#youversion plans

[walkswithmyfather]

[YouVersion Devotional: Ready to unlock the Kingdom of God? - Day 6]

“Have you found your place in this world?”

“Have you ever felt like you were out of place in society? Did you ever feel like you didn’t fit in? I have. The reason that it’s so hard to fit in is because we don’t. Our Kingdom is Heaven, our values are Kingdom, our passions are from the Holy Spirit and our mission is to replace the culture of this world with the culture of Heaven. We love God, but our society loves money, objects, and titles. We love people, but our world places people at the bottom of priorities. We have a King; society looks for idols. We value character; society values physical beauty. The Apostle Paul taught us that “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28. Our society, however, is fixated on our differences. My dad used to say, “Paul, all men bleed red, and there are no atheists in fox holes.” He was so right. Don’t get me wrong—I celebrate cultural differences and origins, but deep down we are all God’s children. God’s Kingdom is all about values and truth. Romans 14:17 tells us, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  

“You weren’t born again because of your color or nationality but because of the color of the blood-sacrifice of Christ our King. You are valuable to God, and with Him, you always fit in. You were born of the Spirit to touch a fallen world and bring Heaven to earth in both little and big ways. You are a miracle!”

—By Paul Marc Goulet@amiracleeveryday and on YouVersion

[transformedwoman]

The reason for Jesus 

To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless. – G. K. Chesterton

[walkswithmyfather]

[YouVersion Devotional: Ready to unlock the Kingdom of God? - Day 5]

“What is a Kingdom-minded person like?”

“A Kingdom-minded person thinks differently than other people. How do you know what a Kingdom-minded person should think, or act like? How should we dress, and what kind of cars should we drive? I know these questions sound a little silly, but Christians have been asking them for centuries. Romans 14:17 tells us, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” After I accepted Jesus into my life, I was shocked by some advice I received from well-meaning Christians: “Paul, you’ve got to cut your hair and change your clothes. Don't play cards, go to movies, or listen to rock ‘n’ roll music. Oh, and no more dancing.” It seems hilarious now, but at the time it was confusing. When I went to graduate school, I saw large communities of Amish people. They practiced their faith in very different ways. I was confused. Have you ever been confused by the religious practices of your family or friends? It’s not our intention to judge or condemn others, but it’s important that you decide these things for yourself and your household. Joshua made this bold declaration: “…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 I found this amazing scripture about the look of a Kingdom-minded Christian. It had nothing to do with clothes or food but with something much more transformative: “He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’” Matthew 13:52 Have you been trained for the Kingdom of Heaven? Do you bring out treasures that are old and new? Do you represent the values of this world or the values of Heaven? I pray you and I will commit to be experts of Heaven. I pray you will be a resource of wisdom and love.”

“God doesn’t judge you on your looks, or bank account, but on the wealth of your heart and mind. You are a miracle!”

—By Paul Marc Goulet@youversionplans

[walkswithmyfather]

[YouVersion Devotional: Ready to unlock the Kingdom of God? - Day 4]

“Be part of the Kingdom of Compassion.”

“The greatest kingdom of all is the Kingdom of Compassion. The more I study the Kingdom of Heaven, the more I’m struck by one simple force that emanates from its mandate of love: compassion. If you and I are full of the Kingdom of Heaven and dominated by its power, the more we will have compassion on others. Are you full of compassion for the lost, broken, and marginalized in your city?

Every time Jesus would enter a town, He would say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2 ‘change your thinking because I’m bringing a new way of living and loving’. He would then demonstrate the new values by His actions, such as:

He forgave the woman of adultery and stopped a murderous mob | John 8:2-11

He forgave a handicapped man of his sins and healed him | Matthew 9:2-7

He healed a woman with an issue of blood | Matthew 9:20-22

He spoke to a lost, hated Samaritan woman at the well | John 4:7-26

He fed thousands, with the word and with food | Matthew 14:15-21

Jesus did so many things because He was moved with compassion. Jesus had compassion on the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Mark 6:34

What moves you? What moves you so much that you take action with generosity, faith, food or love? I’d like to encourage you to find one person or group of people that moves you to action. The great Pastor Tommy Barnett once said, “Find a need, and fill it.” Fill it with a heart of compassion. Be moved to tears and actions. Care about people and their plight. Care, because God cares, and He wants compassion to flow from His Kingdom through you, your family, your church, and your business. Be the heart and hands of Jesus to a lost world. You are a miracle!”

—By Paul Marc Goulet@youversionplans

[walkswithmyfather]

[“Be the Hands And Feet” —YouVersion Devotional by Nick Vujicic - Day 5]

“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18‭-‬20 (NLT)

“Who did you bring with you?”

“I have this recurring dream that one day I will be standing before God, and He will ask me two questions.

The first: “Do you know Me?”

The second: “Who did you bring with you?”

I think the first question is asked to establish a Christian identity. The second is to see if I’ve done what is the primary mission of all Christians on earth. In Matthew 28, the resurrected Jesus stood on a mountain in Galilee and commanded His followers to go forth and baptize all nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He also told us in Mark 16:15 to go into the world and proclaim the gospel to all of creation. This direction from Jesus Christ, our risen Savior, is known as the Great Commission. I’ve made it my mission, and I encourage every Christian I meet and every church I visit to keep it as a central purpose each and every day.

God’s not interested in numbers. He’s interested in souls. I believe our primary mission as Christians shouldn’t be to build the biggest churches and pack them with believers. Our goal is to reach the lost, the nonbelievers, and those who haven’t yet heard the good news. Nonbelievers are not coming to church, so we must go after them. We have to provide them with the information, motivation, and inspiration each step of the way. We can’t just lure them in and then expect them to stay engaged. We must give them all the support and encouragement necessary to build a solid and lasting foundation of faith. We must help them stay on the path throughout their lives. We need to give the Holy Spirit a chance to guide us. We are instruments in His hands. Instead of focusing on our differences, we need to unite on common ground. Jesus saved us. He is Lord. There are lost people out there. We need to join forces as Christians and find ways to reach out to those lost souls and save them. We must go out to the four corners of the world and make disciples of them all.

What is your church doing to make disciples? How would Nick’s call to live out the Great Commission change your day-to-day thoughts, words, and actions?

If you enjoyed this 5-day devotional from Nick Vujicic, be sure to check out Nick's book, Be the Hands and Feet.”

[transformedwoman]

Perfect Trust • Devotional •YouVersion

https://bible.com/reading-plans/13803/day/7?segment=0