- Tuesday, 10/26/21 Psalm 107:8, Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Not only should we
vocally acknowledge God’s goodness in our own lives, but we could point it out in the lives of the unsaved. Doing so might get them thinking about God’s goodness and might be the first seed planted that’ll grow into salvation. Mark 9:28, And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? This question came after Jesus had rebuked them about their inability to cast out the demon earlier. When we get scolded, do we try to figure out the root problem, even by going so far as to humbly ask our authority what we did wrongly, or do we simply gripe and mope and criticize and get mad at the authority?
- Wednesday, 10/27/21 Psalm 107:11-12a, Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour... Rebellion and condemning God DOES get dealt with. Might this explain some burdens, especially at work, in your life and mine? (Ooo, a sneaky mid-week jab!) Psalm 37:34, Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. This verse encapsulates much of our troubles in the Christian life. We neglect (or ignore) the two things we are told to do (wait on Him and obey); we wrongly define “waiting” as sitting still and watching whereas it means to serve and pay attention to His wants (as if we were trying to get a big tip at a restaurant); we demand that He give us our inheritance early (oooo...isn’t there a NT story about a boy doing that?); and we root for the wicked to “get what’s coming to them,” instead of being compassionate and trying to love them to the Saviour. Reread the verse.
- Thursday, 10/28/21 Mark 9:38, And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. Not everyone dots their i’s or crosses their t’s just like you (or your church) does, and that’s OK. None of us have a corner on the truth. We all have sins that we categorize as “not so bad,” (like...everyone that WE commit...) Here’s a command: Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil, Psalm 37:8b. The word “fret” means “to glow or grow warm; to blaze up.” Don’t let yourself get all worked up and end up hurting someone. The wrong action ALWAYS leaves out at a bad destination; it always brings regret. Only YOU can prevent the consequences of YOUR actions. Fret not thyself...
- Friday, 10/29/21 Does it frustrate you to see people justify their bad intents (iniquity), act on that justification and then sin, and seemingly get away with it? Psalm 37:1b, ...neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Remember, “sin, when it is FINISHED...” Wait for it... Psalm 38:1, O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Since God is “ready to forgive” (Ps 86:5), if we get to the point of Him being angry with us, we’ve screwed up big-time. ‘Fess up early and often. Keep short accounts with Him. (And remember to forgive others before asking mercy for yourself.)
- Saturday, 10/30/21 “Why do I have to hurt SSOOOO badly and so much??” Short answer: to refine you and increase your value. Proverbs 25:4, Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Bottom line: Are you willing to be purified? If yes, quit griping. If no, deal with it. John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. A twist off of this verse: we must be willing to lay down our own pleasures for a friend. Are you willing to lay down the friendship with that person to keep them on the straight and narrow? This is a different way to say, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” Who are you willing to wound to keep them right?
- Sunday, 10/31 Mark 14:71, But [Peter] began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. If one who personally walked every day with Jesus for over 3 years could fall this quickly and this badly, we can too. Walk humbly and keep your eyes open for the enemy. Who is your God? Not the one you profess; the one you actually live with? Psalm 115:5-8, They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. Does your God speak and hear? In other words, are you close enough to Him to interact with Him? If a deep, personal, intimate relationship does not describe what you have, it’s not His fault. What is keeping you from a closer walk to Him? A blatant sin? Too busy doing other things (trading the best for the good)? How could you improve your relationship to the One Who loves you so intensely?
- Monday, 11/1/21 Psalm 113:7-8a, He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he may set him with princes... God still answers exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. He is faithful and loving: He’ll give you what you need. How are we to interact with the unsaved? We know we have to get them to Christ, yet we also have to protect ourselves from their influence and the pull of their sin. Proverbs 28:7, Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father. The word “companion” here means “to pasture.” I think our modern day equivalent would be “hanging out.” Socializing with the unsaved would not be wrong, necessarily...IF, in our minds, the purpose and intent was always clear to us that we are tilling the soil, waiting to plant the Gospel seed. So, hanging out for fun would be unwise; hanging out so as to plant the Seed would be good. (Your thoughts?)
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