Month: September 2020

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 7

‘Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ‘ Colossians 3:1(NLT)

‘And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ‘ Colossians 3:4-5(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 6

‘We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. ‘ 2 Corinthians 6:6-7(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

from Dating and Relationships

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 5

‘Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. ‘ 1 Timothy 4:11-12(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

from Dating and Relationships

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 4

‘So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”’ 1 Peter 1:14-16(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

from Dating and Relationships

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 3

‘Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.’ 1 Corinthians 6:18-20(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

from Dating and Relationships

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 2

‘God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. ‘ 1 Thessalonians 4:3(NLT)

‘God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.’ 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

from Dating and Relationships

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Dating ZZ

Dating and Relationships – Day 1

‘For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ‘ Ephesians 5:8-10(NLT)

How to UNCOVER God’s Word:

ASK – God to connect with you here. In prayer, start by slowing down, inviting God to be present. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

READ – the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of the words and phrases that intrigue you, reading them a second time if necessary.

REFLECT – on what grabs you.  What connections do you see at this point in your life? How might God be speaking to you through these words? Stop long enough to let this take root and thank God for engaging you.

RESPOND – to the Scripture.  Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you’ve uncovered – individually and with your church. And look for ways to bring what you have discovered to others.

Each of our readers has a unique story of how they interact with the Bible. We invite you to click on the link below, so we can learn more about you and readers like you. Your participation will help the American Bible Society continue to provide high-quality Bible resources for people everywhere and will inform the development of new Bible resources.

from Dating and Relationships

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Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Pride And Rebellion – Day 5

‘Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”’ Matthew 11:28-30(NLT)

‘God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. ‘ Hebrews 4:1-3(NLT)

‘Yet I am confident I will see the Lord ’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.’ Psalms 27:13(NLT)

I don’t want to live a heavy life, carrying around weights and burdens that I was never intended to carry. Doing so would make the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ of none effect. Why take on all of our sins at the cross if we were going to rebel and pick them all up again? I aim not to disrespect the sacrifice of Christ.

I’m ready to receive the promise of rest, knowing that it doesn’t mean that I’ll never have problems in this world. However, the problems I do have won’t be as a result of my pride, arrogance, unbelief and disobedience. As scary as it may be at the moment, I’m just gonna close my eyes and follow Him. It may not be easy, it may kill your flesh and destroy your pride. But what do we have to lose? We have to know our God and if we’re not in a place of trust, tell Him. I promise you that He won’t be offended. Open your heart and your mouth and lay it all on the line. He desires to draw us to and through Him to the best parts of Himself. Trust me when I say that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

from Pride And Rebellion by Dionne Dean

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Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Pride And Rebellion – Day 4

‘And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.’ Matthew 13:58(NLT)

‘But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? ‘ Romans 10:14(NLT)

A lot of times we rebel because we don’t think God knows what he’s talking about. As if our 30, 40, or 100 years on earth trumps the wisdom of the creator of universe. In our flesh and from our worldly point of view, it’d seem like we know everything about the situation we’re in. God has noooooooo idea how I’m feeling, what I’m going through or my plans. He’s just up there in the sky somewhere being Godly!

This I know: every time I work out of my self, I fail. When I pay attention to and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, I win. I get in the Word of God and then something I’m reading is confirmed by a minister of the gospel, or simply my best friend in conversation. I’m comforted to know that God will get a message to me even in the midst of my rebellion to lead to me out. 

I choose to be a believer so that God can make miracles happen in my life.

from Pride And Rebellion by Dionne Dean

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Devotion for Men Devotion for Women ZZ

Pride And Rebellion – Day 3

‘Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall.’ Psalms 106:35-36(NLT)

‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ‘ Hebrews 12:1-2(NLT)

Rebellion is so tiresome; it really is. You’re literally running in the opposite direction of everything that is God. Even in the most treacherous of storms, there’s comfort in knowing that it is a God-ordained storm rather than a storm of your own making.

In Psalm 106, the Psalmist highlights the disobedience of ‘The Children of Israel’ and it is a tiresome tale. By the end of the scripture, you’re just like, ‘Obey already!’ But oh goodness, isn’t that they way the angels of the Lord look at us? Like ‘C’mon people, obey already!’

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live my life in my own power anymore. I’m tired of scraping my knees and bumping my head at every turn. I want God’s direction and I want God’s blessing, so that even in the tough times, I know they’re not in vain.

from Pride And Rebellion by Dionne Dean