- Tuesday, 4/14/20 Psalm
34:1, I will bless the Lord at all times:
his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Basic fact: if we’re praising
continually, we’re not being negative and complaining. None of us like our
current situation, but what are we most often discussing? His goodness or our
plight? (Ouch!)
Psalm 38:4, For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. It’s oft repeated, but small sin doesn’t stay small. That cute little kitten on your lap becomes a snarling lion devouring you. With what are you playing? Humble yourself and confess and repent before everyone knows that you THOUGHT you had a tiger by the tail and that YOU were in control.
- Wednesday, 4/15/20 Psalm 38:4-5, For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. We can deal with our sin when it’s a secret burden or when it’s public knowledge. Our choice...but it WILL be dealt with. 1 Samuel 30:10, But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. Two different views: speaking to the 400 I would say they need to be merciful to those in the 200. Not everyone has the same stamina as another. Don’t look down on those who feel they can’t go on. They may not be by your side in this upcoming battle, but, with encouragement today, they may be there for you in tomorrow’s battle. Speaking to the 200: if they majority could keep going, you probably can too. They’ve endured all that you have...suck it up and simply take another step. You’ll feel better about yourself if you don’t quit. No one likes a quitter, not even the quitter.
- Thursday, 4/16/20 Mark 14:1, After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by CRAFT, and put him to death. If our actions aren’t wrong, why do we you try to hide them? We know and He knows: deal with them...before the innocent get hurt. Mark 14:8, She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 1) She did, she didn't discuss. 2) “She”: there are jobs for both genders. 3) “Did”: she completed the job. 4) "she could": her capabilities weren’t the same as another’s. 5) "she could": maybe these were not the same works as she used to could do or will be able to do in future. 6) "she": each one’s efforts are noticed by the Master. 7) “to the burying”: Maybe another sees a purpose that you don’t. 8) Her actions are spoken of today: God’ll see that recognition is given, in His time and way.
- Friday, 4/17/20 Mark 14:11, And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. There is a difference between efficiency and convenience. Beware that in trying to simplify your life that you’re not being deceitful, shady, or slipshod. “Convenient” might be a cute cover for “lazy” or “sinful.” Do right, and do right rightly. Psalm 77:7, Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? LOL, I’m glad I’m not the only one who becomes a “Drama Mama” with the Lord? Isn’t this so common for us: we have a little bump in the road and suddenly we accuse God of abandoning His child “for ever”? However tough we are having it, 1) In reality, it’s probably not that horrific, right? We ate in the last 24 hours? Still got a roof over us? Not dodged any bullets? 2) Life is cyclical. A week or a month from now, things will be OK again. (Wasn’t it just 4-5 weeks ago that things were “normal”?) 3) Our demeanor in our low times shows a lot more about our character than how we act during our normal times. 4) Probably, if we were honest, we have far more smooth roads than potholes. We only really notice the potholes because they come so infrequently. (Come on...be honest!) 5) The unsaved world is watching us: let’s continually remind them (& ourselves) of His goodness and faithfulness, not His “meanness.”
- Saturday, 4/18/20 Psalm 78:1, Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. Maybe the reason we don’t make more of the Bible is that He speak in LAWS, and our hearts are so rebellious that we don’t want ANYONE, even our God, telling us what to do. Introspection time... Mark 14:50, And they all forsook him, and fled. ALL of us have failed often enough that NONE of us have any business criticizing ANY of us. We all need encouragement, maybe some direction or training, but no condemnation. We’re all dealing with things about which the rest of us know nothing. “A little compassion in Aisle 4...” “Some more Band-Aids in the lobby...” “An encourager needed right away over here...”
- Sunday, 4/19/20 Mark 15:53, And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and WITH HIM were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. A reminder that being in the majority doesn’t make you right; nor does having the most letters behind your name. God’s word alone determines right. Mark 15:54a, And Peter followed him afar off... Peter gets a lot of criticism for his actions: “followed afar off...warmed himself at the Devil’s fire...cursed and swore...” but a few verses earlier, it says that “they all forsook him, and fled.” Yes, Peter screwed up...but was still doing something at least. (BTW, this “abject failure” got back on his feet about 2 months later and 3000 people got saved.) Gut check time: are you doing as much as that “bad Christian” that you’re so often criticizing? If you had to deal with what they do, would you still be doing anything for God? OK, they have a huge stain on their record from 1-2-10-20 years ago... So what? Don’t you? Don’t I? Christian, let’s quit shooting our wounded. You and I have enough on our own plates that we TRULY don’t have time to be naming names and posting about the errors of Bro. So-n-so or saying how Dr. So-n-so is hiding something...
- Monday, 4/20/20 How helpful are you to your coworkers? Consider Proverbs 16:24, Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Are you words sweet or critical? Are you helping them be happy and healthy or causing them to be cynical and sour? Hmmm... Psalm 83:1-2a, Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult... While God cares about our individual situations, His definition of a crisis and ours are usually VERY different. (This is the source of much of our often angst against Him.) He is never late, but He often does cut it close!!
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