Tuesday 5/22 ~ There is no law against slowing down

The scripture for today, May 22 (5/22), is Galatians 5:22f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Cover-Thumbnail“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”

There are some people in the world who call people who practice these traits “losers.”  They distrust people who love everyone, are kind to everyone and are always happy.  “People like that are not for real.”  They believe you have to stick up for yourself and get ahead of the pack or the world will trample you and pass you by.

They are a lot like drivers out on a highway who think they have to pass every car. Once they do, there is usually a brief period when they are ahead of all the others. But soon they catch up with another pack of cars and begin all over again to pass every one, to get ahead of the pack. And so, it happens over and over endlessly. They never relax, for they are never ahead of the others for very long.

Today, relax a little. Exercise patience and self-control.  There is no law against slowing down. And in the process find gentleness and find peace.

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~~~BUYLINK for Ebook or Discount Paper:  http://bit.ly/FunBibleNumbers

 

Thursday 5/17 ~ If everything was perfect, this would be heaven

The scripture for today, May 17 (5/17) is John 5:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Cover-KINDLE-Thumbnail-New“Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’ “

Psalm 115:12 says God is thinking about you all the time. When you’re walking, riding, talking, doing, coming, going. God is always working for you. A popular song a few years ago was, “He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands.”  But does he always keep you from harm? He gave you free will, and sometimes you don’t make good choices. Others around you have free will, and they sometimes don’t make good choices.

If everything was perfect, this would be heaven. But it is not.  Heaven is for later after we go through some tests. Regardless of what happens here, God is beside you if you fall, ready to get to work, ready to hold out his hand to lift you up.

How he loves you and cherishes you and cares for you. He always will if you follow him.  Then, after you have fulfilled your own work here on earth,  you can follow him right into that perfect world ~ heaven.

~~~BUYLINK for ebook or discount paper:  http://bit.ly/500GoodWorks

Monday 4/30 ~ Let go, or it will take you to hell

The scripture for today, April 30 (4/30), is Ephesians 4:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Thumbnail“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”

Do you think God has no choice but to let you into his heaven because you do not steal, cheat, or murder? Think again.

There’s more to it than that; it’s called sins of attitude. Are you bitter about something? Let go of it, or it will take you to hell.  Do you have a problem with rage and anger? Do you enjoy a good mental or physical brawl? Do you slander people who have done you wrong? Do you harbor grudges year after year? Let go of them. Please. They are taking you to hell.

The average person does not have trouble with bad actions. The big problem is with bad attitudes. Let go of them. God will take care of the problems. Let go of people you consider your enemies and wish them well. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Do not grieve yourself.

Live in sweet inner peace. Live at peace with God. Make God smile.

Sunday 4/29 ~ Ah, to find God.  Who are you, God? 

The scripture for today, April 29 (4/29), is Deuteronomy 4:29 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

365 Dat by Date-Front-Thumbnail“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Ah, to find God.  Who are you, God?  What do you do all through my day?  What do you have to say to me?  Or do you not say anything?  Do you even see me, God?  Where are you?  I cannot find you.

Open your eyes, friend. God is always nearby.  There is an old expression, “To know him is to love him.” So true.  To find God, get to know him.  He is talking to you right now in his Bible, explaining what he is like and how he reacts to every possible situation in life. Open your Bible.  Look through the mini-books within.  God not only gives you examples of right and wrong ways to seek Him, but he gives you beautiful psalms and proverbs for your everyday life.  And, wonder of wonders, He tells how He came down to us and walked among us as Jesus.  Seek him there. He is talking to you.

Well, don’t you have anything to say about this?  Of course, you do.  The conversation turns the other way when you talk to him in response to what you have read, or what you are trying to apply to your life, or your concern for others.  

Yes, seek and you will find. This mutual conversation with God is the with-all-your-heart-and-soul kind. You can do it.  He is waiting for you.

And it is good.

Wednesday 4/25 ~ Have you been distracted lately?

The scripture for today, April 25 (4/25), is Proverbs 4:25 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Inside-COVER-lg thumbnail“Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

There are a lot of interesting and fun distractions in life, so we have to remind ourselves over and over what is most important to us. We have only so much time in a day and in a lifetime. We can run back and forth from one sideroad to another; one fun thing to another, one power thing to another, one great–looking thing to another.

Before we know it, we have been on that side road a long time. Too long actually.  We can barely see the main road we were on before. And God? He is now so far away. How can that be?  We were always told God would always be there for us.

But God pretty much treats us the way we treat him. If we don’t like being around him, he doesn’t much like being around us. If we don’t like listening to his word (the Bible), he doesn’t much like listening to our word (prayer). If we don’t like to spend special time with him, he doesn’t much like to spend special time with us. God gives us the same courtesy we give him. God will not force himself on us, for he is a Gentleman.

So what do you have in your sights to do today? Next year? The rest of your life? What road are you on? Where is it leading you? Is that what you really want?

~~~BUYLINK for ebook or discount paper:  http://bit.ly/HeartsOfBibleWomen

 

Sunday 4/22 ~ So much of filling an empty soul

The scripture for today, April 22, is Proverbs 4:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

365 Dat by Date-Front-Thumbnail“…for they [my words] are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.”

Nearly everyone with a Bible picks it up at some time or another and reads something out of it. But random reading is like picking up a novel and randomly reading a few passages now and then. The passage itself may be beautiful but does not have a lot of meaning without knowing what came before and after that passage in the novel.

Why not read the entire Bible, beginning to end? Perhaps you can read a chapter a day. Or, if you want to read it through in a year, you can count the total number of pages in your Bible, divide by 365, and read that number of pages each day. If you have time, why not sit down and read it in just a few sittings? This way you will know all the things that occurred before and after your favorite scriptures. Then they will take on new meaning for your life.

For help with how the Bible is organized, go here:  http://www.churchofchrist-cg-az.com/files/BibleOrganization4.htm

Proverbs even says God’s Word adds to your health. Do you suffer from any physical problems caused by anxiety? A lot of physical problems are. This is yet another reason to know the Word of God.

So much comfort. So much information. So much of answering our questions of how and why.  So much of filling an empty soul.

Friday 4/20 ~ Your light: Do you know where you left it?

The scripture for today, April 21 (4/21), is Mark 4:21 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?”

Jesus said something similar in Matthew 5:14f, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Do you spend your energy on yourself and family? That is good. Your family needs your light. But try going further. Do something for someone else. But who? It requires looking around. Looking around your neighborhood, your school, your job, your club, your community.  

Someone is in darkness and needs light to see by. Always keep looking around. Keep searching for little nooks and crannies in the lives of others where you can bring the light of a good deed to someone’s world.

Dare to spread light over them so they know where they are going. They need your light. Can you find it? Do you know where you left it?

Thursday 4/19 ~ Are you on the right road?

The scripture for today, April 19 (4/19), is 1st Corinthians 4:19a as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

OldOldTunes-Thumbnail“But I will come to you very soon if the Lord is willing.”

God knows each step you take through life. He knows all the roads you take in each phase of your life, and what is awaiting you along the way and at the other end. The road you are on today may lead you to where you do not want to go. But not being able to see the future, you do not always know that.

The writer of the above scripture was telling his friends he was coming to see them soon “if the Lord is willing.” Sometimes a decision seems so right. But there may be danger on the way. Or there may be a different road to take leading you to somewhere even better.

Thank God he does not say yes to all of our prayers. Try to remember, when you ask God for things, to add “Your will be done”. His will is for you to have the best life possible.

Saturday 4/14 ~ Shhh. Listen. Don’t you hear them?

The scripture for today, April 14 (4/14), is Esther 4:14b as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Today’s scripture is about a reluctant young lady who won a beauty contest and was chosen to be the queen of Persia. Time has passed, and now a command has just gone out to kill all Jews. Queen Esther was a Jewess but had not told anyone at the royal court. She could continue to hide her nationality and let all her people die, or she could intervene with the king. She was the only Jew the king would have listened to. So she took the chance that she, too, would be killed, and spoke on behalf of her people. They were saved.

There are always situations in life in which you are the only one who can accomplish something very needed. Perhaps you are the only adult standing near a strange child who is about to run out into a busy road. Perhaps you are tall and a short person needs to reach something at the store. Perhaps you know a particular language and others around you need you to explain something to them. Perhaps someone called a wrong number on the telephone and reached you instead.

As we go through life, there are situations in which you are the only one who can handle them. Do you? Do you watch for those situations, or do you walk around in your own little world?

Listen! It’s the silent cries of people only you can help. Do you hear them?

 

Thursday 4/5 ~ It cannot control your heart, your spirit, your soul

The scripture for today, April 5 (4/5), is Micah 4:5 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-LUKE-KINDLE Cover-Thumbnail“All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.”

Nations rise and fall. Nations come and go. Nations are founded upon terror and aggression, or peace and democracy. Some nations follow religions which declare that peasants are peasants as punishment for previous lives, so must remain peasants. Some nations follow religions chosen by their national governments and which must be followed upon pain of death. Some nations deny religion completely and destroy anyone who believes anyway.

What kind of nation do you live in? As strong as your nation is, it cannot control your heart, your spirit, your soul. As strong as your nation seems to be, as much power as your government uses to control its citizens, it will not and cannot last forever.

Always remember, there is a forever nation ~ the nation of God, the kingdom of God. No matter what nation you live in, you can have “dual citizenship”. And by being a citizen of God’s forever kingdom, you will walk in it forever and ever and…