Friday, March 28, 2025

Timely Tidbits of Truth 59, Renew

Timely Tidbits of Truth 59, Renew
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
When God renews us, He brings about change—new life, new strength, new growth, new fruitfulness. God’s life springs up within us like the sprouting grain in the springtime, making the winter season of the heart productive once again.
 
His renewing lifts us up to new heights, carries us over all barriers, and causes us to behold things we’ve never seen before.
 
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).





#repurposed #devotional #TimelyTidbitsofTruth #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

The Seven Colors of Grace, Part 5

The Seven Colors of Grace, Part 5
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Hope
 
The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1 NKJV).
 
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
 
A heart without faith is a heart without hope.

It is not God’s will for anyone, in any generation, to live in hopelessness. There are those who live without hope, those who live with false hope, and those who live with true hope. It is true hope that fills the heart with “the blessed hope”, which is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
 
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13 NKJV).
 
Hope looks ahead to what is unseen with confident assurance and expectation that what God has promised will be fulfilled in His time. 
 
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance (Romans 8:24-25 NKJV).
 
Hope is not something we acquire through wishful thinking or positive attitudes. Hope comes to us from God. He is the God of hope, and hope becomes ours when we believe His promises.





#grace #meetinginthemeadow #devotional #devotion #roylessin

©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Monday, March 24, 2025

My Morning Prayer: The Promises of Prayer, 2

My Morning Prayer: The Promises of Prayer, 2
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow


One attitude you don’t want to have about prayer is that you’re good at it…it’s not about long prayers, eloquent prayers, repetitious prayers, or “listen to me” prayers.

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:10-14 NKJV).

Pray because you are poor…because you are needy and dependent. Pray in faith.

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:6-10 NKJV).

Prayer is not God’s last line of defense in case everything else fails (oh no! things have gotten this bad!).

Prayer is the avenue God uses to bring the wanderer home.
It keeps us from looking for life’s answers somewhere else.
It directs the needy to the place of complete provision.
It quiets the restless heart from running to and fro.

It is the secret place where sons and daughters can speak to their Father privately and in full confidence of acceptance and understanding…where brothers and sisters can help share the load…where the weary heart can cast its burden…where the weeping heart can bring its tears…where the grateful heart can offer its thanksgiving…where the happy heart can bring its praise, and…

It is through the prayer of faith that the promises of God are activated.


My Morning Prayer
-Marina Bromley

Thank you, Lord, for each example and lesson that you teach us in your Word, the Bible, on prayer. Thank you that you give us every opportunity to come to you, in every circumstance and in every mood and emotion. Thank you that you are always listening, always available, always willing. Teach me to come to you with everything I have…weary, weeping, grateful or happy…you are willing to hear them all. I trust you with my heart, and want to hold your hand as you walk with me through every season and circumstance. In Jesus’s name, amen.
 
#encouragementinprayer #mymorningprayer #meetinginthemeadow #roylessin

©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with
permission, all rights reserved.

Friday, March 21, 2025

Timely Tidbits of Truth 58, Revive

Timely Tidbits of Truth 58, Revive
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Revive means that God brings to life the things that seem to have died. He quickens what is on its last breath, and He strengthens what is on its last legs. In our brokenness He makes us whole. He takes the barren places in our lives and brings a new harvest; He takes the dry places in our hearts and turns them into flowing rivers; He takes the empty places in our souls and fills them to the full.
 
Revive me according to Your lovingkindness (Psalm 119:88 NKJV).
 
The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts” (Isaiah 57:15 NLT).
 
Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble (Psalm 143:11 NKJV).




#revive #repurposed #devotional #TimelyTidbitsofTruth #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

The Seven Colors of Grace, Part 4

The Seven Colors of Grace, Part 4
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Faith

 
The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1 NKJV).
 
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV).
 
In the previous postings the focus has been upon what God has given us in His promises, by His grace, and through His Son. In this posting the focus is upon how we can respond to what God has given.
 
Faith is our response to what God has given.
Faith makes it possible for us to become believers in God’s promises and receivers of the riches of His grace through Jesus Christ.
 
People like Able, Enoch, Abraham, and Noah all had one thing in common that separated them from others. It was their faith.
 
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith (Hebrews 11:7 NKJV).
 
Faith is a living thing. It cannot thrive or survive on opinions, slogans, or self-help ideas. Faith, in order to be faith, must have a promise from God to trust in. Faith believes, receives, and rests in the promises of God who cannot lie. 
 
In a world where things are always changing, faith puts us on the side of what is changeless. God doesn’t change. Truth doesn’t change. The Holy Spirit doesn’t change. Jesus doesn’t change. 
 
God’s Word and the promises He has spoken are never outdated, misspoken, or uncertain. They are eternal. They are alive and always relevant in the lives of those who believe.
 
Our faith isn’t asked to take educated guesses, calculated risks, or follow hunches. Faith leads to confident obedience to what God has said. Faith is complete trust in God, knowing He cannot fail and will not get it wrong.
 
By faith, you will never be without a rock to stand upon, you will never be without a foundation to build upon, and you will never be without a Savior to call upon.
 
The just shall live by faith (Galatians 3:11 NKJV).




#grace #meetinginthemeadow #devotional #devotion #roylessin

©2025 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.