The Choice Is Yours

APRIL 13, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    We have two choices in life, right and wrong. What are we to do? Our logic tells us we should do what is right. It just makes good sense. If we do what is right there will be fewer problems, no guilt, no hiding, etc. Yet why is it in life we often find ourselves doing exactly the opposite?

    It is because we must contend with the same sins Achan dealt with. These are the sins of PRIDE and LUST. We find our desire to make ME happy often outweighs the desire to do what is right. Achan heard what was right and knew the judgment to be passed out if he disobeyed. He knew it was not right to take the items he took. Nevertheless, he did it anyway. Thinking somehow, God might not see him, or possibly, that God really would not care if he took just a little for himself. Our pride often tells us we deserve more than God has given us. The lust of the heart stirs the desire to want more and more. The two combined help us forget God’s desires for our life. Selfish ambitions cause us to ignore what His Word has said. God sees everything we do, and He cares very much when we disobey.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    In Prov. 3:5 it says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” If you keep reading the book of Joshua, you will find that God would have given Achan so much more if he had just been willing to wait on God’s timing. It has been proven that if we will be patient, God will take good care of us.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  APRIL 13, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Joshua 5-7     /     Psalm 89:1-18     /     Proverbs 13     /     Acts 17

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 21-22            /    Luke 9:27-62

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

“Do As I Say, Not As I Do!”  

APRIL 12, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

  “Do as I say, not as I do!” Have you ever heard those words? Many people today who work in factories and the businesses of this world have. If those exact words were not said, they are sure implied by what is seen and lived out.

  As parents, we are sometimes guilty of giving our children the same misguided ideas of what is to be understood as right and wrong. We tell our children “You will do so because I said so. It does not matter what I do, you do as I say.”

  The truth is it does matter what we do. In fact, it matters a great deal. People will do what they see being done by others much quicker than simply doing what they are told to do. In our verse, Paul says those things which I have taught you, which you understood, or you heard me saying and saw me doing; those are the things you should do. He was simply saying, “Watch me, listen to me, follow me, copy me; I’ll be your example of a Christian.”    

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  Can you tell people to watch you and you will show them what it means to be a Christian? Follow me and I will show you where you should and should not go. Listen to me and you will hear what Christians should sound like. Let me share a little secret with you today. It really does not matter if you tell people to watch you or not. When they heard you were a Christian, they began to watch. Where might you be leading them?

GOD TALKING TO ME:  APRIL 12, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Joshua 1-4     /     Psalm 88     /     Proverbs 12     /     Philippians 1-4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 18-20           /  Luke 9:1-26

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

What A Friend 

APRIL 10 & 11, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 86:7  In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    Some people say they do not need friends. They have the “I can do it on my own” attitude. Well, either these people are a lot stronger than I am, or they are putting on a front. I could not imagine living life every day with no friends. Friends are there to comfort me in times of sorrow. They encourage me when I get depressed. They are the ones I run to when I have a funny story to tell. They are the ones who I tell my greatest accomplishments to and share my deepest cares with. These are my Friends and I thank God for them.

    However, sometimes in the dark of the night, when you do not wish to wake a friend, there is my closest friend who is always there. Not only does He walk with me through the joys of my life, but also in my deepest trouble. I can call on God twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and twelve months a year, all of my life. Better yet, not only does He listen to my heart, but He also calms my soul. He is a good enough friend to tell me when I am about to make a mistake in life and encourages me with His Holy Spirit when I do what is best. What better friend could a person have?

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    A hymn we sing in church comes to mind. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear…” What a friend indeed.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  APRIL 10, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Deuteronomy 33, 34     /     Psalm 86-87     /     Proverbs 10-11     /      Acts 16 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 15-17           /    Luke 8:40-56

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

Can’t Get The Tune Out Of My Head  

APRIL 09, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Deuteronomy 31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    All too often, you will hear someone say, “It is only music” or “what harm might that do, it is just a song?” For some reason people do not believe music makes a big impact on our lives or on what we think or do. Today we hear many “so called” musicians who sing of killing, suicide, drugs, immoral relationships, and the list goes on and on. Do you really think this will have no effect on the way we might think if this evil message in song is played over and over again? Moreover, it is not just Rap, Rock, or Pop music. All forms of music have jumped on the sing about sin bandwagon. It is not just the latest and so called greatest. It has been going on for a while. Still people think, “Well what can this hurt, it is just a song, right?”

    Well, it does not matter what you or I think. What matters most is how does God look at the role of music in our life? By looking at just one verse, we see God knew back in Moses time, (and I am sure before) music affects the thinking and memories of the Children of Israel. God did not ask Moses to write another book, paint a picture, or build a monument. A book might not be read, a picture can only be in one place, and a monument never leaves it location. However, a song, people hear it, remember it, and take it with them in their hearts forever.   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  Still think music never affects you. Then what do you think of when you read this? “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW…” Yes, we learned that favorite chorus as a child. Read it again, “JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW…” Now, that will be stuck in your head for a while. You see, music and lyrics make a big difference in our lives. What are you going to feed your heart today?

GOD TALKING TO ME:  APRIL 09, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Deuteronomy 31, 32     /     Psalm 85     /     Proverbs 9     /     Galatians 5, 6

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 12-14           /  Luke 8:1-39

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

DO WE REALLY HAVE TIME TO SERVE?

APRIL 08, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Galatians 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    Work, work, work. That seems like all we ever do. Always so busy. Our place of employment wants more of our time than ever before. They want us to be dedicated to them first and anything else second. Our spouse wants and deserves our time as well. However, we seem to have very little left after all that work. Then there is the church. It tells us we need to be serving God by serving in His church. We know that is true, but how can all this be true when there are only so many hours in the day?

    We somehow get the idea that in order to please God we need to be busy all the time. The truth is all the things we do with our lives may glorify God if done for Him. Our place of employment is our mission field where we share with our friends our life in Christ. Our home is our place of encouragement and love. God gave us this for our benefit. Working for the Lord is not something you do only in church. It is a life you live and bring with you to church. Sometimes it seems as though we forget that all we have in salvation is free. We cannot earn it or repay God for it. The gifts and talents given to you by God are to be used as one of the forms of your expression of worship in the Lords House.   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Thank God today for allowing you to serve Him with ALL your life in ALL you do. We were saved by faith in Him. Let us also live by faith in Him.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  APRIL 08, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Deuteronomy 29, 30     /     Psalm 84     /     Proverbs 8     /     Galatians 3, 4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Joshua 10-11         /    Luke 7:36-50

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