- Tuesday, 12/22/20 Psalm 73:22-23, So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thank the Lord that He doesn’t
get on us for our failures 1/100 as much as He could (and probably should)!!! Deuteronomy 5:8, Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. I think the essence of this commandment is telling us to not demand that God be understandable to us. Too often, we insist He do things as WE see best, on OUR time schedule, and to OUR obvious benefit. That is the source of a lot of our angst against Him, and the cause of much quitting on spiritual matters. Be glad that He operates on a plane about 3000 levels above our comprehension. Be content that He has the big picture in sight. Be glad He’s not as fickle and petty and small minded as you and me.
- Wednesday, 12/23/20 Job 23:10, But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Purification involves burning heat...but we’re in His hands. Hang on. He deems you to have the substance to refine. Hang on. You’re WORTH it. Sure!! Let’s assume what others are thinking... Luke 15:21, And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Luke 15:30, But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. The Prodigal’s father assumed the best: that he was coming home with a repentant heart. The older brother assumed he’d wasted all of the money with hookers. Neither knew the truth. Which extreme comes closer to describing YOUR usual?
- Thursday, 12/24/20 Deuteronomy 5:29, O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! O Lord, please give me this heart!! Please show me whatever is hindering You from doing so. Luke 20:20, And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. There are two ways to be a hypocrite: be bad but feign goodness, or be good but feign badness. Are you either? Often?
- Friday, 12/25/20 Psalm 38:3, There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. A reminder that outward righteousness and inward holiness don’t just have spiritual benefits. Read the verse again. Psalm 38:17, For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. Is Christmas morning just another cover for that inner ache, that deep sorrow that you strive to hide from others? Here, David solved the problem and alleviated that sorrow. V18, For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. Get it right. Get it right with the Lord right now, and get it right with “whomever” ASAP. Give yourself a truly memorable gift today.
- Saturday, 12/26/20 So often, we’re pseudo-Bible believers...we say we “believe every word,” but we really don’t. Case in point: Proverbs 21:1, The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. We gripe and complain instead of praying and even considering what the Lord may be trying to teach us with our current situation. Truth... Luke 21:3, And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. Basic doctrine: God grades us on the percentage system, not an absolute system. It’s not whether I gave more than you, or vice versa, it is what percentage of what we COULD’VE given/done did we give? Or, another way to put it: He doesn’t look at how much we gave, but on how much we had left over. So, how’s your giving record? Service record? Forgiveness record? Apology record?
- Sunday, 12/27/20 Psalm 82:3, For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. The wicked unsaved folks are going to act like their father. Will you and I act like our Father? We can’t control them, but we can control ourselves. Forgive, love, be patient...Daddy says so. Lamentations 3:20-21, My soul hath [past problems] still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. Recalling how you came through the previous struggles of life will give you hope for the future. You’ve already survived EVERY ONE of your “worst day ever’s,” have you not? God won’t test you beyond your capabilities (with His help.) Yes, the burden tomorrow will be greater and heavier than yesterdays, but you’re stronger now because of yesterday’s struggle. Walk with God...wherever He leads.
- Monday, 12/28/20 You’re far too good of a person to ever intentionally hurt another, right? But, if something happened to them... Proverbs 21:10, The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. God says it’s “desiring bad to happen” not the actual “doing bad” that makes us wicked. Luke 22:26, But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. Maybe a “red reset button” time regarding serving others in the coming year? Could you testify what you did for whom and when...in the last few days? Weeks? Millennium? What’s on your schedule for next week? Are you praying for God to show you someone to help?
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