The Thundering Of God

February 1 & 2, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Psalm 29:3
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Living near the beautiful Lake Michigan, we have the ability to watch thunderstorms miles offshore before they ever get to us. We can see the lighting flashing in the distance and rain making its way toward us. However, knowing how far away the storm is from the shoreline is important so you do not end up getting all wet. Science tells us by using some very simple math we can determine the approximate distance. Here is what they say you can do. When you see a flash of lightning, begin counting, one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, and so on until you hear the thunder. Sound travels at about one mile per 5 seconds so if you get to one thousand ten, the storm is about 2 miles offshore. Count the next one and you can tell about how fast it is coming toward you. Once the storm gets closer to the shore you can not only hear the loud crashing thunder but also feel its rumble. You know at that point to take cover, as the storm is very close.

    In this passage today, David likens the voice of the Lord to thunder on many waters. The thundering voice of the Lord has been warning us for years to prepare for a storm to come. Today it seems the rumble of His voice is even closer, as we see the devastation all around us which God predicted would happen in the last days. In fact, in Revelation 10:3 & 4 it talks of seven thunders. That is exactly the number of times “the voice of the Lord” is spoken of in Psalm 29. The thundering of God’s voice is ringing loud and clear.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

   

    Can you feel the rumble of the voice of God? Do you know the storm is closer today than ever before? You need to take shelter. The only truly secure shelter to be found is in the arms of Jesus Christ. Run to Him today. Jesus is, “a shelter in the times of storm.”

How do you shelter in the storms of life?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  February 1, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
Exodus 9-11 – Psalm 29
Proverbs 1-2 – Mark 9

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Exodus 17-19 – Matthew 21:1-22

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

    There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then when you get home re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given to your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  February 2, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

The War Of Wills…

January 31, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Exodus 8:31
And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Today’s verse says, “And the LORD did according to the word of Moses…” So why is it then that this same God does not always do what I say in my prayers? Could it be that we at times treat God as if He were our own personal genie? Make a wish, and God is supposed to make it come true. Our verse today indeed says that God did everything according to the words of Moses. Nevertheless, to understand this verse we must read all the verses before it.

    Why is it that reading all those verses is so particularly important? Well, because what you will find in those verses is that Moses did everything according to the Words of God.

    You see, for us to expect God to do our will, we must first be sure that our will is in complete alignment with His will. Like it says in the Lord’s example prayer given to His disciples, “thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”     

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     As we go through this day with our laundry list of requests before God, we must pause for a second and ask God to guide us into His Will. Making sure what we desire is in line with what He would desire. Then we can step back and watch how God will answer our prayers according to His will.

Are we praying following God’s will?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JANUARY 31, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Exodus 7, 8 – Psalm 28
Proverbs 31 – Mark 8

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Exodus 15-16 Matthew 20

What Does Man Say God Says?
January 30, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Mark 7:7
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    Ok, today we will do a simple test of our Bible skills. Where do you find these phrases in Scripture? “Cleanliness is next to Godliness…” “God works in mysterious ways…” or, “God helps those who help themselves…”  These all sound very biblical and logical. Some will even argue with you that this is what the Bible says. The Bible does say those things, right? No, it is not right. Being clean is important, and I think the idea is great; however, it is not in the Bible. If we are to be Biblically accurate, God helps a man when a man cannot help themselves. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

   

    Sometimes we look extremely hard to try to make the Bible say what we want it to. Pulling a verse from here and a verse from there and then tying them all together to make a doctrine. However, Jesus warned people about that in Mark 7:7 where it says, “Howbeit in VAIN do they worship me.” What? Preacher, are you telling me all those great religious actions we do are in VAIN? Not actually. Some things we do help us in our worship of God. However, if these actions are not in God’s Word and we call them a doctrine of the church, that is wrong. Or, if we do things because we have been told to, believing somehow, we must do them to be saved or to be Holy, well, I guess the Bible speaks for itself. More importantly, the Bible speaks for God, because it is His Word.     

 

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     As you read your Bible today, read the entire passage to gain the full meaning of God’s Word. His truths are in the passages of Scripture, in the chapters, and in the books. I believe you will find that there is enough truth written in God’s Word for us to work on already in our lives, without making up new stuff that is not even there.

 

So let’s be honest, did you believe any of those widely used phrases
in the first paragraph were actually in the Bible?

 

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

 

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

 

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

 

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JANUARY 30, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1, NT & PS-2, Prov-Monthly)}
Exodus 5, 6 – Psalm 27
Proverbs 30 – Mark 7

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Exodus 13-14 – Matthew 19:16-30

 

Serving Up Some Lemonade.

January 27, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Genesis 50:20
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

You have heard the phrase before “If you’re given a lemon, make lemonade.” Sometimes it seems as though we have more lemons than we could possibly need to make all the lemonade we could ever drink. It feels like one thing right after another piles up, until we begin to wonder, “Just how can this be for our good.” The Bible says in Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good,” right? So how can this be?

The answer to this problem is that sometimes God is making the lemonade for someone else to enjoy, and we are the sweetening part of His mixture. The trials and hardships Joseph had faced were not always pleasant. Yet God had Joseph exactly where he needed for him to be. Joseph became the sweetener in the good things God had intended for the lives of his family. The trials you are going through may not benefit you at the moment. However, the Christ-like manner in which you handle them may be a benefit to someone else. God knew He could count on you to be an example and do the right thing. God can make life sweeter for someone else if He can use the right ingredients, and the right ingredient just may happen to be you.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

    When troubles come, and they will, do not always ask how I can get out of them. Instead, ask what I can get from this to help myself or someone else. Thank God for the opportunity to be the right ingredient for Him to use. God never makes mistakes. He creates masterpieces.

What has God been teaching you lately?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JANUARY 27, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Genesis 48-50 – Psalm 23-24
Proverbs 27 – Mark 3-4

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Exodus 4-6 – Matthew 17

Is Our House Divided?

January 25 & 26, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Mark 3:24
And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have come together before God and these witnesses to unite this man and this woman in Holy matrimony. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” Most of us have heard those words or something like them, most likely at a wedding we have attended. What God puts together is not supposed to be taken apart. God does not put people together so He can later destroy their lives. God’s motives are always pure. In our passage today, Jesus was being accused of having a demon in Him that was casting out demons. As if Jesus, who genuinely desired to do good, would have at the same time genuinely desired to do evil. This would mean Jesus had divided intentions from the beginning. Christ would never have been able to bring people to Himself to free them, and save them from sin, if He were also of the devil, tempting people to sin. It is an idea that is self-destructive.

    This same principle of permanent unions and undivided intentions can apply in many areas of our lives today. For example, with God’s direction, we should choose our mate well, because we are supposed to be with them for a lifetime. Pick our church well. A church divided will struggle to serve God. Choose our work and service well. Struggling to do something God has not intended for us to do will be a long hard life. Choosing well and praying for God’s wisdom and guidance in all areas of life. A kingdom, or a life divided will fall.

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

     I guess the one I left out was picking our God well. You say, “What… pick My God? I did so a long time ago.” Well, if you gave Him your life, then you did. However, who are you serving today? Are you still serving the same God, or have you switched to a god the world has given you? Has work, money, or possessions become your god? Do you only serve the real GOD when you have a chance, when time allows, or when it is convenient? Choose today to serve only One God. Then He will direct your paths and help with all your other choices.

Who are you serving today?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JANUARY 25, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
Genesis 45-47 – Psalm 22:22-31
Proverbs 25-26 – Mark 2

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Exodus 1-3 – Matthew 16

WHAT TO DO ON SUNDAY:

    There will not be a Daily Devotion sent out on Sundays. Instead, we encourage you to attend your church and listen intently to what God has prepared in the heart of your Pastor. Write down all the scriptures he uses in that message, then when you get home re-read those passages for today’s reading. God has given to your Pastor exactly what He desires for you on that day.  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  JANUARY 26, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(OT-1,/NT & PS-2,/Prov-Monthly)}
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
NO READINGS ON SUNDAY