Pocket Thoughts - 8/29/25
God * frees us from our slavery to sin through His Son Jesus Christ * reveals His name and character to those who seek to know Him * will one day lay bare His arm in the sight of all the nations – the ends of the earth will see His salvation.
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Exodus 12:38 says that “many other people” rose up and left Egypt with the Israelites. Although they had no blood relation with the family of God, they had seen His power and were drawn to follow Him. Our witness matters. May God’s power displayed in our lives draw “many other people” to know, love, and follow Him. - TV
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Jesus knew the end of His life was near, and He very purposefully chose those He would spend His final hours with. Among those He devoted His last night to? His betrayer, one who would deny Him three times, and a room full of men who would desert Him in His darkest hour. And yet the Word says, “He loved them till the end.” Jesus knew the frailty of the hearts of the men in the room, and yet He chose to share the last impactful moments of His life pouring into them. He knew that after the resurrection, eleven of these men would be transformed by the Holy Spirit to bring the message of salvation to the world. Never believe you’re beyond the reach and transformation of God. He knows the truest, deepest, most shameful parts of your story and has chosen to “love you till the end.” His plan for the rescue of the world includes you. Your past and your present don’t make you ineligible for a future rich with God’s presence and purpose. You are loved and will be “till the end.” – TV
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When Jesus takes John to the throne room of God in Revelation 4, John’s senses are overwhelmed by the sights and sounds! One of the details he records is that in front of God’s throne is what looks “like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” If you’ve ever been to the beach, you know that the ocean is never smooth like glass. There are waves, wind, and the sound of the surf. But in heaven, there’s absolute calm. God doesn’t fret, hurry or worry. He has complete authority and sway over every detail, sure of His sovereign plans. The future unfolds at His steady pace. There’s peace and certainty. When life here seems to be chaotic and without purpose, remind yourself of this scene in heaven. God is in control, and all is well. – TV
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Well, Lord, I’ve done it again. I’ve done my best to try to put You in a box and to limit You by what I imagine You’re capable of. My prayers go up, expecting specific answers – never considering that the Creator God of the universe is fully capable of responding in ways I could never fathom. And yet I know Your way is best, right, and good, even (and most especially!) if it differs from my expectations and assumed outcomes. God, help me to give You “elbow room.” Help me to delight in and rejoice in Your way. Help me to worship You for Your creativity and power. You are God, and I am not. I can’t be reminded of that often enough. Thank You for grace. In the beautiful Name of Jesus, amen.
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“Whenever there’s an injury to a relationship, a hurt, a broken heart or even a broken thing, and you are willing to forgive, you are saying, ‘I got this. I’m going to pick up the bill for this.’ This is, of course, precisely what God has done for us.” – Brant Hansen
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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” – Colossians 3:12-14
