Scripture for Sunday, August 20 (8/20)

The scripture for today, August 20 (8/20), is Proverbs 8:20 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

inside-cover-medium“I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice.”

Interestingly, the original Hebrew of “way” is customary path, and the original Hebrew of “paths” is customary road.

If we had a house out in the country, it would have paths leading to and from it. These paths are taken in our day-to-day life without much thought. We live out our principles and moral standards pretty much the same every day on such paths. How about you? When the rains come, how well does your path hold up?

Unless we are hermits, our path eventually takes us onto a major road where we must make major judgments. Does your path equip you to make major judgments, right decisions when you reach the road? If it doesn’t, your life will constantly be bogged down in deep ruts you can’t get out of and jarred by the bumps all over the road that you cannot avoid.

Some people’s lives never get onto a decent smooth road because their judgments are seldom right.  They become emotionally involved and wish for an outcome that cannot possibly occur, so give up and stay in their rut. Or they make wrong decisions based on immediate gratification which keeps their life full of bumps and bruises.

What kind of road does your daily path take you to? Is your life in constant turmoil because you make bad choices?   Ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?”. After all, Jesus said, “I am the Way” (John 14:6). He is standing in that right and just road right now.  Do you hear him? He’s calling you. 

Shhh.  Listen.  Do you hear him now?

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#path, #road, #decisions, #justice, #right, #choices, #daily, #ruts, #bumps, #turmoil, #InstantGratification, #emotions

Scripture for Sunday, August 13 (8/13)

The scripture for today, August 13 (8/13), is Isaiah 8:13f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.medium-new“The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary.”

“Holy” in both the Hebrew and Greek means someone or something set up as very special. Who or what do we daily set up as someone or something special? Do we in a sense “worship” that person or thing? Whoever or whatever we worship, we become a slave to. Are we a “slave” to anything in our life? Is there something we cannot control because it controls us? Are we a slave to attention or food or money or power or clothes or houses or cars or etc?

Then, when there is a tragedy in your life, can you rely on those things to get you through? Who or what will be your sanctuary in times of trouble? Will you be able to say, “The Lord Almighty…he will be my sanctuary”?

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#help, #rescue, #refuge, #HidingPlace, #rest, #peace, #trouble, #worship, #alliance, #slave, #stuff, #tragedy

Scripture for Thursday, August 10 (8/10)

inside-cover-mediumThe scripture for today, August 10 (8/10), is Nehemiah 8:10b as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

After exile for 70 years for forsaking God, the Jews were led by Ezra and Nehemiah back to Jerusalem. On a special day, Ezra read the Law of Moses to all the people. And they wept. They were so embarrassed and so sorry they had betrayed God. The above scripture quotation is from that occasion.

But many people find it too humiliating to admit to others that they were wrong. Others find it easy to repent, but never regroup and pull themselves up so they can try again. Still, others say, “What I’ve done is so bad, God could never forgive me.” They spend the rest of their lives grieving.

God can perform miracles. That means he can forgive the greatest sinner. So, grieve. Ask for forgiveness. Then start over fresh ~ innocent in the eyes of God. The joy of the Lord is your strength.  So, go ahead.  Smile again.

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#forgiveness, #sin, #grief, #joy, #StartingOver, #forsaking, #returning, #humiliation, #repentance, #revival, #smiling

Scripture for Friday, August 4 (8/4)

The scripture for today, August 4 (8/4), is Acts 8:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Medium-“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”

Sometimes our plans get scattered, our dreams shattered. We lose our home, our job, our chance at an education, our savings, our family.

Satan loves to discourage us. He’s good at it. But Romans 8:28 says that God can make something good come out of all things ~ good or bad.

What about you? What if, for instance, you lose your home or job or worse? Will it make you bitter?

 It apparently did not make the early Christians bitter. How could that be? They had been forced out of jobs, out of homes, out of their country. Some Christian friends had been killed before they could escape.

There was something about them.  Something different. They counted it joy to be considered worthy of suffering for Christ. (James 1:2) They did not slink around or hide so it wouldn’t happen again. They rose up out of the ashes. They rose up and declared they had an eternal home no one could snatch from them.

How about you? If you lost everything, would you keep your joy or turn bitter?  What if that loss was because of Jesus? Would you turn right around and declare him again anyway? Really and truly, would you?

What stuff is your Christianity made of? Getting up in front of a congregation and expounding or performing, or being on committees? Or is it teaching one on one how to be saved? Where are your priorities? What part of Christianity brings the kind of joy that keeps on going, even in the ashes?

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#joy, #bitterness, #loss, #salary, #education, #house, #fire, #flood, #war, #persecution, #RunAway, #troubles, #problems, #priorities, #Christianity, #SoulSaving

Scripture for Wednesday, August 2 (8/2)

00-COVER-KINDLEThe scripture for today, August 2 (8/2), is Matthew 8:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lor if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.’ “

People in Jesus’ day who had leprosy had to live outside of town in what we would call a leper colony. And if someone without leprosy started getting close to them, they were required to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!”

But here was a man who apparently pushed his way through a crowd where he didn’t belong. He didn’t ask Jesus if he could heal him; he asked if he was willing to. After all, he was “unclean”. Remarkably, Jesus said yes.

Then Jesus did another remarkable thing: He touched the man. He touched the leprosy. Not only was he willing to be seen with an unclean man, he was willing to touch him.

Jesus still does this today. When we come to him with a diseased heart wondering if we are good enough, Jesus reaches out across the centuries and touches us. And his voice echoes across the centuries and says, “I am willing.”

No matter how much sin mars your life, Jesus still today can say, “Be clean.”

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#sin, #dirt, #unclean, #touch, #prayer, #diseases, #heart, #blessing, #cure, #cleansing, #healing, #brokenness, #problems, #troubles, #compassion, #humility

Scripture for Sunday, July 30 (7/30)

inside-cover-mediumThe scripture for today, July 30 (7/30), is John 7:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“At this, they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him because his time had not yet come.”

Even though during the last year of his life, many people wanted to kill Jesus out of jealousy or fear or pure meanness, he was never afraid to keep teaching. Why? Because he knew his life was ultimately in the hands of the heavenly Father.

Do we feel fear sometimes because of things going on around us? Do we fear failure, or ruin, or false rumors, or even imprisonment or our life? Remember, each life is in the heavenly Father’s hands.

So, do not fear. Keep on keeping on. Hold fast. Stand firm. Do the right thing. Stand up for Jesus. His Father will not let you come to any permanent harm. And, if some day, your time does come, know that God has everything under control. And God will never, ever, ever stop loving you.

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#fear, #problems, #forgotten, #dread, #control, #GodsHands, #HeavenlyFather, #forever

Scripture for Thursday, July 27 (7/27)

The scripture for today, July 27 (7/27), is Luke 7:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Kindle-Medium“This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ “

“The way” could also be considered “the path” or “the road”. To prepare “the way” would be to straighten out the curves temporarily leading in the wrong direction, or clear out the stumbling rocks, or fill in the jarring ruts made when it rains.

You can prepare “the way” ahead of crises for your loved ones by example, by being a true friend, by prayer, by sharing the Word of God. Life is hard. Or do you know someone just blossoming with a talent? Prepare the way for better things for them with your encouragement.

Are you preparing “the way” for people you know?

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#encouragement, #prayer, #problems, #talents, #crisis

Scripture for Friday, July 21 (7/21)

Our scripture for today, July 21(7/21), is Matthew 7:21ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

changes-in-worship-cover-medium“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “

There are hundreds of denominations/sects out there all contradicting each other. It’s impossible for them all to be right. We can never rely on what someone else says just because they look and act holy and say all the right holy words and phrases and pray such holy-sounding prayers. We must never rely on our religious leaders to tell us what to believe. Shall we take their opinion or God’s opinion?

Romans 10:1 in the Bible mentions some people who had a lot of zeal for God, but were lost because it was not according to the proper knowledge.

Well, how do you get God’s opinion? Read the Bible for yourself! Use a CONCORDANCE (lists every word in the Bible and every scripture with that word) and look up your chosen subject.  Then, having found the truth, why not go back to the religious leaders in love and try to teach your teachers? Some just might listen to you.

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#denominations, #sects, #divisions, #opinions, #miracles, #ReligiousLeaders, #religions, #zeal, #misguided, #misinformed, #lies, #knowledge, #concordance, #truth, #teachers, #leaders, #Bible, #worship, #salvation, #heaven, #hell, #enthusiasm, #church

Scripture for Wednesday, July 19 (7/19)

The scripture for today, July 19 (7/19) is found in Romans 7:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible.

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Medium“For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do ~ this I keep on doing.”

Doesn’t this pretty much describe all of us in some area of our life?  It may be eating too much, breaking the law by going over the speed limit, laughing at dirty jokes, habitual lying, stealing “little things” at work, cheating on tests, jealousy ~ any number of things. Sins of habit and attitude are hard to break. So, we go to God over and over asking him to forgive that which, deep down, we know we’re going to do again.

Perhaps this emphasizes the importance of us forgiving others who habitually do wrong to us. If we say, “I’m not going to forgive you anymore. You’ve done this to me too many times,” then God is likely to say the same thing to us.

Jesus said, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14).

Satan wants us to quit trying to do better. And he wants us to quit forgiving each other. Let us not give in to Satan. Let us give in to God.

God’s way leads to ultimate forgiveness.

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#forgiveness, #grace, #mercy, #habits, #sins, #insults, #attitudes, #littlethings, #revenge, #Satan

 

Scripture for Tuesday, July 18 (7/18)

The scripture for today, July 18(7/18), is Acts 7:18 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

inside-cover-medium

“Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt.”

Does God really answer prayers? When the Jews first arrived in Egypt, they received “royal treatment” because they were relatives of “Prime Minister” Joseph. Then he died, but his relatives stayed. Eventually, they were resented, then feared, then made slaves of the Egyptians.

For the following 400 years, the Jews prayed for God to release them from their slavery. Generation after generation died believing that God does not answer prayers.

But God saw the big picture. He saw that the 70 relatives of Joseph who originally went to Egypt would become over three million through the next four centuries. Then and only then would they be large enough to begin a new nation ~ the Jewish nation. In Egypt during those centuries, they were in a form of “protective custody”.

Are you frustrated and confused because God is seemingly not answering some very important prayers? Perhaps you are part of a bigger picture that God knows about. Perhaps your job is to stay where you are and just keep hanging on.

Are you up to the task God has assigned to you?

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#providence, #fate, #disappointments, #slavery, #prayer, #hangon, #assignment, #bigpicture, #Joseph, #Egypt