A Glaring Truth

 April 24
 Daily Reading – 1 Samuel 5-8 / Luke 17

GOD SAID:

1 Samuel 8:19-20 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

     Why do churches have Communion Services? I guess the short answer would be, because God said to. So here then is another question. Why do you think God said we should do communion? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 11:25 when it says; “…This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.“ The last four words are your answer. It’s so we will be reminded of Christ and what He did for our sinfulness. You might be thinking to yourself, “how in the world could we possibly forget that?” It’s just as possible for us to forget what God has done for us, as it was for the children of Israel.

    So far, God has delivered Israel from Egypt just as they asked. He provided them with a means of dealing with their sinfulness through sacrifice, which they needed. God has set up leaders, priests, judges, and prophets to guide them back to Himself when they have wandered. He’s fought so many battles for them where they’ve had little to do but watch the mighty hand of God. In today’s passage, He gave them a judge, Samuel. He stepped between them and the Philistines, fought the battle for them, and restored all their land to them. Yet, still we read in 1 Samuel 8, they’ve forgotten all that. Even after being warned what a human king would do, they wanted what the world had. The glaring truth is, man soon forgets God, if we’re not reminded.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

  The next time your church has communion, thank God for the reminder. He judged our sinfulness, stepped out of eternity into our reality, and fought that battle for us on the cross of Calvary. He is still at the right hand of God interceding for us today.

Is He your KING?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

A Growing Trust

 April 23
 Daily Reading – 1 Samuel 2-4 / Luke 16:18-31

GOD SAID:

1 Samuel 2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

     I hate it when the power goes out. It seems as if life comes to a screeching halt. No TV to watch, no computer to work on, and even opening the refrigerator is depressing as the little light that welcomes me, is not there. You search for candles, you sit and read a while, passing the time until the power to come back on. Even worse is when the power pops on for a few seconds and then drops out again. It’s that glimmer of hope that pops back up. Like life is starting up again. Then, as suddenly as it vanished, it comes back on and life is good. Well at least we have power.

    Israel did not trust Eli and his family. His sons were stealing from the offerings and sacrifices given, so people just quit coming. We read in 1 Samuel 2:17 where it says; “men abhorred the offering of the Lord.” Since Eli would not do anything to correct his son’s behavior, no one came, no one sacrificed, no one brought offerings, and no one was right with God. There was no trust, there was no hope, no joy, and no blessings on these people. However, God raised up someone the people would learn to trust again. A young man by the name of Samuel. A light in a rather dark scenario. Samuel found favor with God and with Israel. In 1 Samuel 3:19 it says “…the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.” Which means people were listening to all Samuel had to say because he was speaking for God again. There was trust, and hope again.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

  What we do in life as believers has a huge impact on those around us. God calls us to be a light in a rather dark scenario. When the light goes out, people don’t know who to trust, they lose all hope. Sharing God’s word which they can trust gives people hope again.

Will you be that light?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

A Good Testimony

 April 22
 Daily Reading – Ruth 3-1 Samuel 1 / Luke 16:1-17

GOD SAID:

Ruth 3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

     The Mona Lisa is considered to be one of the most valuable paintings in the world. According to Wikipedia it is one of the most visited, most written about, and most sung about pieces of art ever. It has been said the artist, Leonardo da Vinci, had lingered over it for four years before adding touches here and there, and he died saying it was not complete. Much has been said about this painting from the placement of the hands, said to depict that she was a virtuous and faithful wife, to her smile which has had people talking for centuries. The mystique of the Mona Lisa is in the eye of the beholder.


       A good testimony is very much like the details of a piece of art like the Mona Lisa. Boaz said to Ruth in Ruth 3:11 “And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.” What a statement buried in the middle of this book. Everyone in town, he said, knows that you are a virtuous woman. A lady of high moral standards. That kind of recognition does not happen overnight. It occurs after people have watched every movement, every action, and critiqued every detail of your life. They have listened to every word, how it is said, and to whom. In short, it means you have a good testimony among the people who know you best. People work years to obtain this testimony, which is all too easy to ruin.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

      God intends for you to be His Mona Lisa. However, He allows you to apply the brush strokes forming the picture of your life. We can’t erase the past, but we can paint a beautiful future for others to see and admire.

What do people see, looking at the artwork of your life?

 

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

LIHW  |   DEVOTIONS  |   SALE ITEMS

Who Rewards Loyalty

 April 20 &21
 April 20 – Daily Reading – Judges 21-Ruth 2 / Luke 15
 April 21 – NO Daily Reading

GOD SAID:

Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    The book of Ruth is a wonderful book with several applications to believer today. We see a picture of someone from a life of sin, such as the idol worshiping Moabites, not only welcomed into God’s family, but becoming a part of the lineage of Christ on earth. When we put our faith in Christ, we too are adopted into the family of God and become the bride of Christ. We see Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, realizing the blessing of God for a child of God are never found out in the world, pictured by the Moabites. It’s when she comes home, God once again begins to bless her. While living in the world, she lost her husband, her sons, a daughter-in law, and her dignity. For the believer who wanders into the world, they too will find there are no blessing for them there. It’s only when returning home, God can once again begin to bless their life. We also see who rewards loyalty.

     Ruth is loyal to the end. She’s loyal to her marriage, even though she was free to marry again by the death of her husband, she decides to risk being single to be faithful to her mother-in-law. She’s loyal to Naomi. She loved and respected her, and her beliefs. She is loyal to Naomi’s God. She says in Ruth 1:16, thy God shall be my God. She’s loyal to the hard work of gleaning to provide for the two of them. In Ruth 2:12, Boaz says the rewards for your loyalty are found under the wings of your Lord. The Lord rewards loyalty even today..

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

      The devil and the world try to tempt you to wander. They entice you with glitz and glamour. However for the child of God, they’ll always leave you empty. Psalm 118:8 says; “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

To whom will you pledge loyalty to?

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

    In each of the devotions over this past week we should ask the question “WHO IS LORD?” It would have settled the issues of:

● Who Will Lead
● Who Owns The Land
● Who Will Learn
● Who Is Leading And Lost
● Who Remembers Lot
● Who Rewards Loyalty

    It will also take care of the issues we face today if we will ask and answer correctly the question. “WHO IS LORD?”

SUNDAY’S:

        Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastors heart. Whatever scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs

April 22, 2019	Ruth 3-1 Samuel 1	Luke 16:1-17
April 23, 2019	1 Samuel 2-4	Luke 16:18-31
April 24, 2019	1 Samuel 5-8	Luke 17
April 25, 2019	1 Samuel 9-11	Luke 18:1-30
April 26, 2019	1 Samuel 12-13	Luke 18:31-43
April 27, 2019	1 Samuel 14-15	Luke 19:1-27
April 28, 2019	No Passages Assigned

Jesus Christ must be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Colossians 1:17-18
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Jesus Christ must be LORD in our lives.

Living In His Word Ministries
        “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Who Remembers Lot

 April 19
 Daily Reading – Judges 19-20 / Luke 14

GOD SAID:

Judges 19:22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

     Let me see if I have this right. In Judges 19 a man takes a group of travelers into his house. The sinful sodomites of the day begin beating at the door wanting to “know him.” The owner of the house, according to the custom of the day, tries everything he can to divert them from his guest. Even to the point of foolishly offering his daughter. The sinful men refuse and want the male guest instead. The city and authorities have apparently accepted this sinfulness and even defends them in the Judges 20. God then allows the city to be destroyed with only a few people left alive. Haven’t I heard this somewhere before?

    I seem to remember back in Genesis 19, in a city called Sodom something like this happened. In fact in Genesis 19:5 we hear almost the same thing as it says; “And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” Lot, trying to protect his guest at all cost, also offers these men the same thing, his daughters. The sinful men refuse and keep beating at the door, even after God smites them with blindness. The government at the time had evidently accepted this practice as “ok” at the time. God then rains brimstone and fire on the city and destroys it with only a few managing to escape alive. I just wonder, how many times does this picture need to be painted by God before someone begins to understand?

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

  Sin will always be sin. No matter how society tries to dress it up and paint it as something else. God has painted a pretty clear picture. Under it He wrote this verse. Lev. 18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”

Do we get the picture?

     
Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12