Saturday April 24th
{Matthew chapter 5}
Blessed are those who…
New Week so!!!
This week let us read about, put into practice, and share who-what-how we believe...
I have three questions to ask you this week- please feel free to hold up your hands,
if the following applies to you. Know one but Jesus is watching!
1. Do you follow Jesus?
2. Do you believe in Jesus?
3. Do you obey Jesus?
Please consider the questions thoughtfully.
& Thank you for your honesty!
Matthew 5:1-6
1Now when he saw the crowds,
he went up on a mountainside
and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Ponder this…If you believe a person has your best interest at heart you are greatly open to their influence… Pastor Darin Mabe
If you believe a person has your best interest at heart- you are then greatly influenced by them, meaning you follow after their ways, you believe in them, and you obey whatever they tell you to do. Your actions, your idea’s, your movement, and your beliefs are all are affected effected even infected with that persons influence.
Sunday April 25th
What about me?
Matthew 5:7-9
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Ponder this too...Now is the time for all good men and women of God to look deep in their hearts and see what others see. Will it be a godly life of mercy, a life of grace and a life surrounded in peace?
Monday Aptil 26th
What's going to happen to me if...
Matthew 5: 10-12
10Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Ponder this...You know your walk with God is moving in the right dirrection when you sence all hell coming against you from every dirrection. Even worse distractions from those you consider close frends or family members! Thats ok though God is in control of YOUR life. Satan is just attempting to cause you to stumble and trying to keep you out of heaven away from your eternal rewards?
Tuesday April 27th
Disciples and the World
Matthew 5: 13-20
13"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
18"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Ponder this for a bit...It's all about the condition of your heart. Fruitiness is a good thing! You can water down the Word of God to fit "your" goodness but that will only cause you to be tossed out with that bath water! Do not attend a church that itches your ears, attend a church that challenges you to grow in the way of God[liness].
Wednesday April 28th 2010
Personal Relationships
Matthew 5: 21- 26
21"You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'
22"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
23"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
25" Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26"Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.
Something to ponder...Owe no one nothing...Owe no one anything...Owe no man...not even an "I am sorry please forgive me". Let not the sun go down with anger in your heart, und unforgiveness sowing seeds of bitterness so you reap only pain.
Thursday April 29th 2010
Adultery/Divorce/Oaths
Matthew 5: 27-37
27"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY';
28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29"If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30"If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.
31"It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE';
32but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33"Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.'
34"But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
35or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.
36"Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
37"But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.
Something to ponder...No one is worth your soul! No 'thing' is worth your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So, think about the cost of your choices... your soul will be paying the price for those choices in one place or the other for all eternity.That my friend is a high cost.
Friday April 30th 2010
How good do you treat you...r Enemy?
Matthew 5: 38-48
38"You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.'
39"But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Pondering on this myself; Jesus said to turn the other to him also but he did not say let him hit you, so could it be we are to walk away? God did say the battle was His. Hmmmm? I am going to study this some more any oppinions to share or support on subject? the comment line is open!
40"If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
41"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
42"Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
43"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'
44"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46"For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47"If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Just something I am wondering about.:I have noticed in travelling between Scotia & North Loup 3out of 4 drivers wave as they pass yet between North Loup & Ord if even2 drivers wave you are blessed? So what is up with that? Is there a no wave sign I missed? I am going to wave to all anyway because It's a smile thing!
48"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
One more 'Ponder this...' Do you hear the flutter of angel wings? Can you almost see the Father standing by the open door? Can you sence the presence of the Lord? What more can you give or can you do before the trumpet calls you home?
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
How will you be remembered? April 17th-23rd
Welcome to a new week and a new topic! May God bless you as you read each day the devotion and may you learn something that will add to your life and to your walk with Jesus! Ms Benita Williams
Saturday April 17th 2010
Where will you stand?
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)
Let's think about the importance of position. Where we stand in our life could determine whether or not we keep the in the faith. Where we stand will determine if we end with a jeweled crown to lay at the feet of Jesus. We may not be able to control what goes on in our world, but we can always control where we stand, what we believe in.
Shall we take a moment and think on that statement. You see, even though we can't control what happens in the world, we can always control where we stand on issues of righteousness and integrity. Where we choose to stand will be evidence of the role that we are allowing God to play in our lives.
For example, we have no power over the sex, drugs, language and violence on TV, but we can choose whether we watch it or not. We have no power over the content of the movies coming out in the theatres, or how lenient the ratings are, but we can choose what we allow ourselves or our children to see. We can stand for purity.
We have no power to control the beliefs and actions of other people. We cannot control the downfall of morals in our society. We cannot control the decisions that Congress makes, which new laws are put into place, escalating gas prices, politics in the workplace, questionable practices in corporations, liberal tolerance, foreign affairs, war, or the state of the economy.
In fact, sometimes it may seem that we have no control over certain situations in our own lives, much less the things happening in the world. But there is good news - we always have the choice to choose where we will stand in the game of life.
Proverbs 20:5 says, "Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within" [The Message]That is really where court position begins - in the heart. If our faith is strong and grounded, then we will be able to pull from that wisdom when faced with opportunities to choose where to stand, knowing that the power of God within us will empower us to stand.
Our only hope in fighting this battle of good versus evil, in our hearts and in this broken world, is to be prepared to stand tall and firm for Christ, despite what the opposition may bring.
You know, life is a lot like a tennis court. We each have our side. We try to stay on the right side, but sometimes the balls that get thrown at us pull us in the wrong direction. Other times they are difficult to defend, cause us to stumble, or throw us off track. But if we choose the right court position to begin with, that is, to stay on God's side and choose Him as our partner, we are much more likely to exercise the power we have within us. Drawing deep from the well of God's wisdom in our hearts, we can do the right thing.
There are times when standing up for our faith may cause us to lose the popularity contest, but it will allow others to see God in us. And, there may even be times when our court position speaks louder than words ever could.
Where will you stand today?
Dear Lord, help me have the strength and faith to stand up for what is right when I am faced with opposition, and not be swayed by the pressures in a fallen world. Help me live a life that glorifies You, instead of just taking the easy road and going along with the crowd. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
[exert from Proverbs 31 Ministry's devotion]
Sunday April 18Th 2010
Prosperity of the One Who Fears the LORD.
Psalms 112: 1-10 [The Message]
1-10 Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God,
Who cherish and relish his commandments,
Their children robust on the earth,
And the homes of the upright—how blessed!
Their houses brim with wealth
And a generosity that never runs dry.
Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people—
God's grace and mercy and justice!
The good person is generous and lends lavishly;
No shuffling or stumbling around for this one,
But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation.
Unfazed by rumor and gossip,
Heart ready, trusting in God,
Spirit firm, unperturbed,
Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies,
They lavish gifts on the poor—
A generosity that goes on, and on, and on.
An honored life! A beautiful life!
Someone wicked takes one look and rages,
Blusters away but ends up speechless.
There's nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing.
Psalm 112: 1-3 [New King James Version (NKJV)
The Blessed State of the Righteous
1 Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
2 His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
Psalm 112: 1-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
1Praise the LORD!
How blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.
2His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4Light arises in the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate,
and just [who are in right standing with God].
5It is well with the man who deals generously
and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.
6He will not be moved forever; the [uncompromisingly]
righteous (the upright, in right standing with God)
shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart
is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and
being confident) in the Lord.
8His heart is established and steady, he will not be
afraid while he waits to see his desire
established upon his adversaries.
9He has distributed freely [he has given to the poor
and needy]; his righteousness (uprightness and right
standing with God) endures forever;
his horn shall be exalted in honor.
10The wicked man will see it and be grieved and
angered, he will gnash his teeth and disappear
[in despair]; the desire of the wicked shall
perish and come to nothing.
Psalms 112:1-10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
1PRAISE THE Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed (happy, fortunate,
to be envied) is the man who fears
(reveres and worships) the Lord, who delights greatly
in His commandments.
2His [spiritual] offspring shall be mighty upon earth;
the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3Prosperity and welfare are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4Light arises in the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate,
and just [who are in right standing with God].
5It is well with the man who deals generously and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6He will not be moved forever; the [uncompromisingly]
righteous (the upright, in right standing with God)
shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings;
his heart is firmly fixed, trusting
(leaning on and being confident) in the Lord.
8His heart is established and steady,
he will not be afraid while he waits to see
his desire established upon his adversaries.
9He has distributed freely [he has given to the poor and needy];
his righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God)
endures forever; his horn shall be exalted in honor.
10The wicked man will see it and be grieved and angered,
he will gnash his teeth and disappear [in despair];
the desire of the wicked shall perish and come to nothing.
Psalm 112:1-10 Today's New International Version (TNIV)
1 Praise the LORD.
Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
who find great delight in his commands.
2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have scattered abroad their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Psalm 112:1-10 New International Version (NIV)
1. Praise the LORD.
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who finds great delight in his commands.
2 His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever!
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Something to Ponder
I know we have several different choices of Bible versions to read from so today I decided to list several here so each of you reading could see and ponder how different but the same each verse can be.
Monday April 19Th 2010
To be or not to be what to choose?
Romans 7:4-23 (New International Version)
4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Tuesday April 20Th 2010
Submit Yourselves to God
Hebrews 11:1-12
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
Wednesday April 21st 2010
Boasting About Tomorrow
Hebrew 11:13-17
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Thursday April 22nd 2010
By Faith
Hebrews 11:11
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
Friday April 23rd 2010
Warning to Pay Attention
Hebrews 2: 1-4
1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Prepare for the Sabbath now tomorrow will be to late!!!
Saturday April 17th 2010
Where will you stand?
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)
Let's think about the importance of position. Where we stand in our life could determine whether or not we keep the in the faith. Where we stand will determine if we end with a jeweled crown to lay at the feet of Jesus. We may not be able to control what goes on in our world, but we can always control where we stand, what we believe in.
Shall we take a moment and think on that statement. You see, even though we can't control what happens in the world, we can always control where we stand on issues of righteousness and integrity. Where we choose to stand will be evidence of the role that we are allowing God to play in our lives.
For example, we have no power over the sex, drugs, language and violence on TV, but we can choose whether we watch it or not. We have no power over the content of the movies coming out in the theatres, or how lenient the ratings are, but we can choose what we allow ourselves or our children to see. We can stand for purity.
We have no power to control the beliefs and actions of other people. We cannot control the downfall of morals in our society. We cannot control the decisions that Congress makes, which new laws are put into place, escalating gas prices, politics in the workplace, questionable practices in corporations, liberal tolerance, foreign affairs, war, or the state of the economy.
In fact, sometimes it may seem that we have no control over certain situations in our own lives, much less the things happening in the world. But there is good news - we always have the choice to choose where we will stand in the game of life.
Proverbs 20:5 says, "Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within" [The Message]That is really where court position begins - in the heart. If our faith is strong and grounded, then we will be able to pull from that wisdom when faced with opportunities to choose where to stand, knowing that the power of God within us will empower us to stand.
Our only hope in fighting this battle of good versus evil, in our hearts and in this broken world, is to be prepared to stand tall and firm for Christ, despite what the opposition may bring.
You know, life is a lot like a tennis court. We each have our side. We try to stay on the right side, but sometimes the balls that get thrown at us pull us in the wrong direction. Other times they are difficult to defend, cause us to stumble, or throw us off track. But if we choose the right court position to begin with, that is, to stay on God's side and choose Him as our partner, we are much more likely to exercise the power we have within us. Drawing deep from the well of God's wisdom in our hearts, we can do the right thing.
There are times when standing up for our faith may cause us to lose the popularity contest, but it will allow others to see God in us. And, there may even be times when our court position speaks louder than words ever could.
Where will you stand today?
Dear Lord, help me have the strength and faith to stand up for what is right when I am faced with opposition, and not be swayed by the pressures in a fallen world. Help me live a life that glorifies You, instead of just taking the easy road and going along with the crowd. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
[exert from Proverbs 31 Ministry's devotion]
Sunday April 18Th 2010
Prosperity of the One Who Fears the LORD.
Psalms 112: 1-10 [The Message]
1-10 Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God,
Who cherish and relish his commandments,
Their children robust on the earth,
And the homes of the upright—how blessed!
Their houses brim with wealth
And a generosity that never runs dry.
Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people—
God's grace and mercy and justice!
The good person is generous and lends lavishly;
No shuffling or stumbling around for this one,
But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation.
Unfazed by rumor and gossip,
Heart ready, trusting in God,
Spirit firm, unperturbed,
Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies,
They lavish gifts on the poor—
A generosity that goes on, and on, and on.
An honored life! A beautiful life!
Someone wicked takes one look and rages,
Blusters away but ends up speechless.
There's nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing.
Psalm 112: 1-3 [New King James Version (NKJV)
The Blessed State of the Righteous
1 Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
2 His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
Psalm 112: 1-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
1Praise the LORD!
How blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.
2His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4Light arises in the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate,
and just [who are in right standing with God].
5It is well with the man who deals generously
and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.
6He will not be moved forever; the [uncompromisingly]
righteous (the upright, in right standing with God)
shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart
is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and
being confident) in the Lord.
8His heart is established and steady, he will not be
afraid while he waits to see his desire
established upon his adversaries.
9He has distributed freely [he has given to the poor
and needy]; his righteousness (uprightness and right
standing with God) endures forever;
his horn shall be exalted in honor.
10The wicked man will see it and be grieved and
angered, he will gnash his teeth and disappear
[in despair]; the desire of the wicked shall
perish and come to nothing.
Psalms 112:1-10 Amplified Bible (AMP)
1PRAISE THE Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed (happy, fortunate,
to be envied) is the man who fears
(reveres and worships) the Lord, who delights greatly
in His commandments.
2His [spiritual] offspring shall be mighty upon earth;
the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3Prosperity and welfare are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4Light arises in the darkness for the upright, gracious, compassionate,
and just [who are in right standing with God].
5It is well with the man who deals generously and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6He will not be moved forever; the [uncompromisingly]
righteous (the upright, in right standing with God)
shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings;
his heart is firmly fixed, trusting
(leaning on and being confident) in the Lord.
8His heart is established and steady,
he will not be afraid while he waits to see
his desire established upon his adversaries.
9He has distributed freely [he has given to the poor and needy];
his righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God)
endures forever; his horn shall be exalted in honor.
10The wicked man will see it and be grieved and angered,
he will gnash his teeth and disappear [in despair];
the desire of the wicked shall perish and come to nothing.
Psalm 112:1-10 Today's New International Version (TNIV)
1 Praise the LORD.
Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
who find great delight in his commands.
2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have scattered abroad their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Psalm 112:1-10 New International Version (NIV)
1. Praise the LORD.
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who finds great delight in his commands.
2 His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever!
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Something to Ponder
I know we have several different choices of Bible versions to read from so today I decided to list several here so each of you reading could see and ponder how different but the same each verse can be.
Monday April 19Th 2010
To be or not to be what to choose?
Romans 7:4-23 (New International Version)
4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. 5For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Tuesday April 20Th 2010
Submit Yourselves to God
Hebrews 11:1-12
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
Wednesday April 21st 2010
Boasting About Tomorrow
Hebrew 11:13-17
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Thursday April 22nd 2010
By Faith
Hebrews 11:11
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
Friday April 23rd 2010
Warning to Pay Attention
Hebrews 2: 1-4
1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Prepare for the Sabbath now tomorrow will be to late!!!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Spiritual Maturity; Growing in Godliness April 10th-16th
Saturday April 10th. 2010
The Cure For Anxiety [No more worry]
Matthew 6:25-34 (New American Standard Bible)
The Cure For Anxiety [No more worry]
Matthew 6:25-34 (New American Standard Bible)
25}For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? {26} Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? {27} "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? {28} "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, {29} yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. {31} Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' {32} "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." {33} "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." {34} So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own."
Sunday April 11th 2010
Just say no to anger! [Never go to bed with anger ruling the day.]
Proverbs 22:24-25 (New American Standard Bible)
24Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, {25}Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.
Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute.
Proverbs 26:21
Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
Monday April 12th 2010
Don't Be Stingy Be Generous!
Proverbs 11:24
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.
Proverbs 11:6
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.
1Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Hebrew 13:5
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
Tuesday April 13th 2010
Stay Buzy Keep building the Kingdom of God!{No slofts allowed}
Proverbs 10:4 ; 13:4 ; 21:5 ; 28:22 ;
{10:4} Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
{13:4}The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
{21:5}The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
{28:22}A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth And does not know that want will come upon him.
Something to Ponder
Laziness will cause you to not accomplish your goals, reach any of your potential in Christ, or reach your purpose in God' calling on your life and maybe laziness could even keep you out of the Kingdom of God. [...So because if you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Rev. 3:16NIV] We are to do what we can to build the Kingdom of God and that includes works! Not saying works = salvation not in anyway, what I am saying is laziness does not bring souls into the Kindom of God. Jesus said to not be lukewarm...
Wednesday April 14th 2010
Listening and doing
James 1:19-25
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. There fore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevailant, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do nor merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyoneto the word, but does not do what it says it like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently in to the perfect law that condinues to do so this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does.
Something to Ponder.
For every action there is a re-action, for every re-action there is a consequence, every consequence has a cost, have you considered the cost of your action? God's Word says 'Consider the cost in all you desire to do'. BEFORE you follow through with whatever you are planning on doing... Pray Listen Obey.
Thursday April 15Th 2010
Receive faith from our God and Savior Jesus Christ
2Peter 1:1-10 NIV
{1}...To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as Precious as ours. {2} Grace an peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
{3} His divine has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. {4} Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Something to ponder
1.] What is the measure of faith one is given.
[Romans3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
(A).You may not be able to explain/describe your faith yet you have faith! Faith is like describing the wind, in the same way you can not see the wind to describe the wind, you can not see faith but you can see and know the results of faith.
(B). Looking at 2Peter1:1 through the Strong's Concordance; the Greek translation of certain words of this scripture.
WORD word /#of translation GREEK translation
1. Righteousness: 1343 innocent, holy; equity, justification
2. Our: [2Ptr1:1a]Apostles of Jesus n/a
3. Received: 2983 to get hold of, to take {aggressive}
4. Faith: 4102 truth or truthfulness of God or a religious teacher reliance upon
Christ for salvation.
5. Precious: 2472 of equal value or honor
2Peter 1:1-10 NIV
{1}...To those who through the righteousness [innocent, holy] of the our [Apostles of Jesus] God and Savior Jesus Christ have received [to get hold of, to take] a faith [truth or truthfulness; Christ is our one way to salvation] as Precious [equal value / honor] as ours [Apostles of Jesus].
We build on that measure of faith, that we are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, to FAITH of moving mountains that are in our path. We build that faith through adding to our faith daily. Faith comes by hearing and that is the hearing God's Word (BIBLE) daily!
Friday April 16th 2010
Building Faith Daily by Applying the Word Daily
2Peter 1:5-10
{5} For this very reason, make effort to add to your faith goodness; And to goodness knowledge; {6} and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; {7} and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. {8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten he has been cleansed from his past sins.
{10} Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Something to Ponder
We are here on this earth to Praise God, to serve Jesus, and to listen to the Holy Spirit in his councel and guidance for us everyday! We are to bring glory to the Holy Trinity by our simple obedience! God's unconditional love is the gift we have so what will you do to praise God, to serve Jesus, and to show respect for the council and guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Saturday April 17th 2010
Living SacrifiesRomans 12:1-2
[1]Therefore, I urge you ,brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. [2] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Something to Ponder
We are to realize and understand that the world system is evil. Along that line, we as Christains [Christ like] are to live in the world but not to be of the world. Christians are to turn away from the "things" of this world. We Christains, are to set our goals on eternal items. Eternal items such as faith, love, joy, peace, and service to our Lord Christ Jesus. Those items that will last when this earth is no more. Items of eternal value 'building up' the Kingdom of God not that which tear's down the Kindom of God.
As the saying goes, "You are the only Bible somepeople will ever read." In these times, that statement is truer now then at any other time in our history. Christains can be witness' simply by living like Christ outloud - each and every day. It is your own responciblity as a Christian to be aware of their everyday actions. One can be more responcible in very simple ways. Simply everyday actions and everyday task. One simply needs to think about what one read, what one watch and yes even what one listen too, simply ask yourself is this everyday action pleasing to God? More importantly is this that I do build up of the kingdom of God? What is it I am allowing those around me to see / to hear? Will it be part of the promise land or is it fueling the lake of fire? God wants us to be workers as the harvest is ripe and in that sence of urgency, we need to be a witness of Christ. A witness of Christ who' life reflects to others the fruit's of the Spirit. For His Word say's "...you will know them by their fruit..."
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