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But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; With favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.5.11-12.KJV
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:25-27, 29-34 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.25-34.KJV
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; With favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.5.11-12.KJV
Because God has gone before us and protects us from behind, He has our battles already handled. He has the blind side covered. He isn’t surprised by curveballs. The more that we attempt to wield the battle sword and lead the charge without Him, the more we will grow weary and struggle. He went ahead of us and secured for us the exact measure of salvation that we need. The exact portion that was designed for us. There is literally nothing better than the portion He secured for your life, because your God-ordained portion is for you and you alone. Your portion will provide wholeness and abundance for you, but not necessarily for your neighbor. Likewise, your neighbor’s portion is not necessarily the same make and model that you need. It is in God’s measured and perfect portion for you that you become fully awake and fully alive. God wants to give you His portion for your life. He’s not in the business of withholding good gifts, He’s in the business of perfecting them. If you ask Him for bread, He will not give you a stone… so ask! He can’t wait for you to enjoy the portion, the measure, that is wonderfully and uniquely yours. Just don’t go into the asking with a preconceived notion of what that portion is. It’s when we go ahead of God and develop our own dreams and goals without aligning to God’s purpose that we find ourselves mightily disappointed. Remember today that He is YOUR portion, that He has a carefully measured gift that has been painstakingly purchased for you. Jesus Christ worked for you. He labored for you. He endured for you. He bled for you. He died for you. But most importantly, He didn’t just take all of your battles on His shoulders for you, He defeated each and every thing that threatened you so that you can live fully alive. God is everything you need. Yesterday, today, and forever. And all of this talk about portion is making me hungry. I’m off to get a cookie. Reflection: What is the difference between wanting something and needing something? I think of it like a chocolate cake. I want it all the time, but I truly may never need it. Do you believe the portion God has for you is based more on want or need? Read Matthew 6:26-33. What is God telling you through His words here in these verses? Often knowing God’s portion requires us to come near to Him, to read His Word and pursue His presence. How are you doing that today?
https://www.klove.com/music/blog/new-music/cory-asbury-celebrates-deliverance-on-egypt-3038
Click the link above if you would like to check out this video. God bless you. Have a safe evening.
Have you heard about the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible? Its print version is so popular that is has run out of print! If we could, we would have the same problem. Thankfully, that’s not possible! Some very well-seasoned and well-respected, theologians put together this study Bible: J.I. Packer, Michael Horton, Kelly Kapic, Michael Reeves, David Wells, and more. We have the full list of contributors on our website if you want to check it out. But we figured you might want to take a peek inside this ultra-popular study Bible. In this post, you’ll learn about systematic theology, how this study Bible is put together, and how it works inside our app. WHAT IS SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY? Theology is the study of the nature of God and religious belief. There are two popular ways to study and write about theology, though: biblical and systematic. What’s the difference? Biblical Theology First, biblical theology is a ground-level approach. Scholars who write biblical theologies go verse-by-verse looking for themes and characteristics. When these findings are documented, authors spend a lot of time explaining a passage and then make theological statements. Systematic Theology Second, systematic theology is an eagle’s-eye approach. Imagine yourself up-high, looking across the whole landscape of the Bible, discovering theological connections across the entire book. When these findings are documented, authors write extensively about one theological tenet. Then, they use several verse references as their proof. The ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible applies thoughts on core, theological topics to specific passages—making it a great resource for getting both a ground-level and eagle’s-eye perspective on Scripture. SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY + STUDY BIBLE Study Bible notes fall into one of ten categories: the attributes of God, revelation, mankind, sin, Jesus Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, church life, the Christian life, and the end times. The information will emphasize the historic doctrines of the Christian faith, while also respecting different views on secondary issues such as baptism, spiritual gifts, and details concerning last things. CROSS REFERENCES In these notes, there are cross-references. These will point you to other study notes that address similar themes. Then, you can learn to see a holistic account of the Christian faith, drawn from the entirety of Scripture. Additionally, there are 28 separate articles that succinctly explain the main tenets of the faith, expanding on the content of these study notes. INDEXES Lastly, this resource comes with two indexes. You can look through a canonical list that outlines every study note in the order it appears in the Bible. Within the app, you can simply tap on this reference and go straight to the entry. The second index is topical. If there is a theological topic you would like more information on, search through this alphabetical list. You will see the verse reference where Scripture and the study notes address this topic. SEE FOR YOURSELF Titus 3:4-6 mentions all three persons of the Trinity. I underlined them in my reading for you. The ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible notes not only explain the relationship between the three, but gave me an understanding of how they are working together. If I tap the references there on the side, the split-window immediately takes me other entries on God’s triune nature. I also found more information on this topic by going to the articles. There I chose the one titled “God.” Here is a lot of helpful information about God’s attributes with links to Scripture references. LEARN MORE What makes this study Bible useful? You gain clarity on the attributes of God and Christian faith, echoed across the pages of the Bible—without flipping a page. As always, this resource works in our Resource Guide. So, when a Bible passage you’re reading (in any translation!) is discussed in this study Bible, we will give you a heads up. It’s all right there, ready for you to read, no matter where you are. Add the ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible to your library today!
I want to share Psalms 23:4 with you. http://bit.ly/habitbible?verse=Psalms:23:4
We never have to be afraid, God is always with us leading and guiding us along the path of our life. ©2022
I am just sitting here thinking about grief, and do we really get over it. Processing something like grief is hard to do. People do not process things the same way. Everyone has their own way of processing things that they are feeling. Sometimes people seek grief counseling, and it may, or may not work, but one never knows until they are faced with it. Sometimes it takes years to get over grief, and it doesn’t really matter what kind of grief it is, or what caused it. I know that grief is a part of life and there is no way around it. Something will always happen to cause grief in our life.
When we look back at our childhood, there may have been things that happened to us that caused us grief that we haven’t gotten over even though we are adults now; it is as if it just happened to us yesterday, well, it was yesterday, but just a long time ago, but our mind holds onto the day it happened, and it is always in the front of our mind. Many things happen in a child’s life that they do not have any control of, such as getting a spanking for doing something our parents told us not to do, or it could be that it was something we wanted and could not get it. It could be a many number of things that causes us grief.
The question is this. Do we ever really get over it? By not getting over things, it causes us to become bitter and hateful over time. It festers like a rotten sore that will not heal. Let’s look up the word “Grief” to see what it means.
Grief-Deep sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death.
Yes, grief is caused by death, but as I stated above, there are other things that cause us grief. The important thing about grief is this, we cannot let it control us, we must control it, but in most cases when it comes to death, we cannot control it. It is something that takes time to get over. It takes prayer and reading the Word to help you through it. I can say this because I am going through grief now. If I did not have my Bible, and a place to write about how I feel I would just hold it all in and it would fester, I would never get over it. Sometimes I just have to get by myself and meditate when I am not writing, reading, drawing, or listening to music. It is how I deal with it. I am quite sure there are more ways, but for now this is what I do.
There is a song written and sang by Kirk Franklin, My Life is in Your Hands. I would listen to it a lot when I was getting ready to have surgery in 2009, I had brain surgery. I have talked about this a lot in some of my archived posts, but it helped me to understand that no matter what we face, or what we go through, including grief, our life is in His hands, and He will help us through whatever we are facing at any given moment. Our life is important because we only get one, so, we cannot stop living because we are going through grief. When we are going through grief, that is when the enemy attacks us, because we are at our weakest point in that moment in time. We are not thinking clearly because we are focusing on how we are feeling and not thinking about what the enemy will try to do to us, or make us think bad thoughts. Sometimes grief can be so hard that most people cannot take it, so they make bad choices that cannot be undone. We just never know what is going to happen from one day to the next, so this is why we must try to take it one day at a time, because it is all we are given, just one day at a time.
Live, laugh, smile, cry, scream, dance and have fun, but most of all just enjoy life every day to the fullest, as if it were our last. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I wrote it from my heart. It has been great sharing with you all on today. I pray your week is very beautiful and filled with love, joy, and laughter. God bless. Thank you for joining me on my journey with Food for the Soul. Stay safe. ©2022
I just finished day 1 of the @YouVersion plan ‘Everything I Need’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/5wZ
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:10-11 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.10.10-11.KJV
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: My reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope. Psalm 16:5-9 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.16.5-9.KJV
My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Psalm 73:26 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.73.26.KJV
Everything I Need • Devotional https://bible.com/reading-plans/22851/day/1?segment=
Verse: Psalm 16:5- The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
Psalm 16:5-Maintaininest My Lot: God defends my cause or my appointed lot in life.
Everything I Need: My Portion “Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home; When Jesus is my portion, My constant Friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. I sing because I’m happy, and I sing because I’m free. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He cares for me.” -Civilla D. Martin, 1905 I don’t know about you, but the word portion has forever been ruined for me by the variety of Weight Watcher commercials that have cycled throughout the decades. Portion = food. Portion = diet. Portion points me to a life of tiny bites, of deprivation. It means restriction, denying myself the enjoyment of that blessed bowl of moose tracks ice cream, or having to stop prematurely after indulging in one bite of insanely good, ooey-gooey chocolate lava cake. Portion means having a much smaller amount of something I desire. It means that I have to stop short of what I really want, and ultimately that I won’t be satisfied. If I say “portion,” you say… Control! I wonder if that’s how Civilla Martin thought about the word portion when she penned those beautiful song lyrics about a Christian couple whom, while both riddled with life limiting bodily afflictions, lived happy lives overflowing with faith? (Look up the song story for some interesting background!) I’m pretty sure she wasn’t thinking about restriction, like we think about restricting sugar or carbs nowadays. The fad diets and portion control mindset is really only a fairly recent trend in our culture of excess and indulgence. At the turn of the twentieth century, Cheetos and Cinnabon weren’t around. Food wasn’t fast, and cooking an apple pie was significantly more laborious than the ease in which I rip open a box of Pillsbury pie crust, roll out the premade crust, and cut cute little shapes in the perfectly flattened and round crust to delicately place on top. In my mind’s eye, a homemade apple pie made in 1905 was certainly much more of a valued prize that was savored with family and friends in community together at a table than how we think about eating an apple pie today. After all, we can just run down to the local grocery store chain and pick one up in less than 30 minutes! The word portion does indeed mean a measure. A perfect measure, not a lacking measure. A measure that is uniquely ours… and not anyone else’s. It is the exact amount of something that we need. A common definition of portion (as a noun) is “an individual’s part or share of something: such as a share received by a gift or inheritance.” A gift, an inheritance – something that we couldn’t earn, but an honor we receive just by being adopted into the family of God as a son and daughter. Jesus is our portion. Our share of good. Our family inheritance with all the privileges and titles of a son or daughter. Psalm 16:5 [AMP] says, “The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage.” We have a good heritage because God is good. We have a portion, a perfect measure assigned to us that keeps us safe, that upholds us, that enables us to fly above the storm and fight battles on His consistent faithfulness and strength. His portion and measure for us is a perfect gift that we need so desperately in this life. Reflection: When you think of the word portion, do you think of having enough of something, or having a lack of something? Do you feel full right now? Why or why not? (You know that I’m not talking about food at this point!) Have you ever asked God what your unique and measured portion is at this moment? If not, take a few moments to ask Him. Ask Him to reveal anything that is getting in the way of that portion. Be encouraged. God is faithful!
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.3.5-6.KJV
God will guide us down the path of life when we do not know which way to go. We just have to learn to completely trust Him. Have a blessed day. ©2022
Everything I Need http://bible.com/r/5wZ
Click on the link above if you would like to check out this reading plan. God bless you. ©2022
Food for the Soul 