Sep 23 2024

Afternoon Bible Verse

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

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Everyone needs God's grace. We may not always act like we need God, and sometimes we may not think we need God—but we do. As long as we are sinful, we need a Savior. We can try to hide our weaknesses and act like we have it all together, but in doing so we miss the opportunity to experience God's power that allows us to move forward in grace.

Pride can keep us from readily admitting and confessing our sins, but this afternoon's verse in Acts tells us to repent and be converted. When we repent, we're acknowledging things we have done that are not pleasing to God; things that go against His nature and who He is. Repentance is the act of admitting and turning away from our wrongdoing so we can know God.

By confessing our sins, our lives can change in profound ways. Once we have repented, God removes our sin and refreshes our souls.

Think of the various ways we use the word refresh. We say an ice-cold drink after chores or a workout is refreshing. When we forget something, we may ask a friend to refresh my memory. Even reloading a web browser is known as refreshing. If it freezes up and quits responding, we use the refresh command to make it reload and start working again.

Being refreshed by God also allows us to reload. But this time in His strength and power, so our hearts and minds are responding in the right way.

We must not allow pride to keep us from experiencing God's forgiveness and His times of refreshing. These are wonderful gifts that our hearts and souls desire.

Afternoon Prayer

God, thank you for refreshing me. Please humble my heart and help me turn to you instead of trusting in my own strength. I can't grant myself forgiveness or refresh my own soul, but you can. Give me a clean heart that desires to serve you more than my selfish desires. And when I sin, help me realize your great love for me and let me turn to you. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Sep 22 2024

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible Verse

The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. :

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Yesterday Afternoon's Bible study

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. At a staggering 29,035 feet—5 1/2 miles high—the towering mountain has attracted more than 4,000 people who scaled it and successfully reached the top. The climb, from base to summit, takes about 40 days. More than 300 climbers have died trying to conquer this beast of a mountain.

It is one of God's most majestic creations. And even though it may seem unfathomable to us, everyone and everything on Earth answers to the Lord—including Mount Everest. Yes, God has the authority to tell mountains what to do, and they have to obey Him.

In our daily lives, we often forget how powerful God is. This afternoon's verse in Nahum reminds us that everything on the planet is under God's control. Yet so many times we underestimate His power. We wonder if He is capable of meeting our needs or keeping us safe. We forget that He can do anything. We project our abilities—or lack thereof—onto what God can or cannot do, and that is a flawed way of thinking.

We should be ever mindful of God's magnificence and power. If we were, it would transform our requests and how we pray to Him. If we trust in the Lord, remembering that He can do anything, we can approach Him with confidence in who He is.

The next time you pray, try to remember that the same God who can help you find your lost dog or heal you of a nasty cold is capable of anything. Put your faith in who He is… our Almighty God.

Yesterday Afternoon's Prayer

Heavenly Father, Sometimes I forget who you are. I have often made you into someone who might be able to take care of me when you are indeed able to do anything. What a privilege it is to serve you and to call you my Lord and Savior. Forgive me for the times when I have not had faith in you. Help me be aware of how big and powerful you are—someone who controls mountains! I am amazed by you and forever grateful for your love in my life. In Jesus' name, amen.


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