May 25, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 15-17 / John 7:37-53

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Most people in the United States do not truly know what it is like to be starving. Some have occasionally been hungry, but few are starving. Through the generosity of many people and organizations, there are Food Banks, Rescue Missions, and Soup Kitchens in almost every major city in the US. Truth be told, most people in this great land toss out more food in a week, than some in third world countries eat in a year. Most of us cannot imagine not having some idea of how to get food from somewhere in the next few days. However, what if that were not the case? What if you had no prospect of any food, from anyone, anywhere, and you only had one sandwich left? Then a person walks up and says, “if you will give me part of your sandwich, I guarantee that you will not run out of bread and lunch meat for a long time.” What would you do? 

 

        This is the situation the widow woman in 1 Kings 17 found herself in. Even worse, it was not only her last meal, but her son’s last meal as well. However, the man who walked up did not make the guarantee of a meal on his own. He said to her, “…thus saith the Lord God of Israel.” This woman really thought she and her son were about to die. For her there was no hope, until the God of hope stepped in. She did not place her trust in Elijah, as much as she placed her trust in the God of Elijah and Israel. God’s guarantees are rock solid. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        We too had no hope of escaping this world alive until the God of all hope stepped in. He is our Bread of Life. I once heard said that sharing the gospel is like one beggar, telling another beggar, where they had found bread.

 

Will you tell a hungry world about the Bread of Life?

 

 

  May 24, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 13-14 / John 7:1-36

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 14:1-2 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        The world today wants to try to shut God out of their lives. For many years now public prayer, led by a hired public servant, has been disallowed. Teaching about Christianity and Godly morality from the scripture has been opposed. While at the same time, they teach other religions from other cultures and call it diversity. They have opposed God’s Word in public places. Removing plaques and monuments that displayed the ten commandments from places such as court rooms. The argument has been that these words may influence people’s decision-making abilities. Well let us hope so. That is why they were given to us. However, no matter how hard they try to remove God from our lives, when tragedy strikes, they beg people to pray. Everyone who dies in these tragedies is said to have gone to heaven. No matter what people do or say, they know God still matters.

 

        This is nothing new. King Jeroboam had formed his own religion. He made fake idols to substitute as gods to be worshiped. He even made up a new narrative on the history of Israel. Yet, when his son was dying, he did not run to a golden cow to ask for help and advice. Embarrassed by his own behavior and recognizing his sinfulness, in 1 Kings 14:2, he sends his wife in a disguise to ask of God’s man what was going to happen to his son. When trouble comes, and it will, the world admits by their own actions, God still matters. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        When trials come, the world looks for a Godly person to talk with. What a great time to be a witness and share Christ. Do they see you as that person? 

 

When the lost world looks for a God fearing person, do they ask you to pray, or ask that you help find someone to pray?

 

 

  May 23, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 11-12 / John 6:34-71

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Our brain is a wonderful, unparalleled organ. All our daily bodily functions, that happen without much conscious thought, take root there. Simple little things such as breathing, our heart beating, the sense of touch, smell, and taste, all originate from the brain. It is also the central storage area for our thought processes. We can program this brain to learn to read, write, ride a bike, or drive a car. None of these things are pre-programmed in the brain, yet God created it so that we can program things into it. Another thing our brain does is to store our memories. Things from our past that we want to remember. However, just like programming it to drive, it can also be brainwashed, or reprogrammed, into believing in things that never happened. Someone once said, if you say something often enough, and loud enough, to enough people, eventually people will believe it is true.

      Israel falls for the miss-guiding of their memories in 1 Kings 12:28. Jeroboam becomes afraid of Israel’s loyalty to him if they go to worship the real God in Jerusalem. Because of this, he changes their religion, creates a fake feast day and month, made two false calves as gods, and also rewrites their history. Saying “…behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” These people wanted their own way so badly, they were willing to believe that everything they knew to be true, was wrong.

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        Today we have people rewriting the meaning of scripture. For centuries the church has known what God’s Word has meant. Yet now there are some who teach multitudes, that all they have known is wrong. They say that they have a new, better understanding.

Does real truth change?

  May 22, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 9-10 / John 6:1-33

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 10:23-24 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Sometimes I just cannot sleep. I toss and turn until finally I just get up. Most often I find this is a good time to read my bible and pray. I have at times turned on the TV only to find the channels filled with infomercials. You know, the kind that is trying to sell you the latest greatest gadget that will revolutionize your life. Perhaps they think if they can catch you half-awake you will buy that stuff. The ending pitch is always the same. Here is the product, here is the price, “BUT WAIT,” if you will act right now, we will toss in even more, and more and more. Trust me, you are paying for all the extra stuff somehow. 

 

      In most cases in life, you never get anything for free. There is always a catch somehow. However, when it comes to God and His grace, it is just the opposite. We have a great picture of this in the life of Solomon. Back in 1 Kings 3:5 God asked Solomon; “…what I shall give thee.” Solomon could have asked for anything. However, what he asked for wisdom to rule and lead the children of Israel. God was so pleased with Solomon’s unselfish request that He said, I will give you that wisdom, and more. In 1 Kings 3:13 God said, “And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.” In today’s passage in 1 Kings 10, we see that God has given Solomon wisdom, and then He has given him even more.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        As if saving our souls from eternity in hell was not enough, God has also promised us a home in heaven, a place at the table with His Son Jesus, and then, even more. As you can see, God keeps His promises.

 

In your time of prayer, will you thank God for giving you EVEN MORE?

 

 

 May 20 & 21, 2023
 May 20 – Daily Reading – 1 Kings 8 / John 5:28-47
 May 21 – NO READING

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 8:15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

        Promises, Promises, we hear them every day. Sometimes we see people keep most of their promises. I say most because even the most honest, trustworthy person in the world can make a promise, and then not keep it. For example, imagine Mr. Honest has promised to be somewhere at 5:00 P.M. He sets out 30 minutes early to the destination, which is only 10 minutes away. On his way, he encounters a train stopped on the tracks he must cross. This should not be a problem, he left in plenty of time. Sure enough, the train pulls out of the way, and he has 10 minutes to spare. As he crosses the tracks, his tire picks up a nail and goes flat. He gets out and changes the tire, but now he’s 5 minutes late to his appointment. I know you might be saying, well those were things beyond his control, and you would be right. However, I would be just as right to say he made a promise he did not keep. Only one person is always 100% accurate.

 

        Solomon has finished the temple and is sharing words of dedication on this place. He reminds the people in 1 Kings 8:15 of God’s faithfulness; “…Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it…” When God makes a promise, He foresees all the variables to come. These sorts of things might unexpectedly pop up and hinder man. However, nothing takes God by surprise. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

        How reassuring, that when God promised us salvation, there’s no variables He did not foresee. When He promised an eternal home in glory, nothing would stop His construction plans. God’s blessings are always fulfilled according to His Word.

 

What promises has God made to you?

 

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

        No matter the overcast sky of life today, when we look to God, there is always a Bright Looking Future. We saw that in our devotions this week in:

  ● Believing In Forgiveness
  ● Bringing Back Faith
  ● Brilliance From A Father
  ● Being A Friend
  ● Beholding The Finish
  ● Blessing Are Fulfilled

        Seeing God as our future can bring sunshine to even the darkest of skies. If you know Christ as Saviour, you too have a Bright Looking Future ahead.

       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.

May 22, 2023	1 Kings 9-10	John 6:1-33
May 23, 2023	1 Kings 11-12	John 6:34-71
May 24, 2023	1 Kings 13-14	John 7:1-36
May 25, 2023	1 Kings 15-17	John 7:37-53
May 26, 2023	1 Kings 18-19	John 8:1-30
May 27, 2023	1 Kings 20-21	John 8:31-59
May 28, 2023	No Passages Assigned

Bright Looking Future