- Tuesday, 2/23/21 1 Thessalonians 4:1b, ...as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. “More and more.” Blunt question: are you
stagnant or growing? “Good enough” or striving to change? If I said, “Prove it,” could you? Psalm 39:1-2a, I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle... It’s easy to forget, but I am the only one who can make me be holy. Only I can control the lusts of my flesh, the desires of my eyes, and my pride. It’s all on me. Too often, we focus on either trying to improve others, or we blame others for the lack of improvement in ourselves. You and I sin cuz we like it and cuz we want to...let’s get back to work on US. (Let the Holy Spirit work on others: in His timing and by His agenda.)
- Wednesday, 2/24/21 1 Thessalonians 4:13b, ...that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. It’s not only in matters of death that we sorrow, but in everyday situations. Do you and I endure our daily problems “as those without hope,” or do we do it with OBVIOUS faith and joy? (Ouch!) “You think you’re all that and a bag of chips!!” Truthfully...the best of us is nothing but an empty bag. Psalm 39:5c, Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Middle age is characterized as the time of forgetfulness...let’s all work on forgetting ourselves: forget our happiness; forget our goals; forget our rights; forget our pain...it’s all about Him and His people. Go lift up a fallen brother today, and start at home.
- Thursday, 2/25/21 Proverbs 18:12, Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. Before the devastating tsunami there is a great calm, and before the long, delightful summer is a blizzard. How’re things for you right now? Read the verse again. Psalm 40:16, Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. Notice, that if we love being saved, we are to CONTINUALLY and VOCALLY shine a spotlight onto the Lord. Hmmm...another area in which I need to improve. (Please don’t blow off this verse and concept...resolve to do more in your world: there are people that you’ll meet and could win that neither I nor Pastor ever will.)
- Friday, 2/26/21 Romans 1:17, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. “I just don’t understand why IT is so...” Whatever IT is for you, we’ve got to trust that the God who designed us and loves us knows what will make us happiest. So, whatever IT is (submission, forgiveness, money, obedience)...live by faith and trust Him. Psalm 42:1, As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Visualize a runner in a summertime marathon: the thirst would consume him. So should we be for God. Quit living on the level of “I'll do what He commands,” and get to “I wonder what He'd prefer; I wonder what would make Him smile.” Go beyond the letter in dress, in separation from the world, in diligence, in holiness, in giving, in devotion, in service...get thirsty, my friend.
- Saturday, 2/27/21 Psalm 116:7, Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” The Christian life, like driving a car requires constant correction to keep going the right way. Are you weaving a bit? Proverbs 21:23, Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. We bemoan our circumstances and list how many problems we have, but truthfully, a LARGE percentage of our problems are self-inflicted. This verse speaks about our tongue causing trouble. Face it: we’re wretched sinners who need rules and restrictions and accountability to keep us on the High Road of Holiness. Question to ponder: what’re you doing to shoot yourself in the foot and how can you stop? Is it laziness? Sloppiness? Worldliness? Critical spirit? Lack of forgiveness? Running your mouth? Bad associations?
- Sunday, 2/28/21 Proverbs 21:26, [The slothful] coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. Here God describes someone consumed with materialism: the desire to have...just 1 more thing. But He also gives the cure: giving. Bluntly: do you GOTTA have more or newer stuff? Give away some nice stuff and get some hand-me-downs. Humility looks good on anyone. Hebrews 10:25, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Some believers haven’t physically been to their church (or any) in almost a year or aren’t nearly as faithful as before the pandemic. Online services are wonderful, but they are NOT church. Church means “an assembly.” If your church isn’t holding services for whatever reason, find another one. (Locals, come with me to First Baptist.) Isn’t some church better than no church?
- Monday, 3/1/21 Exodus 20:8, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Sunday is not the Christian Sabbath. But the principle still is applicable...one day of the week belongs to God. That being said, do you go Sunday School? Morning service? Evening service? Could you be? Should you be? Acts 2:47, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. If these people added to the church daily, it means that the church met daily. In our day and time, churches that try to emulate the Book of Acts generally have 3 services a week. Do you go to all 3? He says that He is present where 2 or 3 are gathered: don’t you want to be where He is? If the doors are open, you and I are to be there...if we’re wise and love Christ. If something else takes priority in your life, OK...but that other thing will seem pretty small when you look Him in the eye... Where will you be this Wednesday evening? Next Sunday morn during SS time? Evening service time?
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