Sunday, May 31, 2020

Dear Friends, Never Take Revenge. Leave That To The Righteous Anger Of God.


Dear Friends, Never Take Revenge.
Leave That
To The Righteous Anger Of God.
Scripture
Romans 12
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
    I will pay them back,”
    says the Lord.
20 Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
    If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
    burning coals of shame on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Observation
Have you every heard or maybe you have even said this, “I don't get mad, but I get even!” Usually we say it in jest, but sometimes, yes sometimes, if someone has really hurt us, we might not say it out loud, but we begin to do things to get even. God says, “never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.”
What? Are you afraid that God is not going to pay them back? Never is a very strong word and it means N-E-V-E-R!
Here is warning for us, “Don't let evil conquer you, but you conquer evil by doing good.” Do you mean that I should just let it go?
Absolutely! Let God pay them back! And just keep doing good.
Application
I will forgive quickly those who have wronged me. I will not hold a grudge and I will not try to get revenge.
How about you?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, guard my heart. Don't let me build up anger or bitterness towards someone else. Help me to quickly forgive when someone does me wrong. Help me to love those who have hurt me. Help me to pay them back with good deeds even if it hurts and pains me to do it because You say so!
Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 16,17,18; Romans 12



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Saturday, May 30, 2020

Everyone Enjoys A Fitting Reply; It Is Wonderful To Say The Right Thing At The Right Time!


Everyone Enjoys
A Fitting Reply;
It Is Wonderful To Say The Right Thing At The Right Time!
Scripture
Proverbs 15
23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;
    it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
Observation
Last night was a tough night. There are no words that I could have said to make the situation any better for the young mother that just found out her baby girl that she had carried for 36 weeks no longer had a heart beat.
As soon as I saw the message from the nurse requesting that I come to be with this young mother because there was a fetal demise I began to pray. Lord, what can I say? Lord, how can I help ease the pain of this loss?
I felt the knot begin to grow in the pit of my stomach because I knew that there was nothing that I could say that would be right. As much as I wanted to fix the whole situation I knew that there was no fixing this.
Oh, yes, I did say some things to the young Mom and her young husband and I prayed with them and grieved with them, but this morning I still hurt for them, my eyes are full of tears for them. I have no answers for their loss.
But I am also thankful this morning that not every visit is like that and there are times when I actually do have a fitting reply for a patient, for a fellow church member, and for a friend. Yes, there are times when I am actually able to say the right thing at the right time!
And I know that you have those moments too!
Application
I will continue to be there for people even when there are no words that can help the situation.
How about you? Words are so important … what we say and how we say them … and sometimes just being there is way more important than what we say.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray for this young mother and her husband. Give them strength. Help them get through this rough time. Draw them to a closer relationship with You through this terrible time. Show them how much You love them. Help me minister to people when words aren't enough. Give me Your heart for the people around me.
Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 13,14,15; Romans 11



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Friday, May 29, 2020

For “Everyone Who Calls On The Name Of The Lord Will Be Saved.”


For “Everyone Who
Calls On The Name
Of The Lord Will Be Saved.”
Scripture
Romans 10
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Observation
Unless you and I have been made right with God then we are not right with God. There is only one way to be made right with God. And that one way is by openly declaring that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Do you believe?
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Are you one of the “everyone”?
I was 19 years old when I understood that Jesus Christ died on a cross for me. It was then that I understood that God loved me and wanted to have a personal relationship with me. It was then that I called on the name of the Lord and I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life and save me.
Have you made that decision?
Application
I openly declare that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior!
How about you?
Prayer

Heavenly Father, we live in a very dark and very evil world. I am so glad that You are my Heavenly Father and You have me in the palm of Your Hand. Nothing is going to touch my life without Your permission.

I pray for safety for those living close to the looting and the riots.

I pray that You raise up strong leaders who will quell the violence. Give leaders wisdom to do the right thing. And I pray that true justice would prevail for everyone involved.
Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 10,11,12; Romans 10



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Thursday, May 28, 2020

I Saw Some Naive Young Men, And One In Particular Who Lacked Common Sense.


I Saw Some Naive Young Men,
And One In Particular
Who Lacked Common Sense.
Scripture
Proverbs 7
7 I saw some naive young men,
    and one in particular who lacked common sense.
8 He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
    strolling down the path by her house.
9 It was at twilight, in the evening,
    as deep darkness fell.
10 The woman approached him,
    seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11 She was the brash, rebellious type,
    never content to stay at home.
12 She is often in the streets and markets,
    soliciting at every corner.
13 She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
    and with a brazen look she said,
14 “I’ve just made my peace offerings
    and fulfilled my vows.
15 You’re the one I was looking for!
    I came out to find you, and here you are!
16 My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
    with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
    Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19 for my husband is not home.
    He’s away on a long trip.
20 He has taken a wallet full of money with him
    and won’t return until later this month.[b]”
21 So she seduced him with her pretty speech
    and enticed him with her flattery.
22 He followed her at once,
    like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,
23     awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
    little knowing it would cost him his life.
24 So listen to me, my sons,
    and pay attention to my words.
25 Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
    Don’t wander down her wayward path.
26 For she has been the ruin of many;
    many men have been her victims.
27 Her house is the road to the grave.
    Her bedroom is the den of death.
Observation
God wants us to set up boundaries when it comes to the opposite sex. He warns us over and over and over again against sexual immorality and yet it doesn't seem like we get the message. Stupid is as stupid does. Wrong is wrong. Sex outside of marriage is wrong. It is sexual immorality! It is a sin that will destroy us!
Satan wants to destroy you and sex outside of marriage is one of his tools to really mess you up and not only you, but usually your entire family too.
Vice President Mike Pence has been made fun of, he has been ridiculed because of the boundaries that he has established to protect himself against falling into sexual sin with a woman. I applaud our vice president for his commitment to his wife and to his Lord.
I have made those same commitments. Have you?
Lets not be a naive person that lacks common sense like the young man in Proverbs 7!
Application
I will not be alone with a woman other than my wife.
I will not eat a meal alone with a woman that is not my wife.
I will not counsel a woman without my wife being present.
I will not give a woman a ride in my car (except to pick up one of the ladies for my wife and bring her to my wife's small group and this is an exception and very rare).
My wife has total access to my phone, my computer, my emails, my text messages etc.
How about you? Have you established boundaries for your behavior with the opposite sex?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to live a life that makes You smile. Don't let me do stupid stuff that would mess up my relationship with You. Give me wisdom. Show me how to keep my marriage great.
I pray for guys who are struggling in the area of sexual purity. Help them to be men of integrity. If they are struggling with pornography give them the courage to get help. If a husband is cheating on his wife or if a wife is cheating on her husband help them to repent and help them to work harder on their relationship with their spouse.
Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 7,8,9; Romans 9



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Wednesday, May 27, 2020

And I Am Convinced That Nothing Can Ever Separate Us From God's Love.


And I Am Convinced
That Nothing
Can Ever Separate Us From God's Love.
Scripture
Romans 8
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Observation
I talked to someone at the hospital last night who had attempted to take her own life and she sadly said as I was talking to her about how much God loved her, “I don't even think He knows who I am.” I realized that I was talking to someone who was empty, who was lonely, who had lost all hope. She had come to the point where life had no meaning for her at all.
So I pulled up a chair and I sat down and we talked. I tried my best to give her hope. I shared with her that life was never meant to be lived without a relationship with the One who created us. I tried my best to let her know that she was highly valued by God and that her life mattered.
After hearing her story, or at least hearing the part of her story that she was willing to share with me, it was not surprising that she had tried to end her life. I grieve for her and all that she has experienced.
Yet, I know that her life doesn't have to stay on the path where it is heading … the path of death and destruction. I know that if she will just put her faith and her trust in Jesus Christ that her life will be totally different.
I realize that I will probably only have the one conversation with her. She will more than likely be released from the hospital today and I don't go back to the hospital until tomorrow. But what she doesn't know is that she is not forgotten.
I am still praying for her. I am praying for a miracle. I am praying that God will save her and totally transform her life. I am praying that God will give her meaning and purpose in life.
He loves to do that ... you know!
Application
I will not give up on people!
How about you? Is there someone that you have given up on?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I do pray that you will transform this ladies life. Give her hope. Her her a reason to live. Show her what a loving Heavenly Father You are. I pray for her salvation. I pray for her protection. Bring people into her life that will point her to You.
I pray for any person who may read this blog that feels hopeless. I pray that You give them hope. Give them purpose and meaning for their life today.
Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 4,5,6; Romans 8



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Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Seek His Will In All You Do, And He Will Show You Which Path To Take.


Seek His Will
In All You Do,
And He Will Show You Which Path To Take.
Scripture
Proverbs 3
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.
Observation
Proverbs 3:5-6 are verses that are well known to just about all of us but how about the verses that follow that say:
7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.
This is great advice … Fear the Lord and turn away from evil ... then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.
And how about this, “Honor the LORD with your wealth and the best part of everything you produce. Then He will fill your barns with grain and your vats will overflow with good wine.”
Application
If I want to have a life that is blessed and that is successful by God's standard then I must put these verses into practice.
How about you? Are you living out Proverbs 3:5-10?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to trust You with all my heart; help me not depend on my own understanding. Help me to seek Your will in all that I do, so You will show me which path to take. Don’t let me be impressed with my own wisdom. Instead, help me to reverence You, and help me to turn away from evil. Because ... I want healing for my body and strength for my bones. Help me to honor You with my wealth, with the best part of everything I produce. So my life will overflow! (Proverbs 3:5-10 personalized)

Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 1,2,3; Romans 7



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Monday, May 25, 2020

Do Not Let Sin Control The Way You Live; Do Not Give In To Sinful Desires.


Do Not Let Sin
Control The Way You Live;
Do Not Give In To Sinful Desires.
Scripture
Romans 6
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.
Observation
Today my daily Bible reading that included 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles talk about Solomon and how much God had blessed him. God had clearly told Solomon not to marry foreign wives … but …
“You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway. 3 He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord.” (1 Kings 11:2-3)
He was the wisest and the richest man that has ever lived, yet in his old age he let sin turn his heart away from the Lord.
It is a warning to me and it sure ought to be a warning to you too!
Are you letting sin control the way you live? 1 Kings 11 is a very sad commentary on the life of King Solomon.
Application
I want to finish well.
How about you? Are you letting sin control the way you live?
This Book (the Bible) will keep me away from sin, and sin will keep me away from this Book. (A quote written in my study Bible from Pastor Rapley Armstrong)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, do not let me drift away from a close relationship with You. Help me to guard my heart. I want to finish well. Keep me away from stupid sins that will mess up my relationship with You and will mess up my relationship with those around me. Continue to show me in Your Word how I should live my life.
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 10,11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6



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Sunday, May 24, 2020

Fix Your Thoughts On What Is True, And Honorable, And Right, And Pure, And Lovely, And Admirable. Think About Things That Are Excellent And Worthy Of Praise!


Fix Your Thoughts On What Is True, And Honorable,
And Right, And Pure, And Lovely, And Admirable.
Think About Things That Are Excellent And Worthy Of Praise!
Scripture
Philippians 4
2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 
Observation
In preparing for this morning's Sunday School Lesson which is taken from Philippians 2 I decided to add to my daily Bible reading Philippians 3 & 4.
I think one of the main reasons the Apostle Paul wrote Philippians was to help two sisters in the Lord who were at odds with each other. He wrote, “Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.”
“Because you belong to the Lord” settle your disagreement!”
That is a good word for any of us who are fighting and arguing with each other … BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO THE LORD SETTLE YOUR DISAGREEMENT!
Philippians 4:6-7 are verses I use almost every day with folks who are in the hospital. And if I have the time and the patient seems interested I add 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:22, Isaiah 26:3; and Psalm 56:3.
I hope that you are taking the time to read God's Word every day and are getting your directions from Him about how to get along with your brothers and sisters in Christ!
Just do what God says for you to do and you will be glad that you did!
Application
I will fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I will think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
How about you?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and lovely, and admirable. Help my thoughts be on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Don't let me do something hurtful to a brother or sister in Christ.
I pray today for my pastors and their families. Help them, Lord. Encourage them. Give them wisdom. Protect their families. Speak through them today to encourage and guide us.
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Psalms 136; Romans 5; I added: Philippians 3 & Philippians 4



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Saturday, May 23, 2020

Don't Look Out Only For Your Own Interests, But Take An Interest In Others, Too.


Don't Look Out
Only For Your Own Interests,
But Take An Interest In Others, Too.
Scripture
Philippians 2
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 
4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Observation
This is the passage for tomorrow's Sunday School lesson. The main point of the lesson is “Humbly place the needs of others above your own.”
The writer of the lesson said this,
“Do you 'look out' for others … or do you mainly 'look out' for yourself? If you are like me, you probably have no trouble at all thinking about your own desires – what you want. Most of us don't need alarms on our phones to remind us to eat, sleep, or play. We serve ourselves without thinking.
However, we do need frequent promptings to keep our minds focused on others. Paul offered that prompt here, urging his Philippian friends – and us – to make the needs of other people a major focus of our lives.”
Philippians 2:13-15
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,
15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Do you want to improve your relationship with others?
Okay … take the focus off yourself and your circumstances. Look for ways to humbly serve others. Stop complaining and start loving others by serving them. Take on the same attitude as Christ. (… taken from Bible Studies For Life Leader Guide)
Application
I will ask the Lord for strength to yield to others, to put others and their needs above my own.
How about you? Do you want to improve your relationship with others?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, the Sunday School lesson, this passage from Philippians 2, is a reminder to me that I need to have the same attitude as Christ when it comes to the people around me. Don't let me be selfish. Show me how to serve those around me in a way that pleases You. Give me a heart like Yours.
Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 6,7; Psalms 135; Romans 4; I added: Philippians 2



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Friday, May 22, 2020

For Everyone Has Sinned; We All Fall Short Of God's Glorious Standard.


For Everyone
Has Sinned;
We All Fall Short Of God's Glorious Standard.
Scripture
Romans 3:23
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Observation
I am a sinner. So are you. My sin separates me from God. My sin messes up my relationship with those around me. I must confess my sin and keep my relationship right with my Heavenly Father and keep my relationship right with those around me.
There is always the tendency to compare myself with someone else. There is always the temptation to measure my sin against someone elses sin and think that what I am doing is not as bad as what they are doing or what they did.
Wrong is wrong. Sin is sin. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Sin has consequences. It can leave deep scars. Sin unconfessed can destroy us. Let's confess our sins as we commit them. Let's keep our relationship right with God and right with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Application
I will do my best to confess my sins as soon as I commit them. I will do everything possible to keep my relationship right with those around me.
How about you?
1 John 1:9
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, don't let me compare myself with those around me. Show me my sin when I sin and help me to keep my sins confessed. Break my heart with what breaks Yours.
I pray for John Elwell today as he has surgery to have his gall bladder removed. I pray for a quick recovery.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Numbers 32:23
23 But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; Psalms 99; Romans 3



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Thursday, May 21, 2020

And This Is The Message I Proclaim – That The Day Is Coming When God, Through Christ Jesus, Will Judge Everyone’s Secret Life.


And This Is The Message I Proclaim –
That The Day Is Coming When God,
Through Christ Jesus, Will Judge Everyone’s Secret Life.
Scripture
Romans 2
16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.
Observation
I have been fooled and let down by people before and I am sure that you have too! People who were very close to me. I thought that I knew them only to find out later that I didn't really know them at all. I have blindly trusted people only to find out later, and way too late, that I should not have trusted them at all.
King David knew and understood what it felt like to be betrayed by a friend, he wrote in Psalms “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.” Psalm 41:9
All of us have within us the capacity or the potential to disappoint, fool, and even destroy someone else – all of us have the potential to even betray our closest friend – there is only One who really knows us, only One who really knows our secret life and His name is Jesus.
And one day Jesus is going to judge that secret life of mine and and He is going to judge your secret life too!
This means that I need to be a man of integrity. I need to be a loyal to my friends. I need to keep my word.
If a friendship or a relationship starts to go south, or starts to deteriorate then I need to do everything within my power to get it back on track.
And yes, it definitely means that I need to guard my heart!
Proverbs 4:23
23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Jeremiah 17:9
9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
Application
I will be wise and not blindly trust someone – anyone – with my finances. I will forgive quickly when I am hurt or betrayed. I will let the problem be their problem not mine. I will let my Heavenly Father avenge and take care of any person who wrongs me.
How about you? How will you treat your enemies? Are you guarding your heart? What is going on in that secret life of yours?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, one day I know that I will stand before You. Everything that I have done in secret will be out in the open. I know that I can't hide anything from You. Help me to guard my heart. Help me to be wise with my finances. Help me to be quick to forgive when I have been betrayed. I will not try to get even or hurt someone who has hurt me. I will let You deal with them. 
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 19:14; Psalm 139:23-24)
Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalms 98; Romans 2



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