True-ing Gum II: More Truth To Chew On Everyday…
366 Daily Thoughts To Soak In This Year
Compiled October 2nd, 2013—September 2nd, 2014
Dearest Readers~
Some loathe the practice of taking quotes from outside of the Bible and including them in sermons, believing that such a practice mixes the dirty in with the pure and teaches us to value the thoughts of humans over the thoughts of God. There seems to be some cautionary wisdom here on the one hand—there are many sermons that have little or no Scripture references!
On the other hand (you have different fingers! 🙂 ),
an insightful thought can help us to understand a Biblical Truth more completely, just as in a darkened room, sometimes you need to light a match in order to find the lamp switch on the wall…
…this, therefore, is my goal in sharing these thoughts.
My prayer is that soaking in one of these thoughts each day, over one year, will help us grow closer in our friendship with Almighty God by guiding us to His Word, the Bible.
We chew on gum each day to freshen our breath…why not chew on God’s Truth each day to freshen our souls!?
(please click on the Bible books/chapters/verses below to read the actual Scripture text)
(please click HERE for True-ing Gum I)
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Day #1: So Long Self
If the focus/attention of our lives is a race (Hebrews 12:1-2),
God made us to get the bronze medal:
Jesus 1st, all others 2nd, self a very distant 3rd.
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Day #2: Jesus IS The Voice Of Truth
What lies are you believing today about
God,
yourself,
others,
and/or your current situation?
Before outer circumstances get better,
God often straightens out our inner priorities/perspective.
Like a broken bone, today’s painful resetting must precede tomorrow’s delightful healing.
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Day #3: Listen For God
God speaks to us out of the calm (1 Kings 19:11-13);
Sometimes He speaks to us out of the storm (Job 38:1).
The point is, He speaks! Listen for Him today…
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Day #4: Let God Be God
My 2 year old likes to wear my size 12 boots, but she falls in them easily.
Similarly, we hurt ourselves when we wear God’s shoes,
taking roles in life belonging only to Him.
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Day #5: Christian Responsibility
Luke 8:10– “Jesus said, ‘The knowledge
of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you.’”
What are we doing today with this heavenly knowledge?
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Day #6: God Has His People Securely In His Loving Hands
For us who receive Him,
Jesus on the Cross
paid for our past &
guaranteed our future.
Won’t He also take care of our “now”? YES!
He is the ONE True God–not the 2/3 true god.
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Day #7: Trials Often Precede Triumph
Only when wood is sufficiently dried out can it be lit on fire.
Perhaps God is drying us out–leading us through the desert–
to ignite us for Him and His fame.
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Prayer
Day #8: Please help me, Holy Spirit,
to trust that God the Father will reward me in heaven
for the unseen/unnoticed ways that I love Him & others on earth.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #9: Holy Spirit, please use the sharpness of my tongue,
not to maim/abuse others
but to heal them as a scalpel &
to carve delicious slices of Your Word for them to feast on.
In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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Day #10: Holy Spirit, please help us to
quietly listen,
accurately hear,
and sacrificially take action—in gentleness and respect—
as You give us opportunities
to serve the eternal and earthly needs of others in our communities and around the world.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #11: David’s prayer-requests of God in Psalm 143:
Hear me,
relieve me,
answer me,
appear to me,
remind me,
show me,
rescue me,
teach me,
lead me,
preserve me.
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Day #12: Most of us pray & stop when it gets boring/tedious/uncomfortable…
…but that’s like stopping a workout at the first sign of sweat/increased pulse.
To stop prayer when we get restless is to cut its ability to strengthen us;
Doing anything only when easy removes its power to transform us.
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Day #13: Holy Spirit, in our thirst/dehydration for You,
please help us not to reach for this world’s alcohol, saltwater or sugary drinks
but instead for Jesus’ Living Water.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #14: As we daily suffer for You, Jesus, in big & small ways,
help us reach not for sin or mindless activities
but for Your presence & promises.
In Your name I pray, Lord Jesus, amen.
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Salvation
Day #15: The Personal Jesus offers Himself to you personally…
…have you received Him personally yet?
Or have you merely been hanging around Christ?
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Day #16: If you haven’t received Jesus (or if you aren’t sure if you have received Him),
make it official—sign your name to His eternal lease
even though you may have been living in the apartment for years.
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Day #17: If we’re honest regarding God,
we hear the “knock at the door,”
we know Someone is out there.
The question remains: will we open it & meet Him?
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Experiencing God
Day #18: Fast from food for two days & you’ll discover the rich flavor of a simple cracker.
God sometimes takes away all we gorge on so we can truly taste Him.
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Day #19: Dipping in a whirlpool for a minute offers no benefit to sore muscles;
Thinking about Jesus’ love merely for moments each week provides no rest for weary souls.
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Day #20: Pursuing God’s Dreams Instead Of Our Own
What daily help we need from the Holy Spirit
to voluntarily empty our arms of our dreams/goals/desires
in order to embrace God’s dreams/goals/desires.
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Living Daily For The Spread Of Jesus: His Fame, Love, Grace, and Character
Day #21: Regardless of my individual bulb’s wattage,
with the Holy Spirit’s help
I WILL SHINE IT FOR JESUS 24/7!
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Day #22: Jesus alone will judge not my brightness but whether I
Remained screwed in to the Lamp,
Remained plugged into the Outlet, and
Ferociously avoided all bushel baskets.
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Joy
Day #23: Jesus prayed that those who believe in Him as Savior would have in us
THE SAME AMOUNT OF JOY that Jesus has in Himself (John 17:13). Wow.
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Day #24: Let not our desire for what we dont have (what God hasn’t given us)
rob us of the joy of what we do have (what God has given us).
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Day #25: Seeing Isn’t Always Believing
When Jesus returns,
many will see Him with their physical eyes & will pray that mountains fall on them!
Seeing isn’t always believing.
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Doubt
Day #26: A hammer may knock down a house, but the hammer can’t be lived in itself.
Don’t let yourself live in doubt;
Don’t place your trust in doubt or walk/stay away from Jesus because of it.
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Day #27: Doubt seeks to uproot the past &
prevent the seeding of the future
while offering a tangled, quicksand present in which to live.
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Day #28: Earthly Obscurity
Great works for God often involve
joyfully/excellently/sacrificially serving Him & others in obscurity—
e.g. Jesus’ first 30 years on earth or
Moses’ 40 years as a shepherd in the desert.
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Day #29: True Success
May people say this at my funeral:
“M.J.’s beliefs and actions showed that he loves Jesus.
M.J.’s beliefs and actions showed that Jesus loves us.”
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Rest
Day #30: No more striving, oh my soul, to earn Jesus’ love.
Only striving to thank Him…and share Him with others.
“It is finished” (John 19:30).
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Day #31: I’m a sailboat (not a rowboat):
I need to STOP rowing on the oars
& START learning from God to open up my sails
to catch HIS wind so HE can power me thru life.
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God’s Love
Day #32: My God has tattoos…He has engraved my name on His palms…
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Day #33: My God has body piercings…
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Day #34: God hasn’t flooded the earth since Noah,
but not because we don’t deserve it.
We do.
It’s because He promised not to (Genesis 9:11).
Love is a choice, not a feeling.
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Suffering
Day #35: To feed the physically hungry, Jesus BROKE what was given to Him.
He will BREAK us as well to feed the spiritually hungry.
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Day #36: The sweat of suffering produces the conditioning of Christ-likeness.
Christians were made to suffer on earth…but for a purpose: to spread Jesus’ fame.
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Day #37: Suffering is the advertising agency of heaven—& we are the commercials—
by which Jesus’ Truth, Fame & Grace are broadcast to the world.
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Day #38: Suffering is the yeast in the dough of a life that follows Jesus—
it causes us to rise to be more like Him.
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Day #39: To yearn for heaven tomorrow is great.
To want heaven now is unrealistic.
To choose to bring hell into today for temporary relief is sin.
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Day #40: Afraid to suffer for Jesus?
I am.
Suffering for Christ isn’t easy.
But if we never leave Egypt
we will never see the LORD part the Red Sea.
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Day #41: If David didnt face Goliath,
the incapacitated Israelites & pagan Philistines
wouldnt have seen what God can do
through a person who steps into “hopelessness” with the God of Hope.
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Day #42: What are the deeper—and dangerous—waters
that Jesus is inviting you into today with Him?
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Day #43: Maybe you arent growing closer to Christ
because you’re sitting alone in the parking lot eating cotton candy
when He’s inviting you on the rollercoaster with Him.
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Day #44: Sinful humans (like me!) “naturally” drift toward safety/self-preservation.
To stay on Jesus’ path
we often must overcompensate by turning the wheel toward suffering.
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Day #45: Suffering for Jesus? Want to throw in the towel?
PICK UP a towel:
“Those who suffer
should commit themselves to God
& continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:19).
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Day #46: Teammates With God
Jesus is the Lightning, I am the bug.
But what a beautiful combination to light up the early Autumn harvest sky!
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Day #47: Fear…and Faith
For those spiritually reborn thru faith in Jesus Christ,
we sometimes want to crawl back in the womb—
away from the worlds glare & cold & danger.
As our new eyes develop we see more clearly
the surrounding danger & our own weakness/inadequacy.
And this can paralyze us!
Yet we also become more aware of Jesus with us.
We notice more frequently the Jesus
Who leads us through the battlefield
where He has ALREADY WON the great victory over sin and death.
Though we tremble at the bullets & bombs whizzing by & exploding around us,
though we wince at the fear in us which screams, “FLEE!”,
though we shake,
we follow Him
in Whose presence death & evil itself tremble—
we obey Him
Who is feared by fear itself—
we trust in Him
Who is The Unshakable.
Day #48: Yahweh Roi—The God Who Sees
God ALWAYS SEES the specific details of your suffering.
He never forgets you!
(Isaiah 49:16 NLT—“Jerusalem’s ruins are always on My mind”)
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Fame
Day #49: A decline in or absence of fame/attention/popularity
doesn’t mean God is using you less or not at all.
(John 3:26,30: “[Jesus] must become greater; I must become less.”)
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Day #50: Lack of fame/attention/popularity
doesn’t mean that God isn’t using you:
Moses spent 40 “anonymous” years in the desert as a lowly shepherd;
Eunice & Lois had a powerful behind-the-scenes influence on Timothy—2 Timothy 1:5)
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Day #51: Weaknesses
What if—by leaning into our strengths & only doing what we’re good at/comfortable with—
we stunt our growth and prevent God from working powerfully through us?
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Comparing Yourself To Others
Day #52: Dont look at the ways the Holy Spirit uses others—
focus instead on fully living out the ways He uses you.
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Day #53: Jesus gave Peter a specific plan/command (feed My sheep & follow Me!)
& told Peter to stop worrying about Jesus’ specific plans/commands for John.
Day #54: Providing For Our Families
What if we realized that 1 Timothy 5:8 is not only referring to FINANCES?
There are many other important and Biblical ways to provide for our families,
Just as God provides for His family in many different ways.
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Pastors
Day #55: What if the spouse’s opinion of the pastor’s ministry at home
carried as much weight as the elders review of the pastor’s ministry at church?
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Day #56: What if elder boards gave pastors
a MAXIMUM limit on the number of work hours in a week/month/year
to stop them from neglecting their families?
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Day #57: If Jesus were the pastor today of a U.S. church, He’d probably get fired
(John 6:66—”From that time on many no longer followed Him”).
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Day #58: God is concerned with the character of the hearts in the pews;
I’m not sure He’s as focused on counting the number of butts in the pews.
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Grace
Day #59: Jesus loves you, but you cannot earn Him;
receive Him so you cannot lose Him.
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Day #60: My 6 year old thanked me for a delicious dinner.
I said that her Mom made it—
she did all the work; I just served it.
Kind of like with God:
He does all the work
creating us,
sustaining us,
pursuing us,
dying for us,
rising again,
and giving the Holy Spirit to live/work in us who receive Jesus by faith…
…All we have to do now is serve Him up
to those hungry for His love & forgiveness. Bon appetit!
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Faith
Day #61: Sometimes Jesus lets you see so you can believe (John 20:29)…
sometimes He asks you to believe so you can see (John 11:40).
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Day #62: Trusting Jesus doesnt take your problems away (in the short run),
just as wearing a down coat doesnt change the temperature outside—
but the coat does help you endure the cold outside.
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Day #63: “Pay for my ticket
but dont sit by me or talk to me on the way or once we get there”
(said to Jesus by those who want heaven without receiving Christ as Savior).
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Day #64: When it comes to faith,
Jesus wants us to act our shoe-size, not our age.
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Day #65: Oh to be so full of the Holy Spirit,
to have such faith,
to see with such eyes,
to shine so purely in the face of hatred
as our spiritual ancestors did nearly 2,000 years ago.
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Day #66: Tragedy
Oh to serve those in deep suffering
& be viewed like the Red Cross:
when others see you they know a tragedy has occurred
but they’re glad/relieved you are there.
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Exhaustion
Day #67: Ever feel, at the beginning of a marathon, like you just finished one?
Ever feel, upon waking up in the morning,
more exhausted than you did before you went to sleep?
You are not alone…
“Worn” by Tenth Avenue North (please click HERE)
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Day #68: Drown me in Your Living Water, Lord Jesus (John 4:10, Psalm 42:1).
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Fear of God (God’s Holiness)
Day #69: Many have lost the sense of God’s holiness/fearsome power.
Like an empty juicebox we toss Him aside when our salvation-thirst is quenched.
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Day #70: Thru faith in Jesus we ARE blessed
to approach God’s Throne with confidence…
let’s still remember to remove our sandals for it is HOLY ground.
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Day #71: Abraham—when asked to do that which would’ve caused himself great pain (sacrifice his only son Isaac)—
chose to obey God because he had a healthy fear of the LORD.
For Abraham, the pain from disobedience
would have been worse
than the pain from obedience.
What an example for us today. Genesis 22:12
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Day #72: The Gospel (Good News)
Out with my three year old daughter.
Got home, door was locked, only I had the key.
Once unlocked, she still wasnt strong enough to open the door.
I opened—she chose to enter…
…Like with Jesus—only He could unlock heaven with His death and return to life.
Only the Holy Spirit can then open the door of faith—
He helps us see the real Jesus…
…Our role is then to choose to receive Jesus as Savior by faith:
to walk into the warmth of the Father’s Home & family forever…or not.
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Suffering Can Fuel Evangelism
Day #73: We taste and see that the LORD is good
through ALL items on His menu:
blessing/suffering,
joy/pain,
encouragement/discipline,
victory/trial.
As we taste all of God’s heavenly menu
(the easy and the difficult, the mild and the spicy),
we are able to more effectively invite others to His heavenly Banquet:
It’s hard to tell others about a restaurant if we only hang out in the lobby;
it’s hard to suggest food to others if we only smell/nibble at the crumbs.
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Day #74: Sometimes God allows us to get wounds on earth
so we can receive His comfort
& share that comfort with others who suffer.
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Day #75: My Dreams and God’s Dreams
Please forgive me, Savior—my food seems to be doing MY will/what I want:
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him Who sent Me
and to finish His work” (John 4:34).
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Day #76: The Bible
Many Christians are taking a “Thomas Jefferson” approach to the Bible—
we are (implicitly or explicitly) cutting out the parts that we don’t like
and/or that others don’t agree with
for the sake of “unity” & “inclusiveness.”
Let’s remember Jesus’ words in Revelation 22:18-19
(dont add to or remove from the words of this scroll).
If we had removed the slivers in the Cross that gave us splinters/rubbed us raw,
could it still have held up the Savior so He can offer us forgiveness for our sins?
If we were to start removing certain ingredients from medicine,
could it still effectively cure us?
Let’s trust the ENTIRE Bible.
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Evangelism
Day #77: Does anyone know what God has done for you?
Have you told others how He brought you “out of Egypt”?
Moses’ father-in-law Jethro heard…because Moses told him. Exodus 18:1
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Day #78: The harvest is plenty but the workers are few.
The harvest is ready but the workers are not.
The wheat is waiting but the combines are idle.
Revival starts with the Church.
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Obedience
Day #79: Holy Spirit, please give us the strength today
to strive to do what You ask us to do
while resting securely in what Jesus has already done for us.
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Day #80: Shiny/unused medical equipment is criminal in a crowded ER
(it means no one is getting treated/healed/cured!)—
it’s also criminal for Holy Spirit-equipped Christians to remain on our couches.
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Temptation
Day #81: Satan tempted Jesus to sin by offering Him all the world’s kingdoms (Luke 4:5-7).
Jesus resisted—He knew they were already His (Hebrews 1:2a).
We too can resist what sin offers us
when we remember what God has given us
thru faith in Jesus.
The Bell (please click HERE)
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Day #82: Teach us, Holy One, to receive Your eternal joy in our soul
rather than chase temporary happiness on a shelf.
In Jesus’ name i pray–amen.
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Day #83: God’s Blessings
Heavenly Father, please help me to receive blessings from Your hand gratefully
& then pass them to others quickly
so my hands are free to embrace Yours completely.
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Perseverance
Day #84: What must have gone thru Eve’s mind when pregnant—
she was the 1st human to be so and thus everything was new and unexpected!
Yet she waited—thru the unprecedented pain and unfamiliarmystery—
for the completion of God’s plan: birth.
He calls us similarly to wait—thru the pain and mystery of our circumstances—
for His plan to be birthed & matured in our lives.
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Day #85: In heaven, Jesus will turn off our temporary inner faucet of mourning
& guide us to His outer faucet of eternal joy, peace, rest & satisfaction.
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Day #86: Overwhelmed by life?
Look at the Scoreboard!
Please click HERE
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Day #87: Whats more amazing: that people stick with Jesus after years of torture
or that God allows them to suffer so long?
Suffering is part of His plan
Because it shows His power
To enable us to endure.
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Day #88: What if every time people threw coal at you they became diamonds?
God promises to do that—over time—for those who trust Jesus.
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Day #89: Please help me have this kind of faith in You, Lord;
I am not yet there & it seems impossible to reach.
WEAN ME from my fear, worry, anxiety and doubt!
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Day #90: In a slum (micro-view), we can doubt the beauty of the world God has created,
a beauty that can be refreshed
by looking at a picture of the earth taken from space (macro-view)…
…Sometimes we must do the same with the LORD
when our circumstances in the trenches
cause us to doubt/forget His Big-Picture beauty/goodness/love in the troposphere.
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Day #91: Give Glory (Credit) To God
Upon the birth of the 1st human child,
even in her amazement,
even when it would have been easy to take the credit,
Eve gave credit to God:
“With the LORD’s help I have produced a man!” (Genesis 4:1)
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God And Humans
Day #92: Though similar as heat & light,
the sun is much different from a spark.
So is God different from us.
He’s more real & ALIVE than anything we will ever know.
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Day #93: Humanity without God
is an intricate scaffolding without a building within:
Impressive from afar but a close look shows nothing inside.
So what are the people working on so furiously?
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Day #94: God’s mercy/patience seemed irresponsible to Jonah (Jonah 4:1-4);
dont be surprised if God’s judgment/punishment sometimes seems unfair to us.
The real question is,
will we continue to worship and obey the LORD
in spite of not understanding/agreeing with His ways?
He answers to NONE.
God’s ways are not our ways—
we didnt ELECT Him,
we cant impeach Him
& He will never be controlled by the wishes of His spiritual “shareholders.”
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Day #95: The Tower of Babel was the ancient worlds YouTube—
their way of “broadcasting themselves.”
God still doesnt play that way.
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Day #96: Questions
God wont answer ALL our questions (Deuteronomy 29:29).
We shouldnt stop asking/seeking answers—
just realize that knowledge is a GIFT from Him (not a right).
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Day #97: Glorifying God
King Solomon’s greatness was shown by the lavish gifts given to him (1 Kings 10:10);
Similarly, we show God’s greatness
by learning from Him
how to lavishly give Him ourselves daily.
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Day #98: Pastors
What a humbling thrill,
eternal responsibility,
honorable privilege,
exhausting duty &
beautiful burden
to prepare sermons each week from the Bible under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
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Trials/Suffering
Day #99: A flower growing through a crack in an asphalt parking lot
reminds me of the pressure facing Jesus-people on earth
& His power to carry us through
and grow us
no matter WHAT
is piled on top of us.
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Day #100: We give special awe to athletes who finish games
with uniforms that are
dirty with sweat, blood, rips & stains.
God does the same for His suffering servants (Revelation 2:10).
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Day #101: What will it take for us
to have great endurance & patience
through all of life’s trials?
ALL the power of GOD’s glorious might (Colossians 1:11).
Thats how hard life will be—
we’ll need ALL of God’s power & might in/thru/with/around us.
Jesus was serious—”Apart from Me you can do NOTHING” (John 15:5).
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Day #102: God doesnt use
make-up,
air brushing,
clothing,
or cosmetic surgery
to make HIS models…
…He uses joyful suffering (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7).
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Day #103: God’s models don’t walk a runway, we walk a plank (1 Thessalonians 1:6).
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Day #104: Yesterday, God calmed my inner storm
(emotionally/spiritually I felt like Florida in hurricane season!):
His angels are soothing me with Numbers 18:20.
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Day #105: Are your faith, strength, will, joy & peace bankrupt?
Don’t FILE chapter 11,
READ Hebrews chapter 11: it’s how God gets us back on our feet.
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Day #106: God found Hagar ready to give up
& asked her two questions:
“Where have you been & where are you going?” (Genesis 16:7-8)
He asks us as well; HE has the answers!
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Day #107: Judging Others
Jesus-followers are often quick to see the sinful sawdust of non-Christians.
First we should see the optometrist for our own plank-amputation (Matthew 7:3-5).
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Jesus’ Grace
Day #108: Would you give others the shirt off your back?
Jesus gave you the back off His shirt:
by His wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53).
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Day #109: When you realize you are spiritually homeless/unemployed…
read “God’s Resume” and hire Jesus to be your Savior (please click HERE).
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Day #110: Though Jesus owned everything (Hebrews 1:2),
He owned nothing (Philippians 2:6-8);
though He had nothing (Matthew 8:20),
He had everything (John 17:10).
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Day #111: Jesus is the WAY (how to live/Who to follow),
the TRUTH (what to believe/Who to believe in), &
the LIFE (real existence/Source of it)(John 14:6).
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Maturing
Day #112: “God wants us to be GOOD, not goody-goody!” (Peter Marshall);
God doesnt want us to have a thin/plastic veneer of goodness
but rather to have real solid wood—solid GOOD! (Galatians 5:22-23)
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Day #113: Some of the fruits (proofs) of our faith in Jesus from 1 Thessalonians 1:
imitating mature Christians (v.6);
joy in suffering (v.6);
turning from idols (v.9);
expecting Jesus’ return (v.10).
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Day #114: David faced a more difficult giant after killing Goliath:
remembering that GOD won the victory, not David.
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Day #115: I’m learning how to give 100% at work
without fully emptying myself
so I still have mental/emotional/physical energy for my 2nd shift—
sacrificially serving & loving my wife & kids.
Teach me, Lord JESUS!
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Day #116: Like a child wanting candy but needing veggies,
may we ask God to resurrect our spiritual tastebuds
so we can taste & see that He is good (Psalm 34:8).
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Partnering With God
Day #117: God wants us to participate WITH Him in EVERY GOOD WORK—
both public & private,
both miraculous & mundane,
both spontaneous & strategized.
As He reveals Himself to the world,
as He invites sinful humans into a forever & forgiven friendship with Him,
God has a part for each of us!!!
How amazing to be chosen personally by the Creator of the universe!
He prepared these roles—these good works—in advance for each of us
…just like a coach draws up specific plays for specific players,
like a composer writes music for certain singers. WOW!
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Day #118: Old Testament priests served God AT His Temple;
New Testament Christians—the royal priesthood of believers—
serve God AS His Temple. Wow.
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Knowing God Personally
Day #119: God isnt a cold cadaver to be clinically contemplated
but a living LORD to be lavishly loved!
He isnt just a philosophy to be pondered
but a faithful Father to be followed!
God invites us into Himself experientially (lived-out knowledge)
AND intellectually (propositional knowledge/Truth). WOW!
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Day #120: I cannot recommend this book enough;
it’s soothing aloe to my sunburned soul:
“Lord I Want To Know You” by Kay Arthur (please click HERE).
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Day #121: Merely knowing facts about God
is different from
personally knowing the Names of God that reveal those facts…
…just as knowing that a tow truck exists when you’re stranded
is much different from
knowing the tow trucks phone number,
actually calling it,
and watching it pull your car out of the ditch!
Let’s KNOW God, not just know OF God.
Please click HERE to know the names of God and what they mean.
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Heaven
Day #122: Words that aren’t in heaven’s dictionary:
goodbye,
coincidence,
chance,
luck,
gimme.
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Day #123: The retirement benefits that Jesus offers are to die for…
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Day #124: Jesus offers His eternal 401k benefits 4 any 1, k? 🙂
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Day #125: Marriage
My wife needs me to support her call from God to be a homeschooling Mom
just as much as I need her to support my call from God to be a pastor.
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Real Love
Day #126: Words are the checks of love;
actions are the cash in the bank account of love
that make sure the checks don’t bounce (1 Thessalonians 1:5b).
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Day #127: “You know of our concern for you
FROM THE WAY WE LIVED
when we were with you” (1 Thessalonians 1:5b NLT, my emphasis).
Let’s SHOW our love for God and others with words AND actions!
.
Day #128: How are you SHOWING your love for God & others today?
“Faith produces WORK
Love prompts LABOR
Hope in Jesus inspires ENDURANCE” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
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Day #129: Christian Identity
In 1 Peter 2:9,
God uses four adjectives to describe those who have received Jesus as their Savior:
“chosen,”
“royal,”
“holy,” &
“special.”
Are you living like the words above are true about YOU?
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Day #130: Worship
Jacob leaned on his staff & worshiped God (Hebrews 11:21).
When we worship the LORD we too can rest on HIS staff
(His constant guiding presence & unconditional love).
Remember, David teaches in Psalm 23:4
that he is comforted by God’s
Rod (discipline) and
Staff (direction).
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Faith & Doubt
Day #131: To God, a weak faith is more desirable
than a well-developed and muscular doubt (Luke 17:5, Matthew 17:20, Psalm 51:17).
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Day #132: Cant hear God today?
Remember what He’s already told you…
what you previously learned of His great love,
like withdrawing today from yesterday’s bank deposits.
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Prayer
Day #133: Holy Spirit, please turn the persecutors in North Korea
from Sauls to Pauls,
from those who kill Christians
to those willing to die for Christ.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #134: Heavenly Father, please help us not to long for
the past we once had
or the future we dream of having
but help us to be content now
with the future You promise that You are preparing for us.
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Day #135: Father, Son & Holy Spirit,
we thank You for today & invite You to be
the Leader of our laughter,
the Focus of our fun.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #136: Friendship
Sometimes face-to-face visits are best:
“I hope to visit you & talk with you face to face,
so that our joy may be complete” (2 John 1:12).
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Words
Day #137: Words can be
the needle/syringe
delivering the medicine of wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-2a).
Words can also be
the fangs
injecting the poison of lies.
Which will you choose to be today?
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Day #138: In 1980 Mt. St.Helen’s caused much destruction
because it blew OUT horizontally,
not UP vertically.
We similarly cause much damage to others when we blow out words of lava.
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Tithing
Day #139: Give God the “firstchips” of our income:
when we open up the bag every two weeks,
let Him get the big round ones at the top
instead of the smashed crumbs at the bottom.
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Day #140: The amount
(love, money, friendship, encouragement, forgiveness, etc.)
that we give
to God &others
is directly tied
to our understanding
of how much
HE has given us (Luke 7:42-47).
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Christmas
Day #141: As warm/fuzzy as Christmas and the Nativity account are,
they are inseparably connected to Good Friday—
Jesus was born to DIE.
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Day #142: Because of the powerful decision made by God to be born as a human,
Christmas also demands a powerful decision from us:
saying yes or no to Jesus,
yes so that we can be
re-born
as a son or daughter of God through faith in Jesus,
or no so that we stay exactly as we currently are.
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Day #143: I go somewhere so i can GET something:
school to learn,
restaurant for food,
mall for stuff.
But Jesus went to earth not to get but to GIVE (John 10:10). Wow.
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Real Love
Day #144: God demonstrates His love (Romans 5:8).
He shows/puts-flesh-on His love—
He doesnt just FEEL it,
He reveals it.
He calls us to do the same.
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Day #145: The way—
sacrifice and consistency—
that we love God and others
is directly tied
to our understanding
of how much HE loves us (Luke 7:47).
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Day #146: When our kids go out there is a HIGH chance they’ll be safe;
when God the Father sent Jesus to earth it was GUARANTEED He’d suffer/die.
Wow. Amazing love, amazing grace indeed…
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Day #147: It is amazing that God decided to make humans,
KNOWING the terrible things we would do,
knowing the pain we would cause Him & His Son Jesus;
Imagine a smithe making a knife
knowing that it would someday kill him or one of his children—
thats God’s situation when He created humans.
His love is truly amazing.
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Real Life
Day #148: The full life that Jesus offers us & wants us to have (John 10:10)
involves us becoming who He made us to be
& doing what He made us to do.
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Day #149: The full life that Jesus offers us & wants us to have (John 10:10)
involves us changing our perspective from
“I HAVE to obey” to
“I GET to obey!”
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Day #150: Activities in life are more fun the better you are at them;
the same is true with life itself:
we have more joy the more we become like Jesus.
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Day #151: Life is more amazing (for us and for others!)
as we display the fruit (characteristics) of God the Holy Spirit:
peace,
patience,
love,
joy,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
self-control,
and gentleness.
But are we willing to allow God to do the painful work IN US
that is necessary for Him to shine THRU US?
You cant enjoy steak without the fire.
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Day #152: Faith
We begin to see Jesus more clearly AFTER we are born-again (place our faith in Him)
just as an infant’s vision clears up AFTER he/she is born.
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Healing
Day #153: I have to duck my head going downstairs where I live;
I still duck at another’s house even though I don’t need to,
just as past mistreatment causes us to flinch with/withdraw from safe people.
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Day #154: Immersing ourselves in Jesus’ suffering (Hebrews 12:3)
softens the caked-on portions of our heart,
just as a pan left in soapy water is easier to clean later.
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Obedience To God
Day #155: Obedience to God does NOT earn us heaven…
but it IS the way that we show Jesus that we love Him (John 14:23-24).
Obedience matters.
.
Day #156: Obedience to God does NOT get us into heaven…
but it IS the way that we help others praise God & see how great He is
Obedience matters.
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Day #157: Need motivation to do what God asks you to do?
Soak in the Bible verses that talk about Jesus’ suffering (Isaiah 53, Luke 22:47—23:49).
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Day #158: The most dangerous thing a child can do in a moving car
is put his/her hands on the steering wheel.
Same is true for adults in life;
let Jesus drive!
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Day #159: Jesus often went to lonely places & prayed (Luke 5:16);
He also went to crowds to teach, heal, comfort & feed them (Luke 9:11).
He calls and equips us to do the same.
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Trials/Suffering
Day #160: I would much rather be led by God
into the painful trials He has prepared for me
than to wander into unnecessary suffering
because of my sinful/unwise choices.
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Day #161: Make the choice TODAY
that you wont give up TOMORROW,
no matter what!
As Dr. Tony Evans has said,
“Trust in the darkness what you learned in the light.”
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Day #162: Jesus warns us of future trials so we can prepare;
some of the most devastating injuries in football happen
when a player is blindsided,
when the player can’t brace (prepare!) for the impact.
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Sin
Day #163: God is gracious to teach us lessons after we sin,
but we DO NOT have to sin in order to learn those lessons!
Choices matter.
.
Day #164: Your sins & mistakes did not make you who you are today;
GOD made you who you are today!
You dont have to sin to learn important life lessons.
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Day #165: To those desiring joy,
sin is like saltwater
to a dehydrated person lost at sea—
LOOKS good, LOTS around, REFRESHES momentarily but KILLS in the end.
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Day #166: Saying you’ve “earned a little sin”
after much faithfulness to God
is like saying you’ve earned a little fun—
jumping off a skyscraper without a parachute—
because you climbed the stairs to the top…
You still have to deal with the rapidly approaching ground.
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Temptation
Day #167: God ALWAYS provides an escape
when we are surrounded by temptation/sin—
look for it! Dont quit! (1 Corinthians 10:13)
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Day #168: Those who resist temptation
aren’t “less experienced” in life
than those who’ve given in to it.
Otherwise, Satan would be wiser than Jesus.
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Day #169: What’s YOUR best defense against temptation?
The same as Jesus’:
an accurate understanding of the Bible (Luke 4:1-13).
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Prayer
Day #170: Holy Spirit, thank You SO MUCH for blessing me
to teach Your Truth
in the church building AND outside of it via social media.
Help us make the most of every opportunity to share You with others
(Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31).
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Day #171: Please help me, Lord,
with my lack of faith
that no one is listening/paying attention to me,
that the cups of refreshing water
that I offer to others each day in Jesus’ name
are being passed by or intentionally dumped onto the sidewalk.
Help me not to grow weary in doing good.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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Day #172: Lord Jesus, please help me to keep
planting,
fertilizing,
nurturing &
watering
Your Truth in the world
even though I cant see whats happening beneath the soil.
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Day #173: Forgiving Others
When hurt by others,
lets not stew in the wrong done to us
but rather soak in The Wrong done to Jesus—
this loosens the grime of bitterness.
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Day #174: God’s Law
You dont wear a thermometer to get warm;
it simply points you to a winter coat that can fend off the cold.
Same with God’s rules—they can’t save you
but they point us to Jesus Who can.
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Humility
Day #175: Be VERY careful
if you won’t listen to someone’s wise instruction
because of their past, relatives, age, or socio-economic position (John 9:34).
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Day #176: Jesus relied on the support/generosity of others (Luke 8:1-3)…
…do you?
Or are you still trying to be “self-sufficient”?
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Day #177: Responsibility
When God graciously promotes us
we are still accountable to Him:
great responsibility FROM God = great responsibility TO God
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Day #178: God’s Promises
82x in the Bible,
God talks about His guarantee
to fulfill all His promises (yes, I counted!).
WOW. God ain’t playin’…what He says He will do, HE WILL DO!
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Day #179: God Knows Best
I’m realizing why I get frustrated when I don’t get what I want:
I’m believing the lie
that I know what’s best for myself.
I dont.
Only God does.
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Day #180: Grace
With Jesus, your history is HISTORY!
“I will forgive their sins and remember them no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
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Day #181: Children
Children arent collectibles to accessorize your lifestyle;
they’re made in God’s image
& entrusted to your care
to dedicate your lifestyle to
in order to help them grow closer to God.
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Day #182: Heaven
In movies, stars’ names are listed at the beginning
& everyone else’s during the end credits.
God’s the Star of life—the First and the Last—
but in heaven—in the End—
He will reveal our good deeds (Luke 8:17).
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Day #183: The Bible
We need to soak in Scripture, not just scan it.
The Bible isnt a microwave…
it’s a Crock-Pot
& we need to marinade in it slowly over time.
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Knowing God
Day #184: Care more about
what God wants
and Who God is
than what God gives (Matthew 6:33).
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Day #185: Take the weight out of waiting…fix your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
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Jesus
Day #186: Jesus isnt chasing you
to throw you in jail;
He is pursuing you
to set you free
from the prison you are already in.
(Please click HERE for more on this)
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Day #187: Jesus is ALWAYS the “Yes!” of heaven
(not in terms of us always getting what we want
but in terms of Jesus always giving us what we need—HIMSELF!).
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Day #188: Jesus brings
refreshing water out of your sweat/tears;
rainbows out of your thunderclouds;
spiritual growth out of life’s manure. YES!
.
Christians
Day #189: Whats the main way that salt loses its saltiness?
By being soaked in water.
Christians lose our saltiness when we water down God’s Word.
(Please click HERE for more on this)
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Day #190: Some wolves
dress like sheep
in order to hurt the sheep (Matthew 7:15-17);
Today, some sheep
dress like wolves
in order to hide the Shepherd.
Romans 12:2 NLT James 1:27 NLT
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Day #191: Like Jonah,
many Christians want God
to destroy the ice of this world
with the fire of His judgment.
That day is coming—HE will do it.
But until then…
…He wants to melt the ice of this world
with us,
the salt of His love.
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Day #192: When the woman was caught in adultery,
many Christians would have stoned her.
Many other Christians would have said she did nothing wrong.
Jesus neither stoned nor excused the woman:
He gave her mercy but also warned her to stop sinning.
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Day #193: God calls Christians the clay
and Himself the Potter
because we are to allow HIM
to bend/shape/mold US and our beliefs/opinions,
not vice versa.
.
Day #194: Christ before culture–yesterday, today and forever.
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Day #195: Legacy
You might not control the size of your feet,
but you do control the imprint they leave behind you…
Will you leave a legacy for Jesus?
(please click HERE for more on this)
Day #196: Christmas
At Christmas, many give their loved ones a present.
This Christmas, Jesus wants to give His loved ones–YOU!–a future.
Open up the free gift of Jesus’ love, grace, forgiveness, & new life—
It has your name on it!!! 🙂
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Prayer
Day #197: Holy Spirit, please open
-our eyes to SEE Your Truth,
-our minds to KNOW Your Truth,
-our mouths to SPEAK Your Truth,
-our hands & feet to SHARE & ACT ON Your Truth.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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Day #198: Lord Jesus, please help me to pray.
Help me also to be willing to personally sacrifice
so I can be part of Your answer to my prayers.
In Your name I pray, Amen.
.
Day #199: Lord Jesus, please help me to be part of Your cure,
not just part of Your diagnosis of the world’s sickness.
In Your name I pray, amen.
.
Day #200: Lord Jesus, please help us to love You as You deserve;
thank You for loving us as we do not deserve.
In Your name I pray, amen.
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Day #201: Holy Spirit,
please cause the scales to fall from our eyes (Acts 9:17-18)
so that each day we can:
see God more clearly/accurately (His qualities & presence);
see ourselves more Biblically (identity & purpose);
see others more lovingly & mercifully (loved by Jesus & needing Him).
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #202: Humility
Only those willing to learn actually learn.
Engaging in a debate
merely to voice your opinion
& not to discover God’s Truth/wisdom is foolishness.
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Day #203: Seek Truth/Listen For God
In a society where few seek Truth & sell all to get it,
even casual conversations
have degenerated
to advertising & selling our own opinions
instead of listening to what God is trying to tell us
& gently/boldly sharing what He has revealed in His Word.
(8x In Revelation) Mark 4:23 NLT Luke 8:8 NLT
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Serving God And All Others
Day #204: Weak service toward God & others
reveals weak love for God & others
(1 Thessalonians 1:3—”your labor prompted by love”).
Love & actions are inseparably linked.
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Day #205: Football players get penalized for staying too long in the huddle.
Same with Christians:
we must leave the huddle (hanging out only with Christians)
to go out & share Jesus’ love.
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Day #206: There will ALWAYS be those who are financially poor…
thus we are to ALWAYS love, serve, and share with them!
Deuteronomy 15:11 NLT Deuteronomy 15:11 The Message
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Day #207: Lets be salt & light
not sugar & shadow.
Lets not change the channel
when we hear about others’ pain–
lets BE A CHANNEL
of Jesus’ love & grace.
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Day #208: Parenting
It is a daily act of faith in Jesus
to raise a large family
living on one (not-for-profit industry) income
in 21st century America.
2 Corinthians 9:8-10 NLT Matthew 6:31-33 NIV
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Day #209: Reading The Bible
Sometimes there won’t be “fresh” insight into Bible Truth
but we can still thank & worship God anyway as we read His Word;
sunsets have the same colors every day but we can still marvel every time!
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Day #210: Truth
Truth is not a rubber band to be stretched but a healing balm to be applied.
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Day #211: Heaven
The burlap of heaven will be softer than the cashmere of earth.
.
Trials
Day #212: God uses the friction OF life
to move us forward IN life.
If we got everything we wanted (no friction/trials),
life would be like a frozen pond–
smooth/calm but slippery with every step.
When walking, we can only move ahead
because the ground pushes back against us–
this causes the friction/resistance needed to allow us to move/grow.
The same is true spiritually…
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Day #213: Been going uphill for a while?
Remember that Jesus’ flag is planted at the top!
“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory thru our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 15:57)
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Day #214: Jesus wins…
& He’s not afraid to run up the score:
“OVERWHELMING victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”
(Romans 8:35-37 NLT)
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Maturing (Sanctification)
Day #215: God’s Inner-Beauty School:
He wont apply cream
to our faces
but rather to our souls
to transform wrinkles of wretchedness
into the complexion of Christ.
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Day #216: Our ever-strengthening faith in Jesus,
which started out as a decimal of desire for Him,
flourishes not in a safe greenhouse
but out in the harsh elements of this world
where alone we cant survive
but where with Jesus–
the Vine Who nourishes us the branches–
we cant be stopped.
Romans 8:35-39 NLT Philippians 1:4-6
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Day #217: Who we’ve been and who we are–
these are vaguely similar to
but also so vastly different from
who we will be with Jesus in heaven,
just as the agony of a tear or the pain of a drop of sweat
is similar to but different from
the power & beauty of Niagara Falls.
When we someday reach heaven’s shores,
see Jesus’ smiling face,
and remember how far He has brought us,
truly then will we be able to agree with Paul:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has even conceived
what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Never give up, loved ones… You are NEVER alone; you are ALWAYS loved.
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Day #218: Even when we’re far from God in our attitudes,
He keeps US close to HIMSELF in His heart!
(Luke 15:11—“’My son [the bitter/disgruntled older brother],’
the father said, ‘you’re always with me.”)
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Acronyms
Day #219: L.O.V.E.: the Lord Offers Victory to Everyone!
“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Corinthians 15:57).
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Day #220: G.L.U.E.: God Loves Unconditionally–Everyone!
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Evangelism (Telling Others About Jesus Thru Words & Actions)
Day #221: Many focus on building relational bridges with non-Christians
via loving actions
but forget to drive across those bridges
bringing Jesus’ Gospel via true and loving words.
Let’s do both–bridges are built to be driven on, not just looked at…
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Day #222: In relational-evangelism,
let’s not forget about evangelism!
(share Jesus’ love with actions AND words)
It’s important to pre-heat the oven but eventually you need to put the pizza in. J
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Day #223: My guess is that
non-Christians watch Christians
not for the sins we avoid
but for the good that we do.
Yet BOTH are important.
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Day #224: Forgiveness
With Jesus, objects in your rear-view mirror are FARTHER than they appear!
“I’ll forgive their wickedness & remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).
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Day #225: Faith & Works
Actions & beliefs are inseparably linked—
actions show what we believe
& beliefs show how we will act.
“Watch your LIFE & DOCTRINE closely” (1 Timothy 4:16).
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Day #226: Prayer
Holy Spirit, please help us to
- love You & all others
- teach others to love You & all others
- teach others to teach others to love You & all others.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen…
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Day #227: Keepin It Real
Maleness is inherited; manhood is earned…
and it has nothing to do with medals, money, muscles, or mistresses.
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Day #228: Time
When we give our time to someone
we are sharing with them something precious, limited, personal—
sharing time is a sturdy branch on the tree of love.
God is just as concerned with how we use our calendar
as He is with how we use our checkbook.
Time is our most precious & non-renewable resource.
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Day #229: The Bible
Lets not read the Bible to find WHAT we’re looking for
(support for our opinions/lifestyle—eisegesis)
but to find HIM WHO is looking for us.
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Day #230: Success
All maturity is success, but not all success is maturity.
Holy Spirit, please help us to know the difference.
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Day #231: Forgiveness
The road to forgiving others who have hurt us
is paved with our genuine prayers for them;
prayers are the asphalt of forgiveness (Matthew 5:44).
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Day #232: Wisdom
We often learn lessons in painful ways—
while this is horrible in the present,
NOT learning the lesson will be MORE horrible in the future.
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Day #233: Prayer
God, please grow in us a
consistent,
unconditional
& sacrificial love
for You & others
that overwhelms & overrides our
thoughts,
words,
actions
& plans.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen…
.
The Bible
Day #234: I have around 350 books in my office library;
all are fantastic, but only one is actually alive…(Hebrews 4:12-13).
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Day #235: Some people say they don’t read the Bible
because it’s boring/hard to understand.
I think the real reason is because it reads them back…(Hebrews 4:12-13).
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Day #236: Rules
Just as some look at problems as opportunities,
lets look at God’s rules as invitations
to trust Him
Who knows best
what we want & need.
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Day #237: Waiting On God
We wait on God when we
-look back to what He’s done in the past,
-look ahead to what He will do in the future &
-continue praising & obeying Him in the present.
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Day #238: Guidance
Whether forward, backwards, sideways or in circles,
God guides ALL of your steps! (Proverbs 16:9)
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Day #239: Challenges
David “raced to the battle line” against Goliath (1Samuel17:48);
David didn’t timidly crawl to his challenge.
Lets do the same in Jesus’ name!
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Day #240: Peer Pressure
Like individuals,
nations suffer from peer pressure
to want/do wrong things,
leading to harmful effects (1 Samuel 8:4-21)
.
The Bible
Day #241: Some foods are “an acquired taste”;
they’re delicious
but they don’t taste great to us at first—
our pallets need to be adjusted over time to enjoy them.
Same with the Bible—
it’s “sweeter than honey”
but may seem bland/boring.
Keep reading & believing & applying it!
Ask God to develop in you a taste & hunger for His Word! (Psalm 119:103)
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Day #242: Jesus invites us to live not by what our physical eyes see in the world
but by what our faith’s spiritual eyes see in the Word! 2 Corinthians 5:7
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Day #243: Focus
God is teaching me to pry my mind
off
what constantly stresses me
& force it
onto
thinking about Him Who constantly blesses me! (Philippians 4:8)
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Day #244: Prayer
We’ll pray for others
when we realize
there’s only so much we can do for them with our hands
but there’s NO LIMIT to what God can do for them with His.
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Healing
Day #245: Let’s embrace Jesus with our
dirty hands,
tattered clothes,
foul soul-odor,
bleeding wounds &
debilitating doubt…
The Doctor is in the house! (Isaiah 61:1-3)
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Day #246: You do NOT have to get yourself “cleaned up”
before you can come to Jesus,
no more than you’re supposed to get healthy
before you see a doctor!
Once you do come to Jesus & accept His free forgiveness,
He WILL clean you up
because He already loves you,
not so He will eventually love you!
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Day #247: Prayer
Praying to Jesus is NOT like being cross-examined by a prosecuting attorney;
it’s being comforted by Him Who served your sentence for you.
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Day #248: Forgiveness
Lets choose to look at our mistreatment by others as a chance to offer them grace.
“Be sure that no one misses God’s grace” (Hebrews12:15 NIrV).
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Day #249: Jesus
Let’s not be content to give Jesus
a distant head-nod & subtle wave
every once and a while
across the crowded gatherings of life…
..let’s walk right up to Jesus
(or cry out to Him to walk up to us!) &
rub shoulders with Him everyday
Whose shoulders were rubbed raw by the Cross for us.
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Day #250: Slow Down
In the stillness
of knowing God (Psalm 46:10),
we are charged up for the activity
of showing God to others (Acts 1:8)…
in that order.
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Day #251: Valentine’s Day
“This is how we know what love is:
Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16.
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Day #252: Doubt
Some whose eyes saw the resurrected Jesus still doubted! (Matthew 28:17)
It isn’t IF youll doubt
but what you’ll do WHEN you doubt
(Please click HERE for more on this).
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Day #253: Worship
Right before Jesus KNEW He was going to be betrayed & brutally executed,
He CHOSE to sing a hymn of praise to His Father. Wow. Matthew26:30
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Prayer
Day #254: Lord Jesus, please teach us to say
what You said,
when You said it,
why You said it,
and how You said it.
In Your name I pray, amen.
.
Day #255: Lord Jesus, please help us to do
what You did,
how You did it,
why You did it,
when You did it
& to whom You did it.
In Your name I pray, amen.
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Day #256: Grace
Though Jesus wasn’t handsome (Isaiah 53:2),
He paid your ransom (Matthew 20:28).
Receive Him today…
say “YES!” to Jesus!
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Day #257: Evangelism
Lord Jesus, please forgive me for passing out Lincolns (pennies)
when You have given me the Benjamins
of Your love & grace.
Teach me…
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Day #258: Sin & Grace
When we sin,
we turn God’s glory into shame (Psalm 4:2).
When we accept Jesus’ death as payment for our sins,
He turns our shame into glory (2 Corinthians 4:13-15)!
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Day #259: Suffering
You may not often “feel” God’s comfort;
pain is often a numbing agent to His love.
But His love IS there,
not because you feel it,
but because He says it is (Jeremiah 31:3).
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Day #260: Lent
Lent is not about what I’m giving up
but pursuing Him Who gave up everything for me!
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Day #261: Worship
Fuel for worship is remembering Jesus’ death for you.
Psalm71:23: “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You—
I, whom You have delivered.”
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Day #262: Sin
With Jesus,
sin can knock us DOWN,
but it can never knock us OUT.
“There’s now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus”
(Romans 8:1).
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Day #263: Faith
Though it doesn’t LOOK like Spring,
Though it doesn’t FEEL like Spring,
It IS Spring…the calendar says so…
Similarly, though it might not LOOK like God is real,
though it might not FEEL like God is real,
He IS real—His Word says so.
“I am God—there is none like Me” (Isaiah 46:8-9).
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Day #264: Serving Others
We serve others not so God will love us more
but so others will know more how much God loves them.
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Day #265: Re-Birth
In a root canal,
a tooth’s pulp is removed
and the tooth is cleaned & made ready
for filling
and the placing of a crown…
…Jesus offers us a soul-canal,
where our soul’s sin is removed
and our soul cleaned & made ready
for filling
by the Holy Spirit
and the placing of a crown—
declaring Jesus to be the King of our lives.
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Day #266: Daily Life
When done for, through, and with Jesus,
the mundane can be miraculous…(Romans 12:1-2).
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Day #266: Excitement
Apart from Jesus Christ,
we seek thrills from the things we do;
with Jesus Christ,
we can receive thrills from Him with Whom we do things (John 10:10).
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Day #267: Identity
Our identity is NOT tied to what we do for Jesus,
but rather to what Jesus has done for us on the cross (Galatians 3:26).
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Day #268: Faith
Jesus didn’t say: “You will always be able to FEEL that I am with you.”
But He did say: “I WILL always be with you” (Matthew 28:20).
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Forgiveness
Day #269: Yahweh’s bleach
is Y’Shua’s (Jesus’) blood—
He will clean you if you let Him.
“B/c of Your great compassion blot out the stain of my sins”—Psalm 51:1
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Day #270: The only time God hides from a Christian
is when He hides His face from our sins (Psalm 51:9).
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Day #271: Joy
When we receive Jesus as our Savior, we cant lose HIM.
But we can lose our JOY in Him.
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:12).
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Day #272: Introducing Others To Jesus
Could this be said about the communities
around the churches where we attend/serve?
“Yet you’ve filled Jerusalem with your teaching…” (Acts 5:28).
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Day #273: Purpose
I dont want to limp i want to soar for You;
i dont want to drip i want to pour for You;
i dont want to whimper i want to roar for You, Jesus…(John 10:10)
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Day #274: Our Identity, Jesus’ Identity
Peter learned two powerful lessons:
-that Jesus is more than just a human (Matthew16:15-16), &
-that Peter is only just a human (Acts 10:25-26).
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Day #275: Prayer
Holy Spirit—I pray that all I say is
what God wants (Truth),
how God wants it said (gentleness & respect),
why God wants it said (grace),
when God wants it said (wisdom).
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen…
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Day #276: Gratitude
Constantly thanking God fills us up with joy,
leaving less room for fear/anxiety,
just as eating lots of fruits & veggies leaves less room for junk food (Philippians 4:6-7).
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Day #277: Suffering
When we run away from trials we sometimes miss some feasts made for us by God
(“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” Psalm 23:5).
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Day #278: Words
Talking abusively against others, especially those you disagree with?
You just might be jealous of them (Acts 13:45).
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Day #279: The Bible
I believe the best things we ever say begin with the words, “As it is written…”
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Day #280: Faith & Joy
Holy Spirit, please help me to wake up each morning,
like my 3 year old daughter did today,
saying “Papa, today is a GREAT DAY from GOD!”
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Day #281: Freedom
The freedom Jesus offers
isnt to be what we want to be/do what we want to do
but rather to be who He made us to be/do what He made us to do.
For a bird released from a cage,
freedom isn’t
ground-walking,
corner-sitting,
or any of another million options…
it’s sky-soaring.
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Day #282: Jesus Understands What We Go Through…
The shortest verse in the Bible (John11:35) is simply “Jesus wept.”
He grieved,
He mourned,
He endured,
He suffered,
He understands.
Trust Him.
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Day #283: Intentions
God can bring good out of bad intentions—
Felix hoped Paul would bribe him
so Felix spent much time with Paul
who told him about Jesus (Acts 24:24-26).
.
Day #284: Fearing The Truth
Sometimes Jesus’ Truth causes fear:
“Felix sent for Paul
& listened as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus…
Felix was afraid”
(Acts 24:24-25).
.
Day #285: Prayer
Holy Spirit, please help us to be like Paul
& say nothing beyond what You’ve inspired in the Bible
(Acts 26:22).
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
.
Day #286: Heaven
Many of us will be surprised at heaven—
not because it’s better than we thought
but because it’s exactly what God promised
(1 Corinthians 2:9; Revelation 21:3-5).
Help us trust You, Jesus…
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Day #287: Faith
My often weak faith
is still often surprised
when God perfectly fulfills
His clear promises in the Bible.
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Day #288: Accepting Jesus…
“Come clean” to Jesus (admit you need Him to be your Forgiver)
so you can become clean with Jesus (freely forgiven forever).
(Ephesians 5:25-27; Luke 5:12-13; Luke 23:40-43)
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Day #289: Parenting
I’ve often thought of parenting as a lap pool
to be worked thru/accomplished quickly;
it’s often more a hot tub
to be soaked in & enjoyed thoroughly.
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Day #290: God-Confidence, Not Self-Confidence
The LORD wants us to have
God-confidence
not self-confidence.
When Pharaoh asked Joseph if he could interpret Pharaoh’s dream,
Joseph said,
“No, I can’t…but the LORD can!” (Genesis 41:15-16)
May we too have such an honest appraisal of our own ability & a confident faith in God’s.
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Day #291: Reliance On Jesus
Jesus—”Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
This shouldn’t’ discourage but encourage us;
Jesus is saying, “Dont try to push that wall down—the door is here & I’ve unlocked it!”
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Day #293: Spiritual Attack
The devil wants to stop us from finding the Truth;
If he fails there he wants to stop us from using the Truth;
If he fails there he wants to stop us from persevering in the Truth.
The devil is equally happy
if we don’t find Jesus,
if we find Jesus but don’t accept/follow Him,
if we find Jesus, accept/follow Him, but don’t continue to follow Him to the end.
The devil understands that all three are important…do we understand this?
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Day #294: Obedience
Doing the right thing sometimes forces us into an awkward posture,
just as a plant in darkness bends “unnaturally” towards sunlight…
…But the bending, while initially painful,
is what keeps the plant in the light—alive & flourishing!
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Day #295: Marriage & Family
Husbands, love your wife today
in the ways you want your daughter’s husband to love her tomorrow.
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Day #296: Ambassadors of Jesus
What a subtle but powerful miracle of the Holy Spirit in us:
as people begin to open up to & trust us,
it’s because they are meeting Jesus thru us.
.
Day #297: God’s Laws
God’s laws aren’t just rules but a reflection of His character.
When we sin we don’t just break commands but spray graffiti on God Himself…
…Imagine the punishment & outcry if you spray-painted the Mona Lisa’s face.
How much worse when we do so to God’s face?
And still He offers free forgiveness…
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Day #298: Prayer
God, please help me to love & serve all others,
but please help me not to try to please others…
Give me Your wisdom to know the difference.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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Day #299: Nature
The sound of constant rain against a roof
is heaven’s applause
for God the Father’s constantly unfailing love sent from heaven thru Jesus.
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Day #300: Freedom
God IS chasing you,
not to hold you under His thumb
but to lift you up under His wings
(Deuteronomy 32:10-14 The Message).
.
Day #301: Evangelism
Sometimes I’m overwhelmed in public
being around human masterpieces made in God’s image,
many of whom have no idea how much He loves them
& what He has done on the Cross to show/prove that love…
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Day #302: Working For God
I wont build MY church;
I wont build Jesus’ church;
Jesus wont build MY church.
JESUS will build HIS church! (Matthew16:18)
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Day #303: Seeking God
God doesn’t want us to hide FROM Him (Genesis 3:8),
He wants us to hide IN Him!
“You [God] are my hiding place” (Psalm 32:7 NIV).
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Day #304: Sin
Sinning isn’t just breaking God’s rules; it’s breaking His heart (Genesis 6:5-6).
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Day #305: God’s Love
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to…”
my good deeds (NO!);
my love for You (NO!);
“…Your unfailing love” for me (YES!) (Psalm 51:1).
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Day #306: Grace
God attracted animals
to Noah’s ark of wood
to spare them from the days of flood;
now God attracts humans
to Jesus’ cross of wood
to spare them from the Day of Judgment.
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Day #307: Suffering
One of God’s humbling reasons
for allowing His people to suffer: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NLT.
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Day #308: Seeking God
Even John the Baptizer—Jesus’ COUSIN!—
asked thoughtful questions
in trying to understand and trust
Jesus’ true identity (Matthew 11:2-3)…
may we do the same.
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Day #309: Fear
Kids having nightmares aren’t comforted
because all the monsters are cleared out of their room
but because of their parents snuggling in bed with them…
…Similarly, as we grow closer to Jesus,
we can become unafraid,
not because everything scary in our lives is gone
but because of our growing trust that He Himself is with us (Psalm 27:1).
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Day #310: Safety
When God says He will keep us safe,
He isnt saying that nothing bad will happen to us ever.
He’s saying nothing bad will happen to us FORever (Revelation 21:3-5).
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Day #311: Faith
Our opinion about Jesus doesn’t change Who He is,
but our opinion about Jesus can change who WE are.
“Jesus asked, ‘Who do you say that I am?’” (Matthew 16:13-16) (John1:12)
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Day #312: The Holy Spirit
Eagles soar not by flapping wings harder
but by riding currents of air.
Christians do the same
by allowing the Holy Spirit to flow thru us (Romans 8:3-6).
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Day #313: Servanthood
The first rider in a biking peloton suffers more
by getting the full force of the wind
& protecting the riders behind.
This is Jesus’ model for Christian men and pastors…(1 Peter 2:20-22)
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Day #314: Transformation
If we will let Him, Jesus wants to purchase us in “as is” condition.
But He will then remodel us from the inside out to look like Him…(Romans 8:28-30)
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Day #315: God Is Untamable
God is reliable, but He is not predictable.
Being fully and truly alive (being life itself!),
Jesus fits in no box,
whether coffin or china cabinet (Acts 7:48-49).
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Day #316: Worship
God wants us to worship Him on the mountain-tops (good times)
AND in the wilderness (hard times)!
“…worship Me in the wilderness” (Exodus 7:16)
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Prayer
Day #317: Any greatness we might have
comes from God’s closeness to us when we pray to Him!
.
Day #318: In prayer we give God
the brushes, the oils
and present to Him ourselves as the canvas,
inviting Him to paint whatever He wants…(Luke 22:42)
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Day #319: Trials
When a teacher gives a test, we have two choices:
break the pencil & storm out of the classroom
or sharpen the pencil & do our best.
The same is true with God’s tests…(Galatians 6:9)
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Day #320: Parenting
It is VERY Biblical to pray to God for help in parenting!
Judges13:8: “Come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”
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Day #321: Acronyms
P.O.W.E.R.: People Openly Worshiping the Eternal Redeemer (Matthew 28:16-20)
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Day #322: Priorities
While I aim to do my best in everything,
I would rather succeed as a husband & parent
and fail in my career
than vice versa
(1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Timothy 5:8).
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Day #323: Suffering
After 15+ years of following Jesus,
I am finally beginning
to willingly/genuinely thank Him
for the painful trials I’m currently facing…
(1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
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Day #324: Receiving Jesus’ Forgiveness
Many experience moments with Jesus
but never enjoy His eternity,
like puppies petted at the pound
but never letting themselves be adopted & taken home
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Day #325: Heaven
Since God is hurt by our sin (Genesis 6:5-6), &
since in heaven our pain will end forever (Revelation 21:4),
maybe God’s pain will then end as well.
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Day #326: Spiritual Training
Before/after muscle photos:
Maybe God wants us to go from strong to flabby physically
So we will make time for Him to take us from flabby to strong spiritually.
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Day #327: Prayer
God—Who determines whether or not to give us what we ask for—
also determines first
whether or not what we ask for will spread His fame (John14:13).
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Day #328: Independence
God, thank You for blessing America to gain independence from Great Britain.
Thank You more for blessing me to realize & celebrate my dependence on Jesus
.
Day #329: Purpose
There is a burning fire in my spirit
when I read and/or listen on audio CD
to the Bible book of Acts (Acts 1:8).
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Day #330: Faith
I’m strangely encouraged
by the times in the Bible
that God asked others to say goodbye
to people, places, or both.
Let’s date to enter into the unfamiliar with our familiar Savior (Acts 20:36-38).
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Day #331: Grace
We aren’t loved for high we climb to the clouds
but for how low Jesus crawled to the cross (1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).
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Prayer
Day #332: Jesus, please help me not to try to control certain situations
but rather to trust, like a child,
that You are in control of all situations (Philippians 3:20-21).
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Day #333: Lord Jesus, please help me not to “white knuckle” it thru life
but rather to relax in Your strong grip on me.
In Your name I pray, amen…
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Day #334: God’s Whispers
In the Bible, the word “whisper” refers to
-people plotting evil (Psalm 31:13; 41:6-8),
-people discussing who Jesus is (John 7:12),
-God communicating with people (1Kings19:12; Matthew 10:27) &
-God showing His power over nature’s storms (Psalm107:29).
What do you whisper about others, especially when they aren’t around?
What is God whispering to you today?
Will you turn down the volume of your life to hear Him?
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Day #335: Trials
Jesus endured His Cross because He focused on His Father’s joy (Hebrews 12:1-2).
What joy does God want us to focus on so we can endure our trials?
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Day #336: Don’t Quit!
It can take 2+ hours after drinking water to actually become hydrated.
When we pass out Jesus’ love
it might take time to see the effects in others—
just don’t stop! (John 4:36-38)
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Day #337: God Brings Diamonds Out Of Coal
We may be cornered in life but we cannot be contained in Christ!
God works mightily thru us when we are in
physical, emotional, mental, financial & spiritual prisons! (Acts 16:23-33)
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Preaching
Day #338: Each sermon should not be “look how much I know!” but rather
“look what God is teaching because of how much I don’t know!”
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Day #339: Each sermon should not be primarily “here’s what God wants you to do!”
but rather
“here’s what God is teaching me to do.”
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Day #340: Know Jesus
Let us not seek comfort or conditions as we crave them
but rather Christ Jesus Who alone can calm our circumstances
(Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 6:31-33).
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Day #341: Purpose
God wants us to moon the world…
to clearly and consistently reflect His Son, Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).
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Day #342: Contentment
How does God teach us to be content with the stuff and situations that we have?
Focus on Him—the Who we have.
Hebrews 13:5—”Be content…I will never abandon you.”
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Day #343: Worry & Prayer
Why does God want us to come to Him with ALL our worries?
Because deep down, all worry is doubt that God Himself will come thru for us
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Day #344: How To Treat Women
Men! How does God want us to interact with women?
“Treat…older women as mothers, & younger women as sisters, with absolute purity”
(1Timothy 5:1-2).
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Day #345: Maturity
God wants to sanctify us—
To make us holy, set us apart for His special use (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
He wants to transform us from paper plates to fine china.
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Day #346: The Bible
Thinking & talking about the Bible helps us obey it.
“Keep this Book of the Law…
on your lips;
meditate on it…
so that you may do everything written in it…” (Joshua 1:8).
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Prayer
Day #347: Terrified? Discouraged?
Before praying for God to change our situation,
pray He will help us trust that He is with us in our situation! (Joshua 1:9)
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Day #348: Holy Spirit, please fill us up with Jesus
so that we can pass thru the supermarkets of temptation
with no appetite for sin.
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Day #349: Where & When
God decided where & when each of us would be born
to give us the best chance of finding HIM! (Acts 17:26-27).
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Day #350: Forgiveness
Despite Saul’s terrible past,
Ananias blessed Saul & called him “brother”
based not on Saul’s old actions
but on his new identity in Christ (Acts 9:17).
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Day #351: Are You Willing To Believe In Jesus?
Though Saul powerfully proved that Jesus is God,
most didn’t believe—some even tried to kill Saul (Acts 9:22-23)!
There is never enough proof for those who are unwilling to believe.
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Suffering
Day #352: Many glow sticks only shine once they’re broken/cracked.
Holy Spirit, help me to trust
that You are breaking me
to brighten me,
not to bury me…
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Day #353: Sometimes God whisks us out of our pain;
sometimes He whisks us while we are in our pain,
allowing us to stay to teach us that He stays with us too, even there
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Day #354: Relying On God
David had expertise (with a slingshot)
& experience (fighting lions/bears)
Yet he relied on NEITHER against Goliath.
“The LORD will defeat you” (1 Samuel 17:45)
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Day #355: Evangelism (telling others about Jesus)
Let’s be more afraid of someone missing out—
even for a moment—
on experiencing Jesus’ love
than we’re afraid of what’ll happen
when we share His love (Hebrews 12:15).
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Day #356: Sin
Satisfying our sin-desires doesn’t really satisfy,
no more than drinking saltwater quenches thirst.
“Unfaithful are trapped by evil desires” (Proverbs 11:6).
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Prayer
Day #357: God, please help me to say “no”
to more of the good activities of earth
so i have time to say “yes”
to more of the great activities of heaven.
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Day #358: God, please help us not to be caught in the undertoe of the culture
but rather to ride the tidal wave of Your Holy Spirit.
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Day #359: Holy Spirit, please control not only our verbal words but also our
typed,
texted,
tweeted and
thought words
so that they love You & all others.
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Day #360: Lord Jesus, please fill me up with Your Holy Spirit so that
when life moves smoothly He flows out &
when life collides into me He spills out…
In Jesus’ name i pray, amen…
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Never Give Up
Day #361: When you find life is constantly uphill,
let’s be like Jesus & keep going—
the view will eventually be amazing! (Hebrews 12:1-2)
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Day #362: May we ponder where God is leading us
(place: heaven;
character: being like Jesus)
because this will help us to persevere/endure
the route He’s using to get us there (suffering) (Hebrews 12:1-3).
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Day #363: The Bible
Stuff God Never Said: please click HERE.
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Day #364: Prayer
God, when You give me heels
from the loaf of life,
please help me to thank You & rejoice
that I still have bread to eat.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Day #365: Created By God
God knit each human when He created each of us (Psalm 139:13-14)!
Knitting is
slow,
personal,
hands-on,
deliberate,
meticulous—we are LOVED!
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Day #366: God’s Rules
Jesus’ commands don’t restrict life
but open it up;
His Way isn’t a tightrope
but a highway,
not for tiptoeing
but for running (Psalm 119:32)!
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