July 2023

 

Encouraged By Silence

  July 25, 2023
  Daily Reading – Job 13-16 / Acts 20

 GOD’S WORD:

Job 13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Several years ago, we had a gentleman in our church who had Alzheimer’s Disease. This dear saint of God could not remember a lot of things. However, there were a few old jokes and one liners he would repeat over, and over again. One of them was, “It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” He would tell me that and then just laugh and laugh. I am not sure if he was talking about my preaching, or just wanted to share that thought on his mind. Still, when I read today’s verse in Job 13:5, it reminded me of him. 

        Job’s friends had come to be a comfort to him. To try to cheer him up during his time of deep sorrow and wow. Yet, it seemed as though everything they said was just making things worse. He begins this chapter by telling them that they are just saying things he already knows. He has read and heard all this before, and what they are saying is of no value at all. In other words, you are not really helping me guys. He goes on to say that what they are saying really does not apply to his situation. They are like a doctor who comes to help a person get over an ailment but has no idea what to do when he gets there. It would be better, he said, if you would just be quiet. You would appear to be wiser saying nothing at all. Sometimes people do not need to hear our words as much as they need to know we are there and praying for them.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        There are times when people need wise counsel. Usually, when they are ready to accept it, they ask for it. However, there are many times when people just need a good friend to be there for them. We do not always need to have an answer.

Have you ever needed such a friend?

 

Exacting God’s Mercy

  July 24, 2023
  Daily Reading – Job 9-12 / Acts 19:23-41

 GOD’S WORD:

Job 11:5-6 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        I recall hearing my dad say to me on several occasions. “Well son, you should have listened to me, I told you this would happen. So, you got exactly what you deserve.” Now I know you probably think that was when I was a little boy. However, the truth is, I remember hearing that from him as a teen and young adult. Whenever something went sideways in my life and I was complaining about it to my dad, he would just be honest and tell me, you got what you deserve. Just another way of reiterating what the Bible says when it says, “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

        The Bible speaks a lot of the sowing and reaping rule. In Ps. 126:5 it says, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Hosea 10:12 says, “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy;…” In Hosea 8:7 we’re told, “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:…” Even later in Job it says in Job 4:8 “Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.” However, when you read Job 11:5-6 we see with God this principle is not always true. You see, God treats each of us with Mercy and Grace. He does not give us what we deserve. In fact, He laid what we deserve on His Son Jesus at Calvary. Therefore, this statement is still true today. “Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.” 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        What a blessing to know, God knows us better than we know ourselves. If He were to repay us daily according to what we deserve, we would all be in trouble. For those who reject Christ’s payment for their sin, someday they will receive the wages of their sin.

How great is God’s love?

 Developing

 July 22 & 23, 2023
 July 22 – Daily Reading – Job 5-8 / Acts 19:1-22
 July 23 – NO READING

 GOD’S WORD:

Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        When I was younger, I would do things my dad felt needed correcting. If talking with me did not get the job done, he would often take other steps to burn into my mind that this was not going to be tolerated. I remember one time when he was about to spank me for something I had done, he said, “You know son, this really hurts me as much as it does you.” To which I responded, “then don’t do it, I hate to see you hurt yourself.” As you can imagine, my quick wit was not so appreciated at the moment. And my mother breaking out laughing seemed to make matters worse. Looking back at the times my parents corrected me for my misbehaving, I realize now that they did so out of love. They were trying their best to help me develop an obedient heart to those in authority over me.

        In our verse today it says, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:” God’s correcting in our lives may not be enjoyable in the moment. However, His dealing with us in this way is showing His love and care for us. In Job 8:20-21 it says, “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.” God’s correction is not designed to discourage us, nor to destroy our lives, but rather to lovingly developing our character.  

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Solomon repeats this wisdom. Prov. 3:11-12 says, “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

Has God shown you this love?

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        God’s Word is a great guiding light for our lives. We would all do well to Delight ourselves in it daily. As we have seen in:

● Dedication
● Declaration
● Destiny
● Danger
● Devoted
● Developing

      To Delight In what God says, means we understand that it was given to us for our good. That understanding should draw us back to the Bible often.

       Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.  

 SUNDAYS:

       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.

Delight

Devoted

  July 21, 2023
  Daily Reading – Job 1-4 / Acts 18

 GOD’S WORD:

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        When we think about the book of Job our minds naturally go to the tremendous loss that he encountered. His livestock, his servants, and his children, all taken at once. His grief and sorrow are evident throughout the chapters of this special book. We may recall his friends, who come to try to help, yet often cause more sorrow than comfort with their counsel to Job. Yet seldom do we dwell on where Job was before all these trials began. Sure, we all know he was wealthy. We know that he also faithfully sacrificed to, and worshipped God. That is Job’s devotion to God. Which most people would say is man’s reasonable obligation in life. To devote oneself to the one who created you, and created all that is around you. However, in Job 1:10 we observe through the eyes of God’s adversary, the devil, just how devoted God is to those who love and worship Him. 

        God points out the character of Job to Satan in Job 1:8 saying he is “…an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” God’s observation of Job is that he is a good man who loves the Lord and hates the sinful wickedness in the world around him. Then, however, Satan observes the character of God concerning Job. God has placed a protective barrier around him, his family, and all he possesses. He has also blessed all his work to make them prosperous. This shows us just how devoted God is to those who are devoted to Him. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        God reminds us of His daily devotion toward us in Heb. 13:5. It says, “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” God shows the same devoted care shown to Job, to all who love and follow Him.

Doesn’t God’s devotion to us, deserve our devotion too?

 

Danger

  July 20, 2023
  Daily Reading – Esther 5-10 / Acts 17

 GOD’S WORD:

Esther 6:6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        There are a lot of things in this old world today that are dangerous. Rock climbing without some sort of tether to me sounds extremely dangerous. Yet people do it all the time. Working on a blasting crew that sets dynamite and then ignites it seems like one of those somewhat dangerous jobs. In some cities today it is even dangerous just to cross the road. These may all seem obvious as being dangerous. However, what Haman did in today’s passage is extremely dangerous. That is making an assumption about a situation without all the facts.

        Haman seemed to be someone who often built scenarios in his mind without knowing all the facts. He assumed that since Ester planned a banquet, and only called he and the King to this banquet, he must be considered someone very special in the eyes of the king and queen. He assumed if he built gallows, the king would grant him permission to hang Mordecai the Jew, whom he hated, on them, since there was a coming death decree out against the Jews. He also assumed that when the king wanted to honor someone in the public eye, it must be him. However, his ego and pride cost him his life. The king wanted to honor Mordecai, and made Haman carry out this honor. The banquet was put together to ask for the decree on the Jews to be lifted and to point our Haman as the one who caused the problem. The gallows he built were used to hang himself. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Making assumptions is dangerous unless you know all the facts. Actually, once you know the facts, you are not assuming, but simply stating the facts. Pride and Ego can often make us assume things we hope are true, but truly do not know. 

Has pride ever misdirected your thoughts?