- Tuesday, 1/14/20 Psalm
5:2, Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my
King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. The context indicates this
paraphrase, “You’re always hearing my voice: please really listen to my cry
right now.” God is SSOOOO faithful in hearing; the problem lies with us giving
up on Him.
Psalm 5:2-3, Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. The context is David begging God to hear his cry today, but he reminds Him that He’ll hear his voice in the morning regardless. We all need to ratchet up our prayer schedules.
- Wednesday, 1/15/20 Isaiah 42:3a, A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench. Aren’t you glad that in our weak times, in our rebellious times, that He doesn’t get upset and write us off? Maybe we should serve more fervently in our good times? Psalm 9:20, Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. God puts us in situations so as to teach us something. Maybe this is why you’ve got recurring problems: what’re you not learning? If He wants to teach, and we respond submissively to the initial lesson, logic says that He’ll instruct us.
- Thursday, 1/16/20 Isaiah 53:5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Use your problems, pain, afflictions, and persecutions to help others. Are you? (Our default setting is “Complaining.”) Proverbs 13:1a, A wise son heareth his father's instruction. There is no age indicated, so, Son: keep asking questions. Dad, keep teaching. Son, you need to hear things for the umteenth time: he may add one little extra tidbit of knowledge the next time. Dad: rephrase and reorganize your wisdom; maybe repackage it or teach in a different venue. If you think it to be valuable, figure out how to make it desirable to your son to accept.
- Friday, 1/17/20 Proverbs 14:2, He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. Notice the 2nd half of the verse: poor feelings toward God indicate a MAJOR, BLATANT fault in us...not Him. (But it’s easier to point a finger elsewhere...) Proverbs 13:6, Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. Remember that although we’re upright, forgiven, saved, we are still sinners. As a sinner, we tend toward the pit. We must keep actively doing acts of righteousness to remain upright. “him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” So we must constantly, purposefully, do rightly, or we’ll be overthrown and fall.
- Saturday, 1/18/20 Psalm 15:2b, ...and speaketh the truth in his heart. There is a lot of truth in our world: the boss is inept; my coworkers are grouchy and selfish; it’s cold; I’m saved; my pastor is awesome; the Bible is true; my God thinks I’m wonderful. What truths are you speaking in your heart? Proverbs 14:28, In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. Managers: notice the 2nd half of the verse. If your people have complaints/needs, and feel ignored...you are cutting your own throat. It’s your job to know the heartbeat of your people, and you are a leader so as to be a problem solver. “No one has said anything to me...” They probably don’t feel you care, or that you’ll do anything about it. (That would indicate that you've already cut yourself and you're bleeding...better act FAST!!!)
- Sunday, 1/19/20 Psalm 15:4, [The blessed man] honoureth them that fear the Lord. Is our opinion of the Lord obvious enough to others (not in a pompous way) so that others who want to be blessed by God know to bestow honor upon us? Psalm 11:2, For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. Flip the verse around: when you and I criticize, do we do it behind the back of another, or to their face? Honestly (this is gonna sting) is what we say more likely to be considered “whining and griping” or as “legitimate constructive criticism.” Are we back-stabbers like a mugger, or “front stabbers” like a doctor trying to operate on a tumor that is damaging the patient? Are we more concerned about us or the patient? (That tumor isn’t hurting the doctor...)
- Monday, 1/20/20 Psalm 92:2, It is a good thing...to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. It doesn’t say to speak it, but to show it. Go and SHOW sweet kindness this morning, and be a faithful, obedient child of the King all day until bedtime. Psalm 92:13, Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. At times, all of us feel like we’re wasting our time, spinning our wheels in Christianity. “It’s just NOT working for me...I must be doing something wrong. I’m not good enough for God to bless...” Ever felt that way? You have and I have. However, notice the timeline in the verse. Be planted NOW and we WILL FLOURISH someday. Learning patience is a major lesson in God’s curriculum.
 |
|
|
Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry.