Hello, Sweet Friends! 

I am so glad that you are joining me. If you were here for the last post,  you will know that I decided to take a two-week break. You can read more here and visit my awesome friends that join me each week for my linkup. The great news is I have had a ton of fun with my grandma planning for the Facebook Group Seeking God Daily.

I am trying to use this week, the full week before field trips and my kids are home for the summer, to get some planning and hopefully writing done. I wish I was able to batch write so I could just schedule for the summer but that has never happened and I don’t think it will now, either. Anyone else able to do that? I would love some tips on how you get that done, throwing littles into the mix would really be impressive.

Back to Seeking God Daily. I have absolutely loved being a part of this group. I am joined by three of my blogging buddies, Melanie Redd, Michele Morin, and Julie Loos. These ladies are the best and their writing inspires me daily.

The group is designed to gain perspective and knowledge on God’s Word from several viewpoints.  Each of us has a story inside and in this group, you will certainly see that. These ladies are packed with stories, and what I love is they always point life back to the Bible and have a Biblical and Christian worldview.

You will hear about the ups and downs of life and how God inspires us to keep moving day after day and Seeking after Him.

Seeking God Daily

If you want to join our group, we would love to have you! It is open to the public, so bring your friends. It is a great supportive community that is focused on digging deeper into God’s Word and having a great conversation about it.  We love to hear from our friends there and conversations are where it is at.

You can find us here at Seeking God Daily and request to join. 

I am super excited to see what the summer holds.  For the first time, we are going to do a word study. We are going to dig deep into a word and see what the Bible has to teach us about it. I think it is going to be pretty great.

I have already been digging into our first word- GRACE – and let me tell you. Our God is Awesome. He never ceases to amaze me and Bible heroes I have grown up learning about and even have studied as an adult are coming to life in a whole new way.  That is what happens when you peel back the layers of a story and dig in.

I can’t wait to see what God is going to do with this and I look forward to you joining us there.

Recent Posts Our Friends Love

Please don’t take off, however,  I would love you to check out the first post in the series called Seeking God with a Heart Like Christ and link up with us at Sitting Among Friends Blog Party. You can also read my guest post with Lori Schumaker from Searching for Moments or 3 Ways to a Sweeter Prayer Life.

When I decided to start writing a blog, it was because I felt God call me to move into a new direction in ministry. I didn’t know what that meant or how that would look, I just wanted to be willing to move.

The very first post I wrote was called Seeking God in All I Do. It is where my heart feels the most at peace. And since I knew nothing about setting up a blog it somehow transferred and became the title of my blog. Which, eventually became what it is today… Read More

If there is one thing that I often hear Christians say it is that they want to “do better”. Maybe that means reading their Bible more or having a sweeter prayer life or being more intentional in acts and deeds.

Does any of that sound familiar to you?

I believe this statement comes from the fact that even after putting our trust and faith in Jesus, our human nature, which is a sin nature, still often rules in our lives. I believe the Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to Rome… Read More

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post Seeking God Daily and LinkUp appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Good Morning, Friends.

I am so glad that you are here. These last couple of weeks have been quite hectic for me. I volunteered working full time at my kiddos school to do a book fair. It was quite fun. Being a stay-at-home mom and now having all my kids go to school, days are spent on Bible study, blogging and looking forward to their return.

I have loved being at school during the day to get a random hello, wave, or I love you, Mom. But as you can imagine that has left no time for study or blogging stuff.  Missing one day throws me off, let alone 6 days at school. Although, it has been great and I have been doing this two times a year.

I am really excited to get this new series, “Seeking God” underway but as I sit down to write, I feel I am going to shorthand you and myself because I didn’t get proper time to study to write. Not where I wanted to be this week but life.

So I am going to take a short break for 2 weeks to catch up on some time in the Word, get some planning done, and go on a couple of field trips with my kiddos before summer officially gets underway. Then with kiddos home, we’ll we will see.

Don’t worry linkup friends, the linkup will still be here and we’ll connect via your favorite Social Media!

Anyone else feeling this pressure? Let me know how you are handling it and any how-to’s on being more productive with the kids at home.

Recent Posts Our Friends Love

Please don’t take off, however,  I would love you to check out the first post in the series called Seeking God with a Heart Like Christ and link up with us at Sitting Among Friends Blog Party. You can also read my guest post with Lori Schumaker from Searching for Moments or 3 Ways to a Sweeter Prayer Life.

When I decided to start writing a blog, it was because I felt God call me to move into a new direction in ministry. I didn’t know what that meant or how that would look, I just wanted to be willing to move.

The very first post I wrote was called Seeking God in All I Do. It is where my heart feels the most at peace. And since I knew nothing about setting up a blog it somehow transferred and became the title of my blog. Which, eventually became what it is today… Read More

If there is one thing that I often hear Christians say it is that they want to “do better”. Maybe that means reading their Bible more or having a sweeter prayer life or being more intentional in acts and deeds.

Does any of that sound familiar to you?

I believe this statement comes from the fact that even after putting our trust and faith in Jesus, our human nature, which is a sin nature, still often rules in our lives. I believe the Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to Rome… Read More

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post Sitting Among Friends Blog Party appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

3 Ways to a Sweeter Prayer Life

If there is one thing that I often hear Christians say it is that they want to “do better”. Maybe that means reading their Bible more or having a sweeter prayer life or being more intentional in acts and deeds.

Does any of that sound familiar to you?

I believe this statement comes from the fact that even after putting our trust and faith in Jesus, our human nature, which is a sin nature, still often rules in our lives. I believe the Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to Rome

So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s Law. But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:21-23 (BSB)

Although we want to do better and do what is right, there is a war going on inside of us. The good news is that God rules over all and He can certainly rule over our hearts and minds if we trust Him.

One area where we can be more intentional in or trust God more deeply in is prayer. I am not going to try and give you a perfect formula for prayer. Prayer is the communication between you and God. If this is an area that you struggle with. Ask God to guide and direct you.

This post is going to address three ways to that will help you to see that the communication between you and your Heavenly Father can come in many forms. Hopefully, you will be encouraged to trust Him more as you seek this time with Him.

Set Your Eyes on Scripture

One way to pray is to set your eyes on Scripture. This is not something that I do often but have been doing more for this one reason. I want to do what the will of the Father is.

You may be asking yourself, What is the will of God? How do I know if what I am doing, thinking or saying is the in line with His good and perfect will?
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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:13-17 (BSB)

The Scriptures were given to us so that we would be fully equipped to do every good work. The will of God is to make us complete as we put our full faith and trust in Him.

Submitting ourselves to His Holy Word is His will. He gave us the scripture so we can align our life with Him. Praying His words back to Him would be praying in His will.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is teaching the disciples about ways to live according to the Father. In Matthew 6: 9 He teaches them how to pray and not pray.

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)

Jesus gave a perfect guide to pray the scripture.

Here are a few more suggestions and examples of scripture to pray back to God.

• Pray the attributes or qualities of God back to Him. (Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–  Praise you God for Your eternal power)
• Pray the names of God back to Him worshipping Him for who He is. (El-Roi “The God who sees” – Thank you for being the God who sees me)
• Read the Psalms as a prayer. (Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.)
• Find verses that speak of Jesus and pray that God reveals new things or brings your attention to certain parts. Then praise Him for the things He has revealed to you.  (When reading Matthew 6:9, something that may stand out to you is hallowed be your name. Hallowed means Holy. Holy is your name, Lord. Then spend time in prayer praising God for His holiness.)

An Outpouring of Your Heart

I think this is so often how I pray. Whatever is on my heart, I pray to God.  Whether it be praise, petitions, repentance or requests. Every time something comes to my heart, I talk to God.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

Again in these verses, we can see God’s will. Never stop praying. Always be joyful and thankful.

Those sometimes feel like steep requests but they are God’s will for our lives. So even when life is tough, God is saying be thankful. He is not saying if you feel like it or when things are going good, be joyful.

Notice the two phrases, be joyful and be thankful are flanking prayer. Because in the midst of our trials, joy and thanksgiving come during prayer.

I know in my toughest times and when I have faced my greatest trials, prayer and God’s Word were my saving grace. The joy given to me and gratitude that came from my heart came during prayer. Eventually, my pain and sorrows turned to praise to God for who He was during it all.

When I take the focus off of me and place it on the one who deserves my praise for all things my heart opens to joy and gratitude.
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Open Hands

This has been the prayer of my heart lately. Asking God with open hands to empty me of myself. Then I sit quietly before Him so I can hear His whispers to my soul.

So often in life, we get tangled up in ourselves. Our greatest enemy is sometimes ourselves, our pride, and what we think we have to offer God.

I don’t want to come to God with my list of qualifications and resume. I want to come as an empty vessel for Him to fill me and use me in a way that He can.

So I have to pray to God that I can stay out of His way so He can do His work through me.

I was just talking to a friend today, telling her that I have been a blank slate when it comes to writing. Instead of brainstorming all the best or top trending topics, I have been relishing in my emptiness. Sitting at my keyboard and asking God to empty me of anything I think I can bring.

The amazing thing is, He is not short on words to inspire my heart. I can offer you very little but He can offer you His heart.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

Having A Sweeter Prayer Life

Prayer is our lifeline to our Heavenly Father.

Having a better prayer life is not out of reach. It is not something that I can prescribe a perfect formula for, however, God can.

He can show you in His Word and when you are in communication with Him. You need only need to ask.

Heavenly Father,

We stand before you today praising you for sitting on the Throne of Grace. Being willing to listen to our hearts and interceding our prayers. Lord, we ask that as you open our hearts you will pour yourself into our soul. Lord, please mold us to be more like you every day. We thank you for not leaving us in hopelessness but sending your Son Jesus to die for our sins. Thank you, Lord, for defeating death by raising Jesus from the grave so that I, too, may live.

Lord, you are too magnificent for words and I love you and praise your great name forever.

In your Precious Name, Amen!

Amen! Thank you so much for joining us here today.

Personal Reflections

1. Do you have a personal prayer life? 
2. How would you rank it (Not next to the person you think is a prayer warrior but with God)? Why did you rank it that way? Do you want it to change?
3. What are you doing well? What is one thing you can change today?
4.  Do you have any tips or things you can share with us today to encourage us to spend that time with God? Personal Testimonies to prayer?

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post 3 Ways to a Sweeter Prayer Life appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Face to Face with True Worship

Recently while at Bible Study I heard Jesus whisper in my heart. Go home and bow down. It sounded like such a strange request. I thought God, I love you, do I really need to do this? The reply. Yes, go home with your face to the ground, bow down.

Now I can see how this may sound crazy, but when you have spent time in the word, God will teach you, rebuke you, correct you and train you up in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) Sometimes, this comes from the Holy Spirit whispering to your soul. This day, this spirit led worship was clearly teaching me what it meant to bow before The King.

So I did. I have to be honest, at first, it was awkward. But I wanted to be obedient. So I went home. Got down on my living room floor and as I brought my face to the ground the tears began to pour down my face.  I bowed there. In silence. Being still before God.

It has been so long since I just bowed before Jesus with nothing to say. Just obedience to the whispers in my heart. Recognizing Him as my King and object of true worship. I laid there and the tears just kept coming. And I stayed that way until He lifted me off the floor.

Today in our story we are going to be traveling to the other side of the Mount of Olives to a town called Bethany. There we are going to witness the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha.

A Welcoming Home

As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. Luke 10:38 (BSB)

Jesus had been friends with Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus.  We know this from the interactions we see in John that they were dear friends of one another (John 11:5). It is also quite possible that when Jesus retreated to Bethany that he found rest at their house (Matthew 21:17).

This day, Martha welcomes Jesus into her home as she may have done before, and as any good hostess would do she begins the preparations for her beloved guest.

She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to His message. Luke 10:39 (BSB)

Mary welcomed Jesus in a very different way. She sat at His feet and took in all that He was teaching.

Jesus had to of taught Mary and Martha that He was the Messiah, the Son of God because they believed that deep in their heart (John 11:27).

What does it mean to sit at the feet of Jesus?

Mary was at quite a preferential advantage to this type of view. Hearing the words of the Son of God straight from The Word Himself while reclining at His feet. At times, I am envious of Mary’s view and seated place. I can’t imagine sitting with Jesus on more than one occasion and being able to show my love to Him face to face.

Mary wasn’t just an admirer of Jesus, she loved Him and she was loved by Him and called His friend. While Jesus was traveling from town to town He met many along the way but these friends had a special place in Jesus’ heart.

It could have something to do with them opening their doors to Him when He needed a quiet retreat. Even more importantly they opened their hearts to Him as true worshippers.

Sitting at Jesus’ feet meant Mary could hear first hand as He described His mission as Son of God. He disclosed this to His disciples and to Mary and Martha as well. (John 11:24)

Although we can feel like our seating is on the outside looking in as we read these Bible stories. Our vantage point is quite different from Mary and Martha’s.

This side of the cross we can have the Holy Spirit living and dwelling inside us. As he leads and guides us we are more than sitting at His feet, we are the dwelling place, the tabernacle of the Living God.
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The Many Distractions

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!” Luke 10:40 (BSB)

There are so many things that can distract us from worship and the moment they distract us they hinder our true worship. They keep us from worshiping in spirit and in truth.

This classic story of two sisters seems interwoven with the conflicting sisters. What I believe the true conflict is our heart for pure worship. Coming to Christ with our distractions, our to-do lists, our daddy-do lists, our pride, our self-centeredness, and our self-righteousness –just to name a few– breaks the line worship. True worship starts with a repentant sincere heart.

We come with our presuppositions about what is going to occur and we miss the very thing God is really trying to teach us. We come to worship with our worries, our gripes, our greed and our busy schedules and we want that really good thing to be a really quick thing.

The Worried Worship

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things. Luke 10:41 (BSB)

Martha was not able to focus on who was in her house because she was more worried about the proper placement of the things in her house, including her sister. Instead of worrying about setting the table she should have been setting her heart right.

I just love her interjection, don’t you? Isn’t it so like us. We assume that someone else is doing something so wrong that we just go right in for the correction.

I am sure if Martha is anything like I am, she was just a stewing. Stewing up new worries and maybe even ones that were not there. Rolling over in her thoughts the thing she might say to get her sister’s attention to help. Her heart is so blurred by her inaccurate perception of her situation and what her sister is doing she says to Jesus, “Don’t you care?”

We can be most assured that Jesus does care. He cares so much that He sent His Son to die to show us how much He cares.
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Before she allows Jesus to answer, assuming she knows what He is going to say, she tells Him how to correct Mary.

I don’t know about you, but when I try and tell God how things are going to go down, it doesn’t end pretty for me.

I love that Jesus’ rebuke to Martha is gentle and mild. “Martha, Martha. You are upset.”

The Only One Thing

 But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42 (BSB)

Jesus tells Martha. Martha, there is one thing that is necessary. Mary has chosen it. AND what she has chosen and learned while sitting at My feet, will not be taken away from her.

While at the well, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”John 4:23-24 (NIV)

The Father is seeking true worshipers. He is seeking ones who will worship Him in both the spirit they have inside, which is connected to Him by the Holy Spirit and with sincere hearts.

It’s not about posture, placement, or even servanthood. It’s about the Lord who created the Heavens and the Earth. The one who knit your very soul in His image. The one who moved heaven and earth to walk among His people.

Mary was commended for her true worship. Her heart was not distracted by the day but enveloped in the One Good Thing she was supposed to be worshiping.

Why is this so amazing for us?

Friends, I am so encouraged by Jesus’ response today. Put yourself in this story. Where it says Martha, insert your name like this and let Jesus whisper into your heart…

Jaime Jaime, you are worried about so many things. Let them go. Chose the only one thing that is necessary and take the time to truly worship me. Put down your to-do lists and the worries that are weighing down your heart. Lay them all down right here at my feet. Come and sit and let me teach you. I will be your good portion each day.  You have so many things distracting you and fighting for your attention. I know you are needed by so many people and I know you want to get it just right. Remember what I give you each day will not be taken away from you. Come. Sit. Just Be.

Personal Reflections:

1. How do you feel when you worship with a distracted worried heart? How can you change that?
2. What do you do to allow yourself to worship the Only One thing that is necessary?
3. What can you do in your day to free up some time for worship?
4. Can you relate more to Martha than Mary? What is one step you can take today to be more like Mary?

5. ---

   This week as you come face to face with your worship, do you have anything you can repent so that your time spent with Jesus is with a pure heart?
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Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Cherished Moments: Face to Face with True Worship appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Face to Face with New Life

Much of my life was not spent in living an abundant life in Christ. Sure, I thought that I had a life. Sure, I thought it was eternal. But I had never really sat face to face with Jesus. In fact, I had spent much of my time running in the opposite direction. New life wasn’t something I grasped.

The most well-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, was something I could rattle off of my tongue in my sleep. But like the man Jesus was talking to in these verses, I didn’t quite grasp the love, the life eternal, and the new life that is offered by Jesus.

So There Was a Man

And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. John 3:1 (BLB)

This man was not just any man of the synagogue, he was a ruler He was a Pharisee and a lawyer. If disputes are to be made among the rulers, these are the men that are gathered. We see Nicodemus appear later in requesting Jesus get due process of the law in John 7.

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:2 (BSB)

I can completely relate to Nicodemus in the verses. Sadly, I lived much of my life ashamed to come out in the light of day to know Jesus. I think if we are honest, as believers, we often struggle with the people around us knowing we want to know Jesus more or even that we know Him at all.

Jesus is Personal

What I love about this interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus is that I can picture, Jesus, sitting right up close with someone who has to come in the cloak of darkness to Him more. Jesus seeks a personal intimate relationship with each of us and this man was no different.

Jesus got personal with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was not condemned for his late night covert operation. Jesus welcomed him into a conversation about who He truly is.

Nicodemus had one understanding of God at this point in his life. He knew access to God was limited through the vail. He most certainly would have known that God had not been present behind that vail for hundreds of years. To be up close and personal with someone who he believed was with God had to be astonishing.

Jesus’ signs and miracles were evidence of who He was. Nicodemus knew these signs pointed Him in the direction he wanted to understand more. Although Nicodemus came in the dark of the night, he had a purpose to understand his own soul. And without hesitation, he jumps right into this subject.

Born Again

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 (NLT)

This is a very interesting statement. It baffles Nicodemus. What is Jesus talking about? Born again? How could he go back into his mother’s womb?

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. John  3:5 (NLT)

Jesus gives us all hope in this one phrase. He tells Nicodemus, “I assure you”.

If you have ever questioned your faith, questioned if God is who He says, questioned Jesus and His authority. You can take ahold of verses such as this.
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Born again does not mean we go back to being an infant in our mother’s womb. We know that is not happening. Jesus tells Nicodemus if you don’t understand earthly things (going back to your mother’s womb) how are you going to understand things of heaven.

Heavenly things — because Christ died for us on the cross, we can be born into new life with Him. the new life or new beginning is of the Spirit.

I Just Don’t Know

I have to be honest, there are somethings in my faith that I just don’t know and understand. That does not make them any less credible or believable. It just makes my trust in Christ stretch farther.

Although we would like a clear explanation of how the moving of the Spirit works, Jesus continues on in verse 8.

 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NIV)

I cannot explain about the day I received Christ as Savior. Having come to the realization that I was a sinner in need of a Savior and to be with Jesus in heaven I needed to admit my sin, ask for forgiveness, and ask Jesus to come and live inside me.

I cannot explain the things that the Spirit was doing in me to make this decision. I don’t know how the Spirit operates in this manner. But I can be confident that He does. I can be assured of my Salvation as a result of Him breathing new life into me. And I can have blessed assurance that one day, I will get to see Jesus face to face.

Great Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

This verse is a cornerstone in the Christian faith. Yet, it’s so drastic, that it seems unreal.

This is not a love that we know by any other name. Sacrificial, never-ending, unfailing love. That God would send His one and only Son, to save an undeserving sinful wretched soul such as myself. To take the punishment that I deserve and lay it on His Son so I can breath new life.

I can see why the Christian faith seems so unbelievable. This kind of love has its own name. It is the name Jesus.

Jesus went to the cross for my sins and yours. He was placed on heaven's alter and sacrificed in our place.
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Yet some 2000 years ago, Jesus did exactly that.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

For my sins, He allowed Himself to be beaten, slapped in the face, and spit upon. A crown of glory that was meant to mock Him will one day bring me into glory. He was speared, nailed, and hung to die on a tree on Calvary’s Hill.

For me.

For you.

No, I can’t explain it but I can claim it. Christ assures us it is for us to take and when we do, we may enter the kingdom of God.

Choose New Life

Dear Friends, if you have not made the decision to accept Christ as your personal Savior, don’t hesitate. The Bible says one day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord. The decision is not if but when. The decision has both immediate and eternal impact.

If you have not made that decision, I would love to talk with you further. I don’t want you to miss the breath of new life that can penetrate your soul. Life of the Spirit. One that can not be obtained by any human effort or achievement. One ordained only by God Himself.

If you would like to further learn how you can make a decision to accept Christ, here is a great resource. PeaceWithGod.net

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please be sure to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will also be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Cherished Moments: Face to Face with New Life appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Act Now!

When we began this most remarkable journey with Jesus we wanted to get to know Him more. As with any journey, it should lead us closer to a destination. Our destination here on earth should be closer to Jesus to resemble Him more each day. To do that we need to Act Now!

Of course, as followers of Christ our destination is in the presence of the Living God but for now, it is studying and walking with Him. It is an awesome journey.

Studying Jesus’ life is the most significant thing we can do to dig deeper into our relationship with Him. The more time we spend in a relationship the more we become like the other person.  Our personalities and characteristics start to mesh.

So we walked beside Him. But what do we do next?

Don’t Keep Looking Up

Do you ever catch yourself looking up into the sky and thinking what if Christ returned right now? Hoping that moment would come that instant or double-checking making sure you did’t miss it. (Don’t worry you won’t!)

Maybe you have looked at the splendor He has created in the sunsets or the rays that float through the morning skies dreaming of your coming king.

After Jesus journeyed here on earth and ascended into heaven the disciples did just that. They stared intently into the clouds. As they did this two men dressed in white stood next to them and asked them why they were standing there staring into the sky.

The same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)

Go

Luke tells us in Acts 1:1 that in his former book (Luke) he wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up into heaven.

The great news is we have such an amazing blueprint for Jesus’ teachings. This is such a great reason to study His journey. We see the things He wants to teach us and we see the things He did so we, too, can emulate them.

We were not left empty-handed. Better yet, in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit. Just as the apostles had the Holy Spirit come on them and the power flow through them we have access to that same power.

But we have been directed to do something with the Holy Spirit. No, it is not staring intently at the sky and hoping for His soon return. Our job is to go and be His witness.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)

You Will Be Equipped

Often times we have a million and one excuses why we are not the one for the job. Just as Moses did when God gave him the job to free His people, we rattle them off one-by-one.

We are not strong enough, a good enough speaker, worthy enough, tall enough, thin enough, brave enough, educated enough, enough of this and enough of that.

I am right there beside you. I have given God my list of qualifications and I have given my list that is lacking. His response is the same today as it was then.

I AM.

We don't need to be enough when we have a God that is more than enough. We need to show up and be obedient.
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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

The journey begins with the Scripture. Letting it teach us, correct us, train us, and yes even rebuke us.

Why?

So we will be thoroughly equipped. 

Traveling the Road Again

Jesus’ journey as recorded in the gospels gives us such a blessed look at who He is. Let’s review some of those lessons here that we are now equipped with.  

Jesus Among Us           

            God knew when sin entered the world that He had the solution to resolve our broken relationship. So he put on flesh and made His dwelling among us so He could be like us so we could one day be like Him. 

Testimonies and Business            

          God sent people at just the right time to testify to who He was. Simeon and Anna were devout believers, who were given the divine word that Jesus was the Son of God. As Jesus grew He testified to His own identity by being about His Father’s business while in the temple. 

Lord, Have Mercy!          

          Along Jesus’ journey, we see Him heal the sick, the blind, the broken and the hopeless. One particular man, blind Bartimaeus, gives us another clue to Jesus’ identity by crying out to the Son of David. The Old Testament continually pointed to the Messiah coming from the throne of David. 

This man asked for one thing from Jesus and that was His mercy. We see time and time again people that know their true disparity know their need for mercy. Praise the Lord! He is willing to pour it out onto us.  

Who Jesus Is           

          Our next stop was the well that was not too deep to draw real perspective. We learned many things about Jesus here. He pursues us and see us for who we are and loves us anyway. Jesus was fully human and the Messiah the world was waiting for.

Jesus goes beyond the social norms for us to understand His great love and while He is there offers us life and soul restoration.

With Jesus           

        Finally, we traveled with the resurrected Jesus on the Road to Emmaus where He opened our eyes to the importance of Scripture. While being reminded that Jesus is not just the one his people had hoped would rescue them from their oppressors but the ultimate redeemer of their souls. 

Act Now!

Last week my little girl was sick and she couldn’t go to AWANAs. She loves going to church. She went and got her vest, her book, and her bag and insisted that she was going.

You know how hard it was to tell her she couldn’t go. She had been sick for several days and I wanted her to really rest before returning to school and not spread anything more.

But her sweet little heart burned to go. She loves saying her verses and listening to stories about Jesus.

And I. DON’T. WANT. THAT. TO. EVER. END.

Her passion was so great that I almost gave in. She paraded through the house declaring her stance to go until the car pulled away.

Can we be more like that?

Let our passion to pursue God and the things that are about our Father be made known. May we make declarations that we will not go unheard and our pursuit of Him will not be evaded by a temporary setback.
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May we firmly take our stance until the trumpet sounds and we are called to our heavenly home. 

Blessings to you on your journey. I am so glad that you have chosen to spend some of it here with us at Seeking God!

Dust Off Your Feet

I hope you are ready to dust of your feet because we are ready to take a break from the dirt road. The next leg of the journey is going to be face-to-face with Jesus.

I have loved this journey and am really excited for the next step. Next, here at Seeking God. we are going to study the people that Jesus had more intimate conversations with. We learn another aspect of the heart of Jesus when we get up close and intimate with Him and that is my desire for us.

There were so many people that He met along the way. Some He journeyed by on the dirt roads but some He sat with and had amazing conversations with. I am excited to explore those conversations further and I hope you will join me and we see Jesus face-to-face.

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. Please make sure to visit another friend in the linkup!

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please take the time to visit other blogs to comment and share*

I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. 

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Most Remarkable Journey: Act Now! appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Lord, Have Mercy on Me!

Lord, Have Mercy! Jesus, Son of David, Have Mercy on Me! The cries of those who knew their desperate situation knew where to turn and because of their faith, He turned to them with the mercy for which they appealed.

On the Most Remarkable Journey, we see Jesus heal the blind, deaf and mute. We see Him cast out demons, feed thousands, and calm raging seas.

The journey almost seems too remarkable to be real.  To many, it wasn’t. For many, it still isn’t.

But to Blind Bartimaeus, it was His life story, his testimony. Jesus’ journey intermingled with his and he threw off his cloak to follow Jesus.

Near the end of Mark 10, we read the story of a man who was blind, Bartimaeus. His life was lived as a castaway. Some versions say he was by the wayside. He was not only blind but was a beggar. He was waiting for Jesus and not being able to see His arrival, He must have sat anxiously listening for His departure.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47 (NIV)

Son of David, Have Mercy on Me!

Bartimaeus recognized two things for sure. He knew that the Promised Savior, The Messiah that was to come was the Son of David. He also recognized his own desperate situation.

Bartimaeus is acknowledging Jesus, not as the son of a carpenter or Jesus of Nazareth. But Jesus, the Son of David.

We see in 2 Samuel 7 the covenant that God made with David to establish His throne and His Kingdom forever through the line of David. If you haven’t read that story it is a beautiful exchange between a Master and His son. I would really recommend it.

Bartimaeus is referring to this same covenant that was made so many generations before. Jesus is the Promised King that so many were waiting for.

Bartimaeus wasn’t looking for redemption from Rome like so many others. He was looking for his Healer, his Redeemer, his life Rescuer.

Lord, Have Mercy on Me!

Although blind, Bartimaeus saw his own situation very clearly. He was not only blind but he was a beg to survive.

Sometimes it takes coming to this desperate place to recognize the only thing left to do is seek the face of Jesus and that is exactly what he did.
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As Bartimaeus was shouting out many were trying to quiet him. This caused his to shout all the more. Jesus was followed by a large crowd. Bartimaeus probably felt it necessary, to be heard over the crowd, to shout.

He was also not going to let a few naysayers quiet his request. He may have never thought the day for healing would come and now The Ultimate Healer has walked right into His town. This was not a man they were going to quiet.

All the more he shouted, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48)

Throw Off Your Old Self

Jesus stops and has him called over. Cheer Up, Bartimaeus! They told him. Today’s your day! (Mark 10:49) Get Up! He is calling you!

Throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. This was his day. The day his life would change for good. Bartimaeus throws off his old self. His beggar’s wardrobe is tossed aside and is replaced with a new lease on life.

What do you want from me, Jesus asks him. “Rabbi, I want to see!” He declares.

We don’t know how long he had been blind. What we do know is Jesus shows him mercy. He gives him his sight. Not only does he see the world, he stands looking face-to-face with his Redeemer.

Your Faith Has Healed You

Jesus’ response was the same to Bartimaeus as it is to us today. “Your faith has healed you.” (Mark 10:52)

What do you want Jesus asks? I want to see!

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” John 9:39 (NIV)

Yesterday, I had someone ask for proof to my believing in Jesus. I told him, I was lost but now I am found. I was once blind, but now I see. Then he proceeded to tell me that because I believe in Jesus, I am blind to the truth of this world.

Quite contradictory to what the Bible says. The Bible tells us Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind and to those who think they see clearly will become blind.

I’m sure Bartimaeus could testify to a life lived in darkness. A life before he met Jesus on the road that day.

While there may still be naysayers to try and keep those quiet who are calling out to Jesus, the Son of David, Jesus still opens the eyes of those whose faith heals them. Jesus still allows us to throw off our old cloaks and run to him.

Follow Jesus

Many of us may not be able to physically relate to the blind beggar Bartimaeus, at first glance. But as we take this journey with Jesus, we see that our story is exactly the same.

We are in a desperate situation. Our sin has us chained and begging for hope and mercy. It holds us captive to the thoughts and ways of this world.

Thinking we are fine and can ourselves be our own redeemers just leaves us blind and eternally destitute. These thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth.

We, too, often find ourselves begging and crying out to the Lord. Lord, have mercy! Don't leave us in this condemned life. We ourselves cannot fix this situation. We cannot seek enough truth apart from who Christ is and who we are in…
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Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world. The reason that many stay blind is that we are required to recognize our need for Him.  We are required to profess Him as Lord and come to him for His grace and mercy.

It doesn’t end there. We have to turn from our ways. Shed off that old self and follow Him.

Bartimaeus was healed. His faith saved him. And he immediately followed Jesus.

Personal Reflections

In 1 Peter we are told to, “Be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have in you.”

1. What is your answer?
2. Are you able to explain this hope?
3. What is the hope and why do you cling to it?

If you don’t feel like you have a clear answer, maybe writing it down and getting your head around it would be beneficial to you.

If you are encouraged by this study, please consider sharing it via social media.

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please take the time to visit other blogs to comment and share*

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Most Remarkable Journey: Lord, Have Mercy! appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Testimonies and Business

Welcome to Week 2 of The Most Remarkable Journey: Jesus Among Us. I am so excited that you are journeying with us. This week we are going to discuss two different times Jesus’ parents took Him to the temple as a child. We will discover the testimonies of two devout believers and Jesus’ first declaration of Who He is. 

This is an awesome journey. As believers, I don’t think there is any journey more important than discovering that of Jesus. It tells us who He is. It tells what He is about and tells who we are in Him.

Last week, we took the journey with Mary from conception to the moments when she laid eyes on her newborn King. Her Savior that she sang praises to in her Magnificant had finally arrived.

This week, we will continue in Luke 2 verse 21 and travel to the end of the chapter. 

Walking in Obedience 

Mary and Joseph had to take this journey in faith. Up to this point in their lives, The Messiah was someone they only hoped for. The one they had read about in the Scriptures and their hearts longed to rescue them. 

God’s people hadn’t heard from Him in over 400 years. The state of their religious system was legalistic at it’s best. They had been the remnant holding on to the promises that were spoken of in the prophets and because of that, God showed favor on Mary. 

Joseph and Mary continued to be obedient after Jesus was born. They followed the law that was laid out before them generations past. Eight days after their baby boy was born, they brought Him to the temple. They had Him circumcised, according to the law.  They named Him Jesus which means Yahweh saves, just as the angel had directed them to do. 

Then when it was time for them to go to the temple for the purification offering, according to the law, they took with them two doves as a sacrifice for their firstborn son. (Leviticus 15:14)

The Testimonies of Simeon and Anna

Simeon

As we jump into Luke 2:25, we meet a man in Jeruselum. At first glance, this story may seem somewhat insignificant. We soon find out this is one of the first testimonies of Christ as Savior. 

The angels declared Him Lord, the shepherds sang of His glory, the magi, whom they have not yet met brought gifts for a king but we know little about them.

We learn in these verses of Simeon’s character. 

Simeon is a devout and righteous man. He was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Isreal. (Luke 2:25) He was holding onto the hope that so many had lost. Simeon had a dream in his heart. A longing to see the Messiah before his life was over.

This little dream became Simeon’s reality. The Holy Spirit came upon Simeon and revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah or Anointed One. 

The day that Mary and Joseph came to the temple to present their firstborn to the Lord and bring their sacrifice, the Spirit led Simeon to the temple. (Luke 2:27)

Simeon Took Baby Jesus into His Arms

I want to take a break to let some reality soak in here. Simeon and all of God’s people were waiting for this moment. Although many had drifted into a religious system while others just kept their faith alive. Because of Simeon’s longing in his heart and showing favor with God, He fulfilled Simeon’s greatest desire.

Can you imagine, the Messiah that you have waited for your whole life all of a sudden appears, not only in your presence but in your arms. (Luke 2:28)
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This is one of those moments that I ponder. As a mother, this had to be one of those moments that Mary treasured in her heart. Simeon could die a peaceful man. His eyes had seen the Savior of the World. His heart’s deepest desire fulfilled in baby Jesus. We don’t know how long Simeon lived but we know he died at peace relying on God’s faithfulness to His people.

Simeon Praised God and Claimed Him as Lord in this Declaration and Testimony

29“Now Lord, You dismiss Your servant in peace,
according to Your word.
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 which You have prepared before the face of all the peoples,
32 a light for revelation of the Gentiles,
and glory of Your people Israel.”
33And His father and mother were marveling at the things having been spoken concerning Him.

34And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed
for the falling and rising up of many in Israel,
and for a sign spoken against—
35and a sword also will go through your own soul—
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:29-35 (BSB)

Anna’s Testimony

God had fulfilled the law in these two testimonies. According to the law, it was necessary for there to be two witnesses for something to be true. (Deuteronomy 17:6)  I love that these two had not only the character to be reliable witnesses but they had the longing in their heart for this day. 

Anna was a prophetess that had lived at the temple and day and night she would fast and pray.

She comes along just as Mary and Joseph are talking with Simeon and she begins praising God and she talked to everyone about this Savior that had come to rescue Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)

The testimony of these two is very significant. They testified to Christ being the Anointed Savior that they had been waiting for. They testified the His purpose while on earth.  They revealed God’s plan for this to not only be for Isreal but also for the Gentiles.

Family Road Trip

The next time we see Jesus in Luke 2, His family is once again being faithful to the law and they travel to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. At this time in the story, Jesus is twelve years old and we will not see or hear from Him again until he begins His public ministry.

After the festival, which lasted 8 days, one day for Passover and seven for the feast of Unleavened Bread, the family returns home to Nazareth.  After traveling for a day, they realize that Jesus is not with them. 

Can we pause for another reality check? Imagine losing the Savior of the World. Can you imagine what was going through their minds?

If you are wondering how this could have possibly happened, most likely they were traveling with a couple hundred people. They were in a caravan of family and friends all heading home. They assumed that He was within their group and it takes them a days travel to discover that He is not with them. 

We see Mary’s rebuke and frustration in her response to Jesus. “Son, why have you done this, your father and I have been frantic looking for you.” (Luke 2:48)

I Am about My Father’s Business

We are going to end today’s study focusing on Luke 2:49 

“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked, “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”

Luke 2:49 (BSB)

Some versions read, didn’t you know I would be about my Father’s business. There are several points we can learn about Jesus in this interaction. 

• Jesus was not being disrespectful to His parents. Immediately after this, He went home and was obedient to them. He lived a sinless life.
• Jesus, for the first time, is verbally recognizing God as His Father. 
• Jesus, even at this young age was focused on His Father’s mission and continued to do so even to death on the cross.

There are times that we, like Joseph and Mary, are walking along the path and we get distracted. We lose sight of Jesus and being about His Father’s business. There are times we search for Him frantically. We get so wrapped up in what is going on in our lives that when we turn around we can’t seem to find Him. We want to know where He is and we begin searching in every worldly thing. 

Jesus was about His father’s business.

What was His Father’s business? Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17) He came to be the final sacrifice for our sins. (Isaiah 53:5) As we see in Simeon’s response, He came to reveal the thoughts of many hearts. 

Are You About Your Father’s Business

Our testimonies can point to the fact that we are about our Father's business. Simeon and Anna's testimonies revealed that their lives pointed to Jesus.
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Mary and Joseph were young parents, responsible for the King of the World. I can’t imagine the stresses they felt to protect this child. They continued to be obedient to the law as they raised Jesus just as they had promised to do on that first night when Mary encountered the angel.

Our Father’s business doesn’t just take place in the temple or church. We are to take the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. That may look different for different people. Maybe it means right where God placed you in your family or workplace, you are to share what Glorious thing He has done for you. 

Personal Reflections:

1. Are you about your Father’s Business?
2. Do you have a clear focus on what that business is?
3. Do you have a method you use for sharing your testimony?
4. Have you ever written your testimony? If not, I would like to encourage you to do that today. I would love to hear it if you do. Please email it to me at youresewtrendy@gmail.com

Please join us in the conversation below. If you want to share your insight from these reflection questions, we look forward to hearing them.

If you are encouraged by this study, please consider sharing it via social media.

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

*Please take the time to visit other blogs and comment and share*

Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.

I will be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!

Join us at our Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board by following my profile and then requesting an invite.

The post The Most Remarkable Journey: Testimonies and Business appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

The Most Remarkable Journey: Jesus Among Us

There are many journeys throughout the Bible. You could study the story of Noah and his journey in the floating boat. Abraham leaving the home he knew well to move to a foreign land.  You could study Jonah’s journey from the rough seas into the belly of a whale. There is one journey, however, that tops the charts. It is the most remarkable journey of all time. This is the journey of Jesus.

As believers, it is vital to study Jesus’ journey and life because from it we learn His character, His heart, and His love for humanity. We see God in the flesh. The one whom our image bears (Genesis 1:27). We can see the person we are to emulate and worship. 

Over the next six weeks, we will be studying the people that Jesus walked and talked with. We will learn how to make lessons our own by reflecting on these stories. Each lesson will have takeaways to apply to our own lives. 

The Journey Begins

The first leg of the journey begins in these all so famous scenes.

First, Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel, where He assures her to not be afraid. He tells her of the child she is about to have. The Son of the Most High God will soon be her firstborn. In awe and wonder, she inquires about how this will be.

Soon after finding out that she was having a baby she was to name Immanuel, she quickly rushed off to tell her pregnant aging cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the wife of Zechariah and the soon-to-be mother of John the Baptist.

What a beautiful encounter this is. Both Elizabeth and John, who were filled with the Holy Spirit, expressed their joy as the Mother of their Lord appeared.

Mary’s Song

Mary is so overcome by this joyous meeting that she speaks the words that today we know as Mary’s Magnificant or Mary’s Song.

What I love about this song is her humility in the news that she had received. Mary knew her object of worship was not herself. What an honor to be the mother of the Most High God.

Many people would use this opportunity to post this big announcement on their social media News Feed. It would be the prime real estate to promote these new connections. Not Mary
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Not Mary, she went to a relative. One she obviously respected and knew would help guide her and share in her joy. One that would understand, to the best of her ability the significance of this Messiah.

Mary also knew her need for a Savior. Her song begins in praising God for who He is. A right perspective of a servant of the Lord. Her obedience to this calling is exemplary of one of God’s children.

Through Mary’s praises, it is obvious that she is familiar with the scriptures that were available to her at the time. Her song echoes that of Hannah, mother of Samuel and is filled with psalms.

Her Savior is coming, and she will have the glorious opportunity to usher Him into the world.

One Couple’s Journey

The next part of the story takes us on the journey with this couple, Mary and her betrothed Joseph. Although not known by anyone except their family and the ones in their small insignificant town (John 1:46), their name will be rung throughout history.

Mary and Joseph lived in a time where the Roman Empire ruled the land. By orders of Caesar Augustus, they were to go to the hometown of their families or tribes. Since both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David, they returned to Bethlehem, the city where David was born.

They traveled through mountainous areas 70 miles to get to Bethlehem. She didn’t have any travel restrictions for this journey.

Natural Wonder

Do you ever wonder what that journey was like? I am the type of person that gets in a car to travel and all of a sudden, I have a million things to talk about. I wonder what their conversation was like. The pressures were already great in their lives. 

The Jews felt like this census was one more way for the Roman Empire to oppress them. To have them accounted for so they could be taxed. I wonder if they were thinking about this or as all new parents your focus turns to this new little bundle.

I wonder if Mary, like me, was contemplating which would be harder as a new mom, the delivery or the first few days with a newborn child. Was Joseph’s top priority and thoughts, like most men, focused on protecting and supporting his growing family.

Often times I think life was so different then but at the same time, there are things that are still the same. As humans, our emotions and thoughts had to be similar.

I wonder if the donkey stepped a little lighter and was more cooperative than usual. Did Mary’s heart savor the first cries of this most precious child. I wonder how much her mommy instincts took over knowing she not only had to protect her newborn babe but the Savior of the World.

I wonder if none of that mattered in the moment because, like all newborn moms, your heart is so overwhelmed with love that life’s worries disappear as you float on cloud nine.

That First Kiss

I remember kissing my newborns all day and night, literally. I was so excited to meet them and imagine the people they would become. As we gazed into each other’s eyes, we knew, the bond was like nothing we had ever felt. Love that we never knew until that moment.

And to look into the eyes of Jesus for the first time is something we can only long for but for Mary it was her song. Her longing was bundled in her arms being quieted by the beating of her heart or the gentleness of her voice.

A journey. One we can only read and wonder about began there lying in an animals feeding trough.

The King of the World began his journey is His earthen vessel 2000 years ago and we still talk about it today. This journey is the most remarkable, the most talked about, the most impactful and most debated journey known to mankind.
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Where Do We Go From Here

There are several things we can take away from today’s lesson – 

1. The benefit of being obedient even when it doesn’t make sense or seems beyond our grasp of understanding.
2. Praising God for who HE is. Our life is about the worship of our King and Savior. Mary, even at a young age, knew how essential this was. Her song begins with Praise. May our songs echo her heart.
3. God has a plan. He is faithful to His people and the mission of protecting them.
4. It was necessary for Christ to become flesh and dwell among us. It was also necessary that He remains fully God while becoming fully human.
5. Let God keep you in awe and wonder of who He is. Don’t settle for the things of this world when the decision to trust Him is eternal.

For the next 5 weeks, we are going to take this journey together. We are going to meet the people that Jesus walked and talked with as we journey through Jesus’ life here on Earth. I look forward to you joining us for this study.

I am so glad you are joining me and I hope you are encouraged by this post. If so, please consider sharing to encourage others!    

This week as we celebrate the life of this newborn king we celebrate a story that has been told through the generations. A life that is both scandalous and filled with hope. A story that is not insignificant by any means my hope is that you will be moved to see Jesus for who He really was. 

Personal Reflections

Please join us in the conversations below.

1. Do you ever wonder about the journey that Mary and Joseph took? What do you think your conversations were like?
2. If you have children, what was that first encounter like with your newborn? Besides not being in a stable, how do you think your experience was the same and how do you think it was different?
3. How do you and your family celebrate the birth of Jesus?

Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Linkup Party will run for the next two weeks. Feel free to link up to 4 posts during this time and I will see you again in 2018

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

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The post The Most Remarkable Journey: Jesus Among Us appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.