OCTOBER ARCHIVES
October 1st
O - Openness
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
In our society today we are so much “give me” oriented. It is kind of
like saying “if I love you, then what’s in it for me?” But this is not true
love. Love is showing adoration and compassion for something or someone
else. If you love something or someone you should not be looking at what you
get, but how can I give. When you came to Jesus you loved Him because He
first loved you… How did you know He loved you? He gave of Himself for you
when you had nothing to give back of the same value as what he gave. And He
also knew that you never would be able to give Him anything that could repay
what He had done on the cross of Calvary. But He loved you enough to do it
anyway. So now because of His love for you, you want to do something for
Him. Why? Because you love Him. Not for what more you could get, but because
you have already received His most valuable gift, His love.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
If loving is really giving, then how can I show my love today to my spouse… my children… my friends…? Or, I guess the question is, what can I give to them to show them my love. Not because you get, just because. And oh by the way…. When you give love unselfishly as God did, watch out…. It always seems to come back at you through the ones you love. ……. Maybe that’s what God had in mind! Do you think so?
Daily
|
||
|
October 2nd
R - Roles and Responsibilities
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
Maybe it’s me, but I
seem to be all mixed up with what the world really wants. I mean on one
side they are fighting for the right to be able to kill unborn children.
They say we are over populated in some areas and just don’t want these
children in another. Animal rights get more attention than do those of
the human unborn. Now they are fighting for the right to clone and make
more babies. What is it that they really want? More
babies? Fewer babies? They treat the
life of a baby like it is just a thing. I believe they just want what
Satan has wanted all along. They want to be God. The control of life is
really their desire. The ability to give and take life at their will is
central in their hearts. But our hearts are desperately wicked. We need
someone with a caring loving heart to guide our every thought, desire,
and action. Life is so much more valuable than us getting our way. God
knows all about you and did before the foundation of the world. And the
perfect heart of God is what keeps us day after day. The role of every
born again believer should be to stand up for the values that God put in
place for families from the foundation of the earth.
One man and one woman together forever.
Children born into a home with both a loving mother and father.
Life and death left up to God and not man. It is our responsibility as
Christians to stand up for the unborn and give them a voice. And that
voice should cry “LET ME LIVE! IF I AM NOT VALUABLE TO YOU, I AM MORE
VALUABLE THAN MANY SPARROWS TO GOD.”
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Pray for the unborn
child. A child’s life should not depend on how or why that child came to
be or how it impacts the lives of the living. Children deserve a chance
to be all God intended them to be. They are of value. And so are you.
And so is your prayer for them.
Daily
|
||
|
October 3rd
E - Each Other
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
Arguments, disagreements, fighting, yelling, and screaming. What does
that remind you of? Some will say home. I’ve heard it said; “That’s all it
seems we do at home is fight.” Some will say work as they exclaim; “Every
day seems to be a battle at the workplace.” Some might say the world today.
You’ll hear; “There seems to be a war on every horizon.” And sadly, some
might say church as members proclaim; “No one seems to agree and there are
clicks everywhere.” Jesus was pretty clear about the outcome of such
situations. Any home, city or kingdom divided against itself will not stand.
Why? Because they are constantly figuring out how to pick at the other
people in their own group, instead of how they might help them. There must
be agreement for anything to really work well. In the home, the father
should be the leader that leads the family to the word of God for the
answers. At work, we are to submit to the authority over us and obey the
rules they set in place. In the world we need to point people to Christ,
pray and as much as possible live peaceably with others. In the church, God
is the head. He will never lead people in two different ways. If there is a
division in the church, one or both parties have taken their eyes off God
and gotten them back on self. They have fallen into the trap of not seeking
what God wants, but what I want. For any system to succeed there must be a
concern for the others that are in this day to day life with you. Everyone
has an idea, and all ideas should be heard. Filtered through the pages of
God’s word and then agreeing to do as it says. God and His word will always
provide unity if it is His will your seeking.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Divisions equal destruction. Destruction of the Christian life is what Satan wants most. God is about building a Christian Life. Satan is about destroying it. Reconciliation to God and what He wants is the first step in mending old wounds.
Daily
|
||
|
October
4th
V - Vision
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
At our table we always pray before we eat. As the children were growing
up I would tease them and still do from time to time and I will say “Hey,
don’t eat that before you pray, you don’t want to be sick all day do you?”
Well I am not making light of praying before we eat, I think it is right for
us to give thanks for what God has provided. But the truth of the matter is,
(please don’t tell my children,) what goes in the mouth in way of food does
not matter spiritually. It is what comes out of our mouth that matters.
Because the words that come out of the mouth, come from our heart. God is
not as concerned with our rituals, as He is with our heart. So why did we
pray before every meal? The Bible gives us examples to do so. Jesus always
lifted everything to His father before eating it. Not to bless the food, but
to place a vision in the hearts of those around to be grateful to the
provider of the food. As a tool in the hand of a parent we prayerfully have
cast a vision into our children’s hearts that for everything, including the
simplest meal, we ought to be thankful to God for it. It’s the idea of
setting a visual example in our life of our heartfelt love and respect of
our provider God. A few times we have been out at restaurants and even in
public I would ask my family to bow their heads and I would thank God for
our meal. More than once we had people come by the table latter and say
things like,”we were glad to se you praying, you don’t see that much
anymore.” I was glad that these strangers saw our love for God, but even
happier that my children heard how people respect a heart yielded to Him.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Daily
|
||
|
October 5th
Daily
|
||
|
Daily
|
||
|
Daily
|
|
|
Daily
|
|
(Began January 1,
2007)
Read Through The Bible In 1 Year - Matthew
21:23 - Matthew 23:33 |
Daily
|
||
|
October 10th
Daily
|
||
|
October 11th
V - Visions
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Matthew 27:42 He saved
others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come
down from the cross, and we will believe him.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard people say or imply,
“Why should we plan or cast a life vision? I never saw Jesus do that.” Well my
friend if that is your opinion then you have either not read your Bible or
understood your Saviour. In the verse today we read that many, including the
religious leaders of the day were standing around the cross as Jesus died and
mocked Him. Their main taunt was, if you really are who you say you are come
down and prove it. If you come down we will believe you. The Bible records in
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
A huge ship at dock can not be turned to the left or right. But let it move so slowly through the waters and it can guided by just one turn of the captains hand. So it is with your life in God’s hand. Move, do something and let God direct your paths.
Daily
|
||
|
October 12th
E - Economics
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Mark 3:24 And if a kingdom
be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand..
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have come together before God to unite this man and
woman in Holy matrimony. What God joins together let no man tear asunder.” Most
of us have heard words similar to these at one time or another. What God puts
together is not suppose to be taken apart. In today’s passage, Jesus was saying
about the same thing. God’s work in man is eternal. He does not mend or put
people together just to tear it down later. For Him to desire to do good things
and be evil could not happen, it’s self destructive. This same principle applies
to many areas in our lives today. For example, pick your mate well, because you
are suppose to be with them a lifetime. Pick your church well. A church divided
will struggle to serve God. Choose your work and service well. Struggling to do
something God never intended for you to do will be a long hard life. Choose well
in all the areas of your life. A kingdom divided will fall. A life divided will
fall and cause others to fall. In James 1:8 it is said like this; A
double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Unstable, like someone
who had too much to drink and although they desire to talk and walk right they
have no control over themselves. And if they lean on you too long; will also
cause you to stumble. They are unstable. I guess the one I left out was picking
your God well. You say “What?” “Pick My God? I did that a long time ago.” Well;
if you completely gave Him your life, then you did. But whom or what are you
serving today? The God you gave your life to? Or a god the world has given you?
Are work, money and possessions your gods? Do you only serve the real GOD when
it does not interfere with your desires or if you have a chance? Choose today to
serve only One God. And He will direct your paths.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Daily
|
||
|
October 13th
R - Romance and Relationships
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Mark 6:4-6 But Jesus said
unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among
his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save
that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled
because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
Everyone has heard the phrase “Love is blind.” People do some strange things in
the name of love. Someone once said love is not only blind, deaf and dumb as
well. (And they were not talking about dumb as not being able to speak.) Someone
falls in love and they will not listen to anyone around them nor see what others
see. They just do what ever their heart tells them to do at the moment. Then
they get married. Now that that same love can cause a sort of blind eye toward
the one loved. When before the only thing you could think of was how I can
please them, now seem to have been replaced by the cares of everything else.
Before when all you heard was the sweet sound of their voice, has now become a
background noise during your favorite TV show. You become familiar with that
person and begin to take them for granted. Familiarity with someone can
overpower even love if we let it. We think we know all about the ones we are
closest to. We believe they will never change and are almost unwilling to give
them a chance. The entire world around them will offer them hope easier than we
will. That is exactly what Jesus was dealing with in these verses today. His
family and the people of that region knew of his upbringing. He was a
carpenter’s son, not a prophet’s son. He was from ordinary upbringing, not
tutored in the temples. They reasoned, we know Him and about Him, why should we
listen to Him. Familiarity with how Jesus was raised would not allow them to see
who He really was. Their Saviour. And many of them died in their sin because
familiarity overtook love.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Today it may be your wife, husband or children that are trying to tell you something. Sure you’re busy. Sure there are important things to be done. But let me ask you something; are they not really more important than anything else other than God? Put back on the love blinders for a bit and look and listen to the ones you love.
Daily
|
||
|
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
Could you imagine a dinner party being thrown by the President and you
received an invitation. When he was asked how many will be at the party, the
President said “that will depend on how many respond to the invitation.” It was
his desire that everyone that received an invitation would come. But he also
knew that some would find something else to be more important or think the
invitation was a joke and not respond. All were invited, but only those that
responded are chosen to be seated with the president that day.
Many people have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Untold millions upon millions have heard the good news that by relying on Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Saviour you can be saved. Many have been told that Jesus died for them on the cross of Calvary, was buried in a cold damp tomb and rose again the third day. Countless numbers of people know that He went to heaven to set at the right hand of His Father. But only a few accept the call to be saved. So many do not receive that salvation, and they do so by refusing Jesus. Many say not today, later, and go off into eternity without Christ. Only a few are chosen to be seated with Christ at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. All are called to make Jesus the foundation of their life, the solid rock they build their eternal future upon. Not everyone invited will be among the chosen of God. Millions will wait and reject Christ until it is too late.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
The invitation is there.
The call has gone out. Are you listening today? Have you heard and responded to
His plea to take Him as Saviour? If you have, rejoice in the fact you are among
the chosen. If not, it’s all up to you. The invitation is there right now.
Daily
|
|
For Sunday Reading We Suggest You Read Your Pastors Sermon Passages Today |
October 15th
Daily
|
||
|
R - Roles and Responsibilities
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Mark 10:45 For even the Son
of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a
ransom for many.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
We all live with a “ME first” mentality. “What about ME?” “What’s in it
for ME?” “When do I get recognized?” “Why have they not rewarded ME?” Being
recognized for what we do for others is always nice. Everyone likes to be
thanked for doing something well. It’s great to hear another person say “my, you
have done such a great job at that” or “thank you for your service.” But if we
are doing things for the applause of man and the recognition of the people
daily, we are going to miss the greatest compliment of all. Even Jesus while on
earth said I did not come to be served or ministered to; I came to serve or to
minister to others. He went so far in serving us that He gave His life for us.
Think for just a second about giving this ultimate gift as Christ did. Soldiers
have often given this gift as they have fallen on explosives to save others.
Police and firefighters have given this ultimate gift to keep you safe in
society. If you were to die for someone you’ll never hear them say thank you,
good job or anything for that matter. There would be no earthly compliments. Our
role in life as Christ described it and displayed it was not to be served by
many but to be a servant to many. In serving the Lord you need to be a servant
to your family. And over time you may hear a thank you or two. But serve to be a
servant not to be saluted. How long does this continue? Until the day God calls
you off this earth. And a moment after death if you have served for the right
reasons you will hear the greatest compliment of all from the greatest voice
ever heard. “Well done my good and faithful servant.” The voice of God will out
shine all the compliments and applause you ever received while here on earth.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
To serve in the Royal Army of Jesus Christ my Lord and to be able to follow His directions all the way to the streets of gold should be the desire of every Saint of God. Ask God today to help you be willing to serve without the “what’s in it for me” attitude. Instead let have a “what’s in it for God?” attitude.
Daily
|
||
|
October
17th
E - Each Other
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Mark 11:17 And he taught,
saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the
house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
In today’s global market communication is vitally important. Some
International corporations have entire building designated “Communication
Centers”. Each company has their own procedures surrounding these places. For
some it is a quiet room. All communication devices are in small booths where
talking is muffled as to not interfere with others. If you were to walk in
talking loudly you would get the equivalent of the School Librarian going SHHHHH!!!!
Other Communication Centers such as Wall Street the noise level is terribly
high. It takes an experienced communicator to understand the signs and language
used on the trading floor. Some Centers are small in size and just communicate
about specific things dealing only with their product or service. While others
such as News rooms gather billions of pages of news from all over the globe and
take entire buildings to sort it out. However it’s done, what ever the size,
what ever the service or product there is one purpose for these places.
Communication. Any successful operation needs constant, clear, and concise
information to run properly. That includes the family relationship. How
important is communication to God? In our verse today it says Jesus taught them
and said; “My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?” Prayer
is communication with God. Jesus said, my house should be a place of
communicating with God. Thinking of it from an earthly level, He is the
wealthiest of the wealthy as He owns it all. He is the Chairman of Eternity. He
is the Founder of marriage. He is the C.E.O. of all life. And Jesus said my
house is His communication Center. Oh how sad that today God’s House has become
so many other things. It has become a gymnasium, restaurant, care center, food
pantry, and social event centers. Each of which are needed services and draw
great crowds. But have a prayer meeting at the same place and few show up.
People seem to only want to talk with God when things get bad. Guess what folks,
without God things are bound to get bad and stay that way.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Daily
|
||
|
October
18th
V - Vision
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
Fear will make you do some really weird things. I’ve seen some really
funny faces on people that were caught unaware on camera when someone has scared
them. Fear is almost always an emotion that looks to the future. You might be
afraid of the results of something from the past, but you are afraid of
something that has not yet happened. It is that not knowing that has people up
tight. In
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Plan for tomorrow, but live for today and live for God.
Daily
|
||
|
October 19th
Daily
|
||
|
Daily
|
||
|
Daily
|
|
For Sunday Reading We Suggest You Read Your Pastors Sermon Passages Today |
Daily
|
||
|
Daily
|
||
|
October 24th
Daily
|
||
|
October 25th
V - Vision
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Luke 11:33-35 No man, when he
hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but
on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the
body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full
of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take
heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
What you see is what you get! That little phrase normally describes the
condition of something we are purchasing. It means it is what it is with nothing
hidden, nothing extra. But if we turned that phase inward just a bit it may help
us in our vision for life. Jesus says in verse 33, no man puts a lit candle
under something so that it may not be seen, but rather holds it up where all may
see by it. To the Christian, Jesus and His Word are the light. Jesus was saying
keep your eyes on me, on who I am and what I do, I will give you direction in
life and my light will lead you. He illustrates in verse 34 when He says the
light of the body is the eye. Have you ever been around someone that is driven
to be or do something? It seems no matter what is said or done they are focused
on getting to their destination, achieving that goal, obtaining their objective.
It is almost impossible to sway them from what they know is right. Their minds
eye is set. They see the finish before they arrive. Jesus is asking us to see
the finish before we arrive. The reason we should do everything we do is that we
have kept Him in our sights. We live with our spouse as we do that we may
glorify God in how we love them. And God blesses our marriage for doing so. We
raise our children to know God intimately knowing this is their best and highest
goal in life. And in the end God blesses our grandchildren as well. Our minds
eye should be made up and single. Our life is to glorify God. In all we do and
say. Where we go and what we do. Have a single vision. Keep Jesus in sight. It’s
also possible to get a single vision for something that’s wrong. In verse 35 He
says be careful that what you focus on or set as your goals believing them to be
light when they are darkness. Self centered instead of God centered. Be
sure Jesus is light of our life. Then hold that light up for everyone to see.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
A hymn we sing says; Turn your eye upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
Daily
|
||
|
October
26th
E - Economics
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Luke 11:42 But woe unto you,
Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over
judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the
other undone.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
I can’t tell you the number of times that I have heard people say tithing is not a New Testament practice, or that Jesus never said we should tithe. Most often this comes from those that do not want to give back to God what they should. They not only want the 90 percent of what God has graciously supplied them with, but also the 10 percent He asks to be used in the spread of the gospel so others can be saved. Then again there are those that joyfully put in their tithe thinking this is all that God expects of them. As long as they are filling the cash box they need do nothing else. They are buying their way out of doing anything for God. Jesus clearly says in this passage that the religious folks were doing what they should financially, but that they had forgotten about the love and compassion they were to show to those that God loved. He ends by saying don’t leave either undone. To not give God your tithes is robbing God of what is truly His. Jesus clearly says here not to leave tithing undone. The mint and rue and herbs were the offerings of their harvest. It was what God had increased them with. It is the same as our paycheck today. But if we are only giving our tithe and not serving God also we are still robbing God. And even worse we are robbing ourselves. There is great joy in being allowed by God to take part financially in supporting His work. That money buys Sunday School curriculum, pays for the upkeep of the church building, supports missionaries all over the world, and produces tracts and bulletins just to mention a few things. But each of the things money goes toward takes a person to use. Sunday School books are no good without dedicated teachers to help students understand them. Money to maintain the house of the Lord is no good tossed on the church floor. Someone needs to use their talents to purchase products and install them. To cast cash out a window and ask it to tell someone in another country of the love of God and His Son Jesus is foolish. Someone needs to go. And printed literature does not print or distribute itself. Blessings come from giving time and treasure. What are we to do? Be obedient in all God asks and leave neither undone.
LETTING
THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Daily
|
||
|
October 27th
R - Romance and Relationships
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
What does this mean to forsake all? Does it mean I have to move out of my house and just leave it behind? Give up my job and just walk around sort of aimlessly and when I run into people tell them of Christ? Give away my car and walk everyplace I go? Leave my family behind and just begin to travel? No. That would not be in keeping with the rest of scripture that tells us to be good stewards. If we have absolutely nothing, what are we to be stewards of? The Bible says that we are to be good husbands, wives, fathers and mothers. If we leave our family, is that being a good parent or spouse? So what does this verse mean? It means you must put God first before all those things. God is asking you to put His will above our own. Jesus was telling them what preachers have been trying to share with people since then. Coming to Jesus is not a trip down the isle and its over. Knowing Christ is not learning to say a prayer and then living just as you did before. Coming to Christ is just that. Coming and depositing your entire life into Christ. It trusts Him with all your cares, and concerns. Believing that He will help you to be a better steward of everything He has entrusted you with than you could have possibly been before without Him. It is turning your LIFE over to Christ. All of your LIFE. It will make every other relationship different, and better.
LETTING THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
It may sound almost scary to think of giving total control over to someone. Giving your life over to someone else to be and allowing them to be in control of it. But you give surgeons that control during surgery, pilots that control in flight and bus drivers you have never met that in public transportation. And think about this: whether you give Him your life or not…. He is still in total control of everything else around you. He will allow you to suffer in your sins if you want to, but WHY would you want to? The best way to enjoy life is to enjoy it in the hand of its creator
Daily
|
||
|