"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

APOLOGY to READERS who followed a SEARCH to HERE & didn't find it

On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Sunday, April 7, 2024

MORE "PAUSES" and ONE WORD CHOICES

50 days from Resurrection Sunday (Easter) is PENTECOST!



"Pentecost is a holy day when Christians commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the early followers of Jesus Christ. Originating from a Greek word meaning "50th day," Pentecost occurred 50 days after Christ's resurrection. Before the events of Pentecost, Jesus had followers, but there was no movement that could really be called the church. Pentecost is considered the birthday of the church. In Pauses for Pentecost, Trevor Hudson leads readers to focus on one word and scripture verse each day. He invites us to pause for just a few minutes to read the brief daily reflection and do a simple practice. The beauty of this book is its simplicity, and the thoughtful meditations guide us to a deeper understanding of the meaning of Pentecost."

I've continued to "Pause" (as I did during Lent) with a book by Trevor Hudson again

🔥"Pauses for Pentecost"🔥

Fortunately, it's only been a week, but that means I've missed sharing 7 days with you

and that means 7 One Words & Scriptures, which are (were) the following:

Day 1 STONE Matthew 28:1-2 (NIV)
Day 2 ANGEL Matthew 28:3-6
Day 3 AHEAD Matthew 28:7
Day 4 *JOY*   Matthew 28:8   
Day 5 CRYING   John 20:15
Day 6 BURNING Luke 24:32
Day 7 TABLE      Luke 24:30

* I am also doing a You Version plan that focuses on just JOY for the month of April:

Pause: A Month of Joy in 5 Minutes a Day

It's not at all like the books by Trevor Hudson or associated with the same type of "pauses".

There are 4 plans of 30 days by 
Lance LangHope is Alive Ministries.
  
I am enjoying this plan & the author's 
style of using: 

Proclaim, Prompt, Prod, Praise, Pray 
each day in the devotions.

After Resurrection SONday,
this is a great way to continue the JOYFUL celebration with even more JOY 
because

"When we are full of JOY, 
life becomes worth living."

(and personally, I need to pause & focus more on JOY in my life because of Jesus!)

I need the fullness of JOY - Resurrection JOY & POWER!

{I didn't mean to digress, yet when Day 4 was JOY, it made me think of this plan.}

<><><>

So let's go back & continue with "Pauses for Pentecost" for this 2nd Week:

Day 8 BREATHED John 20:22 (NIV)
Day 9 DOUBT        John 20:27
Day 10 MORNING John 21:4
Day 11 LEAD         John 21:18
Day 12 ALIVE        Ephesians 2:4-5
Day 13 RAISED     Colossians 3:1
Day 14 DEATH      Colossians 3:5

These are wonderful reflections given for each day of the 50 days along with a Daily Practice.

I probably will not continue sharing all 50 days with the One Words & Scriptures 

but I encourage you to get a copy
(Kindle was very inexpensive)

and allow this season between 
Jesus' Resurrection & Ascension 
to Pentecost Day
to be a time for us as followers of Jesus Christ (Christians, in the real sense)
to enter more fully into God's good news daily together as we meditate on the filling of

the Holy Spirit, in the early church & now, letting the risen Christ 

bring us alive & full of the Spirit & His Resurrection power!

When I read and followed "Pauses for Lent", I was looking forward to continuing with

"Pauses for Pentecost"

to continue my journey intentionally to be refreshed by His Spirit

with the wondrous glory of God

alive in me (us)!

Seeking, thirsting and ready continually

through Christ Jesus for Jesus' return filled with the Living Spirit!

I'm so thankful I discovered these books & this author!

<><><>

And I am continuing with my weekly

ONE WORD

also


This week is

CHOOSE

John 3:30 BSB

 again, the One Word "CHOOSE" is not in the verse, it's found in the devotion & in the

FOCUS TIP

"... focus on CHOOSING His way over yours. When a decision needs to be made, remind yourself that you have a choice and then CHOOSE Him - every time. ... His way is always going to win." Cleere Cherry Reaves

The main reflection question for me:

"...are you CHOOSING what is comfortable over what is Christlike?..." 

WOW

(ouch)

😳

Excellent points & questions throughout this devotion by Cleere Cherry Reaves again

for this week as we allow this One Word to transform our lives.

<>

I certainly see a spiritual connection for me between 

"CHOOSE"

and

the Holy Spirit's filling during

"Pauses for Pentecost"

"HE MUST INCREASE; I MUST DECREASE"


*Deuteronomy 30:19-20(NLT); Job 23:11(NIV); Psalm 16:11(NIV); Matthew 7:13(NIV) 

* has the One Word "Choose"; there are many choices if you click on "CHOOSE"


"Jesus, more of You, less of me."

🙏

Good Word(s) to Focus on for this week!

[image credit: Mary Davis quote]





Wednesday, April 3, 2024

SCRIPTURES (to be, stay and keep) ALERT




"Offer prayers and petitions in the Spirit all the time. Stay ALERT by hanging in there and praying for all believers." CEB, Eph. 6:18



I'm still FOCUSing on ALERT, but I promise that this blog post will not be like "ALERT" or a few of my other recent ones, strictly scriptural. 😉 At least, I intend it to be. 

The book, FOCUS ... gives more than the main verse 1 Corinthians 16:13 BLB that I shared back on the 1st blog post for this week's One Word but the book's 4 scriptures do not contain the One Word: ALERT. The verses given are: 1 Peter 4:12; John 14:26; John 16:33; Proverbs 18:10 all in the ESV. I did share 2 additional ones in "ALERT" from The Voice (Luke 12:40) and Romans 5:3-5 from The Message (MSG); plus a Verse Image of 1 Peter 5:8-9 from Bible (dot) com - You Version. However, there are quite a few scripture verses with the One Word

ALERT

I've chosen a few to share:

Mark 13:33 "Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. And since you don't know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert ... "

"

What I say to you I say to everyone, ‘Be on the alert [stay awake and be continually cautious]!’ ”

Mark 13:37, Amplified (AMP)

but as you may know - I love Word Studies

"Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being ALERT and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2 AMP

"So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded." 1 Thessalonians 5:6 NLT

"Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God." NASB Revelation 3:2 

"
So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won't know the time when I will come to you." Revelation 3:3 International Standard Version (ISV)

"But keep ALERT at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].” "Luke 21:36 AMP

"Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed." Luke 12:38 Berean Standard Bible (BSB)

There are various ones in the Gospels, as you can see, but Matthew has these:

Matthew 24:42Matthew 24:43; Matthew 25:13

Also, there is one in Isaiah, Joshua; and a couple of the Psalms (17 & 127) with ALERT.

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In my search of The VOICE, there are 20 results with ALERT 
in some form of the actual word.

<>

I already shared a special one in "ALERT" but here's another favorite 
from the Old Testament (OT)

 "Remember, as you prepare to fight against us, that the True God is on our side and is leading us. His priests will blow the signal trumpets to alert Him that you are here to fight us, and He will rescue us from our enemies as He promised. O Israelites, God’s chosen people, do not fight against the Eternal One, the True God of your fathers, because you will not succeed." 2 Chronicles 13:12, The Voice

My search for ALERT in The Passion Translation (TPT)
has pages and some of the same as above, but many of the verses 
do not actually have the One WORD: ALERT

<>

Staying ALERT by

"... hanging in there and praying for all believers ..." CEB
{and even some non-believers still}

"Dear Jesus, thank You for the way You prepare my heart for what is ahead.
Help my mind to be ALERT and my feet ready for opposition and the unexpected;
may I respond rather than react. ..." p. 67 of FOCUS... by Cleere Cherry Reaves

<>

ALERT

biblically means

"to be ready, watching"

Staying spiritually

ALERT

(keeps us from being fearful)

in the power of the Spirit
(2 Timothy 1:7)

This has been my life verse since the mid 80s!

Topical Bible: ALERT

I choose to know or be aware of what's coming

being in God's Word

keeps me focused and

ALERT

<>

This is info for me
{started this blog post at 2:19pm and finished at 4:45pm}
takes me a little longer nowadays (lol)
I thought I might hold this for another day this week, but ...

All I need now is an acronym for ALERT
🤔



To my faithful visitors;
all of you who spend your valuable time here with me
I do appreciate you so much!

Thank you for taking your time to visit!

Love, Sweet blessings & Hugs!

DIOS TE BENDIGA
GOD BLESS YOU

always

Peggy