Category Archives: Christian

Learn from Job’s experience (Job 42), November 13, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Job 42

Set – Job 42; 1 Corinthians 14

Go! – Job 42; 1 Corinthians 13-14

Job 42
¹ Job answered the Eternal One.
² Job: I know You can do everything;
nothing You do can be foiled or frustrated.
³ You asked,
“Who is this that conceals counsel with empty words void of knowledge?”
And now I see that I spoke of—but did not comprehend—
great wonders that are beyond me. I didn’t know.
⁴ You said, “Hear Me now, and I will speak.
I’ll be asking the questions, and you will supply the answers.”
⁵ Before I knew only what I had heard of You,
but now I have seen You.
⁶ Therefore I realize the truth:
I disavow and mourn all I have said
and repent in dust and ash.
⁷ After the Eternal had spoken these words to Job, He turned and spoke to Eliphaz from Teman.
Eternal One: My anger is burning against you and your two friends because you have not spoken rightly of Me, as My servant Job has. ⁸ So now, gather your friends and bring seven bulls and seven rams. Then go to My servant Job, make a burnt offering for yourselves, and he will pray for you. I will accept his prayer. Despite the fact that you have not spoken rightly of Me, as My servant Job did, I will not deal with you according to your foolish ways.
⁹ So Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuhah, and Zophar from Naamath went and did as the Eternal commanded, and He accepted Job’s prayer for them.
¹⁰ The Eternal restored the fortunes of Job after he prayed for his friends; He even doubled the wealth he had before. ¹¹ All of his brothers and sisters, along with those he had known earlier, came and shared meals with him at his house. They sympathized with him and consoled him regarding the great distress the Eternal had brought on him. Each guest gave him a sum of money and each, a golden ring. ¹² The Eternal One blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than the first part. He went on to possess 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. ¹³ He also fathered 7 more sons and 3 more daughters. ¹⁴ He named his first daughter Jemimah, his second Keziah, and his third Keren-happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land could one find women as captivatingly beautiful as Job’s daughters, or as independently wealthy: their father gave them each a share of the family inheritance along with their brothers. ¹⁶ After all this, Job lived 140 years. He lived to see his children and their children and so on, to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ Then Job died, old, and satisfied with his days.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

When Job came to know Me instead of knowing about Me, he fell with his face in the dust in repentance. He Mourned all the things he had said about Me, but I understood all the things he had said. I understood his misunderstandings and his feelings. I understood what he was thinking and why he felt abandoned by Me. He didn’t need forgiveness from Me. He did nothing wrong. I knew his heart and he still stood righteous before Me.

His testing ended and was ready to restore his health and his fortune. First, I needed to deal with his misguided “friends”. They thought they knew better than Job and tried their best to get him to confess to things he never did. They tried to get him to tell them of some hidden sin Job never committed. But Job held on to his integrity and maintained his innocence even under such extraordinary pressure. So I refused to even listen to his friends prayers. I would not accept their sacrifices. I didn’t want to hear their excuses or their confessions. I couldn’t stand to hear their voices.

I came to their informal leader, Eliphaz, and told him to gather his friends and have Job pray for them. Only then would I consider bringing them back into favor with Me. Consider the humility with which the three of them approached Job after coming to him for months looking for him to repent. Now the tables were turned and they heard My voice from heaven commanding them to plead for Job to intercede for them. Image their state of mind at that point. The three of them came to Job with their pious reasoning, their sure stand on religious principles, and now they grovel before him asking for his forgiveness so they can receive Mine.

Imagine Job’s feelings. Many would love to refuse them. To let them wallow in their misery. Many would let them continue to live in their guilt and refuse to forgive them for the pain they caused through their months of questioning and their refusal to believe in his innocence, their pious words, their cutting accusations. But Job does what he has done for a lifetime – Job forgives. He makes a special sacrifice for his three friends so they may find My grace and mercy.

I knew Job would act on their behalf because I knew Job’s character. He had suffered enough. I restored his family and doubled his wealth. Not because I had to and not because Job expected it. But because I wanted to reward his faithfulness. Learn from Job’s faithfulness. It’s not just a good story.

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.

Your talents are important (1 Corinthians 12:1-11), November 12, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Set – Job 40; 1 Corinthians 12

Go! – Job 40-41; 1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:1-11
¹ Now let me turn to some issues about spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters. There’s much you need to learn.
² Remember the way you used to live when you were pagans apart from God? You were engrossed—enchanted with voiceless idols, led astray by mere images carved by human hands. ³ With that in mind, I want you to understand that no one saying “Jesus is cursed” is operating under God’s Spirit, and no one confessing “Jesus is Lord” can do so without the Holy Spirit’s inspiration.
⁴ Now there are many kinds of grace gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. ⁵ There are many different ways to serve, but they’re all directed by the same Lord. ⁶ There are many amazing working gifts in the church, but it is the same God who energizes them all in all who have the gifts.⁷ Each believer has received a gift that manifests the Spirit’s power and presence. That gift is given for the good of the whole community. ⁸ The Spirit gives one person a word of wisdom, but to the next person the same Spirit gives a word of knowledge. ⁹ Another will receive the gift of faith by the same Spirit, and still another gifts of healing—all from the one Spirit. ¹⁰ One person is enabled by the Spirit to perform miracles, another to prophesy, while another is enabled to distinguish those prophetic spirits. The next one speaks in various kinds of unknown languages, while another is able to interpret those languages. ¹¹ One Spirit works all these things in each of them individually as He sees fit.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

So many people confuse the gifts I give you to carry out the tasks I have for you. Why would I give everyone the same gift? What purpose would that serve in the world? I have given a multitude of gifts to a multitude of people. I find you also envy the gifts I give to some and not to others. You wonder why you do not have particular gifts. You wonder why I give some gifts to one person and not to others or to you.

Don’t you think I know what I’m doing when I distribute My gifts among you? I have a purpose and a plan for each person and I give you the gifts and talents you need to carry out that plan. I don’t expect you to complete anyone else’s task so you don’t need the gifts meant for someone else. Does that make sense to you? If not, let Me explain it another way.

When your house was built an entire team of builders with different skills came together to make it happen. First, an architect drew the plans for the building. An engineer used his skills to mark the property and give heavy equipment operators the exact spots to dig the space for the house, pour the concrete footings, and lay in the foundation upon which others would build. Plumbers and electricians made sure pipes and conduit went into the foundation at just the right places as it was poured so everything below ground was ready.

Framers quickly erected the outer structure of the house, the skeleton on which everything else rests. Roofers covered the top and put on the shingles to keep out the rain and the framers put the sheeting on the outside. Masons came into the picture next worked on the outside putting up the bring or stone to make it begin to look like a house as plumbers connected pipes to all the places water would run throughout the house. Electricians ran wire and cables throughout the house and insulation went into the interior walls. Heat and air experts put in the vents throughout the house.

Now the sheetrock crew comes in. The interior walls go in and these experts begin to finish the walls by sealing and sanding all the seams and corners. Finish carpenters start all the door frames, cabinets, molding, and staircases. Painters cover all the walls and ceilings. Carpet layers and experts with flooring lay tile or wood in appropriate areas. Electricians finish their work connecting all the switches and plugs, putting in the stove, oven, any other appliances and light fixtures. Plumbers install sinks, showers, and tubs.

Finally the general contractor finishes his inspections and turns the house over to the realtor to sell the house to you. Dozens of people with the right skills put your house together to make it liveable for you. Each had different skills. Not one of them could have made your house like it is. None of them are skilled in all the areas needed to build your house. It took the whole team with all of their separate gifts to make the home you inhabit.

So it is with the work I have for you. You don’t know the final plan I have for the world I created. You get glimpses by the words I left with you, but you only see the part of the plan I have for you just as the electrician only sees the pages of the blueprint he needs to build your house. He doesn’t get the whole set. He doesn’t need the whole set. Neither do you need to see the whole picture of what I plan for the work I have in store for My people. Just be content with the gifts I’ve given you and understand that your part is necessary. Then do your tasks well. Use the gifts I’ve given you, knowing that the tasks I’ve given you are an essential part of My plan.

Just like every talent that went into the building of your house is important, so the gifts I give to every person are important in the execution of the plans I have for this world and the next. Work diligently for Me so that at the end of time, I can say to you, “Enter in, good and faithful servant.”

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.

Start your journey with God (Psalm 122), November 11, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 122

Set – Psalms 122; 1 Corinthians 10

Go! – Psalms 122; 1 Corinthians 9-11

Psalms 122
¹ I was so happy when my fellow pilgrims said,
“Let’s go to the house of the Eternal!”
² We have made the journey, and now we are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
³ Jerusalem! What a magnificent city!
Buildings so close together, so compact.
⁴ God’s people belong here. Every tribe of the Eternal
makes its way to Jerusalem—
Just as God decreed for Israel
to come together and give thanks to the Eternal.
⁵In Jerusalem, justice is the order of the day because there sit the judges
and kings, the descendants of David.
⁶ Ask heaven to grant peace to Jerusalem:
“May those who love you prosper.
⁷ O Jerusalem, may His peace fill this entire city!
May this citadel be quiet and at ease!”
⁸ It’s because of people—my family, friends, and acquaintances—
that I say, “May peace permeate you.”
⁹And because the house of Eternal One, our God, is here, know this:
I will always seek your good!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Do you get excited the way David does when you go to church? David wrote this psalm for those who journeyed to Jerusalem to worship Me. He remembered the excitement of approaching the city and seeing the buildings gleaming in the sun as he turned the bend in the road and saw the city on the side of the mountain. David thrilled with the thought of coming to My city to worship Me. Every time he Jerusalem to do battle or to take care of some part of the kingdom, he longed for the thrill of coming home to see the beautiful city of Zion set on the hill for My glory.

You hear it in his song. He gave this song to the people of Israel to sing on their way to the city when they came to worship Me. When they joined together to lift their voices in praise, they began to think about worship well before they entered the city, well before they came to the tabernacle. They came to the city expectantly. As they gathered along the roads on the journey, families would meet each other and take up the song.

Enthusiasm would build the closer the people came to the city. They waved palm branches in the air, they sang songs of joy. They lifted My name as they came through the gates and approached the tabernacle to bring their sacrifices to Me. Joy filled their hearts well before they came to the tabernacle because they began to worship well before they came to the tabernacle. They sang and praised and prayed and lifted their voices to Me all along their journey to Jerusalem. They worshiped together long before their feet hit the city streets. They worshiped together and prepared their hearts all along the way.

When the people finally reached the tabernacle brought to Jerusalem, the people already had their hearts and minds set on Me. They already prepared themselves well in advance of their arrival and getting to the tabernacle just continued their celebration. They were ready to see Me and experience My glory because they prepared for it all the time they traveled from their home to get to the tabernacle.

So how about you? Do you prepare to meet with Me when you come to worship? Do you sing and praise and pray on your journey from your home to the place you will gather with others to worship Me? Do you come enthusiastically to the place where you will experience My glory and present yourself to Me as a living sacrifice so I may bless you and your family as you worship with those of like mind with Me? Is your journey a chore? A bore? Or an enthusiastic joy knowing you have an opportunity to meet with Me again?

You might try what the early Israelites did on your next trip to church. Sing and praise Me on the way. Get prepared to meet Me before you come. Worship Me along the way. You’ll be surprised what it does to the rest of your day when you start your journey with 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.

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.