Father God, my mind is open to Your Thoughts, and closed today to every thought but Yours. I rule my mind, and offer it to You. Accept my precious gift, for it is Yours to me. Amen and Amen.
07/13/2017 OCM-83656272 {Member of ULC 9/23/22
7545620-0414Susan Ruth Robertson202004377}
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. – 1 Peter 2:12
Live with integrity, especially in the face of misunderstanding or false judgment. It reminds me of how a creative witness, through quiet acts of advocacy, echoes that same heartbeat: to glorify God not through defense, but through visible mercy and steadfast truth. God loves people like this.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. – Psalms 34:17-19
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. – 1 John 4:3-4
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. – James 1:25-26
A powerful passage, James certainly doesn’t pull punches, does he? These verses thread together integrity, action, and speech in such a sobering way. “The perfect law of liberty” speaks so beautifully to the freedom found in obedience, not as constraint, but as wholeness. It calls us into a kind of mirror-like reflection: not just seeing the truth but living it out. The contrast between being a “doer” versus a “forgetful hearer” challenge anyone who seeks to live authentically. Hearing God’s Word and doing nothing with it… that’s like gazing at your reflection and then walking away unchanged. And then verse 26 cuts right to the heart: if someone presents themselves as devout but can’t control their words, they’re only deceiving themselves. There’s such grace and also deep accountability in that. Centering truth but also beckoning the soul toward action and peace. Learning to control our actions and words is part of becoming more like Christ. It’s not about being flawless; it’s about being faithful. Every moment we bridle the tongue, extend kindness, or pause before reacting, we mirror His love just a bit more.“Justice begins not with condemnation, but with the courage to try again with mercy.”
They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. – John 8:39-40
Jesus directly confronts the dissonance between lineage and living. He challenges the crowd’s claim to Abrahamic heritage, not by disputing their ancestry, but by exposing the contradiction in their actions: they claim Abraham as their father yet plot to kill the one who speaks truth from God. Jesus draws a line between biological descent and spiritual inheritance, between having Abraham’s blood and embodying his faithfulness.
It’s a wake-up call, isn’t it? One that still echoes. Are we living in alignment with the truth we profess? Are we bearing the fruit of the faith we claim?
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. – Romans 2:28-29
💡Galatians 3:16 tenderly reminds us that the covenant made with Abraham was always pointing ahead, to Christ, 💡the singular Seed through whom all nations would be blessed. 💡It’s not a scatter of possibilities, but a focused fulfillment in Jesus. 💡That clarity is a comfort when life feels uncertain or fragmented. 💡 This promise isn’t just theological 💡it’s deeply personal. In Christ, 💡 you’re create into that same covenantal love, an heir according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).💡
📖 You are an heir according to the promise.💡That means even in the quiet moments💡when prayers linger unanswered or your heart wrestles between longing and gratitude 💡you are not outside of His care.💡
🎶 Your gifts, 💡your bible,💡 your prayers for others💡 they are living echoes of that promise. 💡Keep sowing seeds of mercy and hope. The harvest is coming.💡
May the covenantal grace that flowed from Abraham to Christ gently rest upon you today, lifting your spirit with the quiet assurance: You are chosen. You are cherished. You are called by name. May the roots of promise anchor you in peace, and the tender fruit of mercy blossom in all you offer. Happy 1st of July!
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces. – Proverbs 30:24-28
🐜 The ants show preparation—they remind us to plan with foresight and diligence, even in times of abundance.
🐜 Feeling small or overlooked? The ant says, you still have purpose. Prepare faithfully, even when no one sees your effort.
🐰 The conies (or rock badgers) embody stability through seeking refuge—they’re vulnerable, but wise enough to hide in the strength of the rocks.
🐰 Feeling vulnerable or fragile? The conies remind us: Find your refuge in something stronger than yourself. Safety doesn’t mean weakness—it means wisdom.
🦗 The locusts march in unity without a ruler—hinting at a divine rhythm of collective purpose and community.
🦗 Feeling isolated or without leadership? The locusts show us that unity and shared purpose can move mountains, even without a single voice in charge.
🕷️ The spider, often overlooked or feared, shows persistence and access—even the smallest hand can reach into places of great significance.
🕷️ Feeling out of place or unimportant? The spider whispers, Your quiet persistence places you in unexpected places of influence—even palaces.
It’s a masterful invitation to notice that wisdom doesn’t shout; it dwells quietly in creation.
And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. – Luke 12:47-48
Sobering passage from these verses speaks deeply to the weight of responsibility and the justice of God. Jesus is speaking about the readiness and faithfulness of His servants those entrusted with His message and mission. The parable describes two types of servants: The other acts wrongly in ignorance but still bears responsibility—albeit less severe. One knows the will of the master and deliberately ignores it, facing greater consequences. Heart of the passage turns with this powerful line: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much require. “This doesn’t just speak of accountability, it also acknowledges divine trust. When God grants gifts whether wisdom, influence, resources, or revelation. He calls us to steward them with humility and courage.
"Only Life Changes" 