Devot. Life Verse and Word. for the Year

 Hi Folks,

I hope everyone has had a super week!  I have two neat devotionals below!

I've heard many Believers say that when the New Year comes, they pray, look through Scripture and find a specific word to give them encouragement, hope, strength, and spiritual growth for the New Year.

The word could be "compassion" to remind them to be more compassionate in their dealings with folks, "hope" to remind them to have hope in the Lord in their toughest times, "purpose" to remind them that God has a purpose and plan for their lives. 

I've heard tell of folks that will look through Scripture or look in their Bible concordance under a specific topic for a verse that is meaningful to them, that will give them a specific reminder that the Lord is near, that they are valuable to Him, verses to give them strength to live a godly life....This is called a 'life verse.'   

Through December, I knew that I needed a new life verse-something that reflected where I was in my walk with the Lord and that would give me hope for the New Year.  Through various incidents, the Lord impressed on my heart that He was giving me a fresh start in the New Year, and had a purpose and plan for my life, He wasn't done with me yet. And so I chose Jeremiah 29:11, a verse I had read all through my life, but I was seeing with new eyes...God had a purpose and plan for ME!   "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Below is your chance this week to find a meaningful word and Bible verse to start your New Year that the Lord can use in your life as you walk with Him.    

I pray this is a blessing to your week!! God Bless!

 

(Devot. used by permission. Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Finding a Word for Your Year: 

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/finding-a-word-for-your-year?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20220102ChoosingAWordForYourYearArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

Find Your Word for the Year-QUIZ:

https://www.dayspring.com/yourwordquiz?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20220102ChoosingAWordForYourYearArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List#/home

How to Find Your Life Verse: 

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/whats-your-life-verse?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20211229HowToFindYourLifeVerseArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

Devot. Recharging Our Spiritual Batteries

 Hi Folks,

I hope you are having a super start to your week!

As we continue our New Year's series we're going to focus on recharging our spiritual batteries,which can only be found through God's Word and spending time with Him, which I am relearning myself. 

The first devot. is ideal if you are fighting the winter blues or even depression, as many deal with after all the excitement of Christmas.

I've also incerteted a 2nd devotional right under this one that gives some encouraging Scriptures if you are recovering from Christmas/New Years and are just plain worn out. 

I've also included a podcast in a series that has really encouraged me and helped to recharge my spiritual battery in a major way.  It has given me a renewed desire to read my Bible, make the Lord a more constant part of my daily life and pray.  

I'm going to highly urge you to make time for this-if you don't have time, remember, listen on the go-while driving, making dinner, paying bills late at night etc..

 

This first podcast is given by a well known lady in the Christian ministry and radio field for decades, and even though she's speaking at ladies conference last year, it's gender neutral in the fact that her topic applies to any Christian, and of any age!

I would have to say, if you have to pick something out of this list this week,  listen to this podcast, you won't regret it and I think it would refresh and recharge you even more than the devots. would, so please consider carving out time or listening on the go.

Have a blessed week!

PODCAST: Grounded in Christ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDpqONbJ7P0

Devots. used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Focusing Your Thoughts on Truth: 

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/sometimes-you-just-need-to-start-over?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20211226ReceivingWhatGodHasForYouArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

Post Holiday Fatigue:

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/post-holiday-fatigue-4-scriptures-to-help-restore-renew?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20220105PostHolidayFatigueArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

Devot. The New Year

 Hi Folks!

I hope you had a very blessed Christmas remembering our Savior's birth and a very good start to the New Year!

My theme for this month for us will be starting fresh, hitting restart on our lives-physically and spiritually.   I feel that the New Year is a blessing from God in our lives to have a fresh start, a brand new slate to start over!

I found a quote this week that said, "When God gives you a new beginning, don't repeat the same mistakes." 

Philippians 3:13-14 states, ..." this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

We are to forget the things that were in the past (mistakes, failures) and strive towards, reach for  the things that are ahead for a prize-God's calling in our lives.   I have heard many Christ Followers say to me that when they reach Heaven at the end of their life they want to hear Jesus say to them,  "Well done, good and faithful servant;.." (Matt. 25:23)

Below are 2 devots. to start off the New Year- reflecting on and remembering how faithful God has been to you this past year and then preparing yourself spiritually for all that God has ahead of you this year.

Have a blessed week! 

Remembering God's Faithfulness: 

https://www.incourage.me/2021/12/remembering-gods-faithfulness-this-year.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=remembering-gods-faithfulness-this-year&utm_term=%28in%29courage%20daily%20devotion

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Receiving What God Has for You in the New Year:

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/receiving-what-god-has-for-you-in-2017?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20211226ReceivingWhatGodHasForYouArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

   

Christmas Eve LiveStream Service!

 Hi Folks,

Below is a link for a livestream Christmas Eve service tonight at 6PM (my family and I will be tuning in!).  Christmas has never seemed like Christmas without a Christmas Eve service for me...It helps me to focus on the True Reason for the season...

LiveStream Christmas Eve Service- Friday 12/24 at 6PM: 

https://opendoorchurch.org/Streaming

Blessings, Grace

The Chosen's Christmas Special!

 Hi Folks,

Below is a Christmas link that I promised to give you all last week.  This is where I got my 'wonder moment'-the moment where the enormity of what Christmas is all about, hit me like a ton of bricks.

  "The Chosen" is a new tv series that has literally taken the world by storm the last 2 years!  It focuses on Jesus' ministry while on earth and their Christmas special this year has been #5 in the box offices in theaters this month.  I've had people go to see it in theaters and they said that it impacted and touched their lives in the most unexpected ways...

Below is a youtube link for their Christmas special: "The Messengers''.  

This would be beautiful to watch as a family tonight! (FYI, If parts do not make sense, they are having some flashbacks to key characters of "The Chosen" series as Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary of Magdalene .)

Merry CHRISTmas!

The Chosen Christmas Special-The Messengers: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QeZnmCEeto

Devot. Let All the Earth Rejoice!

 HI Folks,

Merry Christmas!!! I hope each of you have a very blessed Christmas remembering and celebrating our Savior's birthday.

I have a conglomeration of a number of things below.....

I'm aware that Christmas is not always an easy time for everyone..

Below is a devot. for you if this Christmas is a difficult one and I pray the Lord will give you His peace as you read it.

Below is a second devot. on remembering to rejoice in this season! We have a more tangible reason to rejoice than most-Jesus came in  the humble, human form of a helpful baby-for US.  And for those of us who have trusted Him as Savior, that adds a much more tangible and eternal reason to celebrate behind gifts and lights.  He is the Greatest gift of All!

I have included a song link that has been a favorite since last year "Make Room" as a reminder to make room in your heart for the Savior of the world this Christmas. I found a quote the other day that said, "Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus (Luke 2:7)", referring to the fact that there was no room in Bethlehem's local inn for Mary to birth Jesus. 

Lastly I've included a link for Luke 2 if you are working on reading the Christmas story and if you are still getting Christmas cards and do not have enough time to get extra cards into the mail, a link to send Christmas ecards:) 

I pray that you have a very blessed and Merry CHRISTmas!

Hope For a Difficult Christmas Season:

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/hope-for-a-difficult-christmas-season?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20211128HopeForADifficultChristmasSeasonArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Let All the Earth Rejoice: 

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/let-all-the-earth-rejoice

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Make Room-Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUFSxt7qkNw

LUKE 2: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+2&version=KJV

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.biblegateway.com/)

Ecards: https://www.dayspring.com/ecards/category/view/category/103

THIS IS CHRISTMAS: Not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, THE CHRIST." (Frank Mckibben)

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11

Devot. Justified-by Faith or Works?

Used by permission.  Taken from  https://www.icr.org/)

December 20, 2021 Justified--by Faith or Works? “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16) Some have argued that James contradicts Paul at this point, since James emphasized that both Abraham and Rahab, among others, were justified by works (James 2:21, 25). In fact, this seeming conflict between Paul and James has often been cited as one of the “contradictions” of the Bible. There is no contradiction, however. Neither Abraham nor Rahab could have been justified by the “works of the law,” and James never said they were. Abraham lived before God even gave the law to Moses, and Rahab lived in a pagan culture that knew nothing about it. Furthermore, James himself knew that no one could really be saved by the law, for he said that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Actually, both Abraham and Rahab were “justified”—which means “seen as righteous”—by faith in God and His provision of salvation (James 2:23; Hebrews 11:31). The righteousness of Christ, who perfectly kept the law of God, is imputed to believers by faith (Romans 4:3-5). God sees him or her as “in Christ,” and so they are justified (recognized as righteous) solely through faith. However, other men cannot see our faith, and therefore we must be justified in their sight by our works. True saving faith inevitably will manifest itself in works of righteousness. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:...For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8, 10). HMM