JUNE ARCHIVES
June 1st
Psalm 119: 142
Thy
righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Outlook from the In Book
How long can you be perfect? OK, that’s a hard one, how about this. How long can you be really good? How long can you live without any sin in your life at all? Could you live that way for a year? Probably not. How about a month? That is only 30 days (for most months). Still too long? Ok let’s go for a week. Just seven 24-hour days. Think you can handle that? NO? How about one 24-hour day? Just one day. Still too long to live without any sin at all? How about one hour? Sixty minutes. Too many minutes you say? How about 1 minute? Just 60 seconds. We kind of get the idea that living with no sin entering our life is a difficult task. But Jesus lived a completely sinless life. And God’s righteousness or sinless perfection is forever. FOREVER! Wow! And the great news is we can be made righteous. We can be found in the righteousness of Jesus, and can be presented to the Father in His Sons sinless perfection. All we need to do is accept Him as Lord and Saviour.
Let’s serve God the best we can today, and live in His righteousness.
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June 2nd
Proverbs 2:4-5
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Outlook from the In Book
As the
Pastor of a local church, I can not tell you the number of times I have heard a
mother or father say, “If they would have only listened, I tried to warn them.”
I can’t recall the number of messages preached on obedience to God, only to find
someone trapped in the grips of sin latter, and I have thought, “If they would
have just listened to the message.” All too often we find people who have ran
from the truth and destroyed their lives and are now in seemingly helpless
conditions. And I wonder if they are not saying in their heart, “I wish I had
listened when I had the chance.”
I have a bit
of good news for you today. If you’re still breathing and can read this
devotional, there is still hope for you. No matter your condition today or your
sense of hopelessness, God is still in control. Jesus is the same forever. He
still loves you just as you are. And still want to make something of your life
right where it is. If you have been struggling with the temptations of this
world, Jesus understands the torment that you are going through. He is waiting
to change your life if you will but give it to Him completely. The question
again today is …. Will you listen NOW?
Today is the day of salvation. Make your life count for the Kingdom of God. Give yourself completely to Him and watch Him do miracles in your life. You can almost hear God leaning down from heaven and asking … “Can you hear me know?”
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June 3rd
Titus 2:13-14
Looking
for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works.
Outlook from the In Book
Several
times a year we will have guest speakers at our church. Missionaries or
Evangelists will come in and God will use them to encourage us as a church.
Sometimes we put these speakers up in a local motel.
One year we
were having revival meetings at our church. We had spent a lot of time and
energy promoting this particular week and a well know evangelist. The week had
come and I was waiting him to arrive. I thought he had said he would be here at
one time, and he thought he had said another. Needless to say I was getting
anxious for his arrival. I was sure he was going to be here soon. I checked the
motel, I checked the room he was to stay in, I checked my cell phone, answering
machine and caller ID. I tried reaching him but his cell phone was not on. So I
waited and waited and waited what seemed to be an eternity. But never once did I
ever think to give up on him arriving. Never once did I quit praying for his
safe arrival and the revival for the next week. Why? I believed he was coming.
He said he would.
It has been a
long time coming, but I have never quit believing that one day Jesus will return
again also. Why? He said He would.
I continue to look for Jesus as if he could arrive today. He could you know? And I will never quit praying for that day or those that are still unsaved. Why? Because He said He was coming and I believe Him.
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June 4th
1 Chronicles 6:31-32
And
these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD,
after that the ark had rest. And they ministered before the dwelling place of
the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the
house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according
to their order.
Outlook from the In Book
Music plays
an important roll in the Bible. David, who was himself a musician and composer
of most of the Psalms, also played a part in bringing music into the formal
worship of God. Here he has assembled a choir to sing. Music continues
throughout the Bible to play a big part in worship. The disciples after the
Lord’s Supper closed with a Hymn (Mark 14:26). Paul and Silas were found praying
and singing praises to our God while in Jail (Acts 16:25). And even when the
roll is called up yonder we will here glorious singing on the shores of heaven
(Rev. 15:2-4).
Music
continues today to help us in sharing our deepest emotions to our heavenly
Father. We are told as the church in Colossians 3:16 Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to
the Lord. Music is a wonderful way for us to express our beliefs and
joys of our salvation. It is a tool given by God with which we can memorize the
Word of God and teach it to our children. So find your voice and sing the
praises of your King.
We need to remember that music is only one way to worship God. But we also need to remember that music IS ONE WAY to worship. Whatever and however we share in music, it should be in worshipful reverence to our God who gave us this wonderful gift.
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June 5th
Psalm 121: 7, 8
The
LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD
shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even
for evermore.
Outlook from the In Book
People don’t
do as much canning as they did when I was younger. I remember summers when my
mother would work in the kitchen boiling tomatoes. It was already hot, and now
she was boiling tomatoes. When the tomatoes had cooked just so long she would
skin them and place them in jars and then screw a special lid on the jars. Then
she would place the jars back in this cooker and keep cooking them. This sealed
the jar for storage. These tomatoes, green beans, peaches or whatever she canned
that way were preserved for a latter date. And they stayed good until someone
broke the seal on the jar. And the jars were burglar proof. If you tried to open
them before mom said you could the lid would make a loud POP noise and you would
get caught. But as long as they were held in that jar they stayed good.
Our verses
today say that God also preserves us. Placing us in His Son Jesus, He preserves
us from evil. Satan can not have us any longer. The old devil can pick at us and
torment us, but we are safe inside the preserving care of Jesus. Not only while
here, but the verses say He preserves our very soul. And for how long will that
be good? Just what the text says, for evermore. It’s not up to me or my powers.
It’s all about the preserving power of God. And who may I ask is stronger or
more powerful than God? Are you? Am I? Is Satan? No, No one is. How could I
possibly lose that salvation?
The saving grace of Jesus is eternal. The protecting power of God is everlasting. I have been preserved by God for His Son Jesus through the daily power of the Holy Spirit. O how great salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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June 6th
Proverbs 6:20
My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Outlook from the In Book
Every child
in the world has heard the words, “Listen to your Mother, or Father” at one time
or another. And we usually heard it when we most likely did not want to. Why?
Because it seemed they were trying to keep us from having fun. Don’t do this,
don’t do that, clean this, put that away, come here, and go there. It seemed
like a never-ending list of to do’s and don’ts. Why do they do that? There are
three reasons for sure.
1. They most likely have been there - done that. I know it’s hard to
imagine these old old people understanding where you’re at. But trust me (a
middle age person) they do. They have either been there, or saw someone that has
been there. Or maybe they were fortunate enough to have a mom and dad that had
warned them about being there. Anyway we look at it they are trying to lovingly
protect us. Which brings us to point number two.
2. They don’t want you to suffer through old mistakes. Why does it seem
so important to them when it seems so minor to you? Because they know the end of
it all. How? Lets just say they were not always grown ups, ok! And lastly.
3. They only want what’s best for you. I know it sound cliché but it is
true. Parents always want to see their children do great. ALWAYS.
So next time mom and dad start in with ___ do this or ___ do that (Put in your
name) See if you can’t hear at the end of the phrase, because I really Love you.
Parents are a wonderful gift from God. Godly parents are the best. If you have unsaved parents, pray God will use you as a testimony to them. If you’re parents are saved, thank God for them. And tell them occasionally you love them too.
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June 7th
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Outlook from the In Book
The “Fear Of The Lord” is such a misunderstood phrase. Some people literally live in fear of God. I mean a literal “I Am Afraid of Him” type fear. They go day to day believing that God is up there in heaven just waiting and watching and as soon as they make a mistake… Whamo... they are in for it. I picture them sort of like the whack a mole game you see at the fair. You get a large mallet and are given just so much time to whack as many of these plastic moles in the head as they pop their heads out of one hole after another. Some people live as if they make one mistake in life that God is waiting up there in heaven with this Huge Holy Mallet ready to whack them in the head and take away their salvation. What a terrible way to have to live. Afraid of someone that loves you so much. God never intended for us to live in a spirit of fear. We are to live in the Power of God, With Love and a Sound Mind. Let this mind be in you…. The Mind of Christ.
Don’t live in a frightened fear of God. Live in a reverence of who He is. Not afraid… but in Awe. And remember this. This powerful awesome God…loves you personally.
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June 8th
Proverbs 8:17
I
love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Outlook from the In Book
God says He
loves them that love Him. That could be understood as He shows love to those
that show love Him. It’s so good to have God showing His love to us. But wait;
there is another promise here also. Those who seek Him early will find Him. What
does that mean?
Early In
Life? When is the right time to get saved? RIGHT NOW! Today is the right
time to seek God’s forgiveness. Is this early in life? It’s earlier than
tomorrow. The greatest blessings are available to those who have known the Lord
the longest. God can and does give blessings to all, but the longer we know Him
the more opportunities He has to bless us.
Early In
The Day? I believe that if you begin your day with God you have a much
better day. Let Him speak to you out of His Word and guide you with His wisdom.
It just makes sense to seek Him early since He knows what the day already holds
in store for you.
Early In
The Week? Yes. Acts 20:7 says, And upon the first day of the week,
when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached.. Early
in Church History believers gathered on the day Jesus rose from the tomb. 1
Corinthians 16:2 says Upon the first day of the week let every one of you
lay by him in store,… And they continued this practice as we do today.
The first day of the week is Sunday. Not just the morning the whole day. We
should be in church seeking God and His wisdom on The Lords Day. Sunday.
Why? Because
He shows love to those that love Him and if you seek Him early in Life, In the
day, and the week He says you will find Him.
If you don’t know Christ, today is the day to ask Him into your heart. If you do, meet with Him early in the day and be sure to attend His Church this Sunday. (Both services) After all it is HIS DAY, not just HIS MORNING.
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June 9th
Psalm 127:3
Lo,
children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Outlook from the In Book
Miracles, Sign, Wonders, Marvelous Things. These are all statements used when something happens that we cannot explain or it seems to be Divinely given. People have flocked from all over the world to see what is believed to be apparitions of the Mother Mary in everything from window glass, statues of her crying what has been called real tears, pieces of wood that seemed to have her picture in it naturally, and the list goes on and on. People flock into the Miracle Crusades of Benny Hinn to witness what they believe might be a miracle. But true miracles seem to go unnoticed every single day. In fact some feel they have the right to erase these miracles from the pages of history. What am I referring to? Children. The greatest miracle next to salvation I believe has to be the birth of a new life into this world. God sends to us what He calls a heritage of the Lord. Or in other words an inheritance from God. These are God’s little children that He has entrusted to us. What are we doing with His little children? Can we erase them from history with abortion? NO because we have sent them back to Him. History is HIS Story. The story that God is telling in time. How disappointed He must be to have these gifts He has given with love to us, returned unloved by us. And we ourselves were once that same gift given with love to another. Aren’t you glad God’s gift of you was not returned?
Pray today for your children and the children of others. And thank God for the miracles setting at the dinner tables around the world tonight. Pray they receive all the love that God intended for them.
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June 10th
1 Chronicles 19:2
And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.
Outlook from the In Book
“It’s my life, I’ll live it anyway I want to.” Ever heard anything like that? Or How about, “I can do whatever I please, who is it hurting anyway?” Some people feel as though they live in a vacuum. That what they do or say has no effect on them or anyone else. The truth is, what we do and say effects us, the people around us, the people we are associated with, our family and more. Here we find David was being kind to someone not because of him, but because of his father’s kindness toward him. It has been said that every person in the world has some type of influence on about 250 people. If this is true and those 250 people also have an affect on 250 each, and those 250 have an effect on 250 more, well you can see where that is going. You may well be impacting thousands of lives that you never have meet. What you do and say and who you are matters. It matters to lots of people, and it matters to God.
If you had a son or daughter and people treated them according to how you treated others, how would your children be treated?
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June 11th
2 Peter 2:13
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Outlook from the In Book
The Bible
talks of Jesus presenting to His Father, God, a Bride without spot or wrinkle.
Unblemished. Many of us look and say how can that be? I know that within me
there are what could be considered spots and wrinkles. And if it were all about
just you or just me there would be a problem. But this is not speaking of
personal sanctification only. It is Bridal Sanctification. You are part of the
Bride of Christ if you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and you are made
righteous in Him. Not personal perfection, bridal perfection.
Does this
give you the liberty to live any way you want to? YES. IT DOES. The question
that has to be asked is, how do you want to live? There are rewards awaiting the
Bride in heaven, and rewards here and now for a life lived for Christ today.
However, if you want to live like the world, act like the world, look like the
world, you are more than likely of the world. But the Bible tells of rewards for
you too. But they are not very good rewards… oh yes,… and they’re not in heaven.
Don’t play games with God.
He knows if you’re for real, or just pretending. He knows, and you know. And the
Bible is written so we all can know.
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June 12th
1 Chronicles 23:3-5
Now
the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their
number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. Of which,
twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the
LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: Moreover four thousand were
porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made,
said David, to praise therewith.
Outlook from the In Book
All the Levite Priests were numbered. What does that really mean? It means that they were each one counted and placed in with a group of men that had the same function in the House of the Lord as they did. For example, some were called to study and teach in the Lords house. Some we see were called to council with others as officers and judges in the House of the Lord. Some of the priests were porters or better known as gatekeepers. These men allowed access to areas and restricted access to other areas of the temple and on some occasions were the collectors of the tithes and the money that was brought into the temple. Some of the priests were designated to be musicians. To bring musical praise to our Lord. Every priest was given something to do. Not one was allowed to do nothing. And nothing has changed except that now, you are part of God’s Royal priesthood according to 1 Peter 2:9. It’s your responsibility to be busy about the work of the Lord. Not one person should be allowed to do nothing.
You might begin today and pray, “Oh Lord make me the best at what I do for you right now” or “give me something to do to glorify you oh Lord.” Lets be busy about our Heavenly Fathers business.
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June
13th
Psalm
132:3-5
Surely
I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will
not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I find out a
place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
Outlook from the In Book
A place for God to dwell. That is a very noble goal. To want to somehow produce a place to house our God. To show such love for Him that we would want to provide for Him a place to live. But what would you make it out of? David desired to build such a place, but God said no. God said his son Solomon would build it. So David started preparing for the day his son would build it. He began to secure the finest lumbers, and materials imaginable. Was that really good enough to be the dwelling place for our God? A place built out of tree’s He, God, had created, and gold rocks that He had formed. Doesn’t the God of Heaven deserve more? Mary and Joseph looked for a place for the Lord. They found a humble manger and placed Him in that. That surely is not a fitting place for the King of all Kings. But God did dwell in the temple made by human hands and God did dwell in the manger bed. Why? Because He chose to. He chose to in order to be close to you and I. And today He will take up residence in a new temple that you can prepare for Him. The temple of your heart. So what type of place are you making for the Lord of all Lords live in? It is your heart. Only you can clean it up for the Saviour of all times.
2 Corinthians 6:16 “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
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June 14th
Proverbs 14:25
A
true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
Outlook from the In Book
So what is a witness anyway? A witness is someone that has seen, heard, or felt something that they can honestly share. It is a person that can add credibility to something because they know first hand what they witnessed. Not hear say or gossip, or beliefs, or teaching. A witness is valuable for helping people find the truth. A true witness of their own salvation can save souls. Why? Because they can share exactly what they have witnessed in their own life. Telling someone about Jesus saving us from our sins and how we had our eyes opened and our heart relieved from the penalty of sins death. Telling how all things have become new as the bible says. Our perspective on sin has changed. Our destination and desires have changed. How do I know? Because I am a witness first hand in my life of the changing saving power of Jesus. But what if you don’t have a testimony? If you have no testimony, could it be you have never witnessed anything? Every true witness has a testimony of what they witnessed or they would not be called a witness right? Are you a witness?
Unsaved people can only share of salvation they have heard of but never witnessed. Wouldn’t that be a shame at the end of a life, to know you were sharing someone else’s testimony?
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June 15th
Jude 24 & 25
Now unto him that is able to keep you
from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory
with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.
Outlook from the In Book
Living in
Michigan most of my life I have come to appreciate the beauty of the lighthouses
around this state. On one of our family vacations we went to the city of
Gulliver in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to see the Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse.
The statistics say that the lantern is 79 feet above the lake level and can be
seen for 17 miles on a clear day. But I am here to tell you, that when you are
standing up there on the deck where the light is perched and all there is
between you and a long fall to the ground is very clear piece of quarter inch
glass, it seems a lot higher than that. I know they would not let you up there
if it were not safe, but none the less; the 69 inch tall plates of glass did not
seem to make a person feel real safe. I couldn’t fall, but I felt like I could.
So it is with
our Christian life at times. When the winds of sin blow around us and our life
seems to be out of whack, it would be easy to feel as if we might be able to
fall away from God. But our verses today tell us otherwise. Just as the
invisible glass of the lighthouse protected me from falling to my doom, so does
God keep us from falling away from Him. Though the storms of life rage around us
and winds of confusion may blow, we need to remember He holds us, we don’t hold
Him. We are safe in Jesus.
Our safety comes from being in Christ Jesus. To stand outside a place of safety in a storm does not protect you, you must be inside for it to do its job. So it is with Christ. To know of Him will not protect you. You must totally give yourself to Him to be in Jesus. You need to place your life in His loving care.
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June 16th
1
Kings 2:3
And
keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his
statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it
is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou
doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
Outlook from the In Book
What makes
for a good rule in life? One that sticks with us. Something that says, that’s
good for me, I’ll do it forever. It usually is something that we did that worked
well or failed miserably. Life experiences give us great guidelines to live by.
Another way to find these pearls for life is talking with someone you highly
respect and believe in. As they share what worked for them, you can form a set
of guidelines for your life. Techniques to live by so as not to repeat errors
they know of and to duplicate the ones that worked.
God’s ways
are just like that. Not a list of don’t do that or I’ll get you type rules. They
are loving guidelines that make life better for everyone. Look at what the law
is called in this verse. It’s called the “charge of the LORD thy God, his ways,
his statutes, his commandments, his judgments, and his testimonies” The charge,
means an encouragement for life. We hear charges given to graduates form high
school and college to go out and use the wisdom they have gained to make a
difference. The Statues are the positive statements such as do this it works
better. The commandments and judgments are moral and legal advice, like do not
commit adultery or steal. And the testimonies are the wisdom and warning of God
so we don’t mess up. You see it’s like getting the best advice from a highly
respected person we can truly believe in.
David understood this. In Psalm 19:7-8 it says: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. How about you? Will you trust God and prosper in all that you do, wherever you go?
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June 17th
Psalm 137:4
How
shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?
Outlook from the In Book
“Does anyone
know where the phone is?” That’s a question you would not have heard in the
average house 25 years ago. It was on the wall with a cord hooked to it so you
could not walk very far away. And we thought that was a pain to deal with. But
today with cordless phones we have an entire new set of problems. Someone gets
talking and wandering around the house. When they are done they just lay the
phone down wherever they are. Next person goes to use the phone has to hunt for
it. Well the developers of these devises knew that would happen so they have
added a feature that allows us to hunt for them easier. With the push of a
button at the base of the phone, the remote receiver begins to plays a
distinctive little ring, tone, or song. All you have to do now is begin to
listen and follow that tune until you find the receiver. Now you can talk with
whoever you want.
Our verse
today asks the question, “How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?”
Or another way of looking at it would be how can I sing if I can’t hear the
music. Far away from where they needed to be it seemed hard to be joyous and
sing the songs of praise. It’s that way for us today too. It may seem hard at
times to sing the joyous wonderful songs of the love of God when our hearts are
hurting or broken. But something miraculous happens when we begin to sing. It
seems that the Lord draws near. And the more we sing with our heart the closer
He seems to get to our need. It’s sort of like the phone. We need to be near it
to talk, but getting near it will sometimes require we listen for the melody it
plays. Listen to the music in your heart.
When we received Christ He placed a new song in our heart. One of joy and peace and rejoicing. Find that tune again and begin to sing. “I’ve got the joy, joy ,joy ,joy down in my heart….” Can you heart God on the other end of the line now? He’s been there all along.
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June 18th
Proverbs 18:22
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Outlook from the In Book
You’ve heard
it said before. Behind every good man is a great woman. These wonderful ladies
are sometimes referred to as the better half. And that is probably more close to
right than we know. A Godly woman for a wife is a wonderful blessing to any man.
She will pray for her husband, encourage him, stand behind him in front of the
world,(even when he makes some goofy decisions she knows will not work) and she
will be his real best friend. In short, she completes him. With her, he can be
all God intends him to be. God gave to man a desire to marry the right woman. It
has been God’s desire for us to marry that woman and live with her for life.
Till in death do us part the vow says. It not only makes us happy to know we
have someone that loves us, but according to today’s verse it seems to makes God
happy. We obtain the favor of the Lord when we marry the one He sent for us. You
also see it says WIFE. Not live in, shack up, significant other or room mate.
It’s the time honored tradition of marriage between one man and one woman that
God favors.
Husbands love
your wives. Wives honor your husbands. It is the biblical model for happiness
here on this earth until God sends His Son Jesus for His bride, the church. At
that time I believe God will also say to His Son, Whoso findeth a wife
findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. And the Jesus
will bring His bride, the church, home to heaven to meet His Father. A bride
that will honor the groom, King Jesus and be loved by Him throughout all
eternity. One bride - the church, for one groom - Jesus. And we again in that
marriage will obtain the favor of God for ever.
Earth is a place for us to practice heavenly joy. Go back and find the joy in your relationship with your husband or wife again. If your not married, be patient as God brings to you just the right man or woman you can love for life.
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June 19th
Revelations 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Outlook from the In Book
Some people
have a problem with worship. They seem to have a problem with understanding why
it should be that we devote a whole day like Sunday for the purpose of
worshiping this Jesus. Why isn’t the morning good enough? Or why do I have to go
at all. But the reason is really very simple. Are you ready for this deep
theological answer? Here it is….
HE DESERVES IT! JESUS DESERVES OUR WORSHIP!
Ok, probably
not the most in-depth answer, but I believe the best one. He deserves it because
He made all of this stuff we think we own. All the things that we allow to take
us away from worshiping Him in the first place. He made the water you go out on
your boat in instead of being in with His church. He made the woods you decide
to hunt in instead of gathering to sing praise to His name. He made the
campgrounds you go and stay at all weekend instead of serving the one you say
you love so much. He made it all. Including the day you do all those things in.
He made it all. Is it too much to ask people to spend one day out of seven to
gather and praise Him? Oh and one other thing. It was all made FOR Him. Made for
His Pleasure. All this was not made FOR YOU OR ME. He allows you to play with
His toys. AND HE CAN TAKE THEM BACK ANY TIME HE CHOOSES!!!!
Some day everyone will understand. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But someday, might be too late. You need to figure it out today.
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June 20th
1 Kings 8: 60, 61
That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
Outlook from the In Book
I heard a
lady once look at a pie she had made and exclaim “Perfect.” And by the way I
tasted that pie, it was very, very good. But was it really perfect? Was it
perfectly rounded, or could it have been just a smidgen off on one side? Was all
the dough cooked to a perfect golden brown, or was there possibly a small area
that did not look like the rest? To her and all that looked on it was perfect.
To the ones that tasted of this delectable backed good it seemed perfect.
Perfect enough for the purpose intended. She did her best
Solomon built
a temple that was to be the dwelling place of God. And it was declared one of
the most beautiful buildings of all times. And God did dwell there. But was it
really perfect? Could not any of the dimensions have been just a quarter of an
inch off? Could not one of the stones used have had a flaw in it somewhere? Was
it really perfect? Probably not, but it was good enough for God to say well done
and dwell there. Solomon had done his best.
Today God
desires to dwell in your heart. In the verses today Solomon tells the people to
be perfect with the Lord. Can we be perfect? No sin ever? No, no one can. But
our desire can be to be the best we can for Him. Walk in the ways He has
commanded and ask for forgiveness for today. Be the best we can be today. That
those around us might see our heart is perfect toward the Lord. After all, it is
the dwelling place of God. We should do our best.
Godly perfection in the Christian really means to be single minded toward God. Make Him the center of your life, and He’ll make your life, REAL LIFE!
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June 21st
Psalm 141: 1, 2
LORD,
I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto
thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of
my hands as the evening sacrifice
Outlook from the In Book
There are those
times in life when we feel like the author of this Psalm. “Oh’ Lord I need you
to answer my prayer right now. Not five minutes from now, not tomorrow, but
today!” We’ve all had those moments in life. But did we come to the Lord as
David did? The verse says “lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
What does that mean?
Some
denominations lift their hands all the time. So often that some seem unsure why
they are doing it. Others make no movements at all in church or in private. Some
teach that it’s the only posture for men to approach God. Others say that it’s a
prideful gesture and people use it to draw attention to themselves and therefore
take away from glorifying God. So which is right?
It seems that
the ancient gesture in the Old Testament and some New Testament churches was a
sign of surrender and supplication. Total surrender in showing they had no
weapons in their hands and a state of defenselessness. Supplication in that
their hands were empty and waited upon God to fulfill their every need. Most
believe that it was then, and should still be today, an outward gesture to
demonstrate the heart of the individual. That man looks on the outside but God
looks on the heart. The Bible records many postures for prayer and worship. The
one thing God is always concerned with is your heart.
So is it right or wrong? What really matters is the heart you do it with. To show you are spiritual by lifting your hands does not impress God nor should it impress man. If it is a humble expression of your heart, that’s something else. The most important matter is where is your heart with God?
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June 22nd
Proverbs 22: 24, 25
Make
no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Outlook from the In Book
AWCHEW!!!! That
sneezing, coughing sound usually comes from a person with a cold. And no matter
how much we try not to, we can catch it. There are antibacterial hand sanitizers
and special soaps that help us keep our hands clean and free from germs that
might cause this sickness. But stay around long enough and you will probably get
it. A COLD! And oh how bad you feel when you do catch that nasty old cold. You
can’t seem to think straight, you feel tired and sometimes achy. Your head feels
stuffy and you just don’t feel right. Makes you kind of weary just thinking of
it huh?
Solomon was
trying to warn us of very much the same thing, but on a personal level. I’ve
heard the phrase, “You are who you hang around with.” Simply stated; if you want
to see the kind of person you are, just look at who your closest friends are.
That’s you! Crazy people act crazy. You know why? Because they have lost their
mind! And if you hang around with them long enough you will loose yours too.
Anger is the same way. Set around with angry people long enough and you begin to
become angry too. Solomon was saying don’t hang around with angry, bad mouthed
people. If you do, you’ll learn their ways and it will become a habit and a trap
in your life. And this too will make you unable to think straight, feel tired
and achy. You’ll just not feel right.
Maybe you’re wondering how to get out of that trap? First get away from the sickness, that crowd. You can’t get rid of a cold hanging around people with colds. Drink plenty of fluids. The Bible says it is the spring of Living Water. And it’s nice to have someone comfort you. You’ll be safe in the arms of Jesus.
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June 23rd
Revelation 12:9
And the
great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which
deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were
cast out with him.
Outlook from the In Book
I’m sure you have
said or heard someone say “This or that will happen when Hell freezes over.” Can
you imagine all the wild and crazy things people must have attached to that
phrase? I’ll get married, or sing a solo or give you my car or whatever wild
idea came up just before the phrase when Hell freezes over. Living in Michigan
most of my life there was kind of a joke around about that phrase, “when Hell
freezes over.” There was a city not far from where I lived named Hell, Mi. And
being that in the winter months we would get a lot of snow, sometimes Hell would
freeze over. We were just waiting to see if all those promises would come true
on that day. What a crazy day that would be.
Another
phrase you hear concerning this place called Hell is “Hell on Earth.” What a
phrase. What a thought. Most often when someone uses that phase they are
referring to something terrible happening. Like that hurricane that ripped
through the southern U.S. and destroyed entire cities, people said it was like
Hell on earth for some. It seemed like the worst thing that could possibly
happen to them. But as terrible as that was or as horrific as your worst
possible day has been, it will not compare to the day when God and the angels
ban Satan from Heaven and he takes up residence on this earth. Friends that will
be the closest people living on earth will ever come to real Hell on earth.
The good news is; we don’t have to be here. In First and Second Thessalonians the Bible talks of the church being taken away before the tribulation period on earth. And all we need to do to have that happen is accept Christ as our Saviour before that day of real “Hell on Earth.”
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June 24th
1 Kings 15:26
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
Outlook from the In Book
It is so wonderful
to see a newborn baby. To watch them grow and develop over the years. At about
the age of three or four we start to see them do all kinds of things. Run, play,
walk, and talk. And do they ever talk. You can ask them just about anything and
they will tell you the honest truth as they know it. And sometimes we get more
information than we bargained for or were ever hoping to hear. But if you watch
them for a while you will begin to see in them the characteristics of their
parents. The words they use, things they like and don’t like, and how they just
do things. Often these precious little one will suddenly do or say something and
you will hear someone say, “Where did they pick that up from?” Humm, good
question. That fact is they most likely have heard or seen it somewhere.
Children are so impressionable.
In our verse
today it says the king “walked in the way of his father.” Everything that dad
had done the son saw as working well for dad, so he was just going to be like
daddy. But daddy had lived in sin. And now the son will be living in sin also.
And not only did he sin, but he was a leader of many and caused all them to sin.
Who started that? Somebody’s daddy did.
It is so
important for us to know that what we are doing before the children of this
world might have a larger impact than we could ever know on the world to come.
Live like your life makes a difference. It does to someone.
As you look at your children or those around your neighborhood, think for a second, there could go a pastor, teacher, president, or governor. Even more important than that is, there could go a future mom or dad. Help them with their impressionable years so they can make a difference for God some day.
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June 25th
Psalm 145:16
Thou
openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
Outlook from the In Book
Does it not seem
somewhat amazing to you that everything on this planet is taken care of by God?
The birds are given wisdom and supplies to make their nest and food enough to
eat. The fish are given the globe for an aquarium to dwell in and some feed on
microscopic particles that we can not even see. Animals have all found different
ways to make a home from caves to burrows in the ground or places in the trees.
God supplies the rain and oxygen and nutrients in the soil for plants and trees
to grow. He gives us the right amount of cold, heat, sun for light, night for
darkness, and seasons each year that even the wildest of plants seem to flourish
without someone besides God tending to them. From the smallest one cell organism
to the entire planet and its multiple complexities, God created and sustains it
all every minute of every day. He satisfies the desire of every living thing.
Do you know
why he does all that? He does it for you. All that is created on this earth was
given to man in Genesis. It was all created for you, Adam, Eve and Satan kind of
spoiled some of it when they decided to disobey God. But they could never
destroy it all. God opens His hand and supplies for the living. From the
intricate beauty of the smallest flower to the majestic span of all the stars in
the sky, God created if for you to behold his wonders. The oxygen, food and
water needed to sustain life was all created by God for you.
In the New Testament God shares this truth with us another way when He says in Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. And He has, He is, and He always will supply for the child of His own.
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June 26th
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Outlook from the In Book
One of the saddest
phenomena’s in the world today is the rotating doors of churches. As I have been
given the opportunity to speak in several churches over the years, I am often
saddened to hear of people who once seemed so on fire for God, and now are back
living in the world. In the church I pastor and in churches all across the
United States we find the same thing happening over and over again. Someone will
come into the church, get all excited about being there with so many loving
people, join everything they can join and do all types of great work in the
church. They talk the talk of the born-again and go to every function that comes
along. And then, some little detail of church or outside influence comes their
way and off they go back into the world. Living like they did before they came
to church. Ask them are they saved and they say “Oh yes, I’m saved. I remember
the date.” But salvation is not a date you said magic words that save you.
Salvation is a relationship with the Jesus Christ. Once you have a real
relationship with Him, the world will taste bad.
Our verse
today says a dog returns to his vomit, and a fool to his folly. The lost will
always long for the world. But when a person really gets saved the Bible says in
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Some say these people that go back into the world have lost their salvation. But
friend you can not lose what you never had.
Enjoying church fellowship does not save you anymore than setting in the rock concert makes you a rock star. True Christianity is not about fellowship, it’s about relationship. But a real relationship with Jesus will make you desire the church fellowship. Do you have a membership or a relationship with Jesus?
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June 27th
Revelation 19:1
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
Outlook from the In Book
I was watching TV
with some folks one time and heard someone say of a man on the television, “he
has it all. Good looks, fame, wealth, he has it all.” To most people that might
seem true. Worldly goods, fame and good looks sound like a good package. But let
me tell you one that truly Has It All.
In Heaven the
saints will shout Alleluia To our Lord Jesus Christ, which properly means,
“Praise Yahweh,” or “Praise the Lord.” All heaven will be shouting as the
deliverer of all saints steps forth. Why do we Praise Him? We praise the Lord
for Salvation. Past salvation from sin and shame that washed us white as snow.
Salvation at that moment that allows us to be there will be a testimony to His
power over sin Salvation from the destruction that will be taking place to those
that refused Him. Salvation forever as we will rule and reign with Him and
reside with Him eternally. Alleluia for the Glory of God that outshines anything
we have ever seen. The glory in the cloud that lead the children of Israel to
the promise land. The glory that caused Moses’ face to shine so a veil had to
cover his face so others could look at him. The glory displayed on the Mount of
transfiguration. The glory of God that outshines them all. Praise the Lord for
the Honor that is due to Him. The true King of Kings has stepped out to claim
authority over it all. Alleluia for the power He has to take what is His but
also to protect what is His own. I say Alleluia, Praise the Lord, He has it all.
Some day everyone will shout Jesus really “HAS IT ALL.”
What a day that will be when we can see the One who died for us. The Groom of the church. The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Almighty Lord of Creation. Alleluia Praise The Lord. He has it all, and deserves it all. Will you give Him your all?
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June 28th
1 Kings 22:22
And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
Outlook from the In Book
Hocus Pocus, abra
kadabra, ala kazam! What comes to mind when you here those words? MAGIC! Magic
is when something that isn’t possible seems to happen. At least it appears to. I
don’t believe in outright magic. But optical illusions happen all the time. In
the late 1990’s there was a picture craze that came out called 3D Stereograms.
They say if you hold these pictures close to your nose and moved them away
slowly you would see a 3D image in the picture. That an image would appear. And
in some cases it was easy to see. But with others I held it close, crossed my
eyes stood on one foot and howled at the moon as still was not able to see
anything. The only image that appeared was to the people that were around me and
saw an idiot sticking his nose on a picture over and over again. Everything is
not as it appears.
So it is in
the religious world also. Everyone is not who they claim to be. Our verse today
told of a prophet that went about lying and persuaded some to believe him. That
was thousands of years ago. In the New Testament the apostles warned the church
of false prophets back then. Over 2000 years ago. Well they are still with us
today. Everyone that says they are of God is not. Everyone that claims the name
of Jesus does not care for your soul or spiritual well being. Instead many of
them are much more concerned with their own pocketbook. And what a magic trick
that is. Take out ten dollars, tuck it in an envelope, put my name and address
on it and send it to me. Hocus Pocus, abra kadabra, ala kazam! Your money has
disappeared.
1 John 4:1 says; Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Compare what they say to God’s Word.
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June 29th
Psalm 149:6
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Outlook from the In Book
It is people that
need to praise the Lord. Here we see the children of Israel ready for battle and
at the same time praising the Lord together. Being prepared to defend what
belonged to God, and thanking Him for the opportunity to do so. Realizing all
they had, came from God and remained in His control, but was given to them to be
stewards over. They could not say thank you enough… at least for a while. That
is until they began to forget. They praised God until the cares of the world
began to draw their attention away from God. Then they half-heartedly praised,
put down their swords and began tolerating pagan beliefs in false gods. And that
was their destruction.
Today we have
the same problem. We have opportunity to praise the Lord for His goodness to us,
but so many half-heartedly go to church to fulfill their religious duty. We have
the word of God that is sharper than any two-edged sword to defend the promises
of God and His Son Jesus Christ. But all too few even pick it up anymore.
Instead we tolerate the world and the pagan beliefs and their gods. What makes
us think God’s view on tolerance has changed? In fact in Hebrews 13:8 God’s word
says “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
Pick up that sword. Sharpen
the edges. Wield it for the Lord. And praise Him for the opportunity He gives
you to stand in defense of the truth in the army of our Almighty God.
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June 30th
Proverbs 30:12
There is a generation that are pure in
their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
Outlook from the In Book
Today it seems more than ever that sin has been made legitimate in the eyes of so many. It even has been made ok in some main line religious denominations. Who gave them the right to call sin ok? For example, to most people in America the Bible was understood to be the final authority in truth for centuries. Today however, when the Bible says that homosexuality is a sin and the world says it is a lifestyle, we who agree with and believe the Bible to always be right are called intolerant. When the Bible says that pre-marital sex is wrong and the world says, hey they are consenting adults who does it hurt, then we who trust in God’s Holy Word to be right are looked at as being narrow minded. When the Bible says come ye out from among them and be ye separate and that narrow is the way that leads to life everlasting, but the world says we are all alike and there are many roads that lead to God, we who maintain the Scripture to be accurate are looked upon as unable to see the big picture. And so if the rest of the Bible is not true, then probably those people in the world that question God’s Word don’t believe this verse either. “There is a generation that are pure in THEIR OWN EYES, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” …. That can’t be us… Right? Or is it?
If you need to choose between what God says and what man says, remember this, God has been around a lot longer and really knows more than the person telling you He’s wrong.
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