- Tuesday, 11/10/20 Matthew 6:27, Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Just as we can do little to change our physical situation, we basically can’t change our lot in life. Hence, we must
trust that the Creator is aware of us, has a purpose in what is, and a plan for what will be. Psalm 64:6, [The wicked] search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. The word “iniquities” here has the connotation of “inconsistencies.” So often I do that: I hone in on their inconsistencies...especially with someone I don’t like. (You?) We should trumpet every positive in another, and assume that the negative was a slip-up, an honest mistake, or, more likely, a misinterpretation on our part. If we don’t...look at v7, “But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.” Do right by others; the Lord is watching.
- Wednesday, 11/11/20 Psalm 67:5-6, Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. THEN shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, SHALL bless us. Notice the if-then aspect of the verse. The old adage is true: we must thank God for what we have before we’ll get more. Psalm 126:2, Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. Do the heathen at work talk of you behind your back? Let’s give them something to chew on: let’s try, for 1 week, to be (almost) obnoxiously giddy at work. THINK about how much God has done for you, and allow it to show on your face, and by singing/humming/whistling. In your own situation, HOW could you do that? Post-it notes to remind you? Phone alarms? A string around your finger? Let’s have a happy week.
- Thursday, 11/12/20 Psalm 126:5, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. We can't have Part B unless we do Part A. Are we ACTIVELY trying to get the Gospel to our world? Are there tracts in our pockets? Fresh? or old and tattered? Let’s make ourselves give out 3 today. Job 1:8, And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Notice that God basically goaded Satan into attacking Job. The Lord set a trap for the Devil, and, at the same time, helped His servant grow and see some sin in his heart. Many of our problems (if they’re not our own “just desserts,”) come from God, and not the devil.
- Friday, 11/13/20 Psalm 128:2, For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Just a reminder to all of us: fearing God and working hard makes us happy...regardless of who lives in the White House. Worry about you...God’s got it. We prepare for the inevitable: in the Fall, we unpack our hats and gloves and boots. In November, we think of Christmas decor. In the Spring, we look at seed catalogs or garden magazines in preparation for summer. Matthew 11:11, Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. All of will be greater than John. How so? In holiness, love for God and for the brethren, and in hatred for sin. Prepare for the inevitable.
- Saturday, 11/14/20 Luke 10:21, ...Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes... The Christian life is much more understandable if we quit thinking that we’re mature adults, but instead see ourselves as a 9-12-15 month old toddlers. 2 Corinthians 12:4, How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. I heard a beautiful song on the radio recently that talked about Heaven and how “angels will stop and listen to my new voice.” I chuckled: remember how embarrassed we were when Mom pulled out 35 year old pictures we’d drawn as toddlers and showed them to our sweetheart? That’s how we’ll feel as we look on our lives once we get over there. Do your best here, but realize, our capabilities to serve the King will get MUCH better later.
- Sunday, 11/15/20 Esther 5:13, Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. If we can’t change our circumstances, especially how another treats us, we either must discipline our mind to overlook the circumstances, or be miserable...our (daily) choice. Psalm 72:3, The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. True peace (inner peace, the ability to live with yourself and God, NOT a lack of exterior conflict), comes only by righteousness. And, there are 2 kinds of righteousness: imputed and personal. One is an immediate eternal gift and the other is a gradual, daily pursuit. So, #1, are you born again biblically? If you’ve any doubt, message me. #2, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about what your next step is on “The Holiness Highway.”
- Monday, 11/16/20 Proverbs 11:5, The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. “Lord, please remind me and help me to let Your righteousness direct my actions today instead of my own inherent wickedness.” Genesis 50:15, And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. All of us tend to assume that others will act like us, (after all, every way of a man is right in his own eyes, and since, “my way is right,” others will act like me.) Beware, not everyone is as nice as you. Forgiveness is a spiritual action, and is not natural. Give a lot of it; expect little of it in return.
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