Bible reading

  • God’s Word Wednesday #52: Psalm 4:2

    ByLauren Bible reading, Christian, Jesus, prayer
    10 Comments

    On National Best Friends Day, my thoughts turn to the friend we have in Jesus.  That sounds overly spiritual doesn’t it?  But when I read Psalm 4:2 my mind started ruminating on ways to get closer to the Lord.

     

    “How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame?  How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?  Selah”  Psalm 4:2 NKJV

     

    At first read this doesn’t sound like an encouragement.  Definitely not something you want to hear from a friend.  But a true friend speaks truth to you – even when it’s hard.  And we don’t often think of conviction as a cheery thing.  But if that conviction leads to repentance, it clears a pathway to clear communication with God.  It brings us closer to Him and lifts a weight off of our shoulders.

     

    That doesn’t mean that being made aware of our sins is easy.  It is right and healthy to grieve over our sin.  How it has been an obstacle between us and God.  The way it has kept God’s glory from shining through us.  But the grief is short lived if we experience true repentance.  Turning our lives away from sin brings all glory to God.  And we never have to carry the shame of that sin again.

     

    Even though sin, shame, and repentance are most often very personal, I prayed this scripture over some loved ones recently and sent them this text:

     

     

     

    Change up the words for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

     

    This one is tender.  Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

    Lauren

  • Praying God’s Word Wednesday #51: Ezekiel 36:26

    ByLauren Bible reading, Christian, Jesus, prayer, salvation
    14 Comments

    Guess what?  It’s National Heimlich Maneuver Day! why As far as maneuvers go, it’s one of the best.  Do you have plans for celebrating?  Are you all practiced up?  I had to give my special needs daughter the Heimlich once.  And that was enough.  Her choking in the middle of a hamburger joint was so scary!  So we will skip to Ezekiel 36:26 and a different kind of removal.  Although not much more appetizing than a piece of hot dog.

     

    “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”  Ezekiel 36:26 NIV

     

    Ezekiel was a prophet and an exile.  His fellow Jews believed they would return to Jerusalem, but Ezekiel preached that it was more important for them to return to the Lord.  He comforted them with ideas of what God can do with a repentant heart.  And in many ways he pointed to the ultimate renewal available to us us through the Messiah, who had not yet come – and who we now wait to return.

     

    The moment we trust in Jesus,  He removes our sin-filled heart and gives us a new heart.  But if we don’t walk daily with Him and we fill our lives with things that are not of Him, our hearts can harden.  While we don’t lose our salvation, we can lose close fellowship with Him.  And relationship with the creator of the universe is the greatest treasure.  So today I am praying to keep this separation from happening in my own life.

     

    Replace the pronouns with the appropriate ones for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.  And if you are praying for your kids, say their names before the Father.  I am doing so here in the privacy of my home.

     

    Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

    Lauren