Daily Devotion – Moments That Matter

  May 23, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 11-12 / John 6:34-71

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Our brain is a wonderful, unparalleled organ. All our daily bodily functions, that happen without much conscious thought, take root there. Simple little things such as breathing, our heart beating, the sense of touch, smell, and taste, all originate from the brain. It is also the central storage area for our thought processes. We can program this brain to learn to read, write, ride a bike, or drive a car. None of these things are pre-programmed in the brain, yet God created it so that we can program things into it. Another thing our brain does is to store our memories. Things from our past that we want to remember. However, just like programming it to drive, it can also be brainwashed, or reprogrammed, into believing in things that never happened. Someone once said, if you say something often enough, and loud enough, to enough people, eventually people will believe it is true.

      Israel falls for the miss-guiding of their memories in 1 Kings 12:28. Jeroboam becomes afraid of Israel’s loyalty to him if they go to worship the real God in Jerusalem. Because of this, he changes their religion, creates a fake feast day and month, made two false calves as gods, and also rewrites their history. Saying “…behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” These people wanted their own way so badly, they were willing to believe that everything they knew to be true, was wrong.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Today we have people rewriting the meaning of scripture. For centuries the church has known what God’s Word has meant. Yet now there are some who teach multitudes, that all they have known is wrong. They say that they have a new, better understanding.

Does real truth change?

  May 22, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 9-10 / John 6:1-33

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 10:23-24 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Sometimes I just cannot sleep. I toss and turn until finally I just get up. Most often I find this is a good time to read my bible and pray. I have at times turned on the TV only to find the channels filled with infomercials. You know, the kind that is trying to sell you the latest greatest gadget that will revolutionize your life. Perhaps they think if they can catch you half-awake you will buy that stuff. The ending pitch is always the same. Here is the product, here is the price, “BUT WAIT,” if you will act right now, we will toss in even more, and more and more. Trust me, you are paying for all the extra stuff somehow. 

 

      In most cases in life, you never get anything for free. There is always a catch somehow. However, when it comes to God and His grace, it is just the opposite. We have a great picture of this in the life of Solomon. Back in 1 Kings 3:5 God asked Solomon; “…what I shall give thee.” Solomon could have asked for anything. However, what he asked for wisdom to rule and lead the children of Israel. God was so pleased with Solomon’s unselfish request that He said, I will give you that wisdom, and more. In 1 Kings 3:13 God said, “And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.” In today’s passage in 1 Kings 10, we see that God has given Solomon wisdom, and then He has given him even more.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        As if saving our souls from eternity in hell was not enough, God has also promised us a home in heaven, a place at the table with His Son Jesus, and then, even more. As you can see, God keeps His promises.

 

In your time of prayer, will you thank God for giving you EVEN MORE?

 

 

 May 20 & 21, 2023
 May 20 – Daily Reading – 1 Kings 8 / John 5:28-47
 May 21 – NO READING

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 8:15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Promises, Promises, we hear them every day. Sometimes we see people keep most of their promises. I say most because even the most honest, trustworthy person in the world can make a promise, and then not keep it. For example, imagine Mr. Honest has promised to be somewhere at 5:00 P.M. He sets out 30 minutes early to the destination, which is only 10 minutes away. On his way, he encounters a train stopped on the tracks he must cross. This should not be a problem, he left in plenty of time. Sure enough, the train pulls out of the way, and he has 10 minutes to spare. As he crosses the tracks, his tire picks up a nail and goes flat. He gets out and changes the tire, but now he’s 5 minutes late to his appointment. I know you might be saying, well those were things beyond his control, and you would be right. However, I would be just as right to say he made a promise he did not keep. Only one person is always 100% accurate.

 

        Solomon has finished the temple and is sharing words of dedication on this place. He reminds the people in 1 Kings 8:15 of God’s faithfulness; “…Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it…” When God makes a promise, He foresees all the variables to come. These sorts of things might unexpectedly pop up and hinder man. However, nothing takes God by surprise. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        How reassuring, that when God promised us salvation, there’s no variables He did not foresee. When He promised an eternal home in glory, nothing would stop His construction plans. God’s blessings are always fulfilled according to His Word.

 

What promises has God made to you?

 

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        No matter the overcast sky of life today, when we look to God, there is always a Bright Looking Future. We saw that in our devotions this week in:

  ● Believing In Forgiveness
  ● Bringing Back Faith
  ● Brilliance From A Father
  ● Being A Friend
  ● Beholding The Finish
  ● Blessing Are Fulfilled

        Seeing God as our future can bring sunshine to even the darkest of skies. If you know Christ as Saviour, you too have a Bright Looking Future ahead.

       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.

May 22, 2023	1 Kings 9-10	John 6:1-33
May 23, 2023	1 Kings 11-12	John 6:34-71
May 24, 2023	1 Kings 13-14	John 7:1-36
May 25, 2023	1 Kings 15-17	John 7:37-53
May 26, 2023	1 Kings 18-19	John 8:1-30
May 27, 2023	1 Kings 20-21	John 8:31-59
May 28, 2023	No Passages Assigned

Bright Looking Future

 

  May 19, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 6-7 / John 5:1-27

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 6:14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Have you ever started a project, and then somewhere around the middle of it you think, “what in the world have I gotten myself into?” I remember one year we had a fire in our home. The inside was trashed, but the structure and exterior were ok. My insurance would not cover all the costs of having someone do the repairs. I thought to myself, “I will do it.” Keep in mind, I am not a builder. It was around the second or third month of every night, after working all day, going home, and working all night on gutting and rebuilding the inside of this house, that I said to myself, “What have you gotten yourself into?” If it were not for the help and encouragement of my wife and some close friends, I may have been tempted to quit.

 

        Solomon has taken on a huge task. He is building the first permanent temple. It has been 418 years since Israel left Egypt. Solomon had been King for 4 years and all this material that David, his father, had collected was just sitting there collecting dust. It was time to build the temple. Somewhere about midway we find God stepping in and encouraging Solomon in this endeavor. In 1 Kings 6:12 God tells him, “…if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:” It was the right words necessary, at the right time, from the right friend.. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Keeping our eyes on the finish line will help us in life’s journey. Whenever we get distracted by the world, life can become overwhelming. The best thing we can do is to stay in His Word daily. Letting our best friend ever encourage us along the way.

 

Has God encouraged you today?

 

 

  May 18, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 3-5 / John 4:39-54

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 4:5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        In Matthew 18:1 it says, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” What a loaded question. It is sort of the equivalent of being back in the schoolyard choosing teams for a game, with every child bouncing up and down, hand waving in the air yelling, “pick me, pick me.” Each one wanting to be chosen before someone else. The disciple’s question, “Who is the greatest,” is a question everyone will struggle with at some time in life.

        While reading 1 Kings 4 we read how Solomon assembles a staff, or we might refer to it as a cabinet of people under him. David, his father had a rather small group of men under him, but Solomon expands that greatly. Some carried the titles of recorder, and priests. There was someone over the tribute, we would call him a treasurer. Some were placed over companies of men and regions. While others had the responsibilities of managing the king’s household. However, only one of them, Zabud, is called, “the king’s friend.” David had a man like this. In 2 Samuel 15:37 and 16:16 Hushai was referred to as David’s friend. These were men they considered to be private and trusted advisors. A real friend. Everyone, even King’s, need a friend. Someone they can trust and rely on. Of all the positions, of all those men, in all the kingdom, I look at the man who is being a friend, as a pretty great position to have. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        In John 15:15 Jesus said, “Henceforth I call you not servants; … but I have called you friends;” He goes on to say that He had chosen them. Christian, He picked you to be His friend. He trusts you with the gospel and relies on you to share it. 

Will you be Jesus’ friend?