Bible Thoughts by Terry Hedderman

Sunday, 7/13/14  Are you struggling currently in the Christian life? Going through a low time? Matt 26:41 is the answer. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Our flesh is, and always has been weak: we need to be on guard duty (watch) and pray regarding avoiding our unique temptations.             Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not... This verse shows how hard the human heart can become, and how stupid it can make us act. I don’t know if Christians can get this hard, but we could go that direction. If God rebukes you for something, respond with repentance.

Monday, 7/14/14  Pro 10:6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Do you have a blessed head or a violent mouth?           Matt 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. Judas admitted his sin to himself and to man and asked for forgiveness (though he never came to God.) The council refused his apology. The big lesson is that even if the one you offended won’t forgive you, you’re still to try. You do your Scriptural duties; whether someone else does theirs is not your concern. So...whom do you need to apologize to? Whom do you need to forgive?

Tuesday, 7/15/14  Ps 54:4 Behold, God is mine helper; the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. If you need God’s help, realize He usually uses people to bring that help...I’d start by going to church and listening to the preacher, singing the songs, being with God’s people.              Exo 12:22-23 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the 2 side posts with the blood...for the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood...[he] will pass over the door... God didn’t need to see the blood until midnight whereas the public could see it all evening. Lesson: God needs to “see” our salvation at death, but the public should be aware of it long before that. Do your neighbors, co-workers, peers know that you’re saved?

Wednesday, 7/16/14  Mark 3:1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. Never allow those that are withered (different, handicapped, sin sick, ignorant of propriety) ever feel they’re not welcome in our assemblies.           John 10:24b-25 If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not... We may never get it “as plainly” as we want...but He’s given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. So maybe our comprehension problems are not because of a lack of His clarity but a sign of our hard heart. (I’m referring to the old time standards of modesty, abstinence from alcohol, personal holiness, importance of church attendance, hard preaching, etc.)

Thursday, 7/17/14  John 11:9-10 If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. Are you walking in the light? The dark? Fading twilight? Breaking dawn? Only you can answer.             Ps 10:6 [The wicked] hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. God says it’s wickedness to think that you’ll never be in adversity and be liable to change. At best, it’s silliness to think that way and to not keep in mind, “What if....?”

Friday, 7/18/14  Rev 13:10a He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity. If you’re trying to lead people away from righteousness into the captivity of sin, you’ll end up captive also. Sin and righteousness and God and Satan are bigger than us: we cannot control or manipulate them, but they can us.               Exo 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Are the sensual goddesses called Hollywood starlets as impressive as God? They’ll be saggy and baggy and as droopy as wilted celery in a few years. Are alcohol and drugs comparable to God? Money? Self will? (BTW, your lips may be saying one thing right now while your life is saying something different!) Get right with God and serve Him with your whole heart.

Saturday, 7/19/14  Ps 61:2a From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Many Christians pray fervently when life is falling apart, but they stop at there. 61:2b Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Maybe your troubles are to get you to come TO the Person of Christ.               Matt 7:1 Judge not... John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. This means to not render a judgment (verdict) outside of your given areas. The standards and laws in the Bible are for each of us individually, and for us only. I have no right to enforce them on you. Now, if you’re one of my family members, I do. If you attend my school, I do. If you work for me, I do. Everyone should feel welcome at our churches: dressed however, smelling of alcohol or tobacco, unbathed. About the only thing they should be scolded for or excluded for is for disruptive behavior that causes others not to hear: immodest dress, odors, rolling of eyes, slouching don’t apply.
Thoughts from some others
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. Thank God He knows!! Wouldn’t it seem logical to us to trust His knowledge and not ours to resist temptations?
Pro 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.  The best that the wicked, unsaved man can offer God is repulsive and rejected, but He hears and delights in prayers from the saved, godly man. How blessed we are!!
Ps 72:11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him. Lord, hasten the day. It can’t happen soon enough. Those who laugh at and scorn us will find out Who controls and guides the affairs of the whole universe.
Ps 73:28a But it is good for me to draw near to God. I need to learn and practice this daily.
Ps 76:7 Thou, even thou, are to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?  We’d better keep God in a good humor and not make Him angry.
Pro 19:26 He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.  How we treat Mom and Dad is important, and has a bearing on one’s success and reputation.
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