- Wednesday, 8/5/20 Proverbs 2:4, If thou seekest [wisdom, knowledge, & understanding] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures... I know I don’t seek them like I would a missing $100 bill...and you probably don’t either. You pray for me, please, and I will for you. Acts 5:4, Whilst it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Let the story of Ananias and Sapphira remind us that He doesn’t take our vows lightly, nor can we change a vow once it is made.
- Thursday, 8/6/20 Matthew 13:27b-28a, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. Satan’s primary method is to substitute an imitation. He gives us substitute Bibles, love (sex), purity (situational ethics), church (our choice, not His), family (alternative lifestyles), purpose (self pleasure vs His pleasure.) Don’t be duped. Acts 5:15, Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. To cast a shadow for Christ, we must be walking in the Light.
- Friday, 8/7/20 Acts 6:1, And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Racial tension and accusations are nothing new: people are people and have always been. Love and serve ‘em all. Acts 6:3-4, Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Leaders, don’t be slow to delegate lesser tasks so you can concentrate on greater tasks, or tasks only you can do.
- Saturday, 8/8/20 Acts 7:54, When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. If we don’t, at least occasionally, get angry/frustrated/disturbed at what the preacher says about our lifestyle, something is wrong with us or him. Matthew 14:29-31, And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Oft times we hear that we should forget the past and just press on. Partly right: we should forget OUR past, especially our failures, but don’t forget God’s past. Many times in the Bible, He points back to the Red Sea and other miracles. Here, Peter didn’t look at the recent past (he HAD taken some steps on the water) and, instead looked at present circumstances (the wind) and he failed. Review His constant awesomeness not your frequent flaw-fulness. Did He lead you? Then He will. Did He provide for you? Then He will. Did He protect you? Then He will. And no, we didn’t, don’t, and never will deserve His goodness.
- Sunday, 8/9/20 Matthew 14:23, And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. Christianity 101: we must get away from others (& phones) and be with our God. Could anyone look at your practices and want to emulate them? Up your game. Hosea 9:1, Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. We often might look at others and think, “They’re getting away with it; they’re happy in their sin, so I can get away with it and be happy too.” However, they probably aren’t His child. None of us spanked the neighbor’s kids, but we dealt with our own. Yes, dear born-again one, YOU are to live according to His rules today. He’ll deal with them later.
- Monday, 8/10/20 Hosea 10:13, Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity. We choose to sin (plant a seed) and we end up with iniquity (taking the position to determine what’s right and wrong), and thus, depart into a wicked lifestyle. Whatever bad seeds you’re sowing...STOP NOW. Has God let you down? Has He abandoned you? He does, sometimes. Psalm 60:3, Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. However, in this whole psalm there is not one mention of repentance, or considering that God may have had a legitimate (holy) reason for what He did. (There’s a lot of blaming God for abandoning His people.) Learn from the mistakes of Bible heroes: their faults, foibles, and sins are recorded for us to learn what NOT to do.
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