- Tuesday, 10/16/18 Psalm
64:4, [The wicked] shoot in secret at the
perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Another introspective
question for each of us: are we guilty of any aggressive or mean-spirited
actions at anyone? We’re to love all whom He loves, and He loves everyone, even
Packer, Patriot, and Sox fans!! (Sorry) Psalm 66:3, Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy
works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves
unto thee. The context/implication indicates that God had to do some heavy
bad (maybe hurricanes, famines, war, etc.) to get the people to submit to Him.
How resistant are you and I to Him...on a regular basis?
- Wednesday, 10/17/18
Psalm 65:4, Blessed is the man
whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy
courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy
temple. Two thoughts: if He’s CAUSING/MAKING us approach, we’re probably in
trouble, so the bad may actually be really good. Secondly, I mentioned Sunday
that looking for satisfaction from stuff causes vanity. Get satisfied with the
eternal things. Has
life put you down recently? Humiliated you? Put your face in the dirt? GOOD!!
Proverbs 11:2, When pride cometh, then
cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. “Lowly” means humiliated, which
has, as its root word, “hummus” or DIRT. (“Human” comes from the same.) If
you’re face down in the mud, with everyone mocking you...look for wisdom while
down there. Hummus, humiliated, humble...all are related. Let wisdom join the
family.
- Thursday, 10/18/18 Proverbs
11:1, A false balance is abomination to
the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. Simple, expected honesty brings
delight, a big positive to the Lord. Do those around you (family, coworkers)
have to be extraordinary to delight us, or does simple, normal, Christian
behavior put a smile on our faces? How’re things between you and those
around you, your neighbors? Maybe it’s time for an honest evaluation. Proverbs
11:12a & 9a, He that is void of
wisdom despiseth his neighbour. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his
neighbour. “Despise” would be an inner attitude of superiority (knowledge,
character, experience, worth, etc.)
“Destroying” would be outward actions against. Hmmm...
- Friday, 10/19/18
Hebrews 13:3, Remember them that
are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being
yourselves also in the body. Just a reminder: whom do you know in bonds
(jail, addiction, illness, etc.)? Or suffering some hardships? Remember...and
do something Christlike this week. Hebrews
13:5bc, ...and be content with such
things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
“Anything, even little plus Jesus is enough.” We all believe that (hopefully),
but we usually don’t act like it. How can you and I be more content? What
attitudes need to be changed? What thought processes need to be altered?
“Anything, plus Christ = enough.” Lord, help me.
- Saturday, 10/20/18 Ecclesiastes
7:5, It is better to hear the rebuke of
the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. Our society is a “fun
at any cost” society. We must guard ourselves that we don’t tend to shun wisdom
because it is clothed in a lack of tact or brusqueness or maybe arrogance while
flocking to frivolous stupidity. Hebrews 11:3, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of
God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
That last phrase could be paraphrased as, “we can’t see the path that produced
what is; but we believe, by faith, that there is a connection.” Likewise,
oftentimes in our lives we get through a problem and things are OK, but we
really don’t know HOW it all came together...and all we can say is, “God got me
through somehow.” HOWEVER, the hard thing is when we’re in the middle of a
situation: we can’t see the path behind us, nor really where we are going. It’s
sorta like walking in a blizzard. THAT’S when we have to simply hold more
tightly to the unseen hand, and keep walking.
- Sunday, 10/21/18 Hebrews
11 says of dozens of people, “By faith” they did something. And that something
was always beyond logic and common sense; their detractors, no doubt, said
their actions were “nonsense,” or, “without sense.” Could you tell me what act
of (non-sensical, ‘silly’) faith you’re DOING? Oftentimes,
we feel like 2nd class Christians; we wish God was “as real in our
lives as He was to Bible characters.” Look:
Hebrews 11:13, These all died in
faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and
were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Bible characters had the same doubts
that we do. This verse says that when they died, it hadn’t all worked out,
which meant that they probably died frustrated and feeling like God had
short-changed them somehow. Bible characters were just like us, facing the same
kinds of situations, so, we can be just like them...either as good, or as bad.
- Monday, 10/22/18 Isaiah
14:14-15, I will ascend above the heights
of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to
hell, to the sides of the pit. A reminder that despite being very gracious
and kind, God absolutely WILL NOT tolerate rebellion in His creatures and will
deal with them. Proverbs
13:1, A wise son heareth his father's
instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. As a middle-aged man reading
this, my first thought of application would be to younger people whose fathers
are still alive. However, if your parents are gone: are you still heeding what
they said a thousand times when you were younger? How would they advise you
now? Would they be proud of your present course and speed? Are you listening to
the “stand-in dads” that are in your life now (pastors, SS teachers, wise
friends)?
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Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry.