God gave Israel success and in being loyal to Him, we can expect help in conquering anything or anyone that keeps us from being all that He wants us to be. Stick to God’s plan for you and bring Him glory.
Teach us to number our days aright. That we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalms 90:12
In the post “Climbing Higher”, emphasized is to spend our time on activities that provide a heart of wisdom. The value of these activities will rise over time as commodities that will be useful forever; providing a living hope and a valuable resource forever.
A great song that also emphasizes spending time on activities that build a heart of wisdom is Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. It’s a song about making the wise choice of appreciating each moment with a daughter before they grow up.
Some of the lyrics go:
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t wanna miss even one song
‘Cause all too soon the clock with strike midnight
And she’ll be gone.
As we live out our days on earth, many times we end up spending our time and money on those things that bring the least benefit to our life. They keep us away from climbing higher towards God with His Word that satisfies the soul. Instead, we stay in the valley of what the world offers with no firm principles to stand on. This day with God, we are climbing higher as we read 1 Peter 1:1-5.
Explained in this passage is that each person of the Trinity does specific work in the life of a believer. God the Father gives us mercy and hope. He gives us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade (v. 4). Jesus Christ the Son offers salvation through His sacrifice on the Cross to give believers eternal life. The Holy Spirit sanctifies, instructs, and helps believers be obedient in following these instructions.
God has given optimism for a better future. Even during difficult times, we have something to hang on to until we experience better times ahead. There is no longer the ups and downs in life that depend on the unsecure world but our outlook is stabilized with thoughts of a steady climb to new heights.
There is God’s guarding power as we grow in our faith by reading His Word and take in the instructions for life which is food for our soul. These thoughts, lessons learned, and experiences as we live out our life give us something of value that is guaranteed to rise over time as commodities that are useful forever; providing a living hope and valuable resource for a future in which we reach heights never before reached.
This day with You God, we are pulling higher and higher towards You as we read Your Word for instructions. We pray for spending our time and money on activities that bring meaning, seeks to help others, and brings joy. These activities with the people around us give encouragement and build our faith so we can reach heights never yet obtained. In Jesus name we pray… Amen.
The journey through the book of Judges came to a close last week and now the journey will go back into the New Testament for a while through the book of 1 Peter. The reading plan below will be used to hold me accountable to sharing about God’s word. As I share about my study of the book of 1 Peter over the next few weeks, it’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Christ as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make each day amazing!
Questions for Reflection
1 Peter 1:1-5 – What specific work does each Person of the Trinity have in a believer’s life? What has God done for you? In what ways has this changed your life? In what specific areas do you experience God’s guarding power?
1 Peter 1:6-12 – In what should you rejoice? How is faith to be expressed actively? What would you say is the basic purpose of the Old Testament and the prophets?
1 Peter 1:13-25 – What two thoughts does therefore connect? What event gives confidence to your faith? How are God and the Word related?
1 Peter 2:1-10 – What is the source of a Christian’s nourishment? In what ways does God’s Word make a difference in your life? Who has made this change for you?
1 Peter 2:11-17 – What motivations does Paul suggest for our personal and public behavior? What is it in the world that is at war against your soul? What do I need to surrender to the Lord in order to win the battle? How can you change a society so there is hope for liberty and justice for all?
1 Peter 2:18-25 – Who are your masters? Give examples of unjust suffering? In what ways did Christ go through unjust suffering (Is. 53)? With what effect for you?
Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments or to a Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey.
Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God: A Daily Study Guide to the Entire Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1978. Print.
I would like take this time to thank you for reading and liking the posts. This blog started with just a few followers and now has grown to over 2,400 followers. I’ve found it to be very helpful in my journey through the Bible and you, my readers are holding me accountable to daily Bible reading and study.
We live in a busy world with busy schedules and being able to share some thoughts about this spiritual journey with others across this world through the Internet is truly a blessing. Tomorow, I will include Questions for Reflection that will spur thought and offer ideas for applying biblical principles at work, at home, and in all we do.
Here is a link to all the devotionals done so far.
If you would like to get notified with each new post, I invite you to click on the follow button on the far top right of this page to join me on this spiritual journey. Another way to keep up with my spiritual journey is through the Facebook page I’ve set up at this link:This Day With God – A Spiritual Journey.
Also, the concepts presented in God’s Perfect Timing offer ideas for using our time wisely and the lessons of God’s Plan for Us gives a method towards making an impact in the world in which we live.
This Day With God - A Spiritual Journey 