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Speak Up!
October 4, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 24:11-12
  If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Over time, the methods of execution for those convicted of crimes worthy of death have changed. Our verses today seem to point back to a time in history when, if a person was found guilty of such a crime, they were led to the executioner in front of the entire city. As they would walk down the street, a town crier would go before them, loudly proclaiming the accusations against this person. They would cry out, “if anyone has any evidence that would change this decree, speak up.” If they did, the prisoner and the witness would be led back to the tribunal to see if this would change the outcome of the convicted sentence. If not, the process would once again begin.

    The questions in today’s passages tend to talk more of an eternal judge. One who keeps the soul and ponders the heart. The reference could well be to the lost man who is being taken to the edge of eternity. On his journey, the cry is going out, “Is there any reason this man should not go off into hell’s flame? Is there any salvation for such a one?”

    Yes, there is salvation available. As a Christian, you have the evidence that can save this person. It is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the soul. Nevertheless, sadly, we stand by and watch as one by one, people march off into eternal torment. No one is saying a word, and no one is answering the cry. Now the question is asked. Does the one who ponders the hearts and keeps the soul not know you had evidence that would save the lost?

    It is still up to the convicted to accept the pardon for their sin. However, it is up to the child of God to proclaim such a life-saving truth. The question rings true today. “Shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    We are all called to go into the world and preach the gospel, The Good News. There is a pardon for the condemned. It was good enough to save you, and it is still good today. Share the good news. It’s time to SPEAK UP!

What life might you change today?

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: October 4, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Matthew 21 – Matthew 23
  Proverbs 24:11 – 12

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Isa. 5-7
  Eph. 3

BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM

Let’s Go Sailing
October 3, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 24:7-10
  Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Imagine for a moment that you have spent several months building a sailboat. You studied many books and drawings to ensure that you know how to build it. You have paid attention to every detail. The materials you have used were selected with great care. All the joints have been sealed and inspected repeatedly. The sail is the right size for the craft you have made. All the rigging is working and in good repair. You are finally done.

    So, what do you most want to do with this sailboat? Well, anyone who put that much time into building a sailboat would surely want to use it, right? It may look great sitting in the yard, but if it’s never tried in real water, you will not know if it will really sail. You will most likely put it in a calm lake at first. However, after a few times of floating close to shore, you begin to venture out further and further. The waves get bigger, and the water gets rougher, but this is where the boat shows its best abilities. All the time of study and work that went into building such a craft is tried and trusted in the turbulence around you.

    It is much the same with the Christians life. “Wisdom is too high for a fool.” Most people want nothing to do with preparing for life here or an eternal life to come. Studying the Bible to find out the details of preparing for such a life may seem like a waste of time, and the majority will scoff and scorn those who do. However, on the open sea of life, as the winds of adversity pick up and the waves of trials get rough, they are tossed to and fro, not knowing what to do. The true believer, however, has prepared, and in a day of adversity, they will not faint but rather trust in God and His Word.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    Every good ship needs a compass to lead it into a safe harbor in times of a storm. Let God’s Word be your compass and guide. Then your final destination will be certain, even in the midst of a troubled and stormy sea.

When troubles come, and they will, are you prepared?

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: October 3, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Matthew 18 – Matthew 20
  Proverbs 24:7 – 10

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Isa. 1-4
  Eph. 2

BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM

Set The Anchor
October 2, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 24:3-6
  Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Everything needs a solid foundation. Without a strong base, nothing can stand; everything will crumble and fall. This is a fundamental truth whether we’re talking about a house, a business relationship, a family, or an individual. However, having a foundation is not nearly enough.

    Solomon has provided us with an outline for living a life that cannot be easily destroyed. We cannot afford to ignore this advice because neglecting any part of it can lead to neglecting it all.

    To begin with, our foundation must rest on the unshakeable truths of God’s Word and His Son, Jesus Christ. Prov. 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” Our passage today begins with the statement, “Through wisdom is an house builded…” Our lives, families, churches, businesses—everything needs to be filtered through a holy reverence of God and who He is.

    However, it’s not enough to merely know of God and respect who He is. We must also establish ourselves in His Son, Jesus Christ. Solomons said, “by understanding it is established:”

    You can build a house on a cement slab 20 feet thick, but if you don’t anchor it, the first strong wind will blow that house off its foundation and destroy it. Marriages, business relationships, and many lives have failed because people knew there is a God but refused to commit and anchor themselves to Him.

    Once you have the foundation set and your lives anchored to that foundation, you can now live in His love and peace, enjoying the treasures God has prepared for His people. “And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” There may still be storms outside, but when we are anchored into Jesus, there is peace evermore.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    What have you anchored your life to today? Is it your job? It could be gone this afternoon. Maybe for you, it’s your bank account. Yet, your health could take all your finances and more in a few short days or hours. Build your life on the foundation of God’s truth and anchor it to His Son Jesus, who said, “I Am the way, the truth, and the life.” Real life forevermore is in Jesus.

What foundation have you anchored to?

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: October 2, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Matthew 15 – Matthew 17
  Proverbs 24:3 – 6

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Song of So. 7-8
  Eph. 1

BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM

Envy Destroys
October 1, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 24:1-2
 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    The riches of the world can entice anyone. You might be saying, “No, not me.” However, if someone came up with just the right offer, it could even be you. It is often not so much a desire to be filthy rich, just richer. It is not to have it all, just more. It is not to be the greatest, just better. What drives most people today is the thought of, “I just want a little more.” Most people today are a little better off than they were five or ten years ago. Yet isn’t it funny we still want just a little more? The question then is, when does it ever end?

    Being successful and having things, even by the world’s standards, is not in itself a sin. However, falling into the trap of allowing our desires to take over to the point where we will do almost anything to get more is when it becomes greed and sin.

    The Bible warns us against wanting so much that we end up following after or joining with sinful men to get it. Why? It is because their end will be destruction. Prov. 24:20 says, “For there shall be no reward to the evil man.”

    The world has little in common with you as a Christian. They desire to glorify self, while you should be glorifying God. Their desire is to lay up treasure here on earth, and yours should be to lay up treasures in heaven. They will compromise anything to get ahead; you should never be willing to compromise your testimony to get anything. They love man and want what man can offer; you love God and all He offers. They want people to help them get ahead in life; you want to help people get ahead in this life and eternally. There is little you have in common except this: both of you have eternal life. One has chosen eternal life in heaven with Christ; one has, by default, chosen an eternal life in hell.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    As you make decisions that may seem very innocent on the surface, remember that what you decide today and whom you decide to do it with may make a difference in your life and the lives of others for years to come. Let’s be thankful for what God has given us today and not be envious of the world.

In the scope of all eternity, what is there to be envious of?

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: October 1, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Matthew 13 – Matthew 14
  Proverbs 24:1 – 2

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Song of So. 4-6
  Gal. 6

BOOK AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMAZON.COM

One More Round
September 30, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 23:33-35
 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Have you ever seen drunk people? I have, and lots of them. I wasn’t always a pastor. Before I was saved, I worked as a bouncer at a local nightclub. Nightly, it was my job to remove people who caused problems in the lounge. Why would they need a person like me for that job? Why did they pay good money to have me stand around trying to intimidate people into behaving and then, when they acted up, tossing them out? Why? Well, it’s because drunken people have a tendency to cause problems.

    Think about it: a person enters a business, pays good money for something that will make them unable to walk and behave properly. Then the business takes that person’s money and pays someone else to remove them because they are acting that way. Why not just open the door, hand the bouncer twenty bucks, and leave? Skip the middleman and save yourself a headache in the morning.

    Today’s scripture, written hundreds of years ago, paints a picture of a drunkard today. Nothing has changed. Intoxicated people chase the opposite gender, often while in a committed relationship. They are found passed out in some of the strangest places. They wake up from their inebriated condition and ask, “What happened to me?” They say foolish things to the wrong people, get beaten senseless, and then wonder, “Why would anyone pick on me?” What is their answer to all their problems? Yup, it’s another drink. They think drinking is the only thing that will help them forget all their woes.

    Is there real help? Yes! His name is Jesus, and He is waiting right now to help you out of Satan’s alcohol trap.    

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Many people trapped in the alcohol maze have forsaken the real answer to all their problems: Jesus. However, many have also turned to Him and witnessed Him create a brand-new life in them. The only real way out of the bottle is up.

Have you fallen for one of the Devils favorite traps?

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: September 30, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Matthew 10 – Matthew 12
  Proverbs 23:33 – 35

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Song of So. 1-3
  Gal. 5