Tag Archives: choices

Choices, choices, choices! (Romans 11:25-36), May 30, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Romans 11:25-36
Set – Proverbs 14; Romans 11
Go! – Proverbs 13-15; Romans 11

Romans 11:25-36
25\ My brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be in the dark about this mystery—I am going to let you in on the plan so that you will not think too highly of yourselves. A part of Israel has been hardened to the good news until the full number of those outside the Jewish family have entered in. 26 This is the way that all of Israel will be saved. As it was written, so it also stands:

The Deliverer will come from Zion;
He will drive away wickedness from Jacob.
27 And this is My covenant promise to them,
on the day when I take away their sins.
28 It may seem strange. When it comes to the work of the gospel, the fact that they oppose it is actually for your benefit. But when you factor in God’s election, they are truly loved because they descended from faithful forefathers. 29 You see, when God gives a grace gift and issues a call to a people, He does not change His mind and take it back. 30 There was a time when you outsiders were disobedient to God and at odds with His purpose, but now you have experienced mercy as a result of their disobedience. 31 In the same way, their disobedience now will make a way for them to receive mercy as a result of the mercy shown to you. 32 For God has assigned all of us together—Jews and non-Jews, insiders and outsiders—to disobedience so He can show His mercy to all.

33 We cannot wrap our minds around God’s wisdom and knowledge! Its depths can never be measured! We cannot understand His judgments or explain the mysterious ways that He works! For,

34 Who can fathom the mind of the Lord?
Or who can claim to be His advisor?
35 Or,

Who can give to God in advance
so that God must pay him back?
36 For all that exists originates in Him, comes through Him, and is moving toward Him; so give Him the glory forever. Amen.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Centuries ago I gave a wanderer named Abraham a mission. I asked him to uproot his family and travel to a place he’d never been before. I asked him to follow My directions and I would make his family more numerous than the stars in the sky. I promised him all nations of the world would be blessed through him.

Abraham did what I asked, mostly. He erred along the way and some of the blessings I wanted to give to other nations were curtailed because of his failure to remain completely honest with those leaders. Still his family grew and through his children the world was blessed.

His descendants had the same mission, to bless others through following My directives, My instructions. They forgot their mission, though. They became selfish and hoarded My love instead of spreading it to others. They failed to spread My grace generously and suffered for it.

I came in the flesh to redeem My people once again. I died as a sacrifice for them and for the rest of humankind. I wanted all the nations to understand My desire to bring everyone into a relationship with Me. They didn’t understand My message or My mission and put Me on a cross.

The circumstances that played out from those faithful few that listened to My message and believed in Me spread My good news across Asia Minor, Africa, and Europe and within not long a span all around the globe. Persecution drove My children from one city to another but they couldn’t help but tell the story to others and the news spread.

As My chosen nation rejected Me, My good news spread to every other nation and thousands accepted Me as Lord and Savior. And the number of people who believe in Me continues to grow as persecution continues. There has never been more persecution than today. There have never been more Christian martyrs than today. I’m not talking about name calling or legislation not going your way.

The persecution I’m talking about takes the form of beatings, taking homes, businesses, even children from parents because of believing in Me. Look at what ISIS does to believers. That’s persecution. Look at what Christians face in Somalia. That’s persecution. It happens all over the world. People sold out to Me willingly lose everything because they know what happens next.

Abraham, My Apostles, those in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, and thousands since discovered the joy of serving Me in the face of severe persecution. They knew the short time of suffering in this life is nothing compared to the reward they receive in following Me. It’s time to choose which side you will live on – Mine or the world’s. One leads to eternal life, one leads to never ending death and destruction. I think it’s an easy choice. My followers know they made the right choice.

Which path will you follow? Time is running out to decide.

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.

Wisdom comes from God or experience (Proverbs 2), May 26, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


Subscribe in: iTunes|Download

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Proverbs 2
Set – Proverbs 2; Romans 7
Go! – Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Proverbs 2
1My son, if you accept what I am telling you
and store my counsel and directives deep within you,
2 If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her,
and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you,
3 If you cry out to her for insight
and beg for understanding,
4 If you sift through the clamor of everything around you
to seek her like some precious prize,
to search for her like buried treasure;
5 Then you will grasp what it means to truly respect the Eternal,
and you will have discovered the knowledge of the one True God.
6 The Eternal is ready to share His wisdom with us,
for His words bring true knowledge and insight;
7 He has stored up the essentials of sound wisdom for those who do right;
He acts as a shield for those who value integrity.
8 God protects the paths of those who pursue justice,
watching over the lives of those who keep faith with Him.
9 With this wisdom you will be able to choose the right road,
seek justice, and decide what is good and fair
10 Because wisdom will penetrate deep within
and knowledge will become a good friend to your soul.
11 Sound judgment will stand guard over you,
and understanding will watch over you as the Lord promised.
12 Wisdom will keep you from following the way of evildoers,
of those who twist words to pervert the truth,
13 Of those who reject the right road
for a darker, more sinister way of life,
14 Of those who enjoy evil
and pursue perverse pleasures,
15 Of those who journey down a crooked path,
constantly figuring out new ways to trick and deceive others.
16 Wisdom will pluck you from the trap of a seductive woman,
from the enticing propositions of the adulteress
17 Who chose to leave the husband of her youth,
to forget her sacred promises to her God;
18 For her house is on the road that leads to death,
and her path goes down to the shadowy pit.
19 Those who go to her will never return;
they will never again find their way back to true life.
20 As for you, you should walk like those who are good
and keep to the paths of those who love justice,
21 For those who live right will remain in the land
and those with integrity will endure here.
22 But not the wicked; they will be forced out and banned from this promised land,
and those who deal in deceit will be plucked up like weeds.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Wisdom is such an important quality to obtain but so few possess it. Those who declare they have wisdom usually don’t and those who thirst for it and seek it with their whole being usually have more than they think they do. Wisdom eludes many because they fail to work hard enough to obtain it. They just sit back and let life roll over them without a care in the world and take whatever life brings. No plans. No provision for the future. No expectation of anything other than come what may.

Wisdom operates in a different mode. Wisdom hopes for the best, but plans for the worst. She expects adversity and prepares for it, but makes an effort to avoid adversity through her diligence and shaping the future in ways to change the “inevitable”. Wisdom works with Me because she knows that with Me all things are possible.

But wisdom mostly concerns herself with right and wrong, justice for the downtrodden. Wisdom takes you down the right paths of life making right decisions with eternal consequences. The foolish, choose for the moment without regard for the future. Momentary pleasure drives the thoughts of the foolish instead of eternal reward. Wisdom asks you to store up treasures in heaven where rust and moths don’t corrupt it, whether monetary, relationship, character building or whatever.

It isn’t easy to gain wisdom, but it isn’t that hard either. This issue comes down to who controls your life. Do you control it or do you let Me control it. When you let loose of the throne of your life and turn over control to Me, I give you wisdom. I help you make right choices. I put you on the right road. I help you select the right treasures. I help you steer away from the momentary pleasures that trap you into Satan’s schemes and help you make choices for eternal investments. I give you real wisdom.

Two things give you wisdom, understanding from Me and the school of experience. From which would you prefer to learn? If you’ll listen to Me, you can avoid the pain and suffering that accompanies the experiences of poor, selfish choices. Choosing Me will result in experiences far less painful than the hard knocks of life and guarantee eternal rewards in heaven. It’s an easy choice to make. The world will tell you it’s not such an easy choice to follow, but then the world doesn’t have Me on its side. 

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.