PREPARE FOR CHRIST'S RETURN TODAY: FINDING CONFIDENCE THROUGH SCRIPTURE

Week of 6/9/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Confidence

Scripture:  1 John 2:28

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 

Thought:  You are not promised tomorrow, prepare yourself for him today.

Application:  Be a self seeker and feed on the Word

Response:  Father, I am sorry for the times I put worldly things before your will for my life.  I pray that I am reminded of your love daily.

Looking back Today (2025):  I have been enjoying reading the chapters that surround the journal entries from 2017.  I encourage everyone to occasionally click the link is provided at the bottom of each post and read a few extra verses of scripture.

When rereading today I was encouraged by 1 John 2:5-6: “But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live [just] as he lived.” I talk a lot about how difficult it is to live life according to God’s will; however, think about his for a moment. Before Jesus entered into his passion prior to his crucifixion he went into the garden to pray to God the Father. By reading scripture we are doing the same by letting His word enter our mind, fill our hearts, we are living our lives like Him. Today I am giving myself grace and accepting that I am a child of God and perfect in his eyes.

https://www.bible.com/bible/463/1JN.2.28

GOD'S UNFAILING FORGIVENESS: LEARNING FROM ISRAEL'S REPENTANCE

Week of 6/9/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Compassion

Scripture:  Nehemiah 9:17

But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. 

Thought:  This is embedded in the story about the Israelites repentance.  They were forgiven every time they turned their back on the Lord.  It is a story about people who people continually fail, but God is always there to pick them up

Application:  Acknowledge and live by Gods ways and avoid the trials / pruning in you life.

Response:  Father, thank you for always being there… even when I least deserve it and I am ignoring you.  I pray that I will fail you less often in the days that come and make you proud of the walk that we share.

Looking back Today (2025):  The title of Nehemiah 9:1-37 is “ The Israelites Confess their Sins.” When I read verse 33 and replace some of the words in parenthesis the story jumps to life and is a fitting follow-up to the Easter season.  Here is the verse with changed words ➡ (33) In all that has happened to us (me), you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we (I) acted wickedly.  Perhaps, OWNERSHIP of your sins is the beginning of change!

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/NEH.9.17

THE POWER OF PRESENCE IN DISCOVERING GOD'S WILL

Week of 6/9/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Comfort

Scripture:  2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 

Thought:  Be sure (know) that God will deliver you from all the trials in your life. Give them to Him.

Application:  Remember God’s will, not my selfish way… Have faith and trust.    

Response:  Father, thank you for bearing my burdens and teaching me your will.  Please take my life to do your work.

Looking back Today (2025):  As I look at the paths that I’ve walked over the past 9+ years while on this journey, I’ve come to this realization… → Just be present!  The more time I take to be present and mindfully acknowledge Jesus and allow him to have a presence in my life, His will is easier to see.  It’s hard to put this into words, but as many believers know, if you are troubled and prayerfully ask for help, you may not HEAR an answer, but you know that he has shown you His will.  When you know that He has intervened, it’s what I call a “God Moment.”  Take time to be present with Jesus today.

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/2CO.1.3-4

CELEBRATING EASTER: FINDING ENCOURAGEMENT, REJECTING SIN, AND GROWING IN FAITH

HAPPY EASTER!  

NOTE:  Today’s journal entry based on the prompt Church will seem disconnected from the Scripture when reading the Thought entry.  I encourage you to Hebrews 19-39 (link below).  This Easter Sunday as we celebrate the rising of our Lord we need to remember the curtain was opened for us and as it says in Hebrews 10:36 “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”  https://www.bible.com/bible/111/HEB.10.19

Week of 6/9/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Church

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Thought:  Respect God's Laws or face loss of salvation when we have knowledge of Truth there is a great expectation when you know right versus wrong and choose wrong that is much worse than if you are an animal to discern. unable and unwilling are treated differently in judgment.

Application:  Reject sin in my life

Response:  Father I pray that I can reject sin that inhibits our relationship and honor the Covenant you made with man when your son died for me. I'm sorry I fail you and will reject and rebuke sin in my life.   

Looking back Today (2025):  Let’s start with a definition.  Rebuke:  express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or action.  Now that semantics is out of the way.  Rebuking my failures has become a lot easier.  I see them.  I disapprove them.  Unfortunately, I submit to them all to often.  I pray that this is a “baby steps” process where I have to see what I need to improve so that I can actually improve.  Pray for me, I’ll be praying for you.

After this entry was prepared, our family attended Stations of the Cross.  The prayer at Station 7 where on Jesus fell  a second time under the weight of the cross spoke directly to this entry.  Let me share it with you.  

“My gentle Jesus, how many times have You forgiven me, and how many times I have fallen again to offend You!  By the merits of this second fall, give me the grace to persevere in Your love until death.  Grant that in all my temptations, I may always have recourse to You.

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/HEB.10.24-25

PREPARING FOR THE UNEXPECTED: UNDERSTANDING RESPONSIBILITY AND DIVINE BLESSINGS

Week of 6/9/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Christ’s Return

Scripture:  Luke 12:40

Jesus said, "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Thought:  This is a story of responsibility. we have to be prepared because we know and have sought God's will for us as his children. Luke 12:48 further add:  …Jesus says “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Application:  Be aware of the blessings in your life and understand that they come with a responsibility in both worldly and kingdom “realms.”

Response:  Lord, thank you for what you have provided to me in my life. thank you for coming to me so clearly on 1/29/2016 and taking my burdens from me.

Looking back Today (2025):   It is great to look back and see an answered prayer and understand that blessing happen.  In a difficult time, I asked for an personal burden to be lifted to save me from a lot of anger… and it happened immediately.  I tested the Lord after asking for his help, and instead of being angry with me for testing him, he turned my brain to mush and sent me back to sleep.  In days that followed, I clearly trusted Him and this GOD MOMENT likely placed me on a path of self awareness and desire to do better, to be a better man  I am clearly not perfect, but I will persevere. 

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/LUK.12.40

EMBRACING OUR IDENTITY: WELCOMING THE GRACE OF BEING CALLED A CHILD OF GOD

Week of 6/9/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Children of God

We’ve finally made it to a second week in my 2017 journal.  Seems to be like I was more active back then.  However, I am more content and grounded in my faith today.

Scripture: 1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him

Thought:  Tough message knowing we are capable of doing right and wrong.  Conveys to me that you must rid yourself of all sin to know God.  As humans who continually fail themselves and others it’s scary to think that you are good and a child of God one day and can fail the next.

Application & Response:   Father I pray that you show me the faults I have that make you unhappy.  I trust that by seeking your word, wisdom becomes mine and we come to know each other better.

(For some reason I combined the Application & Response in 2017.)

Looking back Today (2025):  Almost eight years later I have learned that I am a child of God every day.  It is his grace and mercy that welcomes me in our relationship.  He knows me, all of me, and it is me that is getting to know him better.

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1JN.3.1.NIV

A JOURNEY OF WALKING IN TRUTH: DO SOMETHING SMALL TODAY

Week of 6/2/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Children

Scripture: 3 John 1:3-4 (added verse 3 in 2025 for context)

It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Thought:  Keep true to the law of the Lord, be a disciple and enjoy the fruit that you bear.

Application:  By being bolder in my life I may get to enjoy the fruits the John is writing about.  (Fruits:  joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22)

Response:   Father, I pray that my mentors can see me as a disciple and be proud. I will walk with the spirit and do these things in your Sons name forsaking any glory.

Looking back Today (2025):  Living in the truth 24-7 is DIFFICULT.  I fail at something each day.  However, the more that I reflect on what can be learned through unstoppable perseverance is that Jesus if waiting on us and willing to meet us exactly where we are today.  The lesson may be to acknowledge our failures and keep trying to be a better person tomorrow.  You don’t have to be better than the most faithful person that you know… stop comparing yourself.  We improve by small changes that we make repeatedly resulting in BIG changes over time. DO SOMETHING SMALL TODAY!

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/3JN.1.4

UNLOCK PROSPERITY: THE POWER OF GENEROSITY AND PRIORITIZING FAITH & FAMILY

Week of 6/2/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Charity

Scripture:  Proverbs 11:25

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Thought:  Concentrate on Heavenly things and not worldly things.

Application:  Concentrate on making God the center of my life and watch relationships grow. 

Response:  Father, give me the courage to be generous in giving my time to my wife, family, friends. and in fellowship with You, your Son and your Spirit. I pray that you pour your love into these relationships so that through us many disciples are created by our example.

Looking back Today (2025):   Time is our most precious resource and I find myself wasting it of mixed up personal priorities.  Let’s try to keep the order correct: faith, family, friends (the F’s)…then work.  Serve the F’s each day and be diligent when you are at work as it provides the means to do the things that you love with the people that you love most.

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/PRO.11.25

CULTIVATING STRONG CHARACTER: THE POWER OF GODLY FRIENDSHIPS

 Week of 6/2/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Blessings

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.  Rather, the law of the Lord is his joy; and on his law he meditates day and night.

Thought:  Surround yourself with the Holy Spirit and fellow believers, live a life Jesus would be proud of and bear fruit (disciples).

Application:  Friends define your character. don't say you love Jesus and live by a bad moral code… live it out! 

Response:  Search me Father and make known to me what friendships matter.  How can I be a better friend and build friendships from the ground up using you as a cornerstone. 

Looking back Today (2025):  Living by a good moral code requires a lot of discipline to ensure consistent behavior.  When we fail, because we all do, it is the strong friendships that encourage us to take two steps forward, after taking one backwards.  It’s important to be that friend for someone else!

https://www.bible.com/bible/463/PSA.1.1-2