Every day lately feels like I’m swimming through quicksand. Yet when I look at things from a spiritual perspective, I know that this is just one of those *yea tho I walk through the valley* moments.

/1 I’ve been in them before, and I’ve come out the other side not unscathed but better for the journey. Problem is, the older I get, the harder it is to just keep up with the daily grind, let alone an entire *journey*.

(These lyrics, tho 😭🔥🙌)



/2

Today's assigned Psalm verses are ones I've underlined, highlighted, and taken to heart over the last few years. They speak directly to me, the way I lived my life -- both for myself and now for the Lord:

/1 Psalm 119:65-72

65 You have done many good things for me, Lord,
just as you promised.

66 I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.

67 I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.

/2

Today's Bible study includes more of Isaiah's end-times prophecy. The second half of Isaiah 24 talks about the coming destruction of the world as we know it, and the remnant left behind to rejoice & sing praises to the Lord.

/1 Isaiah 24:16b starts detailing the evil, the treachery & destruction of the evil ones who seemingly control the earth, both here and from heaven (fallen angels). They will be tried and condemned for all eternity. Then comes the good part:

/2

I have an embarrassing admission: I wake up every morning feeling old & abandoned. Like, how did I work so hard for so long all those years, only to be struggling at this age? I believe I was amassing the wrong treasures. (Matt 6:19-20)

/1 But in today's Psalms, David hits the nail on the head for me: "In my old age, don't set me aside, Lord. Don't abandon me when my strength is failing." (Psalm 71:9)

In the margin beside the next verse ("for my enemies are whispering against me") I wrote: I am my own enemy.

/2

Today's Bible verses includes one of the most disturbing & disheartening stories of King David, Uriah & his wife Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2-27).

Even though the Lord was angry with David for arranging to have Uriah killed in battle in order to make Bathsheba his own wife...

/1 ...He still used it for His glory when He allowed Bathsheba to become pregnant w/Solomon.

We are then able to witness David's repentant heart as he fully acknowledges his sinful behavior & accepts the Lord's correction.

/2

Looks like I was on track a few days ago for today's Bible study message. 🙌🙏

https://twitter.com/MushKat/status/1664658620053872641

KINDNESS by Nicky Gumbel

Steve Sjogren wrote a book called "Conspiracy of Kindness". He started a church in Cincinnati, Ohio, that grew to an average attendance of over 7,000. Their motto is, "Small things done with great love are changing the world."

/2

I've been watching the outrage re the pride flag seen on the set of #TheChosen, and after waking up with a question in my heart, I have thoughts.

The question: If *they* are not invited to the table, how then do we reach *them*?

/1 Then this scripture came to mind:

MATTHEW 22

The Parable of the Great Feast

1 Jesus also told them other parables. He said,

2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.

/2

After doing today's study, I thought of something.

It is always hard to keep hopeful during times of loss and hardship, but with the Lord, it is possible because we know there's a long-term plan God has in mind. We constantly bring our concerns & hopes to the Lord in prayer

/1 But...

Those without the Lord...how do they navigate the heartaches, the losses, the hardships? I find it difficult to fathom how people get through things on their own. Maybe they *don't* get through them. Maybe they just get better at masking their sorrow and pain.

/2

The Lord gives me 1 or 2 words every year to cling to or live by (or both). This year's words were "hope" & "boldness". I feel as tho I embraced them, & today's Bible study excerpt is a great summation of "hope."

I look forward to discovering 2023's words next week. :-)

/1 HOW TO LIVE IN HOPE by Nicky Gumbel

In July 1999, Ralph Crathorne spoke at our church about the recent death of his eight-year-old daughter, Sasha, from a brain tumour.

/2

As today's Advent devotional wraps up, I find myself taking stock of the year and my various "postures".

It has been one spent on bended knee, and standing with hands raised to the sky.

It has been one with head bent, tears flowing, asking "why?"

/1 It has been one spent singing praises to the one true God, thanking Him for all of the blessings and answered prayer for my friends IRL and here on Twitter.

/2

I waited far too long to embrace joy in my life. Oh, I had periods of happiness, but real joy comes with knowing that Jesus loves me, was born to love me, died to atone for me, and was resurrected to save me & give me eternal life w/him.

I am joyful now, like the shepherds.

/1 POSTURES OF ADVENT - Day 26
by Compassion Int'l

The freedom, joy, and exuberance displayed by the shepherds in the Christmas story is astounding.

They are overjoyed by this good news of great joy.

/2

Today's study is humbling.

In order to understand the evil in the world today, we have to understand that we are all capable of evil in our hearts.

Yup. All of us.

/1 Deny this, and you grieve God. Accept this, and ask forgiveness for the small or large measure that you have added to the world's ills...and you will be given mercy. Simple as that.

/2

Today's Bible study includes a chapter in Ezekiel that always moves my imagination beyond the heights and depths of the human experience.

The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) is one of my favorite depictions of how once, I was lost, but now, I'm found.

/1 I was dead, but now I live. The breath that is in me isn't haphazard, accidental but divinely breathed into my body in order that I may not only serve & worship the one true Creator & giver of life, but that I may share this incredible truth w/others so they may also live.

/2

Someone is carrying around a load of guilt today, and it needs to stop. Read this.

OVERCOMING GUILT by Dr Charles Stanley

Are you burdened by your past? By pouring out your heart to God, you can find peace and freedom.

/1 (read 1 John 2:12-14 at the end of the thread)

When we come to Christ in repentance and faith, all our sins are forgiven. They will never be held against us because Jesus took our sin and guilt to the cross and bore the penalty of God’s wrath on our behalf.

/2

I had lost sight of this (temporarily) and I am gathering back my confidence as we speak. :-)

CONFIDENCE! by Dr David Jeremiah

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

/1 What gives you confidence? For some, it’s the right hairstyle or clothing. Others feel confident cuz of a premium credit card in their pocket. A few ppl are blessed w/a self-confident attitude but sometimes appears as arrogance. Others constantly battle feelings of insecurity.
/2

I am seemingly in a season of waiting. My life is similar to Habukkuk's in the OT.

I have questions.

I have concerns.

I have doubts.

Not doubts about God. Just doubts about myself & if I'm hearing or acting correctly according to the Lord's will.

/1 I seek the Lord in *almost* all things, & the more I practice keeping my eyes on Him and not my circumstances, the more confident I become that I am following the Lord's direction. Not easy, but definitely do-able.

/2

So....I get a letter from @AskFrontier letting me know they "accidentally" included my previously-requested private info in the very public directory. They also have my name spelled wrong on my account.

So I contacted them to see what they were going to do about it.

/1 @AskFrontier After 20-30 minutes of explaining the situation with their "chat representative" on their website, the rep said: "If I understand correctly, you want to remove your name from the directory, and also change the name on the account."

Me: Correct.

/2

I asked myself a question after today's Bible study: how often am I standing in the breach like Moses, asking God to intervene on behalf of His faithful?

And do you believe ur prayers can change a nation?

If not, why not?

If so, are you daily interceding w/prayer for U.S.?

/1 WINNING THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE by Nicky Gumbel

The tragic image is unforgettable. Like so many ppl, I wept as I saw the pic of 3yo Alan Kurdi’s little body washed up on the Turkish shoreline. He had drowned, together w/his brother & mother, as his family fled the war in Syria.

/2

A great devotional I read today while waiting for Auggie at the ER vet.

GOD'S DOING A GOOD WORK IN YOU by Dr Charles Stanley

"I used to live in the mountains of North Carolina in a town called Fruitland. The name was fitting because it was apple country, and still is.

/1 "As the pastor of a church there, I made it my practice to visit the members.

I remember arriving at one gentleman’s house, but discovered that he was out in the orchard. So I went in search of him and found him pruning the trees.

/2

Holy moly, this devotional is a real...wait for it...

EYE-OPENER. ;-)

What? God loves my puns lol.

BY GOD'S DESIGN by Dr David Jeremiah

"Let the fish in the sea speak to you." Job 12:8

Rest well last night? Kept both ur eyes closed? Settled down into rhythmic breathing?

/1 What if you had to keep one eye open all night and make a conscious decision every time you needed to breathe? That’s how dolphins sleep. Their breathing is not automatic; they must decide when to take their next breath.

/2

Today's devotional is pretty spot-on for a world in chaos. #fearnot

OUR PEACE: GOD'S WILL by Dr Charles Stanley

When tough times come, turn away from fear and choose to trust God with the situation instead.

/1 (read John 14:25-29 at the end of this thread)

Suppose you’re faced with the most tragic situation you could possibly envision. For some of you, this requires little or no imagination because you are presently in the middle of the toughest trial of your life.

/2