Sunday, 7/12/15 I know of
no place where God specifically tells us to read our Bibles; but we’re
commanded to search the scriptures,
to study to shew [ourselves] approved,
to meditate on the Bible day and night,
to not let the Bible depart out of [our]
mouths...all of which involved reading it. Over the next few days, I will
give several benefits of attentively reading the Bible. CAUTION!!! “Room to grow
notification!!” 1 Sam 26:17, And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy
voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king. Can you
speak and act as respectfully to or about those who are trying to hurt you as
David did?? (Or the better question may be, 'Will you speak thusly?')
Monday, 7/13/15 Why read
the Bible? Reason #1: To soak up a little of God’s mind/way of
thinking. Pro 13:20, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise.
Phil 2:5, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Ezra 7:25, ...the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand... 2 John 6a, And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. Biblical love is NOT sentimentality. It is NOT simply nice
intentions. Bible love is treating someone according to God’s commandments.
Bible love is a fruit of the Spirit, (i.e. the unsaved can’t love.)
Tuesday, 7/14/15 Why read the Bible (since we’re never
commanded to do so)? Reason #2: To learn
distinct commandments to obey immediately.
Matt 28:20, Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you... Ps 143:10a, Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God. Are you still a member of the “Obedience 101”
class, or did you drop it? Education involves 2 parties doing their jobs. I’m
sure God is doing His...are you IN class? Doing your homework? Reading your
assignments? Come on...you know how this is supposed to work...
Wednesday, 7/15/15 Why read the Bible? Reason #3: To learn principles to apply in situations
not directly mentioned in Scripture. Ps
101:3-4, I will set no wicked thing
before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave
to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Pro 11:2, When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but
with the lowly (humiliated) is wisdom." (From dictionary.com): “Ashamed, humiliated,
and mortified refer to a condition or feeling of discomfort or embarrassment. -‘Ashamed’ focuses on the sense of one's own
responsibility for an act, whether it is foolish, improper, or immoral. - ‘Humiliated’ stresses a feeling of being
humbled or disgraced, without any necessary implication of guilt. Both words
are used equally in situations in which one is felt to be responsible for the
actions of another. - ‘Mortified’
represents an intensification of the feelings implied by the other two words.”
Thursday, 7/16/15 Why read the Bible? Reason #4: To see
examples (positive and negative) of what happened when people acted a certain
way. 1 Cor 10:10-11, Neither murmur ye, as some of them also
murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples: and they are written for admonition, upon whom the end
of the world are come. Three
weeks ago tomorrow, I had about 5 things happen to me, anyone of which would’ve
made for a great day. Together, they produced one of the happiest, joyful,
bubbly days that I’ve had in decades. The next day, I awoke and still had some
afterglow, but went to work, and it was a normal day. Lesson:
each day has it’s own tasks. We cannot live on either the mountaintop nor in
the valley. Enjoy, or bleed, but both are only for a time. Today has its own
challenges. Isa 56:12, Come ye, say they,
I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow
shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
Friday, 7/17/15 Why read the Bible? Reason #5: To learn characteristics of various kinds of
people. Ps 15:1-2, Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy
hill? He that... Deut 22:5, ...all that do so are abomination unto the
Lord thy God. Pro 15:12, A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him;
neither will he go unto the wise. Pro 12:14, A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. Think of a crown, men: it’s fine jewelry,
protected, guarded, polished, treasured, adorned...does that describe how you
treat your wife? A crown is worn to “show off” to other dignitaries: do you
ever take your wife out to “show her off”?
Ladies, do you act like a precious, expensive accessory or like cheap
costume jewelry?
Saturday, 7/17/15 Why
read the Bible? Reason #6: The fullness of joy comes from learning its truths.
1 John 1:4, And these things write we
unto you (vv1-3), that your joy may
be full. Christianity is a relationship with a wonderful Person, and
learning of and falling in love with Him is a joyous process. Pro
13:6a, Righteousness keepeth him that is
upright in the way. The protection from falling out of the safe,
God-planned way for your life lies in actively DOING righteous acts. (Believing
rightly is NOT sufficient.) If you had to, what deeds of righteousness could
you point to in the last 24 hours that you’ve done? The last week? The more
righteousness, the greater the protection.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thoughts from some others
- Chocolate
doesn’t ask silly questions: chocolate understands!!
- Yes,
I am a strong person, but every now and then, I need someone to take my hand
and tell me that everything will be alright.
- Any
good thing that distracts us from God is a bad thing.
- You
are not a king/queen if your throne is made of all those you stepped on to get
there.
- When
seeking to rise up after a fall, Satan's roar of condemnation is often just as
bad as his bite. When he roars with condemning thoughts, remind yourself that
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus..."
- If
you discourage your wife and she discourage you back, then there is no one left
to encourage the other. So, seek to encourage each other.
- Have
you allowed others to get into your head and affect who you are? They tell you
that you are a failure, or that you are no good or this or that and it gets
inside you and it causes you to doubt yourself. STOP. You must decide that you
are none of the things others say. You are what Christ says and you need to
remind yourself of this every moment of every day. When I quit allowing ANYONE to
define me it brought freedom into my life. It changed me. NOTHING anyone else
says about me has any affect unless I allow it and when I do the Holy Spirit
loses control of me. You don't need to stand up to people. You need to stop
standing down to them. I don't argue with what people say about me. I ignore it
UNLESS it is someone to whom I have submitted, and I do that very slowly and
very carefully. Stop being obsessed with what others say. When you stop
allowing people into your head your life will change.
- One
forgiver plus another forgiver equals a perfect marriage.
- Wanna
be more grateful to God? Never forget that you are walking in God's favor, but
also that you deserve God's wrath.
- If
you truly see yourself as the most sinful sinner of all, your spouse will
always get a full reprieve of mercy instead of blame.
- New and Improved Rules for Restoration:
Yes,
yes, yes, I know Galatians 6:1 tells us to restore those who fall, but there
seems to be a few regulations and stipulations that many add to the Scripture.
Oh I know we don't actually add things to Scripture, but we do like to adjust
it to our own comfort zone. So here are a few of the stipulations and
regulations that I've seen added to restoration.
1.
One fall per person. Yes, I know that just man falls seven times and rises
again, but people deserve only one chance to be fully restored and after that
they should be put on the "not to ever be fully trusted again" list.
2.
Repent until we are satisfied with your repentance. You see it's not about you
getting right with God. It's about you satisfying our need to believe you are
right with God.
3.
Don't ask us to give you an opportunity to serve God. We will decide if and
where we will let you serve, and if you're lucky we will allow you to park cars
or drive a bus, but do not ask to be restored to the calling God gave you.
4.
Tell us everything you ever did. We know it's not in the Bible, but we need to
know that you truly understand the severity of your sin. Tell us everything.
That way if you sin again we can use it against you.
5.
Jump through various hoops and over various bars to prove you are sincere. And,
if we feel the need, we will raise the hoops and bars.
6.
Gladly wear the label we assign to you forever. You were divorced 15 years ago
so you will be forced to wear the label from now on.
7.
Don't rejoice or be too happy. We expect an extended season of grieving over
your sin. Stay somber, we are watching.
8. DO
NOT DARE forget what you have done, because it is certain we won't. Oh, and
every once in a while we will bring it up just so we you know we remember.
9.
Finally, we will be forced to warn others of your sins so they do not get
blindsided by your past. Now that is in no way gossip, it is just guarding the
flock.
So, there you have it, our revised
rules. Certainly Paul would have added these if he had spoken to us first.
- When
you feel guilt or shame for sins you have confessed long ago, do not confess
the old sin, confess the feeling of guilt and shame.
- One
of the best pieces of advice my dad gave me was, "Son, stop listening to
gossip, especially when it's about you." That changed my attitude
dramatically.
- One
reason I journal my thoughts is because I trust my pen more than my memory. If
God has blessed me with a mind to think, I owe it to him to be a good steward
of my thoughts.
- Stop
trying so hard to get closer to God and instead start trying to be more aware
of the God who is already as close as he can get. The problem is not distance
but awareness. READ THAT AGAIN!!!!
- This
world is not anti-god. It is anti-Christ. The world loves its gods, well just
as long as they are not named Jesus.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-
Bible thoughts! Ps 15:2, He that walketh
uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
Sometimes our hearts are filled with everything but the truth, myself included.
Aren't we glad the Lord gives us good stuff in His Word to fill up our hearts
each new day? Have a great one!
-
Bible thoughts! Ps 14:5, There were they
in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous. God is in
charge, folks! He ain't about to go no where! Have a great day!
-
It's OK to say, “I don't know; or let me think about that and I'll get back to
you"; instead of making up a bunch of 'stuff' - just to make one's self
look good! Pro 14:25, A true witness delivereth souls: but a
deceitful witness speaketh lies. Zech
8:16, These are the things that ye shall
do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of
truth and peace in your gates.
-
Heb 5:8, Though he were a Son, yet
learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Affliction is the
path where Jesus walks, so if we desire to walk with Him we must be willing to
walk that path.
- Rom 14:1, Him
that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. We
need to be gracious and courteous to those who are immature in the faith, teach
them, encourage and be patient with them.
- Ps 101:4, A
froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Biblical separation is a Bible doctrine most fundamental Christians know about,
but very few practice.
- Ps 102:12, But
thou, O Lord, shall endure forever, and thy remembrance unto all generations.
What a great promise and confidence builder for us today.
- Pro 12:28, In
the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof is no death.
The world may laugh, criticize, an scoff at us, but we have what they really
want and need.
- Ps 104:23, Man
goeth forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening. Man was made
to work in the day and to rest in the night. Lack of labor and too much rest is
killing our men.
- Ps 103:10, He
hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities. PTL!! Aren’t we blessed to have a merciful, understanding God!!
- 2 Kings 20:2-3, Then
he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, and Hezekiah wept
sore. It is best to accept God’s perfect will instead of His permissive. He
always knows best!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry.