Did you catch that? Everything is God’s! That means with every good and perfect gift He has given us, we are to be good stewards of them. So how will that change the way you live out your today? How will that change the way you act or behave? How will that change how you use the things you have? How will that change the way you treat things you have? How will that impact your relationships with others? How will that impact your time management? How will that impact your finances? How will that impact your home? How will that impact your family? How will that impact your work? How will that impact your team? How will that impact the way you use your talents?
Let’s pause and reflect on the parable of the talents for a moment:
‘ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ‘
So let’s not be blind to our calling to be good stewards of what God has given us. Let’s not be living out our lives in fear but rather in faith so that we can make the most of what God has given us. Are you young and in school? Make the most of your education. Are you married? Make the most of your marriage and treat your spouse with love, invest in your marriage. Are you a parent? Make the most of your family and treat them with the love of God, invest in your family and decide to be the parent God created you and positioned you to be. For me, that means being a husband, a good husband to my wife. For me, that means being the dad God created me to be for the good of my family and my community. So let’s be good stewards of each and every good and perfect gift from God!
So where are you at today? Are you looking for a role model or instructions on how to live out your life? Turn to God! Turn to God’s Word! Invite Jesus into your situation so that He can lead and guide you through the Holy Spirit to be the steward you need to be. Invite Jesus into your heart and allow Him to make things clean and clear when it comes to how to live your life. Let’s pray:
Ever been asked by someone you look up to and admire to do something? Did it create pride or humility in you? Did you get pumped up or feel honored for the opportunity? We for me today it is humbled and honored to be asked to present to the congregation their opportunity to bless the pastors with a love offering. I get to represent the board and elders before the church and ask them to both celebrate our pastors, praise God for having given us these pastors, and to bless these pastors with a love offering.
How about you? Have you ever been asked to do something public? Have you ever been asked to take the stage? Have you ever been asked to be broadcast to the world? How did you respond? How did it make you feel? How did that impact your ability to perform the asked task? Were you able to be a good steward? Were you able to do a good job? Did you feel humbled by the ask and the opportunity? Did you feel honored to get to represent?
Remember pride comes before the fall and so consider leading out of humility. Remember you are doing it as a task of servant leadership not out of vanity or arrogance. Let’s be good stewards of everything God has given us since every good and perfect gift comes from God! Let’s be good stewards of everything God gives us because it’s God’s after all since the Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it! So let’s step into the opportunities God gives us with thanksgiving and praise! Let’s celebrate and praise God for His love and faithfulness!
‘Make a joyful shout to the Lord , all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord , He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.’
The Amplified version to give us a bit more details says the following:
‘Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing. Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.’
Do you look at things from the perspective that God is the creator and sustainer?
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” — Revelation 4:11
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. — Colossians 1:17
Let’s take hold of the reality that our ability to think, dream, and invent come from God!
Let’s take hold of the fact that our gifts and talents comes from God!
Let’s not forget that our abilities to earn a living and put food on the table and provide money to pay the bills comes from God!
Let’s focus our attention on God than getting trapped by the focus on our human abilities and forget that they came from God.
Let’s re-read today’s Psalm as a reminder, a refresher, a wake-up call:
‘Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing. Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.’ — Psalm 100
Let’s remember who the creator and originator are and how all we have, all we can do, and every creative idea and thought comes from God!
Let’s remember how without God nothing exists!
Let’s grab hold of how great God’s love is that He gives us the abilities to create, invent, and discover and respond like the writer of today’s Psalm.
Let’s shout for joy and praise God!
Let’s sing God a new song of praise for what He has, is, and will do in and through us.
Let’s thank God!
Let’s praise God!
Let’s commit ourselves to live always and only for Him!
DISCUSSION TOPICS FROM TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
What happens when we give people too much credit for the advances of the modern age?
Describe the right perspective, one that gives people the right amount of credit but ultimately goes back to God as the source of all good things.
As we move into December we have finished the readings of the Tanakh and I thank Sefaria for their resources in helping me to see the Old Testament in a new way and my friend Lionel for having shared this tool with me. As we kick off December the idea my wife brought up came to mind about going through the book of Luke (who was a doctor) which happens to have 24 chapters which mean we can read one a day and complete it in time for Christmas. To get as many details from this I am going to use the Amplified version to try and grasp all the details Luke gives us to consider and learn.
So today we will read Luke 4:
‘Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they ended, He was hungry. Then the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to turn into bread.” Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone .’ ” Then he led Jesus up [to a high mountain] and displayed before Him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth [and their magnificence] in the twinkling of an eye. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this realm and its glory [its power, its renown]; because it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it will all be Yours.” Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’ ” Then he led Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple, and said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written and forever remains written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard and protect You,’ and, ‘ they will lift You up on their hands, So that You do not strike Y our foot against a stone .’ ” Jesus replied to him, “It is said [in Scripture], ‘you shall not tempt the Lord your God [to prove Himself to you].’ ” When the devil had finished every temptation, he [temporarily] left Him until a more opportune time.
Then Jesus went back to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread through the entire region. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised and glorified and honored by all. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah), Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].” Then He rolled up the scroll [having stopped in the middle of the verse], gave it back to the attendant and sat down [to teach]; and the eyes of all those in the synagogue were [attentively] fixed on Him. He began speaking to them: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing and in your presence.” And [as He continued on] they all were speaking well of Him, and were in awe and were wondering about the words of grace which were coming from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” So He said to them, “You will no doubt quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal Yourself! Whatever [miracles] that we heard were done [by You] in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown as well.’ ” Then He said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. But in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was closed up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was not sent [by the Lord] to a single one of them, but only to Zarephath in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and not one of them was cleansed [by being healed] except Naaman the Syrian.” As they heard these things [about God’s grace to these two Gentiles], the people in the synagogue were filled with a great rage; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to hurl Him down the cliff. But passing [miraculously] through the crowd, He went on His way. Then He came down [from the hills of Nazareth] to Capernaum, a city of Galilee [on the shore of the sea], and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; and they were surprised [almost overwhelmed] at His teaching, because His message was [given] with authority and power and great ability. There was a man in the synagogue who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud and terrible voice, “Let us alone! What business do we have [in common] with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent (muzzled, gagged) and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown the man down among them, he came out of him without injuring him in any way. They were all astonished and in awe, and began saying to one another, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out!” And the news about Him spread into every place in the surrounding district (Galilee).
Then Jesus got up and left the synagogue and went to Simon’s (Peter’s) house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. Standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she got up and began serving them [as her guests]. While the sun was setting [marking the end of the Sabbath day], all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them [exhibiting His authority as Messiah]. Demons also were coming out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). When daybreak came, Jesus left [Simon Peter’s house] and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and [they] came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said, “I must preach [the good news of] the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because I was sent for this purpose.” So He continued preaching in the synagogues of Judea [the country of the Jews, including Galilee].’
So where are you at today? Are you living a life of pride or thankfulness? Are you living a life of self or of thanksgiving? Are you living a life in a relationship with God or trying to go it alone? Are you ready to turn back to God? Are you ready to start having a living relationship with Him? Are you ready to invite Jesus into your heart? Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven. and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the day’s of my Life! Because your word is truth, I confess with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
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?
Do you realize how important it is to love others with your time? Do you realize how important it is to bless others with your time? Do you realize how important it is to build relationship and make connections with your time?
Our time on this planet is finite and so we have to be good stewards of it. Imagine when you look at your calendar how much you could do to make an impact on and in the lives of others in just 30 minutes. Imagine showing your love for God and for others by actively doing something for others. Imagine blessing others with your time by making time to check in on them and help them if and when they have a need. Imagine making time to connect with not only your inner circle of friends but others God puts on your heart to check in on and share life together with. Do you realize that your half hour might be the difference maker that day? Do you realize that God put that person in your mind or on your heart because He needs you to be His hands and arms extended for that person? Do you realize you reaching might be the one thing that helps them realize they are important and are valued? Do you realize your tone and words could be the turning point in their lives and help them realize they are not alone? How will you use your 30 minutes today? How many 30 minute blocks are there for you to impact the lives of others? Will you make the time or waste the time? Will you use it or lose it? The choice is yours! How many people need your voice, your connection, your love, and your blessings today? Will you choose to be the one? Will you choose to care? Will you choose to share? Will you choose to dare? This is the day that the Lord has made so let’s rejoice and be glad in it! Be aware of your surroundings! Watch for those God would have you start, build, strengthen relationships with today!
Do you live your life the same when people are and aren’t watching?
Do you do the right thing even when nobody is watching?
Do you live behind a mask of lies?
With the pandemic and so many people wearing masks, we know how it hides things, what about the masks we can’t see that people may have been wearing for years?
What are you scare of people finding out and hence your reason for wearing a mask?
Are you willing to live the truth?
Are you willing to live a life of integrity? Even when it gets hard?
Last weekend in the message about Stephen, we learned about his integrity but we also witnessed falsehoods being said about him and his stoning and death.
Some stay on track and occasionally fall off with lies but others have lied so much that they aren’t sure of the truth anymore.
Do you have the treasure of a clear conscience?
Are you able to live with the peace that surpasses all understanding because you live with integrity?
Are you committed to living a life of and with integrity?
Are you letting Jesus clean up your heart?
Are you letting Jesus clean up your mind?
Are you living your life with the reality that God sees everything?
Are you living your life with a quick return to God when you get tripped up?
Are you ready to do the right thing because you know that God always sees what you are doing?
Are you living your life in relationship with God and so can hear the Holy Spirit’s still quiet voice when you start to stray or go off track?
We are human and so we aren’t perfect and so there will be times when we go off track.
When we do we are faced with a decision. Will you ignore and reject it, turning away from God? Will you accept and admit it and turn back to God?
Do you take hold of God’s forgiveness and forgiving power in those moments?
God knows everything we do – what we watch or see, what we do, and even what we are thinking.
So let’s take hold of today’s memory verse and choose to walk with integrity!
DISCUSSION TOPICS FROM TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:
What happens to you and your relationships when you try to wear a mask to hide your sin?
causes fear and worry of being found out
causes anxiety and missteps
it makes conversations hesitant or shallow
What would it (or does it) take for you to live with a clear conscience?
give it – whatever it happens to be this time – over to God and ask for forgiveness
How will you choose to use your time? Will you choose to spend it or lose it? Will you choose to use it or have it taken away from you? Will you use it wisely and with integrity? Will you use it to bless others? Will you use it to love others? Will you use it to build connections with others? Will you use it to build connections and relationship with God?
Where are you at today? Are you looking for guidance? Are you wondering where to turn? Are you at the end of your rope and needing help? Are you ready for some help? Are you ready to turn to God and ask? seek? knock? Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven. and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the day’s of my Life! Because your word is truth, I confess with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
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?
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?
As the first quarter of 2021 draws to a close I reflect on where we are at. I reflect on my first quarter nearly done on the job. I reflect on my incredible team I get to be a part of. I reflect on my peers and leaders and all they have done that has been a part of this first quarter. I reflect on accomplishments and the bumps in the road, the lessons learned and relationships built. I reflect on the time that has gone by and the reality of time. Time can’t be saved. Time is either spent or used or lost. I reflect on the importance of stewardship of our time. I reflect on how when I was going to take a break from reading a new book that a book from the pile called to me and so I will spend a half an hour a day to read and learn from it. As I reflect on relationships and the doors of opportunity God has opened to build stronger relationships with some great men right where they are at and making the time and purposing the time to build it up and support them. I reflect on how fragile life is as people get injured or sick and how we need to appreciate every moment we have because we never know which will be our last. I reflect on how getting to spend time with my wife, talking, reading a devotional, and praying together is so powerful. I reflect on how with COVID it changes the time we have with each other and where we can find time that wasn’t available before or isn’t there now like the commute. As Q1 of 2021 draws to a close, let’s reflect on it and consider if there are things we need to do to make Q2 better, to make better use of our time and efforts, to make a bigger impact in our lives and our community, to become healthier and stronger physically, emotionally, and spiritually. What can we do? What should we do? What will we do?
The troubles can come from many directions. The troubles can come from may sources. The troubles can come in many ways.
Before we get to the end of our ropes or hit rock bottom, let’s turn to God and invite Him into the situation.
We don’t need to get to rock bottom before we turn to God!
We don’t need to get to the point of feeling hopeless, abandoned, misunderstood, betrayed, or incompetent to turn to God and definitely we can and should turn to Him before all of them set in!
Be encouraged by remembering everything God has done in and through you and your life.
Do you realize what you have? Do you realize what you need? Do you know what to do about it? Will you take time to reflect on it? Will you choose to be a good steward of your time?
Where are you at today? Are you looking for guidance? Are you wondering where to turn? Are you at the end of your rope and needing help? Are you ready for some help? Are you ready to turn to God and ask? seek? knock? Let’s pray together.
Heavenly Father I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven. and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the day’s of my Life! Because your word is truth, I confess with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
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?
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 is an exciting day. First workday of the 2021. First day of 2021 coming into my new team with a new manager (who is a previous manager) and a great team (who are people I am so excited to get to be working with). The journey of getting to lead this team as we start 2021 has begun. The opportunities to support people from around the world through an incredible team who manage inspiring and creative content, localized content that helps our customers not only make the right selection but use the various tools and services provided by our company. The opportunities to level up and provide quality and necessary information to help both the customers and business to succeed.
God has given each of us talents and we need to use them as good stewards for the glory of God in order to accomplish His vision and plans. We need to take hold of our strengths and alignment to move forward in alignment to God’s instruction and plan. Just as the body is made up of many parts, we need to use our various roles and strengths to be able to accomplish God’s bigger plan. We each have a role to play and to be a stronger team or body we need each component to be strong and for all of us to moving forward in the same direction, in unity so that we don’t self-destruct due to division.
So as we begin today, let’s be good stewards of the gifts and talents God has given us. Let’s find our strengths in order to help the unity of the team be stronger. Let’s get ready to become everything God has planned and prepared for us to be.
‘Then all the gifted artisans among them who worked on the tabernacle made ten curtains woven of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim they made them. ‘
POINTS FROM THE DEVOTIONAL:
We have each been given God-given gifts to help with His plans and His purpose
We get to choose how we will use these gifts or talents
Will we choose to use these gifts for God’s greater plan?
Will we choose to use these gifts for God’s greater purpose?
God has given us abilities
We get to choose if and how we will use these abilities
Will we choose to use these abilities to accomplish God given, God sized dreams?
If all you ever did was train, as important as training is, if you don’t have much competence for the job then it will probably become a grind that makes each week very trying.
What if instead of focusing on your weaknesses you focused on your strengths?
What if your work responsibilities happens to leverage your God given abilities?
Ever noticed people who are in the groove? People who are working in their strengths and flowing through their days and weeks?
Ever noticed how much can be accomplished when you are working in your God given gifts and talents area?
Ever been in a role where you started to lose hope because it wasn’t fulfilling?
Ever noticed how long it takes when you are working outside of your God given gifts to start losing steam, losing passion, losing your groove, and losing your hope?
What if the answer to finding hope was to focus on your God given gifts and how they can be used to work?
What if you were able to take those strengths given to you as God given gifts and focused on that?
God may help us learn through valleys in order to gain perspective and acquire new lessons, but God’s plan is good and it is to give a hope and a future and so we shouldn’t be stuck in a perpetual valley.
We need to be active participants in life rather than just passive, go with the flow.
We need to be active in not only uncovering our talents but we also need to then use them with all of our hearts.
What are your God given talents? How are you honing and being a good steward of those talents? What could you be doing to make the most of your talents? Where are you at today? Are you looking for guidance? Are you wondering where to turn? Are you at the end of your rope and needing help? Are you ready for some help? Are you ready to turn to God and ask? seek? knock? Let’s pray together.
Heavenly Father I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven. and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the day’s of my Life! Because your word is truth, I confess with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
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?
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?
How will you know? Do you have a way to know the truth? Do you have a way to measure what is being said or written? Do you have a way to compare sources? Do you have reliable sources that you can use to test against? Are you ready? How did you get prepared? How will you get prepared? What are you ready for? What are you getting prepared for? Are you ready and prepared for the right thing? How do you know what to prepare for? How do you know how to live?
God’s Word is the measuring stick. God’s Word is how we can be prepared. God’s Word doesn’t tell us to worry and doesn’t tell us to fear. God’s Word gives us wisdom like:
These are but a few examples from God’s Word of how we can be prepared and know what we are preparing for. Last night an interesting topic came up at the dinner table about how the judgment seat will work and if people will be able to sway the final destination positively or negatively. It was an interesting conversation as there was a consensus around how the conversations would go based on if their name was in the lamb’s book of life or not – as that ensures you will be going to heaven and spending eternity with God or not. For those who reject Jesus and will spend eternity apart from God it will be a conversation around judgment. For those who receive Jesus and will spend eternity with God it will be a conversation around roles and responsibilities. So will we be good stewards with what the Lord has given us? Will we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior?
What are you preparing for? What are you prepared for? What will be ahead? What will be your final destination?
Today is the last day of the Weary World Rejoices devotional and so I will need to consider how to complete my readings and posts for the year. Do I just use the daily verse(s) of the day? I will lean into God to see what He speaks to me to decide while at the same time look into what program I will use to read the Bible in a year for 2021.
Today’s Verse of the Day:
‘ Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’
The Weary World Rejoices: Bearing Witness To The Truth Of Christ In A Pluralistic, Globalized World
Truth, even the mere notion thereof, is constantly under attack in today’s world. Yet Christ claims to be ‘the truth , the way, and the life’, an exclusive statement that asserts that Christ alone is the way for humanity to be reconciled to God. As Christ’s disciples, we are called to be people of truth—both in word and deed—bearing witness to our glorious Saviour.
‘ Now while Paul was awaiting them at Athens, his spirit was grieved and roused to anger as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned and argued in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped there, and in the marketplace [where assemblies are held] day after day with any who chanced to be there. And some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him and began to engage in discussion. And some said, What is this babbler with his scrap-heap learning trying to say? Others said, He seems to be an announcer of foreign deities–because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus [Mars Hill meeting place], saying, May we know what this novel (unheard of and unprecedented) teaching is which you are openly declaring? For you set forth some startling things, foreign and strange to our ears; we wish to know therefore just what these things mean– For the Athenians, all of them, and the foreign residents and visitors among them spent all their leisure time in nothing except telling or hearing something newer than the last– So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus [Mars Hill meeting place], said: Men of Athens, I perceive in every way [on every hand and with every turn I make] that you are most religious or very reverent to demons. For as I passed along and carefully observed your objects of worship, I came also upon an altar with this inscription, To the unknown god. Now what you are already worshiping as unknown, this I set forth to you. The God Who produced and formed the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade shrines. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He lacked anything, for it is He Himself Who gives life and breath and all things to all [people]. [Isa. 42:5.] And He made from one [common origin, one source, one blood] all nations of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes), So that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your [own] poets have said, For we are also His offspring. Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to suppose that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, [of the nature of] a representation by human art and imagination, or anything constructed or invented. Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent (to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins), Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously (justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead. [Ps. 9:8; 96:13; 98:9.] Now when they had heard [that there had been] a resurrection from the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear you again about this matter. So Paul went out from among them. But some men were on his side and joined him and believed (became Christians); among them were Dionysius, a judge of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and some others with them.’ — Acts 17:16-34
‘ FIRST OF all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way.’ — 1 Timothy 2:1-2
‘ [The Servant of God says] The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple [as one who is taught]. The Lord God has opened My ear, and I have not been rebellious or turned backward.’ — Isaiah 50:4-5
What does it mean to be human?
What is the authentic Christian response to differing of opinions?
What should be the practical actions for Christians in the public policies discussions and debates?
How should Christians ensure that science and technology aren’t used to manipulate, distort or even destroy the truth?
How should Christians participate in order to preserve and fulfill being human in the way our Heavenly Father had created us in His own image?
We need to continue to pray without ceasing and working together in the fulfillment of Jesus’s Great Commission.
Where are you at today? Are you feeling weary? Are you looking for support and encouragement? Are you wanting to get your journey with God started? Let’s pray together.
Heavenly Father I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven. and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the day’s of my Life! Because your word is truth, I confess with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
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?
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?
Has 2020 caused you to become weary? As we are heading into the Christmas season are you able to in the midst of it all find a way to rejoice? God’s ways aren’t necessarily our ways but they do tend to be higher and better than our ways. I couldn’t have imagined as 2020 draws to a close so many changes, so much excitement, so much favor, so much direction to appear. Right when I figured things had settled down there was one more change lined up to my surprise as it went from 3×6 to 4×7.
So yesterday 4 and 7 became official as I moved to my new team. Today my new team will move to me as well. They found out yesterday too and so the journey begins to connect with everyone and look for opportunities and ways to best serve and support them. Over the next little while I will also be working to transition my old job away to others and will need to help my old team connect with the respective product teams.
A couple words came to mind today that lead me forward. Manager and Steward. Manager isn’t an owner, they are to manage. To be a good manager requires being a good steward of everything God has given me.
As I reflect on being a good steward 2 thoughts came to mind “to whom much is given, much is required” from Luke 12 and the parable of the talents from Matthew 25. As I reflect on this year and consider what happened, I can see how God was preparing me for something new and for that to truly happen it required things to be taken away. As I reflect on this year and consider what happened, I can see how God was using me to show His hand over my life through it all from comments I later received about someone having my back which told me God’s favor but don’t think the person who said it realized it. As I reflect on this year and consider all the changes and the uncomfortable feelings I praise God for having never left me or abandoned me but was with me through it all. There were a bunch of trials in which to try to live out life considering them pure joy. There were a bunch of trouble in which I tried to take heart because I know that Jesus has already overcome the world.
So as we step up and step into today, not wanting to be held back from all that God has prepared and planned, grabbing hold of the verse of the day for today is key. Forgiveness!
‘ Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].’
Our first Christmas devotional has the prelude of:
Weariness can steal the joy from our Christmas journey! Let the Nativity refresh your heart as you walk with Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, Mary and the shepherds in preparation to experience Emmanuel this holiday season.
Today’s devotional is so powerful and has such incredible points about Zechariah that speaks to our hearts, Elizabeth that speaks to significance, Joseph that speaks to laying our agendas to the side, Mary that speaks to an eagerness to receive grace, the shepherds and the awe and wonder, and all of this combines into a thrill of hope in order for all of us, the weary world to rejoice! So let’s take time to reflect on this year and consider our lives in relations to all of those from our devotional and how in the midst of the weariness we feel or may feel how we can receive from God rejoice!
‘ IN THOSE days it occurred that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole Roman empire should be registered. This was the first enrollment, and it was made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all the people were going to be registered, each to his own city or town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, To be enrolled with Mary, his espoused (married) wife, who was about to become a mother. [Matt. 1:18-25.] And while they were there, the time came for her delivery, And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn. And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord! [Mic. 5:2.] And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find [after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. [I Sam. 2:34; II Kings 19:29; Isa. 7:14.] Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor]. When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing (saying) that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. So they went with haste and [by searching] found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known what had been told them concerning this Child, And all who heard it were astounded and marveled at what the shepherds told them. But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when [the Baby] was to be circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.’ — Luke 2:1-21
‘ He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.’ — Isaiah 53:3
‘ He shall see [the fruit] of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God), for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord]. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoil with the mighty, because He poured out His life unto death, and [He let Himself] be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore [and took away] the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors (the rebellious). [Luke 22:37.]’ — Isaiah 53:11-12
Where are you at today? Are you feeling weary? Are you looking for support and encouragement? Are you wanting to get your journey with God started? Let’s pray together.
Heavenly Father I come to you in prayer asking for the forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart that Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven. and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and I ask you right now to come in to my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and will Worship you all the day’s of my Life! Because your word is truth, I confess with my mouth that I am Born Again and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus Name, Amen
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?
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?
How would you make the most of it? How would you invest that time? How would you spend that time? How would you steward that time? What would you get from that time? How would it help you? How would it change you? How would it prepare you? What if it was a work day? What if it was a week day? What if it was a weekend day? What would you do if you could get one more day?
They say that hindsight is 2020. What have you learned that would help you make the most of an extra day? What if the extra day would happen to be your last day? What if that extra day was an extended weekend? What if that extra day was a work day? Will you learn from the past in order to avoid repeating the mistakes?
The 49 week challenge has 6 days in which to notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in and 1 day to reflect on what you’re learning and to share it with others, to think back over the week’s readings, to see connections between the various passages of the week. Each day we have time to talk to God and contemplate what is being said through His Word, and even more so on the 7th day.
How interested are you in what will happen today? How interested are you in what will be required of you today? How interested are you in what decisions you will need to make today? How interested are you in hearing from God today? How interested are you in accomplishing what God is calling you to do today? What if it were life and death decision? What if it were everlasting life and everlasting death decision? What if the decision that you make today will determine how you will spend the rest of eternity? Would it make a difference?
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:
Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ‘ Ephesians 2:10
‘For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ‘ Ephesians 2:14-16
‘But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you. ‘ Deuteronomy 9:3
‘After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. ‘ Deuteronomy 9:4-6
‘But Joab replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” ‘ 2 Samuel 24:3
Take accountability for what you have done. Choose wisely!
‘But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. ‘ 2 Samuel 24:24
Let’s live out our day as living sacrifices so that in and through it all the Lord will be praised in Jesus’s name.
This is the day the Lord has made so let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Let’s use each day as if it were our last
Let’s use each day as if it were a gift since it is the present
Let’s use each day to glorify God in Jesus’s name.
As day 248 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 today and the blessing to get to live out the rest of the year 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?
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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?
So a bunch of the things that used to be on your calendar are gone. How will you choose to use the open slots on your calendar? Will you be a good steward of the time? Will you be a good steward of the gifts you have been given? Will you be a good steward of the talents you have been given? Will you live out your today in a way to produce good fruit? Will you live out your today in a way to produce good works? Will you live out your life so that you will get to hear well done my good and faithful servant?
Are there projects you can get done because you are able to work without distractions? Is there research and findings you will be able to do because you have time to focus and execute? Are there people you will be able to help who before you were too busy to be able to help? Are there questions you can now ask because you have time to ask and process and respond to them? How will you use the time you have been given?
Is it a blue sky kind of time? Is it a green field kind of time? Is it blue sky allowing you time to emphasize vision? Is it a green field allow you time to come up with some new or undeveloped idea(s)? Is it cloudy? Let’s take this time getting our head out of the clouds in order to be visionary or innovators!
They say hindsight is 2020. For that to be the case we need to have taken a moment to review and focus and learn from it. What have you learned over the past 8 months? What will you do with those lessons? How will it impact the vision for the future? How will it impact the new or undeveloped ideas for the future? Will it help bring clarity for what is yet to come?
The 49 week challenge has 6 days in which to notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in and 1 day to reflect on what you’re learning and to share it with others, to think back over the week’s readings, to see connections between the various passages of the week. Each day we have time to talk to God and contemplate what is being said through His Word, and even more so on the 7th day.
How interested are you in what will happen today? How interested are you in what will be required of you today? How interested are you in what decisions you will need to make today? How interested are you in hearing from God today? How interested are you in accomplishing what God is calling you to do today? What if it were life and death decision? What if it were everlasting life and everlasting death decision? What if the decision that you make today will determine how you will spend the rest of eternity? Would it make a difference?
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:
Will you set your focus on prayer, being watchful and thankful?
Will you pray for your leaders? at church? at work? in government?
Will you let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone?
Will you be someone who brings words of encouragement?
Will you be someone who brings comfort?
Do you realize that the 7th year may require a sabbath in the land? We can live off of what is generated?
Do you realize that the 50th year is to be a year of jubilee?
What are the odds that 2020 is also the 7th year and the 50th year?
Will you take moment to hear from God about the situation you are in?
Will you confess to God for your own and the others in the nation in order for God to bring reconciliation?
Will you find favor because of God?
Will be one who brings joy and encouragement in love?
Will be one who refreshes the hearts of others?
Will you act in a way that brings life rather than death?
As day 246 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 today and the blessing to get to live out the rest of the year 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?
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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?
Is life feeling so busy that each day is a blur? What is it that is keeping you busy? Does it have purpose? Does it have value? Is it important? Is it providing a good return for the time you are investing? Is it producing good fruit? Are you being a good steward of your time?
We each have 24hrs in a day. We each have 1440 minutes. We each have 86400 seconds.
Are you spending your time on things that are producing good fruit? Are you planting? Are you watering? Are you harvesting? Are you about doing God’s Work?
You realize that your mission field isn’t out there somewhere but is right there where God has put you. Are you being the light that God needs you to be? Are you being the salt that is needed to spice up the lives of those around you?
Don’t be too busy that you can’t get what is most important done. Don’t be too busy that you can’t see what is most important for you to do. Don’t be too busy that you aren’t taking care of the foundational things to ensure that everything you build upon it can stand.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness! When you aren’t sure then stop and ask God! Ask God and He will answer. Seek God and You will find. Knock on the door and He will open it! There is never a reason to go it alone for God is with you! So invite Him into the situation with you and walk and talk it out with Him!
How will you be telling people to turn back to God in the midst of everything going on around the world? How will you be telling people to receive Jesus and put their faith in Him?
Don’t you want to finish the race God has set before you? Don’t you want to finish the good works God has prepared in advance for you to accomplish?
Take a stand to watch over yourself and those that the Holy Spirit has made you an overseer of. Don’t be tricked or fooled by the lies of the devil. Don’t be oblivious to the savage wolves that are coming into the mix to try and tear everyone apart. Let’s not be deceived by lies but lean in and put our hope and trust into God’s Word and God’s promises! Let’s be on our guard! Let’s accomplish the hard work necessary to take care of the weak and the needy.
Let’s be prepared to generous on every occasion. Let’s remember that it is better to give than to receive! Let’s be joyful givers! Some even say to be hilarious givers!
Hindsight is 2020 they say. What do you say? How can you allow what is ahead of you to become clear? Will you slow down in order to see? Will you take time to be able to notice? Will you make time to find rest and direction?
This morning as I was going back to my normal reading I was unable to click the “catch up” link I so vividly remembered to allow me to go back and have the 4 days of reasons restart today. I have feeling that because I shared my reading with others that this option is no longer available. And so today is day 235 of the year and as such I will stick to the plan. With this plan being a 49 week instead of 52 week, I will be able to revisit the missed days at the end in order to complete this plan. Nothing surprises God!
Over the past week, I had time to get away to the coast, away from the hustle and bustle of life and spend time with my family in a town of about 150 people. We got to walk down to the marina, stop by the little store, check out the cute little town, and return to our quiet place looking out into the ocean. As the week was drawing to a close, the weather changed to a more windy and wet pattern which allowed the girls to finish up 9 out of the 10 puzzles they had in addition to the other puzzles they had already done. There was some games of ping pong among the group as well as a game of chess between the boys. In the midst of the quiet and restful time, I had time to read from my leadership devotional which I usually only do when I am offline and at camp. I then started to read Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson and finished 4 chapters. I was able to pick up some great insights through both readings daily. It has also changed my view and approach for moving forward. Imagine a story of coming face to face with a lion and the decision is yours in terms of how your fight or flight energy will be used. Will you turn and run till the lion catches you and tears you apart? Will you scream and chase down that lion till you win? Will you take things into your own hands like Benaiah did? He chased the lion in the snow till it fell in a pit and he jumped in and killed it. It was an incredible week away to consider and contemplate dreams. It was an incredible week away to consider what God would have me do with a God sized dream. It was an incredible week away to contemplate a dream bigger than anything I could do or handle on my own and that would require God’s help to come true. Time to stop the blur and focus. Time to stop the hustle and bustle and focus and listen.
You stuck in the life of blur? Are you willing to make time and take time to stop and receive wisdom, vision, direction, and clarity? The decision is yours! The choice is yours! Will you make time and take time to spend with God? Will you get away from the noises of life to be able to better hear and more clearly hear the still quiet voice?
Yes, I am back to this reading plan but it doesn’t mean that I need to do it the same old way.
The 49 week challenge has 6 days in which to notice a promise to trust, a command to obey, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, or an encouragement to rest in and 1 day to reflect on what you’re learning and to share it with others, to think back over the week’s readings, to see connections between the various passages of the week. Each day we have time to talk to God and contemplate what is being said through His Word, and even more so on the 7th day.
Between the reading over the past week along with my faith in God, I will not live by fear but rather by faith. I will walk in wisdom from God to not put others at risk but also look to live! I will not run from it because it would be a similar fate as running from the lion, death. So I will do my part to try and help prevent the spread and stay healthy. So let’s allow our faith to be great in order that we will never run out of the overflow from God! Let’s receive what God tells us and let’s do what He says we are to do!
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:
‘When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.’ —Acts 20:1-38
As we look into God’s Word today’s reading connects the new with the old starting with 1 Kings 17:
‘Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord , the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord , “ Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord , “ Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”’ — 1 Kings 17:1-24
‘ Lord , do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord , for I am faint; heal me, Lord , for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord , how long? Turn, Lord , and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave? I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.’ — Psalms 6:1-10
‘Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray to the Lord your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” “I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray to the Lord your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the Lord says and will keep nothing back from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the Lord our God.” Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. So he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest. He said to them, “This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition, says: ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord , for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands. I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’ “However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey the Lord your God, and if you say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the trumpet or be hungry for bread,’ then hear the word of the Lord , you remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die. Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine and plague; not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and wrath have been poured out on those who lived in Jerusalem, so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will be a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach; you will never see this place again.’ “Remnant of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to tell you. So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle.”’ — Jeremiah 42:1-22
As day 235 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 today and the blessing to get to live out the rest of the year 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?
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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?
With June 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:
Today’s reading starts on the subject of giving in 2 Corinthians 9:
‘There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!’ — 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Today’s reading continues with Psalms 112:
‘Praise the Lord . Blessed are those who fear the Lord , who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord . Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.’ — Psalms 112:1-10
Today’s reading concludes with Nehemiah 5:
‘Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say. So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.” “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord . And the people did as they had promised. Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land. Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.’ — Nehemiah 5:1-19
As day 206 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?
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.” —The Sinner’s 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?
When you think of time, how do you value it? When you think of time, you realize that we each only get 24hrs a day right? And how we spend our time during those 24hrs speaks to its value. If you think of part of your day spent working, you have found that your time has monetary value. If you think of part of your day spent with your family or friends, you have found that your time has emotional and relational value. If you think of part of your day spent with God, you have found your time has spiritual value. If you think of part of your day spent sleeping, you have found your time has rest and rejuvenation value.
Now if you ask others what your time means to them, would quantity or quality time have a higher value? If you ask your kids, it is probably quantity. If you ask others they may say both since 2 minutes of quality time vs 30 minutes of quality time, you the more quality time the better.
Ever considered how you prioritize your fixed amount of time? You only get 24hrs/day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, and a limited number of years in your life. Does the time you put aside for specific relationships and connections speak to their priority in your life? So if you consider your life priorities and compare them against how/where you spend your time, do they line up? I have heard people use a similar comparison around money. Are you putting first things first?
Do you bring God with you everywhere you go? He is going with you but are you inviting Him in to be a part of your all day? Remember how we are to be praying without ceasing? If we are able to do this then God will get 100% of our time and based on the above have top priority. So where is your highest amount of quality time being spent? Does it align with your priorities? Is someone getting your leftover time instead of your quality time? How will you choose to invest your time? Will you consider it with as much attention as you do your finances in order to be a good steward and receive a reward or a return?
Would it matter if you knew you were getting close to the end? Ever heard of people regretting the time they didn’t get to spend? Ever heard of people who when they get the news they live their life differently, they choose to live it to the full? God’s plan is for us to live life and live it to the full! The devil comes to rob, kill, and destroy where Jesus came that we could have life and life more abundantly. So how will you choose to live your today?
Hindsight is 20/20 — How is your vision for the future? Does it feel like a blur? Do you know why?
With June 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:
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
Do everything in love.
Is there anything you can supply for the needs of others?
Is there anything you can do to help refresh the spirit of others?
Will you bring the grace of the Lord into every time and situation?
Will you leave each situation and time giving or leaving them with grace?
Will you receive the call God has put / placed on your life?
Will you lead as a servant leader to those God gives you as followers?
Will you lead as a servant leader with God as the head?
Will you lead out of obedience to God’s purpose and plan?
Will you take hold of God’s command to leaders to be bold and courageous?
Will you take hold of God’s instruction as the leader to accomplish His purpose and plan without worry or doubt or fear but rather walking out your trust and faith in God with boldness and courage?
Will you put all your hope and trust in God who will never leave your nor abandon you?
Will you then be strong and courageous as you step up and step into what God is about to do in and through your life?
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Will you get everyone prepared or give them time to get prepared for what God is calling all of you to accomplish?
Are people in authority over you able to tell when something is wrong?
Are you bold and courageous enough to share it when they ask?
Are you prepared to give an answer to them if they ask what they can do to help or make you feel better?
Will you turn to God for wisdom and discernment into how you should respond?
Will you be bold and courageous enough to share with them what God has spoken to you?
Will you go if God calls you to go? Will you stay if God calls you to stay? Will you stand in the gap if God is looking for someone to stand in the gap?
As day 195 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?
“Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.” —The Sinner’s 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?
What comes to mind when you hear that question? Is it in a relationship? Is it in a role or position? Is it a place or situation? Is it your final destination?
Do you realize where you are standing? Do you realize the position you are in? Do you realize the situation you are in? In the midst of everything going on, Do you know where you stand? Do you realize what you need to do in such a position?
Where do you stand in your family? Where do you stand in your marriage? Where do you stand in your workplace? Where do you stand in your ministry? Where do you stand in your team? Where do you stand in your community? Where do you stand with God? Where do you stand with eternity?
Are you able to receive it humbly? Are you able to receive it respectfully? Are you able to receive it as a steward? Are you able to receive it as a servant?
With April in the rear view mirror, let’s reflect on what we have learned in the past 6 days as we meditate on God’s Word this 7th day. Do you have any highlights or insights from what we have read in the past 6 days? What connections have you made or can you make in relations to our readings from God’s Word? Have you made time to speak with God through your reading time? Have you made time to speak with God as a part of your daily schedule? Are you prioritizing God enough that He gets prime time with you? Have you missed the mark this week and need to turn back to God and confess it and ask Him for forgiveness? Have you taken time to thank and praise Him for the forgiveness that has already been paid for through the blood of Jesus? Have you taken time to thank Him for all the other blessings in your life? Have you taken time to thank Him for all the answered prayers? Do you have any worries? Are you taking hold of His promise not to worry but to give it up into His hands? Let’s ask God for wisdom and guidance for this day! Let’s put our trust in Him!
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:
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
Do you remember the lessons you personally learned?
Do you remember the lessons that others have learned and shared?
Are you able to live out your today differently without needing to repeat the mistakes of the past?
Are you able to live out your today differently without tripping on things that made others fall?
The earth is the Lords and everything in it, so do you realize that you are standing on Holy Ground?
How do you show respect?
How do you respect others?
What do your words say?
What do your actions say?
Some like to say actions speak louder than words, are your actions counteracting your words or reinforcing them?
Do you respect them out of deep admiration elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements?
Do you respect them enough to show them that their feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions deserve their due?
As day 133 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?
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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 The 49-Week Challenge comes from Life.Church. For more information, please visit www.life.church — Thank you Life.Church for sharing this reading plan through Bible.com
The gospels don’t tell too much about Wednesday of the Passion Week. I took the afternoon off yesterday after going from throat causing voice change to coughing and will hopefully be able to get more instruction today from a doctor beyond rest and fluids and isolate myself (which with a stay home order in affect is something that I have been having to deal with for over 5 weeks now). So just as the scholars suspect that Jesus and his disciples spend the day resting after 2 exhausting days, I will be spending today resting and hoping to start feeling better and stronger for what is yet to come.
So what will today bring? It brings caring people checking in on me. It brings caring people who told me to take time off to get better. It brings checking with medical people because of everything going on in the world and with being immunocompromised. It brings lots of prayer and support.
With March 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)
Where will you spend eternity when called before the judgment seat?
Will you get to spend eternity with God because you have received, invited, accepted Jesus as Your Lord and Savior into your heart?
Will you get set aside to spend eternity apart from God in the fiery pits because you chose to reject the hope and love of Jesus for you?
Will you get to spend eternity with God because out of the overflow of your heart as the love of Jesus was poured into you so you poured it out into the lives God brought into you life?
Will you have to spend eternity apart from God because you decided to reject the love of God and the hope of Jesus and as such rejected the good works and the overflow of love that could have been poured out into the lives of all those around you?
We all have been given freewill! So we will all need to make the decision for ourselves!
Will you choose to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior? or reject Him?
The choice is yours!
How will you choose to live out your life?
Jesus calls us to raise the bar!
Jesus didn’t come to reject the law but that through Him it could be fulfilled!
Will you choose to live your life in a way that will make things better or worse?
Will you choose to live your life in a way that will help or hinder?
Will you choose to live your life in a way that will raise others up or put them down?
Will your hope and trust be put in God alone?
God is love!
God is faithful!
God is just!
Ever considered what love is and replaced love with God in the definition? Check this out:
4God is patient, God is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. 5He does not dishonor others, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. 6God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8God never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
As day 99 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?
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and there is nothing that I can do to save myself. I confess my complete helplessness to forgive my own sin or to work my way to heaven. At this moment I trust Christ alone as the One who bore my sin when He died on the cross. I believe that He did all that will ever be necessary for me to stand in your holy presence. I thank you that Christ was raised from the dead as a guarantee of my own resurrection. As best as I can, I now transfer my trust to Him. I am grateful that He has promised to receive me despite my many sins and failures. Father, I take you at your word. I thank you that I can face death now that you are my Savior. Thank you for the assurance that you will walk with me through the deep valley. Thank you for hearing this prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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 The 49-Week Challenge comes from Life.Church. For more information, please visit www.life.church — Thank you Life.Church for sharing this reading plan through Bible.com
You realize your role is care taker right? You realize your role is to be a good steward right?
So when the owner comes to check in on how things are going, how will you treat them? What if they send a delegate instead of showing up personally, how will you treat them? What if the delegate is a relative of theirs, how will you treat them?
We need to take hold of the truth for the truth will set us free! The truth of the matter is that the earth is the God’s and everything in it! That means the world and all the people in it! Double clicking on this a bit more to learn more, checking out what John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible has to say, we learn:
The whole universe, all the terraqueous globe, both land and water, and the circumambient air, and all that is therein; the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, all plants and vegetables that spring out of the earth, and metals and minerals in the bowels of it; all which are the riches of the Lord the earth is full of, ( Psalms 104:24 ) ; see ( Psalms 50:10-12 ) ;
the habitable world, and the dwellers on it, rational and irrational. These words may be interpreted of Christ, who is Lord of all; he made the world, and has a right and claim to all things in it; for the same person is here spoken of as in the preceding psalm, under the character of a shepherd; and this shows him to be very fit and proper for such an office, seeing he cannot fail of feeding and protecting his sheep; nor can they want any good thing, since the fulness both of nature and of grace is with him; and hence it is that all things are theirs, whether the world, or things present, or things to come; and though they seem to have nothing, yet possess all things, they possessing him whose all things are. The apostle makes use of this passage of Scripture, to prove, explain, and direct in the use of Christian liberty, with respect to the free use of creatures, they all being the Lord’s; and therefore good, and to be received with thanksgiving: and yet, inasmuch as there is a variety of them, such should be abstained from, when to use them serves to embolden evil men in their wicked ways, or offend and grieve weak Christians, ( 1 Corinthians 10:251 Corinthians 10:261 Corinthians 10:28 ) .
So knowing all of that, would that change how you would respond when the owner comes a knocking to check in?
Imagine the case where the owner planted a vineyard and set it all up for success and then gave it to you to manage for him. Imagine when harvest time came to collect some of the fruit, how would you treat one of his employees who shows up? how would you treat one of his kids? how would you treat him? Would you treat them any differently even though you know they are all coming with the same authority and the same purpose?
Will you accept the incredible gift of God? Will you accept the incredible sacrifice of Jesus? Will you accept the promises of eternity with God? Will you receive the grace of God without fear?
Don’t be fooled! Don’t be tricked! Don’t be mislead! Don’t be robbed! Don’t be trapped!
You have a choice to make and only you can make it! Will you choose to receive Jesus or will you reject Him? Will you take hold of the 2 commands that by following them you will do them all?
‘ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ‘
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)
Do you remember the lessons of the past? Do you remember the lessons of history?
Do you realize that generosity is a matter of the heart more than the size or quantity of what is given? Are you generous? Are you giving out of your abundance or out of your lack? Are you giving out of your excess or out of your scarcity? Are you giving out of your wealth or our of your poverty? Do you even feel it when you give? Do you make it a matter of the heart?
Will you live to honor God or will you risk the wrath of being removed from the presence of God?
Do you realize that partial obedience is disobedience?
Do you realize that God prefers obedience over offerings?
Will you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and be welcomed into heaven or will you reject Jesus and find yourself tossed into the pit, apart from God for all of eternity and being stuck in the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth?
Will you receive and proclaim Jesus or will you reject Him? What if you realized that if you reject Jesus before man that He will reject you before the Father?
Will you take careful attention to what God is calling you to do?
Will you take careful attention to what God is asking you to do?
Don’t reject God and then come to find yourself rejected!
Don’t do things that will grieve the heart of the Lord!
Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord!
As day 90 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 The 49-Week Challenge comes from Life.Church. For more information, please visit www.life.church — Thank you Life.Church for sharing this reading plan through Bible.com
Middle English (in the sense ‘evil in nature or character’): from shrew in the sense ‘evil person or thing’, or as the past participle of obsolete shrew ‘to curse’. The word developed the sense ‘cunning’, and gradually gained a favorable connotation during the 17th century.
Is it a good thing to be a shrewd manager? Do you consider yourself the owner or the manager of the things in your life? Based on the Bible the Earth is the Lord’s and everything it which makes Him the owner. As such we are to be the stewards or managers of what He has given us. What management style do you follow? What management techniques do you use? When you look back or people consider how you have lived and your management and stewardship, how will they be viewed and valued? What if you were being called in to give an account for your management?
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)
It isn’t too late if you were living against God’s Will!
It isn’t too late if you have been living giving yourself to someone or something other than or rather than God!
As day 75 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?
You want to be a good steward, right? You want to do what is right, right? You want to be prepared, right? So how do you make sure you have enough? How do you make sure you don’t have too much? How can you be confident that you are setup for success? What are you depending on? What is the foundation for your decision? What is the reason for the confidence you have going in?
‘So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. ‘
So did it go like you hoped? Was your trust in God? What Jesus your foundation? Did you turn to God’s Word for wisdom? Will you now give Him all the praise, the honor, and the glory since You know that it was His perfect plans and His perfect will that allow for that incredible result? Did you sow everything you had to sow? Did you water everything that needed water? Did you harvest everything that was ready for harvest?
Even though the theme was DREAM BIG and the story was Joseph’s story the camp for me was a Judges 6-7 camp — it was a Gideon type of moment where we had to right size things so that God would get all the praise, the honor, and the glory in Jesus’s name. Amen.
Do you know what you have? Have you an inventory? Do you have it written down? Are you ready to learn how God will have you use it? You have it but are you possessing it? Do you realize how blessed you are? Do you realize how much God has provided for you? Do you realize how God can take even the little you have and multiply it for His sake? Are you being a good steward of it? How will you honor God with all that you have? How will show the world who God is? How will you show the world how good God is? Will you live your life as a living sacrifice to God? Will you be salt and light into the world around you? How will you take what you have and use it in a way that will glorify God? Do you realize what you have? Can you believe it?
Today’s reading speaks of Jesus, foreshadowing His coming and sacrifice in Isaiah 53. He who possessed all gave it up to sacrifice Himself in order to make a way for us to be reconciled back to God. His sacrifice brought Him the name above all names.
What will you do with what you have been given? How will you respond to what allotment you have received? Who will you turn to for guidance? Where will you turn to make sure you are doing the right things? When will you take possession and start to do something with it? Why did you get such a generous portion? Will you be someone who takes it and invests it in a way to grow it? Will you be someone who takes it and invests in making it better? Will you act out of boldness or coil back and act out of fear? Will you do something worthy of hearing “well done good and faithful servant” or “take the little they have left and cast them out“? We all get to choose how we will live out our lives. We all get to choose if we will walk out our lives in alignment God’s plan and will or our own. We all get to choose before we die where we will spend eternity based on if we choose Jesus or not. So choose wisely and decide how you will live out your life and what you will do with what you have been given.
Do you realize what you already have? Do you realize the value you have in what you have been given? Do you realize beyond the monetary value of it? Do you realize what it says about you and your value? You are loved! Have you ever listened to or read or watched the Father’s Love Letter which comes from the Bible? Will you receive God’s instruction in order to know how and what to do and who and where to turn? God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path!
Does it make a difference to you if you own something rather than steward something? Or would you have to steward something in both cases? Would you be a better steward if you thought you owned it?
Does it make a difference to you if you buy something vs lease something? Does it matter on the duration of the lease? Does the price you are willing to pay change based on buying it vs leasing it? Does the price you are willing to pay change based on buying it vs the length of the lease?
How does your perspective change? How does your thought pattern change? How does your willingness to pay change? How does your amount willing to pay change? Would you be willing to pay the same amount each month no matter if the lease was 5 yrs vs 50 yrs? Would you be willing to pay the same amount each month no matter if you were purchasing it vs leasing it for 50 yrs?
So what is the difference between ownership and stewardship? What is the difference between buying and leasing? How do these decisions impact your life?
‘“The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me. “With every purchase of land you must grant the seller the right to buy it back. If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him. If there is no close relative to buy the land, but the person who sold it gets enough money to buy it back, he then has the right to redeem it from the one who bought it. The price of the land will be discounted according to the number of years until the next Year of Jubilee. In this way the original owner can then return to the land. But if the original owner cannot afford to buy back the land, it will remain with the new owner until the next Year of Jubilee. In the jubilee year, the land must be returned to the original owners so they can return to their family land. “Anyone who sells a house inside a walled town has the right to buy it back for a full year after its sale. During that year, the seller retains the right to buy it back. But if it is not bought back within a year, the sale of the house within the walled town cannot be reversed. It will become the permanent property of the buyer. It will not be returned to the original owner in the Year of Jubilee. But a house in a village—a settlement without fortified walls—will be treated like property in the countryside. Such a house may be bought back at any time, and it must be returned to the original owner in the Year of Jubilee. “The Levites always have the right to buy back a house they have sold within the towns allotted to them. And any property that is sold by the Levites—all houses within the Levitical towns—must be returned in the Year of Jubilee. After all, the houses in the towns reserved for the Levites are the only property they own in all Israel. The open pastureland around the Levitical towns may never be sold. It is their permanent possession.
“If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and cannot support himself, support him as you would a foreigner or a temporary resident and allow him to live with you. Do not charge interest or make a profit at his expense. Instead, show your fear of God by letting him live with you as your relative. Remember, do not charge interest on money you lend him or make a profit on food you sell him. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. “If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell himself to you, do not treat him as a slave. Treat him instead as a hired worker or as a temporary resident who lives with you, and he will serve you only until the Year of Jubilee. At that time he and his children will no longer be obligated to you, and they will return to their clans and go back to the land originally allotted to their ancestors. The people of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, so they must never be sold as slaves. Show your fear of God by not treating them harshly. “However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you. You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat them as slaves, but you must never treat your fellow Israelites this way. “Suppose a foreigner or temporary resident becomes rich while living among you. If any of your fellow Israelites fall into poverty and are forced to sell themselves to such a foreigner or to a member of his family, they still retain the right to be bought back, even after they have been purchased. They may be bought back by a brother, an uncle, or a cousin. In fact, anyone from the extended family may buy them back. They may also redeem themselves if they have prospered. They will negotiate the price of their freedom with the person who bought them. The price will be based on the number of years from the time they were sold until the next Year of Jubilee—whatever it would cost to hire a worker for that period of time. If many years still remain until the jubilee, they will repay the proper proportion of what they received when they sold themselves. If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, they will repay a small amount for their redemption. The foreigner must treat them as workers hired on a yearly basis. You must not allow a foreigner to treat any of your fellow Israelites harshly. If any Israelites have not been bought back by the time the Year of Jubilee arrives, they and their children must be set free at that time. For the people of Israel belong to me. They are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’
Today’s reading next brings us into the book of wisdom with Proverbs 22.
‘Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both. A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life. Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it. Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end. Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor. Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear. Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend. The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous. The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!” The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap; those who make the Lord angry will fall into it. A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away. A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.
Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips. I am teaching you today—yes, you— so you will trust in the Lord . I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. In this way, you may know the truth and take an accurate report to those who sent you. Don’t rob the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court. For the Lord is their defender. He will ruin anyone who ruins them. Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone else. If you can’t pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you. Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations. Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.’
‘While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat; don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you. Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies. They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it. You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted. Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice. Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans. For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you. Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge. Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them. Physical discipline may well save them from death. My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice! Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right. Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord . You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed. My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course. Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags. Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old. Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy. O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways. A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well. She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful. Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down. For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper. You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”’
Today’s reading next brings us into the New Testament and begins in Mark 14.
‘They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say. When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”’
and continues into the book of 2 Corinthians starting with 2 Corinthians 6.
‘Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord . Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. ”’
‘Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.’
As we meditate and contemplate what we have read and learned through God’s Word, lets close today’s reading in the book of Psalms with Psalms 91.
‘Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord : He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”’
God's story through my life from 2005 to eternity... 
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