-Tuesday, 2/26/19 Psalm 125:1, They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. Trust is a conscious putting your weight on something else. We SAY we trust God, but we hang onto our troubles and try to “HELP” Him solve our dilemma.
Matthew 7:11, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Luke 11:13, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Notice the equating of the fulness of the Holy Spirit with all good things. What you need, what your spouse needs the most, what your kids need the most, what your adversaries need the most is the filling of the Spirit of God. Pray much more for that and much less for the ancillary things.
- Wednesday, 2/27/19 Psalm 119:61, The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. It’s easy to be a good Christian during the normal or good times. Each of us need to be much better on our bad days and in our bad times. Numbers 13:30, And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. Note Caleb and Joshua’s optimism. Are you like them? With God on your side why are you not very optimistic? Well, how are we to build our faith? Easy: overdose on the Bible: more reading, listen to it on your phone, more church, more sermons.
- Thursday, 2/28/19 Proverbs 22:13, The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. Whether this man was making excuses or simply being prudent, I don’t know, but how do you react to problems? Do you immediately begin to think of ways to solve them, or how big they are and give up? Psalm 69:5, O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee. God sees them. Many around us see them. Deep down we know they’re there. So why don’t we admit, confess, and forsake our sins? The truth is, we love us too much.
- Friday, 3/1/19 Psalm 129:1, Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say. You have survived every one of your previous “toughest times ever.” My guess is that you’ll survive this one too. Do right and take one more step today. Matthew 27:4, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. The Pharisees couldn’t have cared less that Judas was feeling guilty over betraying Jesus. I had this thought: how hard do we make it for people in our world (spouses, kids, friends, church peers, church leaders), how hard do we make it for them to apologize and get back into our good graces?
- Saturday, 3/2/19 Psalm 71:23, My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. Notice the order: the singing occurs without the joy, and then the lips and the heart “get with it.” So, sing and praise by obedient faith and the feelings will come. Matthew 27:46, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Jesus has been thanked (though not enough) for enduring this separation, but have we ever thanked the Father for doing it? For providing His own Son as His acceptable Substitute?
- Sunday, 3/3/19 Psalm 119:114, Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Hiding from trouble is OK, if you can. If necessary, fight and defend. Ultimately, trust and rest in the power of Christ’s Word. Luke 23:4-5, Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. Jesus was crucified because the people would not accept their leader’s judgment and decision. In other words, they whined until they got their way. You and I have never done that, have we? With our spouses? SS teacher? Pastor? Friends? Kids?
- Monday, 3/4/19 Luke 22:44, And being in an agony [Jesus] prayed more earnestly. So often, we quit when we are faced with an ultimate challenge: Jesus didn’t. That kind of character is built gradually, over time by repeated discipline. Your “edge of disaster” moment will come: are you preparing? Amos 7:14-15, Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Two aspects of Amos’ character that God noticed: first he was faithful and busy. God’ll use anyone on the planet except a lazy person. Secondly, while working, evidently, Amos was listening for and sensitive to the voice of God. Are you daily seeking His will in His Word? Are you submitting your will to His? Are you doing what you know to do?
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