Category: Daily

Scriptures for December 30 & 31 (12/30 & 12/31)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, Heaven, Holy Spirit, InspirationalLeave a comment

0-cover-kindle-new-mediumThe Scripture for today, December 30, is Matthew 12:30, as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

You mean we can’t just drift along just showing up at church services and that is all? We must gather people to him. It’s important that we do so. Are we doing it? Or are we too afraid?

Deep down inside, most people fear that, if we bring Jesus into a conversation, people will do us great harm and become dangerous enemies. Although in some countries of the world this is true, in most it is not. But still, we quake at the thought of bringing up Jesus to our friends, and even to strangers.

It can be done. Give it a try. If it were your soul, would you want someone to at least try to save you? Dare to be a gatherer today.

Cover-Kindle-smallThe scripture for today, December 31, is Luke 12:31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.”

Do we actively seek God’s kingdom? Or do we drift and feel like God should feel obligated to take us into his kingdom and into his heaven? Do we feel like we’re “not so bad”, so God would be bad to not take us into his kingdom and into his heaven?

Heaven is God’s home, not ours. God has a door into his home, just like we have a door into our home. God is not required to open that door to just anyone, just like we are not required to open our door to just anyone.  We cannot just show up at the door and smile and assume he will let us in, any more than people who knock on our door and smile can assume we will let them in.

We let people into our home who we have gotten to know and whose motives we trust. Have you given God a chance to get to know you and trust your motives? Are your motives to enter heaven, God’s home? Do you even like God?

This life we live on earth is not our permanent life or residence. This is just the foyer to our eternal home. Do we live like the earth is all there is?

#GoodWorks, #Drifting, #Heaven, #Lukewarm, #Kingdom, #Church, #TrueChristianity, #DayOfJudgment

 

 

 

 

Scripture for Tuesday, December 27 (12/27)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, Inspirational, judging, persecutionLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 27, is 1st Kings 12:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

PAUL COVER-KINDLE-“If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah.”

For centuries and millenniums, kings selected a patron god for their nation, a god they most revered to protect them. The patron god was selected by the king. Nations were always ruled by either a high priest or king. Some nations even had priest-kings.

So, when Constantine conquered much of Europe and set up his empire, he needed a patron god. One day during a battle, he looked up and saw a cloud formation that reminded him of things he’d heard about Jesus. So he made Jesus his patron God, and Christianity his empire’s required religion. He even rode his army through rivers, then declared them baptized. He ordered conquered peoples to be baptized or killed.  Headquarters was Rome.

Luther was friends of the Duke [king] of Germany, so when he broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Lutheranism. John Calvin was in the government of Switzerland, so when it broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Calvinism. When the king of England broke off from Rome, he became head of the Church of England (and Prince Charles is head of the Church there today). John Knox was influential with the parliament of Scotland, so his Presbyterianism became the official religion of Scotland.

In each instance, the king or parliament could force its citizens to follow the chosen religion of that nation. If people didn’t, they could legally put them in prison, torture them, and execute them at will. And sometimes they did just that.

Eventually, the idea of separating religion from the state government became popular. And that is where many nations are today. But it does not mean people in government cannot express religion. It just means they cannot force citizens to be a particular government-selected religion or be in danger of punishment. That is true “separation of church and state”.

#Government-Religion, #SeparationOfChurch&State, #Martyrs

Scripture for Monday, December 26 (12/26)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, good works, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 26, is John 12:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 2-DREAM MAKER-COVER“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Who or what are you a servant to or even slaves to? Power in a workplace, club, congregation, neighborhood? Prestige in a community, an occupation, an organization? Self-indulgence of money, music, entertainment?

While you are pursuing things in life, is Jesus there with you? Are you doing what he would do? Dare to be a servant only to the power of Jesus’ love, prestige only in the eyes of God, self-indulgence only in the joy of worshiping Him. In this only is there true and enduring honor.

#Power, #Prestige, #Self-Indulgence, #Slavery, #Service, #Honor

Scripture for Friday, December 23 (12/23)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, good works, Inspirational, judging, prayer, Satan, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 23, is 1st Samuel 12:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:


HS-COVER-KINDLE-GOLD“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.”

It’s a sin not to pray for others!

Do your prayers get bogged down in the mire of me’s? Do you wonder why you can’t pray for more than a couple minutes ~ five on a good day? Satan gets you to do this; he is the enemy of prayer because he knows how powerful it is.

Who is on your prayer list? Pray for people by name. Your neighbors. People you work with. Your government officials ~ both good and bad. People in a nursing home. People in your congregation. People in the military. People being persecuted, imprisoned and even killed because they are Christians. Missionaries. Children in an orphan home. Sales people at the store. Local school teachers.

Pray for 15 minutes a day. Half an hour. An hour. It’s oh so easy when we stop praying only for self and pray for others.

Pray for them by name. And tell them that you do. Some people have never been told, “I am praying for you”.

Let us not sin by praying only for “me”.

#Prayer, #Selfishness, #GoodWill, #Love, #Power

Scripture for Tuesday, December 20 (12/20

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, forgiveness, good works, healing, Inspirational, judgingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 20, is 2nd Corinthians 12:20b as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-cover-kindle-new-medium“…. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.”

It can happen among well-meaning people trying to accomplish the same good work but from a different angle. Do we insist our way is the best way, and people will be lost if the committee/congregation doesn’t do things our way? Do we then get hurt and think (or say) everyone else doesn’t love the lost like we do? Then are we tempted to just drop out?

A good test when personalities clash is to ask ourselves, “Would this congregation survive without me?” Of course, it would. It did before we came and would after.

A good solution: If our heart is set on a certain good work, but no one else’s heart is, do what we can alone. We don’t need a committee to follow our heart.

Let us prefer one another, honor one another, and love one another. We are family ~ God’s family.

#Quarrels, #Jealousy, #Ego, #Temper, #Heart, #GoodWorks

Scripture for Monday, December 19 (12/19)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, forgiveness, healing, Inspirational, judgingLeave a comment

The Scripture for today, December 19, is Romans 12:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

inside-cover-medium“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Thank God he took away the old Law of Moses and gave us the new Law of Jesus Christ instead. Under the Law of Moses, they often had to take revenge themselves. They had to stone adulterers and children who were disrespectful to their parents. If someone killed a relative, they were obligated to go out and kill that person. If someone knocked the eye or tooth out of a relative, they were obligated to go out and take that person’s eye or tooth.

Now God says forgive and do good to your enemy (verse 20-21). That’s what God did to us ~ we who once were his enemies as sinners. As we are merciful to others, he is merciful to us. 

Forgiveness is not condoning evil, but wishing the best for whoever did something bad to you. Hard to do? Indeed! But, with God, anything is possible. So, let go of it. Let go of them. Let God take care of it. He has released you of that burden. Released you to “overcome evil with good”. 

#Vengence, #Revenge, #Vendetta, #Resentment, #Hatred, #Ego, #Forgiveness, #Love

Scripture for Saturday, December 12 (12/12)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, Inspirational, judging, Satan, Saved from hellLeave a comment
  
#Anger, #Satan, #SpiritualWarfare, #ApostlePaul

Scripture for Wednesday, December 14 (12/14)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, InspirationalLeave a comment
The scripture for today, December 14, is 1st Samuel 12:14 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Medium“If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God ~ good!”

The Jews had just insisted on having a king rule over them instead of a supreme judge. Samuel replied and said IF. IF they serve and obey the Lord, and IF they both (people and king) follow the Lord, then it is good.
Today as then, some people live in a nation where the king/government does not follow the Lord. What to do? Galatians 5:22 tells us to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled, for “against such things there is no law”.
Is it hard to do this when crooked officials are getting all the advantages and you are being cheated? Indeed it is. It may seem they are on top of things. In reality, they are at the bottom. Never ever let others drag you down to their level. It is not worth it.  Keep your eyes on God!
Hold fast!
       Stand firm!
          Do the right thing!
In the end, they will lose. You and God will win. 
 
And that is good
#patience, #kindness, #goodness, #faithfulness, #gentleness, #selfcontrol

Scripture for Monday, December 12 (12/12)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Daily, Holy Spirit, Inspirational, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 13, is Ecclesiastes 12:13 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

When the King James Version was published in the early 1600s, they italicized all words that were not in the original language of the Bible. The word “duty” above was not in the original. Translators inserted it to help us understand the original. But perhaps, in this case, it did not help. Fearing God is the whole of man ~ not our duty, but our essence.

Fearing the Lord is a gift. Isaiah 11:2 predicted regarding Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him ~ 

“…the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,”

“…the Spirit of counsel and of power,”

“…the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Solomon had tried everything to find happiness, as he explained in his book of Ecclesiastes ~ Pleasure (ch. 2), hard work (ch. 3), advancement (ch. 4), riches (ch. 5). None brought him true happiness.  Eventually, he concluded that only one thing can bring that happiness deep down inside where no one and no situation in life can touch it ~ God. God is the whole of man ~ if we let Him be.

Why? Ecclesiastes 3:11 explains it richly: “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” Another way to view this is “There is a God-shaped emptiness in the heart of man.” 

Fill your mind with the Word of God. Then God will fill your heart and being, and make you feel full.

#Wisdom, #Understanding, #Happiness, #Fulfillment, #HardWork, #Wealth, #Emptiness, #God, #Bible, #Stuff, #Prestige, #Fame

Scripture for Sunday, December 11 (12/11)

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, faith, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 11, is Romans 12:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Heroes-Alone-COVER-KINDLE“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

Sometimes we get physically tired and our spiritual zeal wanes along with it. We just want to rest. Well, while we rest, we can always become prayer warriors. 

When you see friends, ask them, “How was your week/day/month?” Don’t ask them how they are, for they will probably reply, “Fine.” But if you ask how their week has been, that gives them something to talk about. They’ll tell you of things they have been doing. Regardless of  what they say, reply, “May I pray for your success in….” or “I’d like to pray for your….”

What the world needs is prayer. Many people have never in their entire life heard someone tell them, “I am praying for you.” Be the first. Open up their lives to the love of God.

Prayer is powerful, especially when you are not praying for yourself all the time, but rather are praying for others. Do you have a prayer list? How many are on it besides yourself? Ten? Fifty? A hundred? Five hundred? Is that too many to cover? Not at all. How long does it take to read 500 names in earnest, sincere prayer? 

You may say, “But just mentioning a name is so meaningless; it’s too simple. God expects me to explain all I know about this person’s problem and then do some begging.” No, he doesn’t; not with everyone. Prayer is so very, very powerful, that just mentioning a person’s name will bring this person before the very throne of God.

Then, even when you are tired and lack physical zeal, your soul can rise up with spiritual fervor to heaven itself.

#Prayer, PrayerWarrior, #PrayerList, #PrayerTime