Iniquity, This Is Serious

 August 21
 Daily Reading – Psa. 86-89 / Rom. 14

GOD SAID:

Psalm 89:31-33 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      How serious is iniquity. First we need to know, what is iniquity. The Strong’s Greek and Hebrew Dictionary says it’s; “perversity, i.e. (moral) evil :- fault, mischief, sin.” How serious is this? Well, what’s the penalty. For example, a parking ticket costs a few dollars. Assault gets you put in jail with a bigger fine. Sin however carries a death sentence. Rom. 6:23 says; “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The gift of eternal life is only available because someone paid the death penalty for us. Iniquity cost Jesus his life and God His Son. In our passage today God says He will visit iniquity with a rod and stripes. For the believer in Christ today, that means our death penalty has been paid, but sin is still serious. It severs fellowship with God. Psa. 66:18 says; “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” How serious is our Iniquity… Very Serious.

      This should also tell us just how great God’s lovingkindness is. So great that even though we have committed this serious crime against Him, He does not take His love utterly from us. Could you imagine a mother in a store with her child and the child misbehaves, so she abandon him there. No, she will scold and reprimand, but never abandons the child. Our loving God also chastens His own children, but He does not abandon them, nor leave them forsaken.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    I’m so glad that the promises and mercy of God are not based upon my ability to be perfect. The bible says His mercy endures forever. His faithfulness, is not conditioned by my faults. Like the song says, “He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs.”

How will you thank Him?

     

Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Israel’s Costly Counsel

 August 20
 Daily Reading – Psa. 80-85 / Rom. 13

GOD SAID:

Psalm 81:11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      Watching a bad movie can be so frustrating. You can plainly see what’s about to happen. You already know something bad lurks behind the door they’re about to enter. If it were good, they wouldn’t play the spooky music. You could almost write the plot to the story before it ends. Still, the people in the film continue to make the most obvious of mistakes. The point of my frustration is that I yelled out for them not to go in that door. I told them to turn around. I pleaded for them not to go down the alley. Do you think they would listen? No, they don’t. If they’d have listened to me, all their problems could have been avoided. The most frustrating part for those in the room with me, is probably me yelling, telling the actors what to do. Sometimes when those with me have had enough, they tell me what to do.

      Like a script from a bad TV show, is the true to life situation Israel finds itself in. God forewarned them about messing around with other gods. He told them this would cost them their land, their families, and worst of all, their fellowship with Him. Yet, in Psalm 81:11 it says! “But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.” They listened to the wrong counsel. Verse 12 says “…they walked in their own counsels.” Instead of listening to God, who could see how things would end, they took counsel one from another. It’s like the blind leading the blind. That’s not a good idea.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    People today want to change or ignore God’s word, often to fit what they want to do. We need to realize what Israel failed to realize. God already knows what is coming in life. Taking counsel from someone who can’t see the end of the story, is a really bad idea.

Who are you following in life?

     

Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Integrity Above All

 August 19
 Daily Reading – Psa. 78-79 / Rom. 12

GOD SAID:

Psalm 78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      People often love authority, power, and the spotlight. They change when they’re put in charge, and they think they’re being watched. I remember working with a guy in a restaurant who disliked the manager, with good cause. He said, “If I am ever made manager I will never act like that guy.” Which was good, since the manager he was talking about was arrogant and egotistical. This guy thought the sun rose and set just for him. He treated people terribly and was rude to anyone he didn’t like. Needless to say, he did not last long in a customer driven business. Too many people complained. Oddly enough, the guy who said he would never be like him, was made manager, and immediately began to act just like him. What happened? He let the position go to his head, and his head couldn’t handle it. As you might guess, he didn’t last long either.

      In Psalm 78:70 it says God chose a man to lead the people of Israel. He didn’t pick a man from the military for his commanding skills. He didn’t choose a CEO for His leadership skills. He didn’t pick someone of past royalty who knew the ropes of running a kingdom. It says; “He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:” See, God didn’t need a commander, a leader, or a man of experience. God was already all of those things. He just needed a man of Integrity. Not someone with a big head, just a big heart for God.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    It’s been said that someone’s character is who that person is when no one is watching. A person with integrity doesn’t change their character no matter who is watching. David’s integrity is what drew God’s attention.

What is God focused on when He looks at you?

     

Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Heart Transplant

August 17 & 18
August 17 – Daily Reading – Psa. 73-77 / Rom. 11
August 18 – NO Daily Reading

GOD SAID:

Psalm 73:17Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

   Heart surgery has come so far in the last few decades. Dealing with heart problems is so common today, that many people go into the doctor in the morning, have their procedure, and leave and go back to work that afternoon. With that said, can you guess when the first heart transplant was performed? According to the U.S. Department of Health and Services web site, it was December 3, 1967 at the Groote Schurur Hospital in Cape Town South Africa by Dr. Christiaan Barnard. However, God had been performing heart transplants long before then.

   In Psalm 73 we see such a heart transplant take place. This Psalm begins with a heart that’s damaged by the poison of worldliness. In verse 3 we see by the x ray of scripture, the heart condition of envy and lust. It says “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Further complications are evident when this heart does not realize that there is a problem. In verse 5 the patient says; “They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.” Because of this, verse 6 says this heart it now damaged with pride and violent thoughts. This heart is beyond repair and must be replaced. That’s when in verse 17 God stepped in; “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” God performed a heart transplant that saved this man’s eternal life. His heart is now fixed by, and on God.

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    The condition of man’s heart is beyond repair. Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” God, the great physician, can replace this heart.

Have you had heart surgery?


THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

      When God steps into our life, life changes. If we allow Him to He will bless us with a life that is Happy, Holy, Healthy. We saw this in:

● Heaven Can Be Bought
● Hiding In The Church
● Hear My Cry, O God;
● Heavens Harmony
● Hope When Life Is Tough
● Heart Transplant

      Happy, Holy, Healthy. Happy to know I’m saved, Holy separated to Him, with a Healthy attitude on life.

SUNDAY:

        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

August 19, 2019	Psa. 78-79	Rom. 12
August 20, 2019	Psa. 80-85	Rom. 13
August 21, 2019	Psa. 86-89	Rom. 14
August 22, 2019	Psa. 90-96	Rom. 15
August 23, 2019	Psa. 97-102	Rom. 16
August 24, 2019	Psa. 103-105	1 Co. 1
August 25, 2019	No Passages Assigned

1 Peter 1:15-16
“But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation; (meaning someone’s way of living life)
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

Hope When Life Is Tough

 August 16
 Daily Reading – Psa. 69-72 / Rom. 10

GOD SAID:

Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

      HOPE! Most of us have been through tough times in life. Times when it may seem that all hope is gone. Maybe it was the loss of a job during a particularly tough time in life. Now what? Possibly it was the passing of a friend or relative. Someone you relied on, and cared for deeply. Now they are gone. Now what? If anything in life is sure, it is that very few things in life are sure. Things continuously change, and it doesn’t always seem like, in the moment, they’re changing for good. When life happens, and all seems lost, where do you find HOPE?

      In Psalm 71:14 David says “But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.“ The comment came right after he says in vs 10 that his enemies are talking bad about him. They are getting together and talk about how to do him in. They even are saying in vs 11 that because God has left him and forsaken him there is none to help him. Needless to say, David seems a bit overwhelmed. Yet still he says; “I will hope continually.” To that he adds, I will praise God more and more. Where does he find such courage? How can he have such joy? He finds this in the security of God’s watch care in the past. Back in Psalm 71:5 he said; “For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.” David’s peace of heart does not rely on who God might be tomorrow, but in who God has always been in his past. He’s still GOD!

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Our hope in life is built upon the God who gave us life. Our hope is in the Lord. Hebrews 13:8 says; “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” When we feel alone without hope, remember, God said He’d never leave us.

Does knowing God give you HOPE?

     

Living In His Word Ministries
    “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”

Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12