Sunday,
7/13/14 Are you struggling currently in
the Christian life? Going through a low time? Matt 26:41 is the answer. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Our flesh
is, and always has been weak: we need to be on guard duty (watch) and pray
regarding avoiding our unique temptations. Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not
killed by these plagues yet repented not... This verse shows how hard the
human heart can become, and how stupid it can make us act. I don’t know if
Christians can get this hard, but we could go that direction. If God rebukes
you for something, respond with repentance.
Sunday, 7/6/14 Gen 37:5 And Joseph
dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
Joseph would’ve saved himself much heartache if he would’ve learned this: Just
because something enters your head doesn’t mean it should leave your mouth. In Gen 31:7, Jacob is
mentioning God for the first time in 20 years and he realizes that God has paid
attention to Him even though he’s ignored God. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages 10x; but God
suffered him not to hurt me. Hallelujah!!! What a Saviour!! Dear friend,
you’ve not been off of His mind...EVER!!!
Sunday,
6/22/14 Webster’s 1828 dictionary
definition of haughty: “Proud and disdainful; having a high opinion of one's
self, with some contempt for others; lofty and arrogant; supercilious
(dictatorial, overbearing). Pro 18:12
Before destruction the heart of man is
haughty. Check yourself. Zech
8:16-17 These are the things that ye
shall do: Speak every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of
truth and peace in your gates: and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts
against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I
hate, saith the Lord. This should occupy our time for...the next year or
two or twelve....
Sunday, 6/15/14 Ps 119:134 Deliver me from
the oppression of man: so
will I keep thy precepts. Would you obey and serve God better or worse if you had no problems? Ps
58:3 The wicked are estranged from the
womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Remember that
at heart we all are wicked so lying is our native language. 1Don’t
be surprised when any human speaks lies.
2Remember words
may not be the lie: underlying hurts may be speaking.
Sunday,
6/8/14 Ps 51:2 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according
unto thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and
my sin is ever before me. When was the last time you came to God and got
REALLY clean? Ps 51:16b Thou
delightest not in burnt-offering. 51:19 Then
shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices. Religious activities (service,
standards, works) simply for the sake of religious activity is offensive to
God. In vv 17-18, a broken and sincere heart are added. Standards and
convictions for God without a heart wholly right toward God is offensive to
both man and God.
Sunday, 6/1/14 Ps 42:5, 11; 43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why
art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the
help of his countenance. The Psalmist talked to himself to encourage
himself. You won’t always be able to reach the preacher or the SS teacher...be
able to pump yourself up. Exo 6:7 And I will
take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that
I am the Lord your God, which
bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Ezek 6:7 And
the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Which chapter 6, v7
do you want? How do you want Him to prove Whom He is?: by His blessings or His
judgments? Reread the verses: He does
give commandments that He will enforce.
Sunday,
5/25/14 Ps
37:30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh
wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. Maybe many who think they live
a righteous life don’t. (What do you
talk about?) Ps 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of
men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Maybe if we’d talk more
about the sweet little things that God does for us (and delight in them, like a
wife delights in the surprise bouquet at work), we’d draw more people to Him
because they’d see that He is not a Heavenly Bully waiting to whack them for any little misstep.
Sunday, 5/18/14 Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet. Very simply this means to be content. If you can’t have something, don’t fantasize about it. Don’t drive through neighborhoods with houses that are worth 3 or 4 times what yours is worth. Don’t look at another’s spouse. Delete the words “If only” from your vocabulary. 2 Pet 3:1-2 This second epistle...stir up your pure minds...remembrance: that ye may be mindful... God wants our minds FULL of His truths. Find a way to accomplish that: read more Bible. Remind yourself of It. Endeavor to incorporate It. Ask for advice on doing this.
Sunday, 5/11/14 Exo 20:7 Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. “Take” not “say.” I don’t think it refers to
speech at all. I think He says that we’re to act like we belong to Someone Who
is “not from around here.” We’re to act differently because we have a different
God. John
20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not
seen, and yet have believed. Thomas had to see in order to believe: that’s
not faith. Jesus said the blest ones are the ones who believed (relied upon) by
faith.
Sunday,
5/4/14 Ps 90:17a And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us... If we’d quit
actively resisting God working in our lives, more of His beauty would shoot
free. Luke 8:15 But
that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having
heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Time for a
check up: honest heart: excellent in
nature, pure, good; a good heart; eager to learn and bear
fruit. Are you “good ground” for the Gospel seed? Luke 7:8-9 For I also am a man set under authority...and I say unto one, Go, and
he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh... When Jesus heard..he
marvelled...and said...I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Faith cannot be separated from obedience. Faith is not simply positive
thinking; faith is believing rightly AND acting accordingly.