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Monday, May 31, 2021
Where Are You?
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Everyone Is A Lesson
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
God's Timing
Monday, May 24, 2021
The Secret of Contentment
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Growing
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
How To Become Blessed
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.
4Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction." - Psalm 1
- Is our delight in The Lord? Or are we enticed and distracted by the world in which we live? If we delight in The Lord we will be blessed. If not, we will be destroyed. Decision time.
- Are we righteous? If we are then the Lord will watch over us. But we are all sinners. We are NOT righteous! Where is our hope? Jesus!
Jesus Messiah - Chris Tomlin
Monday, May 17, 2021
Shine The Light
Saturday, May 15, 2021
What Is Your Jerusalem?
Nehemiah and the vast majority of the Jews were taken away captive to Babylon. Their 70-year captivity was brought about by Israel's disobedience to God.
Read Chapter One and underline all the "action" phrases. Here's a list from the NKJV:
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
I'll Follow The Son
I was sitting in the living room the other day when my wife comes walking in. She looked at our cat and said, "The last time I came in here he was sitting over there and now he's over here."
Monday, May 10, 2021
Tell Me Again
Our government is like that too. How many times have we heard about wearing masks and "social distancing?" So many times, I think, that many of us are tired of hearing it.
God and The Bible are different. Their not "selling" anything. God DOES want us to remember His truth and His commands so he repeats them for us in His Word. He reminds us of important things like love, obedience, truth, and sacrifice.
I was reminded of one example of this yesterday while sitting in church studying Genesis 31. Jacob was getting ready to leave his boss and the father of his wives. God showed him in a dream that he must go back to the land of his fathers. So, Rachel, one of Jacob's wives, spoke up and said this:
"For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.” - Genesis 31:16
Fast forward to John 2 and Jesus turning water into wine, His first miracle. They have just run out of wine and the wedding feast and Mary, the mother of Jesus, said this to the servants at the wedding.
"His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” - John 2:5
Jesus repeated many things in His teaching from the Old Testament. God repeats things in the Bible because He wants us to remember them. Do you think our obedience is important to God? I do!
Jacob listened to God and returned to the land of his fathers. The servants listened to Mary's instruction and the water was changed into wine.
Have WE listened to God's instruction? Have we loved others as He commanded us to? Have we worshipped and honored God in the things we say and do? These and many other commends have been repeated in the Bible for OUR benefit.
When God repeats something in the Bible He is making sure we understand the importance of the words and He is stressing the need for obedience on our part.
We need to look at these repetitive words like my granddaughter does when we are having fun. She repeats, "Again! Again!" on the swing set. That should be our response to God's commands in His Word. "Again, Lord! Tell us again!"
Tell Me Again - Geoff Moore and The Distance
Saturday, May 8, 2021
The Way of Death
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
Another Brick In The Wall
We all have walls in our lives. Some we have built ourselves. Others are built . . . by others. But really WE do all the wall building. Others just cause us to put them up.
We build walls to protect our hearts. We build walls to protect our kids. Even God had us build walls around His holy city - Jerusalem. Walls work. But sometimes there are unintended consequences.
Let's say we get burned too many times in relationships so we start putting up walls. We think our walls might keep us safe. But those very same protective walls also keep others out. Perhaps the very ones we were meant to love.
Remember the old westerns where the people inside the fort had built a wall around themselves? When the cavalry came to save the day, they too were locked outside unless someone opened the gate.
That's the key about walls. They must have a gate in them. Locking ourselves inside an impenetrable barrier doesn't do anyone any good. But having a gate! By having a gate in our wall we can choose to allow certain people in. And we ourselves have a means of escape, should we ever need it.
When we are surrounded by distrust and hurtfulness in our lives we we begin to put up walls. It's instinctive. But when Jesus comes to the rescue, a gate is a very important thing to have. Jesus IS that gate in your wall.
"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture." - John 10:9
If you are struggling right now, and you find yourself building those walls that surround you higher and higher, keep an eye out for the cavalry. His name is Jesus. Let Him into your safe zone and together you can begin to remove those barriers or building them up higher as needed. The key is to do it with God's help.
“You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work." - Nehemiah 2:17-18
Another Brick In The Wall - Pink Floyd
Monday, May 3, 2021
Running On Empty
People need some reason to believe
If I can get you to smile before I leave
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Love Lifted Me
You see, God is LOVE according to 1 John 4:8. So the song really could be God Lifted Me, right?
How does God "lift" us? Emotionally, spiritually - God truly does lift us in those wonderful ways. God lifts us up SO much that we will actually "soar on wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:31). But what about physically? Can God physically lift us up?
Have you ever heard of Enoch? He appears in the Book of Genesis. Let's read about what God did to him.
"Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." - Genesis 5:24
Enoch is a Biblical example of how God can physically remove people from this earth. God has done it before. There is the evidence. He will do it again.
So, will we be singing Love Lifted Me one day in heaven? Exclaiming with all of our brothers and sisters about how "God lifted me?"
I think we will.
Love Lifted Me - Kim Hopper