Since my last entry, I have read 1 Samuel 13:12-17:31 and Acts 14:7-16:24. My favorite verses are:
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
God wants to share fellowship with His children. Too often, we interrupt that fellowship because we are disobedient. No matter what sacrifices we make in repentance for our disobedience, it is never the same as if we had simply obeyed God in the first place. Yes, He does forgive when we ask Him to; but the rift has been made, and blessings have been lost. If we listen to His voice and obey Him, we can have sweet, unbroken fellowship with the Father. Then, we can enjoy the same results that the early church experienced—our churches can be established in the faith and the number of believers in the church family can increase daily. What a wonderful testimony that would be to others in this world!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
God Raised Jesus
Since my last entry, I have read 1 Samuel 6:13-13:11 and Acts 12:1-14:6. My favorite verses are:
1 Samuel 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
Acts 13:30 But God raised him from the dead:
God is the One who decides how He cares for us. It pleases Him to treat His people well. He does require obedience from us, but He loves us whether we obey or not. He disciplines us in love when we need it, and He forgives us when we confess to Him that we have done wrong. All of this is possible because of Jesus Christ who died for our sins. One of the greatest statements of our Christian faith is in Acts 13:30. Because Christ lives, we too can live—for eternity! God is Good.
1 Samuel 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
Acts 13:30 But God raised him from the dead:
God is the One who decides how He cares for us. It pleases Him to treat His people well. He does require obedience from us, but He loves us whether we obey or not. He disciplines us in love when we need it, and He forgives us when we confess to Him that we have done wrong. All of this is possible because of Jesus Christ who died for our sins. One of the greatest statements of our Christian faith is in Acts 13:30. Because Christ lives, we too can live—for eternity! God is Good.
Monday, May 24, 2010
God Speaks; God Listens
Since my last entry, I have read Ruth 4:1-22, 1 Samuel 1:1-6:12 and Acts 9:31-11:30. My favorite verses are:
1 Samuel 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
God speaks to His people, and He listens to His people as well. We need to do more listening than speaking when we spend time with the Lord! Then we need to get busy doing the things that He tells us to do. I am so thankful that God chose to offer eternal life to Gentiles as well as Jews; I am one Gentile who has accepted that gift and now the eternal God dwells within me. It is my prayer that He will speak to me often and that I will be obedient to His voice. I know that He hears me when I pray; I have seen the evidence in miracles of answered prayers. Take time today and every day to talk to God, and always take time to listen to what He has to say to you.
1 Samuel 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
God speaks to His people, and He listens to His people as well. We need to do more listening than speaking when we spend time with the Lord! Then we need to get busy doing the things that He tells us to do. I am so thankful that God chose to offer eternal life to Gentiles as well as Jews; I am one Gentile who has accepted that gift and now the eternal God dwells within me. It is my prayer that He will speak to me often and that I will be obedient to His voice. I know that He hears me when I pray; I have seen the evidence in miracles of answered prayers. Take time today and every day to talk to God, and always take time to listen to what He has to say to you.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Are You Persecuting God?
Since my last entry, I have read Judges 20:35-21:25, Ruth 1:1-3:18, and Acts 8:13-9:30. My favorite verses are:
Judges 21:4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Are we making peace with God or persecuting Him? God desires to have fellowship with His children, and he wants those who are not yet His children to come to Him seeking salvation. He calls them, just as He called Saul—perhaps not in an audible voice, but at least by bringing conviction of wrongdoing to their hearts and souls. If you are not in harmony with God, if you are persecuting Him by mistreating His own chosen ones, rise early and come to Him seeking forgiveness and peace. Don’t even wait for “the morrow”; come to His altar with your peace offering today.
Judges 21:4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Are we making peace with God or persecuting Him? God desires to have fellowship with His children, and he wants those who are not yet His children to come to Him seeking salvation. He calls them, just as He called Saul—perhaps not in an audible voice, but at least by bringing conviction of wrongdoing to their hearts and souls. If you are not in harmony with God, if you are persecuting Him by mistreating His own chosen ones, rise early and come to Him seeking forgiveness and peace. Don’t even wait for “the morrow”; come to His altar with your peace offering today.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Your Own Way, or God's Way
Since my last entry, I have read Judges 15:7-20:34 and Acts 6:1-8:12. My favorite verses are:
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
What a contrast in these verses! When everyone does his own thing instead of being obedient to the faith, God is not happy. When God is unhappy, man misses out on the blessings that God would like to give him. Oh for an increase of the Word of God! If the number of Christians were multiplying instead of diminishing, the world would be a much better, safer, happier place. But when every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is conflict and unhappiness. Determine today to live in obedience to the will of God; make your place in the world a good place to be.
Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
What a contrast in these verses! When everyone does his own thing instead of being obedient to the faith, God is not happy. When God is unhappy, man misses out on the blessings that God would like to give him. Oh for an increase of the Word of God! If the number of Christians were multiplying instead of diminishing, the world would be a much better, safer, happier place. But when every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is conflict and unhappiness. Determine today to live in obedience to the will of God; make your place in the world a good place to be.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Teaching and Preaching Daily
Since my last entry, I have read Judges 11:5-15:6 and Acts 4:22-5:42. My favorite verses are:
Judges 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Samson is a well-known man from the Bible. He is mostly remembered for his relationship with Delilah and how she brought about his downfall. But at the beginning of his life, he was blessed by the Lord. As long as he was faithful to the Lord and obeyed Him, he was blessed. Unfortunately for Samson and the people he could have influenced for good, he made bad choices as he grew older. Notice in the passage from Acts that teaching and preaching about Jesus is not a once a week, church only, thing. The disciples did it daily in the temple and in every house—what an example for us to follow! We, the children of God, should want to talk about Jesus all the time; He is the greatest thing ever in our lives! If Samson had been busy doing God’s work daily, his life might have turned out much differently.
Judges 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Samson is a well-known man from the Bible. He is mostly remembered for his relationship with Delilah and how she brought about his downfall. But at the beginning of his life, he was blessed by the Lord. As long as he was faithful to the Lord and obeyed Him, he was blessed. Unfortunately for Samson and the people he could have influenced for good, he made bad choices as he grew older. Notice in the passage from Acts that teaching and preaching about Jesus is not a once a week, church only, thing. The disciples did it daily in the temple and in every house—what an example for us to follow! We, the children of God, should want to talk about Jesus all the time; He is the greatest thing ever in our lives! If Samson had been busy doing God’s work daily, his life might have turned out much differently.
Friday, May 14, 2010
The God Who Has the Power
Since my last entry, I have read Judges 5:7-11:4 and Acts 1:5-4:21. My favorite verses are:
Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
God has power to control times and seasons. Baal did not have any power because he was not God. He could not defend himself against attack because he did not exist except in the form of helpless images. The true God who controls everything in the universe can and does defend Himself when He chooses to. But He often “lets nature take its course”; after all, He created the course of nature. He wants His children to acknowledge His power and to respect it. He also wants us to tell others about Him and to show by our lives that we trust Him to take care of our needs. We live by faith; we don’t need to know all the answers. God has the answers and reveals to us what He wants us to know when He wants us to know it.
Judges 6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.
Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
God has power to control times and seasons. Baal did not have any power because he was not God. He could not defend himself against attack because he did not exist except in the form of helpless images. The true God who controls everything in the universe can and does defend Himself when He chooses to. But He often “lets nature take its course”; after all, He created the course of nature. He wants His children to acknowledge His power and to respect it. He also wants us to tell others about Him and to show by our lives that we trust Him to take care of our needs. We live by faith; we don’t need to know all the answers. God has the answers and reveals to us what He wants us to know when He wants us to know it.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Praise God
Today I read Judges 1:19-5:6 and John 20:3-Acts 1:4. My favorite verses are:
Judges 5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Singing praise to God is a wonderful way to draw close to Him and experience a special anointing of His Spirit. Doing this in a congregational setting is also a witness to others that praise is an important part of our worship. We learn about praising God in His Word. Many, many valuable lessons are contained in God’s Word; but John tells us that they are only a small fraction of the things that could have been written. Jesus’ life story is beyond the world’s ability to understand or even contain. But we need to tell everything that we do know about Him to those who are living and even dying without Him.
Judges 5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Singing praise to God is a wonderful way to draw close to Him and experience a special anointing of His Spirit. Doing this in a congregational setting is also a witness to others that praise is an important part of our worship. We learn about praising God in His Word. Many, many valuable lessons are contained in God’s Word; but John tells us that they are only a small fraction of the things that could have been written. Jesus’ life story is beyond the world’s ability to understand or even contain. But we need to tell everything that we do know about Him to those who are living and even dying without Him.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Choose to Serve God
Since my last entry, I have read Joshua 19:3–Judges 1:18 and John 17:1-20:2. My favorite verses are:
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
We all choose whom we serve. The best choice is to serve God—the only one true living God. He showed Himself to us in His Son Jesus Christ; They were One and Jesus desired for His followers to be one with Them. If we come to Him for salvation and accept the sacrifice that He made for us so that our sins could be forgiven, we can be one with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They will dwell in us and love us, and we can show that love to others.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
We all choose whom we serve. The best choice is to serve God—the only one true living God. He showed Himself to us in His Son Jesus Christ; They were One and Jesus desired for His followers to be one with Them. If we come to Him for salvation and accept the sacrifice that He made for us so that our sins could be forgiven, we can be one with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They will dwell in us and love us, and we can show that love to others.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Do you long for peace?
Yesterday I read Joshua 16:8-19:2 and John 16. My favorite verses are:
Joshua 18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Peace—something many long for and few find. The Israelites gathered at Shiloh (the name comes from a word meaning peace) after the Promised Land had been subdued. Peace after years of conflict was sweet to them. They set up their place of worship so that they could thank God for peace. But they soon returned to battle because there were still enemies to overcome. Jesus reminded us that this world is a place where tribulation will always be present. But because He has overcome the world, we can have peace in Him. If you are longing for peace and have not found it, come to Jesus; He can give you peace in the midst of a troubled world.
Joshua 18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Peace—something many long for and few find. The Israelites gathered at Shiloh (the name comes from a word meaning peace) after the Promised Land had been subdued. Peace after years of conflict was sweet to them. They set up their place of worship so that they could thank God for peace. But they soon returned to battle because there were still enemies to overcome. Jesus reminded us that this world is a place where tribulation will always be present. But because He has overcome the world, we can have peace in Him. If you are longing for peace and have not found it, come to Jesus; He can give you peace in the midst of a troubled world.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Love one another
Yesterday I read Joshua 15:20-16:7 and John 15. My favorite verses are:
Joshua 16:4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
God’s expectations are higher than man’s. Joseph suffered a great deal of pain and injustice from his own brothers and from the strangers that his brothers sold him to. But he said later that it was not his brothers’ fault because it was God’s plan. Joseph had to be in Egypt at the right time and place to prepare the Middle East for a great famine. In spite of very difficult circumstances, Joseph remained faithful to God. When the children of Israel received their inheritance in the Promised Land, Joseph’s descendants received twice as much as any of his brothers’ descendants. God rewarded Joseph’s faithfulness a generation later. We may not always see the results of our labor for the Lord, but God is in control and He will take care of it. We are to obey and serve, and that obedience is not trivial. Jesus said that we are to love one another as He loved. That is the highest possible standard because He loved us so much that He died for us! Are we willing to suffer and even die for the cause of Christ? God expects that much.
Joshua 16:4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
God’s expectations are higher than man’s. Joseph suffered a great deal of pain and injustice from his own brothers and from the strangers that his brothers sold him to. But he said later that it was not his brothers’ fault because it was God’s plan. Joseph had to be in Egypt at the right time and place to prepare the Middle East for a great famine. In spite of very difficult circumstances, Joseph remained faithful to God. When the children of Israel received their inheritance in the Promised Land, Joseph’s descendants received twice as much as any of his brothers’ descendants. God rewarded Joseph’s faithfulness a generation later. We may not always see the results of our labor for the Lord, but God is in control and He will take care of it. We are to obey and serve, and that obedience is not trivial. Jesus said that we are to love one another as He loved. That is the highest possible standard because He loved us so much that He died for us! Are we willing to suffer and even die for the cause of Christ? God expects that much.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Following God
Today I read Joshua 13:17-15:19 and John 14. My favorite verses are:
Joshua 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Following God wholeheartedly is very important for His children. The first time the Children of Israel made it to the Promised Land, they sent 12 spies to “check it out”. Two of them, Joshua and Caleb, were eager to obey God and follow Him into the land which He had promised to give them. The other ten “made the heart of the people melt” by saying there were giants and fortified cities that they could not possibly conquer. They did not trust God because they were afraid. After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, all the older generation had died except for Joshua and Caleb. They were still ready to follow God and claim the Promised Land for their own, and God kept His promise to them. The twelve apostles in the New Testament walked with Jesus in the flesh, but they still did not follow God wholeheartedly. When Jesus told them that He was going to the Father, they were afraid and questioned what they would do without Him. He assured them that He and the Father would be with them still, but Philip said, “show us the Father”. They wanted to see God for themselves and did not understand that in seeing Jesus they were seeing God. Our faith today is probably still as weak as that of the Israelites of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament. No matter how much God does for us, we can’t seem to trust Him long term to take care of us when we face things that are new and different and frightening. God has not changed through the centuries; His promises are true, and He keeps His word. We need to believe and trust and obey in every circumstance of our lives.
Joshua 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Following God wholeheartedly is very important for His children. The first time the Children of Israel made it to the Promised Land, they sent 12 spies to “check it out”. Two of them, Joshua and Caleb, were eager to obey God and follow Him into the land which He had promised to give them. The other ten “made the heart of the people melt” by saying there were giants and fortified cities that they could not possibly conquer. They did not trust God because they were afraid. After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, all the older generation had died except for Joshua and Caleb. They were still ready to follow God and claim the Promised Land for their own, and God kept His promise to them. The twelve apostles in the New Testament walked with Jesus in the flesh, but they still did not follow God wholeheartedly. When Jesus told them that He was going to the Father, they were afraid and questioned what they would do without Him. He assured them that He and the Father would be with them still, but Philip said, “show us the Father”. They wanted to see God for themselves and did not understand that in seeing Jesus they were seeing God. Our faith today is probably still as weak as that of the Israelites of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament. No matter how much God does for us, we can’t seem to trust Him long term to take care of us when we face things that are new and different and frightening. God has not changed through the centuries; His promises are true, and He keeps His word. We need to believe and trust and obey in every circumstance of our lives.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Have you heard?
Since my last entry, I have read Joshua 8:16-13:16 and John 12:1-13:38. My favorite verses are:
Joshua 9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt.
John 12:12-13 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
In both of these scriptures, someone heard about the Lord. In Joshua, it was a “tribe” of the descendants of Gibeon who heard of the destructive power of God against his enemies and did not want to experience His wrath. They deceived the Israelites into believing they were from a far away country, but it saved their lives. In the second passage, the people heard that Jesus was coming, and they gathered to worship Him. People need to hear about God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If His children are not telling about Him, others will not hear! Talk about the Lord so that people can say they heard about Him from you.
Joshua 9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt.
John 12:12-13 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
In both of these scriptures, someone heard about the Lord. In Joshua, it was a “tribe” of the descendants of Gibeon who heard of the destructive power of God against his enemies and did not want to experience His wrath. They deceived the Israelites into believing they were from a far away country, but it saved their lives. In the second passage, the people heard that Jesus was coming, and they gathered to worship Him. People need to hear about God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If His children are not telling about Him, others will not hear! Talk about the Lord so that people can say they heard about Him from you.
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