Monday, 1/20/14 Pro 14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. Positives (production) and negatives (manure). The negative comes before the positive. And our attitude toward the negative often dictates whether we’ll even receive the positive, or how much we’ll enjoy the positive. ILL: awareness of sin before salvation; Calvary before Easter; studying before grades; work before paycheck. Read Ps 35:3-8 and notice the specificity of David’s prayers!!! When we say, “Lord, help me in this situation” do we even know if our prayer gets heard?
Tuesday, 1/21/14 Does your life seem to be full of obstacles and barriers and painful problems? Some of that is normal, but ask God if this verse has any bearing. Pro 15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain Ps 36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Do you assume to know why people do things? Maybe the sin you saw someone commit was their one failure out of 10 temptations. Maybe they’re sick, just got fired at work, are exhausted, and just succumbed this one time, whereas they usually aren’t tempted much in that area. Give people the benefit of the doubt that you want us to give you. Read that again: give people the benefit of the doubt that you want to receive.
Wednesday, 1/22/14 Pro 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of the foolish poureth out foolishness. Not everyone needs to know all that you know. Knowledge is for a use, not a display. Be honest: how good are you at NOT telling unnecessary truth? Bad truth? Untimely truth? Ps 38:1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. I don’t believe that we should always be trembling when the topic of God comes us; nor do I think that every bad thing that happens is Him “getting us” (much of the time I think it’s just life, or our own stupidity harming us), but the Lord’s “other side” has been so ignored for so long that we’ve forgotten about it. He does have wrath, and a temper, and does execute revenge. Fear God and keep his commandments (Ecc 12:13).
Thursday, 1/23/14 Jud 15:20-16:1 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines 20 years. Then went samson to Gaza, and saw ther an harlot, and went in unto her. Then No amount of past service entitles you to sin, and no level of present position innoculates you from the consequences of sin. Pro 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. A reminder that meals are to be eaten in a calm quiet setting. 1Do you bring/cause more or less disquietness at mealtime? 2Do you react negatively when someone else starts?
Friday, 1/24/14 Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Learning patience is like spiritual weightlifting: there are no shortcuts; you develop greater patience by demonstrating lesser patience repeatedly; and the results take time. Be patient. Acts 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Paul warned of this and we need to be aware of it today. Always, always, ALWAYS filter stuff through the Bible: “Chapter and verse, please.” Don’t believe what I tell you is in the Bible; believe what I show you is in the Bible.
Saturday, 1/25/14 1 Sam 8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day. Take note: if your purposeful, rebellious choices put you in a fix, God very well may not even listen to your prayers for help. Repentance from sin instead of complaining over the consequences will get His attention. Ps 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. We all want God to answer our prayer and to do things our way, and to do it NOW, but really, aren’t we glad that we have a God big enough to deal with our petty “hurt feelings” and wise enough to do what’s best?
Thoughts from some others
Pro 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil, but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. We must guard against retaliation and vindictiveness for wrong personally done to us. Take care of God’s business and wait for Him to handle it.
2 Cor 4:18b ...for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. We need to put a priority on the eternal and the temporal will care for itself. In other words, live for God’s glory and not for show.
Pro 25:26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring. I won a man last evening whose dad had been a Baptist deacon. He said he was as good as dad and had friends who claimed to be saved. He was easy to win: when I asked him if going to Hell over the sins of others was worth it. I wonder how many will be in Hell due to the poor living by Christians?
2 Cor 8:21 Providing things honest in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. Our Christianity, if we have real salvation, should be obvious to both God and men.
Pro 23:10a Remove not the old landmark. If ever we need to heed a warning, it is this one. Old standards of morals, honesty, hard work, integrity, and pulpits afire convicting sinners of God’s hatred for sin but love to the sinner.
Ps 37:32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. We should not be surprised at the hateful attitude and desire of the world to destroy us: they crucified our Saviour!!
Ps 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. To the degree we delight, enjoy, delight in what He prefers and likes, to that degree He will give us our heart’s desires. This isn’t a blank check as some would believe and teach, but a measure of our love for and desire to know God’s preferences. They’s why He gave us His preserved word.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Sin is a legal issue.