Look Again!

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
Daily Reading – Pro. 10-11 / 1 Cor. 15

GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        I was walking down the street the other day and saw a woman walking her dog. This was not so strange, except for the fact that the dog had on a sweater. Now it may have just been me, but it seemed like the dog was really moving fast and kept looking from left to right, right to left as if to say, “I sure hope none of my dog friends see me dressed this way.”

      Now I know, some of you dress your dogs, cats, and who knows, maybe your gerbils this way. I guess if it makes you happy to dress up your dog as children do their dolls, it does not really hurt anything. There actually might be some good to it if it is raining out and you put on a raincoat, or if it is freezing cold out or something and you dress your short haired dog in a warm sweater. However, one thing we need to keep in mind is this. Under that sweet little cardigan, this is still a dog. You can paint their toenails a rainbow of colors, give them a cute haircut which often will cost more than your hair cut costs, and put ribbons in their hair, yet when you look again you will see that they are still dogs.

        What is my point in this? We are all the same way. We can dress up the outside and clean up really nice. We might say the right things and go to the right places. Nevertheless, if we have never accepted Jesus as our Saviour, under all that, we are still lost. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Jesus addressed this issue in Luke 11:39 “And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” It might do us well to look again.

What does God see in us?

     

Lead By Design

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023
Daily Reading – Pro. 8-9 / 1 Cor. 14

GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 8:20-21 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        The Vision Statement of Living In His Word Ministries, “Getting people into the Word of God… and the Word of God into people,” is not just a catchy phrase. We believe this is the foundation, on which people must live their lives in order to enjoy God’s blessings in every area of life. Our verses today point to this understanding.

        First, God’s wisdom is more valuable than anything any club or other social group can give you. You can belong to every well-meaning club out there and they may bring you enjoyment for a moment. However, what eternal value do they teach that was not first written by God in His word? The answer is none. Second, wisdom mixed with understanding creates all of life’s correct outcomes. People want to go to God’s Word like a fix-it manual when something is broken. Find the fix, apply it, and then live as they did before. That never works. What works is the constant repetitive study of God’s Word that sinks into your heart and becomes part of your life to keeps those worldly things from tearing up your life to begin with. Next, fixing what is already broken can also be found in God’s Word. However, it takes dedication to change a life and make it right. Arrogant, prideful, and selfish people will not enjoy the luxuries of God’s best, as they seldom desire to really change what they do. Finally, God’s Word is counsel. In it, you find understanding and strength for every area of life. Lead by design. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        So maybe now you understand our slogan a bit better. “Getting people into the Word of God… and the Word of God into people.” In fact, try reading our vision slogan again, only this time with your name replacing the word “people.”

Are you being led by the design of God’s Word?

  
 

Kind Of Sickening 

 SEPTEMBER 9 & 10, 2023
 SEPTEMBER 9 – Daily Reading – Pro. 6-7 / 1 Cor. 13
 SEPTEMBER 10 – NO READING

 GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        As Christians, we all retain the old sin nature. It is possible for anyone to be tempted by sin and give in. Living daily in known sin however should never be the lifestyle of a Christian. Believers desire to be more like their Saviour Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9 speaks to the redeemed who has given into sin’s temptation. It tells us how to get back in fellowship with God where we should be.

        In Proverbs 6:16-19 there are seven things mentioned which God hates. In fact, it progresses from hate to abomination. Abomination is the Bibles strongest expression of hate. In a list of this type, the last item is considered the most sickening of them all.

        Of the first six things the Lord hates, we find lying to be part of two of them. God hates lying. Even more so, falsely accusing or lying against another person. Not only have you sinned, but you have also defamed the character of another. These lies damage something which God holds dear, the testimony of their life. We should guard our testimony as if it were gold. The last in the list turns from hate to abomination. Abomination carries the meaning of something that stinks and will turn your stomach. What turns God’s Stomach? People gossiping, slandering, exaggerating, lying, and dividing the brethren. People whom He loves, and we should love too. God says, it is kind of sickening. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        God is a God of reconciliation to himself and to one another. He has never been the God of division. Jesus died on Calvary to make peace with God for our sin, not His own.

If we are to be more like Christ,
shouldn’t we be more about healing than dividing too?

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        When I was in sales, we had a slogan. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Super Simple). For Christians it means Love God, and Love others. We saw that this week in:

  ● Kinfolk Care
  ● Know Me!
  ● Kingdom Praise
  ● Kept Secure In The Lord
  ● Keep Away From There
  ● Kind Of Sickening

      If we truly Love God, we will love what and who God loves. Which means we will love all of God’s people. Just K.I.S.S.

       Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.  

 SUNDAYS:

       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.

K.I.S.S.

     

Keep Away From There

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023
Daily Reading – Pro. 4-5 / 1 Cor. 12

GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 5:7-8 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Over the years, I have heard so many people tell of a house in their neighborhood that seemed spooky. For some, it was an old abandon house, and the story goes that people may have been killed there, and the house is filled with ghosts. For others it was a house where an elderly couple lived. Somehow, they seemed angry and upset most of the time. (Could it possibly have been because of the loud, pesky, and annoying neighborhood kids?) Nevertheless, stories start to go around of how they are mean old people who will do you harm if you go near the house. For whatever reason there always seemed to be, in every neighborhood, a house kids did not want to go near. Although the stories of these places were likely made up and highly exaggerated, the fear of these houses was very real. No one had to beg children to get away from there; they just did not go there. The fear of what might happen was all it took to keep them away.

        Solomon begs his son not to turn away from his sayings. Unlike the stories of haunted houses and mean older people, these sayings are not made up. These are life’s tried and true words of wisdom. Solomon wanted his son to have that childlike fear of the ways of sin. Let the fear of what might happen keep you from it. Behind the door of sin there is waiting dishonor, disease, despair, and even doom. You will never go inside the place of sin, if you never go to sin’s door. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Knock knock. Who’s there? Orange. Orange who? Orange you glad you did not fall for sins tricks. Ok, so that is a really old and bad joke. However, it is a joy to be right. Right with man and right with God. RIGHT?

Will you listen to Solomon’s, and God’s warnings today?

     

Kept Secure In The Lord

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023
Daily Reading – Pro. 1-3 / 1 Cor. 11

GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Remember the little prayer that you heard as a child? “Now I lay me down to sleep, Pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take, Amen.” What a comforting prayer for a little child. But what about this prayer for an adult? What goes through the mind of a lost person when they are all alone? All the friends have gone home, the hooting, screaming, and all the activities have died down, and the partying is over. Now what? I remember when I was like that. Often, I would wonder, what if I died tonight in my sleep? What if the house caught on fire and I did not make it out? What if someone broke in and killed me. The people I hung out with were not the nicest people, and as far as that goes, neither was I. What if one of them were drunk or high and came to get even for something I said or did? Where was I going after that?

      That simple little prayer can haunt an unsaved person. Also, that little prayer is not a salvation prayer. It never asks for forgiveness of sin. It never shows repentance for sin. It is a great children’s prayer before the age of accountability. However, for an adult, we need to acknowledge we are sinners and ask God to save and forgive us. Inviting Him into our heart to dwell in us. Then when we lie down, we can sleep in restful confidence that God is watching over us. Then no matter what happens in the night we are kept secure in the Lord.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Saved folks might need to change the prayer a little to say: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I know the Lord my soul doth keep. If I should die before I wake, I know the Lord my soul will take. AMEN!” What peace to know we are kept secure in the Lord.

Where does your security lie?