Scripture for Tuesday, January 17 (1/17)

The scripture for today, January 17, is James 1:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 4-FOLK HERO-COVER“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Do you sometimes feel slighted because other people get more gifts on special occasions (or even between special occasions) than you do?

No need to feel that way. Christians get the goods ones. Christians get the perfect ones. We get them all! And our heavenly Father will never stop showering us with those “good gifts,” those “perfect gifts.”

These gifts are good and perfect because they are forever gifts. And what can be better than that?

#gift, #present, #gratitude

Scripture for Monday, January 16 (1/16)

The scripture for today, January 16, is Ruth 1:16ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

inside-cover-medium“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Although Ruth was talking to her mother-in-law after the death of her husband (Naomi’s son), this can be and sometimes is quoted by the bride and groom at their wedding. If only it were quoted more often. Not only at weddings, but at anniversaries. At birthdays of children and parents. During arguments, and low times and hard times and discouraging times.

These are the words of love ~ deep genuine, unselfish love. Let us so love one another that deeply.

#Love, #Marriage, #Family, #Friends, #Ruth, #Naomi, #Wedding, #Anniversary

Scripture for Sunday, January 15 (1/15)

The scripture for today, January 15, is Galatians 1:15f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles….”

Isn’t this amazing! God knows before you are born what you will be doing for him later in life. He does not force you to do so, for we have free will. God knew Paul’s future ~ that he would become a Christian. So he set him apart to preach among the Gentiles (non-Jews).

God knows ahead of time whether you are willing to obey what he tells you to do in his Bible and not what other people tell you to do. If you are willing, then he has work set aside for you.

You may not think your life has been very exciting. You may be waiting for God to give you a big important job to do for him. But the truth is, you ~ in your seemingly mundane life ~ may already be doing what God set aside for you to do.

Never underestimate yourself and what God can accomplish through you by his grace.

#Foreknowledge, #Assignment, #ChristianLife, #Birth, #LifeWork, #GraceOfGod

Scripture for Saturday, January 14 (1/14)

The scripture for today, January 14, is Hebrews 1:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Letters-of-Apostles2-Cover-Kindle“Are not all angels ministering spirits, sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

Have you ever wondered if the Bible really mentions guardian angels? Well, here it is. But the angels do not minister to everyone ~ just to the saved who will inherit salvation.

As much as they minister to us, however, we are not to worship them and we are not to pray to them. For awhile, it was popular to collect pictures and statues of angels. Some people were saying there is no God, but there are guardian angels. Where did they think angels come from? We are not to adore, worship or pray to angels (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). We are just to be grateful for them.

Let us thank God that he loves us enough to send the angels to minister to us until we reach the safety of his home, heaven.

#Angels, #MinisteringSpirits, #Worship, #Prayer, #GuardianAngels, #Heaven

Scripture for Tuesday, January 10 (1/10)

The scripture for today, January 10, is Colossians 1:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: Bearing fruit in every good work; Growing in the knowledge of God.”

Some people are always doing some good work for other people. It fills their thoughts and their life. Other people are always delving into the Bible to gain more knowledge of God. It fills their thoughts and life.

But we see here, we must have a balance. James 2:17 says faith without works is dead. On the other hand, Romans 10:2 says certain people were zealous for God, but their zeal was not based on knowledge.

We have to add to our Bible-based faith, good works. We have to add to our zealous good works, the knowledge of God from the Bible.

Are you prone to center your life on one or the other? Examine yourself, and determine today that you will add the other requirement to your life, and thus attain a spiritual balance. You can do it!

#GoodWorks, #BibleStudy, #Balance

Scripture for Monday, January 9 (1/9)

The scripture for today, January 9, is Joshua 1:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
 
0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Medium“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

God does not give us commands that are impossible to keep. Many require fortitude, but they are not impossible. Still, we fear we cannot keep them. Maybe we fear our co-workers because they do not keep certain commands. Maybe we fear our neighbors, our family, or even our church friends because they do not keep certain commands.

Fear can paralyze us. But God gives us strength and courage. Therefore, when challenged to keep a commandment of God, regardless of what others are saying and doing, remember the Lord your God is with you wherever you are.

Hold fast! Stand firm! Do the right thing!

#Fear, #Courage, #Strength, #KeepCommendments, #God

 

Scripture for Thursday, January 5 (1/5)

The scripture for today, January 5, is Colossians 1:5 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“…the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the Word of Truth, the gospel.”

Does your faith have its ups and downs? Is it strong sometimes and weak sometimes? Do things sometimes go so wrong that you have trouble having faith in God? You can still hope. Do you grow angry at God sometimes?  You can still hope. During such low times when faith does not come easy, you can still hope. Hope is the springboard of faith.

And stay close to the Word of Truth, for John 14:17 says the Comforter is the Spirit of Truth, and John 17:17 says Truth is the Word of God.

When your emotions are pulling you down, rely for a little awhile on only your logic, your intellect, until your emotions heal. Some day they will.

So keep on hoping ~ the springboard. And some day it will return to being faith.

#Faith, #Hope, #Doubt, #Emotions, #Logic, #

Scripture for Wednesday, January 4 (1/4)

The scripture for today, January 4, is Philippians 1:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
 
FunWithBibleNumbers-Cover-Kindle“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.”
 
Do our prayers consist mostly of give me this, help me with that? Let us begin today to keep an on-going list of our prayer requests for the year, and another one of thanksgiving for when those prayers are answered.
 
Let us begin today to tell God “Thank you.”
 
Let us also begin today to look around at our circumstances ~ whatever they may be ~ with joy. There can be some kind of joy in every circumstance if we look at it through eyes of joy.
 
A majority of the people in Philippi in northern Greece on the border of today’s Bulgaria (called Thrace in the first century) were barbarian-looking warrior Thracians. But these rough warriors also brought joy with their beautiful sculptures.
 
Philippians is a book about peace among warriors. This is the book that says, “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:7)
 
This is also the book that says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (4:13).
 
Let us say, ”thank you,” and in the process recognize our joy.
 
#joy, #fun, #peace, #prayer, #thankyou

Scripture for Tuesday, January 3 (1/3)

The scripture for today, January 3, is Jonah 1:3a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.”

Do we spend our life running away from the Lord? Do we do it with busy-ness, with resentments, with disbelief that he even exists?

Is it even possible to run away from the Lord? Eventually, it is. But for a long time, the Lord runs after us. He does things to get our attention such as he did by causing a storm at sea where Jonah was on board his escape ship. 

Perhaps there are storms in your life. Have you ever thought of them as God trying to get your attention?  Perhaps you run here and there day after day, too busy to even think about God. But when disaster hits, it seems a lot of people suddenly remember God so they can blame him for their hardships. Perhaps they’re blaming God, but at least they’re thinking of him. Perhaps it’s been years since they’ve thought seriously about God. 

He has big shoulders. Go ahead and blame him for awhile, then remember how he loves you and just wants you by his side.

But don’t wait too long. God only runs after us for so long. Eventually, he gives up on us. Don’t wait so long that God gives up on you and treats you the way you have been treating him.

“God, I’m coming back. Help me.”

#RunningAway, #FromGod, #Disasters, #AttentionGetters, #Reminders, #Pursuit, #GivingUp, #Forgiveness, #Safety

Scripture for Monday, January 2 (1/2)

The scripture for today, January 2, is 3rd John 1:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

inside-cover-medium“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”

Our health may be bad, our finances in an upheaval, our home damaged by wind or water, our job about to be lost. But we can still smile.

We can still rejoice that our “soul is getting along well.”

When problems come into our life ~ and they do ~ remember the most important thing is your soul. No one and no thing can touch your soul as long as you are safe in the arms of Jesus.

So, when problems do come, you can still with confidence rejoice that your “soul is getting along well.”

#problems, #troubles, #soul