Wednesday 9/11 ~ You will be delighted; they will be fascinated

The scripture for today, September 11 (9/11), is Matthew 9:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Applied Christianity“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and “sinners”? ‘ “

Jesus did not make friends with people who could lift him up. He made friends with people who he could lift up. You are not divine, so we need both. It is true that your closest friends should be Christians. However, many brag those are their only friends. That isolates and insulates them.

You must make some friends among the lost in order to show them God’s love, and try to lift them up. They can be people at work, in a club, in your neighborhood, someone you sit next to waiting for a bus, or even someone you meet by accident while waiting in line at a store.

You must always be on the watch. Always prepared to become more than just casual acquaintances. Always be prepared to get “up close and personal” with some of your friends. Most people have questions about the Bible. So, ask them if they do. If you don’t know the answer, look it up in a Bible Concordance and pass it on to them. You will be delighted and they will be fascinated.

Jesus did it. He was our example.

 

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Tuesday 9/10 ~ Friends of the Great I AM

The scripture for today, September 10 (9/10), is Psalm 9:10 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

The Lord has a name?  Let’s check this out.

What does “Lord” mean in the original Hebrew language of the Old Testament? It is Yahweh. Translated into the Greek of the New Testament it is Adonai.

In Exodus 3:15b God told Moses what his name was: ” ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers…This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.’ “

And what does Yahweh mean? Exodus 3:14 explained, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites; ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “

God is the great I AM.

What is our relationship with I AM? Today’s verse does not say the Great I Am will keep you from all harm. What it says is that he will go with you into that harm and stay with you the whole way, giving you strength and courage.

And so, in peace or war, in comfort or pain, in well-being or devastation, he will be right there with you. He will never forsake you. Therefore, never forsake him.  Keep on worshipping ~ the Lord our God, the Great I AM.

 

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Monday 9/9 ~ Glory in the “new”

The scripture for today, September 9 (9/9), is Zechariah 9:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Matthew's Life of Christ-Cover-thumbnail“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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Monday 9/2 ~ Understanding God

The scripture for today, September 2 (9/2), is Job 9:2 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail“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 us, 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. 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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Saturday 8/31 ~ Be daring. Check it for yourself.

The scripture for today, August 31 (8/31), is John 8:31f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, then the truth will set you free.’ “

Myriads of people call themselves believers in or disciples of Christ; in other words, Christians. What is Jesus’ definition of a believer or disciple? He explained, IF we hold to his TEACHINGS, then we are his disciples.

It’s not automatic? So being born into a Christian family doesn’t automatically make me a Christian? Being born in a Christian nation doesn’t automatically make me a Christian? Owning a Bible doesn’t automatically make me a Christian? Believing Jesus is the Son of God doesn’t automatically make me a Christian? (Demons believe that and aren’t Christians.)

“But, Jesus,” you might say, “I really feel like I’m a Christian.” And Jesus replies, “Hold to my teachings, then you are really my disciple.”

Do you know what Jesus’ teachings are? Do you take for granted everything your preacher and teachers and relatives and friends tell you is true? Does everyone tell you something different? How about reading the New Testament? How about refraining from saying, “I know it says that, but it doesn’t mean that. My preacher told me so” ?

Be daring!  Forget everything you have been told. Read Jesus’ teachings for yourself and hold to them, THEN the truth will set you FREE.

 

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Friday 8/30 ~ They’re afraid of you

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

Questions You Have Asked1-Cover-Thumbnail

Questions You Have Asked2-Cover-Thumbnail

“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 ~ you ~ 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 active Christians questions because they think you will make fun of their ignorance. You’ll probably never know what they don’t understand unless you do the asking. So, today, go up to someone’s chariot and ask, “Do you understand?”.

 

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Tuesday 8/27 ~ And watch them become awed

The scripture for today, August 27 (8/27), is Mark 8:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

09-Jonah-KindleThumbnail“Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, ‘Who do people say I am?’ “

Do you ask your family, our neighbors, your friends how they feel about God? Who do they say God is? You don’t know unless you ask. A lot of people are just waiting for someone to ask. Otherwise, they don’t know how or when to bring it up.

Whenever I meet someone who has gone through a tragedy, I ask them “How’s your faith?”. Now this person may not have darkened the door of a church building for 20 years, but s/he always knows what I mean. Since I am sympathizing with them at the time, they are always honest and reply, “Not very good,” usually meaning their faith is nearly gone if not all the way gone.

Then I tell them, “You know, Satan causes bad to happen to people, not God.” They always stare at me a moment and then breathe a sigh of relief. They hadn’t wanted to blame God for their tragedy, but they had a need to blame someone. They’d forgotten Satan exists and were grateful they could now put the blame where it belonged.

There are many other people today who believe in a “Higher Power” but have no idea who that “Higher Power” is.  Many, even in America today, have never read the Bible but are curious about it.  Ask people you know, “Who is the High Power?”, and listen to them. Then offer to show them how the Bible is divided up and how to read it (especially Genesis, then the New Testament).

You must continually be on the watch for people who need help in understanding their relationship with God. Be brave. Go ahead and ask. You’ll be surprised at how many WANT to talk about it. Then be delighted as you open up a whole new world to them and watch them become awed.

 

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Sunday 8/25 ~ But it doesn’t mean what it says

The scripture for today, August 25 (8/25), is John 8:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

5&5-Strip-BibleKids-Medium” ‘Who are you?’ they asked. ‘Just what I have been claiming all along,’ Jesus replied.”

They knew who Jesus was.  He had made people’s arms and legs grow back, he had fed multiple-thousands on a plate of food, stopped storms and brought lifeless people back to life.  They knew! 

Besides this, they knew the prophecies. They told King Herod he was supposed to be born in Bethlehem and that he was to be a descendant of King David. They knew babies were slaughtered after his birth. They knew he would live in Galilee and teach in parables. They knew all this.

But they kept asking Jesus who he was because they wanted a different answer than the obvious one.

 Jesus and his apostles tell you certain things in the Bible. Sometimes, you read them over and over, and still don’t get the point. Perhaps you have been blinded by well-meaning religious leaders or family or friends who tell you over and over, “It doesn’t mean what it says.” Are you wanting a different answer than the obvious one?

Dare to read the teachings of Jesus and his apostles in the New Testament with open eyes and open heart. When you read something, just accept it. Your soul is at stake. These are the words of the God of the universe, your Creator, the Lover of your soul, and the only one who can let you into his home ~ heaven. 

Do you prefer that God fit your mold, or you fit God’s ~ that of his child? Dare to follow what God has been telling you all along.

 

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Tuesday 8/20 ~ Whose road are you on?

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

Strip Bible Heroes 5 & 5“I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice.”

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

If you had a house out in the country, it would have paths leading to and from it. These paths would be taken in your day-to-day life without much thought. In the same way, we live out our principles and moral standards pretty much the same every day on such paths.

But eventually, these paths can merge into major roads. Now we have to make major decisions. Our life decisions on such roads must be based on justice.

It is sometimes hard to make the right judgments because we can get emotionally involved and start wishing for an outcome that cannot possibly occur.  In those cases, we must stand back and consider, “What would be the just thing to do if someone else had to make this decision?”.

We could also ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”. After all, Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life” (John 14:6).

Ultimately, whose highway are you on? Will it take you to where you want to go?

 

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Monday 8/19 ~ Whispering & Muttering

The scripture for today, August 19 (8/19), is Isaiah 8:19f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.”

It has always been a popular thing to do among some people to try to reach into the spirit world, the world of demons angels, and the dead. They may be very religious people. They may pray a lot and go to worship a lot and read the Bible a lot. But God’s word is not enough for them, so they delve into the other world.

People promote this for a business to make money. Others promote it to declare they are smarter than God.  Still others promote it to brag they’re not afraid of Satan and his hell won’t actually hurt. They attract people who fear they don’t know enough to live right.  They attract people who enjoy a challenge and being different. They seek the light in dark places.  They seek sunlight in the night. Today’s scripture says they don’t even come close to dawn.

Do you want to talk to someone in the other world? Pray. God is in the other world. Do you want someone in the other world to talk to you? Read the Bible. That is God talking to you from the other world. What more could you ask?!

Spiritualism isn’t feelings. Spiritualism is not “Look at me and how spiritual I am.” It’s a way of life. Whisperings and mutterings?  Don’t need them. God has given you all you need. And we love him for it.

 

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