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Do Not Depart

Encouragement and Tools to Abide in God's Word

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Isaiah 53:5 – With His Wounds We Are Healed

April 3, 2015 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Isaiah 53:3. Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

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Isaiah 53:3. Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

– Isaiah 55:1-12 (ESV)

Every day this month the Do Not Depart team will be posting a scripture graphic that you can use to spread the Word of God. Share it on social media, print it out and write someone a letter, email it to someone who needs encouragement.

You are free to share our image with Isaiah 53:5 above. If you have questions about how to download images, just ask in the comments (be sure to tell us what type of computer/device you are using.)

Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

Today’s shareable image is Isaiah 53:5. #SpreadTheWord

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Download shareable scripture graphics all month at Do Not Depart! #SpreadTheWord

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Like One Who Serves {Spread the Word Printable Graphic}

April 2, 2015 by Caroline Leave a Comment

Luke 22:26-27
Luke 22:26-27
Original photo credit

“When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” – Luke 22:14-30 (NIV)

Feel free to save and share this graphic for Scripture memory, sharing with others, and reminding yourself of His Word during this Easter week.

If you have questions about how to download images, just ask in the comments. (Be sure to tell us what type of computer/device you are using.)

Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

A shareable graphic on Luke 22:26-27 as part of this month’s #SpreadtheWord series:

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It’s Holy Week, and today @DoNotDepart is sharing a printable graphic with Luke 22:26-27:

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Spread the Word – 30 Days of Shareable Scripture Graphics

April 1, 2015 by Patti Brown 2 Comments

(Psalm 119:16) Visit Do Not Depart for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

(Psalm 119:16) Visit Do Not Depart for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

I hear it often in Christian circles – the internet is evil. There is no denying that the access we now have to anything and everything online has created an easy-to-open door to unwelcome and even truly evil things.

So what is the right way for a believer to respond? Should we all just stay off the internet?

What if, instead of complaining or hiding, we choose to bring light?

Every day this month the Do Not Depart team will be posting a scripture graphic that you can use to spread the Word of God. Share it on social media, print it out and write someone a letter, email it to someone who needs encouragement.

Today we would love for you to share our image with Psalm 119:16 above. If you have questions about how to download images, just ask in the comments (be sure to tell us what type of computer/device you are using.)

I have seen God do amazing work through people and ministries right here on the Internet. What a privilege to live in a time when we truly can reach into all corners of the world in just seconds!

Let’s all join together and spread the Word of God far and wide!

Visit DoNotDepart.com for more shareable scripture graphics! #SpreadTheWord

Download shareable scripture graphics all month at Do Not Depart! #SpreadTheWord

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Share our Psalm 119:16 image with your friends today! #SpreadTheWord Download –>

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Shine Like Stars Study Recap

March 31, 2015 by Caroline Leave a Comment

Shine Like Stars series button 300x300

Thank you for joining us this month as we studied Philippians 2:1-18 together.

This month:

  • Ali looked at Philippians 2:1-2 and how we are all different, but united.
  • Kathy noted the counter-culture focus in Philippians 2:3-5.
  • Lisa shared 5 ways to listen better — and shine brighter — after reading Philippians 2:5-11.
  • I looked at how obedience takes hard work, but it’s not work we do alone from Philippians 2:12-13.
  • Lindsey detailed what shining like stars really looks like for believers, via Philippians 2:14-16.
  • Patti pointed out how Philippians 2:17-18 shows us that serving and rejoicing coexist.

As a community, we can shine like stars, telling others of God’s brightness.

Shine Like Stars series button 300x300

So, tell us: What verse(s) stuck out to you the most this month? How can we encourage each other, members of the community of believers, to shine His love today? Share in the comments!

We’ve studied Philippians 2 all month long. Come share your shining bright stories today! #ShineLikeStars

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A recap of the #ShineLikeStars study:

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Who is humble? – James 1:1 {Memory verse}

March 30, 2015 by Lisa Burgess 2 Comments

James-1_1

James-1_1

[click on pic then download for full-size wallpaper]

MEMORIZE

Plan A:

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
James 1:1

Plan B:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
James 1:2

MEDITATE

The author James could have introduced himself this way: “Hey everybody. I am the half-brother of Jesus himself! So listen up!”

But no. He simply says, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

As you begin memorizing James 1 this week, reflect on the humility of James. Are we as humble in introducing ourselves to others? What kind of impression do we hope to make?

PRAY

Lord,
Thank you for reminding us that our greatest calling is to be your servant. May we share our message with others through humility.

Week 1 of memorizing James 1! How do you introduce yourself? #HideHisWord

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We often overlook these opening verses, but what value can we gain from James’ beginning? Please share in the comments.

Hiding-James-1-in-My-Heart_DoNotDepart

 

 

Shine Like Stars: Give and Rejoice {Philippians 2:17-18}

March 28, 2015 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. - Philippians 2:17

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. - Philippians 2:17

We have spent this month reading and reflecting on Philippians 2… on how we who walk with Christ are called to shine like stars in our often dark world.

How do we shine? By…

  • reflecting Christ’s light
  • being united
  • living unselfishly
  • listening
  • working with God
  • not complaining, and holding fast to God’s Word

Our final verses in this month’s study are Philippians 2:17-18.

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

What more can we glean about shining from these two verses?

  • we choose to give
  • we rejoice!

Give

Sometimes God calls us to give sacrificially. To be poured out.

In ancient Israel, many types of offerings were made by the priests on the altar of the Lord. The Old Testament goes into great detail about the nature of these offerings – among them, which types of offerings were to be made for specific circumstances and even the level of offering based upon one’s wealth.

The drink offering was one of the types of offerings. Usually wine, a drink offering was often poured over other offerings on the altar. All offerings required a sacrifice of some kind on the part of the giver.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he refers to himself as the offering. And we can apply this to ourselves as well.

As we selflessly seek to walk with God – to love and serve others, to shine like stars – we are called to lay our lives down and make them an offering. We become as a gift on His altar.

We know that Jesus’ death on the cross was the final offering needed to reconcile us to God. The offerings we make as His children we do out of love, not obligation. Your gift of love as you pour yourself out in His service is a sweet aroma to your heavenly Father!

Rejoice – the Right Response to Serving

Let us not be deceived – you can give and give but not shine.

When you allow God to pour you out in service to others, you can take that gift and twist it. It is frighteningly easy to do.

You can feel used, you can feel sorry for yourself, you can act like a martyr. When you do this, you take the shiny gift of service and muddy it with selfishness.

Paul is clear – serve and rejoice. Give all that you have and all that you are, be poured out to the last drop, and rejoice in what God is doing!

I will be honest: there have been times when I have been poured out and felt so dry that I have thrown myself a pity party. When I look at those times I can see two very clear reasons:

  • I was not prioritizing abiding in God and in His Word, so was operating from my own strength
  • I had allowed a spirit of complaining and wrong thinking to creep in and replace an attitude of thanksgiving

Remember, there is a battle for our minds! And as Ali reminded us, “as both His body and His bride we’re called to be united with Christ in the same mind.”

Rejoice Together

Philippians has been called the “joy book” of the bible for good reason. Paul wove the theme of joy deeply throughout his letter to his brothers and sister in Philippi.

Paul encouraged his beloved brethren to rejoice with him, and what a good word this is for us today too!

We each face many earthly struggles and sorrows – there is just no escaping them. In fact Jesus Himself told us to expect them: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b Even in the midst of pain, we who follow Christ can rejoice!

We rejoice together because of Whose we are.

We rejoice together because we believe that God is sovereign, that He is working all things together for good, that we will see Him one day face to face.

Our heavenly Father has made us brothers and sisters, given us to one another to love and enjoy. We bear each other’s burdens and share in each other’s joys.

Our joy in Christ and in one another makes us shine even more!

For further study:

1) Other references to drink offerings in Old Testament include Genesis 35:14, Ezra 7:17 and Numbers 28:7. What happened to the drink offerings?
2) When does Philippians 4:4 say we should rejoice?
3) Consider how your mind plays a role in your ability to rejoice. Read 2 Corinthians 10:5. How can you actively engage in keep your mind on the right track? What is the result of thinking about God and His ways, according to Isaiah 26:3?
4) Reflect: how do other believers help you rejoice? Think of one person in your life who rejoices with you regularly and take the time to call them or jot a note to thank them for blessing you in this way.

Shine Like Stars series button 300x300

Give and Rejoice! – a #ShineLikeStars post on Phil 2:17-18

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We make our lives an offering. Give and rejoice! #ShineLikeStars

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Rejoice together because of Whose you are! #ShineLikeStars

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It’s time! Register today for James 1

March 27, 2015 by Lisa Burgess 3 Comments

James-1_25

James-1_25

As we journey through this practical chapter, we’ll be praying the Lord will help us count our trials as joys (James 1:2), ask for wisdom with confidence (James 1:6), see good gifts from God (James 1:17), be slower to anger (James 1:19), and so much more. It’s a packed chapter!

We’ll travel at a slow pace—1 to 2 verses per week with 2 weeks of breaks—to learn all 27 verses (Plan A). But if that’s too much, memorize alongside us using Plan B. You’ll still learn 8 important verses from James 1, but at a slower pace—1 verse every 2 weeks with 2 weeks of breaks. [See schedules here]

We begin this Monday, March 30, 2015!  Print your resources; place them strategically where you’ll see them; read the chapter a few times; pray through it with intention.

James-1-Resources-Do-Not-Depart

But whether you’re joining us or not, we’d appreciate your prayers! We want to be doers of the word, not hearers only (James 1:22).

Questions? Ask in the comments.

It’s time! Memorize James 1. #HideHisWord

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How to Make Easter All About Jesus {free resource}

March 25, 2015 by Patti Brown 2 Comments

Get this FREE 8 day family devotional for Easter (use code "free" at checkout.)

Get this FREE 8 day family devotional for Easter (use code "free" at checkout.)

We all know how easy it is to let the culture dictate our norms. Nowhere is that more highlighted than during Christian holidays. Santa Claus and presents become the dominating theme at Christmas. The Easter Bunny and candy overwhelm our senses at Easter.

Jesus gets crowded out more every year.

In order to nurture our children in the Lord, we have to be intentional about how we celebrate. There is nothing wrong with candy, but if our little ones wake up on Resurrection Sunday thinking it is only about a giant bunny and jelly beans? We have lost our way and are taking them with us.

With this in mind, Do Not Depart founder Katie Orr created an 8 day family devotional to help her young children keep their hearts and minds focused on Jesus in the days leading up to Easter.

Find More Jesus is designed to be used from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Suited for children from 2–9, each day includes scripture, activity suggestions and topics for discussion. The activities are fun and the theology meaty for this age range. I think Day 6 will especially appeal to your kids and be a memory maker (it includes a normally off-limits activity!)

Download Find More Jesus for FREE today (use the code “free” at checkout,) and you will have plenty of time to gather the few materials you will need for activities.

Let’s continue to encourage our children to keep their eyes on Jesus!

How do you keep Jesus at  the center of your family’s Easter observation?
Share your favorite family-oriented Easter resources in the comments
!

Let the Children Come - monthly feature on helping children to abide in God's Word via DoNotDepart.com

Don’t let the culture dictate how you celebrate Easter. FREE family devotional from @KatieOrr22

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Help keep your kids’ eyes on Jesus this Easter! FREE resource from @KatieOrr22

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Resources to memorize James 1

March 23, 2015 by Lisa Burgess 6 Comments

james-1-2_3

Do you wish you could remember verses like these exactly when you need them?

Now you can!

james-1-2_3

UPDATE:

Our group memory challenge has ended. 

But you can still access our resources and make your own schedule! Here are the schedules we used. Plan A—All In: 1-2 verses per week. If that’s too much, try Plan B—Best Of instead: 1 verse every 2 weeks. You’ll still learn 8 key verses from James 1.

RESOURCES

Whichever plan you choose, print any of these free resources. We offer them in the four most popular versions that our memorizers use, but you can memorize in any translation you prefer.

  • 3×5 Text Cards
    ESV / NIV / KJV / NKJV
  • 3×5 Text/1st Letters Cards–Plan B
    ESV / NIV / KJV / NKJV
  • One-Page Text
    ESV / NIV / KJV / NKJV
  • One-Page 1st Letters
    ESV / NIV / KJV / NKJV
  • Bookmark
  • Button

For extra community, join our Facebook group. Practice the verses using Scripture Typer. Share tweets using #HideHisWord.

Questions? Comments? We’d love to hear in the comments that you’re joining us, or to answer any questions you have.

I’m memorizing James 1. Join me! Free resources here. #HideHisWord

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How Christians Shine Like Stars

March 19, 2015 by Lindsey 3 Comments

How Believers Shine Like Stars in the Universe
How Believers Shine Like Stars in the Universe
photo courtesy: unsplash

Paul told the Christians in Philippi to “shine like stars in the sky.”

I love that word picture, don’t you?

Have you ever been outside in the country on a very clear night and looked up at the stars?

One thing I love about going to my parents’ house is being able to see the stars with unhindered clarity.

They live in the country, so there’s very little light pollution hindering the stars’ beauty.

Instead, when we look into the sky we can usually see glistening, beautiful diamonds. It looks like an artist’s canvas, background painted deep blue with sparkling glitter added in intricate detail.

That’s the word picture Paul painted for us in Philippians 2:14-16: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life…”

Just as a star sparkles in the night sky, so also we should shine in a world that is darkened by sin. 

What does this look like in real life, though? What is it that makes us shine like stars in the sky?

I think we can find the answer in the larger context of Philippians 2.

Reading through verses 1-16, here are some ways believers in Jesus shine like stars.

How Christians Shine Like Stars in the Sky: 

  • Verse 3 – They are unselfish.
  • Verses 3-11 – They are humble.
  • Verse 4 – They look out for the needs and interests of others.
  • Verses 8, 12 – They walk in obedience to God.
  • Verse 14- They do everything without complaining or arguing.
  • Verse 14 – They live in purity.
  • Verse 16 – They hold out the Word of Truth.

Imagine a church where all the members did each of these things.

Imagine a world where people who claimed to believe in Jesus actually lived like it. 

I can rarely go a day without complaining or arguing about something. I can also rarely go a day without being selfish…at least a little bit. My suspicion is, I’m not alone.

The truth is, if I started doing these things – if I stopped thinking about myself, started constantly thinking of others, stopped complaining about the inconveniences or irritations of life, and started living in complete purity – my light would shine a lot brighter.

If we want to shine like stars in the sky, we have to start by being honest with ourselves. Are we shining brightly like the stars…or is our light clouded by our own selfish actions?

If you’re feeling brave, leave a comment sharing which one of the ways listed above you struggle with most? 

What does it mean to shine like a star in the sky? Read more from @LindseyMBell

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Imagine a world where people who claimed to follow Jesus really lived like it.  @LindseyMBell

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Ways Christians Shine Like Stars via @LindseyMBell

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*photo courtesy: unsplash

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