Signs, Signs, Everywhere A Sign 

JULY 13, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    When I was a teenager there was a song produced in 1971 by a group called “The Five Man Electrical Band.” The name of the song was simply “SIGNS.” There was a line in that song which read, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?” What the song was trying to say was that there were so many signs around that you could not even enjoy the life that these signs were intending to make better.

     Today we find many people are looking for a sign of Christ. They will flock to the church that seems to be able to perform the greatest miracles. Signs and wonders seem to draw a crowd. However, Jesus while on earth, warned the Pharisees about looking for a sign. They were told the only real sign they needed and would receive was the same as the prophet Jonas, (or Jonah as it is spelt in Old Testament), who was three days in the belly of a great fish and then brought out to declare salvation to the people of Nineveh. Jesus gave them that sign later as he was also three days in the earth and rose to declare total victory over Satan, hell, and the grave. Yet even when that sign was complete, the Pharisees still would not believe. They had their heart set on seeing another sign.

     I wonder how many people will miss that the true sign of salvation was what Christ did at Calvary while still looking at all the wonders and signs of man.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Signs, signs, yes everywhere there is a sign. There are signs in the heavens of the magnitude of God. We see signs in the one-cell creatures of the details to which God attends. We have signs in the wonder of a newborn baby as to the love of life that God displays. The greatest sign of His ultimate love for us was the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Do not miss eternal life while looking for another sign!

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 13, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Chronicles 33, 34     /     Psalm 13     /     Proverbs 13     /     Matthew 16, 17

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Ezra 8-10           /    Acts 12

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

Putting Out The Fire With Fire 

JULY 12, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

    On TV, I saw a raging fire on the west coast of the US burning out of control. The firefighters were actually not trying to stop the blaze; they were concentrating on making sure it did not spread much farther. They realized it was out of control and were busy trying to control the amount of damage it would do. To do so, they ignited a controlled fire around the blaze, large enough to burn everything in its path. Their hope was that when this raging inferno reached that point, it would no longer have anything to burn and that the pre-burned area was too large for the flames to leap over. Fortunately, it worked. Yet, to control the fire, everything around it had to be destroyed.

     Often people who believe they are right, and will not listen to counsel, are just like that fire. No matter what the facts say, no matter what the evidence of God’s hand at work says, no matter what, they believe they are right. It is not until everything around them has been destroyed that they begin to realize, in their unwillingness to learn, they destroyed themselves. There is nothing left to consume. No one left to complain to or listen to them and their ideas. People avoid the destructive fire of a stubborn heart.

     Today’s verse says, “he that hateth reproof is brutish.” The word “brutish” here means eaten up or self-destructive. Just as the fire was destroyed by fire, so will people who are unwilling to receive instruction destroy themselves by destroying relationships all around themselves.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    You might be asking, if I realize that is me, and I am in the middle of it, how do I change? Reach out to the mighty hand of God to pull you free. Ask Him to open your heart to the truth. Do not try to get God to get on board with what you are doing. Find out what God is doing and get on board with Him.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 12, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Chronicles 30-32     /     Psalm 12     /     Proverbs 12     /     Matthew 14-15 

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Ezra 4-7           /    Acts 11

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

Who Is In Control? 

JULY 10 & 11, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

2 Chronicles 26:16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    James S. Hewett once wrote; a newly elected politician was visiting Washington, D.C., to get acquainted. He was visiting in the home of one of the ranking senators who was trying to interpret the bizarre wonder of the capitol. As they stood looking out over the Potomac River, an old deteriorating log floated by in view on the river. The old-timer said, “This city is like that log out there.” The fledgling politician asked, “How’s that?” The senator came back, “Well, there are probably more than one hundred thousand grubs, ants, bugs, and critters on that old log as it floats down the river. And I imagine every one of them thinks that he’s steering it.”

      It is often this way in other areas of life. Once people feel they may have gained a little control, they then seem to want it all. When truly the only time humanity is in complete control, is after we turn complete control over to God. Letting God lead your life shows you have learned to control your will by letting God’s will lead. Once we try to rule our own destiny, rejecting God’s leading, God removes His hand and lets us do just that. Then, 99% of the time, we will make a mess of it .

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    When we learn to control our desire for control, life becomes so much more enjoyable. We need to give to God what is due Him. He deserves all our allegiance, and all of our life. We must strive to yield total control to the One who created us. After we do so, it is hard to control the joy we sense from the freedom of not having to be the one who steers the log down the river of life anymore.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  July 10, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Chronicles 26-29     /     Psalm 10-11     /     Proverbs 10-11     /     Matthew 13

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Ezra 1-3          /  Acts 10:23-48

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

Build Up Or Break Down

JULY 09, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Matthew 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

      Arguments, yelling, screaming, fighting, and disagreements. What do these words bring to mind? Some might say home. “That is all it seems we do at home is fight.” Some could say work. “Every day is a battle at my workplace.” Some might say the world today. “There appears to be a war on every horizon.” Sadly, some might even say church. “No one seems to agree and there are cliques everywhere.”

      Jesus was pretty clear about the outcome of such situations. Any home, city, or kingdom divided against itself will not stand. Why, because they are constantly figuring out how to pick at the people in their own group, instead of considering how they might help them. For anything to really work well there must be a foundation of agreement. In the home, the father should be the leader who leads the family to the Word of God for answers. At work, God’s Word says we are to submit to the authority over us and obey the rules they put in place. In the world we need to point people to Christ, pray, and as much as possible live peaceably with others. In the church, God is the head. He will never lead people in two different ways. If there is a division in the church, one or both parties have taken their eyes off God and placed them back on self. Unfortunately, they have become much like the world they are trying to influence and have fallen into the trap of not seeking what God wants, but rather only what they may want.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Divisions equal destruction. Destruction of the Christian life is what Satan wants most. God is about building a Christian Life. Satan is about destroying it. Believer, who do you want to be working with, Builder or destroyer.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 09, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Chronicles 24, 25     /     Psalm 9     /     Proverbs 9     /     Matthew 12

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Chron. 34-36           /    Acts 10:1-22

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

What Are You Talking About?  

JULY 08, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 8:8-9 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    Have you ever tried to explain something technical to someone who had no idea what you were talking about? Maybe you are one of those great computer people who know all the different things about megabits, gigabits, terabits, mosquito bites, and all those different things. When you talk with someone who has problems setting the alarm on their alarm clock, you might as well be talking about brain surgery. Why, because they have no current understanding of the clear knowledge you have. Could they understand what you were saying if they wanted to? Yes, by taking time to read up on computers and gaining the knowledge of what you are talking about. Then you can explain it to them, and they would understand. On the other hand, you could take the time to teach them about the topic by breaking it down into simple words so they might understand it.

     We can often find ourselves in a very similar situation when we as Christians go out into the world to tell a person about Jesus Christ. Everything we are telling them is foreign to the understanding of someone who has never met Him. So how do we share the Gospel? In the same way you would explain Salvation to a child. One bit of understanding at a time. Always praying the Holy Spirit will bring to their understanding the truths of the Gospel you are presenting.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     It might be the person you have been trying to witness to for so long, the one who keeps shutting you down, just really does not understand. Pride may keep them from asking you, “what do you mean when you say that?” So, instead they just brush you off. Pray for them to receive understanding. Also, pray God will give you clarity of speech to share the message in a way they might understand. It is a simple message if we just tell it that way.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JULY 08, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Chronicles 22, 23     /     Psalm 8     /     Proverbs 8     /     Matthew 11

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Chron. 31-33           /  Acts 9:20-43

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