from my God Squad group post and others see citations that accompany the post.
I heard a short message on this a couple days ago and it’s really stuck with me. We have all certainly heard this type of message many times and it’s about our past. As Christ followers who have been saved by the blood of Jesus…we have been redeemed, restored and made new! The Bible says that we are new creatures in Christ…the old is gone, behold the new has come. But many times we still allow our past to speak to us…to drag us back into the shame, guilt, disappointment, and the hurt. We need to speak out the victory that we have…we need to walk out and live in the victory that we’ve been given through Jesus! The past is in the past…let’s leave it there! Whether it was 40 years ago…20 years ago…10 years ago…a year ago…or yesterday…it’s in the past! Let’s confess His word about who we are in Jesus, today. Let’s confess His word about He is…and who He wants to be for us, right now. Let’s live the victory that we’ve been given…and rejoice that we are His and He is ours!! Finally, let’s always remember that it’s Romans 8:28 every single day…all day long: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
MORE Everyone is searching for more. It doesn’t get easier… You don’t just wake up and find it one day. More is not hidden inside of your flesh… Waiting to be revealed. That’s the world’s teaching… It is not the Gospel. If you desire more… You must become less. More is beyond you… More is supernatural. He alone is the more! More strength… More fuel… More peace… More joy. Less of you…
Means a life FULL of more. ❤️❤️ –Matthew Deibler That is SO GOOD!! ”He must increase, but I must decrease.“ John 3:30
HEALING OUR HURTS This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 1 John 4:17, NIV We affect the lives and attitudes of those around us. If we allow past hurt to keep us from loving…we will suffer. But we will not suffer alone. Our actions will influence those around us. They will be reproduced in the lives of others. But Jesus heals! If you are paralyzed and unable to love…Jesus heals. Every past hurt forgiven and presented to our Lord frees the fresh water of His love to flow through us. We experience the joy of love around us…and those we influence…enjoy its benefits in their own lives. ❤️ —Jack Hayford
A PEOPLE OF HOPE Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23, NIV Just as certainly as we are people of the Word, we are also a people of Hope. One sure sign of a Holy Spirit-filled person is that he or she not only believes Jesus is coming…but they live in hope and with expectation of His coming. Such faith does not see His second coming as the entirety of their hope. Of course, Jesus’ return is our highest hope, but faith-filled people believe that the King is ready to come today…to enter your life’s circumstances with His grace, love, and power! We have hope in Jesus coming to us today! Zechariah, one of the greatest prophets of the Messiah’s return, said, “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope” (Zech. 9:12, NKJV). He spoke literally of a people who were imprisoned, that is, “shut up unto” hope. What a concept, to be inescapably bound to the confidence that our Redeemer is coming today to meet us with His fully sufficient grace…and that He is coming soon to take us to eternal glory! ❤️ —Jack Hayford “Our world today so desperately hungers for hope…yet, uncounted people have almost given up. There is despair and hopelessness on every hand. Let us be faithful in proclaiming THE HOPE THAT IS IN JESUS!!” ❤️ —Billy Graham
God is never blind to our tears…never deaf to our prayers…and never silent to our pain. He sees. He hears. He will deliver!
Psalms 61:2-4 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.
BELIEVE IT You are someone God loves! You’re not your weaknesses. You’re not your sins. You’re not even your strengths. You’re someone God loves…enjoys…and redeems. In Christ Jesus, you’re brand new, through and through. You don’t have to look back in regret, or look down in shame. You can look up and honor the Name of Jesus…who lived, died, and rose again so you could live powerfully, abundantly, and eternally. Refuse to let your setbacks or mess-ups define you. They don’t. They can’t. They won’t. Be bold…be brave…and be happy in Jesus. He’s thrilled to claim you as His own! ❤️ 1 John 4:16 (NIV) ~ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
PITY PARTY I have a go-to passage for a long time now when I’m tempted to have a personal pity party. It is Hebrews 11:36-38. These 3 verses are written at the end of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame of the Faith chapter. Remember all the incredible accounts of lions mouths closed, winning mighty battles, crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, surviving fiery furnaces, miracle after miracle. But in v36-38 we read about a second group of devoted followers who were maimed, torchered, flogged, stoned, sawed in two and lived in deserts, caves and holes in the ground. When I read those verses it is like the Holy Spirit whispers to me, “ Michael, you haven’t shed any blood yet. Get back in the game and change your attitude.” The Good News of the Gospel is not if you follow God all will go well for you. The Good News is you get God no matter the circumstances! The question is — does God owe me or own me? The will of God never makes sense…unless you factor in eternity. I ponder sometimes the disciples final earthly plight. Peter was crucified upside down. Andrew and Phillip were crucified, as well. Bartholomew was skinned alive and beheaded. Matthew was killed by an ax and Thomas with a spear. James was stoned and Simon sawed in two. James and Thaddeus were clubbed to death. Stephen was stoned and Mark dragged to death. Luke was hanged from a tree and John was boiled in oil. Jude was shot with arrows and Phillip hanged. I don’t think I’ll have a pity party today. Let’s run with endurance the race set before us…fixing our eyes on
Jesus. ❤️ —Michael Sprague
Grow Deep And Wise If the devil can get you to doubt God’s provision…you’ll grab for yourself and miss the wonder of God’s goodness. If the devil can get you to question your worth…you’ll strive to prove yourself and miss the gift of God’s assurance and rest. If the devil can get you to doubt God’s timing…you’ll rush ahead and miss the wisdom of His ways. We grow deep and wise when we trust God fully, wholly. And yet, and yet, if we miss Him and we mess up…we can know that a plan to redeem our story is already in motion. We won’t get it right all of the time. But praise God; Jesus will never get it wrong on our behalf. We can trust Him. Exhale your stress today…knowing that God is on your side. He guards and He guides. He’ll always provide. He sees you…He loves you…YOU CAN TRUST HIM! ❤️ Philippians 1:6 (NLT) ~ I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. —Susie Larson
February 27, 2024 From Worship Anew
By Matthew F. Leighty Executive Director
Over my many years of visiting people throughout the church, a moment remains with me and drives my passion for the work of our mission. In the quiet dining hall of a senior living center, I found myself in conversation with an elderly woman. Her eyes, glistening with both joy and sorrow, hinted at a depth of life experiences. As we spoke, she shared the weight of recent loss, her tearful eyes betraying the lingering ache of grief. Her children and grandchildren didn’t visit her anymore. She had questions, moments when she wondered why God still had her on this earth, especially in the face of the pain and loneliness she carried.
With vulnerability, she unfolded her journey—a tapestry woven with the threads of joy and sorrow. As she shared her story, I recalled the words from Isaiah 25:8-9 (ESV), “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”
It is in moments like these that God’s promises are woven into our lives. The anticipation of a day when God would fulfill His promise, eradicating the sting
of death and wiping away every tear, provides us with the ultimate source of comfort and hope.
As we journey through this Lenten season, heading toward Easter, the timeless message of Isaiah rings forth with the promise of eternal joy. It invites us to await the day when grief will transform into gladness, and salvation will be our eternal song. In the midst of life’s complexities, Worship Anew has become a beacon, illuminating the path with a message of hope and redemption for all who seek solace in the arms of our loving Savior.
Amid this Lenten journey, the ministry of Worship Anew brings the message of hope and comfort we have in our God. Through the Worship Anew television program, daily devotions, and our care package ministry, lives are touched with the message of Christ’s love. As we reflect on Isaiah’s prophetic words, Worship Anew is a channel through which God’s promise of eternal joy is shared. The ministry resonates the message of hope, providing comfort and inspiration during Lent and beyond.
In a world where hope can be elusive, the Holy Spirit calls us during this Lenten season to embrace the enduring hope found in God’s promise of salvation, magnificently fulfilled through the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. As we journey through Lent toward the triumphant culmination of Easter, may our hearts resound with profound gratitude for He is the Lord we have long awaited; indeed, let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”
Isaiah 25:8-9
Lifted Up
March 10, 2024 – Fourth Sunday in Lent
Rev. Thomas Eggold
There is not a story or sign in the entire Old Testament that points more directly to the Cross than the serpent on the stake. Here a bronze serpent hangs from a cross, and it was put there by God precisely because of sin. The sign of our sin and the image of the
death we deserve is suspended between heaven and earth and between God and man. And there, on the wooden pole, God saved His people.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30 This verse serves as a solemn reminder that our actions and attitudes can deeply affect our relationship with the Holy Spirit. To grieve the Spirit is to cause sorrow or distress to the very presence of God within us. This can occur in various ways: 1. Unforgiveness: Holding onto grudges and refusing to forgive others can create a barrier between us and the Spirit’s work of reconciliation and peace. 2. Bitterness and Anger: Allowing these emotions to take root in our hearts can quench the Spirit’s work of producing love and kindness. 3. Immoral Behavior: Engaging in actions that contradict God’s moral standards can stifle the Spirit’s work of sanctification in our lives. 4. Disobedience to God’s Word: Ignoring or rebelling against the teachings of Scripture can hinder the Spirit’s guidance and wisdom. 5. Neglecting Spiritual Disciplines: Failing to pray, read the Bible, and fellowship with other believers can weaken our connection to the Spirit. As we reflect on Ephesians 4:30, let us examine our lives for areas where we may be grieving the Holy Spirit. May we seek to cultivate a relationship with the Spirit that is marked by obedience, repentance, and a deep desire to honor God in all we do. From 2 Minute devotions by Barry Davis
