Sunny&80The Three Days (#jammed daily devo day 25)
Posted on January 25, 2018
January #jammed : Grace in Life’s Face
Day 25: Grace goes Beyond the Grave.
Walking up the solid cement structure, the erie advance of the rolling waves began to creep up and over ever so slightly, depositing a little more lake water with each pass. Sediment started to pile up on the sidewalk.
“We won’t be able to walk down here tomorrow, ” I notioned to my dog, who looked like she was standing underneath one of those turbo charged hand dryers.
When the North wind blows against the shore, tree debris litters the main road in our town and the pier is often impassable on foot. Today’s verse hits us like a heavy gust of that lingering wind.
James is smacking us with the winds of accountability in todays verse. Imagine the fury of these early church leaders who had embraced Jesus and heard His words fall fresh on their ears. Surely the frustration in hearing and doing was as prevalent then as it is now.
“Paul describes the root of salvation; a person is saved by God’s grace received though faith.(Galations 2)James is explaining the fruit of salvation; saving faith is a faith that works.” James 2:14 (VOICE commentary)
God encourages us in this verse to keep soldiering on. To keep seeking Him, and trust the Holy Spirit’s process of refinement at work.
“Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21
He’s the only one who can shut off the battering North Wind.
Father, We praise You for Your gift of grace, and Christ’s sacrifice to enable our salvation. Thank you for blessing our lives here on earth. Forgive us for acting opposite of our heart’s intent. Bless us to avoid hypocritical faith, and life a faith in action. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
What hard situation presses you to act against what you know is right? Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Calling,
Megs
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The Last Glass of Water (#jammed daily devo, day 189)
Posted on July 8, 2017
July #jammed: Grace serves.
Day 189: Never an empty glass.
” …a mind focused on the Spirit will find full life and complete peace.” Romans 8:6b ( VOICE)
“Moooommmmm,” a questionable tone hesitantly summoned …
“What?” I responded.
“Can I have one more drink of water?”
Bedtime routines are endless some nights. One more drink of water, a towel so my hair doesn’t get my pillow wet, turn my night light on, read me one more story ….sing me “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star….”
Some nights, I am happy to oblige, because at six and eight they are so cute it’s hard not to. But other nights, when life’s agenda is pressing in onto the limited amount of time I have to complete it, it’s not so cute.
“That’s it!” I’ll declare. “It’s over …no more …I love you … good-night!”
No, it’s not effective. One of them always comes crawling back down the stairs after an abrupt good night.
Today’s verse reminds us that when we are focused correctly, we will have peace. It’s something my kids pick up at bed-time. If the day ends in a rush, they can’t settle in and sleep peacefully. But when we take the time to read, pray together, and allow extra drinks of water and hugs with an abundance of patience …then all is right with the world and they drift off to sleep easily. With in minutes. It’s time well invested.
It blesses me when I slow down to honor the time they want to spend with me. I need to be reminded of how important my role in their lives is. It’s more important than most other things I do in life. And this stage of it is fleeting.
Let’s look at this verse in context to it’s neighbors:
“If you live your life animated by the flesh—namely, your fallen, corrupt nature—then your mind is focused on the matters of the flesh.
But if you live your life animated by the Spirit—namely, God’s indwelling presence—then your focus is on the work of the Spirit.
A mind focused on the flesh is doomed to death, but a mind focused on the Spirit will find full life and complete peace.
You see, a mind focused on the flesh is declaring war against God; it defies the authority of God’s law and is incapable of following His path.” Romans 8:5-7
Listen, the bed-time patience that I spoke of earlier …that’s not “of the flesh.” That’s “of the Spirit.” That’s the newness of new life in Christ. Less of me and more of Him, allows me to live more like Him.
Father, Praise You for new life. Thank You for Jesus’ death, that lends us the opportunity to live it. Forgive us for forgetting to stop and pray though situations that require more of us than we are capable of, and send Your Spirit to strengthen us in those ways when we need it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Praising,
Megs
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
The Three Days (#jammed daily devo day 25)
Posted on January 25, 2017
January #jammed : Grace in Life’s Face
Day 25: Grace goes Beyond the Grave.
Walking up the solid cement structure, the erie advance of the rolling waves began to creep up and over ever so slightly, depositing a little more lake water with each pass. Sediment started to pile up on the sidewalk.
“We won’t be able to walk down here tomorrow, ” I notioned to my dog, who looked like she was standing underneath one of those turbo charged hand dryers.
When the North wind blows against the shore, tree debris litters the main road in our town and the pier is often impassable on foot. Today’s verse hits us like a heavy gust of that lingering wind.
James is smacking us with the winds of accountability in todays verse. Imagine the fury of these early church leaders who had embraced Jesus and heard His words fall fresh on their ears. Surely the frustration in hearing and doing was as prevalent then as it is now.
“Paul describes the root of salvation; a person is saved by God’s grace received though faith.(Galations 2)James is explaining the fruit of salvation; saving faith is a faith that works.” James 2:14 (VOICE commentary)
God encourages us in this verse to keep soldiering on. To keep seeking Him, and trust the Holy Spirit’s process of refinement at work.
“Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21
He’s the only one who can shut off the battering North Wind.
Father, We praise You for Your gift of grace, and Christ’s sacrifice to enable our salvation. Thank you for blessing our lives here on earth. Forgive us for acting opposite of our heart’s intent. Bless us to avoid hypocritical faith, and life a faith in action. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
What hard situation presses you to act against what you know is right? Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Calling,
Megs
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
The Good Sick Day
Posted on April 20, 2016
The gagging rapidly approached. I shot up from a deep sleep to dig defensively against my exhaustion. The bright red clock glowed, “4:30 AM.”
“MO-GAG-MMY-GAG,” my daughter heaved. “I-GAG-DON’T-GAG-FEEL-GAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGG…”
Up and out to usher her away from my room, I prayed my toes would remain in tact and my shins wouldn’t be shattered by the debris of low lying furniture that littered the route to the hallway. Our eyes squinted in protest but my heart jumped for joy when we made it to the bathroom without any projectile fallout.
“Why did you pass the bathroom to run to my room?” I asked her as pulled her new, short hair-cut back. She smiled and started to giggle, and then whatever was ailing her finally released. Bleh. The “every thirty minute” trip to retrieve water sips ensued; and as I attempted to sneak in some sleep between changing trash-can bags, the dim glow of dawn lit.
Her sickness seemed to fade rapidly as we pulled away from dropping her little sister off at school, and I was serenaded while she “rested” to the tune of Barbie’s shenanigans. If not for witnessing the vomit first-hand, I’d have pronounced her a big fat faker.
We sat to chat …laughed …sorted through her bookshelf …ate lunch …watched a movie …took the dog for a pier-walk …and went shopping. Cuddled up on the couch that night, I knew God had gone above and beyond answering my prayers for her healing. I silently celebrated the scenery of a Spirit-led day, that lent me the time to witness my rapidly maturing little girl grow up a bit …right before my eyes. #gift
To live in the motion of The Holy Spirit, replace your race with a pace to match His stride. It’s a humble walk, painfully slow at times, but always moving forward. Like the rhythm of a runner’s depart from the start, we can establish a pattern to race with the Spirit as He moves.
Let’s learn how to harness a “good sick” day, by investigating an amazing verse.
1. On your mark…
If I break into a full sprint without running things by God, I may appear very busy and productive …but I assure you it’s masking a disheveled and over-tasked mess. Breaking time off to have a real conversation with Him sets the tone for my day and signals the Holy Spirit to start translating.
When words to describe what we’re going through aren’t present in our vocabulary, or we lack the motivation to mumble what words we do know how to string together, the Spirit relays our message to God. (Romans 8:28) The One who speaks life has an infinite vocabulary.
“Let the Spirit direct your lives.” Galatians 5:16a (GNT)
Start talking to God about life. Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we have full access to the Author…and Translator. #prayaboutit
2. Set…
Being set to launch life the way God intended us to live it requires reading the Bible. What good is the answer to life if we never hear it? The Spirit aides our interpretation (John 14:26) of God’s living Word (Hebrews4:12), and a conversation is born.
“Let the Holy Spirit lead you with each step.” Galatians 5:16a (NLV)
It seems less daunting when broken down into footsteps. God isn’t calling me to change my personality, He’s asking me step into the ingenuity He laid into my life’s foundation. God’s Word reliably directs my footsteps with the disciplinary truth my heart needs to digest His love and direct my steps.
Read His Word in faith that it will answer prayers, apply currently, and ready life to shift and grow. #ReadTheWord
3. Go.
Galatians 5:16
“Live the way the Spirit leads you.” (ERV)
“Walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance.]” (AMP)
I discovered that in the original language, and within the context of Galatians 5:16, live and walk are synonymously derived from the Greek verb peripateo.
“Literally, means walk around…The NT uses peripateo to refer to the way believers behave or conduct daily life.” -Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary
Walking is living. Living is walking. “Spirit led” is a daily process that we walk out for life. Step in one obedient stride at a time.
“Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.” Galatians 5:16a (MSG)
Faithful training makes for great races. The blocks are empty and the runners are already rounding the first curve. As the gun-shot-start adrenaline wears off, preparation relaxes us into the rhythm of our own breathing. Don’t look back…#Go
I am forever grateful that she passed the bathroom to come and get me first. I might have missed a footstep…
Happy Walking…
Megs
“Run your lives by the Spirit.” Galations 5:16a (CJB)
Reading different translations of Biblical verses can be done with a swipe of the screen. Bible Gateway is an amazing resource I reference to bridge my gap between average person and Biblical scholar. It’s a very large gap. I’m very thankful for it! You know what they say …”If I don’t know the answer I know someone that does!” #doyourresearch #neverstoplearning
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