- Tuesday, 3/24/20 Luke 17:3, Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. Notice it is a direct distinct COMMAND: forgive the one who repents. We can’t
truthfully KNOW if they “mean” it; we can’t control them, but WE are ordered to FORGIVE: erase the offense. Mark 3:25, And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. Couples, are you both on the same page with each other about the order and arrangement for your home? Are you both in sync with the Bible? Husband is the head answering to Christ; wife supporting him and allowing him to lead by voluntary submission; kids in subjection and obedience? (Hint, the world’s way doesn’t work...go back to God’s way.)
- Wednesday, 3/25/20 Proverbs 31:11-12, The heart of [the virtuous woman’s] husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Notice that this godly lady builds her life around him. Yes, she has her own interests, but her priority was him first & family second. 1 Corinthians 15:22, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. How did we get “in Adam”? By birth. So, the same way to get “in Christ” is by birth, the new birth. “Ye MUST be born again.” That is not a Baptist term; it is a God term, a Jesus term, a Bible term. Are you born again? It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done,” it is not by heritage or sincerity or trying to live better. It is by realization that without the new birth you are justly doomed to an eternity apart from Christ in Hell; it is by realizing that Christ died and rose again as our Substitute; and it is by ONLY relying on His substitutionary sacrifice as your only hope for Heaven. Are you “in Adam” or are you “in Christ”? Are you spiritually “dead” or “alive.” (Note: there is no “sorta alive: or “getting there.”) Message me for more info.
- Thursday, 3/26/20 Ecclesiastes 12:11a, The words of the wise are as goads. A goad is a pointed stick to motivate an animal to move. It’ll hurt them but not damage them. I hope these thoughts “drive” you closer to the Lord. Are you goading anyone to become a better Christian? Maybe start sending out your own daily/weekly texts. Psalm 46:11, The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Twice in these 11 verses, God refers to Himself as the “God of Jacob” being our refuge. Who was Jacob? The scheming, lying, sneaky trickster who stole his brother’s birthright and blessing. He was a scoundrel, who later had his named changed to “Israel”: a “Prince” with men and God. But...God is the God of the “bad” Christian too. And, the verse before v 11 says, Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Let God use you during this crisis. Obey the authorities: stay home unless absolutely necessary. Be cheerful and positive at work. And remind yourself and your family that the God of Jacob is our refuge.
- Friday, 3/27/20 Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Can we all agree that our lives, our homes, our nation are in trouble? He says He’s present...but what good is that presence if He is ignored? You’ve got extra time right now...talk to the “Stranger” in the room. 1 Corinthians 1:4, I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. Paul saw grace (God’s goodness in action; the desire and power to do the will of God) in these believers. Pointed question: do you more often see grace in others or faults? Do you emphasize points of agreement with others or points of contention? Are you trying to reach over the fence to shake hands or just build the fence higher and throw garbage over it? Yes, there are things worthy of contention and separation...but too often we go too far. (Note, this book was written to the baby Corinthians.)
- Saturday, 3/28/20 Psalm 9:10, And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Is this verse true? Then act like it; sing like it; talk like it; quarantine like it (no, not a contradiction); worship like it, POST ON FB like it. Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Clean, not just cleaner than another’s; right, not just righter. Let’s do some spring cleaning on ourselves. Let’s use this quarantine time to get holier, not more wicked.
- Sunday, 3/29/20 Isaiah 45:19c, I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Notice that speaking righteousness is NOT the same as not speaking evil. Each of us needs to examine ourselves and note the relative content of our speech: righteous, frivolous/worthless, or evil? Psalm 53:3, Every one of [the children of men] is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. If none do/are good, then I am not good, and have room for improvement. (You too.) Each of us should strive to see our own shortcomings LONG before seeing and pointing out another’s, and we should welcome the pointing out of our shortcomings (and at least consider that the other may be right regardless of how my ego/pride is hurt) so we can become better. Ouch...
- Monday, 3/30/20 Mark 12:24, And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? Of all the errors we make, these are maybe the 2 biggest. What does God say about it? What could He do about it? Are we in sync with Him? 1 Corinthians 2:3-5, And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Our flesh will always hate it, and always fight it, but for good, permanent godly results, it has to be a weak, little, insignificant me and a great big Him. Our time of glory and recognition will come when He shines the spotlight on us at the Judgment Seat...and then we give it all back to Him.
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