The scripture for today, February 9, is I Corinthians 2:9 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
This amazing promise applies to us today. It also applies to eternity. Indeed, it is difficult to conceive heaven. That is why so much of Revelation is symbolic. The symbols are beautiful, so try going one step beyond reading how Revelation describes heaven, and make a drawing of what you think it looks like. Then colorize it all those beautiful colors:
Revelation 21:12,13,21: Each of the 12 GATES is named after one of the Tribes of Israel, and has an angel guarding it. Make the gates pearl. Make the angel over the gate white or yellow.
Revelation 21:17, 18a: Make the WALL jasper, which is a light see-through green or red.
Revelation 21:16, 18b: Heaven is full of many MANSIONS (John 14:2). Make them a translucent (see-through) gold.
Revelation 21:21: The STREETS of the city are like crystal and gold. Make them a translucent (see-through) gold also.
Revelation 22:1: The RIVER OF LIFE runs through heaven coming out from the throne of God. Make it blue.
Revelation 4:6a: The CHRYSTAL SEA is in front of God’s throne. Make it blue.
Revelation 22:2: The TREE OF LIFE grows on both sides of the River of Life. Make it green and brown.
Revelation 22:2: The ALTER OF INCENSE from Christians’ prayers is in front of the throne. Make it gold
Revelation 21:23: God’s THRONE is jasper (crystal red) and the glory of God is so brilliant, there is no need of a sun. Make the area of the throne silver.
Revelation 4:5: Around the throne of God are the seven SPIRITS of God, symbolized by seven lights. Make them yellow.
Revelation 4:3a: Near the Spirits there is a ruby red GLOW around the throne of God. Make this inner arch red.
Revelation 4:3b: There is a RAINBOW over God’s throne. Make the arch at the very top over the throne emerald green.
Although this is all symbolic, doesn’t drawing and coloring in the symbols help to put across just how beautiful heaven will be!
Category: Inspirational
The scripture for today, February 8, is Genesis 2:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.”
Just think: Mankind’s nursery was a garden. How God wanted to spoil us, his children. And dote on us. Then Satan came along and lied to us, saying God was our enemy.
Many people even today believe that. It is not true. God does not hate you. Do not listen to Satan. Turn around and try once more listening to God who loves you beyond comprehension. And wants to spoil you. In heaven.
The scripture for today, February 7, is Proverbs 2:7 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.”
Do you feel like a loser sometimes? Once someone gets into that mind set, it is hard to break out. One dream after another has been shattered. One goal after another has been impossible. One effort after another has been a failure.
The world can be a cruel place in which to live. It is ruled by Satan.
But look up! Victory is still possible! There is an old song called “Victory in Jesus.” We may be losers to our friends, but victors to Jesus. Just remember, we cannot have victory in Jesus unless we have something to be victorious over.
Life is hard. But each day that problems face us and we refuse to give in, that’s victory. Each day that we search God’s Word for answers in the right places, that’s victory. Each day that we refuse to give up on Jesus despite opposition to him by those around us, that’s victory.
The scripture for today, February 6 is Jonah 2:6f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.”
This is what was going through Jonah’s mind as he was swallowed by the great fish and on his way to certain death. It is never too late. As long as the breath of life is in you, it is never too late to cry out to God. You may be in the pits of your life. You may feel you cannot sink any lower than where you are now.
But look up! God is watching you with tears. You are not only breaking your own heart, but you are breaking the heart of God who loves you so. God wants to lift you up out of your pit. But he cannot do it without your help. What is your part? You must lift up your hands so God can grasp them.
Look up! God is right there within your grasp.
The scripture for today, February 5, is Ephesians 2:5 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“[God] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions ~ it is by grace you have been saved.”
Every time we sin, our spirit ~ our soul ~ dies a little more. Every time we steal, cheat, torture, murder. We say we don’t do such things. Well, how about every time we stretch the truth (lie), go over the speed limit (disobey the laws of the land), close our eyes to someone we know is in need (selfishness), lose our temper, indulge in coarse talk, call someone names, refuse to forgive?
It is true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and our wages every time we sin is death (Romans 6:23). We certainly do not deserve to live with a sinless God. Nor can we. But by his grace, he made a way possible to consider us sinless.
In Old Testament times, people killed a perfect animal to die in their place, but it was only a temporary fix. Then God sent his perfect Son who never sinned ~ the Lamb of God ~ to lie down on the altar of the world at the cross. There he died spiritually and physically in our place for the things we in the world did wrong, all while the world raged at him.
Yes, while we were still dead in our sins, Jesus died for us. He can also make us spiritually alive. If we will actively seek him.
The scripture for today, February 4, is 1st Timothy 2:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“[God]…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
Some people say, “You don’t choose God; God chooses you out of all the other people of the world.” But God wants to choose us all. He wants everyone to be saved. So in what sense does he choose us? He is kind of like an employer who is looking for people to fill certain positions. He chooses those who qualify. He doesn’t have to choose anyone. By the employer’s grace he chooses people to fill certain positions. He doesn’t have to be in business and he doesn’t have give someone else a job. He could do the work himself. But he chooses to.
So how do we qualify for God’s grace? We never deserve it; but because God loves us, he asks just a few things to qualify. Believing is just the first step. Read Romans 10 and Acts 2. Those two chapters pretty much sum up what we do to be qualified. Not many things, but they do qualify us if we follow them.
And remember 2nd Peter 3:9 ~ “He [God] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but EVERYONE to come to repentance.”
The scripture for today, February 3, is Philippians 2:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
This is probably among the top ten hardest-to-keep commands in the Bible. It’s right up there near loving our enemies.
One time Jesus said that, when we are invited to a banquet and can seat ourselves, we shouldn’t sit at the speaker’s table because that seat may be reserved for someone else. If so, someone would have to ask us to move and we would be humiliated. He suggested that instead we sit at one of the back tables. Then, if someone goes to us and says, “Sit up here closer to the front,” we will feel honored. (See Luke 14:811)
Jesus was always a server, helping others to be better. The last time he ate with his apostles before his death, he put on an apron and went around washing their feet. Apparently none of them felt they should stoop so low as to do it. So the Son of God did it.
The scripture for today, February 2, is Matthew 2:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“[the Magi/Wisemen] asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
There are people who believe the “star of Bethlehem” was in the east. But the star wasn’t in the east; the wise men (Magi) were in the east.
Many believe the star led the wise men the whole way. But Matthew 2:9 & 10 says, “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they HAD seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”
The wise men saw the star while they were in the east and headed in the direction it came from. After they were in Jerusalem, the star reappeared ~ the star they HAD seen in the east. They rejoiced when they saw the star again, not because it had been with them the whole time, but because it had reappeared.
There are so many things about the Bible that we have heard all our life and just assume are true. Investigate things for yourself. Never take a teaching about the Bible for granted. You are smart. Check things out yourself.
The scripture for today, February 1, is Mark 2:1 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.”
Just think of it. Jesus coming home. The place where his family lives. The familiar places he’d seen walking around town in earlier years. The familiar faces. Hearing a voice in a crowd and recognizing it and automatically knowing s/he is a neighbor. Being able to walk through a market almost blind folded because the same shops are in their same places selling their same goods.
Has Jesus come home to your heart? Is it familiar to him? Does he recognize you? When he hears your prayers, does he automatically know who you are? Can he walk beside you as you walk through life, knowing the places you will be visiting? Does he live with you? When he is in your heart, is he home?
The scripture for today, January 31, is Genesis 1:31 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning ~ the sixth day.”
Oh how God loves to spoil us! He didn’t create a barren earth and then order us to get to work and plant something. He got everything just right. And then…. And then…. And then his crowning glory ~ he created us! Special us!
However, as perfect as he made earth, he left some joyful things for us to create ourselves, for he made us like him ~ creative. He left the jewels unmined, the buildings unbuilt, the songs unwritten, the paintings unpainted, the ships unmade, the sculptures uncarved….
Here we are surrounded by everything we need to imitate one part of God ~ his creative side. Today, create something!
