What’s The Right Answer?

January 00, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 18:47
It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    When I was a little boy, I remember those days when something would go terribly wrong with one of my friends and I was not happy, I would run home to tell my mom or dad. I could count on them. No matter the situation, they always would somehow take care of it. When I ran into the house squalling, I was sure I was right and whomever I was upset with that day was wrong. Nevertheless, right, (or maybe occasionally wrong,) I would often hear these familiar words, “I told you do not go there or not to do that in the first place, why won’t you listen?”

 

    Those words still ring in my ears today as I now find myself often running to God with many problems with which I am sure I am right. However, in my heart, I hear His voice saying, “I told you do not go there or not to do that in the first place, why won’t you listen?”

 

    The avenging of the Lord is always right. He takes care of me. He watches out for me. Even if it means reminding me that He had warned me that this would happen. I have found that sometimes my greatest problem in the whole wide world… is me! I have also come to know that my greatest friend and ally in all the universe is God.   

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    As we move through life, we must never stop running to God. Even if He reminds us, we caused the problem. He always has the right answers for every situation. In addition, He is waiting and ready with love and compassion to guide us with the right answer for our next situation in life too.

 

Will you run to God and let Him guide you today?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s 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:  JANUARY 20, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Genesis 35-37 – Psalm 18:37-50
Proverbs 19-20 – Matthew 25

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Genesis 40-41 Matthew 13:1-35

 

Light The Way… How?

January 18 & 19, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Matthew 23:3
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

      You remember the old saying, “Do what I say, and not what I do.” Who was the genius who thought up this crazy line? I mean really, what makes anyone think that others might think this is a clever idea? Think about it, when someone tells you to do something and then will not do it themselves, do you really want to do it? Even worse, they tell you how horrible something is, like smoking or drinking, and then they turn right around and do what they are telling you not to do. You begin to wonder if you can believe them. You may begin to ask yourself if what they are saying is what they genuinely believe.

 

    Do we teach children not to swear by cussing at them? Do we teach them to respect others by cutting down everyone we know? Does any of this make sense? No! Yet we want people to come to Christ and live the life of a Christian but then live just like the world lives. Can you expect someone to want to become something you are not willing to live out? Where is the joy in the Christian life of which you speak? Where is the love for God, you tell them you have? What about this great fellowship and love for the people you speak of but never seem to want to be around more than once a week for one hour at a time? Yes, I am convinced. I am convinced that James was right when he said in James 2:20 “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”   

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    If we want to make a difference in a person’s life, we need to be a living example of what we are saying we believe. We must live for Jesus every day. Ask God to help us through the power of His Holy Spirit who resides in us. He is our strength and our guide. We as believers must walk in the light of His Word. Then we can watch others be attracted to the light, His light. 

 

How might others see God’s Light
in your life today?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s 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:  JANUARY 18, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
Genesis 32-34 – Psalm 18:1-36
Proverbs 18 – Matthew 23-24

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Genesis 38-39 – Matthew 12:38-50

 

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

    There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then when you get home re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given to your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

 

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JANUARY 19, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

 

Easy, Quick Or Great?

January 17, 2025

 

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Matthew 22:36-40
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

     The world today seems to want to make everything easier and quicker. We have fast food restaurants, online stores, and online or drive-through banking. I even heard of a McDonald’s-type church service: quick in and out, no frills, just the basics. WOW. When you have so little time for God, it just does not sound like worship to me.

 

     Nevertheless, friends, it is not a new idea. Even when Jesus walked the earth, people were asking, “Give me the basics, I mean just the barest I need to know.” Therefore, Jesus did just that. He told them first, love Me completely. Not just part of you, all of you. Make me the center of everything in your life. Next, show the people around you the same type of love that I have had for you. The idea was that if you had given Jesus your whole self, heart, mind, and soul, then loving others as He did should be no problem.

 

      Do you know what happened? They walked away the same way they came. Looking for something more out of something less, they missed the simplicity of salvation because of unbelief. Salvation is so simple. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ completely, and He will save you completely. True worship will take time. Salvation happens in a moment.

.     

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

   The answer is in total surrender. If you will simply surrender your life to the one who created you, who wants the best for you, and put your faith in Him, He will be your Lord, and you will be a child of God. He does not want to ruin your life and destroy your happiness. He wants to guide you into real everlasting joy.

 

Will you walk to, or away from
the Lord’s Leading in your life today?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s 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:  JANUARY 17, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Genesis 31 – Psalm 17
Proverbs 17 – Matthew 22

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Genesis 35-37 – Matthew 12:1-37

 

First And Last Words
January 16, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    I have read several books over the years. Some were better than others. For example, I had to read a textbook for a counseling class. Reading that book seemed like work. Then there are the books that just draw me into them as if the story had been written around me. It was as if the author knew what would captivate my every thought and wrote this book just for me. Even during the day when I wasn’t reading it, I found myself thinking about it. When I got around others, my conversations would often wind up somehow mentioning the book and the author. These are by far my favorite books to read.

    I believe this idea of losing ourselves into something is what the author of our verses today had in mind. If we commit ourselves to the Lord, I mean completely fall in love with Him, then all we do and say becomes praise and worship of who He is. In addition, all our thoughts will automatically be established in Him. When Jesus becomes the center of our life, everything we say and do causes us to think of Him. We can actually get lost in Jesus just as we do in the pages of a really good book.

    In John 1:1, it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the word into which we need to let our minds escape into each and every day. He was the first word of all History and should have the last word in all our lives.

     

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     As you do your Bible readings today, read with the desire of the psalmist in your heart when He wrote Psalm 119:18 which says; “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Then walk in the revelation of His person all day. Get lost in Jesus today.

Where will your mind wander today?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s 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:  JANUARY 16, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Genesis 30 – Psalm 16
Proverbs 16 – Matthew 21

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
 Genesis 33-34  – Matthew 11:20-30