Power, Might, Or Self Control?

JULY 09, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 16:32-33 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Some people believe that brute force and power are the answer to everything. However, for strength and power to be effective, you need to have someone with a clear mind and someone who is very much in control leading it. 

    Every army needs a General to make the decision where, when, and how to fight. When the war is complete, the men who fought often come home to a hero’s welcome, but in the history books, the General is remembered for winning the war.

    Every company has a president or leadership. It’s all of the employees that in reality make the product or provide the service. Nevertheless, when the job is finished, the leadership receives the pat on the back.

    In the same way, if a company fails or a war is lost, the shame for this failure or loss is placed firmly on the shoulders of the leadership as well. Sometimes when a business fails due to a poor decision, someone is held financially, and in some cases criminally responsible. Again, this hardship normally falls on the owners, President, CEO, or leadership.

    It’s a good thing to be strong and brave. Still yet, it is nobler, and often a harder thing to be in control and wise. It’s far better to rule your emotions and be in control of self, than to conquer a land and be in control of nothing.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    In the book of James in chapter 3, it says the tongue is a little member that no man can tame. One of the smallest members of the body seems often the hardest to control. Therefore, if you cannot control the muscle of the tongue, you had better learn how to control the emotion that wags it.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 09, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  Psalms 120 – 133      /   Proverbs 16:32-33

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Neh. 4-6    /   Acts 13:29-52

Living In His Word Ministries

Thinking Of Ways To Get Into Trouble

JULY 08, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 16:29-31 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leaded him into the way that is not good. He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    When I was younger, I use to get into trouble. I know, those of you who know me find that hard to believe, but it’s true. A teacher once said, “Son, I think you just sit around and try to think up ways to get yourself into trouble.” Well, I didn’t think that was what I was doing at the time, but looking back, I can now see where I might have been doing exactly that. 

    Whenever I would try to think up ways to get around the rules or defy authorities, I was doing exactly what that teacher had said. I was planning to do something that would eventually get me in trouble. If that were not bad enough, it always seemed I would try to talk others into joining me. This brought about another problem. When I wasn’t thinking of something terrible to do, they were. Then, they would talk me into doing what they thought up. Now you have a team of troublemakers each taking turns causing the others to get into trouble.

    The Bible warns of people who never grow up or grow out of this way of life. They are always trying to beat the system. Some of them may become hooked on gambling, some are always looking for a, “get rich quick” scheme, while others become intoxicated by the idea power over others. They always are trying to get people on their side for one thing or another

    In the church, within the family of God, there should not be sides taken nor such activity found. We should all be on God’s side, and on a mission to reach the lost for Christ.

     
THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    Our verses today say, “He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things.” That refers to people who think hard of how they might get back, get even, or get around the system. What a terrible waste of our time here on earth. Instead of spending our days thinking of ways to avoid rules or authorities, why not spend it glorifying God? Today, let’s draw closer to Him.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 08, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  Psalms 119      /   Proverbs 16:29-31

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Neh. 1-3    /   Acts 13:1-28

Living In His Word Ministries

Angry At The World

JULY 07, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 16:25-28 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    “I’m mad at the world and don’t care who knows it!” Have you ever felt that way? I’m sure you have. We all have. Are you always that way? Could you even imagine living your life always being mad? Always looking for something wrong or trying to find a way to get something over on someone else. Well believe it or not, there are many people just like that. The problem is, the Bible seems to refer to those consistently mad and angry people as the lost, or unsaved people of this world. 

    Our verses today say the UNGODLY person “diggeth up evil.” The FROWARD, or crooked person “soweth strife.” A WHISPERER, or gossiper “separates chief friends.” It appears to be it’s the unsaved that live this way. They live life always mad at the world and everything around them, trying to pick a fight with everyone.

    Truth be known, we all know some of those angry people. Question is, do these same people call themselves Christians, the children of God?

    In Galatians 5:22 & 23, it says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” The difference in the heart of a Believer is that we are to have died to self and selfishness and are now to live in and for Christ. It’s harder to get hurt if you are dead. It’s no longer about what I want, it becomes all about what God wants.

     
THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    If you are angry today, take it to the cross of Calvary and leave it there. Talk with your Pastor, Youth leader, or a Christian Friend. Ask them to pray with you to stop being angry and hurt. Examine your life. Ask yourself, “Does Christ really reside in me?” If not, ask Him to save you. He promised He would. Give yourself to Jesus completely and He will come in and give you peace.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 07, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  Psalms 114 – 118      /   Proverbs 16:25-28

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Ezra 8-10    /     Acts 12

Living In His Word Ministries

Will You Walk This Path?

JULY 06, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 16:22-24 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    If I were to ask you to walk on a pathway made of boards set edge to edge, each board was two-foot long and one-foot in width; would you be ok with that? Using one hundred of these boards, we can make a path two-foot-wide and one hundred feet long. Plenty of space for your entire foot and some left over. Most people would say sure, I could follow such a path.. 

    Now let me add this. What if on the left of that path of boards there was a cliff that fell one hundred feet to a stony riverbed below? Now would you walk that path? Ok, how about if on both sides of these boards there were cliffs of the same depth? Let’s also add ropes to tie the boards together, more ropes to hang onto, and suspend these boards over this one-hundred-foot gorge. Now will you walk this path? One last thing, the wind is blowing your hanging bridge of boards back and forth just a bit. Now will you go across? NO! Why Not, what changed? Aren’t these the same boards you were willing to walk on when you thought they were on the ground?

    The difference is all the surroundings, as the boards never changed. The reason most people will not cross a swinging rope bridge is not that they are afraid of the ropes and wood, they are afraid of the fall. The first time I ever crossed a bridge like that my uncle laughed like crazy at me. He just ran on across. I on the other hand was clinging on for dear life. After about a week, I was running across the bridge too. Over time, I had become familiar with the bridge and learned to trust it.

    Understanding that there is safety in God’s wisdom in all situations, that wisdom becomes our wellspring of life. We need to become familiar with His Word, trust it, and to teach it others also. His Word becomes the boards in life we can walk on.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    I ran across, but I still used the ropes as guides. They seem to give me balance. Reading God’s word everyday does the same things. It gives your life balance. Read some every day.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 06, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  Psalms 107 – 113      /   Proverbs 16:22-24

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Ezra 4-7    /   Acts 11

Living In His Word Ministries

Weekend Review

July 4 & 5, 2020

Proverbs 16:18

Pride 
goeth before destruction,
and an haughty spirit
before a fall. 

Work Week Devotions
Through the Book of Proverbs

      As you know by now, with WORK WEEK DEVOTIONS, we only publish our Devotional Thoughts on Monday – Friday. On Saturday we suggest you re-read the entire chapter we have been studying this past 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. 

Thank you for joining us as we
journey together
Through Proverbs in 2020.

WEEK 26 – Day 6

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

Proverbs 16-17

WEEK 26 – 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 WITH DAILY PROVERBS

July 6, 2020      Psalms 107 –   Psalms 113      Proverbs 16:22 – 24
July 7, 2020      Psalms 114 –   Psalms 118      Proverbs 16:25 – 28
July 8, 2020      Psalms 119                                Proverbs 16:29 – 31
July 9, 2020      Psalms 120 –   Psalms 133      Proverbs 16:32 – 33
July 10, 2020    Psalms 134 –   Psalms 140      Proverbs 17:1 – 4
July 11, 2020    Proverbs 16 – 17                    
July 12, 2020   No Passages Assigned  

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY

July 6, 2020      Ezra 4-7                     Acts 11
July 7, 2020      Ezra 8-10                   Acts 12
July 8, 2020      Neh. 1-3                     Acts 13:1-28
July 9, 2020      Neh. 4-6                     Acts 13:29-52
July 10, 2020    Neh. 7-8                     Acts 14
July 11, 2020    Neh. 9-10                   Acts 15:1-27
July 12, 2020   No Passages Assigned

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY

July 4, 2020     Ezra 1-3   /    Acts 10:23-48
July 5, 2020     No Passages Assigned