- Tuesday, 10/22/19
Proverbs 16:18, Pride goeth before
destruction. Pride is most often manifested as an inner attitude not an
outward action. It’s a feeling that we deserve a certain level of treatment,
status, or possessions. Are you proud? Maybe, I should ask if we’re acting
discontented...at work, home, church. (Ouch)
Psalm 119:23, Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. It hurts to be the topic of gossip, and maybe those pained feelings are unavoidable, but we CAN control our subsequent reaction. Control what you can control...control your brain (& your prayer life. Jesus forgave and prayed for those that hurt Him... ‘just sayin’.)
- Wednesday, 10/23/19 Numbers 10:30, And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. Moses’ father-in-law put his family and heritage above the will of God. We must never allow anyone/thing keep us from growing closer to Him and His will. Luke 16:26, And beside all this, between us [in Heaven] and you [in Hell] there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. I find it interesting that, evidently, some would wish to go from Heaven to Hell, presumably to try to convince their loved ones one last time to repent. Also, I find it VERY interesting that Abraham said neither can they...that would go from Hell to Heaven. I would think that all who are there would wish to leave, but maybe some? most? all? so hate God that they would prefer the torments of the damned to being in His presence.
- Thursday, 10/24/19 Luke 16:11, If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? If we’re struggling with understanding spiritual things, the first thing to check is our tithe record. If He can’t trust us to return 10%, why would He cast His pearls of wisdom to...swine? Luke 18:11, The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. Honestly, you or I may not be AS BAD as someone else...but that doesn’t make us GOOD, just better. We all still have plenty on our plates to clean up regardless of how much more another one has. Never lose sight of the fact that you and I deserve to be cast into Hell just like everybody else does, and that we have a whole lot of sin to clean up just like everyone else does. When it comes to sin and righteousness and getting right with God: IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU.
- Friday, 10/25/19 Proverbs 17:15, He that...condemneth the just, [is an] abomination to the Lord. Wow! I don’t want to be disgusting to God...but have I ever written off another believer? “He’s worthless!” “Not worth my time...” “A mockery of Christianity.” “Deserved what he got!! Good for him!!” Hmmm... Isaiah 24:11, There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. There are times when our surroundings provide us with the makings of a good day: the sun is shining, our finances are secure, our health and our family’s health is good: we’re on topside. However, sometimes, “the mirth of the land is gone” and, if we’re to have a good day, a joy-filled day, it’ll have to be because we choose it on purpose, by character. On the stormy days, when the bills are greater than the income, when we’re under attack, when our health is failing, we can still “rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” We can still marvel that our names are written in Heaven. We can still shout for joy that our God knows about and has a purpose in all of our troubles.
- Saturday, 10/26/19 Proverbs 17:17, A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Remember that love does what is NEEDED, not necessarily what is wanted. It’s not always warm fuzzies and puppies. Faithful are the WOUNDS of a friend. Be a friend; appreciate a friend. Isaiah 24 is a gloomy chapter foretelling the judgment of God falling on Israel. V13-14, When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea. Notice, it is said that the people in the midst of judgment would sing. The Bible stories show us how we’re to act in every circumstance of life. V15, Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in the isles of the sea. You and I are able to glorify God IN our fires. Others have in the past...therefore, we can do so in the present. By character, by choice, turn the spotlight (the glory) off of our troubles and onto Him. Turn your spotlight off of how bad you have it and onto His faithfulness, His mercy, His strength, His omniscient omnipotence. However bad we have it, there is a LOT we could thank and praise Him for.
- Sunday, 10/27/19 Luke 23:2a, And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation... As society waxes worse and worse, it will become more and more common that righteous people will be accused and vilified like Jesus was. Expect it, and love anyway. Luke 24:15, And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. When was the last time you reasoned with someone about the Bible? The word implies a back-n-forth discussion, an assertion of ideas and a willingness to admit error and learn new or different views. We’ve been conditioned that we’re not supposed to discuss religion or politics and this makes for a very ignorant believers with a shallow set of beliefs.
- Monday, 10/28/19 Psalm 57:2, I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. 1) All He does is for us, even the “bad.” 2) He PERFORMS...so He’d probably appreciate some acknowledgment and applause. John 5:11-12, He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? They totally ignored the fact that he had been healed but focused only on his fault. Are people more important than rules? We would all say, “Yes,” but how do we act daily?
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