in the little things that you’ve surrounded us with. We thank you for the daily blessings that may often go unnoticed. Help us, O Lord, to develop a mindfulness that appreciates your marvelous works in every moment. May our gratitude practice be a testament to your love and grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Secret Prayers

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:6)

Let’s take time today to go to our inner room, close the door, and pray to our Father in secret. In the busyness of life, it’s easy to push our prayer life to the margins. But prayer is vital for deepening our connection to God. When we pray, we enter into intimate communion with our Creator.

Prayer is not simply reciting requests or repeating memorized words. True prayer engages our mind, heart, and spirit. It’s an act of fully focusing on God – acknowledging His presence within and around us. We quiet our thoughts, let go of distractions, and open our inner being to receive His peace, wisdom, and guidance.

As we pray, we can share our honest thoughts and feelings with God. We can cry out in despair, grieve our losses, confess our shortcomings. Or we can voice gratitude, ask for help or insight, and praise Him for His goodness. God already knows our hearts, yet He invites us to freely express ourselves. Through prayer, we cast our cares upon the Lord, knowing He hears us and responds in His perfect way and timing.

Prayer also requires listening. When we still our mind and spirit, we make room to hear God’s gentle voice. His words may come as scripture that suddenly surfaces in our memory, an impression that guides our thoughts, or simply a sense of His presence reassuring us. Regular prayer helps us recognize God’s voice and discern His direction for our life.

Father, we desire to deepen our relationship with You. Help us regularly practice heartfelt prayer. Quiet our distracted thoughts, so we can focus completely on Your loving presence. Speak to us, Lord. Reveal areas where we need to surrender and grow. Fill us with Your peace and wisdom, so we can walk in step with Your Spirit each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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The Light Still Shines

It’s that time of year again. The familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas season surround us – twinkling lights, festive carols, the hustle and bustle of shoppers rushing to finish their gift lists. For many, this is a joyous time filled with celebrations, gatherings with loved ones, and fond memories. But for some, the holiday season brings a different set of emotions – feelings of loneliness, isolation, grief, or loss.

If you find yourself facing the holidays without your usual companions – separated from family or friends, missing a loved one who has passed, or simply feeling alone in the crowd – know that you are not forgotten. The light and hope of the Christmas message are for you too.

In the beloved story of the first Christmas, we find a cast of solitary characters – the migrant Mary and Joseph, far from home and in need of shelter; the ragtag group of shepherds, isolated and overlooked; even the Magi, strangers in a foreign land following an unfamiliar star. Though they came from different walks of life, each was alone and searching for connection, community, and meaning. Yet every one of them was met with the light of God’s love through the miracle of the Christ child.

The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” The power of the Christmas narrative is its message of hope to the marginalized and forgotten. The light of the world arrived in the midst of a dark night, bringing salvation and a reason to rejoice. No matter how far you feel from the center of the celebration, the light reaches you right where you are.

If you are grieving, missing someone special this year, reflect on the eternal promise of Christmas – that light breaks through the darkest night and love transcends even loss and death. If you feel alone in your thoughts and feelings, know that there are others, like the shepherds keeping watch, who also seek community and purpose. If your chair at the table is empty, you are welcomed and wanted at another table, like the wanderers welcomed in the Bethlehem stable. God’s grace extends to the lonely.

Though the trials of life continue, there are always glimmers of hope, moments of compassion, opportunities to love and care for one another. During this season especially, consider those around you who may also be lonely or forgotten. Offer friendship to the retiree down the street who lost their spouse this year. Invite the new coworker who can’t travel home to join your family’s celebration. Check in on the neighbor spending their first holiday after a divorce. Share the light you have received. Tell someone about the hope you have in Christ.

Christ came to dwell with us – Emmanuel – promising never to leave us alone. At Christmas we celebrate that though we walk through the darkest valleys, we need not fear, for God’s love illuminates the way. The light still shines in the darkness. May you feel God’s presence with you today.

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)

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Be Still

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (KJV)

When external forces suddenly shift the ground under our feet, stillness sounds dangerously counterintuitive. As life unravels unexpectedly, instinct demands grabbing control rather than releasing outcomes to God’s care. We rely on restless striving, vainly attempting to steady the crumbling landscape surrounding us instead of trusting the Solid Rock who upholds all things through raging storms.

Yet God commands His children oppositely in tumultuous times: Be still. Cease striving. Surrender thwarted plans and don’t demand answers or solutions on your timeline. For stillness stabilizes perspective. Stillness imparts opportunity to behold the Almighty One reigning unthreatened over human frailties and furies. Our still reflection should mirror back the unshakable God dwarfing disruption and chaos rampant on earth.

The faithful behold the Ancient of Days steady despite the undulations of passing ages and fashions. “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6) Shall we not also know with utmost certainty that though old orders may pass away abruptly; His love withstands resiliently upholding His beloved?

What raging storms tempt reactionary responses today? Pause and ponder instead God’s track record proving almighty faithfulness through history’s stormy eons. Fix your eyes on His immutable character. He alone calms the billows with a word. No foaming tide overflows the boundaries He establishes. Be still in this eternal assurance: The Lord God Most High transcends every threat. He shall receive glory displaying timeless salvation.

Lord, we admit our propensity to plaster over erupting instability with busy striving. Teach us the power unleashed through stillness anchored securely in who You are, not what swirls around us. May we behold You today—unthreatened Majesty calming storms with one whisper, who “laughs at the tempest and rides upon the storm.” In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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The Light of the World

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:1-5 KJV)

Jesus gives us a powerful lesson that sometimes challenges in life are not a result of our own or our parents’ sins, but rather an opportunity for God’s works to be revealed. In these verses, Jesus emphasizes the importance of his mission and the limited time he has on Earth. He calls himself the light of the world, implying that his presence brings hope and guidance to those in darkness.

Jesus came to this dark world as a beacon of light to illuminate our lives. His presence brings clarity and understanding, allowing us to see beyond the surface and into the depths of our spiritual journey.

Through his teachings and actions, Jesus showed us the power of healing. Whether restoring physical sight to the blind or bringing spiritual enlightenment to the lost, he showed himself as the ultimate provider of light and salvation.

Jesus’ message goes beyond mere illumination; it calls for obedience and surrender to God’s sovereignty. By following his example, we can navigate through life with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

Let us embrace the light that Jesus brings into our lives and allow it to shine through us. May we allow Christ to radiantly shine through us to be beacons of hope, love, and compassion in a world that desperately needs it. Even in the bleakest moments, a glimmer of light awaits to lead us towards a brighter future.

Just as Jesus felt compelled to work while it was still day, we should strive to make a positive impact in this world during our time here. Let us remember that each one of us has a unique purpose and potential to bring forth God’s works through acts of kindness, love, and compassion. May we always seek opportunities to be a light amidst darkness and allow God’s miracles to manifest through us.

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The Envy of Angels

Guest Post by Mindi Foster

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
(1 Timothy 1:15)

One of the most beautiful things about the Gospel, and Jesus in general, is not just that it saves us from Hell. It’s not just beautiful because of eternal life with God. It’s beautiful because I’m constantly being saved from the issue of me.

If you take note of any of the Apostle Paul’s writing, he frequently spoke against selfish ambitions. Additionally, the book of James even notes that selfishness, along with envy, create chaos and every evil practice (James 3:16). Granted, it’s understandable that there are spiritual forces at work, but still, these are serious factors to consider.

The default of humanity is selfishness. Every child knows how to be selfish because it’s their natural disposition. It’s the same for us spiritually too. Growth and maturity mean that we learn to walk in the Spirit thinking less of ourselves and more of Christ and others.

This stance goes against the grain of the world and the very popular Christian-psychology movement that’s occurring in many churches today. And don’t get me wrong, I love psychology, but psychology is me-focused, or self-centered which is the opposite of Gospel-entered theology. There is need of proper balance.

It’s fine to understand why you behave or think a certain way, understanding is beneficial and is actually encouraged in Scripture. However, God must still be glorified first and foremost. Otherwise, we are a hopeless mess.

If everything is about me, then it all falls on me and is up to me. I’m not that powerful. Nor can I handle that much responsibility (or want to for that matter).

So let’s get back to the beauty of the Gospel. God didn’t have to save us, but He did. The message of the Cross isn’t about us, but it is for us. To put it in the words of Trevin Wax, “Our Salvation is the envy of angels.” And that is certainly a beautiful thing to behold.

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)

Mindi is an encourager, brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, as well as an author and blogger. You can find her blog and books at www.buildingyourmomentum.com.

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Fostering a Grateful Character

Scripture Text: Psalm 118:1-29

Key Verse: Psalm 118:24

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

 

Psalm 118:24 should be committed to our memory and be our first thought before our feet hit the floor every morning. It is a beautiful reminder that every day is a gift from God, and we should cherish it and make the most of it. While we can never adequately repay our Lord for the day, we should strive to be good stewards of our allotted time. As we go about our day, we need to keep our eyes and ears open, watching and listening for opportunities to serve God.

It can be easy to get frustrated with the stresses and worries of life, but we must remember that God is in control and is always with us. When a moment seems too much to bear, we can reflect on how God has helped us in the past, drawing encouragement from His presence during those times.  We can trust in Him and find joy in each moment, even during difficult circumstances.

Let us take a moment to pause and reflect on all the blessings in our lives. Even in situations that may seem hopeless, we can always find something to be thankful for. The people we love, the opportunities we have, the beauty of nature around us. Let us give thanks to God for all these things and more.

And as we go about our day, let us strive to be a light to those around us. Let us show kindness and compassion, sharing the love of Christ with those we encounter. May our actions and words reflect the joy we have in our hearts because of our faith in God.

Dear Lord, we thank you for this day and for all the blessings You have given us. Help us to remember to rejoice and be glad in every moment, and to trust in Your plan for our lives. Cultivate our minds Lord, guiding us to live each day with grateful hearts. May we always be a light to those around us and share Your love with others. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Benefits of Reading the Bible Consistently

 

What are the benefits of reading the Bible consistently?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  (Psalms 119:105 KJV)

Consistently reading the Bible can have a profound impact on our lives, leading to spiritual growth and an abundance of benefits.

Firstly, the Bible is a wellspring of wisdom. Its timeless teachings provide guidance for navigating life’s challenges and making wise decisions. By immersing ourselves in its pages, we gain valuable insights that can shape our perspectives and actions.

Moreover, reading the Bible consistently brings comfort and peace to our hearts. In times of uncertainty or distress, its words offer solace and reassurance. It reminds us of God’s unfailing love and promises, bringing calmness to our souls.

Furthermore, the Bible serves as a source of inspiration for personal growth. Its stories of faith, perseverance, and redemption encourage us to overcome obstacles and strive for greatness in our own lives.

Engaging in regular Bible study deepens our understanding of God’s character and strengthens our relationship with Him. It allows us to connect with His truth on a deeper level, fostering spiritual intimacy.

Lastly, incorporating daily devotionals into our routine helps us stay connected with God throughout the day. It provides an opportunity for reflection, prayer, and meditation on His word. A popular devotional guide is New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Dr. Paul David Tripp. (affiliate link)

In summary, consistent reading of the Bible yields numerous benefits including spiritual growth, wisdom, guidance in decision-making processes, comfort during challenging times, inner peace amidst chaos or uncertainty; it also provides inspiration for personal development while nurturing an intimate relationship with God through regular devotional practice.

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Embracing Forgiveness and Kindness

 

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

In the bustling fabric of our lives, we often find ourselves tangled in the web of negative emotions. Bitterness, anger, and resentment can gradually seep into our hearts, crippling our relationships and hindering our spiritual growth. In Ephesians 4:31-32, the Apostle Paul reminds us to let go of these toxic emotions and encourages us to embrace forgiveness and kindness instead.

Bitterness acts as a poison within us, clouding our judgment, and suffocating our potential for joy and peace. The weight of bitterness hinders our ability to love others genuinely. As believers, we are called to discern the destructive nature of bitterness and release it from our hearts through the power of Christ. Let us surrender our bitterness to God and allow His transformative love to heal and restore us.

Rage and anger, like a consuming fire, can often consume us and leave behind a trail of brokenness. It is paramount that we seek to gain control over these destructive emotions rather than allowing them to control us. Remember, God’s desire is for us to be agents of reconciliation, bearing His image as we extend love and kindness to others. By relying on the Holy Spirit and seeking God’s wisdom, we can navigate difficult situations with grace.

Moreover, Paul urges us to be kind and compassionate towards one another. Kindness is an expression of Christ’s love working through us, demonstrating our willingness to extend grace and mercy to those around us. Compassion opens our eyes to the struggles of others, leading us to offer understanding, empathy, and support. When we choose kindness and compassion, we become instruments of God’s love in a world that desperately needs it.

In the same vein, forgiveness plays a vital role in our spiritual journey. Just as Christ forgave us, enabling us to be reconciled with God, we are called to forgive others. Forgiveness is not easy, but it is essential for our own well-being and for fostering healthy relationships. As we forgive, we release the burden of carrying grudges and allow God’s healing power to flow through our lives.

Let us remember that forgiveness does not justify or condone wrong actions, but it frees us from the chains of resentment and offers an opportunity for redemption and healing. As we forgive, we reflect the grace and mercy we have received from our Heavenly Father.

Today, let us prayerfully reflect on our hearts and examine if there is any bitterness, anger, or malice within us. May we invite the Holy Spirit to help us embrace forgiveness and kindness, allowing God’s transformative power to make us vessels of His love. By walking in forgiveness and extending kindness to others, may we draw closer to God, building a community where His love and grace abound.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come before You with a humble heart, acknowledging the areas in my life where bitterness and anger have taken root. Please forgive me for holding onto these negative emotions. Help me, Lord, to let go of all bitterness, rage, and anger. Fill me with Your love and kindness so that I may be a reflection of Your grace in this world. Teach me to forgive as You have forgiven me; and help me extend compassion to those around me. May Your transformative power work in me and through me, bringing healing and reconciliation. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

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Trust His Plan

Don’t be afraid of the storms in your life, for they are temporary. Trust in God’s steadfast love and guidance to carry you through. #FaithOverFear

Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

In the midst of life’s storms, remember that you have the power to calm the chaos within. Just like in Mark 4:39, you can rise above any adversity and bring peace to your soul.When the winds of doubt and fear try to shake your foundation, rebuke them with unwavering faith and speak words of tranquility. Embrace the stillness that lies within you.

Believe in your ability to overcome any challenge that comes your way. Let this verse be a reminder that even in the face of turmoil, you have the strength to create a great calm.

So, take a deep breath, hear the voice of the Holy Spirit within you, and let it radiate outwards. You are capable of bringing serenity not only to yourself but also to those around you. Embrace this power and let it guide you towards a life filled with tranquility and fulfillment.

#PonderingGodsWord

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