- Tuesday, 11/5/19 Blunt question: is there anyone who truly, deeply hates you?
Proverbs 29:10, The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul. Are you just? Psalm 71:7, I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. People may admire and compliment you or I for something. At the least, we must remember in our own minds Who kept up going or made us “great.” Better, make sure they know that you know Who is responsible and deserves the true credit.
- Wednesday, 11/6/19 Psalm 130:3-4, If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Instead of looking at the size of our sinfulness and being discouraged, look at the size of His mercy and be joyful (& repentant.) Psalm 71:15, My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. The last phrase refers to our death day. We probably won’t die today or tomorrow, but one day, we’ll be wrong. Are you eternally ready for that day? Have you been living so as to not be ashamed on that day? What will you wish you had said to someone?
- Thursday, 11/7/19 Psalm 71:1, In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Too often, we think that any little step from us (trust) automatically commands a Utopia from God (no confusion.) God has told us what to expect: tribulation, enemies, testings, hardness. He’s also told us what He DEMANDS: holiness, repentance, forgiveness, love. We’ve got plenty to keep us busy without evaluating His “job performance.” Why do so many believers in our churches (and you and I too, if the truth be told), not get much out of the Christian life? Why don’t we “get it”? Very simply, we don’t want it. Read carefully... and notice the conditions. Proverbs 2:1-5, My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. It’s not a case of God being stingy...
- Friday, 11/8/19 Proverbs 3:1, My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments. The word “keep” means to guard as a treasure. If you had a large diamond in your home and you knew burglars were coming to steal it, would it go out of your mind? THAT’S how we’re to treat our Bibles. I’m guessing all of us need to “up our games” when it comes to devotion and love to the Book. “Trust God,” we are often admonished. “We must trust that He has a plan for all of this.” Those are true statements, but read this: Psalm 73:28, But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. We’re to trust God, ultimately, NOT for our benefit or our deliverance, but that we TELL others of those benefits and deliverance. This may sound bad, but God is all about God and His agenda. (‘Course, He deserves to be the focal point, and His agenda is all that truly matters.) But, I wonder if we don’t see more benefits and deliverances because, for us, it all stops with us: we don’t brag on what He did for us. Hmmm...
- Saturday, 11/9/19 Are you feeling a little anemic in your Christian life? Can’t figure out why? Consider this verse: John 15:6a, If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. Maybe you withdrew from Him (purposefully or accidentally), and now you’ve been cast forth?? John 15:21, But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. Perhaps that enemy of yours is not really YOUR enemy. They may be the enemy of Christ and you simply remind them of Him. So don’t fight them: be the peacemaker between them and Him. Love them to Him. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
- Sunday, 11/10/19 Could it be that the one who is causing you so much trouble honestly feels that they’re doing the right thing? John 16:2, ...yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. Maybe they’re not so belligerent: maybe they’re lost and need a “savior” to love them to the big Saviour. Proverbs 7:21, With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. A reminder that all of us have a breaking point in resisting sin. Also, because of pride, we are far more likely to overestimate our strength to resist and underestimate sin’s seductive power...we need to reverse those two estimations.
- Monday, 11/11/19 Song of Solomon 3:2, I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth... A reminder that we’re to seek the Lord (not His stuff) as a lover seeking her sweetheart. Do you come even a little close to this standard? I usually don’t... Joshua 2:18, Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. Rahab was saved by this scarlet thread. Those in her world couldn’t see it, but those outside could. In time, those inside knew of her choice. I can’t look at someone and see who is going to Heaven or Hell, but in time, all will know. Do you KNOW, with 100% absolute certainty, that YOU will go to Heaven 1 millisecond after you die? You can know; God wants you to know; I can show you straight from the Bible what He says about getting to His house. Please let me do so. Message me. Don’t go to Hell because of pride or procrastination...message me TODAY.
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