Friday 8/30 ~ They’re afraid of you

The scripture for today, August 30 (8/30), is Acts 8:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

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“Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked.”

Our friends, family and neighbors will continue riding their chariots and understanding little of the Bible unless someone ~ you ~ asks, “Do you understand?”.

“Do you understand why you are here?” “Do you understand why Jesus had to die?” “Do you understand that Satan holds mankind hostage and Jesus paid our ransom with his blood?” “Do you understand the Bible can be proven true?” “Do you understand how much God loves you?” “Do you understand how the Bible is divided up and which parts give the life of Christ?”

People are afraid to ask active Christians questions because they think you will make fun of their ignorance. You’ll probably never know what they don’t understand unless you do the asking. So, today, go up to someone’s chariot and ask, “Do you understand?”.

 

Questions You Have Asked1-Cover-ThumbnailQuestions You Have Asked2-Cover-ThumbnailQUESTIONS YOU HAVE ASKED 1 & 2 are compilations of questions I have been asked through years of private studies and in conversations.  They are the hard questions people ask with Bible quotations as answers.  To BUY NOW, click the book covers or paste these:  https://amzn.to/30LysCT  and  https://amzn.to/30PEQJa

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Thursday 8/29 ~ And what about demons?

The scripture for today, August 29 (8/29), is Matthew 8:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

365 Dat by Date-Front-Thumbnail” ‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’ “

If you are not familiar with this passage, these are the words of a demon. If you have ever studied demons in the Bible, you will find they never tried to spook or scare people. They never made dishes rattle or lamps fall over.

All they did was cause physical problems during the lifetime of Jesus and his apostles. There is no evidence of demons doing this in the Old Testament before Jesus, nor after his apostles died, either in the Bible or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. It is as though the demons were loosed for a season so Jesus could show his power over them also ~ Ephesians 1:20-21.

Notice, demons never said bad things. If they talked at all, it was out of fear and honesty.  James 2:19 says all demons believe in Jesus. In the book of Matthew, they knew who Jesus was. They called him the Son of God.

Jesus told them to be quiet. Why? He didn’t want evil beings telling people who he was; he wanted goodness to tell people who he was. And Jesus never did incantations or any begging to lure demons out. He demanded them to leave and immediately they obeyed him.

The movies have warped our understanding of demons. Let us search the scriptures to find out their true nature. Then we no longer have to guess. We can know.

 

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Wednesday 8/28 ~ Be patient. It’s coming.

The scripture for today, August 28 (8/28), is Romans 8:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This is a favorite verse of many people. Notice, God can make all things work together for good. ALL things. That means bad things, disappointing things, unfulfilled things. It doesn’t say God will make them all work together for the best. But, even if you made a bad decision or something terrible happened, he will bring some kind of good out of it.

What has been your most recent disappointment, tragedy, heartbreak ~ something that just did not go the way it should have? At such times, it is easy to blame God instead of Satan. You’re playing into Satan’s hands when you blame God and forsake him. Try to remember that, with every disappointment and tragedy, God gives you a promise:  Someday you will smile again.

Are you are living according to his purpose? The promise is only to those who are. If, indeed you are, believe God will take your heartbreak and turn it in to some kind of good especially for you. As hard as it may be right now, try to be patient.  Your good thing is on its way.

 

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailTHEY MET JESUS: SHADOW OF DEATH covers the last few hours of Jesus’ life before he let them crucify him.  They thought they’d won; they lost.  Satan had thought he’d won; he lost.  God brought the most amazing good out of this tragedy that mankind has ever seen. This is book 7 on which my proposed TV SERIES is based.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2Zx9HwC

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Tuesday 8/27 ~ And watch them become awed

The scripture for today, August 27 (8/27), is Mark 8:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

09-Jonah-KindleThumbnail“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ “

Do you ask your family, our neighbors, your friends how they feel about God? Who do they say God is? You don’t know unless you ask. A lot of people are just waiting for someone to ask. Otherwise, they don’t know how or when to bring it up.

Whenever I meet someone who has gone through a tragedy, I ask them “How’s your faith?”. Now this person may not have darkened the door of a church building for 20 years, but s/he always knows what I mean. Since I am sympathizing with them at the time, they are always honest and reply, “Not very good,” usually meaning their faith is nearly gone if not all the way gone.

Then I tell them, “You know, Satan causes bad to happen to people, not God.” They always stare at me a moment and then breathe a sigh of relief. They hadn’t wanted to blame God for their tragedy, but they had a need to blame someone. They’d forgotten Satan exists and were grateful they could now put the blame where it belonged.

There are many other people today who believe in a “Higher Power” but have no idea who that “Higher Power” is.  Many, even in America today, have never read the Bible but are curious about it.  Ask people you know, “Who is the High Power?”, and listen to them. Then offer to show them how the Bible is divided up and how to read it (especially Genesis, then the New Testament).

You must continually be on the watch for people who need help in understanding their relationship with God. Be brave. Go ahead and ask. You’ll be surprised at how many WANT to talk about it. Then be delighted as you open up a whole new world to them and watch them become awed.

 

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Monday 8/26 ~ I don’t know what to ask for

The scripture for today, August 26 (8/26), is Romans 8:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnail“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament is always linked with communication between God and Man. Even the miracles, made possible by the Holy Spirit, were a guarantee that the words and teachings accompanying the miracles were from God. This was needed before the New Testament was written. But the Holy Spirit does more than this.

God speaks to you in his Word, the Bible. Then you speak to him in return in prayer. But sometimes all you can do is bow your head in silence and know that God understands ~ His Spirit communes with your spirit.  Further, you do not know the future, so do not know what will be best for your situation.

Yes, there are some things we know for sure are God’s will such as someone becoming a Christian and saving their soul from hell.  Most things, however, we do not know if it is God’s will.  You may pray to get that new car because you have the money for it. But God knows there will be a storm that will destroy your house or apartment, or a family member will be hospitalized and insurance will not cover all the bills, or your company will go out of business and you will lose your job. 

Life is so uncertain. No matter how hard you pray for something, may you always end each prayer or even each “groaning” with “Your will be done”.

 

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Sunday 8/25 ~ But it doesn’t mean what it says

The scripture for today, August 25 (8/25), is John 8:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

5&5-Strip-BibleKids-Medium” ‘Who are you?’ they asked. ‘Just what I have been claiming all along,’ Jesus replied.”

They knew who Jesus was.  He had made people’s arms and legs grow back, he had fed multiple-thousands on a plate of food, stopped storms and brought lifeless people back to life.  They knew! 

Besides this, they knew the prophecies. They told King Herod he was supposed to be born in Bethlehem and that he was to be a descendant of King David. They knew babies were slaughtered after his birth. They knew he would live in Galilee and teach in parables. They knew all this.

But they kept asking Jesus who he was because they wanted a different answer than the obvious one.

 Jesus and his apostles tell you certain things in the Bible. Sometimes, you read them over and over, and still don’t get the point. Perhaps you have been blinded by well-meaning religious leaders or family or friends who tell you over and over, “It doesn’t mean what it says.” Are you wanting a different answer than the obvious one?

Dare to read the teachings of Jesus and his apostles in the New Testament with open eyes and open heart. When you read something, just accept it. Your soul is at stake. These are the words of the God of the universe, your Creator, the Lover of your soul, and the only one who can let you into his home ~ heaven. 

Do you prefer that God fit your mold, or you fit God’s ~ that of his child? Dare to follow what God has been telling you all along.

 

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Saturday 8/24 ~ Faith gone? You can still hope.

The scripture for today, August 24 (8/24), is Romans 8:24f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-4+4-Strip Child's Cartoon-Medium“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

Sometimes you go through a period of your life in which it is difficult to have faith that God exists; or even if he does exist, that he cares what happens to you. During those times, you may not be able to have faith.

But you can HOPE. You can hope that God exists, you can hope he cares what happens to you. Even the weakest person can hope. Hope holds you until you are strong enough to, once again, have faith.

So the next time your faith wavers (and it happens to everyone at some time in their life), remember, you can still hope.

Ah, Lord God.  My logic tells me you are there.  But my heart is lost right now.  Satan is attacking me. I cannot find you.  Cling to me, Lord, as I wander until I can see you with clear eyes once again. Lord, come quickly.

 

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Friday 8/23 ~ What will be in your book?

The scripture for today, August 23 (8/23), is 2nd Kings 8:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Strip Bible Heroes 5 & 5“As for the other events of Jehoram’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?”

All the years of this great king’s life were reduced to a few pages in a book. When you die, what will there be to write about? Will people list only the date and place of your birth, marriage, and death ~ your statistics? What will you be remembered for? What will be in your obituary?

Better still, what is God writing about you in his books? “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and books were opened. Another book was opened which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Revelation 12).

Will your book be thin with not a lot worth writing about? Will it be thick and full of all you’ve accomplished for good and God in this life? What will be in your book?

 

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Thursday 8/22 ~ Our sad songs

The scripture for today, August 22 (8/22), is Jeremiah 8:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00- Worship Changes KC COVER-thumbnail“Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?”

Jeremiah laments that his people have not returned to God for healing. Today, we weep over the hundreds of conflicting denominations and our nation that do not return to God. We pray, we weep, we sing our sad songs.

This beautiful African-American spiritual of unknown origin is one of those sad songs. You may be able to hear it sung a cappella here: http://bit.ly/1PfHxrI Here are the words to that spiritual:

There is a balm in Gilead
 To make the wounded whole;
 There is a balm in Gilead
 To heal the sin-sick soul.

 Sometimes I feel discouraged,
 And think my work’s in vain,
 But then the Holy Spirit
 Revives my soul again.

 If you can’t preach like Peter,
 If you can’t pray like Paul,
 Just tell the love of Jesus,
 And say He died for all.

Keep praying and sharing and singing.

 

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Wednesday 8/21 ~ Self-reflection and self-honesty

The scripture for today, August 21 (8/21), is Ezra 8:21a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Applied Christianity“There, by the Ahava Canal [from the Euphrates R.], I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God.”

In our modern society, does anyone fast anymore? Not drinking our food (juice) for a day and calling that a fast, but a true fast where we drink only water to stay hydrated, but that’s all? And we turn off all computers, phones, radios, and televisions for the day?

Jesus said in his sermon on the mount, “WHEN you fast….” (Matthew 6:16). He didn’t say, “IF you fast….” No, he assumed his followers would fast. Do we?

If you do, do you do it as a group? Jesus said we are to keep it a secret. Does anyone else know about your fast? They shouldn’t know unless they are the reason for our fast.  Fasting is an act of self-restraint. It belongs to the sphere of humble self-discipline. It is strictly a personal and private matter.

All moral and bodily restraint, all humbleness of body and spirit are represented by fasting, and it is a complete failure of self-restraint to want to show the world our self-restraint. An unknown author wrote this:

  • Let us keep our fast within,
  • Till heaven and we are quite alone;
  • Then let the grief, the shame, the sin,
  • Before the mercy-seat be thrown.

 

Fasting is a way of starving yourself temporarily, a way of saying, “God, I would do this and more for you; I would die for you.” Or, “God, if it were possible, I would trade lives with this person I am fasting for to give them rest. I would even die for this person.” It is a deep expression to God that goes beyond words.

Also, when you fast, your mind is freed from guiding the digestion of food, so you can think clearer and deeper. You can face yourself more honestly.

Just what are you deep down? Do you truly love God as much as you claim? Do you truly love your family as much as you claim? Your neighbors? Your fellow Christians? Your enemies? This is your time of self-reflection and self-honesty.

 

 

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