- Tuesday, 9/25/18 Daniel
12:3, And they that be wise shall shine
as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as
the stars for ever and ever. (Dr. Hyles’ life’s verse.) Are you a soul
winner? A hundred years from now, the only thing that’ll matter is that we’re
saved, and did “they” get saved.
2 Kings 10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. Jehu was satisfied with his past deeds, his current level of zeal, and settled for the level of Jeroboam’s righteousness (don’t be as good as another, be like Christ.)
2 Kings 10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. Jehu was satisfied with his past deeds, his current level of zeal, and settled for the level of Jeroboam’s righteousness (don’t be as good as another, be like Christ.)
- Wednesday, 9/26/18 Jude
22, And of some have compassion, making a
difference. Do you care? REALLY?
Pity feels sorry for; compassion makes a difference. Yes, it’ll cost
you. Isn’t it, aren’t THEY worth a little expense? Someone thought you were
worth something. Go, do, help. Nehemiah
12:27, And at the dedication of the wall
of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to
Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness... It seems that these
Levites were sought out to bring a spirit of joy and happiness to the
dedication. If someone wanted to “spice up” or enliven the atmosphere at a
gathering, would they want you there?
- Thursday, 9/27/18 “Let
everything be done decently and in order.” Much of life has a set order to
it. Matthew
5:1, And seeing the multitudes, he
went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him.
He gets set, and then WE are to come. Far too often, we demand that He comes
when WE are ready. Nope... Mankind searches for
significance and self-worth, and, as always, God’s word provides the
answer. Matthew 23:11, But he that is greatest among you shall be
your servant. I have been a nurse for 9 months and I absolutely love it.
However, it is not at all glamorous. Yes, I earn a very good wage...but I EARN
it. Well over half of my time is spent doing non-healthcare professional type
stuff: playing phone tag with doctors; charting; repositioning patients; wiping
up urine and feces; listening to a lonely senile senior who wants to talk while
I think of the other 10 things that I’m late on. Do you have the mindset to do
the menial jobs in your world? Will you clean up another’s mess, without
playing the martyr? Will you be judged wrong just to settle an argument? Will
you pay for another’s mistake: yes in financial terms, reputation terms, time?
(Jesus did these kind of things.)
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Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry.
- Friday, 9/28/18 Matthew
5:2, And he opened his mouth, and taught
them, saying... Yes, the heavens declare the glory of God and all nature
sings His praises, but He primarily speaks using WORDS. His word, the King
James Bible: it is to be read, memorized, and listened to as it is taught and
preached. Are you? Regularly? More than before? Or, are you drifting?
Worse, do you not care that you’re drifting? Matthew 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of
God. To what degree will you go to make peace? Jesus left comfort and came
to poverty. In other words it cost Him financially. He left omnipotence to
become a man who hungered, felt fatigue and pain and so forth. In other words,
it cost Him physically. He left adoration to be accused. In other words, it
cost Him emotionally. He left omniscience to become flesh: it cost Him
intellectually. He left holiness to become sin: it cost Him spiritually.
And...for the most part, His efforts were wasted. Yet, to those of us who are
saved, His efforts are priceless. To what degree will you go TODAY to make some
peace?
- Saturday, 9/29/18 “I
wish God would use me...” Go be His vessel in your world today: Matthew 5:4, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Find one
who is hurting and express care and allow them to talk...you just listen. God
WILL use you...WILL you let Him determine how He uses you, or do you have
demands? Matthew 5:39-41, But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have
thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Born-again, blood bought one: are you willing to give in, physically,
emotionally, legally, financially, and reputation-ally? Are YOUR rights really
worth it? Is God not able to work through the injustices being done or
threatened to be done to you? Let’s all put “just trust God” into PRACTICAL
use.
- Sunday, 9/30/18 Psalm
40:1, I waited patiently for the Lord;
and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. It’s God’s nature to WANT to
answer prayer. But, perhaps more than He wants to please His kids, He wants to
develop their character. Sadly, we often don’t want THAT...just the stuff. Judges 14-16
details the life of Samson. I think he was a crude, impetuous, lustful,
undisciplined, vengeful man. The only real sin that is listed is that he went
into an harlot. He seemed to be rather adept and probably fond of killing
Philistines, and he definitely made poor choices in women: his wife, the
harlot, and then Delilah. However, it is said at least 4 times that the Spirit
of God came on him, and then it refers to the Spirit leaving him, which
indicates He had lingered. A few times it records Samson praying, and the Bible
says he was a judge. However, we look down on Samson for his womanizing. We
must remember, God has no one to use but sin-FULL people. Now, we categorize
some sins as being more socially acceptable, and some more reprehensible, but
God sees all of them as horrendous. Maybe we shouldn’t castigate someone who is
“blatantly sinning” and yet trying to serve God, and just clean up our own act,
and marvel that God would humble Himself to use any of us. To use any of us, He
HAS to overlook some degree of filth...maybe we shouldn’t insist on such lily
white behavior before we would talk to or associate with someone.
- Monday, 10/1/18 We are
NOT always to share the things of God with anyone we can. Matthew 7:6, Give not that
which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest
they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Some
people (fools, scorners, hard-hearted) probably aren’t “qualified” to receive
It. Use wisdom. We
cannot change our past, but we’re to learn from it, and thereby change what
would be our future. Is your life falling apart? Perhaps in the past, you had a bad
foundation. Matthew 7:24-27, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house
upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And
every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be
likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell: and great was the fall of it. What is, IS, but what will be
can be changed by changing today. Each of us WILL live tomorrow with the
consequence (positive or negative) of today's choices. What kind of foundation
are you laying today for your 2019 or 2020 life structure?