Life Can Be Like A 3-Legged Sack Race 

August 7 & 8, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Amos 3:3Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

     Some of the most fun things people do at a church gathering will include both the children and the adults. One year at a church function I attended, we had an old fashion 3-legged sack race. The rules stated it had to be an adult and a small child together. Well, as you can imagine, it was often hilarious to watch. As I watched I observed several of the teams really struggling with this race. With some, I saw the adult almost pick up the child and run with them. The child sort of dangling in mid-air as this adult was dragging them through the race. With others, the adult almost appeared to become frustrated, waiting for the child to catch up with their tiny steps to every one of the adult’s giant steps. Both groups were having the same problem, (which is what made it funny to begin with.) The problem was that they were unevenly matched. The two could not walk as one because of the difference in size and the difference of abilities between them.

     Some Christians have tried to live their lives this way. Hanging out with unsaved people and then wondering why they always feel so out-of-place. Going into business with a partner of different beliefs might seem like a small thing, but it always causes headaches later as directional decisions for the business come up. Even worse, a Christian marries a lost person hoping to change them. They usually find themselves in years of misery by not waiting on the Lord and finding the right person first as the Bible had said. Can two really walk together as one, if they do not agree? The answer is always, NO!

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

      When choosing for the future, look to the one who holds the future. God knows today what will happen tomorrow, next week, next year, and forever. Do you? If not, (and I know you do not,) why not trust someone who does? Ask for His leading before you walk down a wrong path with the wrong person.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  August 7, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Amos 1-5     /     Psalm 35     /     Proverbs 7     /     Mark 15-16

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Psa. 11-17           /       Acts 28:1-16

 

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

It Is A Fear Factor! 

AUGUST 06, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Mark 14:50 And they all forsook him, and fled.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

      Fear will cause you to do some absolutely weird things. I have seen some funny faces on people who were caught unaware on camera after someone has scared them. I call it the Funny Fear Face.

     Fear is usually an emotion that looks to the future. You might be afraid of the results of something from the past, but you are afraid of something that has not yet happened. If someone sneaks up and says, “BOO,” the sudden unexpected boo may startle you, but not knowing what is next causes the fear. It is the not knowing of what is coming that has people up tight.

      In Mark 14:31 the disciples had all said they would never leave Christ. Less than 20 verses latter they had all scattered. Why? Fear of the unknown future. Christ had told them what was going to happen. He tried to prepare them. However, the distress of what they had seen, and being afraid of what might come, caused them to run. They felt they needed time to figure this all out. When we finish reading this book of Mark, we find that every detail was completed just as Jesus had said it would be. Everything! So why then should we be afraid of the future when we know who holds tomorrow in the palm of His hand?

   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  In Matthew chapter 6, in verse 34 it says, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” One reason we fear is we have not learned to focus on today and leave tomorrow to God. Plan for tomorrow, but live for today, and live for God.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  AUGUST 06, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
Jonah     /     Psalm 34     /     Proverbs 6     /     Mark 14

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Psa. 6-10           /       Acts 27:21-44

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

He Is Staring At You 

AUGUST 05, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

     Do you ever get frustrated, irritated, or down right hate it when people stare at you? You are walking down the street or driving along in your car, and you notice someone just staring. I am not even talking about that, “glance and then turn” movement, to make you think they were not looking. I am talking about the person who just drills a hole right through you with a glare in their eyes. For whatever reason, it seems to drive us crazy. Then, almost hypnotically, they have us hooked. We cannot quit looking back at them. Glancing, peeking, and looking to see if they are still looking. Wondering all along, why are they staring? Is it something I am wearing? Did I forget to brush my hair today? Did someone put the “kick me” sign from school back on me again? Or could it possibly be that these people just weird? Why are they looking at me? Are they a rapist or killer? Are they possibly an admirer? We begin to wonder what is going through their mind. It makes us want to run over and say “What is your problem? Why are you looking at me?” You just cannot get them off your mind to quit looking back at them.

     The Bible says God is watching our every move. He is staring at us. He is never taking His eyes off us. Now that you know that God is staring, do you wonder or care what He is thinking. Do you realize He is watching? The Bible says He ponders all our goings. Another way of saying it is, watches our every move. If a mortal person who has no control of you can make you look at them just by looking at you, could an almighty all loving God who created and controls the universe do the same thing?

   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  At least we know God is no rapist or murderer. He has no motives to do anything that is not in our best interest. In fact, He is an admirer. He is interested in how we may present ourselves, especially if we claim to be representing Him. However, He is more interested in our heart toward Him. Will you even give Him a second look today? Will you look to Him at all? Whether you look or not, He i’s staring at you.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  AUGUST 05, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Kings 24, 25     /     Psalm 33     /     Proverbs 5     /     Mark 13

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Psa. 1-5           /      Acts 27:1-20

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

PAID IN FULL  

AUGUST 04, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

     If you have ever had a large debt that you have been paying on for a long time, it sure feels good when the final payment is made. I am talking about a really large bill, such as a mortgage, a car payment, or a business loan that took a long time to pay off. At times during the process, it may have seemed as if there was never going to be a payoff date. You may have felt as if you would be paying on that one bill for the rest of your life. Then came that great day, it is paid for. PAID IN FULL. You own it now and are free and clear of this burden. What a wonderful freeing feeling that is.

     Can you imagine how great it might be to feel that wonderful sense of completeness every single day? Well, you can if you are a Christian. Every day you can go to the Lord, make a deposit of your sin, and withdraw a life that is marked with the blood of Jesus Christ, “PAID IN FULL.” Free from the penalty of sin, and free now to live for Jesus. What a wonderful feeling of complete forgiveness. To know that at one point I made the wisest investment of all my life when I deposited my life into the hands of an almighty and merciful God. In return, He not only washed away all my past sin, but also washes away my future sin as well. All I had to do was give Him my life and in return I would receive an eternity of available forgiveness. This is not a liberty to live in sin. The truth of the matter is, if someone has been freed from their sin debt, they should not desire to live in that life of sin any longer. That was the debt they just were freed from.

   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  “Selah” is a word put into the musical Psalms that means rest, or pause and reflect for a moment. The placement of this word Selah in today’s Psalm is wonderful. As now, we can really rest and reflect back on the day in which Jesus Paid It All, and “All To Him I Owe.”

GOD TALKING TO ME:  AUGUST 04, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Kings 22, 23     /     Psalm 32     /     Proverbs 4     /     Mark 12 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Job 39-42           /  Acts 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

Live It Or Lose It 

AUGUST 03, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

2 Kings 21: 7-9 …the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. But they hearkened not…

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

     I hear parents all the time telling their children, “If you will be good in the store when we get ready to leave, I will buy you something, but if you are not good you will be sorry when we get home.” What the child has just been told is, if you will obey me and be good, I will reward you, if you disobey and are bad, then I will punish you. No middle ground. There is no promise of “I will give you a partial reward for some sort of partially good behavior, or you may receive a partial punishment for a partial bad behavior.” There is no half-good option. It is either good or bad.

     That is exactly what God told the children of Israel. Obey my way of life and rewards will come your way. Disobey the ways of God and there is a price to pay. Whether we like it or not, things are much the same today. I am glad we live in a day of grace, but grace cannot be used as an excuse to live in sin. If we will live for the Lord and be obedient, there are rewards in this life, and the eternal life to come. If we choose to live in sin and for our self, there is a price to pay. It is either good or bad.

   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  God has never forced us to be obedient but has always desired it. Obedience is not simply an opportunity for God to see if you can follow all the rules. Obedience to God’s Word brings about the best life. He did not place the laws in the Bible to hinder people. They are there to help them know how to live and enjoy life to its fullest. So, what will you do with your life? Live it or lose it? The choice is yours.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  AUGUST 03, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Kings 20, 21     /     Psalm 31     /     Proverbs 3     /     Mark 11

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Job 35-38           /  Acts 25

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