- Wednesday, 1/25/23 Psalm 96:7, Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. What can we give to the One who owns everything? We can give Him acknowledgement of His awesomeness. That’s “glory”: shine your spotlight onto Him. And give Him service, “strength.” Psalm 119:129, Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. We’ve read and we’ve been taught that we are to meditate upon the Word of God. (He extends HUGE promises if we will.) But, maybe a prior step is to meditate on WHAT the Word of God is. If we’ll elevate It in our minds and value the fact that He gave It to us, we’d love It more and obey It more readily.
- Thursday, 1/26/23 For the times when we’re getting a bit proud of “good a Christian” we are...(and we all feel that way at times), here’s a red reset button to show us that we have A LOT of room to improve: Psalm 119:131, I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Luke 17:7-9, But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. Jesus painted an obvious picture where the master didn’t thank his servants for doing what they were told to do when they were told to do it. It’s human nature; it’s part of having a role to perform. However, we should be better. We need to say thank you for meals made; laundry done; chores accomplished; employment continued. We need to acknowledge another’s faithfulness (Pastor, SS teacher, boss, employee, child making progress, seeing someone reading their Bible or being in church.) Thank you’s and praises need to roll off our tongues A LOT more. You and I like it...”give and it shall be given you, good measure pressed down and shaken together.”
- Friday, 1/27/23 Proverbs 20:3, It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. The word “strife” means a “contest.” Are you always trying to get in the final (winning) word? Prove your point? Demonstrate your rightness or their wrongness? Let it go. Let them save face. You don’t need to win. Has that storm that you’ve been dreading and watching approach finally gotten here? That pain, the confusion, the fear are no longer dreaded; they are present. So it was for our Lord. John 17:1, These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, THE HOUR IS COME; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. Pray like the Lord: pray that you will shine the spotlight (glory) of the storm onto the Father.
- Saturday, 1/28/23 Proverbs 20:4, The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. A good excuse is still an excuse, and we WILL live with the consequences of not doing what we were supposed to do, and that which we had the opportunity to do. It’s cold; get to it. John 17:19, And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Our level of separation/sanctification (however high or low) will help or hinder others. So, standards of holiness are to serve others. Is your life all about what you’d like, or how others could benefit? Some things may not be wrong but they’re not helpful. // Self-sanctification (separating self from certain things), seems to be key to others being made holy. What external standards/practices could we start/stop? Which are we willing to?
- Sunday, 1/29/23 James 1:18, Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. How great is your faith? Or, should I ask, how many are your works? If you HAD to, could you stand up in church and recite what you’ve done recently? How long of a speech would it be? (Ouch!!) Psalm 127:1, Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Maybe a conversation that you and the Holy Spirit could have is if there is anything that you are doing in vain because...YOU are doing it and not letting HIM do it. You may being doing all that you are supposed to be doing (laboring, building, and waking to be on watch); everything but one: getting out of His way and depending wholly on Him.
- Monday, 1/30/23 Psalm
127:2, It is vain for you to rise up
early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his
beloved sleep. Sometimes the smartest, most spiritual thing that you can do
is to go to sleep. Sleep is necessary to this corrupt body of ours. Do all you
can while you're awake...and get your 8 hours. (Especially if you're past 40.) Psalm 103:12, As far as the east is from the west, so far
hath he removed our transgressions from us. We really like this verse and
concept. We like it that He doesn't hold our confessed and forsaken sins
against us. If we're to be like Him, shouldn't we do that for others? Remove
your spouse's transgressions from you; your children's; YOUR PARENT'S!! Remove
them and don't remember them.
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