Sunday 11/10 ~ Then one day the light goes on. Viola! You get it!

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

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“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 was a “sheet” holding all the unclean animals which the Old Law of Moses commanded them never 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, that God had to tell him three times!

Is this the way you are? You read something in the Bible that you never believed before. You read it and re-read it and re-read it, and it never sinks in. After all, you never believed that before. None of your religious friends or leaders believe it. No one on Christian radio/TV or in Christian magazines or the internet believes it.

But God’s Word remains. So, over the weeks and months and years, you pass through that scripture and read it and re-read it. Over the weeks and months and years, its meaning for your life goes right over your head.

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

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000-COVER-KINDLE-ThumbnailLAZARUS: THE SAMARITAN is a historical novel based on Jesus’ parables. He marries a Jewish girl, no one attends, so they send out to the highways and byways to fill the feast; his sister is the woman at the well, his son is the prodigal son, etc.  But their mixed-religion marriage haunts them.  The Jews hated the Samaritans and they endure prejudice.  Then one day they meet Jesus.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2qJPeF1 

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Saturday 11/9 ~ A little bit of physical, a whole lot of spiritual

Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnailThe scripture for today, November 9 (11/9), is Luke 11:9 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

” ‘So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.’ “

Does this mean that, if you ask for your favorite team to win, they will win? Does this mean that, if you ask for a particular job, you will get that job? Or, if you have your eyes on a particular young man or young woman, you will marry that person?

In the context that Jesus said this, he had just taught his disciples what many call the Lord’s prayer. In that prayer, Jesus instructed us to ask for a little bit of the physical and a whole lot of the spiritual.

You might say, “Well, that doesn’t leave me much to pray for.” Oh, yes it does. Shift your focus from yourself. It leaves the rest of the world to pray for. What about their little bit of physical and their whole lot of spiritual? How many people do you pray for? Not as a group, but by name? Not occasionally, but every day?

Well then, will God give you every one of the souls you pray for? God gives everyone free will. He does not force people to follow him. God provides opportunities for people you pray for, and he even moves their hearts. But he does not force them. You must still, keep on praying, even when you feel like someone is hopeless. Maybe they are hopeless during your lifetime. But sometimes someone’s soul is saved after your death.

So, pray for others and never tire of it ~ a little bit of the physical and whole lot of the spiritual. Seek and you will find. God will answer in his own way. And that’s a promise.

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Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnail365 SILVER-WINGED PRAYERS: YOUR SPIRIT TO GOD’S provides a daily prayer of praise, confession, and thanksgiving.  This is the third book in the TOUCHING GOD SERIES. The other two are daily inspirational thoughts and daily wisdom.  The cover is original art by famed Betsy Kemp Thompson.  Interior has artistic font.  Beautiful gift book.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2yUvPSD

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Friday 11/8 ~ Safe for all eternity

The scripture for today, November 8 (11/8), is Proverbs 11:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.”

You know that God does not always rescue you from trouble here on this temporary earth. He certainly didn’t rescue Jesus from all his troubles.

Sometimes God has an assignment for you just as he did for Jesus.  He may want you to be in the midst of trouble ~ war, an enemy at work, an obnoxious neighbor, death of a loved one caused by a reckless driver, a government worker demanding a bribe. Why?  So you can demonstrate to the world the contrast: God’s ways vs. Satan’s ways.  So you can demonstrate to the world how to fight Satan and win.

Retaliation never works.  Peace always wins over war. 

Eventually, the boomerang effect will take place on those following Satan. What they inflict on you will be inflicted on them by their Maker.

 And eventually, if you have followed God’s ways even in times of trouble, he will indeed rescue you. He will welcome you into his home ~ heaven ~ safe for all eternity.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR is novel 7 in the INTREPID MEN OF GOD SERIES.  He had a wife and children (qualifications to be a deacon).  He had a position in the church. He could perform miracles. He was a dynamic speaker and won the hearts of everyone ~ well, everyone except his religious enemies who hated Jesus.  What made this young man with everything to live for give it all up?  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2NsLTDq

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Tuesday 11/5 ~ The lover of my soul

The scripture for today, November 5 (11/5), is Ecclesiastes 11:5 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”

Are you ever frustrated because you cannot touch God or see God? In times of deep unbearable distress, probably a lot of people feel that need. But, if you could touch or see him, he could not be everywhere at once; he could not be omnipresent. That means, if he was with you where you could see and touch him, the rest of the world would have to wait for him to get done with you and go to the next person.

Are you ever frustrated because you cannot figure out God? In times of great challenges to faith, probably a lot of people feel that need. But, if you could figure out God, He would not be superior to you. It means that either he would not be God, or you would be God also.

Be grateful that you cannot touch or see God. Be grateful you cannot fully understand God. Be grateful that, despite all his greatness, he dearly loves you ~ you, a mere speck in the cosmos. He even knows your name. Ah, what a God ~ the lover of your soul.

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0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-ThumbnailTHE HOLY SPIRIT 592 VERSES EXAMINED shows everything in the Bible God wants us to know ~ no more, no less.  Some of the things you have heard are just not there.  Some of the things you never thought about are there.  This is a simple study but thorough. Could be used in Bible classes. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/32EUTdD

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LINK to all BOOKS by CATEGORY:  http://bit.ly/MyBookInfo
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Monday 11/4 ~ Keep silence before him

The scripture for today, November 4 (11/4), is Psalm 11:4a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-REV-Cover-No Logo-KINDLE-medium“The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.”

No matter what happens in our life, in our town, in our nation, God is still on his throne. No matter how confusing things become, God is still on his throne. No matter how discouraging, God is still on his throne.

Therefore, no matter what, we will worship him

(This has been set to music. Listen to it here:  http://bit.ly/34ruHDV )

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0-REV-Cover-No Logo-KINDLE-thumbnailREVELATION: A LOVE LETTER FROM GOD is really a story, a love letter.  Throughout, God reminds us of all the times in past centuries when he punished the punishers of his people.  Thereby, he is telling us, “I defended you in the past, I will continue to.” When viewed as history, this is one of the most beautiful and touching books in the Bible. And exploring the meaning, the symbolism of the numbers adds deep insight and warmth to what God is trying to tell us.  Be inspired.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/32a4kAQ

 

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Tuesday 10/29 ~ God running after you

The scripture for today, October 29 (10/29), is John 10:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnail“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

No other person can take your salvation away from you. They may badger you, belittle you, torture you, kill you, but they cannot take your salvation away from you. The only one who can do that is you.

The Apostle Peter said, “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall….Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position” (II Peter 1:10; 3:17).

Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

Jesus himself said, “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).

I praise and adore you, Lord God of the unfathomable universe. You are my King, my Maker, my betrothed. You are willing to fight Satan and get him away from me because he is too strong for me.  I give in to him so often, especially with my attitudes and use of my time.

Always you run after me and snatch me away from him again and again. You never tire of returning me from unknown and unsuspected danger to the safety of your everlasting arms.  I do not comprehend such love. All I can do is praise you every day from the depths of my heart and the heights of my spirit.

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Silver Cover-KINDLE-thumbnail365 PRAYERS YOUR SPIRIT TO GOD’S has a praise, forgiveness, and thanksgiving suggested prayer to help your prayer life each day of the year.  It leaves prayers of request up to you.  Excellent for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduates, new converts, shut-ins, military, etc. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/31X2O59

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Monday 10/28 ~ Being a hero

The scripture for today, October 28 (10/28), is Matthew 10:28f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.”

This scripture indicates that sometimes God’s allows you to “fall to the ground” ~ your body suffers, or you are killed. How can that be? After all, God is so loving. Surely a good God would not allow any harm to come to someone if he truly loves them.

But we all have our assignments from God in this war between Good and Evil. Just as Job in the Old Testament lost his entire family and all his wealth and then his health, he refused to blame God. He even said, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” (Job 2:10).

Satan causes bad to happen to you. Why? In order to get you to blame God for it and maybe even then declare God does not exist. Your assignment is to refuse to deny God. That way, Satan loses one more battle, and God wins one more.

There is an old Christian song called “Victory in Jesus.” How can you have victory in Jesus if you do not have something to be victorious over? Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors. How can you be a conqueror if you have nothing to conquer?

Stand strong and say with James (1:2), “I consider it pure joy whenever I face trials.” Hard to say? Of course, it is. But it could turn your life around and make you a hero.

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00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR begins with a 17-year-old coward who grows and matures a little at a time so that by the time he is a 28-year-old deacon with wife and children, he is stronger than most people we will ever meet in our lifetime.  He purposely walks into the Sanhedrin’s council room to say what needed to be said, knowing he would not leave alive. He sees the door.  It is opening for him.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2MWxVtn

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Sunday ~ Appreciation Day for the Impossible

The scripture for today, October 27 (10/27), is Mark 10:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man, this is impossible, but not with God: All things are possible with God.’ “

Can you be perfect? God let mankind try for many centuries to be perfect.

To one group of people he gave over 600 laws and said, “If you keep these, you will be perfect.” But, as hard as the Jews tried, no one could keep the Law of Moses perfectly.

To the rest of the world, he basically said, “Try to figure out for yourselves how to be perfect.” So, they tried all kinds of religions, but with all of them, they could not be perfect.

Finally, mankind was ready for Jesus. He came to earth and lived that perfect life that is impossible for you to live. He became the perfect Lamb of God, and became your sacrifice for your sins, for Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin [that you earn]  is death.” He collected your wage of death from Satan for you.

So now, according to Romans 6:3-4, just as Jesus died on the cross, you too can die to your sinful nature ~ the part of you that sins and doesn’t care. Then, just as Jesus was buried in his tomb, you too can be buried in a watery tomb of baptism. And finally, just as Jesus was raised up out of his tomb the Savior, you rise up out of our watery tomb the saved.

Then God considers you perfect too. God cannot associate with sinners in his heaven. He can only have perfect people in his heavenly home; otherwise, it would not be heaven. Impossible for you to live there with him someday? Yes. But, God sent Jesus to fix that problem for you. With God, nothing is impossible.

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Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER:  52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS includes a Bible reading for partaking of the bread with a prayer, and a Bible reading for partaking of the wine with a prayer. One set for each Sunday of the year.  Useful for those leading the communion as well as worshippers in the pews for your meditation.  To BUY NOW, click a book or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2Nf542d

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Friday 10/25 ~ Inconvenience

The scripture for today, October 25 (10/25), is Hebrews 10:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ~ and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Do you declare, “I can walk through nature ~ the temple of God ~ and feel God is closer there than in a church building”? Well, do you really do it? How often? The purpose of the church meeting is not so much to encourage yourself as to encourage your fellow Christians and visitors along with worshiping God.  

Look at the context. Verse 23 says “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” and verse 24 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” How do you do these things? A lot of it is done during your congregation’s worship and encouragement service. Each one you assemble with has an unspoken burden. They need you ~ your smile, your song, your prayer. Where are you when the others meet together?

And what comes after our verse for today? Verse 26 says, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” Meeting together with other congregational members is one of the major experiences that keep you and your friends from falling and missing heaven. Or does worshipping all the time in heaven sound boring too?

Should you meet once a week? This scripture says to meet “all the more as you see the Day [of Judgment] approaching.’ Do you say, “But that’s too inconvenient”?

It was inconvenient for Jesus to leave a perfect heaven for an imperfect earth. It was inconvenient for him to leave the company of angels for the company of sinners. It was inconvenient for him to do this for 33 long years. Inconvenient to take the blame for your sins, and then take your punishment. Inconvenient to experience agonizing spiritual death when God left him alone on the cross in your place, and then that agonizing physical death in your place.

Do you really know inconvenience? Do you take heaven for granted?

 

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN.  Securing our ransom from Satan was no easy feat. How dare we take it for granted! We blithely say, “I’m saved” as though we’re talking about eating our next meal, going for a walk, or chatting with friends.  Each time we sin, Satan gets us.  God went through heaven, earth, and hell so to speak to free us. Once he did, oh the glories of heaven. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2p1M8fn

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Tuesday 10/22 ~ God thinks of everything

The scripture for today, October 22 (10/22), is Hebrews 10:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

02-DreamMakerChildsCartoonSmall“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

The previous verse said that Jesus is the great (high) priest over the house of God (the church). Therefore, the sprinkling refers to the sprinkling of blood the high priests did on the Day of Atonement once a year. (See Leviticus 16 in the Old Testament.) Today your heart (which we cannot see or touch) is sprinkled with the blood of Jesus.

And how are you to be cleansed from that guilty conscience with our body (which we can see and touch) being washed? I Peter 3:21 says, “Even so does baptism now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God.”

You do not have to guess whether you were sincere enough when you gave your heart to the Lord. Your conscience never has to wonder if you did it right. For God gave you something you can actually do to give you a good and clear conscience toward him.

From henceforth, you can draw near to God in full assurance. Full! Not partial. Not wondering. Not with ups and downs of faith. But full! God thinks of everything!

 

02-DreamMakerChildsCartoonSmallA CHILD’S LIFE OF CHRIST: DREAM MAKER is storybook 2.  Jesus is now grown. He is baptized, defies Satan, then reveals just who he is at a wedding ~ a new beginning for a couple in love and a new beginning for the kingdom of God that Jesus loves. THINK AND DO at the end of each chapter for child readers.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/3434snh

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