- Tuesday, 3/15/22 Ecclesiastes 9:6, Also [the dead’s] love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. While it is true that after we
die we’ll never suffer or sin again, it is also true that we’ll never win a soul, or give, or lift the fallen, or forgive the offender. Do what you can while you can. Ecclesiastes 9:12, For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. Some severe negative events come upon us out of the blue, like a net catches a fish, or calamity may come upon us because we’ve been sniffing at the cheese on the devil’s mouse traps. Be careful and stay close to Daddy: it’s a jungle out there.
- Wednesday, 3/16/22 Ecclesiastes 10:1, Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor. Our reputations are exceedingly fragile: literally, we must guard them with our lives. Jude 15, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against [God]. We must be careful that we don’t diminish our usage of Bible words (godly/ungodly, sinner, righteousness, holiness, judgment, vengeance, repentance, etc.) in order to “not offend” people. Let God speak as God wishes: we’re simply to relay what He says.
- Thursday, 3/17/22 1 Peter 1:6, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. Note: “if NEED be.” God sends us trials, right? The verse says that sometimes trials mandate depression (heaviness.) Depression is NOT a sin. It is an affliction, like a chronic disease or handicap or pain. Can you “commit” depression? Then it’s not a sin. Give grace to those people. Proverbs 14:4, Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. It’s very easy to focus on the minor inconvenience of cleaning the stall, and there miss the eventual result of shoveling that manure. Also, since the shoveling has to be done daily, it’s easy to elevate it’s negativity over the positive aspects of a harvest that only comes once a year. So, shovel your “stuff”...and rejoice for what it’s bringing to you.
- Friday, 3/18/22 Mark 3:2, And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. All of us, I think, have some Pharisee in us. Is there anyone you watch with a negative slant, always looking for bad, not good; dirt to slander, not healing to praise? Are there those who can do nothing right in your eyes? Methinks that calls for some love or some forgiveness from you. Psalm 26:2, Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. “Examine” = test (like a metal), investigate: In other words, “Double check the formula.” “Prove” = to attempt: Give me a trial run; put some pressure on. Early responsibilities to prove worth for bigger later “Try” = purify (like gold), = To further refine. Fix the errors, increase my worth. The question comes: are we complacent about our progress as a Christian? Or, are we wanting to be put to greater and greater use, and maybe have some more impurities burned out of us so that the Master has a better, more valuable tool?
- Saturday, 3/19/22 Mark 6:52, (referring to the 12): For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. If their hearts could get hardened while in Jesus’ presence, we must be doubly on guard and alert to that tendency in our own hearts. Luke 18:7, And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Keep on asking for It, whatever “it” is. Since you’re hanging around God to ask, if He wants to change the request (or you), He’ll be very able to do so since your ears are open and attentive.
- Sunday, 3/20/22 Psalm 119:143, Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. Good times are given to allow us to recuperate from past trials and get stronger for the next level. If you’re doing good right now, strengthen your Bible life. Isaiah 25:9, And it shall be said in THAT DAY, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. All of us, at times, feel the Lord is late, not doing His job, just isn’t “on top of His game.” However, when He does show up, and He will, will He find you and find me faithfully waiting for Him, or will He find that we’ve given up on Him? When you feel close to Christ: do rightly. When you feel far away from Christ: do rightly. As the country preacher said, “Any ol’ hound dog can be faithful.”
- Monday, 3/21/22 Isaiah 25:1, O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Here’s a red reset button: remind yourself Whose you are and your responsibilities to Him. Go have some “pillow talk” with God. Psalm 119:164, Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. We’ve heard this verse before; let’s implement it. It should go without saying, but if we’d be A LOT more grateful (verbally) for what we have and what He’s done already, A) we’d be happier, and B) He’d be more likely to grant us further requests. What’re some ideas/ways to do “up our game” regarding praise?