Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

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Wait for the Lord {No Matter What Monday}

November 5, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I hate to wait. As someone who hates to wait at red lights, you can imagine the distress I felt last month when I learned that to renew my husband’s car registration, one of us would need to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles in person and visit not just one but THREE separate departments in the building. And as the one who doesn’t have a full-time job, this lovely responsibility fell to me.

We groan when we hear that we need to visit the DMV, don’t we? Because we know we will have to wait. We expect to wait at the DMV, doctor’s offices, and the car line at school. But these are all minor inconveniences compared to the big waits in life. Maybe you’re waiting for healing, for reconciliation in a relationship, or for a prodigal child to return. Maybe you don’t know which way to go, and you’re waiting for direction.

While I knew I’d eventually leave the DMV with a little sticker for my husband’s license plate, we often don’t know when or how our waiting will end. What we do know is the One we are waiting for.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

We can be strong and have courage as we wait, because we know the Lord is with us. Our hope isn’t in a particular outcome; our hope is in Him. His presence gives us peace as we wait.

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39:7)

And as we wait, we can have peace because of the promises of God’s Word. The truth of His Word sustains us as we wait.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” (Psalm 130:5)

Waiting is hard, friends. But we are not left alone. We are waiting for the Lord, who gives us hope through the promises of His Word.

No matter what you face this week, let your heart take courage as you wait for the Lord.

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God’s Truth Remains Forever {No Matter What Monday}

February 19, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

The truth of God's Word stands forever. Biblical encouragement, Scripture, and devotionals for women.

“You can’t trust everything you read on the internet.” – Abraham Lincoln 😉

How much information have you consumed already today? Maybe you’ve read a devotional book or your Bible, maybe you’ve checked your email. (And not necessarily in that order.) Have you gotten online and read some of the 3.3 million updates posted to Facebook every minute? What about one of the 2 million blogs that will be posted today?

We’re not lacking for information, are we? We can’t escape it! If you’re like me, you might even have apps on your phone to prevent you from sitting and consuming information all day long.

Not all of it is bad—you’re reading this online, aren’t you? But a lot of what we consume is a waste of time, harmful to our emotional health, or even completely false information (see the above quote!).

When we want lasting truth, there is just one place to turn:

“For ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:24–25)

In times of uncertainty, difficulty, or doubt, God’s Word brings peace and comfort. It tells us of God’s unchanging promises. It reminds us of the great salvation given to us by grace through faith in Christ. It breathes life into our weary hearts and equips us for the days ahead.

The information we consume is quickly buried by the avalanche of new data, new articles, and new arguments. When you feel pushed and pulled by the whims of your Facebook feed, hold on to this truth: The promises of God’s Word remain forever.

The good news of the Gospel doesn’t wither or fade with the times. Christ lived, died, and rose again to save sinners. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, this truth remains.

No matter what you face this week, the truth of God’s Word remains forever.

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No Other Gospel: A Recap of The Gospel Coalition National Conference

April 6, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

TGC17 blog

I didn’t know what to expect at my first national conference for The Gospel Coalition, but I didn’t expect to be crying in the first ten minutes.

As the worship leaders played the first few chords, the words on the screen seemed unnecessary. More than 8,000 worshippers from all over the globe began singing together, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” Joining in such a beautiful offering of praise to our Almighty God brought tears of joy. It wasn’t quite Heaven—I could feel the pain of my sore foot and the congestion of a lingering cold. But it was a preview of the life to come, and I can’t wait.

The conference theme, “No Other Gospel,” highlighted the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The plenary speakers taught through the book of Galatians and spoke about a few of the Reformers. I’ll share some highlights from the talks on Galatians (and the workshops I attended), so grab a Bible, turn to Galatians, and let’s do a quick fly-by of what God taught me through these insightful and knowledgeable speakers.

(If you want more than an overview, full videos of all plenary sessions are available here, thanks to The Gospel Coalition!)

From Galatians 1, John Piper taught us that because Paul’s authority and apostleship come directly from Jesus Christ, the gospel that Paul preaches is Christ’s gospel. To turn from the gospel (salvation by grace alone, in Christ alone, through faith alone) is to turn from Christ. How could we leave the One who gave Himself to deliver us? And yet, that’s exactly what we do if we alter, add to, or subtract from the gospel. The truth of the gospel must be precious to us, because Christ is precious to us.

Sandy Willson exhorted us from Galatians 2 to be both tender-hearted and bold as we defend the gospel. He reminded us that the gospel isn’t just something we assent to intellectually—it’s something we commit our whole selves to. He said we have “as much right to heaven as Christ does”—shocking, yet true—because we are dressed in Christ’s righteousness. And he spoke of the beauty of God’s love on display in our justification by faith.

Peter Adams opened Galatians 3 and taught that we either live by law or by the promise. He said that the law says, “do, do, do, don’t, don’t, don’t,” but God’s promise says, “I will.” He exhorted us to consider that the key to the Christian life is hearing with faith. Our hearing is a gift, and we shouldn’t waste it on meaningless words. We need to read the Scriptures and hear them preached, because faith without hearing and hearing without faith are both futile.

From Galatians 4, D.A. Carson contrasted slavery and freedom. We were enslaved by the law as we tried to attain a righteousness of our own. Christ achieved that righteousness for us, setting us free. When we abandon the gospel, we are choosing slavery. We’re saying that Christ’s work on the cross isn’t sufficient. When we embrace the freedom we have in Christ, we experience a “blessed slavery” to the One who loves us and gave Himself for us.

Thabiti Anyabwhile spoke from Galatians 5 about three concerns Paul has for churches who are losing the gospel and the effective solution. When we add any requirement for salvation other than Christ’s righteousness, we fall into legalism, which leads to self-righteousness. We become “spiritual cannibals who devour each other.” Instead of attacking others, we need to attack our own sin. The solution to the problem of division and legalism in the church is to focus on the gift of freedom in Christ. We don’t use our freedom as an excuse to indulge our sinful nature, but rather use it to serve and love others. He concluded, “Live free and glorify the God who set you free.”

Finally, Tim Keller taught us from Galatians 6 about our heart condition that seeks vain glory. We enter relationships with others seeking to build ourselves up at their expense. We are desperate for a reason to boast in ourselves. But to be a new creation is to boast only in Christ. We boast in what Christ accomplished for us in His perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection. We boast in what Christ endured on the cross. He endured God’s wrath so that we might hear, “Well, done, good and faithful servant.”

As much as I loved the worship and plenary sessions, the workshops also offered outstanding teaching in a smaller, more intimate setting. I scribbled notes furiously as Gloria Furman took us on a whirlwind tour of Ephesians, “the story of what God has done in Christ.” Her new book, Alive in Him, looks like a fabulous guide to one of my favorite books of the Bible.

Jen Wilkin taught Psalm 139 from a perspective you don’t often hear at women’s events. She asserted that this psalm isn’t meant to teach us about ourselves; it’s meant to teach us about the Lord. We saw our God high and lifted up as she walked through the psalm, pointing out God’s omniscience, limitlessness, eternality, omnipresence, transcendence, self-sufficiency, self-existence, omnipotence, sovereignty, immeasurability, and immutability. She encouraged us to not cling to the truth that we’re precious because God loves us, but rather that the One who loves us is precious. (Her book None Like Him provides great further reading on this topic. I’ve read part of it and highly recommend it.)

In the final workshop, I heard Sarah Walton and Kristen Wetherell speak from their new book, Hope When It Hurts. They have both experienced a great deal of physical suffering and spoke about how the hope we have in Christ brings peace and comfort. They outline six struggles that sufferers face and how the promises of God’s Word speak into those struggles. They also addressed how we can walk alongside others in their suffering. They recorded the workshop and you can view the video on their Facebook page. I also recommend their book, a devotional for those who are hurting.

It’s hard to summarize in one post all that I learned and experienced in the 48 hours I spent at this conference. I walked away thankful that my salvation has been fully accomplished by Christ. I walked away humbled and encouraged to hate my sin and love others, not the other way around. I walked away joyful because of the freedom I’ve been given and eager to use it to glorify the God who redeemed me.

And I walked away eager for more . . . The Gospel Coalition’s women’s conference will be June 14-16, 2018, in Indianapolis. Who wants to go with me?

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Sharing God’s Faithfulness ~ Feathers Podcast

June 15, 2016 by Marissa Leave a Comment

feathersAs long as I live, I want to share His story of faithfulness with others. This past week, I had the opportunity to talk with Amy J. Bennett on the Feathers: Faith in Flight podcast.

Feathers features stories of people who faced difficult situations and were asked by God to have faith and obey Him. I love listening to it as I drive, exercise, or do housework. Amy’s God-honoring conversations with her guests inspire me, and I enjoyed getting to share my own story with her listeners!

If you’d like to listen or share the podcast episode with others, head on over to Amy’s website. I recommend checking out her other episodes while you’re there!

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marissahenley.com

I write to remind myself of the truth of God's promises. I share my writing here in case you need to be reminded sometimes, too.

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When you need help, where do you turn? A few years When you need help, where do you turn? A few years ago, I realized that the internet’s vast supply of answers to life’s problems can cause us to be more disconnected from others. Before Google, if I needed to know how to poach an egg or house-train a puppy or get olive oil out of my favorite sweater, I would call my mom or a friend. Now those phone calls don’t happen because I have all the answers at my fingertips.⁠
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So when my son threw up on the loveseat in our living room, I decided to call my mom to ask how to clean it rather than typing the question into an impersonal search engine. I explained my predicament and asked her what I should do. The first words out of her mouth were, “Have you Googled it?”⁠
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I’m thankful for my helpful mom, knowledgeable friends, and of course, Google. But I’m even more thankful for the One we can turn to for help in any and every problem we face.⁠
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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2)⁠
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God is our refuge. He provides safety because He loves us and reigns over any circumstance, any power, or any person that would threaten us. As Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, nothing in this world can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ.⁠
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God is our strength. The One who created the heavens and the earth is your helper (Ps. 121:1-2). He placed in stars in the sky and the fish in the ocean depths, and He promises to give you His strength when you’re weak.⁠
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God is always present in our suffering. This is why the psalmist can say: “Therefore we will not fear . . .” We can face our troubles with confidence that the Lord is with us. He’s not just a passive, uninterested bystander. He’s not just an automated source of abundant answers as we attempt to solve our problems. He is our heavenly Father, our refuge, and our strength.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God is an ever-present help in trouble.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
Arkansas basketball fans will never forget that ni Arkansas basketball fans will never forget that night. It’s one of those “I remember where I was when . . .” moments. I was a senior in high school, riding home from an orchestra rehearsal. I listened on the radio as the Arkansas men’s basketball team beat Duke to win the 1994 NCAA National Championship. When we said we were #1, we weren’t just saying it—we had the trophy to prove it.⁠
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Have you ever read about God’s love for you, but the words felt hollow? Maybe as empty as the boastful claims of a losing team? We sometimes wonder if He really loves us. Our circumstances don’t always appear to reflect His love—at least not the kind of love we would choose!⁠
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And yet, God’s Word tells us that God doesn’t just say He loves us. He’s proved it. There’s no greater proof He could give than the sacrifice of His only Son.⁠
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“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)⁠
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Here’s how you know God’s love for you: before you ever loved Him, He sent His Son to be the propitiation for your sin. But what is propitiation, and what does it have to do with love?⁠
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Propitiation refers to Christ’s turning away God’s wrath from us by taking it on Himself. Christ laid His life over ours like a big shield, taking what we deserve because of our sin. Being our propitiation, our wrath-shield, came at a high price. The sinless One took the punishment our sin deserved and proved God’s great love for us.⁠
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When we start to wonder, “Does God really love me?” we can look at the cross and find reassurance. God sent His Son to give us new life. The Son died and took the wrath we deserved. There’s no higher price God could pay and no greater proof we could ask for.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God proved His love for you in Christ.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
We’re continuing our study of Ephesians in the @ We’re continuing our study of Ephesians in the @first5app and today I had the privilege of sharing about the armor of God. You can read the entire teaching at the link in my bio or in the app! ❤️

Posted @withregram • @first5app When the recipients of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians were exhorted to stand firm in a battle against the spiritual forces of darkness in Ephesians 6:12 , they may have felt overwhelmed. Maybe you feel overwhelmed, too, as you look at the rampant wickedness and unending problems in our world. Maybe you’re burdened by the weight of personal temptation or past failures.  But in reading Ephesians 6, we find that God knows exactly what we will face each day and He has already supplied everything our battle requires.

God’s armor covers us from head to toe — from our helmet to our shoes. Nothing is lacking from the protection and resources God provides.

God doesn’t ask us to assemble our own suit of armor and hope it holds up against the “flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). Our armor is God’s armor, and our strength is His strength. (Ephesians 6:10; Ephesians 6:13)

Our daily battles aren’t easy, but in Christ, victory over the enemy is guaranteed. (Romans 8:31; Romans 8:37)

-@marissalhenley  #First5

How can you see God providing what you need through the armor He has given?
This week, the world around us will be obsessed wi This week, the world around us will be obsessed with love. We will enjoy showing our love for others with pieces of candy taped to little paper cards, candle-lit dinners, and all the heart-shaped gifts money can buy. And while there’s nothing wrong with celebrating love and appreciating those around us, we’ll all wake up next Monday knowing that human love can’t ultimately meet our need to be fully known and fully loved. The love of family and friends is a wonderful gift from the Lord, but it’s not meant to fully satisfy us.⁠
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If you’re looking for love that never changes, never fails, and never ends, that love can only be found in the Lord.⁠
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“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)⁠
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“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved . . .” (Ephesians 2:4-5)⁠
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“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1a)⁠
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“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)⁠
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These verses—and many others in Scripture—reveal key insights about God’s love. First of all, God loved us while we were still sinners. He loved us when we were still dead in our sin (Ephesians 2:1-3). He will always be faithful in His love for us, and He proved that by sending His Son to die for us so we could have new life in Him.⁠
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Second, God’s love secures our place as His children. Our adoption is rooted in God’s love for us, not our being deserving of it. Our position before God isn’t like a job we can lose if we don’t perform. It’s the status of a child who’s been permanently adopted by a loving Father.⁠
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Third, God’s love never ends. The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.  Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). We have complete security in God’s eternal love for His children.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, God’s faithful, fatherly love never fails.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
“It’s not fair!” This whiny cry is a nemesis “It’s not fair!” This whiny cry is a nemesis of parents everywhere, but it demonstrates our innate sense of justice. As those made in the image of the righteous God, we recognize what’s wrong and want it to be made right. As we finish our study of Psalm 63, we see that David felt the same way.⁠
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Can I be honest? I wanted to stop our study of Psalm 63 at verse 8. This is a tough passage, and I’m nervous that you might read a political agenda into these words. (Please don’t, and please see an important note I've added in the comments.) However, God’s justice is an important aspect of His character, and when we rightly understand it, we grow in our confidence in Him.⁠
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“But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.” (Psalm 63:9-11)⁠
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The introductory words of this psalm tell us it was written by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. He probably wrote it while running for his life from either Saul or Absalom (see 1 Sam. 23 and 2 Sam. 15). Either way, David asked God to defend him against the wicked actions of his enemies, and David trusted God to do so.⁠
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Psalm 63 reminds us that when we are treated unfairly, we can find hope in the reign of our King, Jesus Christ. It may seem like the wicked prosper now, but God will have the final say. Jesus triumphed over all His enemies on the cross and will one day judge the world with justice and righteousness. We look forward to the day when “a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice” (Isaiah 32:1).⁠
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On that day, “the mouths of liars will be stopped” and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Ps. 63:11, Phil. 2:11). When we look at the world and want to cry, “It’s not fair!”, we can trust the Lord to act with perfect justice and righteousness, now and forever.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, rejoice in Jesus Christ, the King of righteousness.
I recently joined my friend @niki.hardy on her Che I recently joined my friend @niki.hardy on her Chemo Chair Prayers podcast to talk about living with the unknowns of cancer. If you or someone you love is walking through this difficult situation, I'd love for you to listen. There's a link in my bio, or you can find Chemo Chair Prayers wherever you listen to podcasts.
It was familiar routine for many years. We both cl It was familiar routine for many years. We both climbed out of the white minivan, and I locked the doors. As we stepped out into the parking lot, she slipped her soft hand into mine. She knew that she was safest when she was holding her mom’s hand as we walked through the big, bad parking lot. Even as a tween, she still reaches for my hand out of habit, and it makes me smile.⁠
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Who was holding whom as my young daughter and I walked hand-in-hand? She was the one who reached out and grabbed my hand, but I was the one who wouldn’t let go. I was the one who would scoop her up and rush her to safety if danger threatened. If she forgot to reach out and grab my hand one day, I’d reach for hers and grasp it tight.⁠
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As we continue making our way through Psalm 63, we see that David holds on to the Lord even as he is held by the Lord.⁠
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“My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:8) ⁠
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As we’ve studied Psalm 63 this month, we’ve seen that God was refreshing water for David’s dry soul. David knew God’s love was better than life itself. He spent nights focusing on the Lord’s faithfulness rather than his worries and regrets. Today we read that as David’s soul clung to the Lord, the Lord’s right hand held him tight.⁠
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Are you struggling to cling to the Lord? Maybe it feels like your fingers keep slipping in the midst of fear and doubt. You’re trying to hold on, but your muscles are straining and threatening to quit.⁠
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If your grip on God feels weak or faltering today, take comfort in these promises of God: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).⁠
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Keep clinging, friend. And when you’re weary or overwhelmed, remember that the Lord’s steady hand upholds you. He gives you the strength and courage to persevere in the faith. He’s got a strong grip on you, and He won’t ever let go.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, keep clinging to the Lord and trust Him to hold you.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
The house is still quiet in the mornings as I open The house is still quiet in the mornings as I open my Bible and place my coffee mug on the teal coaster that a friend gave me for Christmas. It says, “It’s as if no one in my family appreciates that I stayed up all night overthinking for them.”⁠
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It’s funny because it’s true. As the mom of two teens and a tween, I had a lot of opportunities to overthink even before our world was rocked by a pandemic and political turmoil. Now my nightly overthinking has shifted into overdrive.⁠
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As we continue our study of Psalm 63, we see that David had a better approach to his bedtime routine.⁠
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“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” (Psalm 63:5-7)⁠
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Isn’t it fascinating that David specifically mentioned thinking about God in the watches of the night? He didn’t just praise God during the day - he turned his thoughts to the Lord as he laid down to sleep.⁠
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I think God understands that when we’re alone in the dark with our thoughts, we will be tempted to stew over the past or worry about the future. Through David’s words, God shows us another way. Instead of focusing on our troubles and fears, we can meditate on what God has done and remember that we can trust Him.⁠
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These verses also tell us that David had a satisfied soul and joy-filled lips. These two things are connected—when we find our satisfaction in the Lord, it leads us to praise. We are grateful rather than grumbling. We look at our gracious God and find reasons to be joyful in all circumstances.⁠
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David behaved this way because of what he believed about God. He was satisfied, joyful, and peaceful because he knew the Lord was his refuge and his help. Rather than running out on his own to fix All. The. Things, David sang for joy in the shadow of God’s wings. And so can we.⁠
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No matter what you face this week, you can shift from anxious overthinking into peaceful praise.⁠
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#NoMatterWhatMonday
Just sharing a teaching on another favorite passag Just sharing a teaching on another favorite passage - isn't Ephesians sooo good?! I was dead in my sin, but God didn't leave me there--this is the best news ever.

You can read the entire teaching at the link in my bio or in the @first5app. ❤️

Posted @withregram • @first5app “Which do you want first, the good news or the bad news?” 

I cringe when I hear this question. If I have to choose, I’d rather get the bad news over with first. In Ephesians 2:1-7, Paul shares devastating news followed by the best news imaginable. He starts with the bad news that we were all hopelessly and helplessly dead in our sin. 
 
Dead people can’t do anything to change their situation. They can’t make themselves better or even ask for help. Spiritually dead people have only one hope: a rescuer with the power to raise the dead and give them new life. Now it’s time for the good news. In Ephesians 2:4, we find these two little words that change everything: “But God.” 

You were dead in your sin, but God made you alive together with Christ. You were a child of God’s wrath, but God showed His mercy, love and kindness to you as one of His own. God has saved us so that He can spend eternity putting the immeasurable riches of His kindness and grace on display for us. Dear friends, there is no better news than that. 

-@marissa.henley #First5
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