May 19, 2023 – Beholding The Finish

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Beholding The Finish

  May 19, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 6-7 / John 5:1-27

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 6:14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:


        Have you ever started a project, and then somewhere around the middle of it you think, “what in the world have I gotten myself into?” I remember one year we had a fire in our home. The inside was trashed, but the structure and exterior were ok. My insurance would not cover all the costs of having someone do the repairs. I thought to myself, “I will do it.” Keep in mind, I am not a builder. It was around the second or third month of every night, after working all day, going home, and working all night on gutting and rebuilding the inside of this house, that I said to myself, “What have you gotten yourself into?” If it were not for the help and encouragement of my wife and some close friends, I may have been tempted to quit.

 

        Solomon has taken on a huge task. He is building the first permanent temple. It has been 418 years since Israel left Egypt. Solomon had been King for 4 years and all this material that David, his father, had collected was just sitting there collecting dust. It was time to build the temple. Somewhere about midway we find God stepping in and encouraging Solomon in this endeavor. In 1 Kings 6:12 God tells him, “…if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:” It was the right words necessary, at the right time, from the right friend.

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:


        Keeping our eyes on the finish line will help us in life’s journey. Whenever we get distracted by the world, life can become overwhelming. The best thing we can do is to stay in His Word daily. Letting our best friend ever encourage us along the way.

 

Has God encouraged you today?

 

 Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
            … and the Word of God into people.”
                                        Romans 10:17

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

 

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May 18, 2023 – Being A Friend

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Being A Friend

  May 18, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 3-5 / John 4:39-54

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 4:5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend:

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:


        In Matthew 18:1 it says, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” What a loaded question. It is sort of the equivalent of being back in the schoolyard choosing teams for a game, with every child bouncing up and down, hand waving in the air yelling, “pick me, pick me.” Each one wanting to be chosen before someone else. The disciple’s question, “Who is the greatest,” is a question everyone will struggle with at some time in life.

        While reading 1 Kings 4 we read how Solomon assembles a staff, or we might refer to it as a cabinet of people under him. David, his father had a rather small group of men under him, but Solomon expands that greatly. Some carried the titles of recorder, and priests. There was someone over the tribute, we would call him a treasurer. Some were placed over companies of men and regions. While others had the responsibilities of managing the king’s household. However, only one of them, Zabud, is called, “the king’s friend.” David had a man like this. In 2 Samuel 15:37 and 16:16 Hushai was referred to as David’s friend. These were men they considered to be private and trusted advisors. A real friend. Everyone, even King’s, need a friend. Someone they can trust and rely on. Of all the positions, of all those men, in all the kingdom, I look at the man who is being a friend, as a pretty great position to have. 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:


        In John 15:15 Jesus said, “Henceforth I call you not servants; … but I have called you friends;” He goes on to say that He had chosen them. Christian, He picked you to be His friend. He trusts you with the gospel and relies on you to share it. 

Will you be Jesus’ friend?

 Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
            … and the Word of God into people.”
                                        Romans 10:17

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

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May 17, 2023 – Brilliance From A Father

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 Brilliance From A Father

  May 17, 2023
  Daily Reading – 1 Kings 1-2 / John 4:1-38

 

 GOD’S WORD:

1 Kings 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:


        Imagine if you will, that your life is coming to an end. You have one last chance to boil all of life’s wisdom into one short statement. What you say may not only impact your immediate family after you are gone, but generations of people. What words of wisdom will you give to those you leave behind. Will it be about managing their finances? Could it be advice on maintaining good relationships? This must be your best, your most brilliant advice. What are you going to say?

 

        David has come to the end of his life. He is passing the kingdom to his son, Solomon. He needs to give him advice that will serve him well as a father, husband, a leader, and man of God. What has David learned, and what will he share? He gives Solomon these few things to do. David says, “walk in his ways,” which simply means, Follow God’s Lead. Let God direct your life. Next was “keep his statutes,” or in other words, Keep God’s Appointments. God has set up some things a man should do, do them. He also said to keep, “his commandments,” which is simply to, Obey God’s Rules. A person needs order in life and God has set that up for us if we will obey Him. David also shared that he should trust in; ”his judgments.” Which is obvious, Trust God’s Judgments, He is never wrong. Finally believe; “his testimonies.” Listen to God’s Word and learn from the past. David says if you do these things, you will have a great life. Brilliant words from a father. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:


        This is still brilliant advice for all of us to follow today. We should Follow God’s Lead, Keep God’s Appointments, Obey God’s Rules, Trust God’s Judgments, and Listen to God’s Word. What a blessed life we might have if we followed David’s advice.

 

Does this sound like brilliant advice?

 

 Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
            … and the Word of God into people.”
                                        Romans 10:17

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

 

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May 16, 2023 – Bringing Back Faith

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 Bringing Back Faith

  May 16, 2023
  Daily Reading – 2 Samuel 23-24 / John 3

 

 GOD’S WORD:

2 Samuel 24:14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:


        We all know the Bible says that Satan is a liar. In John 8:44 it says, “Ye are of your father the devil, …When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” Yet time and again we fall for his deceptions. For a sermon illustration I placed a chair on the platform and asked people to come up one at a time to sit on it. The first two people I called up were rather large folks. I whispered to them, “Please just sit down, then stand up, and go back to your seat, but do not say a word.” They both did as I had asked. The last person I called on was a tiny little lady. To her I whispered, “This chair is broken, be careful when you sit, it may break.” I then asked her to have a seat. She looked at me and shook her head “NO!” I said why not? She said, “you just told me this chair is broken.” Even though she had watched two other large people sit in this chair, the lie that it was broken kept her from trusting it. Satan lies to us and tells us not to trust in Gods power and authority. Even after we see how He works in others’ lives, we often fall for Satan’s lies. 

 

        David’s sin in numbering Israel was his departure from faith in God’s ability to protect him. Instead, he wanted to know how many men he had to fight for him. When he realized what he had done, he accepted it as a sin. God offers David a choice of punishments. David wisely says, I will put my faith back in God and His mercies. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:


        Everyone has at some time departed from fully trusting God. We try to do things on our own instead of relying on God’s power. The good news is, He is still a loving and merciful God. If we will ask for forgiveness, we can bring faith back into our life. 

 

Are you trusting God as you should?

 

 Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
            … and the Word of God into people.”
                                        Romans 10:17

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

 

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May 15, 2023 – Believing In Forgiveness

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 Believing In Forgiveness

  May 15, 2023
  Daily Reading – 2 Samuel 21-22 / John 2

 

 GOD’S WORD:

2 Samuel 22:21-22 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:


        YOU SAID YOU FORGAVE ME! Boy did those words cut like a knife. I remember hearing them from a person I was having a heated discussion with. I felt they were in the wrong and was simply trying to prove my point. To do so, I brought up a time in the past when they had done something very similar. Back then, they had said they were sorry, and I said, “I FORGIVE YOU.” However, here I was bringing it up again just to prove a point, and they called me on it. Did I really forgive them or were those just words. Was I holding onto some memory like a weapon just waiting to unleash it on them the next time they messed up. I learned two things that day. If you say you forgive someone, really forgive them. Also, do not use those words unless you mean them. Words, especially your own, can really be hurtful.

 

        In David’s song to the Lord, he says in 2 Samuel 22:21-22 “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.” How could David say that? He had sinned! Some of his big ones are written in scripture for everyone to read about. I think maybe David’s peace of heart came from the fact that he actually believed God when God said he was forgiven. How freeing to know that God means it when he says, “I FORGIVE YOU.” 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:


        Do we believe God’s Word? In Hebrews 10:17 it says, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” If we really ask for forgiveness and mean it, I believe God really offers that forgiveness, and I know He means it.

 

Is there a past sin Satan torments you with?

 

 Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
            … and the Word of God into people.”
                                        Romans 10:17

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

 

Donate with PayPal button

May 15, 2023 – Believing In Forgiveness Read More »

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