When Jesus’ disciples were having a hard time understanding one of his more difficult lessons, he does what any good teacher would do. He challenges them with an example: “Don’t you remember that time I fed thousands of people from five loaves of bread?” And like schoolchildren, we imagine them saying: “Ohhh…right. Now we remember.”
When we begin to doubt our faith or when we are having difficulties understanding God’s will for us, we need to remember to remember. We need to recall all the times that God has shown up in our lives and revisit how we felt when we knew that God was in control. We are called to trust that God will do so again and again and again.
Remembering what Jesus died for, for whom and for what reason. We have to remember that we all have blessings that come from the Spirit. Each of us is called to shared those blessings with others not just during Lent, all throughout the year and years to come. Every day, have to remember God is in control and share the blessings of being present, that is the reason a present is a gift. Open the gifts of blessings LLF family to share those blessings with joy always. God is with us always. Blessings on your Lenten Journey.
Amen, Scott! 1 John 3:16, "We know what love is because Jesus Christ gave His life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters!"
I have long been a silent member of LFF rarely posting but praying for all of you. Today I am sending a copy of the link to the Magdala website where you can join a virtual pilgrimage in Israel for Lent. The pilgrimage has been an important part of my Lenten journey in the past as we visited the sights where Jesus walked, preached and eventually died for us. May God Bless you this Lenten season. https://www.magdala.org/
Thank you for sharing this with us. Welcome!
Excellent suggestion, Chris! https://youtu.be/bKabLXzh5FI?si=nsUXUXTV-cbUONfW
God's attributes each week as we study the book of John at Bible Study Fellowship since September, 2023: Guide Eternal Savior Omnipotent Impartial Good Father Provider Gracious Patient Wise Infinite Gracious Preserver Holy Omniscient Glorious Invisible Love...How have I encounter God's attribute this past week? He is Good in encouraging me through the Super Bowl! He is my guide in sendng me words through my BSFers (Best Sisters Forever) to guide me out of my 'sundowning like' symptoms! He is my Preserver giving time to rest during my COVID! Yes, remember to remember Who God was, is and always will be!!!
So much to be related there Steve! I often fall back to “remember when” to boost my spirit, but I also fight temptation to remember the not so good times or, if I’m honest, the times some one hurt me or “did me wrong”, and will harbor a negative feeling toward that person or event. Memories can be a gift only if we use them in the right way. If we allow hatred and ugliness to grow from them we are defeated before we start. Thank you Salina! and peggyR and Linda and Ken and all for your prayers. I believe I am ready to present Hebrews 7 tonight!! May we all enter this Lenten season with a humble heart in our deeds and offerings. Whether they be chocolate (the ultimate weight loss diet for me lol) or physical labors (the benefit of exercise) or extra devotion time (a needed break from social media) we do them for the glory of God and humbly accept the gifts granted to us by God through them. Blessings everyone!
Isaiah 54:10 Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Thanks for the gentle reminder Steve. When I'm down and tired with all the struggles of the world these days I sometimes forget to look at all the good that has happened and have hope of what can happen. I can't say "life used to be so much easier" without seeing God's hand in it then and now. I'm sure he is tired also with all the chaos in this world but he is working as diligently as we are. Blessing LFF. May all those with extra intentions and needs see the reminder of God's love in their lives and may we all go out to spread his love through all the World.
Bill S. I just read the comments from yesterday. May God hold you in his hands to give you the strength and joy you look for. That is a hard phase of life to be in. May happiness, energy and love be with you.
Greetings to you all on this cold day in St. Louis, waiting patiently one more day for the sacred season of lent. May this lent be a powerful and sacred time for you. May you turn, repent, and find God waiting for you, just as always. Trust that turning... Grace and peace to you all. Steve
Thank you Steve for this devotion. It has inspired me to start recording all the times the Lord has been there for me. Then, when I forget my "loaf of bread" I can always go to my journal and not rely on my sometimes forgetfulness. A good Lenten deed for me. I always look forward to your readings. Continued lifting prayers for everyone and have a blessed day. Sandy
What a great idea and prayer discipline, Sandy. That daily "examen" of our blessngs is the first step toward gratitude.
Steve, such a broad devotion. How quick we are to forget. I often think about those biblical figures who had direct interaction with God and somehow felt God had abandoned them. From the cheap seats it feels like they had abandoned the anchor that he gave them, but it also puts our humanity in perspective and that we need constantly be reminded to remember it and relive it. Thank you God for this day and for those who contribute to this site. They share their gifts with us and write in a way that allows us to explore our faith and experience you in different and bigger ways. Continue to bless their lives with the ideas, thoughts and love that fills our community. Happy Shrove Tuesday All.
That's so right, Jane. When we make the time to slow down and remember God's faithfulness, we so often discover and recall those times. Reminds of a current song on Chrsitian radio: All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.
Lord please hear our prayers and bring your light to those suffering in the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, the Sudan, and all those suffering around the world - also for their strength, courage and resilience to continue walking in faith. Send them your light. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in need and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace and rebuilding– we who are working towards it and for all those who are suffering or in danger from conflicts. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.
Thanks Steve, a thought provoking reflection! Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God, help us to remember to remember that what you did back then, you will do again and again. The God we know and do serve is unchangeable. When we do miss that point, when we think that God may have preferences, and yes he has a right to, but he sees each one of us as a son and a daughter. May we never give up on an opportunity to understand that God is God and He always will be God. Always present, always available. Let us Remember to Remember! Sending prayers and blessings for all with special needs and intentions today. Tuesday blessings Living Faith Family.
Great observation...we pout our faith in so many things and people but sometimes fnd it heard to trust the One who created everything and loves us as we are.
Amen ✝️ Learning an attribute of God each day from Scripture storing in our memory bank ❤️ and our encounters with God each day will bring to memory His attributes in our memory bank ✝️
Remember to remember…beautiful JJC
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*** Jesus talked about spiritual truth - the yeast of the Pharisees and herodians in Mark 8:15, “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees. And watch out for the yeast of Herod.” *** The disciples thought about the physical reality - not enough bread in Mark 8:16, “They talked about this with each other. They said, “He must be saying this because we don’t have any bread.” *** So what was Jesus’ warning all about? What does yeast mean? 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, “Your bragging is not good. It is like yeast. Don’t you know that just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise? Get rid of the old yeast. Then you can be like a new batch of dough without yeast. That is what you really are. That’s because Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been offered up for us.” ******* Jesus warned about the Pharisees’ yeast - hypocrisy, their man-made traditions, false teaching and unbelief turning everyone from God to their own works, rules and traditions to make or achieve their standing with God :-(