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If you want the blessing – James 1:25 {Memory verse}

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MEMORIZE

Plan A:

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
James 1:25 (ESV)

Plan B:

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1:27 (ESV)

MEDITATE

If we want to be blessed—and who doesn’t?—then we need to get this straight:

The blessing is in the doing.

James has been consistent with that message over and over in our memory verses the past few weeks.

And here it is again this week, stronger than ever. Don’t just hear it, talk about it, think about it: Do it!

PRAY

Lord,
What is it that you’re wanting me to do? Please lay it plainly on my heart, then enact it through my body. I want to receive the blessing you’ve promised.

The blessing is promised for those who do. Memorize James 1:25 with us. #HideHisWord

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Don’t look directly at the sun! But the Son?

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DON’T LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN

Were you told as a child, “Never look directly at the sun! You’ll go blind!”?

I was. It made me skittish to look toward the sun at all, lest I accidentally linger too long on that ball of fire and live in darkness forever.

The sun is the brightest and most prominent object in our sky. Everyone depends on it. Our lives are scheduled around it. We get our energy from it.

King David knew that too, albeit in a different way than we know now through scientific knowledge. He wrote poetically in Psalm 19:4-6 that God uses the sky as a tent for the sun. The sun sets out each morning, and like a strong man, it runs its course with joy, always on the move, from one end of the heavens to the other.

But as it turns out, our mama’s advice about not looking at the sun IS valid. We should NOT look directly at the sun, because, well, we really could go blind. Just like setting fire to paper by focusing sunlight through a lens, the same thing can happen to the lens of our eyes. And once our retina cells are killed, they don’t regenerate.

So instead we give quick glances toward the sun or look through other mediums or settle for images from high-resolution telescopes.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SON?

Does the same advice apply: Don’t look directly at the Son?

By our actions, we sometimes imply the answer is yes.

Instead of looking directly at Jesus, we may give Him quick glances. Or we think our work FOR Him is the same thing as gazing at Him. Or we are satisfied with simply hearing what others say about Him.

What happens when we look directly at other things (even good, godly things!) instead of on Jesus?

  • When we focus on church, we become discouraged by flawed people
  • When we focus on culture, we lose hope that good always wins in the end
  • When we focus on ministries, we turn them into idols

Anything other than Jesus placed at the center of our lives will eventually create blind spots. And if those things are stared at long enough, they can cause us to lose our true vision altogether.

SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

Look directly at the Son!

Continue to love your church, work among your culture, minister with your gifts, but stay centered on Jesus.

  • Talk to Him
  • Praise Him
  • Thank Him
  • Confess to Him
  • Worship Him

As you do, you’ll discover in your daily circle around the earthly sun that your spiritual vision is becoming clearer and stronger.

May the eternal Son always stay the brightest and most prominent object in your atmosphere.

Psalm-27-4

Should you stare directly at the Son? You won’t go blind. #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord

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Have you ever been tempted to stare at the sun?
How do you keep yourself focused on Jesus the Son?
Please share in the comments.

We’re studying Psalm 19 all month. Read it often throughout July. Check out our other posts here.

God's Beautiful World and Perfect Word {a Psalm 19 study}

Psalm 19 – Background Image for You!

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This month we’re studying Psalm 19 here at DND. We’re so glad you’re joining us!

We pray that you’d be blessed by our time together spent in God’s Word and drawing closer to Him. After all,

9b …”the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb…” (Psalm 19:9-10, ESV)

And as a way to help keep us focusing on this sweet treasure, I’ve put together a computer background image for us to use as we study Psalm 19 this month…

Psalm 19 computer background image at www.DoNotDepart.com

(To download: click on the image or click here…)

The truth is that despite our crazy-busy lives and whether or not we slow down enough to look up to the heavens, there they are… declaring God’s glory. Shouldn’t we stop and join in? The beauty of His creation reminds us that only God and His perfect Word can revive our souls, warn us, reward us, and cleanse us. His words are sweet and life giving.

Will you slow down with me today, look to His heavens as they glorify the Creator, and spend time with Him over the pages of His written word?

Thank you, Lord, for your Beautiful World and Perfect Word. Both point our hearts to you for your glorification. Help me today to live my life in a way that honors you! Amen

A free computer background image for you! Psalm 19 from @DoNotDepart #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord

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Look in the mirror – James 1:23-24 {Memory verse}

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MEMORIZE

Plan A:

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
James 1:23-24 (ESV)

Plan B:

for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:20 (ESV)

MEDITATE

When is the last time you looked in a mirror? This morning? Last night? Do you remember what you saw?

It’s likely that you remember what you looked liked because you’ve looked so many times before. But what if you forgot as soon as you walked away? That’s what it’s like when we read [hear] a scripture, but then don’t do it.

Let’s not just look this week, but do what we see as we memorize this week.

PRAY

Lord,
We want to remember what we hear. But better yet, we want to do it. Give us memory and courage and initiative to love in actions, not just in words, this week. May you receive all the glory.

Looking in the mirror isn’t enough. Memorize James 1:23-24 with us. #HideHisWord

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Declaring the Glory of God

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Declaring the Glory of God, a post in a Psalm 19 Study at DoNotDepart.com

People sometimes argue that it was by chance. That this whole beautiful creation all around us was the result of some cosmic boom.

The Bible tells us otherwise.

Creation was no accident, no chance chemical reaction, and definitely no mistake!

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

1The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4Their voiceb goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun… (Psalm 19:1-4)

In various ways, God’s creation is meant to glorify Him. Last month, we focused on The Marvelous Creator and the fact that His handiwork is meant to inspire our worship. And this month, in Psalm 19, we are reminded that in God’s beautiful world, the heavens cry out, glorifying God!

I love a starlit sky. Gazing up at bright white constellations like the Big Dipper, Libra, and Cygnus against a black-night backdrop remind me of just how profound and intellectual God is! Both the light He created and the Light He is bring Him glory by revealing His unlimited ability. (And the science behind physical light alone is remarkable… our world could never exist without light–  just as spiritually, we are dead without the Light of the World.)

Recently, Jupiter and Venus were less than one-third of a degree apart. Did you get a chance to see that? The result was a breathtaking, bright “double star” and a beautiful reminder that our powerful God is creative, magnificent, and intelligent. He truly does have the whole world (and universe!) in His hands.

We Can Declare His Glory, Too

As the heavens declare His glory, so can we. We can even shine like stars! We can live our lives for His glorification. We can proclaim His handiwork by our actions, and the heart behind our actions, and follow it up with our words. We may feel like our words can’t reach the “end of the world”, but our influence may extend farther than we think.

Will you follow me down a quick rabbit trail? In my ladies’ Bible study group just yesterday a friend mentioned the hymn “In Times Like These.” Do you know that old hymn? Well, it turns out that it was written by a housewife, Ruth Caye Jones, who was overwhelmed with stress and worry during WWII. I’m sure she couldn’t imagine how far her words would reach and how many people’s hearts she would touch and encourage when she sat at her table to pen those precious words. Her words glorify God, right along with the heavenly bodies of the day and night.

Our voice can join in, too, with the voice of the heavens, declaring God’s beauty, His love, His faithfulness, and His unchanging and merciful nature.

So, as the heavens declare God’s glory, how can you? Here are a few pratical ideas:

  • Give thanks, both publicly and privately
  • Speak words of praise
  • Write a social media post that glorifies God
  • Share with a friend what God has done in your life
  • Pray for strength to be obedient to God’s will, then follow through
  • Read the Bible with your children and share God’s goodness
  • Sing with a joyful heart

Of course, these are only a few ideas… Please share in the comments how you’ve recently joined in with the heavens to let your “voice go out through all the earth.”

Blessings in Christ,

Ali

Until the next post in this series, here’s a little “homework” for you…

  1. Make a list of the things you love about the skies and the way those things show God’s glory. Thank Him for each thing on your list.
  2. Read Psalm 24 aloud.
  3. Read 1 Cor 6:19-20 and  1 Cor 10:31. What is God showing you in these verses?
As the heavens declare God’s glory, so can we! #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord

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Need practical ideas of how you can declare God’s glory? Read more here. #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord

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God’s Beautiful World and Perfect Word {a study on Psalm 19}

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Last month, we spent the month marveling at how God’s creation reminds us of different aspects of Him and our faith.

Let’s keep those observations and truths in mind as we study Psalm 19 this month!

When you think of God’s beautiful world, Psalm 19:1 might quickly come to mind:

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

All of God’s creation — roaring waves at a beach, birds building a nest, rolling hills of millennia-old mountains, leaves dancing in the wind, flowers opening to life-producing sunshine, brilliant shades at sunset — reminds us of Him and proclaims His glory and His handiwork just by existing.

Spending time in His creation can renew our spirits.

As can spending time in His perfect word.

Psalm 19 is an ode to God’s beautiful world and His perfect Word. And we want to read about it, revel in it, and praise Him for it together this month.

God's Beautiful World and Perfect Word {a Psalm 19 study}

Bible Study This Week

  1. Read Psalm 19 once each day, if you can, to let the words sink in to your mind and heart.
  2. Record two ways God’s creation and His Word revive your soul and let your heart rejoice (Psalm 19:7-8).
  3. Stay tuned for the first post on Thursday!

What is one way you can praise Him for His creation and/or His Word today? Share in the comments below!

Join us for a study on Psalm 19 and God’s #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord!

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All of God’s #BeautifulWorldPerfectWord reminds us of Him and proclaims His glory and His handiwork just by existing: 

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When listening isn’t enough – James 1:21-22 {Memory verse}

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James-1_21-22

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MEMORIZE

Plan A:

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:21-22 (ESV)

Plan B:

for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:20 (ESV)

MEDITATE

Can you receive new things if your hands are already full? There are things you put off, and things you put on. Things you don’t do, and things you do.

Listening isn’t enough this week. Let’s not just hear. Let’s do! A great start is by memorizing our verses this week. Please join us.

PRAY

Lord,
Help us lay aside our dirty, ugly words and deeds this week. We humbly replace them with Your words and heart instead. May we demonstrate Your love to all You put in our path.

Listening isn’t enough this week. Put love into action! Memorize James 1:21-22 with us. #HideHisWord

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Freedom in Christ

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Freedom in Christ, read more at DoNotDepart.com

Here in the USA, we’ll soon be celebrating how our nation declared, then won its independence long ago.  We gather together with friends and family to celebrate our freedoms.

I love all the July 4th festivities… and it reminds me that the very best kind of freedom is the freedom God offers us through His son, Jesus Christ! Now, that freedom is definitely worth celebrating, right?

Thank you, Jesus, for setting us free from the curse of death and the yoke of slavery to sin!

Here are some verses from God’s word that highlight the freedom we have in Christ Jesus:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,” Gal 3:13a

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Gal 5:1

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

And this entire passage is about freedom and new life through Christ:

5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Rom 6:5-11)

We hope that as you celebrate and thank God for our nation’s freedom, you’ll also praise Him for the very best freedom ever—that found in Jesus!

If you’d like to read more about this type of freedom, DND team writer, Lisa Burgess, has written much about it on her blog. Here are a few links to her posts:

What makes you especially thankful for the freedom Christ has given you? How has this freedom changed your life?

Thankful for all freedom, especially the freedom found in Christ!

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Marvelous Creator – Wrap Up

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A Summertime Bible Study -- worship The Marvelous Creator with us at DoNotDepart.com

Have you had the opportunity to spend some quality time outside this summer?

We hope you’ve been awed and amazed by God’s Marvelous Creation just as we have.

We’ve spent all this month focusing on the fact that God’s handiwork is designed to point our heart toward Him.  The Master Artist desires our worship and praise in response to His love, power, and majesty.

Isn’t God so creative to have given us these many reminders of His love?!

So, what part of God’s Marvelous Creation reminds you of just how amazing our Creator and Savior is? Please share with us in the comments and let’s praise Him together! 

The #MarvelousCreator gave us a beautiful world to inspire our hearts to worship Him!

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Marvelous Creator: The Gift of Water

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The Gift of Water - a post in the Marvelous Creator Bible Study series at DoNotDepart.com

 

It is summer and many of us are on the move – on vacation and in search of rest and a break from our daily lives.

Have you ever noticed that vacations are often planned near water? There is something about a body of water that draws us. Historically, people lived near water because survival depended on it. With modern water systems, we now tend more often to think of lakes, rivers and oceans as peaceful places to enjoy ourselves.

We couldn’t live without water. Humans can live for a surprisingly long time without food, but can’t survive much more than three or fours days without water.

While our earthly life depends on physical water, our eternal life depends on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who offers us living water.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (‭John‬ ‭7‬:‭37-38‬ ESV)

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭13-14‬ ESV)

In water we find many poignant metaphors:

  • Water is powerful. Recent flooding in the United States is only the latest reminder of the great power of water. Water can remind us of the incomparable power of God.
  • Water gives life. In fact we define what is alive by its need for water. Jesus gives us eternal life!
  • Water cleanses. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross washed us clean from our sins.

If you find yourself near water on your vacation this summer, take some time to meditate on the gift of earthly water, and the precious spiritual gift of living water.

Bible study suggestions:

1) Read John 4:1-14. Ponder “living water.” What has been brought to life in you because of Jesus?

2) Read Ezekiel 36:25. What areas of your heart need to be opened to the cleansing power of the living water of Jesus Christ?

3) Read Isaiah 43:2. Consider the power of water and how God is even more powerful. His is the power that will see you through your hardest trials.

The Gift of Water – a short #BibleStudy about our #MarvelousCreator

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