- Tuesday, 5/16/3 Song of Solomon 5:10, My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. When was the last time you bragged
on your spouse to others? Bragged so much that your friends really wanted to meet him/her? (See 6:1.) (Or, bragged on the Lord or your church that much?) 1 Samuel 17:37, David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. How long has it been since you told someone what God has done to/for/through you? Maybe if we’d brag on Him more, He’d help us more, and maybe we’d be emboldened to speak more for Him.
- Wednesday, 5/17/23 John 15:5, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. A total toe-stomping verse!! “Lord forgive me for not abiding in you...as evidenced by a lack of ‘much fruit.’ Help me, Lord.” Psalm 39:8, Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. You’ve got at least one; I have at least one. All of us have our “pet” sins; the ones that are “off limits” to the Holy Spirit; the ones that we’ve convinced ourselves that they’re not really wrong, that He isn’t bringing them to our mind. “Deliver me from ALL my transgressions” needs to be our heartbeat. If we even think that He thinks it’s wrong, we should be all over getting over it. Introspection time...
- Thursday, 5/18/23 Proverbs 13:21, Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed. So being righteous automatically involves doing good, not being good. To get a higher repayment, “loan” more. Proverbs 14:31, Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known. We are a foolish society: we automatically speak whatever comes into our heads. We give our opinions out like a politician throwing out promises (and they generally are worth the same!) We post pictures of what we eat; where we go. But worst of all, if anything displeases us or makes us uncomfortable, we automatically let everyone know about that. Foolishness!! Did you know that there is nothing in either the Bible or the Constitution that we are entitled to comfort, ease, and happiness?? Really!
- Friday, 5/19/23 Matthew 23:3, All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. An inconsistent life does not invalidate the truths being spoken, nor does it give followers a license to disobey those truths. Just because an instructor’s life doesn’t match his message, we’re still to obey the message if it is biblical. His disobedience doesn’t absolve us from obeying. Romans 10:3, For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. This verse is directly talking about salvation, but those of us who are born again often do the same thing. We try to “establish our own righteousness” when we “KNOW” what’s best for us and we KNOW exactly what’s best for God to do in all of our situations and then we get frustrated and scold Him when He doesn’t respond “like He should.”
- Saturday, 5/20/23 Proverbs 16:9, A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. We generally scheme our long-term (way) and want to know all the details; God’s plan is to show us the immediate future (steps) and MAYBE give us an inclination of a general direction. (See Psalm 119:105). Get used to His methods. Romans 14:14, I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Realize that there are things/actions/habits that you might feel are wrong to do that I do not feel are wrong, or vice versa. Each of us has the liberty to answer in our conscience to God. If you feel it’s wrong, then for me to convince you to do it is sinful for both of us. But for you to condemn me because I don’t share your feelings on that matter is wrong. As Pastor says, “Be loud where the Bible is loud, and be soft where It is soft.” Let the Bible teach and direct us. Now, if one of us thinks something is wrong and the other doesn’t, maybe the second should investigate WHY the first feels that way...maybe the second needs to learn something. Ultimately though, if we don’t all see totally eye-to-eye, it’s OK.
- Sunday, 5/21/23 Matthew 25:35-36, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Keep your eyes open for Jesus today. 2 Samuel 1:23, Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. David bragged on and lamented the man who tried to kill him several times and who declared him a state criminal. We can focus on, talk about, and dwell on another’s bad to us, or we can focus on, talk about, and dwell on their good. News flash!!! You and I and our feelings are NOT the center of the universe!! (Well, you’re not...)
- Monday, 5/21/23 2 Samuel 1:8, And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. That with which we will not deal may very well come back to destroy our lives. Saul was ordered to kill all the Amalekites, and died at the hand of one of them. What’s God mentioning that you keep ignoring? Psalm 88:1-2, O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry. Why does God so often make us beg and seems to ignore us? 1) Sadly, most of us only come to Him when we really need Him. If He was more automatic, we’d spend FAR less time with Him. 2) When we’re around Him, and our focus is on Him, He is much more able to speak back to us and address things about us that He’d like to change. 3) Oft times, we THINK we know what we need and want, but truly have no clue. Does your toddler or puppy have a clue as to what they need, or what would make them happy? No, and we’re far less than a toddler to the Lord.
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry. |