I wonder what you have in store for me in heaven

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-MediumWhy would I want to glorify a cross? It’s a hideous instrument of torture by suffocation, taking days to die, and reserved only for hardened criminals?  Because a part of you, Lord God, willingly died on it in my place. Why would I want to glorify the electric chair or a noose or the executioner’s needle? It’s for the most hardened criminals? If a part of you, my Lord, had died on it in my place, I would glorify any of them. I would carry a miniature gold or silver electric chair or noose or needle on a chain around my neck if that is how you died in my place.  I would glory in the electric chair, the noose, the needle. Why? Because it would symbolize what you did to save me from hell and allow me into the safety of your heavenly home.  All because you took my punishment for me, paid the ransom, and set me free. How I worship you.

Thank you, Lord, for modern forms of communication. I remember only hand-written or typed letters, the smudged newspaper, radios with a lot of static in them, messy mimeograph machines, and telephones that had to be plugged in at home. Everything was so slow and even slower if a message went to the other side of the world. Methods were slow then, but I thought they were fast. I did not comprehend fast, so I appreciated what I had. Now I have instant everything ~ telephones I can carry around with me and the internet. I can communicate all over the world instantly. Thank you. It helps me a  bit to understand how you can hear everyone all over the world at once. But only a little bit. This whole communication thing is mind boggling, Lord. I wonder what you have in store for me in heaven.

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When and How Often?

The scripture for today, November 28 (11/28), is 1st Corinthians 11:28,31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Medium“A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup [of the Lord’s Supper]….If we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.”

“When they met on THE first day of the week to break bread” (Acts 20:7), these first-century Christians were meeting to keep the Lord’s Supper, for the word (“met”) in the original Greek of the New Testament means a religious meeting. Interestingly, the word “the” in the original Greek means each and every without exception perpetually.

Even if we did not know the Greek, look how the Jews (and we) interpreted “Remember THE Sabbath Day to keep it holy.”  They did not remember the Sabbath day monthly, quarterly or yearly, but weekly. Therefore, , the first-century Christians realized that “When they met on THE first day of the week to break bread” (Acts 20:7), it meant every Sunday.

We can sing, pray, teach, and read the Bible any day of the week. What makes Sunday special is that’s the day Jesus came back to life, the day Jesus ascended back to heaven, and the day the church was established. Today, on the special first day we are to meet to take the Lord’s Supper, the Communion ~ the bread representing his body dying in our place, the wine representing his blood dripped out of his body in our place.

During the Communion, we consider Jesus’ terrible sacrifice in order to save us from hell. And we consider our sins that made his sacrifice necessary to save us from hell. Today’s scripture tells us that. During our weekly partaking of the Communion, we should be examining ourselves, comparing ourselves to Jesus. It is kind of like taking weekly exams, so we will be ready for the big final exam on the Day of Judgment.

God thought of everything ~ weekly remembering the sacrifice of our Lord so that we never take him for granted, and weekly remembering our sins. And, in the process, our souls fall at his feet and whisper, “Thank you.”

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It gave us rainbows

The scripture for today, November 22 (11/22), is Genesis 11:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

02-Noah-KindleMedium“When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.”

How can it be that people could live so long in the early centuries of the world? Isn’t that stretching things a bit? Isn’t it just folklore? Here’s more.

Noah had his first son at age 502 (Genesis 5:32, 11:10). Noah lived a total of 950 years (Genesis 9:29). Noah’s son, Shem, had his first son at age 100 and lived a total of 600 years (Genesis 11:10-11). Now we have Serug, the 7th-generation grandson of Noah, who had his first son at age 30 and lived a total of 230 years (see above).

Do you see the trend downward of ages after the flood? Most of Noah’s life was lived before the flood. Some of Shem’s life was lived before, but most of it was after the flood. All of Serug’s life was after the flood.

Many scientists believe that the earth originally had a constant cloud covering like the planet Venus does. Genesis 2:5-6 says it had not rained yet, but a mist rose to water everything. The King James Version of the Bible regarding the flood in Genesis 7:11 says the windows of heaven were opened. Genesis 8:2 says the windows of heaven were stopped.

Notice, it did not say the windows of heaven were closed; they were just stopped, meaning it could rain again periodically after that. If, indeed, Earth did have a constant thick cloud covering before the flood, then humans would have been protected from radiation from the sun, and therefore could live longer. After the change in Earth’s atmosphere after the flood, humans beings exposed to more radiation, would have lived shorter lives.

Something to think about…. And, one more thought ~ rainbows wouldn’t be possible with a constant cloud covering. The flood brought us rainbows! (Genesis 9:13).

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You don’t have to guess

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-ThumbnailThe scripture for today, October 23 (10/23), is Jeremiah 10:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.”

Just how are you supposed to know what steps God has directed you to take? Do you have to guess, rely on a feeling, depend on the movement of your heart, see a vision? Actually, you have a guide, a road map.

Jesus said in John 14:16-17 that after he left, the Father would send another Counselor ~ the Spirit of Truth. In John 16:13, Jesus said, The Spirit of Truth will guide into all truth. In John 17:17, Jesus said, “Your Word is truth.”

Yes, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, guides you through the Word of God, the Bible.

You don’t have to guess! You don’t have to wonder! You don’t have to get discouraged! God has given you his Word to direct your steps. All you have to do is open his Word and read the map.

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Kicking and screaming

The scripture for today, October 5, (10/5) is 2nd Corinthians 10:5f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now, these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”

This is about the 40 years the Jews wandered in the wilderness between leaving their slavery in Egypt and beginning a nation for themselves. They had the mindsets of slaves. They did not know how to make decisions for themselves. One of those decisions was to leave the gods of Egypt and worship only the one true God.

It was easier to fall in line with what they were raised to believe. That had long been their comfort zone. They took the easy way out rather than follow the God who had proved the Egyptian gods were not gods at all. They would rather die than change. So they did. They died.

Do you take the easy way out? Do you stick with things you were raised to believe even though you have learned more of the Bible and see those old beliefs are not what God said?

Those early Jews did not listen to God. What about you? Today He is calling out to you in the scriptures. “Come to me. I want to save you. Please come.”

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00-PAUL COVER-Thumbnail-PAUL: THE UNSTOPOPABLE.  Stubborn?  Indeed, stubborn.  Paul just wouldn’t listen to Jesus when he was alive, so Jesus had to “drag him kicking and screaming” to stop everything and listen to him.  Moses had done the same thing centuries earlier when he dragged Abraham’s great grandchildren out of Egypt kicking and screaming.  We humans are a stubborn lot.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover nor paste this:  https://bit.ly/UnstoppablePaul

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God’s Spirit

The scripture for today, October 1 (10/1), is Romans 10:1f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ______ is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”

Oh, my! Being “religious” isn’t enough? There are lots of religions out there. Feeling “spiritual” isn’t enough? There are lots of differing religions that induce a “spiritual” feeling. Confidence of going to heaven isn’t enough? There are lots of differing religions that create their own ways to be admitted to heaven. Dedication to prayer isn’t enough? There are lots of differing religions that require much prayer.

Sincere church leaders today may want you to rely on feelings and inducements and confidence and dedication, but they can be sincerely wrong. If you base your salvation on feelings and inducements and confidence and dedication only, you definitely have zeal, but your zeal is not based on knowledge. But isn’t “knowledge” legalism?

God gave you his Word ~ the Bible ~ for a reason. He wanted you to reason. Hebrews 11:1 says faith is accepting the evidence ~ not wishful thinking. Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing/reading the Word of God for yourself ~ not someone’s sermon or a friend or a book. Start now to search the scriptures daily for yourself. And, do not be afraid to approach your religious leaders and try teaching the teachers. Then their zeal , as well as yours, can be based on knowledge and take you to glory.

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Knowing as much as you think you do

3 Great Kings Kindle-ThumbnailThe scripture for today, September 9 (9/9), is Zechariah 9:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Most people think Jesus riding on a donkey made him humble. Not at all. Donkeys and mules were rides of kings.

Judges 5:9-10 says, “My heart is with Israel’s princes….you who ride on white donkeys.” Supreme Judge Jair led Israel 22 years and had 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys (Judges 10:3-4). Supreme Judge Abdon, who ruled Israel 8 years, had 70 sons and grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys (Judges 12:14).

II Samuel 18:9 says Absalom, King David’s son, rode on a mule. In I Kings 1:33,38,44, David ordained that his son, Solomon, ride on his own mule through the street as one proof that he chose Solomon to be the next king.

The people of Jerusalem knew Jesus was not only riding the ride of kings when he entered their capital city, but he was also, at last, fulfilling the centuries-old prophecy they all knew so well (today’s scripture).

This is the humility that Jesus did exhibit: He rode on the colt of a donkey.

Do you blindly follow whatever our religious leaders tell you? Do you know the scriptures as well as you think you do?

Glory in learning new things about your King of Glory.

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Smarter than God

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-MediumThe scripture for today, September 2 (9/2), is Job 9:2 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“Though one wishes to dispute with Him [God], he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.”

There are so-called sophisticated intellectuals in the world who want to come up with all the answers about God. Many even make God in their image instead of we being made in God’s image. They try to reduce God to complete human understanding.

I smile sometimes when I hear TV evangelists declare, “God likes it when you…” or “God approves when you…” or, “God thinks…” and they’re all different.  He must look down on it all, shake his head, and think, “You know nothing.”

This was Satan’s temptation and Eve’s desire ~ to know everything God knows. She bought into Satan’s lie.  How can we even begin to figure out God?  There are two trillion galaxies out there ~ not stars but galaxies. And one hundred thousand stars in each galaxy.  And God is larger than them all. Dispute with the all-knowing God?

That cannot be! If we could understand everything about God, He would not be God! He has told us everything about Himself in his Word that he wants us to know and that we are able to comprehend.  Actually, He has poured out his heart to us in His Word.

Let us rejoice that there are things about God we do not understand. Let us rejoice that there are events in our life that we do not understand with our finite minds. Let us rejoice that such a God loves us in our finiteness. He said so Himself.

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Our friends and their chariots

The scripture for today, August 30 (8/30), is Acts 8:30 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Medium“Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked.”

Our friends, family, and neighbors will continue riding their chariots and understanding little of the Bible unless someone asks, “Do you understand?.”

“Do you understand why you are here?” “Do you understand why Jesus had to die?” “Do you understand that Satan holds mankind hostage, and Jesus paid our ransom with his blood?” “Do you understand the Bible can be proven true?” “Do you understand how much God loves you?” “Do you understand how the Bible is divided up and which parts give the life of Christ?”

People are afraid to ask us questions because they think we will make fun of their ignorance. We’ll probably never know what they don’t understand unless we do the asking. Let us go up to their chariots and offer to help them so that they, too, can understand.

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Ordering demons around

The scripture for today, August 29 (8/29), is Matthew 8:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Medium” ‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’ “

If you are not familiar with this passage, these are the words of a demon. If you have ever studied demons in the Bible, you will find they never tried to spook or scare people. They never made dishes rattle or lamps fall over.

All they did was cause physical problems during the lifetime of Jesus and his apostles. There is no evidence of demons doing this in the Old Testament before Jesus, nor after his apostles died, either in the Bible or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. It is as though the demons were loosed for a season so Jesus could show his power over them also ~ Ephesians 1:20-21.

Notice, demons never said bad things. If they talked at all, it was out of fear of Jesus and honesty.  James 2:19 says all demons believe in Jesus. In the book of Matthew, they knew who Jesus was. They called him the Son of God.

Jesus told them to be quiet. Why? He didn’t want evil beings telling people who he was; he wanted goodness to tell people who he was. And Jesus never did incantations or any begging to lure demons out. He demanded them to leave, and immediately, they obeyed him.

The movies have warped our understanding of demons. Let us search the scriptures to find out their true nature. Then we no longer have to guess. We can know.

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