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In this episode, we'll meditate on Proverbs 11:23. Do I have a mindset that expects failure or success in my life? Do what we think and say influence our reality?
In this episode, we'll meditate on Proverbs 11:23. Do I have a mindset that expects failure or success in my life? Does what we think and say influence our reality?
The healing of the paralytic man is an incredible story. Jesus is preaching in Capernaum when four men go to extraordinary lengths to get their paralyzed friend in front of Jesus. Their faith simply wouldn't let them stop until they got him some face time with Jesus.
Do we have the faith that lets miracles happen? Let's explore that question today.
When it was time for Elizabeth's baby to be born, she gave birth to a son." Luke 1:57
Elizabeth and Zacharias had waited a lifetime for their son to be born. Long past childbearing years, they thought that this blessing had passed them by.
But God had big plans for them-- in His timing.
How does that relate to us?
We'll discuss that in the podcast.
Thanks for listening. May your soul's meditations be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!
The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge! The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make, for their carefully shaped works are a fraud. These idols have no breath or power. Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies! On the day of reckoning they will all be destroyed. Jeremiah 51:17-18 NLT
In this passage, God is disgusted with the craftsmen. He couldn't understand why they were suing their gifts in a way that disrespected Him.
That lead me to evaluate my talents and gifts, and I realized that ultimately there are only three ways I can use mine ...Resource
In this podcast I recommend a book I'm reading called Called to Create, A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate, and Risk by Jordan Raynor. I have links to the book in the podcast blog on my website at OnlyByPrayer.com.
short meditations on scripture intersecting life
Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
The backstory for this verse is that the Israelites had been released from exile and were back in Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. I can only imagine the feelings the older exiles must have felt after living for many decades as servants in Babylon. To set foot in their homeland again must have been such a joyful time. And I wonder about the younger ones who had been born in captivity, and Babylon was all they knew. I'm sure they had heard stories of their homeland and to see if for the first time was an experience they would never forget.
The First Thing They Built Was ...
After they were settled, they started building the temple. They needed to put first things first, and they did because the very first thing they built was the altar so they could make their burnt offerings to the Lord. They needed to have a way to take care of the sin problem between them and the Lord.
And we need to do the same thing when we sin. We need to "rebuild our own altars" too. Join Jane from Only By Prayer on today's podcast by listening below. You can also subscribe on iTunes to have each new podcast sent right to your device.
Thanks for listening, and please leave your thoughts below.
short meditations on scripture intersecting life
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. Zechariah 3:1
Whether we have been "living in exile" as the Israelites were by pursuing a selfish, sinful lifestyle for a long time, or we had a fight with our spouse or other "quicker" sin, as soon as God calls us back to Him, Satan is right there doing what he does best to us: accusing and deceiving.
Join Only By Prayer today as Jane talks about this problem and how to overcome it.
To listen to the podcast, click below or subscribe to it on iTunes. Thanks for listening, and may your soul's meditation be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!
As I read through the Bible, I can't help but be in awe of the amazing characteristics of God.
In today's scripture focus in Ezekiel, it struck me how the Lord always strikes the right balance.
As a parent, I know I sometimes struggled with finding the right tone. I could be overly harsh or too permissive. It was difficult at times to not be swayed one way or the other.
But we can take our cue from God. Today we are going to reflect on Ezekiel 20:27-49, where we see God finding the perfect mix of righteous judgment and mercy. I can trust Him because I know He always has what's best in mind.
Pray on!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number. Jeremiah 23:3
Some of you may know that I am on a cross-country journey with my husband. He is riding his bicycle, and I am pulling the travel trailer. One of the things God put in my mind to do on this trip is to pray for our country while I'm driving. So I started Prayer Across America. Check it out if you'd like to join me in praying.
Well, this week I was feeling a bit discouraged (read that as sorry for myself) as if I was the only one praying for our great nation ever. God used a few things to encourage me, including the above verse. Listen in to the podcast to hear the rest of the story.
Listen in to the podcast to hear the rest of the story. You can also subscribe on iTunes.
Thanks for listening and ...
Pray on!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life
1 Corinthians 13
The #LoveTrumpsHate is being bandied around lately. I see it on signs, blog posts, Facebook, and Twitter. But it's often accompanied by words and actions that aren's so loving. No matter who you supported in the election, both sides are slinging nastiness back and forth. Clearly the love is missing from this hashtag.
Why? It's certainly a good intention.
To find out, let's look to the Lord, the One who gave us the manual on love, 1 Corinthians 13. Join us for a short discussion on what this kind of love looks like.
Be sure to write down your reflections and keep the conversation going with God throughout the day. May your soul's meditations be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!
Pray on!
Jane VanOsdol
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
Show Notes
When I am starting something new, there's the excitement and freshness of this new thing. Perhaps I've been thinking of it, dreaming of it, praying for it for a long time. I bring energy, zest, and enthusiasm to the table. I've researched and planned and am ready to go.
And then when I'm nearing the finish line of said dream or project, I receive a fresh burst of energy because the end is in sight. I've almost reached my goal.
But it's in the messy middle that dreams fade, marriages fail, jobs lose their luster, and parenting seems not quite so fun.
"It's in the messy middle that we must "set our faces like a stone and determine to do His will."
Join me on this short podcast today to reflect about messy middles and how we can persevere through them. And remember, messy middles lead to enduring endings if we persevere.
May your soul's meditations be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
Show Notes
In today's Reflections we are meditating on Matthew 1:18-20.
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit."
Consider this: When ordinary people humble themselves, set aside their own agendas, and make room for God to work, the Holy Spirit "invades," fills their space, and turns the ordinary into the miraculous.
Let's look at these verses in light of Joseph's life and choices. What can we learn from him to apply to our own lives? Feel free to leave your comments below.
Pray on!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
Show Notes
In today's Reflections we are meditating on Isaiah 61:2-3
To comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.
The loss of a loved one is the most devastating loss we can endure. It shakes us as nothing else can. We are left bereft, dealing with a toxic swirl of emotions.
Like many of you, I know grief. I lost my second daughter when she was just 11 days old. God inserted Himself into the midst of my suffering, and walked through that time with my family and me. It was not easy, but as I held on to Him, He held me.
For those of you who know grief as your constant companion right now, I want to give you hope. You will get through this. I hope today's podcast encourages you in this journey.
To listen, just click on the triangles or subscribe on iTunes.
Pray on!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
Show Notes
In today's Reflections we are meditating on Luke 10:38-39:
As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said.
As I read through the Bible, I see that Mary was not the only one who ended up at the Lord's feet. Many others did too. And it was usually for one of two reasons:
- They were desperate for healing.
- They has just received their healing from Jesus.
What is it about being at the feet of Jesus that is so powerful? Let's consider that question today on Reflections.
To listen to this short 5-minute podcast, just click on the arrow below. Or subscribe to us on iTunes. We'd love it if you'd leave us a review too.
Be sure to grab your journal and record your own meditations after listening to and praying through the reflection.
May your soul's meditation be fuel for Spirit-led actions today!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
Show Notes
In today's Reflections we are thinking about Numbers 6:24-26.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
It makes my heart full as I welcome, receive this blessing from the Lord. I must never forget that I am a child of His Light. In the Message Bible by Eugene Peterson called Conversations, he says "Since Christ has dawned in our lives, light not darkness, is the fundamental reality by which we live. And the radiance of His face bathes us with the blessings of new and emerging life."
As Christ-followers, we need to be all about pushing back the darkness that is encroaching on our world, our countries, our states, our cities, our neighborhoods—and our families. Many people live in a spiritual state of darkness
Join Only By Prayer in this Reflection by clicking the arrow below to see how we can reflect His light. You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes. Please leave us a review on iTunes if you desire.
Pray on!
Thank you for joining us for Reflections, short meditations on scripture intersecting life.
Show Notes
In today's Reflections we are thinking about two scriptures, Matthew 7:7-8:
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
These two verse are actually a template for persistent prayer and give us much to reflect on. I discuss some of my important takeaways—and I'd like to hear yours too! Just click on the triangle below to listen to this short podcast. You can also subscribe to us on iTunes so that the podcast updates directly to your account. If you enjoy the podcast, would you mind leaving us a review on iTunes? Thank you!
Thanks for listening and be sure to leave any comments below!
Pray on!
In today's Reflections we are thinking about two scriptures: Isaiah 30:15 and Isaiah 32:17. As you listen to the podcast, you'll catch the similarities between the two right away.
What place do you have for quiet and stillness in your life? That's the question I felt like God was asking me today, one that I need to answer. That may not be yours.
As in any meditation, listen for what your message is from the Lord. What resonates with your soul? Write it down. Mull it over. Give some time to it. Pray over it. And keep the conversation going with God throughout your day. If you want to, share what was important to you in the comments below.
May your soul's meditations be fuel for Spirit-led actions today.