Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5
John 14:16 And I (Jesus)will pray the Father (God), and He will give you another Helper, that He(The Holy Spirit) may abide with you forever
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father (God)will send in My name (Jesus), He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I (Jesus) shall send to you from the Father (God), the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
John 16:7- 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.
John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide (help) you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Isaiah 41:10 (God)
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
My dear children, I write this letter to you so you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have a helper in the presence of the Father—Jesus Christ, the One who does what is right. He died in our place to take away our sins, and not only our sins but the sins of all people 1 John 2: 1-2
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:1-8
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 NKJV
Living in sin means living in darkness. Living in sin means being trapped. Living in sin means living in bondage. The good news? There’s a way out. If we accept Jesus as Lord, we automatically live in light. In fact, if we walk in the light of Jesus, we won’t even be able to find darkness. It’s amazing how we may not even realize we’re living in darkness until we receive His Light. In Jesus, there’s no darkness AT ALL! How powerful is that?
Once we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light, Paul tells us to stay in the light. Don’t get trapped again. Another words, stay free. Sin has a way of wrapping its ugly tentacles around us until we can’t move. Before we know it, we’re being suffocated to death. Paul is telling us not to allow that to happen again. Protect the light you are in and stand guard through the reading of God’s word, fellowship with other believers, and praise and worship.
Run the race and don’t give up. It can only happen one day at a time. How will you devote2day?
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us Hebrews 12:1 NIV
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 NKJV
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NIV
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1 NLT
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1 NLT
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us Hebrews 12:1 NIV
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the 1. blind see, 2.the lame walk, 3.the lepers are cleansed, 4.the deaf hear, 5. the dead are raised, 6. the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Luke 7:22-23
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39
I’ve been drawn to this scripture more times than I can count over the past 10 months. This time, I’ve been specifically drawn to … “May this cup be taken from me.”
Wouldn’t it have been great for Jesus if He could die on a cross without having people spit on Him? Things would have been so much easier for Jesus if He didn’t have to endure lashes, a crown of thorns, people mocking Him, or the weight of the cross. Couldn’t He do His Father’s will without having nails strike his flesh?
Jesus knew what He was going to have to endure to complete the will of His Father. In his humanness, He questioned all of it. In the end, though, He says “Nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.”
Lately God has been saying to me, “You said you’re willing to do my will, but are you really willing to handle everything that comes with it?”
I don’t have to endure nails in my hands or wear a crown of thorns. The things in this life are not the same.
Maybe for me if I want to do God’s will, it means being more disciplined and committed. Maybe if I want to do God’s will it means dealing with possible criticism or having my motives questioned. Maybe doing God’s will means being open to vulnerability and hurt.
What does doing God’s will mean for you? Are you still willing to do what He wants no matter what?
If you or I are going to do God’s will, we must be willing to handle everything that comes with it.
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:9-17
Jesus makes it clear, “Love one another.” I don’t see any conditions in this scripture. Love if, love when… Love isn’t a feeling either. Love is a demonstration. Love is a verb. Jesus even says “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Jesus demonstrated His love by laying down His life. God the Father demonstrated His love by giving & allowing His son to die for the sins of the world.
Jesus went on to say that if we love, we have the opportunity to experience the best possible joy. We have the chance to live a joyful life all the time…as long as we love. WOW! This gives me a lot to think about. Love, even when I’ve been hurt. Love, even when I’ve been betrayed. Love, even when I’m tired and under a lot if stress. Love, even when someone is simply unlikeable. Love, even when someone cuts me off at the intersection.
Jesus also talks about bearing fruit and receiving what we ask in His name interwoven in His discussion about love. Does this mean we need to make sure we are walking in love completely if we want to bear fruit as Christians? Does it mean we need to be walking in love to receive what we ask in Jesus’ Name? Maybe showing & walking in love is THAT important.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
For we walk by faith, not by sight
2 Corinthians 5:7