- Tuesday, 10/23/18 Read
Lucifer’s description in Ezekiel 28. However, notice him by the time we see
him: Isaiah 14:16, They that see thee shall narrowly look upon
thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to
tremble, that did shake kingdoms... Lesson? Sin destroys natural beauty. Isaiah
14:13-14, For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of
God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the
north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most
High. Lucifer’s sin. Five times, “I will.” However, it is often said that
he wanted to be above God. He didn’t. He said he wanted to ALSO sit upon the
mount, and to be LIKE the most High. His sin was wanting to be free from
accountability, from answering to another. Are you ever like that?
- Wednesday, 10/24/18
Manhood is an obscene, forgotten concept in America in 2018. But never
forget that God is a paternal God and holds the man responsible for many
things. Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world... Men, if there’s sin in your relationship/family, it falls
first and foremost at your feet. Psalm 133:2, [Unity among brethren] is like the precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down upon the beard... If you want to enhance your home life, get
along. I know little of the contention is YOUR fault (sarcasm), but, get along.
Be more tolerant; more forgiving; more understanding; more helpful; more
subservient. In short, do all you CAN do...and then do some more. Yes, you can.
Remember, none of the Bible is written to others: it’s all just for YOU (and
me.)
- Thursday, 10/25/18
Psalm 72:1, Give the king thy
judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. A reminder
that you and Jesus together will do a better job at whatever is on your list
today than just you alone. A healthy dose of wisdom and purity will enhance
each of our days. Proverbs
17:2, A wise servant shall have rule over
a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the
brethren. We’ve all heard the saying, “Blood is thicker than water.” Well,
wisdom is thicker than blood. Beware of placing family above wise spiritual
principles. It’s hard, but sometimes we must choose non-relatives over blood
kin: in terms of maybe rebuking sin; inheritance; promotion; time spent with...
Do what the Lord would have you do, even if your loved ones get bent out of
shape. Remember, you're a member of two families: your daddy's and your
Father's. His takes precedence over his.
- Friday, 10/26/18 Luke
21:2, And he saw also a certain poor
widow casting in thither two mites. A reminder that tithing was taught
before the Law, in the Law, and in the New Testament by the Lord. Are you
returning at least 10% of your gross to the Lord? No one would be very friendly
to one who regularly robs him... Mark
7:15, There is nothing from without a
man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of
him, those are they that defile the man. Since all of us are wicked
sinners, for you to discover that my heart, my motives, my thoughts are impure
is not too surprising. HAVING the thoughts, BEING wicked is not our problem.
It’s when we allow what is inside of us (in great abundance and concentration)
to come out. Keep your heart to yourself.
- Saturday, 10/27/18 Psalm
74:1, O God, why hast thou cast us off
for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? It’s
VERY easy to focus on another’s contributions to our situation rather than
asking, “What has this little lamb done?” Apply to your marriage, work, and
church. What can YOU fix in YOU? Isaiah
30:15, For thus saith the Lord God, the
Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and
in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. It’s interesting:
there is no mention here of trying harder or getting more education or working
longer hours or using modern medicine/psychological methods. None of those
would seem to produce quietness, strength, or salvation. Hmmmm....maybe the
secret ingredient isn’t so secret: trust God, draw close to Him, and listen to
whatever He says. (Consider 32:17, And the work of righteousness shall be
peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.)
- Sunday, 10/28/18 Hebrews
12:1b-2a, ...let us run with patience the
race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus... You know, since we can’t
actually see Christ, it’s really hard to obey this verse if we don’t have a
vibrant, active, productive Bible time. How’s yours? If you need help,
ask...me, your SS teacher, your pastor...someone. Psalm 71:5, For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
A word for us more seasoned believers, ones who’ve been saved for decades in
dealing with new converts or youth in your sphere of influence: remember that
faith is like a muscle. It must be used, over and over, to grow strong. You may
not feel like you’re anything close to a “spiritual body builder” but if you’ve
just kept walking a few miles a day for decades, that is incomprehensible to
the toddler who can’t go more than 10’ without falling. Like the psalmist here,
what seems like “child’s play” level of faith, is, in fact, a HUGE step out for
the new believer. You may be stronger than you think...so be patient with the
“98 lb weaklings” or “spiritual toddlers.”
- Monday, 10/29/18 Psalm
119:9a, Wherewithal shall a young man
cleanse his way? Here is a rather pointed, “that’s none of your business”
question, but I already had to ask it of myself: Do you REALLY want to be
cleansed, or are you satisfied with your level of holiness? Are you “good enough”
or confessing daily and striving for improvement? I know where I, far, far too
often, fall... Psalm
130:6, My soul waiteth for the Lord more
than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the
morning. Paul said that it’s unwise to measure ourselves by others, but,
grading yourself is a key to improvement. Ball teams call it “self scouting.”
They analyze themselves looking for flaws like an opposing coach will. For your
eyes only: what are your weak spots?
What are your strengths? Might there be some seeds of pride or
contentment in those good areas? How are you doing on “the basics”? your Bible
reading, tithing/offering, soul winning, prayer, being a servant? Some self
analysis is good.
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Contact me at baptistcity@gmail.com for information on subscribing to the weekly email or daily text messages from Terry.