Hi, Everyone.
Can you believe July is half over! Before you know it, another school year will begin. Just so you know, I'll be glad, because I'll get my house back!
Are you enjoying the only verse in the Bible that uses the word "success"--Joshua 1:8? It's an awesome promise, but you must pay attention to The Book. :)
As always, I love hearing from you. It blesses and encourages me.

Life Plan Devotion #121 [Just do it]

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (NKJV).

     We have looked at two of the three "my part" clauses in this promise of success. Today, let's look at the third clause of Joshua 1:8, "that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it."
     The Hebrew word for "observe" for Joshua 1:8c is shâmar (shaw-mar’), which means "guard, protect, attend to: be cir****pect, take heed, keep, mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, watch."
     It is not enough to read God's Word. Without illumination of the Holy Spirit, without being cir****pect ("heedful of cir****tances or consequences, Webster's), the reader may as well be reading the newspaper or a novel, for all the good it will do him/her.
     The following is a list of how some versions state our Joshua 1:8c clause:
--"...so that you may be careful to do everything written in it" (TNIV).
--"...take heed to do according to all that is written therein" (Darby).
--"...Make sure you do everything that is written in it" (NIRV).
--"...observe and do according to all that is written in it" (Amplified).
--"...obey it completely" (CEV).
--"...obey everything that is written there" (NCV).
--"...making sure you practice everything written in it" (Message).
     God's Word is our instruction book, and it is essential that we know it and meditate on it. There is a third key aspect, and that is that we must do what the Word tells us to do. In John 14:15, Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (NKJV). He also said, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" (John 14:23, NIV). 
     I remember a church marquee that said something like, "If you're a child of the king, there ought to be a family resemblance." How true. I fear we have many who think they are Christians, may have grown up in the church, may attend church, may even have signed a card or repeated a prayer, but are not truly born again.
     Don't get me wrong. I'm not judging. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, KJV), but each of us must take a good long look at our own life, at what we see, say, and do. In I John 2:3, we are told, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands" (NIV).
     God's Word is meant to transform us, to help us "look" more like our Father and King. In James 1:22-25, we are admonished to "be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like. But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience)" (Amplified).
     Reading, meditating on, heeding and obeying God's Word is not legalism; it is liberty. It's the "my part" of the promises found in Joshua 1:8 and James 1:25 (among many other promises).

What this has to do with weight loss: As you allow God's Word to transform you on the inside, your "outside" will reflect that, as well. See what God's Word has to say about your weight-loss journey, and then just do it. The end result will be amazing.

Confession:
I read, meditate on, heed, and obey God's Word, so I can claim God's promises.

Blessings,
Mary

Hi, Everyone.
I've had a "You know you're too tired when..." moment. I just realized that I failed to write the "What this has to do with weight loss" part of yesterday's Devotion. I'm going to go back and do that (soon, I hope) and at least add it to an edited devotion #119 on my profile blog. I sure apologize about that. If I ever do that in the future, give me a nudge, would you? Thanks.

Life Plan Devotion #120 [Meditate]

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (NKJV).

     Yesterday, we looked at the importance of following the first clause of Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth," that it is crucial that we know what God's Word says.
     Today, let's look at the second clause of Joshua 1:8, "but you shall meditate in it day and night." The Hebrew word for "meditate" is “hâgâh" (haw-gaw’), which means "to murmur (in pleasure); to ponder--imagine, meditate, mutter, roar, speak, study, talk, utter."
     The list of synonyms in the definition for the Hebrew word "meditate" is reflected in the way the following versions state our Joshua 1:8b clause:
--"meditate on it" (TNIV)
--"think about what it says" (NIRV)
--"study it" (NCV)
--"recite it" (HCSB)
--"Ponder and meditate on it" (Message)
     The second verse of the first chapter of the Book of Psalms says that "His [the blessed man's] delight is in the law of the LORD; and on His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2, NIV, words added in brackets by author, for clarity). One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Psalm 119. While I encourage you to read that chapter at least once a month, let's look at four verses specific to our Joshua 1:8b clause. As you read them, ask yourself if you can honestly echo the words.
     "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways" (Psalm 119:15). "I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees" (v. 48). "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long" (v. 97). "My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises" (v. 148, NIV).
     God wants us to read, study, memorize, recite, speak, pray, ponder, think about, meditate in and on His Word. When are we to do all that? According to Joshua 1:8, we should meditate on God's Word "day and night." Even when we're going about our daily business, God's Word should be coming to mind and on the tip of our tongue.
     Even when we're asleep, if we have hidden God's Word in our heart, I believe God's Word continues to work in us. If "He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over [His people] will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:3-4, NIV, words in brackets added by author, for clarity), and since He is the Word (John 1:1), and since His Word is "living and active" (Hebrews 4:12, NIV), it makes sense that the Word of God continues to work in us, even when we're asleep. Think about that--God's living, active, powerful Word works within your mind, heart, and spirit--day and night!

What this has to do with weight loss: When you think about your weight-loss journey, what do you think about? Make a conscious choice to pay attention to the thoughts that flit through your mind throughout the day (or stay for a while). If those thoughts tend to be negative, self-defeating, then you have some work to do, and God's Word can help you renew your mind. Give it a try. Remember, your thoughts become spoken words and actions and habits, so they're important.

Confession:
Because I love God's Word and because I want success in every area of my life, I read, memorize, study, meditate on, think about, speak and pray the powerful Word of God every day.

Blessings,
Mary

A picture!  We finally get to see what our Mary looks like!  And she looks happy and beautiful, that's how she looks--the outside totally matches the inside.  It is so nice to put a face to a name.  Thank you.

Great message.  I think I've been skipping some rungs.  Looks like I need to climb down and start over.

Vickie

Hi, Everyone.
I trust you had a wonderful weekend and are ready for a great week. It's a marvelous Monday, here in Kansas!
Today, we begin looking at a new, wonderful promise. My prayer for you is that God will speak to you through His Word. As always, I love hearing from you.

Life Plan Devotion #119 [Success]

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (NKJV).

     Joshua 1:8 is the only place in the early English version of the Bible where the word "success" is found. I feel the Lord would have us look at this very important verse, one clause at a time. Today, we will focus on the first clause of Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth."
     When God breathed, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth," did He mean that we shouldn't speak it? Of course not. Let's look at this clause in other Bible versions. 
     I frequent www.BibleGateway.com often, for the many versions of the Bible there, and because you can look at the same passage of scripture in up to 5 versions at a time. This is how some of those versions state the first clause of Joshua 1:8.
--"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips" (Today's NIV).
--"Never stop reading this Scroll of the Law" (NIRV).
--"Always remember what is written in the Book of the Teachings" (NCV).
--"This Book of the Law must not leave your mouth" (NLV).
--"This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth" (HCS).
--"Don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind" (Message).
--"Study this Book of Instruction continually" (NLT).
     It is absolutely crucial that you know what is written in God's Word. Read it (and read it often), memorize it (and review it), study it (go after God's Word, as a scholar), get it down deep into your mind and heart and spirit ****il you know that you know it), think it (let it renew your mind), and speak it (to yourself and to others). Those are the first 6 rungs of the Ladder of Success. Don't try to skip any of them, or you may fall off the ladder.
     Take an honest look at your relationship with God's Word, especially in the quantity and quality of time you spend with it. Do you climb those 6 rungs quickly or sporadically, or perhaps you try to skip some of those rungs up the Ladder of Success. We'll look at more of this verse next time, and, eventually, we'll look at what "success" means. Right now, though, answer this soul-searching question, "How much do you want it?"

Confession:
Because I want success in every area of my life, I read, memorize, study, meditate on, think about, and speak the powerful Word of God every day.

Blessings,
Mary

Just a little update on our precious Alayah
  She had been rescheduled for the 16th so still is in need of prayer. They will do a biopsy of her tummy and lungs while she is sedated.

  Thanks again for your prayers and God bless you all !

Teri