Daily Thoughts about God

by Alec Niemi

The course to the Gather’s Gospel classic song ‘Because He Lives’ resonates the truth of why we joyfully serve a risen Savior.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Thanks to one of our former congregants who suggested the idea of joining in with hundreds of other churches, our church is now involved in twenty-one days of fasting and praying. During this time we are being encouraged to spend more time in the word and listening more to His speaking to us. At the end we want to do a day of celebrating to rejoice in what we have learned.

Initial questions seemed to focus more on the ‘law‘ of the fast, in determining what we have to give up for the fast. But as we get more into it questions and comments are now surfacing as to what the bible reading for that particular day has to say.

I know that I am learning to focus more on the reality and assuredness of the Lord as I go through with the fasting and praying… and singing along with the Gathers… Because He lives…

My prayer for us this week

“We love you, LORD, our strength. You, oh LORD are our rock, our fortress and our deliverer; our God is our rock, in whom we take refuge, our shield and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold. Amen and amen!”
Psalm 18:1,2

Have a great week

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2011/05/25/an_because-he-lives/
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Short Thoughts for Cell Phones – God-daily.com

by Marilyn Ehle

“When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.” Matthew 21:45

JJesus’ parables are known throughout the world, even by people who make no claim to be His followers. The story of the sower and seed has even been used to illustrate how to “plant” a business in a particular community where profit can be made.

Today we can be quick to apply the primary spiritual meaning of parables to those who do not yet claim Him as Savior, or even to those whom we perceive as not following Him closely or with the correct “theology.” We see the rich and quickly quote “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Such pithy statements seem always easier to apply to others than to ourselves.

In the crowds that surrounded Jesus were not only people opposed to His message, but men and women who dearly loved Him and longed to become more like Him. It was at the very telling of the rich man and camel mini-parable that one of Jesus’ closest friends seemed to suddenly recognize that the illustration just might be personally applicable: “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Did Peter wonder, “If even a rich man cannot enter heaven, what about us itinerant, ragtag believers?”

It would be good for all Christians to carefully re-read the best known parables to see if Jesus might just be talking to us as well as to the world. His parables always had a purpose.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2011/05/24/me_parables-with-a-purpose/

Daily Thoughts about God Posts

Because He Lives

Parables with a Purpose