Open The Mouth Of The First Fish You Catch And You Will Find A Large Silver Coin

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Open The Mouth Of The First Fish
You Catch
And You Will Find A Large Silver Coin

Scripture

Matthew 17

²⁴ On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

²⁵ “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.
But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”

²⁶ “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! ²⁷ However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Observation

This is my kind of fishing! Try to top this fishing story!

So go down to the lake and throw in a line, open the mouth of the first fish you catch and you will find a large silver coin.

Wow! I bet Peter looked in the mouth of every fish’s mouth from then on! I sure would have!

What is the lesson for you and me? What is it that God wants us to learn? 

Here it is, “He is enough!”

Philippians 4:19

    And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:33

    But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

 Matthew 6:25

 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life …”  

Application

God can and God will take care of me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, this story is a reminder to me that You have a trillion, no You have a zillion ways of taking care of Kathy and me. What I need to be concerned about is keeping You and Your kingdom first in my life and You will take care of all of my needs. Thank You for the reminder this morning. You are enough for me!

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalm 68; Matthew 17

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How Precious Are Your Thoughts About Me, O God.

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How Precious
Are Your Thoughts
About Me, O God.


Scripture

Psalm 139

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

⁴ You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.

¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!

¹⁸ I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
 
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

Observation

With billions of people on this planet to think about and to be concerned about …Wow! … God still has time to think about you and time to think about me. 

I don’t know about you, but I am so glad that I serve and personally know the God of the Bible. 

He knows my thoughts and He knows what I am going to say even before I say it and He still loves me! 

Amazing! 


Amazing love is what He has for you and me! Lets give Him praise!

 Application

I will thank the Lord for His unfailing love! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I feel like the Psalmist this morning when I think about how You with so much going on would take the time to think about me! It is amazing. I don’t deserve Your love. It is hard for me to even comprehend the depth of Your love for me. All I can say is, “Thank You” for loving me!

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Samuel 4,5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16

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Jesus Asked, “How Much Bread Do You Have?”

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Jesus
Asked,
“How Much Bread Do You Have?”



Scripture

Matthew 15

³³ The disciples replied, “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?”

³⁴ Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”
They replied, “Seven loaves, and a few small fish.”

³⁵ So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. ³⁶ Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd.

³⁷ They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. ³⁸ There were 4,000 men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children.

Observation

Have you ever thought, wondered, or questioned why Jesus would ask people questions like He did in this story and in other stories before He performed a miracle?

He already knew what He was going to do.

In fact in the case of this miracle, the feeding of the 4,000 with 7 loaves and a few small fish this was the second miracle performed with loaves and fish and this must have been for his disciples who were as forgetful it seems as we are!

When you get together in your small group or Bible study class there is no such thing as a stupid question. Don’t be afraid to ask!

I remember when I first gave my life to Christ I had a million questions that I was constantly bombarding my Bible study teacher with. And I am sure it thrilled him to have someone excited about growing in the Lord.

My questions about the Word of God and your questions about spiritual things are very important.

Don’t be afraid to ask them!

Questions make us all stop and think! They help us understand the implications of God’s Word!  

>>>>

 1. "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" (Matthew 9:28)
2. "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26)
3. "What do you think about the Christ?" (Matthew 22:42)
4. "Do you love Me?" (John 21:17)
5. "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46)
6. "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Luke 18:41)
7. "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3)

Application

I will read God’s Word with an open heart looking for answers to life’s problems. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for new Christians who are excited about Your Word. They have lots of questions. Give them the boldness and courage to study and ask questions and help them to grow. Satan wants them to believe that their questions are stupid and that people will laugh at them or he makes them believe that people are laughing at them. Show them that those thoughts are not Your thoughts and the evil one is trying to get them to stop growing spiritually. Give them courage Lord. Help these young Christians to be strong. You know whom I am thinking of right now. Give him strength, boldness, and courage to be all that You want him to be!

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15



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You Are All I Really Want In Life.

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You Are
All
I Really Want In Life.

Scripture

Psalm 142

⁴ I look for someone to come and help me,
    but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me;
    no one cares a bit what happens to me.

⁵ Then I pray to you, O Lord.
    I say, “You are my place of refuge.
    You are all I really want in life.

Observation

I doubt that you and I are spiritually at the place where King David was at when he penned Psalm 142. 

To be honest you and I have probably not told God recently, “You are all I really want in life.” 

Maybe our health, our finances, a broken relationship or several broken relationships, maybe our career, getting a job, our business, our children, maybe all of these have dominated our thoughts and our conversations with God, but I doubt that we have told Him recently or maybe have ever told Him, “God, You are all I really want in life”. 

Well, lets change that right now! 

And let this be our prayer today! Lord, You are all I really want in life! 

Matthew 6:33 

    But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

Matthew 22

³⁷ Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”


 Application

I will pray and declare that God is all that I really want in life. How about you?

Prayer

Lord, You are all I really want in life! Help me to love You with all of my heart, all of my soul, and with all of my mind. Help me to put Your Kingdom first today. You are my place of refuge. You are my Protector! There is no one like You!

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14

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Don’t Use Foul Or Abusive Language. Let Everything You Say Be Good And Helpful

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Don’t Use Foul Or Abusive Language.
Let Everything You Say
Be Good And Helpful


Scripture

Ephesians 4

29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Observation

Maybe it is because a person wants to impress people. I don’t know. Or maybe it is because a person wants to be trendy, or fit in with the crowd, I don’t know.

But when we as followers of Christ use foul and abusive language it damages our witness and it does not do anything for the Kingdom of God.

Lets think about the words we use and maybe take a few words out of our vocabulary.

Lets take Ephesians 4:29 to heart!

.

Ephesians 4

 ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Proverbs 12:18 

Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring healing.

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you should answer everyone.

   

Application

I will watch what I say and how I say it. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. It helps me stay on the right path. It keeps me going in the right direction. Help me to guard what I say and how I say it. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts in my head be pleasing to You. Help me to be gentle and not harsh. Help me to be considerate of those around me.

Daily Bible Reading:  2 Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13; Psalm 26, Psalm 56, Proverbs 26; Ephesians 4


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I Pray That You, May Be Able To Comprehend With All The Saints What Is The Length And Width, Height And Depth Of God’s Love.

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I Pray That You,
May Be Able To Comprehend With All The Saints
What Is The Length And Width, Height And Depth Of God’s Love.

Scripture

Ephesians 3

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 

¹⁶ I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, ¹⁷ and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. 

I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 

¹⁹ and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Observation

What are the symptoms of an empty life? Things in our life or the destructive stuff in the lives of those around us like drug addiction, alcohol abuse, sexual immorality, loneliness, rejection, low self-esteem, anger, depression, selfishness, blame shifting, etc. The root cause of all of these symptoms is found in the core of our being, and treating the symptoms will never correct the problem.

So what I the cure for the “empty life”! When you and I are full of God’s love then all of the symptoms of the empty life will go away. We try to treat the symptoms of an empty life when there is a cure!

My prayer for you is that God will grant you through the power of His Holy Spirit in your inner person, in the core of your being, the ability to know just how much God loves you. The Apostle Paul got down on his knees asking God to empower the believers in the city of Ephesus to know and experience God’s love, a love that surpasses knowledge.

You and I need to bow before God on behalf of those around us, praying for them, maybe even praying for ourselves asking God to grant us the privilege of knowing how much God loves us! When and only when we are able to realize how much God loves us, it is then and only then that we will experience a full life, a life filled with the fullness of God. 

 Application

I will pray asking God to grant the people I love the ability to know how much that God loves them.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know that I can’t convince people and I can’t make people understand how much You love them. But You can do what I can’t do. You can reveal to them just how much You love them. 

I pray for anyone that may be reading this blog today. Grant them, according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through Your Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in their hearts through faith. I pray that they will be rooted and firmly established in love, and that they may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of Your love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so they may be filled with all the fullness of You.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 30,31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12; Ephesians 3

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Come To Me, All Of You Who Are Weary And Carry Heavy Burdens, And I Will Give You Rest.

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Come To Me, All Of You Who Are Weary
And Carry Heavy Burdens,
And I Will Give You Rest.

Scripture

Matthew 11

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Observation

It is Monday!

This is a perfect passage to help you and me start out this week.

If we find ourselves weary and overloaded then let me suggest that we do just what Jesus tells us to do in Matthew 11:28-30! Lets go to Jesus.

Lets team up with Jesus and learn from Him. He will give us rest for our souls!

This personal invitation is from Jesus, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire Universe and all creation.

Talk to Him right now!

Colossians 1

¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
    He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
¹⁶ for through him God created everything
    in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
    and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
    Everything was created through him and for him.
¹⁷ He existed before anything else,
    and he holds all creation together.
¹⁸ Christ is also the head of the church,
    which is his body.
He is the beginning,
    supreme over all who rise from the dead.
    So he is first in everything.
¹⁹ For God in all his fullness
    was pleased to live in Christ,
²⁰ and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
²¹ This includes you …

 Application

I am going to yoke myself with Jesus this week! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I am amazed that You want to have a personal intimate relationship with me. You, the Creator of this entire Universe, want to have a friendship with me. I don’t deserve Your love and I surely don’t deserve Your attention. But You do care about me. You want to walk through life with me. You want to take care of me. All I can say is “Thank You”!

I pray for anyone that may be reading this blog this morning. Give them rest for their weary souls. Help them to team up with You. Show them that they do not need to carry all of those heavy burdens. Let them find rest in You. 

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 28,29; Psalm 109; Matthew 11

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My Old Self Has Been Crucified With Christ

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My Old Self
Has Been Crucified
With Christ

Scripture

Galatians 2

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Observation

A W. Tozer said, “To be crucified means, first, the man on the cross is facing only one direction; second, he is not going back; and third, he has no further plans of his own.” Have you been crucified? If you have given your life to Jesus Christ and have trusted Him as your Lord and Savior then your old life has been crucified. It is dead. Now what we have to do is every day is remember to take up our cross and follow Jesus! 

2 Corinthians 5

¹⁴ Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
¹⁵ He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

Luke 9:23 

    Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. 

 Application

Christ lives in me. I will not live only for myself. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me understand and help me live out Luke 9:23 and Galatians 2:20!

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 27; Psalm 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10; Galatians 2

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Pray To The Lord Who Is In Charge Of The Harvest; Ask Him To Send More Workers Into His Fields.

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Pray To The Lord Who Is In Charge Of The Harvest;
Ask Him
To Send More Workers Into His Fields.


Scripture

Matthew 9

³⁷ He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. ³⁸ So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Observation

Do you have loved ones that need to follow Jesus? Would you like to see their lives transformed? Wouldn’t you like to see them walking in victory and experiencing the abundant life that God has allowed us to experience?

If you answered, “Yes” to those questions like I did then here is what we need to do; we need to pray!

Lets pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest and ask Him to send more workers, “real people” into the lives of our loved ones so that they can be drawn to Christ!

At least that is what I am doing and I am never going to give up praying for them and I am never going to stop asking God to send people into their lives until the direction of their lives is changed and they are walking with the Lord. It is what I must do? I must intercede for them. 

 Application

I will pray for God to send workers into the harvest and I will never give up. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I remember when this passage of scripture became so real to me. It was a long time ago when I had first given my life to Christ. Give me that same heart today for the lost that I had when I preached my first sermon from this Bible passage so many years ago. Don’t let me ever give up praying for those who need to be walking with and living for Jesus. I know that prayer is my only weapon that I have to defeat the evil one who has blinded them. Open up their spiritual eyes so that they can see and understand the Good News that Jesus loves them. 

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 25,26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9

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Foxes Have Dens To Live In, And Birds Have Nests, But The Son Of Man Has No Place Even To Lay His Head.

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Foxes Have Dens To Live In,
And Birds Have Nests,
But The Son Of Man Has No Place Even To Lay His Head.

Scripture

Matthew 8

¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.

¹⁹ Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

²⁰ But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

²¹ Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”

2 Corinthians 6

10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Observation

I have to remind myself all the time that the Lord has promised to take care of me. He will provide what Kathy and I need as we put Him first. 

What has it cost you to follow Jesus? What has it cost me? What have we given up? 

Jesus Christ didn’t even have a place to lay His head and yet His call was “follow me”.

His call on my life and His call on your life is a call for us to follow Him – right now!

Matthew 6:33 is not just a good verse to memorize it is a verse for us to live our lives by, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

“Follow Jesus” is not a suggestion. It is a command!

   

Application

I will follow Jesus and make His kingdom my number one priority. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, it is so easy for me to make excuses to why I am not putting You and Your Kingdom first, but I know that there is no excuse, no reason not to put You first. You have taken such good care of us. We are blessed. Show me what to do today that involves Your Kingdom. Guide me. Direct me. Don’t let me waste my time on stuff that is not important to You.

I pray for my son Hugh today. Bless him today on his birthday. I pray that he will live his life in a way that pleases You. Help him to sense Your presence and experience Your power and Your love in his life. 

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 24; Psalm 57,58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8

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Why Worry About A Speck In Your Friend’s Eye When You Have A Log In Your Own?

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Why Worry About A Speck In Your Friend’s Eye
When
You Have A Log In Your Own? 

Scripture

Matthew 7

³ “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? ⁴ How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Observation

Why do we nit pick and criticize others? It is called “Blame Shifting”!

It is just easier for me to see your faults than for me to admit and see my own. It is easier to blame other people than to admit that I am broken too!

Kathy’s Dad used to say; “When I point a finger at someone I have three fingers pointing back at me.” So true!

When I criticize people pointing out where they fall short, it might make me feel better about myself for a moment but it doesn’t take care of the real issue – ME!

You and I have a problem and it is US! – Not THEM!

 Application

I will focus and work on Eddy’s shortcomings (the log in my eye) and not worry about the specs in the lives of others. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to see where I fall short. Help me be concerned more with the log in my eye than the speck in someone else’s. Give me a servant’s heart. Don’t let me be apathetic to the needs around me. Give me Your heart for those around me. Thank You for loving me unconditionally. Help me to love others in the same way. 

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 23; Psalm 31; Psalm 54; Matthew 7

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Forgive Us Our Sins, As We Have Forgiven Those Who Sin Against Us.

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Forgive Us Our Sins,
As
We Have Forgiven Those Who Sin Against Us.

Scripture

Matthew 6

¹² and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
¹⁴ “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Observation

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing! In fact, if you want to enjoy your life, it is a very necessary thing!

I am so glad that God has forgiven me of all of my sins – all of them! Yet, it is interesting how you and I can be so unforgiving at times. We want to withhold forgiveness. We don’t want to forgive people that have hurt us.

When you and I get hurt and we refuse to forgive the person or persons who hurt us it messes all of our relationships up. Yes, it affects every one of our relationships!

Un-forgiveness destroys – if we are still talking about it – if we are still venting to those around us about it – then we have not given the gift of forgiveness and instead we are holding on to resentment.

Let it go!

Give them the gift of forgiveness. It will set you free! Of course, they don’t deserve it. We don’t deserve God’s forgiveness either.

Let it go.

Psalm 65:3

Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.

Ephesians 4:32

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:13

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

 Application

I will give the gift of forgiveness to those who hurt me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me of my sins. Thank You that You don’t hold them against me. You refuse to let my sins affect Your love for me. I know that I do not deserve Your love or Your forgiveness. Help me to love those around me with that same kind of selfless, sacrificial love.

I pray for anyone reading this blog today that has been hurt. Help them to let it go. Help them to give the gift of forgiveness to those who have wrong them so that they can enjoy the life that You want them to have. Don’t let them continue to be controlled by resentment and un-forgiveness!

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 22; Psalm 17; Psalm 35; Matthew 6

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Let Your Light So Shine Before Men, That They May See Your Good Works, And Glorify Your Father Who Is In Heaven.

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Let Your Light So Shine Before Men,
That They May See Your Good Works,
And Glorify Your Father Who Is In Heaven.

Scripture

Matthew 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.

Observation

My life verse is found in Matthew 5 verse 16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” This verse is a reminder to me about how I am to live my life and it is also a reminder to me about who is supposed to get the glory and the credit for any good that is done through me!

Matthew 5, 6 & 7 contains Jesus longest recorded message in scripture. Even if you are a slow reader you can probably read all 3 chapters in about 15-20 minutes. Yet those 3 chapters are packed with instructions about how to live the Christian life.

God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation is Jesus Christ speaking to us today! Jesus validates the Old Testament scriptures in Matthew 5. All of God’s Word is profitable for us. All of it from beginning to end is the God breathed inspired Word of God. 

Application

I will strive to live out Matthew 5:16 today. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Word. How would I be able to live life without it? I know that Your Word is reliable. It is trustworthy. I can count on all of it. I see Your purpose and plan for my life because of what You have told me in Your Word. Help others to trust Your Word. Help them to dig into it and discover Your truth. Bless anyone who might read this blog today. Show them that they can depend on You.

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 20,21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5

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People Do Not Live By Bread Alone, But By Every Word That Comes From The Mouth Of God.

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People Do Not Live By Bread Alone,
But
By Every Word That Comes From The Mouth Of God.


Scripture

Matthew 4

³ During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
⁴ But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
‘People do not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Observation

It is Monday! What did you read this morning from God’s Word? Okay, if you haven’t taken time to read your Bible yet, when you do read it what are you going to read?

It is so important to read God’s Word everyday because the devil will come with temptations everyday and you are going to need God’s Word in your heart to be able to fight him off!

Why not set ourselves a goal for this week to read God’s Word everyday. If you don’t know where to start then I suggest the Gospel of John or the Gospel of Mark. Of course you know that I love to read a Psalm and a Proverb too when I can.

Reading God’s Word everyday is life changing. Somebody give me an Amen!

If you need a daily Bible reading plan just go to  https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/

Application

I will enjoy reading God’s Word this week. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word. You speak to me everyday as I read it. You encourage me. You correct me. You give me Hope. I know that You are going to speak to me everyday that I open up Your Word. Thank You for the privilege of knowing you personally. You love me. You delight in me. I don’t deserve it, but I am grateful. You are an awesome God.

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 19; 1 Chronicles 7; Psalm 59; Matthew 4

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Christ Died For Our Sins, Just As The Scriptures Said. He Was Buried, And He Was Raised From The Dead On The Third Day, Just As The Scriptures Said.

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Christ Died For Our Sins, Just As The Scriptures Said.
He Was Buried, And He Was Raised
From The Dead On The Third Day, Just As The Scriptures Said.


Scripture 

1 Corinthians 15

³ I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
 
⁴ He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.
 
⁵ He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ⁷ Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
 
⁸ Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. ⁹ For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

Observation

The Gospel in a nutshell! The Good News for us today is that Jesus Christ is Alive! Just as the scriptures said He would, Jesus died for our sins. He was buried and on the third day He came out of that tomb and He is Alive just as the scriptures said! Hallelujah He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

 Application

I serve a Risen Savior! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ! Thank You for working in my heart and showing me that I needed to repent of my sins and trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Open up the spiritual eyes of anyone that may be reading this blog this morning. Show them that they need to do the same thing! Hallelujah! Jesus is Alive!

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalm 11; Matthew 3; 1 Corinthians 15

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You Come To Me With Sword, Spear, And Javelin, But I Come To You In The Name Of The LORD Of Heaven’s Armies –

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You Come To Me With Sword, Spear, And Javelin,
But
I Come To You In The Name Of The LORD Of Heaven’s Armies –

Scripture

1 Samuel 17

⁴⁵ David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
 
⁴⁶ Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!
 
⁴⁷ And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

⁴⁸ As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. ⁴⁹ Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.

⁵⁰ So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.

⁵¹ Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.

Observation

David had a secret weapon against Goliath. It wasn’t his slingshot. David had faith in a big God. He knew that he couldn’t defeat Goliath, but he knew that God could. Just listen to David when he declares, “Today the LORD will conquer you … and everyone will know that the LORD rescues His people … this is the LORD’s battle.”

Okay, maybe your Goliath and my Goliath are not actually 9 feet tall. Maybe our Goliath is not even a person; maybe it is a life threatening disease, a physical disability, or bad circumstances that are waging war against us.

Or maybe your Goliath is a boss, co-worker, a spouse, or a friend or a family member that has betrayed you; all of us have a Goliath or Goliaths in our lives.

The secret to defeating any and every Goliath that comes against us is to let the Lord do the fighting for us!

Lets quit trying to defeat our Goliaths on our own! Let’s pray and let the Lord rescue us.

Application

I will let the Lord fight my battles! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I love this story! It is amazing the faith that young David had when he faced Goliath. Give me that kind of faith. Remind me that the battle is not mine to fight. You are my Heavenly Father and as long as I trust in You and I don’t depend on my own strength I know that You will take care of my Goliaths. My battles are Your battles. My enemies are Your enemies. Lord, because You are on my side “no one” or “no thing” can stand against me. Nothing is too hard for You!

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2



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The LORD Is Close To The Brokenhearted; He Rescues Those Whose Spirits Are Crushed.

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The LORD Is Close To The Brokenhearted;
He
Rescues Those Whose Spirits Are Crushed.



Scripture

Psalm 34

⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
    He freed me from all my fears.

⁵ Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

⁶ In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles.

⁷ For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
    he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

¹⁷ The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
    He rescues them from all their troubles.

¹⁸ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Observation

Almost everyday when I read my Bible I read a Psalm and a Proverb, not everyday, but almost. I would recommend that habit for anyone who might be going through a difficult season in his or her life. 

In fact, I think that it is just a good thing to do for all of us! King David knew how to pray.  

He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). 

Psalm 34 is a great example of why I love to read the Psalms! 

Take time this morning to read a few Psalms. I am sure that you have a favorite! 

And the wisest man in the world wrote the book of Proverbs!

Application

I will reread Psalm 34 and meditate on all of God’s promises in those twenty-two verses!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I will praise You at all times. I will constantly speak Your praises. I will boast only in You, Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let me tell of Your greatness; let me exalt Your name. I prayed to You Lord, and You answered me. You freed me from all my fears. In my desperation I prayed, and You listened; You saved me from all my troubles. Psalm 34:1-6 personalized


Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 15,16; 1 Chronicles 5; Matthew 1; Psalm 114, Psalm 34, Proverbs 14

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Perhaps The LORD Will Help Us, For Nothing Can Hinder The LORD. He Can Win A Battle Whether He Has Many Warriors Or Only A Few!

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Perhaps The LORD Will Help Us,
For Nothing Can Hinder The LORD.
He Can Win A Battle Whether He Has Many Warriors Or Only A Few!


1 Samuel 14

1 One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.

⁶ “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

⁷ “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”

¹² Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”

¹³ So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. ¹⁴ They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.

Observation

I put this story right up there with the story of David and Goliath. This was incredible bravery! Jonathan’s armor bearer’s courage was truly amazing, He said to Jonathan, “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.” 

I hope you take a few minutes to read 1 Samuel 14 for yourself this morning. God wants us to be bold and courageous! He didn’t save us for us to be wimps.

I haven’t watched it yet but I definitely plan to watch the movie “Hack Saw Ridge”. Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa, (WWII) – without firing a shot. In fact, he refused to bear arms!

What step of courage is God asking you and I to make?

Joshua 1:9

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Psalm 27:14

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Application

I will be bold and courageous today! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, to be strong and courageous is something that You command me to do. I know that it is not a suggestion. In You alone and faith in You alone is the only way that I can be brave and courageous. Help me to walk close to You today. Don’t let me shrink back from what You have called me to do and from who You have called me to be! Give me the courage and boldness of Jonathan and his armor bearer. 

Daily Bible Reading:  1 Samuel 14; 1 Chronicles 4; 2 Corinthians 13

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