Tag Archives: Knowing God

Seeing Jesus in Difficult Circumstances

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“Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose, I have come to this hour.” John 12:27 ESV1

Read John 12:20-37

If you are reading this, you are either one of my faithful followers who reads nearly everything I write or you are going through a difficult time right now and you desperately want the powerful working of God in it. What I have to say here is Biblical but it may not be easy to swallow. I am not going to wallow with you in self-pity, feed your doubts, or allow you to blame God. But I will walk with you through a process that actually works. If I had not in the past and if I were not currently going through a difficult situation in this way, I would have no right to tell you what to do. But since I have and am traveling along a challenging path, I can offer you a helping hand. If you are ready to traverse this trail, let’s both get on our spiritual hiking boots and climb this mountain together.

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Oh, What a Difference

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“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47 ESV1

Read Luke 7:36-50

Country artist, Ronnie Milsap, recorded a song entitled, “What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life.” The lyrics of that song are:

“What a difference you’ve made in my life.

What a difference you’ve made in my life.

You’re my sunshine day and night.

Oh, what a difference you’ve made in my life.

What a change you’ve made in my heart.

What a change you’ve made in my heart.

You replaced all the broken parts.

Oh, what a change you’ve made in my heart.

Love, to me, was just a word in a song that had been way overused.

But now I have joined in the singing

because you’ve showed me love’s true meaning.

That’s why I want to spread the news.

What a difference you’ve made in my life.

What a difference you’ve made in my life.

You’re my sunshine day and night.

Oh, what a difference you’ve made in my life. (5X)”2

I don’t know for whom Mr. Milsap sang his song, but every time it runs through my head, I can’t help but think of Jesus. And I imagine the woman highlighted in the following Scriptures had a very similar song playing in her heart for Jesus.

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So Known and So Loved

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“And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” John 17:3 ESV1

Last year about this time, I was watching my grandchildren so my daughter and son-in-law could go on a Valentine’s Weekend Retreat with their Small Group. I got to spend some special one-on-one with my preschool granddaughter while her baby brother took his morning naps.

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Sharing Secrets with God

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Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  Luke 2:23-26 ESV1

Read Luke 2:21-35

There were undoubtedly many reasons why God chose Mary and Joseph to raise His Son. One of those reasons was that they were obedient to His commandments. When Jesus was eight days old, “they brought Him up to Jerusalem [to the temple] to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) [see Exodus 13:2 & 12]  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons’ [see Leviticus 12:8]” (Luke 22b-24). At that time, Jesus was also circumcised and officially named. But more waited at the temple for the young family than tradition.

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