Scripture for Friday, December 9 (12/9)

The scripture for today, December 9, is 2nd Corinthians 12:9 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Mefiboset-KINDLE Medium“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Oh how much we need to be reminded of this scripture. We all have weaknesses. Do we lament the hand we were dealt? Do we lament the country we were born in, the family we were born into, the physical limitations we were born with, the mental, emotional or physical deficiencies we ended up with?
This is your chance! Those weaknesses! Go around others with the same weakness you have with joy in your heart, gladness on your lips and a continual gleam in your eyes!  Let God’s strength shine in your weakness!
When people begin to sympathize with you, interrupt them and tell them how much God loves you, and how much God loves them! Encourage your “encouragers.” Let them go away from you with a new understanding of the blessings of weakness!
And perhaps be a little more thankful for their own.
#Disabilities, #Handicaps, #Illness, #Friends, #Overcomers, #Weakness, #PositiveAttitude

Scripture for Monday, December 5 (12/5)

The scripture for today, December 5, is Psalm 12:5 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-Heroes-Alone-COVER-KINDLE” ‘Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,’ says the Lord. ‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’ “

Notice, in this scripture the Lord says, “I will now arise.” Sometimes God needs us to endure difficulties so that bad people who cause such problems can be exposed for what they are, and ultimately so Satan can be exposed for what he is. Sometimes that difficulty will last months or years ~ sometimes even a lifetime. 

First Corinthians 3:9 in the New Testament says we are workers together with God. Ephesians 6:12 says “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly [spiritual] realms.”

We are where God wants us to be. This is our assignment. Are we up to it? Sometimes our job is just to hang on and not give up on God. That’s what Satan is always trying to get us to do, just like he did Job in the Old Testament. God won’t leave us in a situation that is impossible for us to endure. I Corinthians 10:13 says, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” 

So, go ahead and groan in your weakness, but hang on. Never let go of God. That’s your part. 

As soon as the evil around you is exposed for what it is, you have proven good cannot be conquered by evil, and you have grown spiritually as a result of your experience, God will then arise.  That’s God’s part. 

#Troubles, #Problems, #Trials, #Endurance, #Patience, #Evil, #Judgment, #Punishment, #Satan

Scripture for Sunday, December 4 (12/4)

The scripture for today, December 4, is Isaiah 12:4 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Kindle-Medium“In that day you will say: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.’ “

Do you make known to your part of your nation what God has done for you? 

When a friend tells you of a difficulty, do you share what you went through that was similar, and that God helped get you through it? Are you ready with an easy-to-remember scripture to prove God cares and God helps? 

When someone is sick or bereaved, do you let them know that God hurts just as much when they suffer as when he watched his own Son suffer on the cross?

Look back over your life. Make a list of some difficult times you and God made it through. Find an applicable verse and memorize it. Find out what is going on in the lives of your friends, co-workers, neighbors. Then be ready to share your story and what God has done for you. It’s up to each one of us to do this. 

Thereby God’s name will be exalted.

#problems, #troubles, #illness, #death, #MoralSupport, #GodsLove, #GodHurts, #GodCares

Scripture for Tuesday, November 29 (11/29)

The scripture for today, November 29, is Matthew 11:29f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 3-HEARTS AFIRE-COVER“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Everyone has problems, and pretty much the same kinds of problems. They may be rich or they may be poor, but it happens to everyone. Just because someone smiles a lot, it does not mean their heart is not aching inside. Just because they wear nice clothes, it does not mean they are not torn with a growing crisis. Just because they live in a nice home and drive a nice car, it does not mean they are not riddled with guilt over past sinful acts.

Jesus knew this. And so he said to the world ~ to you and me ~ let’s trade. I’ll take your burden and you take mine. What is Jesus’ burden? Telling others of his love. What a wonderful trade. 

So today, make that decision. Will you continue to carry your burdens and let them weigh you down so you can’t move? Or will you let go of them and smile as Jesus smiled, reach out to others as Jesus reached out, teach God’s love as Jesus did? 

Jesus would not have asked you to do the impossible. It is your choice. Today let go and let God.

#Problems, #Troubles, #Relief, #JesusChrist, #Burdens

Oh how God loves to spoil us!

god-loves-to-spoil-us-medium

God loves to answer prayer.

god-loves-ans-prayer-medium

Scripture for Friday, November 11 (11/11)

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

00-Heroes-Alone-COVER-KINDLE“Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!”

We weak humans may decide to live for God. But we are still weak humans. So sometimes we stumble and fall.

God stands with us. And when we fall, we are not beyond hope. For God holds out his hands and says, “Take them. I will lift you back up.”

So we do. And so he does.

He is so amazingly patient with us. He loves us so

#stumbling, #falling, #rescue, #restore

Scripture for Thursday, November 10 (11/10)

The scripture for today, November 10, is Acts 11:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Life-Changing-Scriptures-Cover-medium“This happened three times and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.”

Acts 11 is about God telling Peter that his new heavenly kingdom was for the whole world, not just the Jews. What was pulled up to heaven again was a “sheet” holding all the unclean animals which the Old Law of Moses commanded not to eat. Now God was saying, “Eat it. The Old Law of Moses isn’t in effect anymore.”

This was hard to grasp. So hard that, even though it was God telling Peter directly a new spiritual concept, Peter refused it. So hard for him to believe it, that God had to tell him three times!

Isn’t this the way many of us are? We read something in the Bible that we never believed before. We read it and re-read it and re-read it, and it never sinks in. After all, we never believed that before. None of our religious friends believe it. None of our religious leaders believe it. No one on Christian radio/TV or in Christian magazines believes it.

But God’s Word remains, and so over the weeks and months and years we pass through that scripture and read it and re-read it. Over the weeks and months and years, its meaning for our life goes right over our heads.

Then one day, the light goes on! Viola! We see it! We get it! We are blessed!

#Scriptures, #Understanding, #Rebellion, #Blindness, #Blessing #Bible

Scripture for Sunday, November 6 (11/6)

The scripture for today, November 6, is Nehemiah 11:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BOOK 3-HEARTS AFIRE-COVER“The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 able men.”

Just who was Perez, and why was this even mentioned in the Bible? Perez was a descendant of Judah, and an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:3).

Why was living in Jerusalem a big deal at that time? Because Jerusalem had been attacked and destroyed. Other Jews had returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple. Now it was time to rebuild the walls.

These 468 brave people had to agree to move into a burned-out city and rebuild on the ashes of previous homes. In the process of moving building stones out of the way to reuse in the city wall, they surely found skeletons of those who had been slaughtered in the attack.

At first, the Jews had blamed the Babylonians for destroying their city and temple. But eventually, they began re-reading what the prophets had warned them about—their own sins. Finally, they turned inward and placed the blame where it really belonged: Themselves. Their own pride had destroyed their temple and their city.

Following repentance, they acted. Was it easy rebuilding a broken city? Not any easier than rebuilding a broken home, a broken congregation, or a broken life. We look at our own part in our own destruction and begin building anew.

A descendant of Perez ~ Jesus ~ had the same grit. What is yours like? Have you rebuilt anything important lately?

#rebuilding, #repairing

Scripture for Sunday, October 30 (10/30)

The scripture for today, October 30, is Hebrews 10:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

inside-cover-medium“For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ “

In the Law of Moses, people were expected to avenge those who did not follow the law. Some things were even punishable by death.

But Jesus told us to forgive people so that God, in turn, will forgive us (Matthew 6:14).

What is forgiveness? It is not condoning the bad someone did. Forgiveness is letting go and letting God do any punishing that may be required. Forgiveness is wishing the other person well. You may not trust the other person to not do the bad thing again, and you may forever fear that person.

But you can always hope and pray that their lives and hearts will change for the better some day. No one is so bad that you cannot wish them well and pray for them. That’s forgiveness.

Vengeance only prolongs the pain; vengeance is hard on us. So, as the old saying goes, “Let go, and let God.” God will do his part ~ the hard part. He has left the easy part for us.

#Vengeance, #Pain, #Hurt, #Forgiveness, #Enemy, #Mercy