NEIGHBORS
Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinning against the LORD. Genesis 13:10-13 NIV Continue reading “NEIGHBORS”
SNOW
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 NASB Continue reading “SNOW”
SIT
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12 ESV Continue reading “SIT”
DEVOURING THE WORD
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty. Jeremiah 15:16 NIV Continue reading “DEVOURING THE WORD”
CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES
You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Psalm 139:15 The Message Continue reading “CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES”
POSITIVE RESULTS
SUPPLEMENTS
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. II Peter 1:5-7 NIV Continue reading “SUPPLEMENTS”
GATES
And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon they gates. Deuteronomy 11:20 KJV
Gates are barriers used to close or open an opening in a wall, fence or hedge. We use them as entrances or exits. Our dogs patiently or not so patiently wait at them to go in after a walk or excitedly to go out for a car ride. When the dogs escape through the gate, we draw them back home to safety within the gates of their own family.
The bible talks about a multitude of different types of gates. The sheep gate is mentioned where the sheep go in and out and find pasture and Jesus makes claim to being the door of the sheep gate. We hear about the gates of both heaven and hell. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells us that he is building his church on the rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Psalm 100:4 says to enter his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts.
Like the dogs and the sheep Jesus talks about, we often try to go through different gates in our life before it is the right time. Jesus gently comes after us and brings us back to the safety of the family of God, where we can be nourished and enjoy fellowship. Open gates always look inviting and can lead us to greater growth and adventure with Jesus.
Closed gates represent boundaries to us. They are the same old, same old that is requiring us to stay where we are and not try anything new. During a season of closed gates, we can also experience the growth necessary for the future. We can develop a relationship with Jesus that will strengthen and keep us during all the seasons of our life.
Whether you are facing open gates or closed ones today, be like the dogs and wait patiently and excitedly. Jesus has something great in store for you. When the gate swings wide, with God, you will be ready to walk through to the other side.
LIGHT
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23 NIV
Just Another Dog Devotion 