DEVOTIONS

The Great Cover-up
November 19, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 28:12-14
 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

 

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    What causes a Christian to sin? Some will say Satan is to blame. I guess, in general, Satan is to blame as he did come to tempt Eve and brought sin to man. Nevertheless, commonly, we do not sin because of Satan; we sin because of ourselves.

 

    What then keeps a Christian from asking for forgiveness of that sin? Often, it is the same thing that caused them to commit the sin in the first place. They will somehow justify what they do in their own minds, thus diminishing the guilt associated with it. They may tell themselves, “others are doing it, God would not want me to be unhappy, and this makes me happy.” If they cannot find a way to justify sin, they try to hide or even deny it.

 

    In our text today, it says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Confession is not enough. Saying you are sinning and then continuing to do it is not repentance; it is just admission. You must also plan to forsake your sin.

 

    Do you know when most Christians who have hidden or justified their sin will finally admit they are sinning and ask for forgiveness? It is when their life gets into a mess. When the world does not seem to make sense anymore, and trouble or sorrow has gathered all around them. Suddenly, they will look at their life, and all their sin becomes visible. It is then that they begin asking themselves if their sin may be the cause of their troubles. Why do we wait until our life is in such a mess? Why not come to Jesus today, confess, and forsake our sins? He is there with open arms, waiting and willing to help us.

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    1 John 1:9 still says; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” However, we must confess them and be willing to forsake them. God is waiting with the blood of His Son to cleanse us. Why not come to Him today?

 

Have you done a Spiritual Self Exam lately?
Should you?

 

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: November 19, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Acts 21 – Acts 24
  Proverbs 28:12 – 14

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Ezekiel 17-20
  James 2

 

What Is An Abomination?
November 18, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 28:8-11
 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

 

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    What is an abomination? We hear of the term abomination several times throughout the Word of God. Leviticus 18 says homosexuality is an abomination. Deuteronomy 18 says psychics (those that consult spirits), witchcraft, and horoscopes (observers of times) are an abomination to God. Even Jesus said the end of time is marked by what is described as the “Abomination of Desolation” (Mark 13:14). So, what is an abomination? What does it mean?

 

    If you look up ‘abomination’ in most dictionaries, you will find it referred to as something that stinks like rotten flesh. It is offensive, detestable, or something filthy. One definition describes abomination as something ‘worthless as water polluted by dead fish.’ No matter how you look at it, ‘abomination’ is something very undesirable.

 

    In today’s text, we read that if we disregard hearing the law, even our own prayers to God become an abomination to Him. This means that if we read or hear what the Bible says but totally disregard or ignore it, our prayers become something offensive or very undesirable to God.

 

    The Psalmist also wrote, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” (Psalm 66:18). What stops God from hearing our prayers, then? It’s not sin; it’s our heart’s attitude toward sin. God will always hear a truly repentant heart, and He will then heal and forgive us for every sin.

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    The notion that we can persist in our sins and expect a Holy God to simply overlook them is unfounded. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we could be cleansed from them, not to remain immersed in them. Repent (turn away from your sins) and be purified, becoming as white as snow.

 

We must then ask ourselves,
is there anything in my life
that God would see
as an abomination?

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: November 18, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Acts 18 – Acts 20
  Proverbs 28:8 – 11

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Ezekiel 13-16
  James 1

 

WEEKEND REVIEW
November 16 & 17, 2024

 

Proverbs 27:19

As in water face answereth to face,
so the heart of man to man.

 

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 45 – Day 6:

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

Proverbs 27-28

WEEK 45 – 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:

November 16, 2024
Ezekiel 9-12
Hebrews 13
November 17, 2024
No Passages Assigned

NEXT WEEKS UPCOMING SCHEUDLES:

SCHEDULE 1 – Bible In a Year – with Proverbs Study 

November 18, 2024
Acts 18 – Acts 20
Proverbs 28:8 – 11
November 19, 2024
Acts 21 – Acts 24
Proverbs 28:12 – 14
November 20, 2024
Acts 25 – Acts 28
Proverbs 28:15 – 18
November 21, 2024
Romans 1 – Romans 4
Proverbs 28:19 – 21
November 22, 2024
Romans 5 – Romans 8
Proverbs 28:22 – 25
November 23, 2024
Proverbs 28 – 29
November 24, 2024
No Passages Assigned

 

SCHEDULE 2 – Old & New Testament

November 18, 2024
Ezekiel 13-16
James 1
November 19, 2024
Ezekiel 17-20
James 2
November 20, 2024
Ezekiel 21-23
James 3
November 21, 2024
Ezekiel 24-27
James 4
November 22, 2024
Ezekiel 28-31
James 5
November 23, 2024
Ezekiel 32-35
1 Peter 1
November 24, 2024
No Passages Assigned

Do Not Complicate Things
November 15, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 28:5-7
 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    When discussing what is right and wrong with people, it never ceases to amaze me how complex people make the simplest of God’s truths.

 

    Salvation is simply putting your faith in Jesus Christ and the work He accomplished on the cross at Calvary. It’s understanding that your sin must be paid for, and the price for sin is death. Only someone without their own sin debt could pay that price. I could not die for your sins because I have my own sin debt to account for. Even my death would not satisfy the cost of my sins, as I am not without sin and unworthy to pay the price. Therefore, I can’t pay for my own sins, let alone yours. God, in His wisdom, love, and grace, sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth. Jesus lived among sinful humanity for over 30 years, yet He never committed a single sin. When He died on the cross, He did so not for His own sins, but for the sins of everyone who would place their faith in Him and what He did for them. Then He triumphantly rose over sin and death, granting us eternal life in Him.

 

    People still want to add good works and religious activities to salvation. Good works and religious activities are the results of salvation, not the means to salvation. After you are saved, the Holy Spirit enters your life and instills in you a desire to live for Christ. This produces good works, not the other way around.

 

    People don’t go to hell because they didn’t do the right things. They go to hell because they didn’t believe in Christ alone for salvation. “Evil men understand not judgment.”

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    So, what is your desire? Do you desire to walk upright before God and humanity, to comprehend God’s Word and obey it? Or do you desire to live like the world? The Bible says that when you are saved, all things become new. People often ponder if or when they were saved. Here is a great test: Examine your life. Has anything in your life ever changed? If not, invite Christ in.

 

So, when in your life did all things become new
and your life changed?

 

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: November 15, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Acts 15 – Acts 17
  Proverbs 28:5 – 7

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Ezekiel 5-8
  Hebrews 12

Did You Get Caught?
November 14, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 28:1-4
 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion. For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged. A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food. They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Most of us who are old enough to drive are familiar with the feeling we get when driving down the highway, not paying attention to our speed, and then we see a police car pass us on the other side of the interstate. Immediately, we check our speedometer to see if we are exceeding the speed limit. If we are, our next glance is in the rear-view mirror to see if the police car has turned around and is coming after us. However, you realize that you have gone too far to be able to see. So, for the next 5 miles or so, you keep glancing back, just to check if they are following. After a while, you finally relax, realizing no one has been following you after all.

 

    This is one example of what it’s like to live a sinful life. Always wondering, “Am I going to be caught?” Looking over your shoulder to see who is watching or who may have heard what you said. Always wondering if the lie you told yesterday is going to catch up with you today. Always running, never able to escape the constant uneasy guilt. Knowing in your heart that one day it will all catch up with you.

 

    Even if the world never catches you, God is always watching and sees every sin. Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death.”

 

    Death comes to every person eventually. In Heb 9:27 it says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” On that day, it will be one day too late. On that day, the wages of sin are more than just physical death, it will be eternal death. An eternal separation from God.     

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Oh, how wonderful and liberating it is to know that when I took my sins to the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid the price for them all. They are all washed away. There is no longer a need to look over my shoulder, no more need to wonder about my life. The life I now live, I live for Him.

 

Are you as the Wicked who flee when no man pursueth?
Or do you enjoy the Peace of God in
knowing your redeemed by the Blood?

 

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: November 14, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Acts 11 – Acts 14
  Proverbs 28:1 – 4

 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Ezekiel 1-4
  Hebrews 11