Monthly Archives: November 2015

Listen to Paul (1 Corinthians 7:1-9), November 10, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 7:1-9

Set – Job 39; 1 Corinthians 7

Go! – Job 39; 1 Corinthians 7-8

1 Corinthians 7:1-9
¹ Now to the topics you raised in your last letter. Some have said, “It is better for a man to abstain from having sex with his wife.” ² Well, I disagree. Because of our tendency to embrace immoralities, each man should feel free to join together in sexual intimacy with his own wife, and each woman should join with her own husband. ³ Husbands and wives have reciprocal duties. Each husband has the responsibility to meet his wife’s sexual desires, and each wife should do the same for her husband. ⁴ In marriage neither the husband nor the wife should act as if his or her body is private property—your bodies now belong to one another, and together they are whole. ⁵ So do not withhold sex from one another, unless both of you have agreed to devote a certain period of time to prayer. When the agreed time is over, come together again so that Satan will not tempt you when you are short on self-control. ⁶ I am trying to encourage you and give you some wise counsel, so don’t take this advice as a command. ⁷ I wish that all of you could live as I do, unmarried. But the truth is all people are different, each gifted by God in various and dissimilar ways.
⁸ To those who are unmarried or widowed, here’s my advice: it is a good thing to stay single as I do. ⁹ If they do not have self-control, they should go ahead and get married. It is much better to marry than to be obsessed by sexual urges.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The culture of the first century was obsessed with sex. If you look at the archeological discoveries of the first century you’ll see just how obsessed those who did not follow Me were. Their markets were filled with aphrodisiacs. Their frescos depicted sexual scenes. Their statues elicited sexual excitement. Even their temples were filled with male and female prostitutes to satisfy their gods desires as they performed sexually before their altars. Orgies were part of the debachery of the wealthy’s parties. It was everywhere.

But in the middle of this mess, I sent My Son to come and give a different message. My disciples carried that message across the known world. Paul wrote about it to the Corinthians. I want My children to respect the laws of sexuality I put in place from the very beginning. I instituted the sanctity of marriage between couples. I invented sex. It’s how I meant to propagate the species. For the human race, I meant for you to enjoy the intimacy with your spouse. Satan perverted the relationship like he does so many things, though. He lies to you and tells you it’s okay to have sex outside marital relationships. It’s not. I never intended it that way.

Experimentation was never part of My plan. Partner swapping wasn’t on My mind. Extramarital affairs didn’t cross My mind. Abuse, rape, perversion, sexual relationships outside of marriage all against My chain of thought when I created man and woman and the sexual relationship between them. It was and is a special intimacy between husband and wife. Period. That’s how I designed My creation.

So listen to Paul. Don’t just think about what He says, but do it. I inspired him to write those verses to the Corinthians. Your culture isn’t much different than those in Corinth and Rome. Always looking to find ways to satisfy your base desires. Always looking for pleasure and happiness in the wrong places. Wanting instant gratification. Thinking money and things can satisfy you. Just look at your advertisements. “Sex sells,” the marketers say. And they use it generously.

Your culture mimics those of the first century in so many ways. Listen to Paul and take heed of what he says. It will save you a lot of heartache. It will salvage relationships. It will help your marriage and teach your children respect for the opposite sex. Listen to him and do what he suggests. They are My words he writes, after all.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Serve others (1 Corinthians 4:1-5), November 9, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Set – Job 38; 1 Corinthians 4

Go! – Job 38; 1 Corinthians 4-6

1 Corinthians 4:1-5
¹ Rather than power brokers, think of us as servants of the Anointed One, the Liberating King, caretakers of the mysteries of God. ² Because we are in this particular role, it is especially important that we are people of fidelity and integrity. ³ It makes little difference to me how you or any human court passes judgment on me. I even resist the temptation to compare myself to the ever-changing human standard. ⁴ Although I am not aware of any flaw that might exclude me from this divine service, that’s not the reason I stand acquitted—the only supreme judge, our Lord, will examine me in the proper time. ⁵ So resist the temptation to act as judges before all the evidence is in. When the Lord comes, He will draw our buried motives, thoughts, and deeds (even things we don’t know or admit to ourselves) out of the dark shadows of our hearts into His light. When this happens, the voice of God will speak to each of us the only praise that will ever matter.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I asked you yesterday why you go to church. Today I want to ask you another question. Why do you do good things for other people? Look deep inside you and answer the question honestly. Do you do it because it makes you feel good? It should make you feel good. That’s a great motive for doing good for others. One of the best ways to get out of the mully-grubs is to do something nice for someone else expecting nothing in return. I made you that way. I made you to enjoy doing good for others, so you will experience that warm feeling that puts a smile on your face when you perform acts of kindness for others.

Maybe you do good expecting something in return. It’s not the good feeling you expect, though. You’re looking for something in return. You want to barter good for good. Maybe you’re hoping the good you receive is more than the good you get. You’re looking for a profit in good deeds. That’s not the way to go about life. But some people go about doing good for just that reason. I’ll bake you a cake if you’ll invite me to dinner. I’ll mow your yard if you’ll paint my house. Get the idea? That’s how too many of you go about your business of doing good works. There’s this hidden barter system you’re looking for. That’s not in My plan of doing good for others. Just do good because it’s the right thing to do without expecting anything in return.

Maybe you figured out that you might not get anything back for doing good but you do it because you heard Me tell you to do it. Well, you’re getting closer to the right reason for doing good for others, but you’ll resent them or Me if that’s the reason you’re doing good for others. You’ll see your acts of kindness as tasks to perform instead of acts of love and servanthood to your fellow man. Eventually you’ll just stop doing things for others because you’ll burn out. There will be no joy in your efforts and you’ll stop either because of your anger toward those receiving your service or your anger at Me.

My hope for you, however, is that you’ll learn the secret Paul talks about. He discovered the joy of serving Me. The things you do for others is not really about doing things for them after all. It’s about doing them for Me. You do things to them on My behalf. You’re serving Me when you serve them. So serve Me. Don’t expect anything from those on earth you serve because it’s not them you’re serving. It’s Me you’re serving so they don’t owe you anything. You’re not doing anything for them in the first place, you’re doing it for Me. That’s the attitude I want you to have.

Then you can think about the rewards you might get in return if you want to. You shouldn’t. I’ve already given you life and when you serve Me diligently you gain life eternally and life abundantly. What more do you want? But if you want to think beyond that, how about that next breath? Or your next heartbeat? What about the food you eat and the water you drink? Maybe you want to think about your brothers and sisters in Me that come along beside you in your times of need. Think about the blessings that come your way day after day. Do you need more reward for serving Me? What about the sins for which I went the cross for you? Is that enough? Hmmm…

Remember, your service to others is really service to Me. How much do you want to do for Me? What if I want you to pass it along to others? Well, I really don’t need your help, but they do. How about a little service, please? I’ll enjoy watching it.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Why do you go to church? (1 Corinthians 3:10-23), November 8, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 3:10-23

Set – Job 33; 1 Corinthians 3

Go! – Job 34-37; 1 Corithians 1-3

1 Corinthians 3:10-23
¹⁰ Like a skilled architect and master builder, I laid a foundation based upon God’s grace given to me. Now others will come along to build on the foundation. Each serves in a different way and is to build upon it with great care. ¹¹ There is, in fact, only one foundation, and no one can lay any foundation other than Jesus the Anointed. ¹² As others build on the foundation (whether with gold, silver, gemstones, wood, hay, or straw), ¹³ the quality of each person’s work will be revealed in time as it is tested by fire. ¹⁴ If a man’s work stands the test of fire, he will be rewarded. ¹⁵ If a man’s work is consumed by the fire, his reward will be lost but he will be spared, rescued from the fire. ¹⁶ Don’t you understand that together you form a temple to the living God and His Spirit lives among you? ¹⁷ If someone comes along to corrupt, vandalize, and destroy the temple of God, you can be sure that God will see to it that he meets destruction because the temple of God is sacred. You, together, are His temple.
¹⁸ Don’t let anyone deceive himself. If any one of you thinks he is wise in matters pertaining to this world, he is going to be really disappointed. In fact, one must be deemed a fool by worldly standards in order to become truly wise ¹⁹ because the wisdom of this rebellious and broken world looks like foolishness when put next to God. So it stands in Scripture, “He catches the wise in their deceitful plotting.”²⁰ And the Scriptures add, “The Lord knows the highest thoughts of the wise, and they are worthless.” ²¹ So there is no reason for anyone to boast in human leaders. You already have it all. ²² So whether it is Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life or death, the present or the future—it all belongs to you. ²³ You belong to the Anointed One, and the Anointed One belongs to God.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Why do you go to church? Is it to hear the message of the preacher? Is it to hear the music present by the choir or choral group? Is it to study under a particular teacher? Just why do you attend where you attend? It really is an important question to ask yourself every once in a while. If you only go because of the pastor or the music or the studies presented or some particular program, you’re there for the wrong reason. You’re even there for the wrong reason if it’s because you think they have the doctrine that fits the way you believe.

So why do you go to church? The only acceptable answer is to worship Me. Any other answer makes the church a social club. You might as well go to the Elks Lodge or the local Lions’ Club. Find yourself another place that does good things for people and go there. If your goal when you come through the door of the sanctuary of your church isn’t to meet with Me in worship, then you’ve missed the reason for coming together as brothers and sisters.

All the physical ministries of the church can be carried out by other organizations in your community and probably are. The Food Bank collects and distributes more food to the hungry than you’ll ever feed in a lifetime at your church. The Red Cross provides shelter for the homeless in disasters worldwide and does it better than a church could ever think about doing it. Doctors without Borders provides health and healing for the sick and injured in ways your local church could not begin to approach. And the list goes on.

Sure, you do some things in your community, but so do other organizations and they probably do it better, so why do you come to church? Search your heart. Do you come expecting to see Me every Sunday? Do you even come every Sunday? Do you prepare yourself to visit with Me when you arrive? Have you prayed and met with Me through the week so that when you join your brothers and sisters you’re ready to celebrate My coming together with you in worship?

Some of those Paul wrote to in Corinth forgot why they came together. They began to follow people instead of Me. They came together to do good things instead of coming together to meet with Me. They thought they could reach Me by ministering to others. They got it backwards, though. Reach out to Me first and I will help you reach out to others. Your ministries will never succeed until you worship Me first. Until you follow the path I lay before you, your efforts will be in vain. Your wisdom is meaningless compared to Mine.

So ask yourself again today, why do you come to church? Do you know the answer? There will be a test. I want you to pass. Make sure you have the right answer when I return.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Sow generously to reap a great harvest (Galatians 6:1-10), November 7, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 6:1-10

Set – Job 31; Galatians 6

Go! – Job 32-33; Galatians 5-6

Galatians 6:1-10
¹ My spiritual brothers and sisters, if one of our faithful has fallen into a trap and is snared by sin, don’t stand idle and watch his demise. Gently restore him, being careful not to step into your own snare. ² Shoulder each other’s burdens, and then you will live as the law of the Anointed teaches us.³ Don’t take this opportunity to think you are better than those who slip because you aren’t; then you become the fool and deceive even yourself. ⁴ Examine your own works so that if you are proud, it will be because of your own accomplishments and not someone else’s. ⁵ Each person has his or her own burden to bear and story to write.
⁶ Remember to share what you have with your mentor in the Word.
⁷ Make no mistake: God can’t be mocked. What you give is what you get. What you sow, you harvest. ⁸ Those who sow seeds into their flesh will only harvest destruction from their sinful nature. But those who sow seeds into the Spirit shall harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. ⁹ May we never tire of doing what is good and right before our Lord because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest if we can just persist. ¹⁰ So seize any opportunity the Lord gives you to do good things and be a blessing to everyone, especially those within our faithful family.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

There’s a lot to learn from these few verses, but there are few that really abide by them today. It’s easy to let these words slide passed in your busy world and your culture of isolation where you don’t want to meddle in anyone else’s business. But My direction to you is to love each other. If you do, you’ll be burdened when one of your brothers or sisters slips away. You won’t want to see them fall. You’ll want to help them up, not talk about them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Love reaches out to help and gently restore those who have fallen away from the path I’ve set for you. Love asks you to carry each others burdens and not let your brothers and sisters go through the trials of life alone. But too often I watch those in My church sit idly by as My children suffer alone and in silence. Sometimes the suffering is well known, but no one steps up to help. What has happened to My love in you? Why does it not reach out like I did to minister to those in need?

Paul tells you well. You reap what you sow. You get back what you give. When you help others in their time of need, you receive the same in return. When you withhold you help, you can expect the same to happen to you. This law of reaping what you sow happens throughout all of nature and is true within the body of Christ as well. Help lift the burdens of others when their load becomes too heavy and you’ll find they will come along side you to help you carry your burdens along your journey of life as well.

I want you to stay dependant on each other. I want you to need each other to carry you through the tough times of life. I want you to help each other so the loads you carry can be shared instead of trying to carry them alone. Life goes so much easier that way. You can share the burdens and lighten the loads. You can help each other when you travel across those rough roads in life so that you can keep each other from stumbling and falling. And if you do fall, someone is there to help you up.

I intend for you to help each other. That’s part of the extension of My grace and mercy. I give you My grace so you can extend it to others. I share My love so you can share it. If you try to hoard it for yourself, you’ll find that My love and My grace will wither away and die in your life. You must give it away to sustain it in yourself. Only through giving of yourself to others, only in extending the grace I give you, only in sharing love can you really keep and grow the love and grace I’ve give to you.

Sow generously. When you do, you will reap a great harvest. Don’t be afraid to give grace and mercy to those around you, especially to your brothers and sisters in Me. You’ll never be sorry you did. Will they give to you in return? It really doesn’t matter. I will and that’s what really matters.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t let prejudice get in the way (Galatians 3:15-29), November 6, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 3:15-29

Set – Psalms 120; Galatians 3

Go! – Job 30-31; Psalms 120; Galatians 3-4

Galatians 3:15-29
¹⁵ My dear brothers and sisters, here’s a real-life example I can give you: With a last will and testament, when all the property is accounted for, the document is signed, witnessed, and notarized; and afterward no one can make changes to it. ¹⁶ In a similar way, God’s promises established a binding agreement with Abraham and his offspring. In the Scriptures, it is carefully stated, “and to your descendant” (meaning one), not “and to your descendants” (meaning many). Therefore, in these covenant promises, God was not referring to every son and daughter born into Abraham’s family but to the Anointed One to come. ¹⁷ What this all means is that the law given to Israel comes along some 430 years after the promise made to Abraham; so it does not invalidate the covenant God previously agreed to or in any way do away with His promise. ¹⁸ You see, if the law became the sole basis for the inheritance, then it would put God in the position of breaking a covenant because He had promised it to Abraham.
¹⁹ Now you’re asking yourselves, “So why did God give us the law?” God commanded His heavenly messengers to deliver it into the hand of a mediator for this reason: to help us rein in our sins until the Offspring, about whom the promise was made in the first place, would come. ²⁰ A mediator represents more than one, but God is only one. ²¹ “So,” you ask, “does the law contradict God’s promise?” Absolutely not! Never was there written a law that could lead to resurrection and life; if there had been, then surely we could have experienced saving righteousness through keeping the law. But we haven’t. ²² Scripture has subjected the whole world to sin’s power so that the faithful obedience of Jesus the Anointed might extend God’s promises to everyone who has faith. ²³ Before faith came on the scene, the law did its best to keep us in line, restraining us until the faith that was to come was fully revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law was like a tutor, assigned to train us and point us to the Anointed, so that we will be acquitted of all wrong and made right by faith. ²⁵ But now that true faith has come, we have no need for a tutor. ²⁶ It is your faith in the Anointed Jesus that makes all of you children of God ²⁷ because all of you who have been initiated into the Anointed One through the ceremonial washing of baptism have put Him on. ²⁸ It makes no difference whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a freeman, a man or a woman, because in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, you are all one. ²⁹ Since you belong to Him and are now subject to His power, you are the descendant of Abraham and the heir of God’s glory according to the promise.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Paul reminds you I am the God of all people. It doesn’t matter the color of your skin, the language you speak, the country of your birth. I am your God. Whether you bow to Me our not, I am still your God. One day you will bow, but I trust you do so now. Those who believe in Me for the forgiveness of their sins, will never die, but will live with Me forever. Those who do not, will forever live alone in eternal punishment.

Since I’m the God of all people, shouldn’t you also love all people? Everywhere, I see the prejudice of humankind rising. I had hoped with increased knowledge through the centuries that you would learn to get along with each other, but it hasn’t proven true. Instead, increased knowledge seems to increase the prejudice between you. Races and nations continue to debate the superiority and inferiority of one another. Each touts its own prowess over others wanting to gain more instead of being satisfied with what I have given them.

Humankind has forgotten you have what you have because I allow it. I made you and gave you the abilities and talents resident within you. I gave you the lands you occupy. I gave you the minerals, the environmental conditions, the wealth or lack thereof. I gave you the opportunities to serve others. The question is what you have done with the things I gave you. But I am still your God. And I can take away all you have gained. With a flood, a wildfire, a hurricane or tornado all can be lost in an instant. And I control them all. Remember, I am your God.

Put your faith in Me. Remember I can give and I can take away. There is no need for prejudices. I made all humankind and everything I make is good. Every race, every nation, every person I make is good. Each person then creates their own choices and pathways, but I make them good originally. Share My word with everyone. Love everyone. Share My grace and mercy with everyone. Don’t let prejudices get in the way.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Power and influence (Galations 2:6-10), November 5, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Galatians 2:6-10

Set – Job 28; Galatians 2

Go! – Job 28-29; Galatians 1-2

Galatians 2:6-10
⁶ It makes no difference to me (or to God for that matter) if people have power or influence. God doesn’t choose favorites among His children. Even the so-called pillars of the church didn’t contribute anything new to my understanding of the good news. ⁷ But it quickly became obvious to them what God was doing: He had entrusted me to carry the good news to the uncircumcised, just as Peter was called to preach to those who were circumcised. ⁸ God was at work in the ministry of Peter, as emissary to the Jews, and was also moving and working with me in my ministry to the outsider nations.
⁹ When James, Cephas (whom you know as Peter), and John—three men purported to be pillars among the Jewish believers—saw that God’s favor was upon me to fulfill this calling, they welcomed and endorsed both Barnabas and me. They agreed that our ministries would work as two hands, theirs advancing the mission of God among the Jews and ours toward the outsider nations, all with the same message of redemption. ¹⁰ In parting, they requested we always remember to care for the poor among us, which was something I was eager to do.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Do you remember the first thing Paul said in these verses today? “It makes no difference to Me if people have power or inflence.” What you consider earthly power means nothing to Me. Suppose you are the leader of a group of people, what does that mean? They follow only as long as they desire to follow you. Can you really make them do what they do not want to do? No. You might impose some kind of consequence if they do not act as you wish, but they still do not have to follow.

If enough people choose not to follow, they can revolt against whatever power you think you have and overthrow you with pretty significant consequences. Take a look at what has happened to dictators and tyrant in the past. At some point, kingdoms have fallen and all they thought was theirs disappeared. Power, even over an individual, can be very fleeting.

And no matter how much power you think you exert, take a look at My power and compare it. Can you create a hurricane? Can you cause lightning to flash from the sky? Can you unleash the torrents of floods from the sky? Can you cause the rains to stop and bring devasting drought to the land? Can you shake the earth and cause man’s most sturdy structures to crumble? Can you unleash the power of the volcano and pour out molten rock across the landscape changing the shape of the mountains?

No matter how powerful you think you are, you’re best is nothing. Consider the power of the sun. I made it and all the other stars in the sky. They shine and give their light at My command. They move across the sky in perfect order because I spoke them into place and gave them the precision no person could give them. I set in place the perfect balance of warmth, water, predators, and prey so that you could exist on the tiny planet you call home, only one of billions of planets within My universe.

Only now are you beginning to understand the vast reaches of the universe I created with it billions of stars in billions of galaxies across what seems like the limitless expanse of space. But I know its limits because I created it. I spoke the words that began time and space long ago and I will one day bring and end to it with a command to My Son to go and get His bride, the church, those of you who believe in Him for salvation.

Does your power and influence in this place matter to Me? Not in the least! But My power in you can make all the difference in the world for you. I can help you make it through any circumstance. I can give you joy and peace in any situation. I can transform you into the person I created you to be. My power and influence in your life can demonstrate to others that I am still alive and well on planet earth, doing My will among those who continue to serve Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Live a life of integrity (Job 27), November 4, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Job 27

Set – Job 27; Mark 15

Go! – Job 26-27; Mark 15-16

Job 27
¹ Job continued.
² Job: By God—who lives and has deprived me of justice,
the Highest One who has also embittered my soul—
³ I make this proclamation:
that, while there is life in me,
While the breath of that selfsame God is in my nostrils,
⁴ My lips will not let lies escape them,
and my tongue will not form deceit.
⁵ So I will never concede that you three are right.
Until the day I die, I will not abandon my integrity just to appease you.
⁶ On the contrary, I’ll assert my innocence and never let it go;
my heart will not mock my past or my future.
⁷ May my enemy be counted as the wicked
and my adversary as the unjust.
⁸ For what hope does he who is sullied and impure have
once God lops him off from life and requires his soul?
⁹ Will God listen to his cry
when he is overtaken by distress?
¹⁰ Will he have made the Highest One his pleasure after the fact?
Will he have marked the seasons with his calls to God once it is too late?
¹¹ Let me show you what I have learned of God’s power.
I assure you I will not cover over the true nature of the Highest One’s ways.
¹² Look, you have all seen it—seen the same things I have seen here.
Why then all this vain nonsense?
¹³ Indeed, Zophar, listen closely, for what the wicked of humanity will inherit from God.
This is the heritage the Highest One bequeaths to those who oppress:
¹⁴ If the children of the wicked multiply,
they meet their end at the blade of the sword.
And even if they are fat with surplus,
the descendants of the wicked will be starved for bread.
¹⁵ Those who survive will fall to disease and be buried;
many of their widows will not mourn their deaths.
¹⁶ Though he pile up money as if it were common dirt
and clothing in heaps like mounds of clay,
¹⁷ What he may prepare, the righteous will wear;
the silver he sets aside, the innocent will divide.
¹⁸ He builds his house doomed to impermanence—
like the moth’s cocoon,
like the field watchman’s lean-to that is dismantled after the harvest.
¹⁹ He lies down to sleep a wealthy man,
but never again,
For when he opens his eyes to morning,
all is gone.
²⁰ Terrors overtake him as if they were floodwaters;
the tempest snatches him away in the dead of night.
²¹ Indeed, the sultry east wind lifts him up and away.
He is gone, swept off the place he knew as his own.
²² It will have blown against him pitilessly,
and he tries to flee from its fast-closing hand.
²³ As a final humiliation, it claps its hands against him as a man would—
sneering, hissing at him as he leaves.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It would have been easy for Job to satisfy his friends by just lying to them and making up some wrong he had done. He could have gotten rid of their incessant nagging and they would have left him alone if he just owned up to something, anything. But Job wouldn’t lie and their wasn’t anything in his past he had not given to Me that needed forgiveness. His relationship with Me was pure. Job refused to admit to something he had not done. His integrity was too important to him to give it away to these so called friends.

Job also knew what happens to those who did not live with integrity. Those who practiced deceit in little or big things cannot be trusted with My sacred things. And all the material things that might seem so important now will disappear. No one takes anything with them to the grave. But all will receive their reward from Me at the judgment. Those that lived a life of integrity with Me will gain much. Those who lived without Me and without integrity will lose everything.

Job talks about that as he shares this discourse with Zophar. In this materialistic age in which most think the person with the most toys wins, you should take a lesson from Job’s wisdom. Life is short, I determine the rewards and punishments when this life is over. The things you have now will not go with you to the next. Think about what is important. You’ll find it has nothing to do with material things, but with relationships, character, integrity. Job had it right. Live a life of integrity. You won’t go wrong doing so.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Nothing is impossible (Mark 14:27-31;66-72), November 3, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 14:27-31; 66-72

Set – Job 25; Mark 14

Go! – Job 25; Mark 13-14

Mark 14:27-31; 66-72
Jesus: ²⁷ All of you will desert Me tonight. It was written by Zechariah,
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will scatter.
²⁸ But when I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
Peter (protesting): ²⁹ It doesn’t matter who else turns his back on You. I will never desert You.
Jesus: ³⁰ Peter, mark My words. This very night before the cock crows twice, you will have denied Me three times.
Peter (insisting): ³¹ No, Teacher. Even if it means that I have to die with You, I’ll never deny You.
All the other disciples said similar things.
^66-67 While Peter was waiting by the fire outside, one of the servant girls of the high priest saw him.
Servant Girl: You were one of those men with Jesus of Nazareth.
Peter: ⁶⁸ Woman, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
He left the fire, and as he went out into the gateway, a cock crowed.
⁶⁹ The servant girl saw him again.
Servant Girl: Hey, this is one of them—one of those who followed Jesus.
Peter: ⁷⁰ No, I’m not one of them.
A little later, some of the other bystanders turned to Peter.
Bystander: Surely you’re one of them. You’re a Galilean. We can tell by your accent.
⁷¹ And then he swore an oath that if he wasn’t telling the truth that he would be cursed.
Peter: Listen, I don’t even know the man you’re talking about.
⁷² And as he said this, a cock crowed a second time; and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the cock crows twice, you will have denied Me three times.”
He began to weep.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Be careful about making promises you can’t keep. Peter thought he would never deny Me when he made his declaration. It was just a few short hours, though, and he not only denied Me, but sealed his denial with an oath. Fear for his life caused him to forget the thin boast he made that he would die before he would leave My side. It only took the sight of the soldiers’ swords in the night to dissuade him from following further to his own crucifixion.

It wasn’t that Peter didn’t believe he would stand with Me until the end, but he didn’t have the strength by himself to do so and because My Spirit had not yet come to stay with you and in you, he just couldn’t do it. He fled just like Zechariah said all of My disciples would. None had the intestinal fortitude to stand by Me in those darkest hours. They had all witnessed crucifixions. They had all seen the floggings and beatings inflicted by the Romans. They knew what could happen if they didn’t escape … and quickly. So they ran. All of them.

It was partly because of Peter’s experience he became such a fervish missionary for Me. Once he learned to lean upon Me and trust in My strength instead of his own, Peter discovered he could keep his promise and not fear physical death. Once Peter saw Me after My resurrection and had My Spirit living in him, he knew nothing could keep him from following Me wherever I led him. Even to the cross where he requested he be crucified upside-down because he felt he didn’t deserve to die the same way I did.

What was the change in Peter? The upper room was the change. He and those who spent time with him in that room waited for the third person of the triune Godhead to invade their lives. The Holy Spirit came to them after they prayed through. What does that mean? They gave up everything. They emptied themselves of self and let Me have control of their lives. They vowed to do what I asked them to do…whatever it might be or whatever it might cost. Peter and those with him held nothing back.

You can do the same. It’s not just the words, “I give myself to you,” though. It means you have to really do it. You really pray through and give Me everything…everything. It’s not always easy to give everything up, but you must give Me everything if you expect to have the strength of those like Peter, Paul, James, John, and so many others through the centuries.

Peter couldn’t keep his promises until I lived within him. Neither will you. But once you let Me transform you with My mighty power, there is nothing impossible through Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God knows your thoughts (Mark 12:1-12), November 2, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 12:1-12

Set – Job 23; Mark 12

Go! – Job 23-24; Mark 11-12

Mark 12:1-12
¹ Then He told a story.
Jesus: There was a man who established a vineyard. He put up a wall around it to fence it in; he dug a pit for a winepress; he built a watchtower. When he had finished this work, he leased the vineyard to some tenant farmers and went away to a distant land.
² When the grapes were in season, he sent a slave to the vineyard to collect his rent—his share of the fruit. ³ But the farmers grabbed the slave, beat him, and sent him back to his master empty-handed. ⁴ The owner sent another slave, and this slave the farmers beat over the head and sent away dishonored. ⁵ A third slave, the farmers killed. This went on for some time, with the farmers beating some of the messengers and killing others until the owner had lost all patience. ⁶ He had a son whom he loved above all things, and he said to himself, “When these thugs see my son, they’ll know he carries my authority. They’ll have to respect him.”
⁷ But when the tenant farmers saw the owner’s son coming, they said among themselves, “Look at this! It’s the son, the heir to this vineyard. If we kill him, then the land will be ours!” ⁸ So they seized him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.
⁹ Now what do you suppose the owner will do when he hears of this? He’ll come and destroy these farmers, and he’ll give the land to others.
¹⁰ Haven’t you read the Scriptures? As the psalmist says,
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very stone that holds together the entire foundation.
¹¹ This is the work of the Eternal One,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
¹² The priests, scribes, temple leaders, and elders knew the story was directed against them. They couldn’t figure out how to lay their hands on Jesus then because they were afraid the people would rise up against them. So they left Him alone, and they went away furious.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

The Pharisees and their cronies have been working behind the scenes to try to get Me alone to kill Me. They think their plans are secret, known only to the select few who plotted My execution by their hands. Since they think My statements blashemous, they certainly cannot understand I know their thoughts and know the plans they laid out for Me. I know they wanted to stone Me in Nazareth. I know they wanted to destroy Me in the Temple on the day I healed the man with the withered hand. I know they wished Me dead when I told the paralyzed man to pick up his mat and walk away on the Sabbath.

I broke their rules and helped people understand what God meant by the laws He gave Moses on Mount Sinai during those forty days on the mountain. I showed those who would listen that God is not just a God of love, but that God is love. His laws help people understand His love by showing you how much you need Him and how much He extends His grace and mercy to you to redeem you. In fact, God gives His greatest gift to redeem you – Himself.

The parable of the vineyard owner let the religious leaders around Me know I knew their thoughts. I didn’t need spies in their camp. I know everything they did and everything they were going to do. You read in the gospels where they tried to take Me several times, but they couldn’t until I let them because until the time was right, I wouldn’t let them. I knew what they were doing at every turn, because I’m God. I knew them better than they knew themselves.

I know you too. I know your thoughts and I know your actions. I know when you are passionate about following Me and when you just play the religious game with your words and actions. I know how you pray and how you listen to Me when I talk to you. I know when you try to do what I tell you and I know when you let Me give you My strength to help you through a task.

You can try to hide what you do, just like the Pharisees tried to hide their schemes from Me, but it won’t work for you, just like it didn’t work for them. They discovered I knew their plots and schemes when I gave them the parable of the killing of the vineyard owner’s son. You know because for 2,000 years you have had the witness of those who followed the truth of My word. Those who believe in Me for salvation can tell you I know their inmost thoughts before and after their salvation. But when you give your life to Me, I can transform your life and you’ll not need to try and hide from Me anymore. You can’t hide, anyway, so just quit trying. Come to Me and live in freedom.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Learn to let God work (Mark 9:1-29), November 1, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 9:1-29

Set – Psalms 121; Mark 9:1-29

Go! – Psalms 121; Mark 9-10

Mark 9:1-29
Jesus: ¹Truly, some of you who are here now will not experience death before you see the kingdom of God coming in glory and power.
² Six days after saying this, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up onto a high mountaintop by themselves. There He was transformed ³ so that His clothing became intensely white, brighter than any earthly cleaner could bleach them. ⁴ Elijah and Moses appeared to them and talked with Jesus.
Peter (to Jesus): ⁵ Teacher, it’s a great thing that we’re here. We should build three shelters here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
⁶He was babbling and did not know what he was saying because they were terrified by what they were witnessing.
⁷ Then a cloud surrounded them, and they heard a voice within that cloud.
Voice: This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him.
⁸ All of a sudden, they looked about and all they had seen was gone. They stood alone on the mountain with Jesus.
⁹ On their way back down, He urged them not to tell anyone what they had witnessed until the Son of Man had risen from the dead, ¹⁰ so they kept it all to themselves.
Disciples (to one another): What does He mean, “Until the Son of Man is risen”? ¹¹ (to Jesus) Master, why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?
Jesus (thinking of John the Baptist): ¹² Elijah does come first to restore all things. They have it right. But there is something else written in the Scriptures about the Son of Man: He will have to suffer and be rejected. ¹³ Here’s the truth: Elijah has come; his enemies treated him with contempt and did what they wanted to him, just as it was written.
¹⁴ When they reached the rest of the disciples, Jesus saw that a large crowd had gathered and that among them the scribes were asking questions. ¹⁵ Right when the crowd saw Jesus, they were overcome with awe and surged forward immediately, nearly running over the disciples.
Jesus (to the scribes): ¹⁶ What are you debating with My disciples? What would you like to know?
Father (in the crowd): ¹⁷ Teacher, I have brought my son to You. He is filled with an unclean spirit. He cannot speak, ¹⁸ and when the spirit takes control of him, he is thrown to the ground to wail and moan, to foam at the mouth, to grind his teeth, and to stiffen up. I brought him to Your followers, but they could do nothing with him. Can You help us?
Jesus: ¹⁹ O faithless generation, how long must I be among you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.
²⁰ They brought the boy toward Jesus; but as soon as He drew near, the spirit took control of the boy and threw him on the ground, where he rolled, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus (to the father): ²¹ How long has he been like this?
Father: Since he was a baby. ²² This spirit has thrown him often into the fire and sometimes into the water, trying to destroy him. I have run out of options; I have tried everything. But if there’s anything You can do, please, have pity on us and help us.
Jesus: ²³ What do you mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe.
Father (crying in desperation): ²⁴ I believe, Lord. Help me to believe!
²⁵ Jesus noticed that a crowd had gathered around them now. He issued a command to the unclean spirit.
Jesus: Listen up, you no-talking, no-hearing demon. I Myself am ordering you to come out of him now. Come out, and don’t ever come back!
²⁶ The spirit shrieked and caused the boy to thrash about; then it came out of the boy and left him lying as still as death. Many of those in the crowd whispered that he was dead. ²⁷ But Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him to his feet.
²⁸ Later He and His disciples gathered privately in a house.
Disciples (to Jesus): Why couldn’t we cast out that unclean spirit?
Jesus: ²⁹ That sort of powerful spirit can only be conquered with much prayer and fasting.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Prayer and fasting. The secret to doing miraculous things in My name is to stay connected intimately with Me through prayer and fasting. The disciples who tried to expel the demon from the young man couldn’t do it because of their limited connection with Me. They didn’t have the deep connection that comes from knowing Me intimately.

Does that mean you must memorize every word of every book of the Bible? No, but you should read it. Read it through from cover to cover. It really isn’t that long, you know. In most translations, the Bible is only 1500 pages. That’s less than five average-sized novels. I guarantee you’ll get more out of My 1500 pages than you’ll ever get out of five novels.

Then talk to Me and use the time you would spend doing something else with Me. Fast for Me. In My time on earth, it often meant fasting from food because the time spent preparing meals for a day, eating, and cleaning up meant a great deal of time. Then you killed the animal, slaughtered it, roasted it, baked bread, and the process to eat took six to eight hours from start to finish. Fasting that time for Me meant spending that time with Me instead of spending it on the routine of preparing food and eating it.

What do you routinely that you can give up for Me? Maybe it’s a few hours of television each week. Maybe it’s those extra holes of golf or that Saturday afternoon ball game. Maybe it is a meal or two. The point is, spend time with Me and get to know Me. That’s how you learn to let Me work through you to do My will for others.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.