"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast loves endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, who he has redeemed from trouble."
Psalm 107:1-2
If you asked me what the highlight of my day is most often, I would tell you, without hesitation, that watching my baby girl wait anxiously for her daddy to walk in the door after work brings me almost as much excitement as it does her. She adores him and looks forward to each moment she has with him. She is genuinely ecstatic to see him and typically has some type of news to share with him. Whether she finished a book at school, learned a new skill, or made a new friend, the look of excitement is all over her face. Her body language communicates it all and her eyes make obvious every single emotion she feels about the overly animated story that she is sharing. I love having the opportunity to watch these moments unfold. It is truly heartwarming –witnessing her sharing her good news with someone she loves dearly.
Think back to a time when you had something out of the ordinary happen in your life. News that you just could not wait to share with the people around you. If you're like me, once you are able to share it, you take a deep breath and feel the excitement continue to build over your recent announcement. Sharing it is part of the enjoyment. Celebrating milestones or accomplishments brings such satisfaction but sharing them with others.... that's where the celebration seems to begin. We aren't typically stingy with our good news and in most cases, we are not limited on how many we can share it with. It's quite simple: we have good news, and we cannot wait to relive it by sharing it with others.
I have had some pretty extraordinary things happen in my life. I married my best friend, I have the privilege of getting to be a mom to three outstanding kiddos, and I have a platform where I write and speak for the glory and honor of the Lord regularly. No, this isn't even close to an exhaustive list of good things that have happened in my life, but they are all things that changed my life here on earth. These things made life better, happier, and more enjoyable.
And though these things have gifted me much happiness; they are not the most important things that I can share with you. The best news that you will ever hear and the best words that you can ever share with anyone person is the truth of who Christ is and what he has done in your life. Once you have experienced this work of Christ, it should be so life-changing that not sharing this experience feels almost impossible... like my baby girl waiting all day for her daddy to get home to tell him what has brought her such satisfaction that day.
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, who he has redeemed from trouble."
The Bible tells us that when we are redeemed by the blood of Christ. That believing in Him and choosing repentance over rebellion is where we walk in the newness of life. This renewal is only offered through Salvation in Jesus Christ. When our eyes are opened to the truths of scripture, we realize that a life lived without Christ is a dry wasteland. When we have found redemption in Christ, we thrive and flourish. Sharing this good news should be far from optional. It is our testimony to the greatness of God. And to remain silent over such life-changing greatness is ungrateful on our part.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we became a new creation. Our old self is gone. This new life means that we exit from the life we once lived without Christ as our purpose. This new life gives us a new beginning –a fresh start. Our old ways don't hold a candle to the love that we have found in Jesus Christ. The change from old to new should be evident in the life of the believer as the roots begin to grow deep. This depth and stability allow our lives to bear fruit. So, when others inquire about the fruit of the new life that you are living in Christ....say so. Let the redeemed say so. After all, how could you possibly keep quiet on the best news that you will ever share?
Where would you be today if someone had not shared the reason for their new life in Christ? Where would your friends or family be today if you had not shared the truth of Christ with them? And yes, it is only through the power of Christ that we can walk in the newness of life. We are not the saviors, Christ is. But dear people, we are the vessels He uses to share the best news that you will ever hear. If you have been redeemed.... say so.
spiritual disciplines
Spiritual Disciplines have been such a ginormous part of my growth in Christ. These disciplines changed my daily walk with the Lord and have taught me about reliance and dependence on Him! My prayer is that this space can help deepen your knowledge and understanding by teaching you to lean in closer to God. With that being said, my goal is to incorporate these disciplines slowly so that you can gain a clear picture and understanding of each one as well as learn how to incorporate them into your daily walk with the Lord. Here is a list of the 8 disciplines that we will cover. If these disciplines are already a regular part of your day, now is a great opportunity to reach out to a friend that could use some help learning and growing.
Bible Study
Memorization
Meditation
Prayer
Worship
Evangelism
Fasting
Solitude
We have now covered the eight tangible spiritual disciplines that growing in God focuses on.IF you missed any of these, please go back and review them in the past blogs.
This week's Bible Study:
Psalm 101-135
MONDAY: Psalm 101-105
TUESDAY: Psalm 106-110
WEDNESDAY: Psalm 111-115
Thursday: Psalm 116-120
Friday: psalm 121-125
Saturday: psalm 126-130
Sunday: psalm 131-135
This week's verse to memorize and meditate on:
Psalm 107:1-2
"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast loves endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, who he has redeemed from trouble."
Tips and challenges this week:
If you have not already, begin implementing spiritual disciplines into your daily walk with God.
Some like to begin by adding one at a time.
Dig deeper and gain a better understanding of the meaning and purpose behind each discipline.
Find an accountability partner that can encourage you in your time spent with the Lord. (For help with this, check out our accountability groups. Scan the QR code at the bottom of this page for more information.)
Private Facebook Discussion Group
Would you like to dig a little deeper into your weekly reading and spiritual disciplines? Join our Facebook group where we learn, grow and encourage one another.
Questions?
If you have questions or things that you don't understand, please email them to me and I will add them to the Q&A section. I can't promise you that I will have all of the answers, but I can promise I will do my best to find them if I don't have them.
Growing in God
Would you like a tool to encourage your growth in God? Check out my newly released 12-month spiritual disciplines book/journal. This journal will give you a brief understanding of 8 tangible spiritual disciplines as well as give you a space to implement these disciplines into your daily walk with God.
Are you searching for an accountability partner or a group? A person that can encourage you in your walk with the Lord? joyfully HIS has made this option available to you. Scan the QR code for more information or to sign up.
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