You ALMOST Got Me 

MAY 22 & 23, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    Picture with me if you will a man working out in the yard or maybe on something in the garage. He has almost finished with his project when his wife yells out, “are you done yet?” Now I know that her asking really does not change anything, but for some reason it seems to cause a big disturbance in his train of thought on what he is doing. He yells back, “I’ll be done in a few minutes.” “When?” she asks. “In just a minute,” he replies. Then the magic words that makes him want to hurry and finish. “Well dinner is almost ready.” Almost ready! Not quite ready, but close. This means in just a little bit it will be completely ready and he definitely wants to be there. The word “almost” seems to give him, not much, but at least some time.

    King Agrippa said to Paul, “thou ALMOST persuadest me…” Almost. He is not completely persuaded, but close. What kept the king from being persuaded completely? Could Paul possibly have said anymore? I doubt it. Could the Holy Spirit have moved any more in the Kings heart? Probably not. Almost is close, but not close enough. King Agrippa may have thought to himself; I have a little more time.

    Almost is where most people live today. I am almost ready to be saved. Almost ready to give up this lifestyle. Almost ready to turn my life over to Christ. ALMOST…but not quite, because I think I may have just a little more time. It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. People almost made it, almost got saved… almost!

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    Almost is a great word for salvation. However, you must divide it up for it to work. You see ALL is the MOST you can give to the Lord. That is just what He wants. If you give him your ALL, He will make the MOST of your life.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  May 22, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Samuel 3-5     /     Psalm 118     /     Proverbs 22-23     /     Acts 25, 26

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
1 Kings 8           /    John 5:28-47

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

THEY DID IT FIRST!

MAY 21, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 21:1-2 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    Excuses, what are they? I had a friend at our church that has since gone home to be with the Lord, who continually told me the definition of an excuse was “the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.”

    I am certain that we have all made up an excuse at one time or another. Instead of being completely honest with someone, we rather tell a part truth. Sadly, we sometimes make up excuses and rehearse them to our self. It often will begin when you start to wonder, should I be reading this, watching this, or listening to this? Should I be going there, hanging out with them, or even talking this way? Should I be drinking this, taking this, or smoking this? What is the excuse we give to our self? Well, it may be, “l saw Mr. or Miss Christian doing it, so if it is ok for them, it must be ok.” We begin to make excuses for our life, yet inside we have a funny feeling, and we know something is not right. However, we have tried to convince ourselves if God will let them get by with it, He is sure to do the same for me.

    Did you ever stop to think; maybe they are watching you and thinking the same thing? Maybe they are judging their life by what they see you doing.

  The Bible says that man will find a way to make everything they do seem ok in his own eyes. God, on the other hand, looks on your heart. He knows what you know deep down inside. He knows of the feeling you have knowing this is wrong or right. Do you know why God knows? He put that feeling there to help you make right choices.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    I heard a while back a phrase that helps me occasionally. It said, “If in doubt, don’t.” We should all operate under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Gods Word and not according to someone that we might see at church or at work. Let us be an example of Christ, and for Christ.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  MAY 21, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
2 Samuel 1, 2     /      Psalm 117     /     Proverbs 21     /     Acts 24

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
1 Kings 6-7            /    John 5:1-27

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 Has He Done For You?  

MAY 20, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 116:8  For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

  Sometimes as a Pastor, I will be sharing the gospel with someone and he or she will ask, “What has this God ever done for me?” In their sinful condition, I can understand how they might feel this way. However, if they could ever see what He has done for those who have put their faith in Him, and what He will give to them if they accept His free offer of salvation, I do not see how they could turn Him down.

  Our verse today kind of sums it all up. He has forever released us from the sting of death. Until the day in which God sends Christ back to rapture the church, we will all have to face the time when we stop breathing and our body is laid to rest. However, that is not the sting of death. When something stings, it hurts. When we go from earth to heaven there will be no pain and suffering, just joy and, well, heaven. On the other hand, without Christ as your Saviour, you will experience the sting, the pain, and the torment of hell for eternity.

  He also says He will never leave believers who are in Christ, nor forsake them. He will forever walk with them. Here on this earth as we travel through life, and from here to heaven as we are translated to Him. Forever, He will never leave me. The unsaved however will be separated from the love of God for eternity at the moment of death.

  The Bible says He will wipe all the tears from my eyes, FOREVER. The lost however will cry out for eternity.

    Therefore, here is the question, “What has He done for YOU?”   

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

  Looking forward to heaven is only part of the joy of knowing Jesus. Living for Him and with His Holy Spirit within us here on earth, is also rewarding today.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  MAY 20, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
1 Samuel 30, 31     /     Psalm 116     /     Proverbs 20     /     Acts 23

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
1 Kings 3-5           /  John 4:40-54

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

Woops! Did I Do That?

MAY 19, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

1 Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

     Ever play follow the leader? You were to follow right behind and do what the person in front of you is doing. The person in the very front makes up what is supposed to be done for the entire group. Imagine that you were in the middle of the line and you kept jumping out of line, doing your own thing, and not following what the leaders before you were doing. All the people who were behind you did what you had done and not what the leaders who were before you were doing. However, their disobedience was because of you, not the real leader. Suddenly, the one leading just stops. No movement at all. Now what? You say, “Ok, I will do what you say.” However, the leader refuses to move. Not left, right, forward, or back. You yell, “OK I will do what you do,” but the leader seems not to listen. The leader is still there and can hear you. Still, you cannot make them respond because you have disrupted too many times and they will not move.

    That is somewhat how things were with Saul. He had been disobedient so many times, God finally said, I am not listening to you or responding to you anymore. What a terrible feeling this must have been for someone like King Saul who relied on God’s direction for success in leadership.

    It is the same in our lives today. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” God will often not listen until we repent from sin and ask for forgiveness. He can hear us but will refuse to respond until we begin to obey. What a terrible place to be in for someone like you and I who rely on God’s direction for success in life and for those who are following behind us.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    In 1 John 1:9 it says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We need to ask God to forgive us of anything that might stand between us and Him. Then we can let God lead again.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  MAY 19, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
1 Samuel 28, 29     /     Psalm 115     /     Proverbs 19     /     Acts 22

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
1 Kings 1-2           /    John 4:1-39

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

Get Fired Up Again 

MAY 18, 2021

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Acts 21:19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

THOUGHT ON GOD’S WORD:

    What exactly was Paul doing here? He was doing what other Missionaries have followed the example of and have done for years. Coming back to the churches and reporting what God had been doing on his Missionary journey. I believe if he could have, Paul would have shown slides or maybe splashed a video up on the wall had they been available. If he could have, he would most likely have left prayer cards. I can only imagine how fast every single member would have taken one home with them. The next verse says, “And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord.” They were excited to hear what God had done through Paul, and through them.

    Part of the reason I believe that many people do not get excited anymore is because they have lost the excitement and concern for missions. Missionaries come and go, and well, truth be told, we are busy with our own lives and just do not seem to make time to care anymore. Do you want to care again? Really? If you are not serious then this will not work. However, if you really want to get excited about missions again, INVEST IN MISSIONS. You know, it is the whole, “Where your treasure is…” thing.

    •   Invest prayers in mission families as they minister on your behalf.

    •   Invest time to help keep them and their mission field before your church.

    •   Invest financially so they can continue to do the work God has called them to do.

  If you will invest in Missions, I guarantee when they come back, you will want to know what has been happening with your investment.

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    You will never get as great a return from any investment as you will in the Lord’s work. Ask God today to put a passion in your soul for His Ministry.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  MAY 18, 2021

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING  (O.T.-1/N.T. & PS.-2/Prov.-Monthly)
1 Samuel 26, 27     /     Psalm 114     /     Proverbs 18     /     Acts 21

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
2 Samuel 23-24            /    John 3

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