Thursday, July 31, 2014

Kinds of Days in Scripture

Kinds of Days in Scripture
 
Day of affliction


Jeremiah 16:19  


O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.


Day of evil


Jeremiah 17:17  


Do not be a terror to me; you are my refuge in the day of disaster.


Day of calamity


Jeremiah 18:17  


Like a wind from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face in the day of their disaster.”


Day of His indignation


Ezekiel 22:24  


“Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has had no rain or showers in the day of wrath.’


Day of darkness


Joel 2:2  


A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come.


Day of His coming


Malachi 3:2  


But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap.


Day of the Sons revelation


Luke 17:30  


“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.


Day of salvation


2 Corinthians 6:2  


For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

Family

Family 

1 Samuel 1:4-7


4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 


5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb.


6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 


7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.
Joshua 24:14-15


14  “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 


15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”


Genesis 45:24 


Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don't quarrel on the way!”


Genesis 12:7 


The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.


Luke 16:11 


So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?


Matthew 15:14 


Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”


Jeremiah 7:18 


The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger.

Daily Thoughts

Daily Thoughts 

-  Without a heart aflame for God, we cannot shine for Jesus.


- Even though you can’t control your circumstances, you can control your attitude.


- Instead of counting the days, make your days count.


- You cannot run the race until you learn to walk.


` Do you see a needy world through the eyes of Jesus?


` Food is God’s love made edible.


` God’s discipline is designed to make us like His Son.


` The mission of the cross is hidden in the message of the cradle.


Our inheritance

Our inheritance 

Because we are heirs together with Him, our inheritance involves:


The name of Jesus


John 14:13-14 


13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.


Mark 16:17 


And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;


Revelation 3:12 


Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.


Everything in heaven and earth


Ephesians 1:22 


And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,


The Kingdom


Matthew 25:34 


“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.


Luke 22:29 


And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me,


Colossians 1:12 


Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.


James 2:5 


Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Verses of the Day

Verses of the Day

John 17:20-21


20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 


21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.


Thoughts on This Verse....


Few things are more precious than knowing that Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, thought to pray for us! So often, we read the words of John 17 and study them as a prayer for his apostles in the upper room. But if we look closely at this passage, we see that Jesus prays for us, those who believe on him because of the apostles' testimony. He wants us to be one! He wants us to live with the same unity, purpose, and character of God that he did. If we do not, then how will the world know that God sent his Son? How will they know what to believe? How will they find Jesus as their Savior?


His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' —


Matthew 25:21  


“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!’


Thoughts on This Verse....


We want it all now! We don't want to have to wait for anything. But God has a principle that is absolutely vital: we will be entrusted with much only after we have been faithful with a little. So let's not discount those moral choices about "small and inconsequential matters." How we handle these reveals who we are and helps determines what we become.



Examples of Hasty Action

Examples of Hasty Action

Joshua


Joshua 9:5  


The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.


Saul


1 Samuel 13:9-14 


9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 


10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.


11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 


12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”


13 “You acted foolishly,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 


14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command.”


David


2 Samuel 16:4  


Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” “I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
The prophet


1 Kings 13:18-19 


18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) 


19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
Peter


John 18:10  


Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

Jesus is the only way

Jesus is the only way

John 14:6 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


John 10:9 


I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.


Acts 4:12 


Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”


Ephesians 2:18 


For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.


John 1:14 


The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.


1 John 5:20 


We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.


Hebrews 7:25 


Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.


John 1:4 


In him was life, and that life was the light of men.


John 1:17 


For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.


John 5:21 


For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Rapture

Rapture 


Ephesians 5:27 


And to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.


Philippians 3:11 


And so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.


Philippians 3:20-21 


20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 


21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.


1 Thessalonians 2:19 


For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?


1 Thessalonians 3:13 


May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.


2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 


7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 


8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
Colossians 3:4 


When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.


James 5:7-8 


7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 


8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

1 John 2:28 


And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.


1 John 3:2 


Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.


1 Peter 5:4 


And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.


Revelation 1:19 


“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

Examples of Younger Chosen

Examples of Younger Chosen 

Abel

Genesis 4:1-7 


1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” 


2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 


4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 


5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.


6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 


7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”


Seth


Genesis 4:25 


Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”


Shem


Genesis 9:24-27


24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.


27 May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”


Abraham


Genesis 11:26 


After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Blessing for persecution



Blessing for persecution

Matthew 5:11  

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

1 Corinthians 15:58  

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Ephesians 6:8  

Because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Colossians 3:24  

Since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Hebrews 10:35  

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

James 1:25  

But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

John 4:36  

Even now the reaper draws his wages; even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

In Christ We Have

In Christ We Have: 
 
•    A love that can never be fathomed 


•    A life that can never die 


•    A righteousness that can never be tarnished 


•    A peace that can never be understood 


•    A rest that can never be disturbed 


•    A joy that can never be diminished 


•    A hope that can never be disappointed 


•    A glory that can never be clouded 


•    A light that can never be darkened 


•    A purity that can never be defiled 


•    A beauty that can never be marred 


•    A wisdom that can never be baffled


Prayer at Dinner


A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six year-old daughter and said, “Would you like to say the blessing?”


“I wouldn’t know what to say,” the girl replied.


“Just say what you hear Mommy say,” the wife answered.


The daughter bowed her head said, “Lord, why on earth I invited all these people to dinner?”


Daily Thoughts


- What you decide about Christ determines your destiny.


- Let your speech be better than silence; otherwise be silent. 


- The only leader worth following is the leader who is following Christ.


- To feel good about yourself, think of who you are in Christ.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Verses of the Day

Verses of the Day
 
Colossians 4:5-6  


5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.


Thoughts on This Verse....


There are no random acts of kindness, only intentional acts given the opportunity to happen. We have thought about kindnesses we can do. We have committed ourselves to acting in ways that are kind and beneficial. We have prayed for an opportunity to be kind. Then the opportunity presents itself and bingo! We act with kindness. Nothing random about that! This is true not just in deeds, but in words as well. More than trying to avoid poor speech, we are urged to use our speech to bless and help others to come to know Christ.


Philippians 4:11  


I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.


Thoughts on this verse:


Paul tells Timothy that one of life's greatest treasures is to find contentment in godliness (1 Tim. 6:6). With this treasure, our physical circumstances become far less important to us than the character we display in those circumstances. Our bottom line is less important than loving God from the bottom of our heart. Those who are wealthy and show godliness, a very difficult challenge according to Jesus, are those who have demonstrated that they are content to be godly and will be that kind of person with or without wealth. Those who are poor and are godly have demonstrated the same ability. So the! Bottom line is not how rich are we in money, but how rich are we in grace!

Objections and Excuses

Objections and Excuses

Not now, maybe some other time

Proverbs 27:12 

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

I am not so bad

James 2:10 

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Isaiah 53:6 

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

I am too bad

Hebrews 7:25 

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

I can’t understand the Bible

1 Corinthians 2:14 

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

2 Corinthians 5:7 

We live by faith, not by sight.

I’d rather enjoy my life

Ecclesiastes 11:9 

Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

1 Corinthians 6:2 

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?



Saturday, July 26, 2014

Cross



Cross

No other place but Calvary,

Can give a ray of hope to me,

A sinner so defiled.

No other word, but Thy sure word,

No other cleansing, but by blood,

By the life blood of my dying Lord

So freely shed for me.

Jesus died to save me;

Now He lives to keep me;

He will save me,

He will keep me,

If I ask Him now.

Down at the cross where Thou hast died,

In all my sin and need I bow;

Dear Lamb of God, once crucified,

Receive and save me now.

Unto Him, unto Him Who loved us,

And died on Calvary;

Unto Him, unto Him who washed us,

From sin to make us free;

Unto Him Who ever liveth,

Whose face we soon shall see;

Unto Him, unto Him who keep us,

Unto Him our lives shall be.



Complete Transparency

Complete Transparency
 
What God desires in a believer?


Psalms 139:23 


Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.


Psalms 26:2 


Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;


Job 31:6 


Let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless—


1 Peter 1:7 


These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.


Proverbs 17:3 


The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.


Zechariah 13:9 


This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”


Deuteronomy 8:2 


Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.


Malachi 3:2-3 


2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 


3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,


Psalms 139:1 


O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.


Jeremiah 11:20 


But, O LORD Almighty, you who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.


Deuteronomy 8:16 


He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.