December 2024

Grass Is Grass
December 13, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 30:21-23
 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    As Agur continues his observations in life, he identifies three things that trouble humanity, and a fourth thing that is utterly unbearable. What are these things?

    First, there is the case of a servant who is suddenly elevated to a leadership position. All too often, the responsibilities of this role go to their head, and they become difficult to deal with. I recall working as a manager in a restaurant alongside two other managers, and we all used to say, “If I were to become the General Manager, I would never behave like the current General Manager.” Then, one of us got the job. Overnight, power went to his head, and he became an absolute tyrant until he was eventually dismissed.

    The second thing Agur observes is that when a person of humble means suddenly acquires great wealth, they often forget their origins. People who win state lotteries and squander their winnings are a prime example of this timeless truth.

   The third disquieting aspect is a broken home when one partner is hateful or odious. What should bring great joy to most people, being married and having a partner to share life with, turns ugly. Instead of a house filled with joy, the partner becomes the target of the other’s hatred.

    Lastly, and most distressing, is when someone you trusted catches the eye of your spouse. Slowly, the affection that should be directed towards you and your family is redirected to another. Agur is absolutely correct; the wandering eyes of a spouse have ruined many homes. Satan often employs this tactic not only to destroy households but also extended families, churches, and, in some cases, entire communities. This fourth scenario is something we cannot and should not bear.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    We need to be thankful for how God has provided for our needs today. The grass is never greener on the other side once you get there. Grass is grass!

Have you ever stopped to think, what looks like
green grass from a distance
may be nothing more than weeds close up?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 13, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  2 Timothy 1 – Titus 3
  Proverbs 30:21 – 23

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Amos 7-9
  Revelation 4-5

The Wonder Of It All
December 12, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 30:18-20
 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid. Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Agur stood in absolute amazement at some of the things he had witnessed on this earth. He watched as the majestic eagle would open its large wings, allowing it to soar almost effortlessly across the sky with no trace of its flight.

    He was taken by the way a snake, with no legs, could move its body back and forth to slither across a rock with no apparent discomfort or damage, leaving no visible trail behind.

    He looked on with wonderment at how a large, heavy wooden vessel loaded with cargo could stay afloat on the waves of the water. Additionally, he marveled at how the wake of this vessel, though visible, would soon disappear back into the flow of the water and be gone.

    He seemed in awe of how a man could charm a woman, their two hearts melting into one, and looking back at the romance, it seemed as though it was always meant to be.

    As breathtaking as these things were and as amazed as he was at them, he found a great sense of confusion regarding how an adulterous woman could commit her sin without remorse, as though she had only done what was natural.

   Agur might have a heart attack today if he were to look around at how some people treat sin, regarding it as though it were not really sin, but rather a mistake, a lifestyle, or just the way they are. Eccl. 12:14 says, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Amazing huh!

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    God has given us so much to be amazed by: the birth of a child, the love of parents, and the wonders of nature. What can we offer in return for His wonderful gifts to us? We can present Him with an obedient heart, full of wonder for Him.

Have you given God your heart?
Your whole heart?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 12, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Timothy
  Proverbs 30:18 – 20

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Amos 4-6
  Revelation 3

When Is Enough, ENOUGH?
December 11, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 30:15-17
 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    A story is told of a young teen who had many friends eager to buy him a birthday present. This proved challenging because the teen’s father was exceptionally wealthy, owning cars, several houses, and thousands of acres of land. Everything the teenager could dream of having was readily available to him.

    As he matured, his father gradually granted him access to more and more, but he was wise not to give everything at once. Depending on the teen’s behavior, his father either allowed or withheld the privilege of enjoying that wealth.

    So, the teen asked his friends to buy him the things his father would deny him when he misbehaved. When the father learned of this, he was hurt. All that the young man needed in life was already there, if only he would obey. Yet, having it all wasn’t enough.

    Consequently, the father not only withdrew the use of those gifts but also his affection. Now, the young man had not only lost the benefits of the gifts but also the favor of his loving father.

    If we put ourselves in the place of this teen and God in the place of the father, we might begin to understand when “enough” is indeed “enough.” God is the wealthiest of all, owning everything. When we obediently follow His will, He grants us access to all we need and can use responsibly. As we grow spiritually, He entrusts us with more. Sadly, many attempt to acquire everything outside of God’s will.     

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     When is enough, enough? Probably when we realize we already have access to it ALL. God provides us with everything we truly need. When God says it’s enough, it should be enough.

So, ask yourself, do you have enough?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 11, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  1 Thessalonians 1 – 2 Thessalonians 3
  Proverbs 30:15 – 17

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Amos 1-3
  Revelation 2

Can That Be Right?
December 10, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 30:10-14
 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    It seems that in today’s culture, more than ever before, sin has been legitimized in the eyes of many. It has even been presented as reasonable and acceptable in some of our mainstream religious denominations.

    The questions that must be asked are: When did God grant humanity the authority to declare sin as acceptable? For instance, in the United States, the Bible was historically regarded as the ultimate authority on truth for centuries. However, now when the Bible states that homosexuality is a sin while the world views it as a lifestyle, those of us who align with the Bible’s teachings are often labeled as intolerant. When the Bible deems pre-marital sex as wrong and the world argues that “they are consenting adults, so who does it hurt,” those of us who trust in God’s Holy Word to be correct are viewed as narrow-minded. When the Bible says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,” and “strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,” However, when the world asserts that we are all alike and that there are many paths leading to God, those of us who uphold the accuracy of Scripture are often seen as unable to see the bigger picture.

    I suppose that if the rest of the Bible is not considered true, then it’s likely that those who question God’s Word also do not believe in this verse. “There is a generation that are pure in THEIR OWN EYES, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” …. That cannot be this generation… Right? Or is it?

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    If you find yourself choosing between what God has to say on a subject and what man says about the same subject, here’s a thought to consider: God has been around much longer and possesses far more knowledge than the person suggesting that God is wrong. Hmmm!

So ask yourself, could God be wrong?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 10, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Colossians
  Proverbs 30:10 – 14

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Joel
  Revelation 1

Every Word Of God Is Pure
December 9, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 30:5-9
 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    There are thousands of books in publication today attempting to explain, rearrange, rewrite, define, deliberate, commentate, illiterate, simplify, justify, rationalize, demonstrate, reconstruct, redo, present, reword, clarify, disambiguate, illuminate, alter, illustrate, spell out, organize, fix up, paraphrase, amend, modify, revamp, condense, render, revise, restate, translate, summarize, and condense the Bible.

    Some authors have even written separate works, trying to lead people to believe that they are just as important as the Bible itself. A few audacious individuals have gone so far as to call their writings another gospel or another Bible. Some have rewritten the Bible so many times that they seem to have lost track of the source material.

    Does God truly require all this assistance? What if we devoted the time we spend reading these other books to reading the good old-fashioned King James Bible? With time and study, its meaning becomes clear. If we genuinely want to understand it, why not seek guidance from the author Himself? Can’t we simply call upon the Holy Spirit, who resides in every believer, and ask Him to illuminate its meaning in our hearts? Instead of attempting to alter God’s Word to fit our lifestyle, why not adhere to what it says?

    All we truly need to hear from God is a plain copy of the truth. I imagine that would take about one lifetime to read, study, and live out. I am not against books, but we must not lose sight of the Word of God as our foremost source. Remember, every word of the Bible is spoken from the very mouth of God.   

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     We must all return to the one true book, the Holy Word of God. We need to simply pick up our Bibles and read. As our passage today says, “Every word of God is pure.”

What does it mean to you to know
that God’s Words are pure?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: December 9, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Philippians
  Proverbs 30:5 – 9

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Hosea 10-14
  Jude