As the work week comes to an end there are but a few hours to make an impact and to finish strong. We need to start our weeks strong and finish them stronger. With so much going on around the world and so many external factors impacting people’s lives, we need to cautious and aware. We need to be aware of where we are at and what we are doing in order for ourselves to stay healthy and help others around us to stay healthy too. Consider the implications and impact of the coronavirus on the world. Consider the impact it is having in the workplace, schools, and communities. Consider the impact on small businesses, the stock market, grocery and large stores like Costco, Target and Walmart. For some the fear and worry create a frenzy and improve business. For others the fear and worry dry up visitors and business and make it very hard. We need to be aware of our surroundings. We need to consider the state of the places we visit like cleanliness. We need to consider the risk vs the reward. We need to consider the fear vs the reality. Where are you at today in your journey through the week? Are you at home because they closed the office and said to work from home? Are you at home because you are feeling a bit sick and want to be be cautious? Are you in need of help but don’t know a place to go to find out and at the same time avoid getting more sick? What is motivating you today? What is driving your actions and decisions? Let’s lean in on the one thing we know we can trust in and trust on! Let’s lean in on God rather than our own understandings and let’s not allow fear to get in the way of our faith! With God all things are possible! With God there is love because God is love! Let’s be bold and courageous in order to finish this work week strong, be it working at home or something else! Let’s make sure we finish this week out strong and health!
Want to join me in the challenge? Click Day 66 link to join link here to join me and sign up.
With February in the rear view mirror, let’s share our takeaways from today’s reading! Did you catch and promises to trust? Did you catch any commands to obey? Did you catch any truths to embrace? Did you catch any warnings to heed? Did you catch any encouragement to rest in? What did you learn about God? What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about the world? What verse stood out most to you today?
If you are interested in getting together or sharing the information together, please let me know through the comment section below, through email, or even through text messages.
Today’s reading from God’s Word – the Bible comes to us from:
(I have chosen to use NIV translation, but feel free to choose whichever version you feel more comfortable with)
My Notes:
- Don’t allow your past to define your future!
- Don’t allow the way things were to keep you from the way things can be!
- Don’t be held back by what you have when God has a plan and a purpose for your life that is to give you a hope and a future.
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!
- Lean not on your own understanding but instead in all your ways acknowledge Him so that He can make your path straight!
- Will you have faith to believe that God can do more?
- Will you have faith to believe that God will use you for greater things?
- How are you willing to position yourself so that God can receive the praise, the honor, and the glory as you live as a living sacrifice to Him?
- Don’t judge others based on their current situation!
- Don’t judge people based on an ailment or struggle they are having!
- You don’t know the full story! You don’t know God’s plan for them!
- Judge not or you will be judged and the same measuring stick you use to judge will be used against you!
- Do you realize that this is the day that the Lord has made and we are to rejoice and be glad in it?
- Do you realize that everyday is the Lord’s day?
- Do you realize why the Sabbath was given? Do you realize that the Sabbath was given for man?
- What would it take to make you believe? Would you need to have your eyes opened to believe? Would you need to have your spiritual eyes opened to the reality of God?
- Speak of what you know!
- Are you blind to the truth?
- Will you do what is right in the sight of God?
- Will you get rid of the bad or evil things too or just do what is right leaving the temptations around that could sway others off track?
- Do you know the difference between good and evil? Will you do good? Will you resist evil?
- In whom will you put your hope and trust?
- Where does your hope come from?
- Who do you bring your needs, your worries, your concerns to? Will you bring it up to God?
- Where do you want to spend eternity? We are spiritual beings and so we will live into eternity. Will you choose to spend eternity with God or apart from God?
- Will you choose to spend eternity in Heaven with God without weeping, crying, tears, and no pain?
- Will you choose to spend eternity in Hell apart from God where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?
- We have been given freewill and we all get to decide for ourselves.
- Jesus has told us that He is the way, the truth, and the life, nobody comes to the Father except through Him!
- Which way are you going to choose to live? Which way are you going to choose to die? Which way are you going to choose to spend eternity?
- Will you give God all the praise, the honor, and the glory?
- Will you live your life so that God will receive the praise, the honor, and the glory?
- Will you allow God to refine you and help you become more and more like Jesus?
- Will you allow God to correct you and instruct you through the Holy Spirit?
- Consider these words of wisdom from today’s reading that includes Proverbs 15:
‘A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin. The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not upright. The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die. Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord — how much more do human hearts! Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise. A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil. Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred. A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway. A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead. The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place. The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight. The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live. The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord , and humility comes before honor.’
— Proverbs 15
As day 66 of 2020 begins, I would hate to miss giving the opportunity to anyone who hasn’t received Jesus into their lives as their Lord and Savior an opportunity to make the decision this early into 2020 and the blessing to get to live out the rest of 2020 in that power and that truth and that hope.
If you would like to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, why not join me in this prayer?
Did you pray with me? Would you be willing to leave me a comment so that I can pray with and for you about such an incredible decision? Or if you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment on my blog, why not email or text me instead?
Today’s devotional comes from Life.Church. For more information, please visit www.life.church — Thank you Life.Church for sharing this reading plan through Bible.com
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