Sunday, 10/4/15 “I just CAN’T seem to catch a break!!” Eph 6:8,Knowing that whatsoever good thing any many doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. To get more breaks, give more breaks to others. Ps 106:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness AT ALL TIMES. Just a reminder that there is not time, place, or circumstance in which we are not expected to be a stellar Christian (including at work, the gym, behind the wheel, during a party, etc.
Monday, 10/5/15 Ps 107:2, Let the redeemed of the Lord say so... What are we supposed to talk about? In V1, it says that God is good and has enduring mercy!!! I challenge you mention those 2 traits to 5 different people today! Ps 107:9, For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. For what do our souls long and hunger? Mercy. God’s intervention in their lives showing His kindness and love. Go to the Master’s presence today and get some...enough for you and some to take to another.
Tuesday, 10/6/15 Ps 107:43, Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. Wise, observant people generally tend to “get God. ” As a general statement, does this describe you? Luke 21:12, 17,But before all this, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. The dark days are coming. Are you strengthening your inner man enough so as to be ready?
Wednesday, 10/7/15 Ps 109:4-5, For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. None of us want enemies, but the lack of them may be indicative of a lack of depth in our love (our love for either man or God.) Don’t be guilty of loving your life of peace more than the Prince of peace. (An afterthought to yesterday’s Bible thought post from Luke 21:12.) Ps 37:1-2, Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Don’t stress about the wicked being on top: God is in control and will deal with them. However, you and I will have to endure their persecutions. So, a repeat of yesterday’s question: Are you strengthening your inner man enough so as to be ready? (BTW, v3: Trust in the Lord, and do good.)
Thursday, 10/8/15 Dan 10:12, ...for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard... Here’s an unfamiliar concept: self-chastisement before God. ‘Guess that’s taught in the PhD level classes of Christianity... 2 Tim 1:15, This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermongenes. What a thing to be known for and mentioned and remembered for!! When people think of you, what is often their first thought? (Hint, what have you heard that others say about you?)
Friday, 10/9/15 Ps 38:2, For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. God does not make us, or allow us to be uncomfortable just to be a Bully...figure out why bad things are happening and solve the disease instead of simply complaining about the symptoms. I was amazed while reading Ps 37today. I counted at least a dozen references (v2, 9, 10, etc.) where God refers to the demise of the wicked. 1This must be a topic about which we worry: “Will there be a settling of the scores?” God says, v1, Fret not thyself because of evildoers. 2God repeats Himself in the Bible to call our attention to something so as to emphasize a point. 3In the end, be assured that righteous living will be rewarded, and wickedness will be punished. So keep your head up little believer...you’re on the winning side...do right today.
Saturday, 10/10/15 Matt 4:6, And [Satan] unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written... Just because a messenger quotes the Bible, don’t automatically trust what is said. YOU have your own copy of “the notes from class,” and YOU are responsible for the content therein. Compare Scripture with Scripture. “Don’t believe what I TELL you the Bible says; believe what I SHOW you the Bible says.” Hos 10:1, Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself... Do the benefits that you get from being a Christian benefit anyone else? Do you teach what you have learned? Do you show others the safe path through the dark valleys that you’ve trod in that past but they’re facing tomorrow? Do you pass along the encouragement today that kept you going yesterday? Teach a SS class!! Run a bus route!! Send out a Bible thought text!! Post a Bible thought on FB!! Go soul winning!! Volunteer in the Youth Department!! Drive for Teen Activities!! Chaperone a couple who asks!!
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Miscellaneous thoughts from others:
- Often those that criticize others reveal what they themselves lack.
- Bribery is an enticement to do wrong. Sunday school promotions are not bribery. It is not wrong to go to Sunday school.
- Youth believes that intelligence is a substitute for experience.
- Envy causes you to resent God’s goodness in other people’s lives and to ignore God’s goodness in your own.
- Being with no one is sometimes better than being with the wrong one. Sometimes those who fly alone have the strongest wings.
- Do not judge a day as devoid of joy just because it contains difficulties. Instead, concentrate on staying in communication with Jesus. Many of the problems that clamor for your attention will resolve themselves.
- God never demands from you what he has not given to you!
- God does not request for us to have courage. He commands us to.
- “Remember it is better to love than to be loved. One can only guarantee fulfillment by loving, not by being loved. If one's happiness is built upon loving, then it can be controlled, but if his happiness is built upon being loved, it is built upon something over which he has no control.” ~Jack Hyles
- All of us have the same length fuse, and all of us are hot-headed. What needs to happen is to STAY AWAY FROM MATCHES!
- Why bring up the past failures of someone who is now doing their best to live their life for the Lord?
- If you have thorns in your flesh, make a crown out of them... All of us have heartbreak and heartache, so do not sit there and die in your pity. Get up and do something with your life.
- If you don't have the grace to speak kind words to people you meet today how will you have the grace to present the Gospel to them. The first step to becoming a good witness is being a kind person.
- Men, do not be surprised if at times the voice of God sounds exactly like the voice of your wife. I hate that when it happens, but thank God it does.
- The greatest person who ever lived was put to death on the cross. The more we become like Him the fewer are those who can understand us. This is why weaker Christians are often judged to be better Christians than they are. Pride cannot judge true humility. Carnality cannot judge true spirituality. The weak cannot properly judge the strong. Hence, many good Christians are not recognized as such.
- If you like someone's shirt, tell them. Or their hair, or their smile, or the way their nose crinkles when they laugh. If they're kind or have a beautiful soul, tell them. Let them know you notice and appreciate and love them as a human being. You might not get another chance - plus, the world could use more encouragement these days.
- If one is not thankful for what he has he will not be thankful for what he will have!
- You can be right so much of the time, if you are not careful, you will begin to believe you are right all the time.
- Your sins will not keep you from serving God. Living in the guilt and shame of your sins will keep you from serving God. Stop condemning yourself. God isn't.
- You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. However what you can do is trust the one who controls the storm. The storm will pass.
- I live by standards in my home in order to please my wife. I pick up my dirty clothes, I shower, I dress neatly, and I behave like a gentleman. That is what love does. Pleasing God with our lives is not legalism. It is love.
- Discontentment is not a product of circumstances: it is a state of the soul.
- Adversity is not brought into our lives so God can see what we are made of but so that we can see what He is made of.
- Never mistake the doing of spiritual things for being spiritual. They are not necessarily always mutual existent. There are many bipolar Christians. For example... **Preparing a sermon is not necessarily walking with God. **Praying in public with people is not always a sign of a good prayer life. **Winning souls out on visitation does not mean you live as a constant witness. **Singing specials in church does not mean you have a song in your heart. **Shouting "Amen" at church does not mean you whisper, "Dear Lord..." in private. **Working in a ministry does not mean you live a life of ministering. **Tithing to the church does not mean you live an unselfish life for others. Who we are in our public works must match up with who we are in our private life. If it doesn't then we are not living a life of Grace.
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Bible thoughts from some others:
- Pro 1:23, Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you. If we want Holy Spirit fullness and to know God’s words, we must be sensitive to His will and His reproofs. Most people are so concerned about personal preferences that they forget about God.
- Pro 3:11, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. Did it ever occur to God’s people that circumstances of life are for a purpose and aren’t just happenstance? I’m sick to my soul over the griping by God’s people for the events in life that they don’t like!
- Bible thoughts! Ps 6:9, The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. To think that the King of glory receives MY prayers! It's very encouraging, indeed!
- Ps 145:8, The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. I am so thankful that the Lord is compassionate and slow to anger when I fail Him. What great characteristics to apply to your life when others fail you. Lord help me to apply these truths to my own life.
- Rev 3:16, So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Your choice is either God or the world...the Devil owns the fence!!
- Revelation 2:2, 4, I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience...Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.
- John 4:27, And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? My children ask a lot of questions because they want to understand the reason(s) for such & such and learn. As we get older there's a tendency to lose that inquisitiveness. Let's make sure we continue to thirst and search for the truths of the scriptures.
- You say Willis Tower; I say Sears Tower. It seems like there's always been things called by their current and former names. John 6:1, After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
- Bible thoughts! Ps 9:9, The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Seriously, how can you get any better than that??!!
- In Genesis 3:3, Eve tells the serpent that God said they could not touch the fruit. Satan was not the only one lying in Genesis 3. God never said it was wrong to touch the fruit. I believe we are creating an extremely dangerous situation on many levels for our families and our churches when we add guidelines and doctrines claiming them to be the Word's of God.
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