Thursday 10/4 ~ A new and beautiful law

The scripture for today, October 4, is Romans 10:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible: 

0-BK 5-FloodGates-Cover-Thumbnail-New“Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

When Jesus nailed the Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14) it came to an end. Thank God. There were over 600 commandments in the Law of Moses, not just the “ten commandments.” They were tedious. Try reading Leviticus and see if you can keep every commandment in it.

Jesus was the only one who ever kept the Law perfectly (Hebrews 4:15). Once that occurred, he could be the Perfect Lamb of God without blemish, and he could be sacrificed on the altar of the world (the cross) in our place ~ take the blame and punishment for our sins.

And with his death came the introduction of a New Law covered in the New Testament. (The book of Hebrews explains it all.). Read the New Testament in its entirety. It is not tedious. It is beautiful. Let us not try to dip back into the Old Law and bring back showy worship practices done back them. He put it to death and gave us a new and wonderful and simple law of grace and love.

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Monday 10/1 ~ Being religious isn’t enough

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

365LifeChangingScriptures-Front-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.”

Being “religious” isn’t enough. There are lots of religions. Feeling “spiritual” isn’t enough. There are lots of differing religions that induce a “spiritual” feeling. Confidence of salvation isn’t enough. There are lots of differing religions that create questionable confidence of salvation. Dedication to prayer isn’t enough. There are lots of differing religions that require much prayer.

Sincere Christian leaders today may want us to rely on feelings and inducements and confidence and dedication, but they can be sincerely wrong. If we base our salvation on feelings and inducements and confidence and dedication only, we have zeal, but our zeal is not based on knowledge. Some may defensively call “knowledge” legalism.

God gave us his Word ~ the Bible ~ for a reason. He wanted us 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 ourselves ~ not someone’s sermon. Let us search the scriptures daily for ourselves. And, let us not be afraid to approach our religious leaders and try teaching the teachers. Then their zeal, as well as ours, can be based on knowledge.

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Tuesday 9/11 ~ Who are your friends?

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

Matthew's Life of Christ-Cover-thumbnail“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 that he could lift up. We are not divine, so we need both. It is true that our closest friends should be Christians. However, many brag that those are our only friends. That isolates and insulates them.

Make some friends among seekers 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 we sit next to waiting for a bus, or even someone we meet by accident while waiting in line at a store.

We 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. 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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Friday 8/31 ~ What IS truth?

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

Letters-of-Apostles1-Cover-Thumbnail.jpg“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said [warned], ‘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 us a Christian? Being born in a Christian nation doesn’t automatically make us a Christian? Owning a Bible doesn’t automatically make us a Christian? Believing Jesus is the Son of God doesn’t automatically make us a Christian? (Demons believe that and aren’t Christians.)

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

So if we learn Jesus’ teachings and hold to them, THEN the truth will set us FREE.

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Tuesday 8/27 ~ Watch them become awed

(Sorry, I did today’s yesterday. So yesterday’s will be today.  All in a dither with many exciting irons in the fire. Can there ever be too many?)

 

0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbThe scripture for today, August 27 (8/27), is Mark 8:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“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 we ask our family, our neighbors, our friends how they feel about God? Who do people say God us? We don’t know unless we 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 Jesus.” 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 and 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).

We 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. Be delighted as you open up a whole new world to them and watch them become awed.

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Titus grew up in a gentile home. What gods did they believe in? How did Paul change him? What did he do then?

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Sunday 8/26 ~ Unfathomable yearning, inescapable love

The scripture for today, August 26 (8/26), is Romans 8:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

The Holy Spirit in the New Testament is always linked with communication between God and Man. Even the miracles, made possible by the Holy Spirit, were a guarantee that the words and teachings accompanying the miracles were from God. This was needed before the New Testament was written. But the Holy Spirit does more than this.

God speaks to us in his Word, the Bible. Then we speak to him in return in prayer. But sometimes all we can do is bow our head in silence and know that God understands ~ His Spirit communes with our spirit.

In the Beginning, God the Mind decided to make the universe, God the Word spoke the words to make the universe, and God the Spirit made it happen and brought life to the universe. When humans die, we say their spirit left their body. Therefore, God’s Spirit brings life to our spirit, our soul, when we are born again.

So, we see God’s Spirit brings life to our spirit and keeps it alive by communing with our lowly spirit.  Unfathomable yearning. Inescapable love.

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Saturday 8/25 ~ Just what do you mean by that?

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

Acts of the Apostles-Cover-Thumbnail” ‘Who are you?’ they asked. ‘Just what I have been claiming all long,’ 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!  But they kept asking 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 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. Do you prefer that God fit your mold, or you fit God’s amazing mold?

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Monday 8/20 ~ Decisions, decisions

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

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice.”

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

 

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Sunday 8/19 ~ Whisperings and mutterings? Really?

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

Inside-COVER-lg 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 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. God says “they have no light of 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?!

Whisperings and mutterings?  Don’t need them. God has given you all you need. And we love him for it.

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Thursday 8/16 ~ A child of the Creator?

The scripture for today, August 16 (8/16), is Romans 8:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

365 Dat by Date-Front-Thumbnail

This is so similar to the scripture of a few days ago on how to know if the Spirit is living in you.  You can use the same approach to determine how the Spirit teaches you that you are God’s child.”

Once again, John 14:17 says the Comforter Jesus sent us was the Spirit of Truth. And Jesus said in John 17:17, God’s Word is Truth. So it is through God’s Word that you are taught how to become God’s child. You do not have to guess!

This is what is so wonderful about Christianity. The Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Shamanist and many other religions leave the followers to guess because their “god” has given them no instructions. Ninety-nine percent of them believe they are not children of God. They also believe there are not saved because they can’t be perfect, so have to be reincarnated thousands of times to try to be perfect. The Muslim religion says followers are slaves, and they won’t know until the Day of Judgment if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds.

In all other world religions, followers never know if they are children of God and saved. As hard as you try, you cannot be perfect.  But Jesus came and was perfect for you.  All the good works in the world will not get a sinner into God’s home ~ heaven~ because we are still sinners. Jesus collected the wages for your sin, thus making Satan’s threats of hell ineffective.  If you believe this and follow what he says in the Bible, you can become God’s child and live with Him forever after you go through the happy door of death.

 Praise God! He has given you The Map, the Way ~ the Holy Bible, God’s Word in written form. Such solace. Such comfort. Such reassurance.

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