Reflejando a Dios - Abrace una vida santaReflejand

2 Samuel 7:25-29 Nuestra relación con Dios es solo eso: una relación, lo que significa que debe haber algún aspecto de reciprocidad. Dios nos permite estar en una posición que ofrece hospitalidad, en lugar de que siempre seamos nosotros las personas que la recibamos. Se nos permite mostrar nuestro amor a Dios a través del servicio y la adoración, incluso cuando somos bendecidos por ese mismo servicio y adoración. Sabemos que David ofreció construir el templo en Jerusalén, la casa donde moraría el espíritu del Señor. Por supuesto, no se terminó en su vida y, en cambio, fue cumplido por su hijo Salomón. Sin embargo, aquí hay un giro de la narrativa. No era David prometiendo construir una casa para Dios, sino Dios prometiendo construir una casa para David. Es Dios construyendo una relación con David, una en la que ambas partes están dando y recibiendo promesas, y estableciendo a Dios como diferente de cualquier otro. El poder de Dios se usa para bendecirnos, y se nos permite bendecir a Dios a cambio. Autor: Lexi Sunberg The post Mostrando amor a su vez first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Samuel 7:18-24 La oración de David es 2 Samuel 7 reafirmando la soberanía y la bondad de Dios. Recontextualiza su posición y la posición de su familia como orientada hacia el Señor, en lugar de ser ellos mismos el centro. Es contracultural pintarnos a nosotros mismos como si no fuéramos el centro de nuestra propia historia. Reconocer a Dios como el principio, el medio y el final de nuestra historia es un acto radical, porque requiere que renunciemos a nuestro control y nuestra independencia. 2 Samuel 7 nos recuerda que no importa nuestro estatus en el mundo, nuestra posición más importante es la de siervos de Dios. Todo lo que hacemos palidece en importancia para servir al Señor y seguir la voluntad de Dios. La buena noticia es que esta rendición es una de las mejores cosas que podemos hacer. Al permitir que la voz de Dios guíe nuestra vida, nos estamos abriendo a cosas más grandes de lo que jamás podamos imaginar. Ser siervo de Dios no significa opresión y pérdida de dignidad, sino ser parte de un plan asombroso para nosotros y toda la creación. Autor: Lexi Sunberg The post Siervo de Dios first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Peter 3:8-15 Every day we wake up with a general idea of how we think the day will go. By the time the day is half over, we’ve often had to adapt our expectations several times. We make appointments, set priorities, and check schedules. We think we know the direction we’re going. Then life happens. We’re forced to flex our flexibility, adapt to the unforeseen events, and move ahead. The big question to consider at that point is this, “In the end, where will we end up?” When the directions of our plans lead away from God, we need to repent and turn instead towards God. When it comes to our eternal destiny, we know the direction we ought to go. God wants us turn from our sinful, selfish, and destructive ways. His desire is for us to turn to Him, His ways, and eternity with Him.  Today let’s recognize God’s patience with us when we try to plan out our own destiny. Instead of chasing after our calendar of events, today let’s turn to the Lord and let Him guide us towards holy and godly living here so we can look forward to eternity with Him in heaven. Author: Chad Garinger The post God Desires All To Repent first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

James 4:4-10 Years ago phones were attached to walls instead of hips. We rotated a dial to make calls. We paid extra to talk with people outside our community; it was called long-distance calling (for those under 40 years old). Then it seemed like the world was larger. The people we loved felt farther away. We were willing to pay more to talk to them because the financial sacrifice was worth it. Now we’re blessed with cell phones, social media apps, and video calling that connect us instantly to anyone anywhere in the world. God’s word reminds us that if God seems far away, it’s not because He went somewhere. Instead, our choices have caused a rift in our relationship with Him. Scripture also teaches us that the solution to the long-distancing effect of our sins is a simple decision to “come near to God.” We get to do that because of His grace and our humble faith. God’s promise is to come near to those who choose to come near to Him. Choose to resist the devil, humbly receive God’s grace, and live nearer to God daily. Author: Chad Garinger The post Come Near To God first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

John 1:9-18 Our church hosts an annual festival for our community. Dozens of local businesses and organizations donate door prizes for us to give out to the folks that visit our campus. Visitors receive gifts they did absolutely nothing to earn. Every year grateful children and parents thank us for gifts God provided through the generosity of strangers. Some are overwhelmed with gratitude for gifts they receive that they’d recently been praying for. By the time John wrote his gospel, the disciples of Christ had received the grace of God through faith in our risen Savior. They had seen the miracles, watched Christ suffer, die, and rise again. They had founded the Church and had begun spreading the gospel to the whole world. In every town, every synagogue, every conversation, they spoke of the undeserved grace they’d received. As believers, we’ve received the ultimate gift of God’s grace, our eternal salvation. This is the prize for which we’ve been called heavenward. It’s not just a gift we’ve received for ourselves, but also a gift we can freely offer those who have yet to accept it. Author: Chad Garinger The post God Is Gracious Toward Us first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 33:18-25 In an age of hyper-surveillance, it is difficult to be anywhere in public where there are no cameras recording our every move. That’s a fairly modern phenomenon. Yet in the Old Testament, we find that there were scribes who would record every choice the kings of Israel made. In Manasseh’s case, it’s a good thing they did. Otherwise we wouldn’t know that his repentance was real. Too often the guilty are more remorseful that they got caught and were disciplined than the fact that they’d done something requiring repentance. Only true repentance will sustain salvation. Only authentic humility followed by consistent contrition will be seen as life choice examples worthy of following. Manasseh regretted rejecting God’s ways. However, his family didn’t. We must learn to live out our humble repentance with authentic actions. Someone is always watching. Let’s make sure that our repentance is followed by honest and consistent life choices. Author: Chad Garinger The post True Repentance Leads to Good Choices first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 33:10-17 Something to ponder: How would people treat or remember you if all they knew about you was your past failures? People who only knew me before I accepted Christ are surprised to discover what I do now. People are often judged by who they used to be. And yet, the old adage is true, “There is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future.” For some, it’s difficult to remember that we don’t deserve the grace we’ve been given or the mercy we’re shown every day. Manasseh is often remembered for the evil he did, and rightfully so. However, we more often forget that God heard his humble prayer and spared Manasseh. God chose to forgive Manasseh. Fortunately, for every sinner and saint still living, it’s not too late to receive God’s grace. The same God who knew everything about Manasseh knows all about us. As long as we are breathing, it’s not too late to humble ourselves and pray to the God who hears and shows His mercy daily. Author: Chad Garinger The post It’s Never Too Late first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 33:1-9 Good parents, like God, want what’s best for their children even at the sacrifice of their own preferences. Good parents, like God, set consistent boundaries and house rules. House rules are set for the health, safety, and peace for those in the home. Unfortunately, even the best parents can’t make all the decisions for their kids. Sometimes the decisions kids make bring sorrow, wrath, and heartbreak for their well-meaning parents . . . just like God. King Manasseh’s father, Hezekiah, led a godly life including some of the greatest miracles of the Old Testament. Despite that living example of good moral choices and instruction from God’s laws, Manasseh made his own choices. He made up his own rules, his own religion. He ignored the rules God put in place for the Lord’s temple. When God’s laws are ignored, or blatantly rejected, souls could be lost. Knowing God’s “house rules” are for the good of God’s children ought to inspire us to follow them with gratitude. Author: Chad Garinger The post My House, My Rules first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

Psalm 37:1-7 Take a deep breath. Go for a walk. Let it go. These are common teachings for how to handle the stresses of daily life. Temporary ways of dealing with tensions have their place, but they can become destructive in the long-term. The Psalmist shares God’s invitation to an alternative solution. It is the call to delight in a relationship with God rather than fretting and being filled with envy. The relationship with God is to be enjoyed to the degree that the stresses of life lose their attraction. It is in placing an unwavering trust in God and believing His promises that anxiety loses its power over God’s people. All wrongs will be vindicated by God. Do not fret or be envious. Trust. Do good. Enjoy safety. Delight. Commit. Be still. Wait patiently. This is the pathway to the life God offers His people, a life of discipline and joy. Commit to following these teachings, and the blessings of God will surround you, fill you, and change you. Author: Laura High The post The Alternative Solution first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

Acts 14:21-28 She worked earnestly at opening the door. The woman behind her reached around and placing her hand on the door, gently pushed. It opened instantly. The woman smiled her thanks and walked effortlessly through the door. This is the way of faith. Paul and Barnabas revealed the open door of faith to the Gentiles. They had faith their hardships were not without purpose. They had faith that hardships were not a sign of God’s displeasure. Their devotion to God was expressed through their devotion to others. Their faith and words allowed the Gentiles to walk through the door of faith with confidence.  Holy devotion to others is not an accessory to our faith; it is fundamental. The world is searching for the door of faith. They have become deceived by those who would hinder the work of God. Some have seen the door, but do not know how to enter. Faith allows us to proclaim the existence and the way through the open door provided by God. May our devotion to God be expressed through our devotion to those who are outside the door. Author: Laura High The post The Open Door first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

John 15:1-9 We have become so focused on the unpredictability of our lives that we have forgotten to rejoice in the predictable. God is a God of order, hovering over the waters of the chaos of our lives and speaking that chaos into beautiful and predictable creation. It is no wonder that the God of order and love would prune a vine with an eye to the potential and predictable fruit. Grape vines yield grapes. It is why they were created. We were created to live a holy life. We were created to love God. We were created to love one another. Just as the grape vine yields grapes, we are called to yield holiness as well as to live in holiness. This is no great mystery. It just makes sense. We have been created to bear the fruit of holiness. Remain in Jesus and allow His holiness to flow into you. Remaining connected to Jesus allows the fruit of your labors to yield the predictable outcome of holiness. It is no great mystery. It is grace.    Author: Laura High The post It Is Grace first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

Mark 10:17-27 Stop working for a moment. Stop planning. Take a deep breath and relax. Now we are ready to ponder what Jesus is saying to us in this passage. Jesus is speaking of the singularity of purpose. He is helping us to set our priorities for today. Each of us face a daily plethora of choices for serving the Lord. Where are we to invest our energies for the greatest good of the kingdom of God? Wealth of any sort demands maintenance, even the wealth of choices. The demands of maintenance can become a distraction to focusing on the Lord, listening for His voice, and obeying His priorities for the day. Following the Lord is not a call to neglect, but it is a call to simplify and purify our priorities. What is the Lord telling us is our calling for this day? This must be our top priority. It is within those priorities that we discover “all things are possible with God” (v. 27). It is in living in this truth that we discover we have already walked through the gate into the kingdom of God.   Author: Laura High The post Singularity of Purpose first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 32:16-23 Sennacherib executed his well-planned campaign of terror against the people of God. The role of fear and anxiety were key to their annihilation. Sennacherib was a master of propaganda, but there was one catastrophic miscalculation in his plan. He equated the power of God with the powerlessness of idols. Hezekiah and Isaiah knew of God’s ability to overcome the terror and threats surrounding them. Hezekiah’s defense plan was in place, but the work of the people would not save them. It would not be the gods who were crafted by the hands of humanity who would win. Hezekiah and Isaiah go to prayer. It is through God’s plan of defense the battle is won and the enemy annihilated. God grants His followers access to the arsenal of heaven. It is not through superior human abilities that battles are won, but through the power and presence of God. Hezekiah’s plan was good, but it was not the source of the victory. Victory was achieved through seeking God in prayer. This is still the answer today. Author: Laura High The post The Shadow is Annihilated first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 32:9-15 The shadow of invasion had grown darker and more certain. Sennacherib was not impressed by King Hezekiah’s rousing speech, nor was he intimidated by Hezekiah’s confidence in the saving ability of Hezekiah’s God. The propaganda war began. The sneering tone of Sennacherib’s speech attempted to discredit King Hezekiah’s confidence in God. Then he spoke of his past victories, presenting the illusion of his invincibility. The reality of the power of God did not silence the arrogance of Sennacherib, an arrogance built upon the history of Sennacherib’s victories as well as the brutality of the Assyrians. No idle threats were made. Total devastation was the goal of the Assyrian military. The shadows of trouble are real. Today they threaten relationships of home, work, nation, and community of faith. God is no less capable today than He was during biblical times. Those of the faith must not waver in their resolve to remain faithful. Do not be afraid. God has not abandoned us. Author: Laura High The post The Shadows Growls first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 32:1-8 First the rumors of war arrive, followed by the affirmations that the shadows of invasion are approaching the land. It is time to protect that which has been granted by the hand of God. The pre-attack work begins. Risk assessments are made. Resources inventoried and a plan of defense is formulated. With each pre-invasion activity the tensions grow. The reinforcing of the city walls, blocking the enemies’ access to water, the mounting inventory of the arsenal do not nurture confidence in victory. Those actions reinforce the confidence that invasion is imminent. The courage of the people is the first casualty of war. King Hezekiah speaks reminding the people there is no room for fear and discouragement among God’s people. Hezekiah’s words are transformed into a victory chant! Throughout the millenniums, the people of God have faced incalculable enemies, yet the truth remains; God is always the greater power. Author: Laura High The post The Shadows Gather first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

Proverbs 2:6-15 They say hindsight is 20/20. Today’s reading tells us again that God gives wisdom and then says that “he is a shield . . . he guards . . . and protects” (vv. 7-8) the path of those who walk in His way. “Then,” says verse 9, “you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.” That verse seems to affirm that saying; it’s almost as if we’ll continue to understand what the right thing to do is as we do it. Which seems a lot like the Holy Spirit, right? The Spirit that takes up residence in us guides us. We may not always know the exact right thing to do, but the Lord has not left us alone to figure it out! I used to explain it like a stop light. There are some times when the Lord is clear: things are a go. Other times, there is a pit in our stomach when we know it’s a no-go. But there are times when, like a yellow light, we need to proceed with caution. As we do, the Lord will bring clarity—through His Spirit, His word, and His people. Let the Spirit guide you today in your decision-making. Author: Evan T. Offutt Boesiger The post Every Good Path first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

James 1:1-8 I am currently in a season of life in which everything feels new. Everything. Family life is different. Work has changed dramatically. I’m in a new city and area of the country. For the first time I have dogs. Even my body is different, with new and persisting aches and pains. Some of the “new” is wonderful; some of it is painfully difficult. Have you ever been there? What is changing in your life right now? Has anything changed with your schedule? Is there a strained relationship in your family or with a friend? Does your body no longer cooperate the way it used to? Are you an empty-nester, recently retired, or in better physical shape than ever? Whether circumstances are new, changing, or the same as they’ve been for 20 years, we all need wisdom from God. For a specific challenge, for general on-going interactions with those around us, or how we spend our time, money, and energy we needwisdom. God, the giver of all wisdom, is ready and willing to share it with you. All you have to do is ask. Author: Evan T. Offutt Boesiger The post All You Have To Do Is Ask! first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

Romans 10:9-17 Through Romans 10, we are reminded that faith is a multi-faceted, whole-self engagement. Specifically, the apostle Paul mentions declaring with our mouth and believing with our heart (vv. 9-10) and then later our ears as faith comes from hearing (v. 17). Our bodies, and how we use them, are part of our expression of faith in Christ. How will you engage your body in worshiping God today? How will you do so the next time you gather with your faith community? Faith is a gift of God and also a response to God. Verse 17 tells us that “faith comes from hearing the message.” Take a moment to consider how you can employ this method to grow your faith this week. Some Bible apps and websites have audio Bibles in which you can spend time listening to Scripture. Maybe the Lord is bringing someone to mind that you could simply call or even invite for coffee or a meal to hear what God has done in his or her life. It may be edifying to hear yourself share your testimony, too! Author: Evan T. Offutt Boesiger The post Listen Up! first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

Matthew 7:13-20 We live in a world in which bigger is usually considered better. For instance, to get the best deal you might go to a value club where, when buying paper towels, you get 15 mega rolls. Or consider your car: popularity of SUVs and trucks continues to rise. Who couldn’t appreciate a wider closet? Countries brag and rely on the biggest military, GNP, or test scores. It’s easy to think that bigger is better, because often it is. Sometimes bigger is not better . . . like when Jesus said that “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life” (v. 14, emphasis added). Small and narrow? That doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? But Jesus isn’t too concerned with our comfort. He is concerned with life. We have the very life and words of Jesus to show us life; we have life himself to show us life (see John 14:6). Jesus said that only a few would find the gate and road. If you’ve found it, who else will you lead to it? Author: Evan T. Offutt Boesiger The post When Bigger Isn’t Better first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.

2 Chronicles 28:22-27 King Ahaz is still up to no good. When Ahaz became king, “he followed the ways of the kings of Israel” (v. 2) and “did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 1b). It caused problems when he was 20 and now he’s back at it! Rather than recognizing his own sin and shortcomings—and rather than recognizing the Lord’s discipline—he decides what worked for those who defeated him should work for him. What might this look like in our lives? What questions can we use for a check-up? First, what inputs information into your life regarding those around you (which might influence you)? Are you on any social media, watch network news, or listen to the radio or podcasts? What influence does your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers have on you? Consider how that information, their humor, clothing style, or activities influence your life and health (mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional). Are they worth your time? Or, like the gods of Damascus to Ahaz, will they lead to your downfall—causing harm to you and those around you? Author: Evan T. Offutt Boesiger The post It Worked For Them! first appeared on Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living.