Monday, 2/8/16 Mark 2:17b, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. You’ll walk a lot closer to Christ if you’ll be more cognizant of your sinfulness than your “righteousness.” 2 Cor 7:1, ...let us cleanse ourselves form all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Three truths: 1after salvation, both our flesh and our spirits can be dirty. 2With God’s help, we are primarily the ones tasked to clean ourselves. 3Without the cleansing, our holiness is imperfect (incomplete.)
Monday, 2/8/16 Mark 2:17b, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. You’ll walk a lot closer to Christ if you’ll be more cognizant of your sinfulness than your “righteousness.” 2 Cor 7:1, ...let us cleanse ourselves form all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Three truths: 1after salvation, both our flesh and our spirits can be dirty. 2With God’s help, we are primarily the ones tasked to clean ourselves. 3Without the cleansing, our holiness is imperfect (incomplete.)
Tuesday, 2/9/16 Ps 106:1, Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 1There will never be a time His mercy will be absent. 2There will never be a time when His mercy will be insufficient. 3There will never be a time His mercy will need supplementing or updating. “Why does all of this happen to ME???” Compare these two verses: Pro4:19, The way of the wicked is as darkness: they KNOW NOT at what they stumble. Pro 1:23, Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Wednesday, 2/10/16 Ps 106:8, Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. “For his name’s sake” is equivalent to “for his glory” i.e. a spotlight. The reason/purpose that you’re saved is for you to shine your life’s spotlight onto Christ. Pro 3:27, Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in THE POWER OF THINE HAND to do it. You will have many opportunities to “do good” today (which means the chance to give of yourself.) How many will you take advantage of and how many will you ignore or squander?
Thursday, 2/11/16 Ps 36:1, The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Rightly or wrongly, David made conclusions about these people’s hearts after watching their actions. What are people inferring about your heart after watching you? Would you like some encouragement to start your day? Some guidance concerning pitfalls that will come your way today? Ps 143:8, Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. It’s there for the taking: open your Bible and then get down on your knees before you start your day.
Friday, 2/12/16 Phil 1:23-24, ...having a desire to depart...far better [for me]:...to abide...more needful for you. Do you make a few/a lot/most of your choices in life based on your wants or others’ needs? Deut 4:9, Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons. Your main responsibility in the Christian life is not soul winning or living for others. Your main job is to keep yourself on track for God. If you derail, there will be no soul winning or living for others or teaching a SS class. You have GOT to make sure YOU do rightly. So...have you eaten a good diet today and all this week (Bible and church)? Have you connected with your Personal Trainer (prayer, praise, worship)? Have you exercised (put into practice what you learned/saw in your Bible and at church)? You know HOW to do this...now DO IT!!!
Saturday, 2/13/16 I dare you... Keep a 24-hour log of your initial thoughts when someone comes to mind. Compare to Paul: Phil 1:3, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Rev 1:14-17, His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his hand 7 stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. The artists’ renditions of a “wimpy, effeminate Christ” are totally not the way He is. Also, no one will be casual and flippant when the see Him.
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Miscellaneous thoughts from others:
- In the Bible God’s people took the Gospel to the people rather than waiting for the people to come to the Gospel.
- There are saved sinners and unsaved sinners with Jesus being the difference.
- Pride says, "What can you do for me?" Humility says, "What can I do for you?
- If you say, "I deserve..." finished with anything other than the word, "Hell," then you may have a pride problem.
- Parents, you can lose your pride or you can lose your children. Which will you choose?
- Broken people can be like broken glass. They can cut you if you are not careful. Do not avoid them, but handle them with care.
- The ability to handle human conflict depends on the right merging of our thoughts and feelings.
- Ninety-nine percent of all problems in relationships with two people could be solved if one of the two were to act like a Christian.
- If you can't do what you once could do for God, do well what you can do.
- When a Christian becomes worldly in an effort to reach the world, the opposite has actually occurred.
- All men are dirty sinners. Confession is simply taking a bath. A man may get away with skipping a day. But there is absolutely no way he can hide after a month or six. He may think no one will notice, but EVERYBODY knows!
- When was the last time you told somebody that God loved him? When was the last time you told somebody that you loved him? When was the last time you were a peacemaker? When was the last time you verbally offered some longsuffering?
- Everything that is worthwhile is earned and then received. Everything not worthwhile is received and then earned.
- Whenever I have trouble with looking back at those things which are behind I just look further back to the cross.
- Spiritual warfare is about standing your ground against the enemy and taking new ground for the kingdom.
- When problems overwhelm us, God’s grace comes to us in many forms. Sometimes he empowers us directly. Sometimes he guides us through his Word. And sometimes he works through other people. He wants us to accept their encouragement and practical help. Will you be humble enough to ask for help from his people?
- Accepting help from others honors them and enables them to fulfill the design that God created them for.
- A lesson every man needs to learn is that you cannot be right with God and not be right with your wife.
- I used to think that wisdom from above was first smart and then I read the Bible and realized it is first pure.
- NO MATTER....no matter what you did, ...no matter how far you fell, ...no matter what sin you committed, ...no matter where you woke up, ...no matter how long you have been away, ...no matter how badly sin's odor has permeated you, ...no matter who you hurt, ...no matter how hopeless you feel, the Father awaits your return with open and loving arms. He longs to greet you back as his own precious child. NO MATTER...COME HOME.
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Bible thoughts from some others:
- Pro 8:5, O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Even though “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Ps 14:1 & 53:1), God still is gracious, kind, and merciful to implore them to reconsider!
- Bible thoughts! Ps 11:1, In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? We don't have to fear when our Daddy is near! Such a very encouraging thought this morning!!
- Bible thoughts! Ps 9:9, The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. What a promise!!! Have a valiant day!
- I Myself! Rom 7:25, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. I sure wish I could blame the preacher for not telling me, but I cannot. Alas, I must fault myself for my failures. For the Spirit dwells no more in the preacher than in me.
- Reading the Bible only, without meditating, is like swallowing whole corn without chewing. We both know what happens! Ps 119:148,) Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
- We have the only Sword that brings the dead to life.
- Ps 59:5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. If we used roadrage mentality we'd think, “Yeah! Yeah! That's right! You get 'em!" After pondering and thinking about how David treated his enemies, even King Saul, it seems as though this was said out of humility, acknowledgement, and reverence to our Great God who demands holiness and righteousness...
God, help me to do what Jesus said in Luke 6:35: “love ye your enemies..."
- Job 5:17, Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Like most who get a “word of knowledge,” Eliphaz’ statements are more garbage than truth. It’s best to stick with what we know and avoid the “spectacular” “new doctrine” or suppose what God is doing.
- Ps 120:1, In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. Thank the Lord for the tough times and the problems that drive us to Him.
- Gen 2:15, And the Lord took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. God gave man a job to do to keep him busy and occupy his time profitably. If it was a good plan in the beginning, it is still good for today. Work is far better than idleness for us.
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