Looking on Their King ~ Raul Ries

“Come and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.”

Hosea 6:1

As the Antichrist and the armies of the world converge on Israel, the remnant which has been safely hiding in the city of Bozrah (Petra) turns to belief in Jesus Christ as their Messiah, three days before His second coming. Imagine this remnant of Jewish people who have gone through the tribulation, now turning to their true Messiah, Jesus Christ!

God keeps His promises! He has not given up on His chosen people. Once again, He will turn to Israel and save them. This should remind us all that the Word of God is reliable. No matter what you may be experiencing in your life, trust the Lord’s Word for you- it is true and will come to pass!


Thought for the Day:

Even during the Great Tribulation, God’s mercy upon His people will be evident.

Saul Sees the Light ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day

Saul Sees the Light

Acts 8:4-8,14-17,25-40; 9:1-19; Psalm 116:17-19; Proverbs 20:23

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."

So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

"He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth."

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"

Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."
And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

And he said, "Who are You, Lord?"

Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."

So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"

Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias."

And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."

Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."

But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Acts 8:4-8, 14-17, 25-40; 9:1-19

WORSHIP

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the LORD's house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 116:17-19

WISDOM

Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And dishonest scales are not good.
Proverbs 20:23

A servants heart ~ Mike MacIntosh

And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Mark 10:41-45

Leadership isn't about exercising your authority over people, nor is it influencing people to do what you want them to do. Look at what Jesus says here. Leading people is all about serving them! Paul said in Galatians 5:13, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." You see, true, biblical leadership is about loving others and serving them in every need that they have.

Not only did Jesus tell us to serve and minister to each other's needs, He also lived it out. He washed dirty feet. He touched lepers and the unclean of society. He had meals with the unloved in society. Truly we can say "amen" to Jesus'words, "For the Son of Man came to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." Not only should we be so thankful for Jesus Christ, His life, and His ultimate sacrifice, but we should imitate Him in the things that He's called us to do.

"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Two Kinds of Suffering ~ Joyce Meyer

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.
— Romans 5:3

At some point in your Christian life, you may have heard that Jesus wants to set you free from all your suffering, and that is true—He does. However, there is a transition involved, and transition is never easy. The pathway to freedom and enjoying your life may be difficult at times. However, pressing forward toward freedom is definitely easier than staying in bondage.

When I first realized that Jesus could and desired to set me free, I wanted to have that freedom. But my attitude was, "I will not suffer anymore; I have suffered enough." But as long as we are in bondage, we are suffering anyway; and it is the type of suffering that has no end. If we are willing to let Jesus lead us through whatever we must go through in order to be free, it may hurt for a while; but at least it will be suffering that leads to victory, to a new life of freedom.

Many people never experience the joy of freedom because of a wrong mindset concerning suffering. These scriptures reveal that we should choose by faith to be joyful while we are going through difficult transitions, knowing that because God loves us, it will produce a good end, which is, in this case, mature character.

Broken to bond ~ Jon Courson

… Zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Titus 2:14-15

Telling his contemporaries as well as those younger and older than him the truth would probably not have been easy for Titus. And it may not always be easy for you. But if you’re a boss, a Bible study teacher, a parent, or a coach there are times when you need to speak the truth, as hard as it may be.

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Jeremiah 1:6-8,10

That’s what moms and dads, pastors and grandparents, bosses and coaches have to do sometimes. We’re called to pull down in order that we may build up.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Psalm 51:7-9

As a shepherd, David understood the meaning of broken bones. You see, when a lamb would stubbornly and rebelliously continue to wander away from the flock, the shepherd would break its legs and place the lamb on his shoulder where it would remain until its bones were healed. When the lamb could walk again, so bonded was he with the shepherd, he would never stray again.

Like sheep, we all go astray (Isaiah 53:6). Therefore, in His love, the Good Shepherd breaks a bone or two and carries me while I whine and cry and wonder what He’s doing. But as the days and weeks and months go by, I find myself closer to Him than I had ever been previously, and all I can say is, ‘Thank You, Lord.’

Part of shepherding means breaking a bone or two. Thus, Titus would have to speak words that could cause tears to flow or bones to snap. But he could do so with authority, knowing it was an opportunity for the wounded sheep to one day walk with its Shepherd more intimately.

Rejoice in the light of day ! ~ Jack Graham

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

-- Psalm 118:24

If you thought about it, I’m sure you could come up with a list of days that you would call special—birthdays of those you love, anniversaries, etc.

But what about today? Would it make your list of special days? Well, it should!

Today is God’s gift to you. What you do with this gift is so important because today is the only day that truly belongs to you!

You see, when you went to bed last night, you said good-bye to yesterday. It’s gone forever. And yet, so many people pine away for yesterday and wish they could relive the days that have passed.

There are others who live only for the future, and for what it might hold. But the Scripture only promises you one day—this day! Today is the only day that is truly yours. And if you live it the way God wants you to, it should be an amazing day.

So let me ask you, “How is your day going? What are you doing with this precious gift from God?”

Don’t waste a moment of it. God has given you today to live for him, to know him better, to love him more, to do his will, to be his light in your world. So rejoice and be glad in it!

TODAY IS THE ONLY DAY THAT TRULY BELONGS TO YOU. MAKE IT COUNT!

What is your normal reaction to success? (92-1)~Barry Werner

What is your normal reaction to success? (92-1)

October 19th, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Humility, Leadership Principles, Old Testament | leave a response

Humility in leadership is required by God but not always sought after by leaders. Consider professional football on Sunday afternoon in America – an athlete makes a great play and then goes into some rehearsed celebration that draws attention to their accomplishment. Even athletes that have been embarrassed on several plays leading up to their exemplary moment draw attention to the one play as if it summarized their entire performance. When modeling humility is “countercultural” humility needs to be a conscious core truth that controls a leader’s actions and is demonstrated in the leader’s life. Read 2 Samuel 7.

David was a very successful king in Israel. He had conquered most of the nations that had been warring against Israel, lived in a beautiful palace and now desired to build a temple that would house the Ark of the Covenant – the very symbol of God dwelling among the people of Israel. David sought out Nathan the prophet to inquire of God if he would be allowed to build a temple. The answer came back no but your son will build the temple and not only that but “I (God) will establish the throne of your kingdom forever.”

The act of seeking out Nathan demonstrated David’s humility but the real demonstration of David’s humility came when he heard the answer “no – but.” When David heard the Lord’s covenant promise to establish his family line forever, he was humbled by God’s grace on his behalf. He used statements like “who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that You have brought me this far?” He also said “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign Lord. For the sake of your Word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.” David’s core truth of humility was demonstrated in his reaction to a “no” and his recognition of his position and God’s position.

It is good for a leader to be humbled by grace, especially since our natural human tendency is to take grace for granted, as though God owed us something.

What is your normal reaction to success? Is your first response to hope “the right people” have noticed or is it to give credit to God and your team? Your answer will give some indication of your core values concerning humility.

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Tags: Reaction, Success

« Do you struggle with the deep-seated need for personal image? (91-5)

Contagious Anger Scorches all it comes near ~ Charles Stanley

Proverbs 22:24-25

Anger can wreak havoc on both the body and soul, but its tentacles reach beyond the individual and wrap around everyone in close proximity. Bitter outbursts and silent resentment are not just our own personal issues.

An angry spirit is contagious. It is passed from one person to another—and from one generation to the next. Workplaces can become tense environments full of caustic words and attitudes. Ire turns homes into battlegrounds of verbal explosions or silent hostility. Even churches suffer from malicious gossip and fights over personal preferences.

God created us to live in fellowship with others, but anger can poison our relationships. Tragically, those closest to us are the ones who suffer the most. Children learn to respond to life’s situations by observing their parents’ example. They then develop similar attitudes and patterns of behavior. We need to give serious thought to what kind of heart we are passing down to our sons and daughters.

Thankfully, God is in the heart-changing business. Just as we learn an angry person’s ways by association, so we can learn right-eous ways by walking closely with the Lord. Christ calls us to come, learn from Him—and find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28-29).

Which would you prefer: churning anger or Christ’s peace? Both require sacrifice. To maintain anger, you might have to forfeit healthy relationships and a godly heritage for your descendants. But to acquire peace, ask God to help you leave your grudges, personal rights, and insults on the altar.

Word pictures ~ Chuck Swindoll

Matthew 13

Stories transport us into another world. They hold our attention. They become remarkable vehicles for the communication of truth and meaningful lessons that cannot be easily forgotten. If a picture is better than a thousand words, a story is better than a million!

Some of the best stories are those spun from everyday life or from our past. Family histories are held together and handed down from generation to generation in stories. And these strong cords of memory actually become the ties that bind.

Biographies drip with interesting accounts worth passing on. For example, Human Options by the late Norman Cousins is a treasure house of his recollections, impressions, and encounters distilled from his dozen or more trips around the world. He calls it an "autobiographical notebook."

Stories, real and imagined, told with care and color, can say much more than a planned speech. It is probably not surprising, then, that the use of story was Jesus' favorite method of preaching: "he did not say anything to them without using a parable" (Matt. 13:34, NIV).

In fact, I've never heard a great preacher who couldn't tell a good story. Woven into the tapestry of the strong message is the ability to communicate solid stuff through an attention-getting story.

Had I lived in Spurgeon's day, I would no doubt have subscribed to his material. He published one sermon per week for every year of his ministry, from 1855 until his death in 1892. So prolific was this prince of the pulpit, that at his death there were still so many unpublished Spurgeon sermons, they continued to be printed at the same rate for twenty-five more years. Many include wonderful, memorable stories.

Are you interested in getting truth to stick in your child's head? Use a story.
Can't seem to penetrate your teenager's skull? Try a story.
Need a tip for making your devotional or Sunday school lesson interesting? Include a story.
Want to add some zest to your letter-writing ministry? A brief story will do the trick.
Want to learn how to tell them so folks will stay interested? Listen to Paul Harvey.

Best of all, read your Bible. His Story is one you won't be able to put down.

Grandparents (and parents, too) need to be reminded that our little ones love to hear about how it was and what it was that brought us to this moment.

Tell your stories!

Consider recording them or writing them down for future generations.

The greatest story ever told ~ David McGee

1 Corinthians 2:1

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God."
KJV

Life Lesson

Tell people your God story often.

The power of your testimony is not in how well you speak or how you couch the details. It's not in the clothes you wear or in worldly prosperity. The power of your testimony is in God and the lengths He went to make you right with Him. Your testimony is your walk with Jesus now. That's why it's so precious. People don't see who you were, but they do see who you are.

There is power in your story. It is the "I used to be but now I'm..." God story. People need to hear it. There is no issue you need to work through first. You will always be working through issues and if you are waiting to be perfect, have the Bible memorized or have a refined Christianese vocabulary filled with ten syllable words, you will be with Jesus before you ever share your story. That would be a shame. How many can be reached through the hearing of your testimony? I don't know and neither will you unless you step out, uncomfortable or not, and share. Do you want to find out?

Dear Father,
Thank You for the simple story of Your Son, Jesus, who died for me so I could be forgiven. Lord, thank You, that in Your love, You offer me Your grace and mercy. Give me the strength not to drift in sharing the simple message of Your story. In boldness to glorify You, allow me the opportunities to tell others my story. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Jesus protects us from the enemy ~ Bob Hoekstra

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

As we walk by faith, God's grace is imparted into our lives, bringing us many blessings in our Lord. We have seen that among these heavenly delights are assurance of salvation and security of salvation. "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life…who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 John 5:13 and 1 Peter 1:5). Related to these delights is protection from the devil through faith.

Godly Christian living involves spiritual gravity and spiritual attentiveness. "Be sober, be vigilant." These necessary traits that the Lord wants to develop in us do not nullify the reality of joy and peace in the Lord. However, such earnestness is mandatory due to the enemy that we have. "Because your adversary the devil walks about." We do have a committed and intimidating spiritual opponent, and he has an organized army of fallen, rebellious, demonic cohorts. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). The intention of our spiritual foe is deadly. He goes about "like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Our enemy does not merely desire to frustrate us or make us miserable. He wants to devour us, to devastate our lives. Jesus stated the matter this way: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10).

Although our adversary is relentless and imposing, God's gracious remedy is simple and effective. "Resist him." We are to oppose him. We are to stand against him. How are we to accomplish this? Are we to pit our own strength against his? Never! We effectively stand against him by being "steadfast in the faith." We simply continue trusting in the great truths of God's word, which declare Christ as victor over our foe. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil…Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross]" (1 John 3:8 and Colossians 2:15). By faith, we renounce the enemy and submit to our Lord. Thereby, God promises us that the enemy will flee. "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Dear Lord, mighty conqueror, what a joy it is to know that You have defeated the enemy and his demonic conspirators. What grace You offer in providing protection from the devil as I simply resist him by trusting in You. Praise Your victorious name!

The Preeminent Prophecy ~ Bob Coy

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.-Isaiah 53:3-5 (NKJV)

A study of biblical prophecy would be incomplete without some mention of the passage now before us. There isn't a more important prophecy in the Old Testament-or the entire Bible for that matter-than this particular area of Scripture. Roughly 600 years before Bethlehem witnessed Jesus' birth and His cruel cross was hoisted on Mount Calvary, Isaiah foresaw that He would become a suffering Savior for us.

If we were forced to summarize Scripture into a single sentence, we could do so by repeating the following words from this prophecy: He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. These words capture, with unmistakable clarity, the essential message of God's Word and the essential meaning of life. Jesus came and suffered for us because of our sins. He tasted death so we wouldn't have to.

In learning about the more complex prophecies in Scripture, it's important we don't lose focus on the main point. The names, dates, details, and succession of world empires don't mean much if we don't understand that Jesus suffered for our sake. May we match the new knowledge we acquire with an appreciation for the simplicity and centrality of the Gospel message.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6 NKJV)

Discuss the core truth of the gospel. Share with your group what you most appreciate about the sacrifice Jesus made for you. Besides saving you, what has He done that you are most grateful for?

Dig into Isaiah 53. What references to the crucifixion are rendered here? Why is this prophetic chapter so important to your faith? How can you point others to this chapter so that they might see the Messiah’s message?

Decide with your group to pray for the nation of Israel. Invest in some prayer time as a group, remembering to intercede for those who don’t know Jesus as the Messiah. Pray for peace in Jerusalem!

People reaching people ~ Greg Laurie

So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you."
— Acts 10:33


Acts 10 records the story of a man named Cornelius, a centurion who lived in Caesarea. Caesarea was a Roman outpost in Israel, named after Caesar. As a Roman military officer who commanded a group of 100 soldiers, Cornelius would have been taught to worship the gods of Rome that mostly were from Greece, which Rome conquered. He also would have been taught to worship Caesar as a god. Yet this worship apparently left Cornelius feeling empty.

Being around the Jewish people all the time, maybe he thought, You know, I believe they are worshiping the true God. So he started giving money to the poor, and he started praying to the God of Israel. Even though he was a non-Jew, he called out to their God. God will reveal Himself to the true seeker (see Jeremiah 29:13), and because Cornelius was truly seeking God, He sent an angel to tell him to summon Peter, who would have a message for him.

But the angel didn't cut to the chase and say, "Hey, Cornelius! You need to believe in Jesus, who died and rose again." Why not give him the gospel right then and there? Because the primary way that God reaches people is through people. Romans 10:14 says, "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?"

Peter was the man whom God wanted to use to reach Cornelius. God wanted Cornelius to be saved, and He also wanted to use the conversion of Cornelius, a Gentile, to open Peter's eyes to the fact that there is a big world out there that needs to hear the gospel.

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

• You measure success by how much others benefit from your work,not by how much you benefit. Selfishness isnt success.about 8 hours ago from web

• Why i believe in & assist young pastors:"One generation will commend your works to another" Ps145:4 RADI'CALIS IS FEB 9-11!about 13 hours ago from web

• God specializes in bringing good out of bad He uses problems to inspect us,direct us,correct us,perfect us&even protect us.about 13 hours ago from web

• "ARTis the gift of God and must be used for his glory, That art is highest which aims at this." - Michaelangeloabout 13 hours ago from web

• A tip from Jesus: You find ME in "the least of these." Matthew 25:40 http://bit.ly/rciDf7:08 PM Oct 17th from web

• Guys I was hacked. I never recommend "get follower"tweets.5:05 PM Oct 17th from web

• Please tell me about any pastor who is seriously ill, As a pastor to pastors my privelege is 2pray 4them.1 Sam12:23 Thanks5:01 PM Oct 17th from web

• You love Jesus as much as the person you love the least. Go read 1 John 4:20-224:55 PM Oct 17th from web

• Whenever God shows up with a miracle is's because somebody chose to believe. What are you expecting God to do in your life?12:30 PM Oct 17th from web

• You haven't really trusted God until you've attempted something that you cannot do in your own strength.10:34 PM Oct 16th from web

• Jesus won’t turn water to wine in your life,until you run out of your own. He doesn't do miracles for the self-sufficient.1:27 PM Oct 16th from web

• "The alternatives today are either Biblical theology or naturalistic nihilism."- Carl Henry, The Drift of Western Thought1:04 PM Oct 16th from web

• Ur responsibleTO others,not FOR others.A child doesnt share a parent’s guilt,nor does aparent share achild’s guilt.Ezek18:2010:17 AM Oct 16th from web

• Hypercritical are always hypocritical.“Woe to u experts in the law” Lk11:46 “They dont practice what they preach.”Mt 23:310:02 AM Oct 16th from web

• Love enemies,visit prisons,sacrifice income, help orphans&widows,witness to all. lay down yr life DAILY.Then we'll listen.9:39 AM Oct 16th from web

• Have u noticed that those loudly complaining about a "compromised church" obey NONE of Jesus' Matthew 25 commandments?9:36 AM Oct 16th from web

• Jesus took time to heal the ear of the enemy arresting him! Would I? Are u too busy/angry to help an enemy bleeding today?9:05 AM Oct 16th from web

• People who shine from within don’t need the spotlight. Phil 2:1511:09 PM Oct 15th from web

• If blessed with fast,early success as a young minister realize Satan's happy to wait till you're better known.1Pet.5:89:26 AM Oct 15th from web

• AP:Church to BURN @RickWarren books.Also by BGraham,Piper,MacArthur& all Bibles except KJV! http://bit.ly/3LjoYf3:58 PM Oct 14th from web

The Big Difference! ~ Kay Arthur

Life In The Spirit - part eight

The Big Difference!

Is there a hunger within you, a longing to know God? You.ve looked at Christians, you.ve seen them in a group, you.ve see the joy, you.ve seen the love and you want to be part of it. Or maybe you.ve looked at another individual and you.ve thought O, I want what that person has. I want to be just like them. Oh, Precious One, just know this that God is about to fulfill that longing of your heart.

The death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ was what wrought our salvation, but that wasn.t the end. That was simply the beginning, because from the beginning of time, God has had mankind on His heart. And so when Jesus finished His work and He ascended into heaven then what He did was He sent His Spirit down to indwell men so that men might carry on His work.

Because it.s not by might and it.s not by power, but God says it.s by My Spirit, says the Lord. This is the way that we do the work of God. And what we have to realize is that if we.re going to do the work of God, we.ve got to do it where God tells us to do it and that.s in the world. That.s why Jesus said to His disciples, “Pray to the Lord of the harvest that He might thrust more laborers into His fields because the fields are white unto harvest.”

There are people out there that are watching you, there are people out there that are standing on the edges of the sidelines. There are people that are coming into church that don.t know Jesus Christ, but there.s a longing, there.s a desire, there.s a hunger within them to know God. There.s a recognition of the fact that there is a God of heaven and that God of heaven, or that God, wherever He is, is God, that there has to be a Supreme Being and they want to know Him. And so how are they going to find out? They.re going to find out through you.

You know I witnessed to someone in the store the other day and I was up in Minneapolis and I went to the store because I, I had taken a new pair of pajamas and they didn.t fit. And so I had to run out and I ran to Marshall.s. I.ve never been in Marshall.s before. And so I was talking to the woman as I was checking out and God just laid on my heart that I was to share Christ with her, but you know, she was a Christian. You know, she was just like this. And as I walked out with my friend, I turned to Jeananne, and I said, “You know Jeananne, I don.t really believe that she.s a Christian. I believe that she has a religion, but not a relationship because when you really are a believer and somebody witnesses to you, you want to just throw your arms around them. You want to grab „em; you want to kiss „em on both cheeks. And you wanna say to them, „hey, I am so proud of you..”

We.re about the Lord.s business, aren.t we? We.re in those fields that are white unto harvest. Thank you for witnessing. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for doing the job that God has called you to do. So you don.t take offense when somebody witnesses to you if you really know the Lord, because this is what life in the Spirit is all about.

Go back to Acts, chapter 1. We.ve looked at Pentecost, but let.s look at what Jesus said was going to happen when the Holy Spirit came upon them. In Acts, chapter 1 Jesus told „em to wait for the promise of the Father. And He says in verse 8, “But you shall receive power.” Remember power is the engine under the hood that makes the car go. Okay, so power is Christ in you who enables you to do and to be what God wants you to be.

And so He says, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You shall receive power and you shall be My witnesses;” now watch what He says, “in Jerusalem and in Judea, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

Now was it just to reach the Jews that God had scattered because of their disobedience when he took them captive in 586 B.C. and destroyed Jerusalem and when He destroyed it again in 70 A.D. because of their disobedience? No, no. Let me take you to what happens 8 years after Pentecost. Let.s go to Acts, chapter 10.

Now the Jews have been doing what God has told them to do. They.ve been witnessing in Jerusalem. They.ve been witnessing in Judea. Persecution starts in Acts, chapter 8, by the way, in Acts, chapter 9 you find out who one of the persecutors is; it.s the apostle Paul. And he gets saved in Acts, chapter 9. But now we come to Acts, chapter 10 and I.m going to take you through the chapter because I want you to see how God moves, because as we look at the truth, as we look at these words of truth; these are the very words of God. Holy men of God wrote, they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and the Old Testament was God.s prophecies, the Laws and the prophets and the Psalms that all spoke about the first coming of Jesus Christ and the second coming of Jesus Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Now in the book of Acts, we have the early church moving, but God is going to begin to move upon Paul to write epistles, Peter to write epistles and others to write for Him as His scribes and put down truth. So when Luke wrote this book of Acts, he was under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts, chapter 10, verse 1: “Now there was a certain man at Caesarea.” Caesarea is the way that they pronounce it over in Israel. And it says, “There was a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort.” So Cornelius had come over from Italy, and he was ruling over the Jews under Rome.

Now this is so important. Rome ruled the world. And if Rome ruled the world, Rome ruled Israel because they had taken Israel. They had conquered this land. And yet it was the policy of the Romans to let the people that they conquered rule underneath them, so that they didn.t deal directly with the people. Rather, they just dealt with the leaders of the people over whom they ruled. Now it says, “That he is a devout man, one who feared God with all of his household and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.”

Now one of the things that I would do is I would mark prayer. Whenever I come across any reference to prayer I mark it in my Bible because I want to learn everything that I can. So it says, “And they prayed to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day he saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come into him and said to him, „Cornelius.. And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed he said, „What is it, Lord?.”

Now Lord there is a term of, it.s like saying what is it sir? It.s a term of respect. It.s a term of honor that you give to someone that is superior to you. So he says, “What is it Lord? And he, the angel said to him, „Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God..” Listen, Precious One, you may not know Him, but if you are moving toward God, if you are seeking God, if you are longing to know God, then God is seeing that, God is hearing, God is listening.

Here was a man that was sensitive; here was a man that was longing. The woman in the store, when I talked to her in Marshall.s about Jesus Christ, I mean she wasn.t interested. God wasn.t moving on her heart. God wasn.t dealing with her. So if there.s a longing Precious One, in your heart to know God, if there.s a longing to belong to the family of God, to have that sense of belonging, to have that sense of purpose, to be at peace with God, you can know that God is drawing you to Himself. You.re being drawn by God. And when God draws you, He doesn.t draw you and get you up to the point of here it is, now you can.t have it. He.s not going to withdraw that from you.

And so with Cornelius, he knew that Cornelius was seeking God. “And the angel said, „Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon who is also caller Peter..” And watch now, what I want you to see is I want you to see what happens when the Holy Spirit is within us or when we.re longing for God.

And so we see the longing for God in Cornelius. We see Peter, who we know is filled with the Spirit, because Peter was there on the day of Pentecost. The Spirit came upon him and now he has the promise that God had promised and the Spirit is indwelling him, never to leave again. Its eight years after Pentecost. Peter is in Joppa, he was staying with a certain tanner by the name of Simon, whose house is by the sea. So he had a great view. Verse 7: “And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed,” and this is what God is telling Cornelius through the angel. I just want you to see this. He.s saying okay, you go, you dispatch some men to Joppa. “Send for a man named Simon who.s called Peter. He.s staying at a certain house, at the house of Simon the tanner and it.s by the sea.”

So he knows, Cornelius knows exactly where to send his men. I mean they weren.t metropolitan cities like we have today. So he could go into the city and he could say hey, do you know where Simon the tanner is? I know he.s by the sea. Oh yeah, yeah, that.s his house. All right, and it says, “after he had explained everything. And when this angel who was speaking to him,” verse 7, “had departed, he summoned, Cornelius summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were in constant attendance upon him. And after he had explained everything to him, he sent him to Joppa.” And what happened when he got there? Well, we.ll look at it right after this important announcement.

Welcome back, my friend. Do you know what I wish I could do? I wish I could just stand up, put my arms around you, and say, “I.m so thankful for you. I.m so thankful that you have a hunger for the Word of God.” And I.d just say, “Sit down, and let.s study together. Let.s study together.” Well this is as good as I can get in this way, so let.s go on.

“And on the next day, as they were on their way approaching the city, Peter went up to the house top about the sixth hour to pray.” So watch now. Here.s life in the Spirit. Here.s Peter who.s this apostle. Here.s Peter who is getting the Word of God out. Here is Peter who is being faithful to the Jews. And Peter, now staying with Simon, has gone up to pray. It.s the Spirit that leads us to pray. “And as he.s up on the rooftop he becomes hungry and desiring to eat. But while they were making preparations he fell into a trance and beheld the sky was opened and a certain object, like a great sheet was coming down lowered by four corners right to the ground.”

And so this great sheet is coming down and he looks at this great sheet and it.s full of unclean animals. It says, “There were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, „Arise Peter, kill and eat.. But Peter said, „By no means Lord. I have never eaten anything unholy or unclean..” I.m a good Jew, God. I.ve kept the Law. I can.t eat those animals. They.re four-footed, they.re crawling creatures. They.re birds that You have forbidden us to eat. I can.t do that.

“And then a voice came to him a second time, „What God has cleansed, no longer call unholy..” God.s cleansed those. The law, that part of the law is over. Don.t call it unholy. But as he tells him that he.s telling him something more that Peter is about to understand in a few minutes. Now it says, “And this happened three times.”

Now, when it happens three times it means get the point. Listen. I.ve done it three times and three times I.m telling you don.t consider what I have cleansed unholy. Know this, if I.ve cleansed it, it.s holy. It.s okay. “Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind, as to what the vision he had seen might be, behold the men who had been sent by Cornelius having asked directions for Simon.s home appeared at the gate.”

Oh, talk about timing. I mean, man it.s perfect timing. When you.re walking in the Spirit, when you.re seeking God, when you are even hungering for God you will know that God is ordaining your steps. The Bible says that “The steps of a righteous man are ordained by the Lord. A man.s goings are of the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?”

And so they arrive. And it says, “While Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision might be, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon.s house, appeared at the gate and calling out they were asking whether Simon, who was called Peter was staying there. And while Peter was reflecting on the vision;” remember he.s on the housetop, “the Spirit said to him, „Behold, three men are seeking you.. The Spirit said to him and he was able to hear the voice of the Spirit.” He was in prayer. He was seeking God. “And the Spirit said, „Arise, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself..” “The Spirit said, „Go follow them. Don.t have any misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.”

Now what have you just learned? Those men from Cornelius that have come have been sent by the Holy Spirit. Here are men who do not know God and yet God is able to move them. God.s able to do anything. And here is Peter having this vision and God gets him downstairs with this Goyim and he says go with him and don.t have any misgivings. Now what does he mean don.t have any misgivings? Well the Jews had separated themselves from the Gentiles. And the Jews didn.t hang around the Goyim because they didn.t want to become unclean. And they.re about to go into a Gentile.s house. It says, “And Peter went with the men and said, „Behold, I am the one you.re looking for. What is this reason for which you have come?. And they said, „Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and have a message, and hear a message from you..”

Now listen, Peter was already prepared by the Spirit. Have you ever had the Spirit of God lead you in such a way that you knew when you got there or you knew that when you were about to do something that you had been led by God? There have been times when I have spoken and people have come up to me and they have said that.s what I needed to hear. That.s what I was crying out to God about. And I find out, hey, I was led by the Spirit. This is life in the Spirit. And it.s exciting.

And it says, “And so he invited them in and gave them lodging. On the next day he arose and went with them and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and his close friends. And when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, „Stand up; I too am just a man..”

Boy, how people that are being used of the Spirit need to remember it.s not by might, it.s not by power, it.s by His Spirit and God will not share His glory with any man. We never need to be treated special because we are God.s ambassadors for Jesus Christ. And it says, “And as he talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled. And he said to them, „You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him; and yet God has shown me I should not call any man unholy or unclean..”

How did He show him? He showed him that by the Holy Spirit. When you read the Word of God, God shows you truth by the Holy Spirit even as He did the same for Peter. He says, “„That.s why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I asked for what reason you have sent me?. And Cornelius said, „Four days ago this hour I was praying in my house during the ninth hour and behold a man stood before me in shining garments and he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God..”

Precious One, have you been praying? Have you been longing to know God, to be part of the family of God? Then all you have to do is say, “„God, I.m dying to everything that I used to be, everything that I used to be. I.m dying to every dream and hope and ambition. All I want is You. I want You with all my heart.. And God says, „Good, because when you seek Me and you search for Me with all your heart, I will be found by you..

And what would He have you to do? He would have you just to sit down, read through the gospel of John, mark every time it says believe and then you say, „God, this is truth, I will believe; I will believe that Jesus is the Christ, that He.s Your promised One, that He.s Your Son and I.m a sinner and that He.s my only means for salvation. And I want Him right now. I want to receive Jesus. I.m like Cornelius, I am hungry for You.

Will You give me Your Son? Will You give me Your Spirit? Will You give me eternal life? Will You let me be part of the family?” And you know what God will say? “O yes, My child, yes, My child. I.ve been drawing you to Me and I want you to be born of the Spirit and that.s what.s happening.

Right relationships ~ Bob Caldwell

Relationships That Work Proverbs 17:1-18:24 17:6 Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD. A dominant theme in these two chapters highlights the many facets of our relationship with one another. One of the most revealing methods possible to determine the quality of our lives is to do so by honestly looking at the quality of our relationships. Solomon lays out for us indisputable truths that make for either good or bad relationships with one another. These truths, when applied to our daily lives, will lead to a life enriched beyond what many of us can imagine. Solomon begins his wisdom in relationships by describing the surest way to be of a leader among others. We are not to seek, depend upon, or strive for position. Instead, we are to strive for wisdom. It is wisdom, not us, that can lead best. Wisdom can place a servant in leadership over a prince. How often have we seen those who only seek power find themselves powerless to lead once they get a position of power? Having no wisdom, such leaders will soon be despised. Those who have had a rich, full life are warned to value all people. The poor should see the prosperous as a kind and understanding friend, not one who arrogantly makes them the butt of jokes! A person rich in relationships will never gloat, nor take vengeful joy in the tragedies that may fall upon an enemy. The same holds true for those who in our lives have fallen into sin. Such a person should find us as a friend, one who will cover them in love. We should find no pleasure in shaming others but in restoring others back to God and one another. When it comes to our families, those who value family above other human relationships are the richest of all. Lastly, we see that successful relationships require a lot of work. We need to listen to others before we give advice on anything. We need to be sensitive so as not to offend a brother. Good relationships will require that we do not isolate ourselves. Instead, we seek to become a good friend to another before we expect a friend in return. Good relationships are a lot of hard work, but the benefits are so enriching that it will prove to be a very small price to pay. Conversely, bad relationships will in the end be a lot of hard work as well. Resentment, isolation, and endless drama will take its toll on our lives. And one day, when old age and a near grave are all we have left, the poverty of poor relationships with our families, friends, and even our enemies will make the richest man on Earth feel like a beggar.
Proverbs 17:1-18:24 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feastingwith strife. 2 A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share an inheritance among the brothers. 3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts. 4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue. 5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. 6 Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. 7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince. 8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers. 9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. 10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool. 11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him. 12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. 13 Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. 14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. 15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. 16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since he has no heart for it? 17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. 18 A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend. 19 He who loves transgression loves strife, And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction. 20 He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil. 21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. 22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. 23 A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back To pervert the ways of justice. 24 Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. 25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him. 26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to strike princes for their uprightness. 27 He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. 28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. Proverbs 18 1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. 2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. 3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach. 4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. 5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. 6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. 7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. 8 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. 9 He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. 11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem. 12 Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. 13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. 14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? 15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. 16 A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. 17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. 18 Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart. 19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. 22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD. 23 The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly. 24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 17:1-18:24 v. 1 a dry morsel – is figurative of a small meal. This morsel is contrasted with a house that has plentiful provisions. Solomon points out that the most satisfying meals are sometimes found in the poorest homes. The point of this verse is that wealth and abundance do not equal a satisfying life. Peace and contentment are more important than material possessions. v. 3 the LORD tests the hearts – The refiner’s fining pot and furnace tests his metals, God alone can test a human heart. He knows our thoughts, emotions and desires. Like a goldsmith purifying gold, God will often refine a person though trials in order to purify their heart. v. 6 Children’s children are the crown of old men – Children are a blessing from God (Ps. 127, 128). This blessing is the “crown” of an aging grandparent. The cohesion of family members is a basic theme of the Old Testament. v. 7 Excellent speech – Excellent speech reveals an upright heart and lying lips reveals the heart of a fool. It has been said that out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks. Whatever one talks about is a reflection of their heart. v. 14 The beginning of strife is the releasing of water – This can be compared to leaking water at a dam shortly before the reservoir breaks opens and water comes bursting out. v. 19 he who exalts his gate seek destruction – This is a reference to those who sought a life-style beyond their means. They attempted to transform their simple home into a luxurious house by constructing an expensive gate at the front of their property. v. 23 To pervert the ways of justice – A corrupt judge or city official who accepts a bribe, that is a gift given to him in secret to obtain undeserved favor, corrupts the ways of justice and society. v. 24 The eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth – A foolish man has his eyes on the world and seeks the luxuries of the world. The wise man sets his eyes upon wisdom and gaining knowledge of God. Proverbs 18 v. 1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire – Relationships involve sacrifice and caring about another’s need. One who isolates himself from relationships will only be concerned about themselves and their own desires. v. 2 A fool has no delight in understanding – One who is foolish does not want to hear wisdom from others, instead, they only delight in sharing their own opinions. v. 6 A fool’s lips enter into contention – The words of a foolish person provoke controversy and contention among their peers because they do not think clearly before they speak. People who speak foolishly offend others for the wrong reasons. v. 8 talebearer – A talebearer was a person who spreads idle rumors or gossip. trifles – Trifles were a rich, sweet dessert like a fruit cake topped with jam and soaked in wine. Trifles are translated as choice morsels, dainty morsels and delicious morsels in other translations. v. 11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city – A rich man believes his wealth will protect him from whatever storms of life come, but only God is a safe refuge (v. 10). v. 13 He who answers a matter before he hears it – Listening to another’s heart as well as their words is an important dynamic to interpersonal relationships. v. 19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city – Relationships take work and involve risks and struggles. Still, this is better then the unwise person who isolates themselves (v. 1).
"Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father." –Proverbs 17:6 "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD." –Proverbs 18:22 Once we enter in Your family, Lord, and You begin to remake our hearts, the same love and grace that You have extended to us, may we extend to our families and other relationships. Remind us by Your Spirit, Lord, that we are to love those around us as we love You.

Our confidence and consolation in Him~Daily Light

MORNING

The Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. - The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. - When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that wait for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. - I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. - Blessed is the man that trustesth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

PROV. 3:26. Psa. 76:10. -Prov. 21:1. -Prov. 16:7. Psa. 130:5,6. -Psa. 34:4. Deut. 33:27. -Jer. 17:7. Rom. 8:31.


EVENING

Consolation in Christ, ... comfort of love, ... fellowship of the Spirit.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and con-tinueth not. - My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

The Father ... shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever: the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. - Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

PHI. 2:1. Job 14:1,2. Psa. 73:26. John 14:16,26. -II Cor. 1:3,4. I Thes. 4:14,17,18.

Jeremiah 33:1-34:22 ~ 1 Timothy 4:1-16 ~ Psalm 89:1-13 ~ Proverbs 25:23-24~One Year Bible Blog

Jeremiah 33:1-34:22 ~ 1 Timothy 4:1-16 ~ Psalm 89:1-13 ~ Proverbs 25:23-24
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Old Testament - Today in our readings we get the famous Jeremiah 33:3 verse: "'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'" (NIV) Verses 15 & 16 are powerful Messianic verses, harkening back to Jeremiah 23:6 (The Lord Our Righteousness): "In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness."

Verse 22 is a great verse echoing the covenant promises to Abraham: "I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore."

Verse 18 threw me for a loop initially, trying to figure out how this could still be - "nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.'" I wondered - where are the Levites today? Fortunately, I read a commentary that set me straight - Jesus is fulfilling this ministry for us today! Jesus is our Levitical priest standing before God continually. Beautiful, eh? Do you consider Jesus to be your High Priest?

Jeremiah chapter 34 is interesting with the freedom for the slaves - and then the reversal of that decision. Could this story remind us of our lives at times? Do we sometimes promise God that we'll do something he wants us to do? Maybe even start to do it? And then change our minds? Why are we not consistent with what we tell God we will do? Let us pray for consistency in our spiritual walk!

New Testament - Today in 1 Timothy 4:7-8 we will read: “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” How are you doing on training yourself to be godly? Do you believe this is something you can be trained in? Are you practicing spiritual disciplines on a regular basis? Spiritual disciplines might include: prayer, journaling, quiet time, fasting, retreats, Sabbaths, reading the Bible :), to name a few.

Psalms - Psalm 89 verse 11 is so powerful for us to remember - "The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours--you created it all." Everything in this world is God's. Everything. This means every single person we meet is God's. However... they might not realize it. But, I think it is important for us to remember that every single person we meet - no matter how "bad" they may seem or whatever - is still made in the image of God. And there is the possibility of that person getting to know they are God's. There is the possibility of redemption - not by our human power, but by the power of God. I think sometimes we go through our day thinking the world is bad. People are bad. It all is bad. And certainly, it is a fallen world. But it is still God's world - and yes, the devil is thrashing around his temptations as rapidly as he can in the hearts of men and women. This is the great spiritual battle. But, God is so much stronger than the devil. The name of Jesus expels the devil quicker than anything. So, know that while we are in a fallen world, it is God's world. Everything in this world is God's. What are you and I doing to let others know that they are God's - particularly if they don't know it? What are we doing to bless others with the knowledge that there is another Way than the devil's temptations in this world? What are we doing? Really. What are we doing with our lives to let others know about Jesus? Whew... this one gets to me for some reason. There are people suffering so much in our world. If only they knew there was another way.... Will you help to show them to the Way?

Continuing on the thoughts in the paragraph above - take a moment to reflect on this image below. Wow... Can you make out the angel on the right coming from the prayers of the woman to defend her from the evil one? Who are we praying for today to defend them from the evil one?

Proverbs - Today's Proverbs chapter 25 verses 23 & 24 teach us: "As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger! It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home." These verses are great teachings of - 1. don't gossip. 2. don't be contentious. Or if you are a gossip or if you are contentious, then you just might find your spouse hiding from you in the attic... :)

YouTube: I've had a lot of great conversations lately with people about the power of not only reading Scripture, but actually listening to it! I know many of you are following along in our One Year Bible readings using the Bible on Radio link on the left or are listening on Bible Gateway. I am listening to the Bible this year using "The Bible Experience." It is fantastic - see the video below for an overview. Does anyone have any other audio Bible versions you could recommend in the Comments section below? Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpAQoIuF264

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture this week: "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." First Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike