DEVOTIONS

Will Not Think About It

 DECEMBER 2 & 3, 2023
 DECEMBER 2 – Daily Reading – Daniel 3-4 / 2 Peter 3
 DECEMBER 3 – NO READING

 GOD’S WORD:

Daniel 3:16-17 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Sometimes, it is good to take time to think about things before making a decision. Like when you are getting ready to change jobs, move to another city, or propose marriage. These are all things where you might want to consider all the possible variables, gain counsel from some wise friends, and spend some time in prayer over before you decide your course of action. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 15:22 that, “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” Yet not everything in life requires us to go through such long consideration.

        In today’s Bible reading the people in Babylon were directed to bow before an image of the king, and worship it. If they would not, the decree was that they would be killed by fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were brought before the king for refusing to bow before the statue. The king said in essence, think about it, and the next time people are directed to bow and worship, join them. However, in Daniel 3:16 they answered and said, “we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.” In other words, we will not think about it. To them there was nothing to think about. They would only bow to the one true God. There are things we should not need to think about. Do we read our Bible today or not? Do we spend time in prayer or not? Do we attend worship together with the church weekly or not? These are all no brainers.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        We do not think before breathing, or about our heart pumping blood. In a healthy body, these things happen naturally. Reading God’s Word, spending time in prayer, and fellowship with God’s church should be natural in a healthy child of God as well.

Aren’t some things just unthinkable?

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

      We have a God who listens, loves, and leads us by His Word. What a Wonderful God. He proved that again this week in:

  ● What’s That I Hear
  ● What A War
  ● Wrong, Or Right
  ● Worshipping Together
  ● Who To Listen To
  ● Will Not Think About It

        Also, He has called us to Himself, provided a way of salvation, and created a church to correct and comfort us as needed. He is a Wonderful God indeed.

       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.

December 4, 2023	Daniel 5-6	1 John 1-2
December 5, 2023	Daniel 7-8	1 John 3
December 6, 2023	Daniel 9-10	1 John 4
December 7, 2023	Daniel 11-12	1 John 5
December 8, 2023	Hosea 1-4	2 John
December 9, 2023	Hosea 5-9	3 John
December 10, 2023	No Passages Assigned

Wonderful God

Who To Listen To

 DECEMBER 1, 2023
 Daily Reading – Daniel 1-2 / 2 Peter 2

 GOD’S WORD:

Daniel 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Where do you turn to inquire about the future? Today there are mystics everywhere. Psychics are on TV, in Magazines, and on the radio. It appears mainstream America is buying into this and believing them. Prime time TV shows have these Psychics on so people can find out about their long past loved ones. Broadcast Networks have programs highlighting dreamers and visionists as their main characters. Even the police have been duped into yielding to satanic powers, calling in so-called mediums to help solve cases. I guess that kind of makes sense. Who knows better about crime than the head of sin, the devil himself. Might as well ask him.

        The problem is, as I see it, it will not be long until we are asked to accept this in the church. You are probably saying, Pastor, there is no way. Really? Several years ago, there would have been no way anyone could have said homosexuality would be in mainstream religion. Yet it is. Not long ago dancing in the church would have seemed ludicrous. Today, I see it on Church Programming all the time. Rock-n-Roll was considered wicked. However, now if you toss the name Jesus in it you can use for Sunday morning services. I may be wrong about it making it into church, but I am sure that it has made it into some Christian homes. Daniel knew, and so did the lost sinful King Nebuchadnezzar, no one else holds the truth about the future. Only God does.

         

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Casting a vision for your life can be rewarding. Just be sure God is the focus of that vision. Do you want to know where your life should be headed? Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” 

Who are you going to listen to?

Worshipping Together

 NOVEMBER 30, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 46-48 / 2 Peter 1

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 46:3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        I am a firm believer, people who say they love the Lord should want to be in the Lord’s House when it is open, and the body of Christ is there. For example, I love my wife. Would it not be crazy to be satisfied with her picture, instead of being with her? Knowing the church is the body of Christ, it makes no sense for us not to want to be together if we genuinely Love the Lord.

        When I preach about people being in God’s house on the Lord’s Day, it never fails, I will hear, “Every day is the Lord’s Day.” Meaning, “I go to church when I want, not you, or anyone else tells me when to go.” Or I hear, “We are not under the law we are under grace.” To be interpreted, “I will do what I want.”

        It is true, every day is the Lord’s Day. Yet, that was true when God established Sabbaths. It is also true we are under grace, but there are rules of life we need to follow. No one argues “thou shalt not kill,” is not a good rule to live by. God set up certain days to gather His church together to worship. In the Old Testament, it was the Sabbaths. In the New Testament, it is recorded they meet on the first day of the week. The day the Lord arose from the tomb (John 20). The day the Disciples came together to break bread (Acts 20). It is the day we lay up in store as we have prospered (1 Corinthians 16). A day set aside to worship our risen King. A day we call The LORD’S DAY. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        God is a God of order. If there were no set day to worship, no one would know when to go, when to preach the Word, fellowship together, or exhort each other. Prepare to be in God’s house with God’s people for God’s purpose on the day set in God’s plan.

See you in Church Sunday?

Wrong, Or Right

 NOVEMBER 29, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 42-45 / 1 Peter 4-5

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 44:9 Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        There is a right and wrong way to do things. Even if doing it wrong seems to get it done, that still does not make it right. Back when I worked on a shipping and receiving dock, I was one of only two men on our shift that could operate a slip-sheet forklift. What this machine would do is clamp down on the edge of a piece of cardboard that was under the product, slide it off the skid onto a large metal plate on the front of the machine. We would then drive it into the trailer and slide it off on the floor, or on top of another stack of boxes pre-loaded. We asked the people who set the orders on the floor, please put two slip sheets under each stack. One guy thought this a waste of slip sheets, I will save the company money by only using one. The problem is, when you only use one, they often tear coming off the pallet and the product is then damaged. At minimum it took us twice as long to carefully remove each stack to load the truck. Although what the man was doing seemed right at the time, he did not understand the entire process. It ended up costing the company money, not saving it.

        Likewise, God knows what is right. In today’s verse, the people of Israel had let foreigners do the temple work. Though the work was done, it was not the way God intended. He wanted His temple to be different from other religions and false gods. He said no more. These people are not to do that work any longer. God’s way is right. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        There is a right way to live, God’s way, and a wrong way that never ends well. Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Find God’s Wisdom in God’s Word and Live God’s Way.

Will you live Wrong, or Right?

What A War

 NOVEMBER 28, 2023
 Daily Reading – Ezekiel 39-41 / 1 Peter 3

 GOD’S WORD:

Ezekiel 39:25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        What a war! No, I am not talking about what many have called the “Great War,” World War I. This was, by all measures, a horrible time on earth. This was also known as; “The War to End All Wars.” We know that did not work, if for no other reason than there was a World War II. I am also not referring to the number of battles, and continuing conflicts that the Nation of Israel has had with almost every surrounding neighbor. Yet again, I am not even referring to the huge battle that will take place described in Ezekiel 38-39. A battle between God and the forces of evil that will be so horrific that it says in Ezekiel 39:12 it will take seven months to bury the bodies of the dead. Even after that, the birds and the beasts of the earth are called upon to help devour the remaining carnage. This will be a war like no other war. Yet, I am not even referring to that war.

          This last battle in Ezekiel I refer to here was done for one reason. God’s name has been drug through the mud long enough. Our verse today says, “and will be jealous for my holy name;” God is going to defend His Holy name. He will do as He has always said He would do, restore Israel. However, this time, the war in the heart of the people God calls His own, Israel, will be won over as they recognize Jesus as Lord and Saviour. This war has been fought in the hearts of the Jewish people for decades. What a War! Oh, and What a Saviour! 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        This is a battle, not only in the hearts of those of Jewish heritage. This war rages in the hearts of every person ever born. It is a war against selfish pride and Satan. It is a war already won by Christ at Calvary.

When history is written,

which side of this war will you be found on?