Changing the Mirror - the Devotional

Scripture: Matthew chapter 14, verse 22 - 33 Jesus wants us to exercise faith in Him during our storms. HOW? NOT by denial - Jesus didn't ask Peter to pretend that there was no storm NOT by avoidance - Jesus allowed Peter to ENTER the storm and walk toward Him Jesus wanted Peter's faith to be greater than his fear. Fear of DEATH - not even death can separate us from God's love! Romans 8:38-39 Fear of NOT BEING RESCUED - God is able to deliver us from ANY calamity, no matter how severe - witness Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego! Daniel 3:16-17 Fear of NOT MEASURING UP - God doesn't ask us to do supernatural things in our own strength. He gives us HIS strength! He's got this! When we start in the Spirit, we need to continue in the Spirit and not switch over to our own strength and wisdom. Habakkuk 3:17-19 The Bottom Line God promises to give us crazy peace - peace that's beyond human understanding. But we can only receive it if we practice prayer and thanksgiving instead of worry and anxiety. Philippians 4:6-7   Today's Playlist Already Done - Israel Houghton feat. Jonathan McReynolds Take It To the Lord in Prayer - Nolan Williams, Jr.

Sometimes as Christians we struggle - we know that we belong to Christ, yet we know that we don't 100% live up to how He has called us to live. It will help us to remember that there are 2 aspects to our salvation. He SAVED us when we believed in what Christ did for us on the cross. And now that we belong to Him, He is TRANSFORMING us from the inside out. Every day that we learn to obey Him is a day that we resemble Him a little bit more. ---------------------------------- SCRIPTURE REFERENCES ---------------------------------- THE COMPLETED WORK 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone the new is here! Ephesians 2:6-8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.   THE ONGOING WORK Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—is good, pleasing and perfect will.   2 Peter 1:5-10 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   Galatians 6:1: So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

SCRIPTURE Luke 1 verse 45: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1 verse 37: “For no word from God will ever fail.”   A FEW GEMS “I very clearly heard God say to me, ‘You know Dorthy, if you had gotten into me the way you got into everyone else in your life, you would know what real love is.’ “” God is not surprised by our hardness, nor is he offended by our skepticism. He wants to show us who He is… and who we are. We experience true freedom when we surrender control to Jesus Christ “Everything that my father was not, God is.” Jesus receives us completely even though He knows everything about us - including our dirt.   RESOURCES   Draw Near to Me: A 21-Day Fresh Encounter This course prepares the reader to dive in and walk with God by exploring beliefs and creating space. We learn practical ways to make time and space daily for meditating on God's Word and growing in deeper relationship. Course comes with workbook and printable color scripture cards.   Dorthy’s website: www.dorthyrichberg.com  Dorthy on FB: Business page: https://www.facebook.com/dorthyjrichberg/ Personal profile: https://www.facebook.com/Dorthyrichberg 

God Lesson 3: If I want MORE OF GOD, I must give God ALL of Me   Why do I want MORE of God? Philippians 3:10 – 14 “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead… I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” How do I give God ALL of me? By consistently spending TIME with God Reading the Bible Prayer By learning to DEPEND on God Pray about EVERYTHING! By practicing OBEDIENCE to God John 14:23 “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’ “ Giving God ALL of me is a SACRIFICE Romans 12:1-2 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” In order to have more of God, I must be intentional about MAKING ROOM in my life for Him.

Life brings PAIN Broken relationships Depression Illness Death of loved ones Financial struggle Fear, insecurity Our NATURAL, Human Responses to Pain Avoidance Denial Disobedience / rebellion DISTRUST   Godly Response to Pain Perseverance – IN God = SURRENDER Prayer Transparency & Accountability The Word of God Continued Obedience Scripture References Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

In this episode of the God Lessons series, I talk about the thing God wants most from us: relationship with Him.

This is the first episode in a 4-part series. Major points: God's ACTS: He PROVIDES He HEALS He gives GUIDANCE & DIRECTION He PROTECTS   ‘God Lessons’ is a reminder that God wants us to know HIS WAYS Scripture References: “He made His WAYS known to Moses and His ACTS to the people of Israel” (Psalm 103:7) “Teach me Your way, O Lord. I will walk in Your truth…” (Psalm 86:11) “Show me Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God Who saves me…” (Psalm 25:4-5)

Welcome to Season 2! In this episode you'll get an overview of what's coming up in this season: why I've been away for so long what you can expect in the upcoming episodes what's changed - and what's the same.

Why I've been away... and what changes are coming up for the podcast!

There's a main ingredient of Godly success. In fact, we can't please God without it. It's called FAITH.

If we want to be successful in God's eyes, we have to choose ONE priority. Is that priority money? Or is it God?

True success happens when we do God's will in God's way. Another word for that is OBEDIENCE.

Godly success means making God's priorities, your priorities. Are you pursuing God's will?

Man measures success by the attainment of wealth, power, position, popularity, influence. God's measure is very different. Godly success is doing God's will in God's way achieving the results God desires.

The podcast is on a 2-week break... but don't worry! I'll be back bright & early on August 7!

In Rahab's story we see God reaching out to the heart of a young sex worker, who becomes convinced of the supremacy of the supreme God.

Jacob used deceit and cunning and sabotage to try to exercise control over his destiny. It took him a lifetime of experiences - confrontations with God, drama and tragedy with his family - to learn to trust God with his life, purpose and well-being.

David was rebuked and disciplined by God and there were very serious consequences for his sin. But when he repented of his sin, he found that God had not revoked the calling on his life. Scripture Reading: Psalm 51:1-17

Moses with his potential and in all his imperfection, was used by God to accomplish His perfect purpose. If God can do that for Moses, He can do that for you.

In this series, we look at God's grace - love and favor we don't deserve - through the eyes of men and women in the Bible who failed. Like us. Scriptures 1 John 1:8-9, NLT Psalm 32:1-6, The Passion Translation

In the world, we worry. We are anxious. We have to be. Or else how will things get done? How will we pay our bills? Feed and clothe ourselves and our families? How will we get that job, get that promotion, keep ourselves and our loved ones safe? How will we protect ourselves if we don't worry about it? In Christ, we have Someone who has already taken care of all our needs. Jesus says that it's the people who don't know God who worry about their lives. But in Him, we can be assured that He knows about our needs and Has made provision for us. One of the names of God in the Old Testament is Jehovah-Jireh (yireh). This name basically means that God has seen and has made the provision. Finally, God is our Heavenly Father. Unlike our earthly fathers, God is perfect. He is perfect in love because He is love. And God, the Creator of EVERYTHING, is the perfect Provider. Basically: whatever's going on with you right now - there's no need to worry - God's got this!  Scriptures Matthew 6:25-34 Philippians 4:6-7

In the world, especially in corporate settings, everybody knows about the CYA policy. Cover your... rear-end. Basically, worldly wisdom tells us that we've got to have our own backs, because no-one else will. In Christ, things are vastly different. In Christ, God Himself has our backs. And that sets us free and gives us the security blanket we need to look out for each other. In fact, God issues the command to us to not take matters into our own hands and try to get revenge when we are wronged. God says He will deal with those matters in His way... and in His time. That's what we don't like. We want to defend ourselves NOW. But in Christ, there's a better way. A way that honors God, that reflects the transformational work that His Spirit is doing in us, and that demonstrates the depth, width, and height of God's love, which the Bible says 'covers a MULTITUDE of sins'. Scripture Romans 12:17-21

In the world, when someone wrongs you, you protect yourself by holding it against them. You may forgive if they admit they are wrong. Or you may forgive because people are now beginning to talk about the emotional and even physiological baggage that accompanies unforgiveness. Turns out: God has a different standard of forgiveness which He has demonstrated since the beginning of time. He instructs us to offer to others the same forgiveness we have received from Him. That is hard. Actually, it is humanly impossible. Because when God forgave us, the Bible says He separated us from our sinful past 'as far as the east is from the west' [insert Scripture reference]. Not only that, but God - GOD - blots our sin from His memory [Isaiah 43:25]. In other words, forgiveness is divine. Yet God commands us to forgive.  Thankfully, because His Holy Spirit lives in us, we CAN forgive. Not in our own strength, but in the strength and love of the Lord. Not based on our emotions, but by deciding to forgive in obedience to our God of forgiveness. Scriptures Matthew 6:14 Matthew 18:21-35 Colossians 3:12-14

The world tells us to toot our own horn, to be sure to let everyone know our accomplishments, to put ourselves first. God tells us to prefer others above ourselves in love.  This is not a command to **NOT** take care of ourselves, or to put ourselves down in comparison to others.  Rather, it is a command to recognize that **God has already taken care of our needs,** and so we are able and equipped to: - love, - serve and  - give honor to those around us. **Humility also leaves room for God to honor us.** When we seek to pile honor on ourselves in our own insecurity, we have already received our reward.  But when we humbly do the work the Lord has called us to do, not for recognition but out of love for and obedience to Him, He Himself rewards us. Scriptures (New Living Translation) Philippians 2:3-11 Luke 14:7-11

In the world we have a sense that we must take care of ourselves - because no-one else is looking out for us.  While that may be true in the world, it doesn't have to be. God promises us that in Him, we have everything we need to live, and to live Godly lives that please Him (2 Peter 1:3). AND He also promises that no matter what we go through, He will take care of us completely, protect us, and be with us at all times.  In Christ, we're not just happy-go-lucky. We're not optimistic. WE HAVE FAITH IN A GOD WHO'S FAITHFUL. And that faith and security will make us look really strange to people around us! In this series we will look at how, in Christ, we are able to live completely counter-culture and yet survive, thrive and please God as Jesus did.

So now we have freedom in Christ. Now what?

In Christ, we no longer have to live under the control of fear.

In Christ, we are set free from bearing the punishment of our sin. We are forgiven!

In Christ, we are set free from bearing the punishment of our sin. We are forgiven!

When we came to faith in Christ, we were set free: from the power and penalty of sin, and from being enslaved by fear. In this week's devotional series, we dive into what it means to have Freedom in Christ.

Your existence was carefully planned for. Your future is carefully planned for. Fifth and final in the series on Psalm 139.

Whatever issues you may have with your physical appearance, know that God Himself crafted you. He has declared you 'wonderfully made'. Fourth in the series on Psalm 139.

You're not alone. Somebody cares. Somebody is watching you with eyes of love. Third in the series on Psalm 139.

The Lord knows you completely, perfectly. He sees you as you are and He loves you still. Second in the series on Psalm 139.

God LOVES you. He KNOWS you. He WATCHES over you. He MADE you - perfectly. And He has PLANS for you. Today is the first in a series on Psalm 139.

God has adopted you, become your Father, and made you part of His Divine Family. You are not alone!

God has spiritual wealth stored up for you for today **AND** an inheritance for everlasting life. You are secure in HIM.

As we live our daily lives in surrender to our heavenly Father, we begin to develop a divine family resemblance.

In Christ, you are adopted by God. Now you can approach God directly - because you have Divine Access.

When you accepted Christ, you were adopted by God. Now what on earth does that mean? Today is day one of this week's series where we'll dive into what it means for God to be our Father.

In the finale of this week's 'What We Were Then, What We Are Now' series, we look at how Christ has branded us from the inside out. We are literally BRAND new.

Outside of Christ, we have only our own human strength to rely on. In Christ, the strength we have doesn't even come from us. Hear what the Bible says about where find strength when we're weak.

Then, we were without hope. Now we have complete assurance that God is in control.

What we were then - Condemned. What we are now - Forgiven.

Special episode. We're talking about some strategies we can build into our lives to keep us going through painful seasons.

Here's the bottom line: you cannot transform your own life. At least, not enough to measure up to God's standard. So what's the answer? If you can't change your life, who can?

Does God really intend for you to accomplish everything alone, all by yourself? Is it a sign of weakness when you need and ask for help?

Have you ever wondered why you're here? Have you ever thought - or been told - that your existence is a mistake? Let's hear God's thoughts about that.

How would you live your life if you knew that God can use you despite your mistakes and flaws?

In today's world many of us approach our lives subconsciously assuming that we're not enough for the task at hand. What if God says differently?

God knows the secrets of your heart. And still He accepts you.