DEVOTIONS

Hang Up The Six-Shooters
August 13, 2024

 

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 20:1-4
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

 

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

   

    “Meet me in the street at high noon.” Oh, how many times have we heard this line in our favorite westerns? The bad guy calls the good guy out to the street. They face each other, gun hands poised over their trusty six-shooters. People are running everywhere. Women are getting the children off the streets. Now the stare-down begins, and in just a split second… BANG… and someone falls to the ground. After a few parting words by the mortally wounded, their eyes close, and someone begins to cry for the loss of life.

 

    Did all of that have to happen? The tough person today will say, “YES,” you have to defend your honor. You must go out and stand up for what’s right.

 

    However, the Bible says, “NO.” In fact, Prov. 20:3 says it’s honourable for a man to cease from strife or conflict. The verse goes on to say, “every FOOL will be meddling.” According to God’s law, the one who made the challenge should be locked up for attempting to destroy God’s creation. Both physical and spiritual destruction are wrong according to the Word of God. Prov. 11:9 says, “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour:” Defaming someone’s character is the same as destroying the man. The Bible calls it sin.

 

    God says, “Vengeance is mine.” We don’t have to seek revenge or prove ourselves to anyone. Our task is to walk with the Lord, allowing Him to defend what is His. It might not be as exciting as a classic Western movie, but it leads to a more peaceful and fulfilling reality in life.

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

   

    Let’s put away foolish things. Meddling benefits no one, including you. We are meant to exhort one another, not extort from one another. In other words, let’s support each other through life and not tear one another down. It’s time to set aside those six-shooters, partner, and spend more time in prayer.

Are you still ready to fight,
or will you to let God handle your affairs?

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: August 13, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Jeremiah 17 – Jeremiah 21
  Proverbs 20:1 – 4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 52-57
  Rom. 7

Dogs Do What Dogs Do
August 12, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 19:28-29
An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

   
    Dogs do what dogs do. They bark, growl, beg for food, and want your attention. Cats do what cats do. They purr, claw at things, and generally walk around like they own everything. Birds fly, fish swim, and monkeys, well, they monkey around, swinging in the trees. None of that surprises us.

    What would shock us would be to see a dog wrap his tail around a branch and swing to the next limb. Our mouths would drop if we saw a fish walking down the street, or when we went fishing, we caught a live cat. Why would these things surprise us? Well, it’s just not supposed to be that way. That’s why.

    So why is it so surprising when the people in this world act lost? They are simply doing what comes naturally. “The ungodly… scorneth judgment.” They hate being told they are wrong. Why? Because their sinful nature is calling them to rebel against God’s will and His way. “The mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.” In other words, they feed off sin.

    So, what would ever make a lost person stop sinning against God? If you are reading this and are saved, what made you stop? It was when you realized there is a price to pay for sin. Judgment has been prepared for the scorners. Romans 6:23 in the New Testament says, “the wages of sin is death.” So, how do you get out of paying that price or facing that judgment? It is by understanding the second part of Romans 6:23, which also says, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It’s realizing that Christ has paid the price of death, and the judgment once reserved for you will be removed if you accept Him as your Saviour. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

   

    If you are a child of God, take a moment today to thank Him for taking away the judgment that had been prepared for your sin. If you are not born again, consider this offer of salvation before it’s too late.

Dogs Do what dogs do.
So why do you do what you do?

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: August 12, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Jeremiah 12 – Jeremiah 16
  Proverbs 19:28 – 29

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 48-51
  Rom. 6

WEEKEND REVIEW
August 10 & 11, 2024

Proverbs 19:23

The fear of the LORD
tendeth to life:
and he that hath it shall abide
satisfied; he shall not
be visited with evil.

Work Week Devotions
Through The Book Of Proverbs

     What a joy it has been to be with you this past week. I pray these WORK WEEK DEVOTIONS have been a blessing to you as well. To receive them daily in your e-mail box go to LIHWMinistries Sign-Up Page – Living In His Word Ministries and sign up. Each day these devotions will be delivered directly in your e-mail box.

      As previously mentioned, with WORK WEEK DEVOTIONS, we will only be publishing Devotional Thoughts Monday – Friday.

     On Saturday we suggest you re-read the entire chapter we have been studying this week, and if we will be going into the following chapter the next week, we encourage you to read that chapter as well.     

There are never Devotions on Sunday.

As we Journey through Proverbs, if you have any questions
Please send them to LIHWDEV@LIHWMinistries.org

Also, you would be huge help and blessing if you 
might write a review on these devotions on
Review Work Week Devotions (amazon.com)
or 
Review Work Week Devotions Journal (amazon.com)

WEEK 31 – Day 6:

     On Saturday, we suggest you re-read the Proverb we have written from this past week and the week to come.

Proverbs 19-20

WEEK 31 – Day 7:

     Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastor’s heart. Whatever Scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

THROUGH THE BIBLE
OLD & NEW TESTAMENT TODAY AND TOMORROW:

August 10, 2024
Psa. 42-47
Rom. 5
August 11, 2024
No Passages Assigned

NEXT WEEKS UPCOMING SCHEUDLES:

SCHEDULE 1 – Bible In a Year – with Proverbs Study 

August 12, 2024
Jeremiah 12 – Jeremiah 16
Proverbs 19:28 – 29
August 13, 2024
Jeremiah 17 – Jeremiah 21
Proverbs 20:1 – 4
August 14, 2024
Jeremiah 22 – Jeremiah 25
Proverbs 20:5 – 8
August 15, 2024
Jeremiah 26 – Jeremiah 30
Proverbs 20:9 – 12
August 16, 2024
Jeremiah 31 – Jeremiah 33
Proverbs 20:13 – 15
August 17, 2024
Proverbs 19 – 20
August 18, 2024
No Passages Assigned

 

SCHEDULE 2 – Old & New Testament

August 12, 2024
Psa. 48-51
Rom. 6
August 13, 2024
Psa. 52-57
Rom. 7
August 14, 2024
Psa. 58-64
Rom. 8
August 15, 2024
Psa. 65-68
Rom. 9
August 16, 2024
Psa. 69-72
Rom. 10
August 17, 2024
Psa. 73-77
Rom. 11
August 18, 2024
No Passages Assigned

The Final Say
August 9, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 19:25-27
Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge. He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Today, it’s easy to encounter various viewpoints on every idea. Just the other day in the news, there was a disturbing incident involving young girls at a school in Michigan. They were caught on video assaulting another young girl at their school. When questioned about why they committed such a terrible act, their response was that the girl had openly expressed her lesbianism throughout the year. She had made advances towards several of them, and when they reported it, no action was taken, so they took matters into their own hands. Now, schools in Michigan are spending thousands of taxpayers’ dollars to bring in therapists and psychologists to educate the teachers and staff on how to promote tolerance of sexual diversity among studen.

    Before I go any further, it’s essential to understand something: I do not condone violence among today’s youth or anyone else. Violence is never the right answer. I believe these girls were wrong for their actions, and they should be taught that such behavior is never appropriate. One sin cannot rectify another sin.

    However, I’ve read in scripture that homosexuality is considered a sin. So, why is the government promoting tolerance of this minority’s sin among the majority? Instead, why not encourage those who identify as gay to be more discreet about their lifestyle? Even better, why not teach everyone about what God’s Word says regarding all sin, how Jesus loves them, and how He sacrificed Himself to atone for all sin?

    The reason is quite simple. It is because the world loves sin. They will try to teach us sin is okay and that we should accept it. The Bible clearly says, “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.” We must judge all wisdom by the unerring Word of God. If God calls something a sin, it is simply a sin.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    Our lot in life is not to beat up those who disagree with us. It is to present the Gospel of our Lord and allow God, through the Holy Spirit, to work in their hearts. It is also crucial to be constantly in the Word of God ourselves so we can discern the difference. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God…”

How can God use you to change the Culture around us?

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: August 9, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Jeremiah 8 – Jeremiah 11
  Proverbs 19:25 – 27

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 37-41
  Rom. 4

It’s A Puzzle
August 8, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 19:21-24
There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Our family used to enjoy putting together puzzles. There always seemed to be a puzzle on the table. Most family members would stop by, look for a few pieces, and then place them where they belonged in the puzzle.

    Sometimes we’d find a few pieces that fit together, but we couldn’t figure out where they belonged in the puzzle. So, these pieces would sit beside the puzzle, connected together, until we later discovered their place.

    Occasionally, we would lose a piece. How discouraging it was to complete a puzzle, only to find one piece missing. Later, when we’d find a puzzle piece around the house, we’d try to determine which puzzle it belonged to. The only way to know was if we had seen the completed puzzle. Otherwise, it was just a colored, funny-shaped piece of cardboard.

    Our lives are much like these puzzles. We want to believe we have everything figured out, when in truth, we are all just pieces of a much bigger picture. Only God, who has seen the whole plan, can truly understand how our lives fit with the lives of others. He has already seen the completed puzzle. We might try to fit here or there, but without God’s guidance, we are simply out of place. Occasionally, we find a few others and realize we fit comfortably together with them. Yet we are still not the entire puzzle, just a section of the picture that only God has seen. How can we possibly fit into life’s puzzle? Since only God knows, it is important for us to follow His guidance and let Him place each of us exactly where we belong.     

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Some may be thinking, “I don’t seem to fit anywhere.” We had those puzzle pieces too—the ones we tried but couldn’t find a place for. So, we set them aside and continued searching. We knew they had to fit somewhere. When we finally found their place, it felt as if those pieces were extra special because they completed the entire picture. You do fit. We all fit into God’s plan. “The counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”

Are you letting God place you into His Master Plan?

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: August 8, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Jeremiah 5 – Jeremiah 7
  Proverbs 19:21 – 24

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 33-36
  Rom. 3