6/30 The doubt of the disciples

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Mark 16:14

On Sunday morning the day that Jesus rose from the grave he appears to the eleven apostles, sits down with them and discusses their unbelief.  Several people have seen Jesus already and have told the disciples that Jesus is alive, but they did not believe them.  Can you imagine that Jesus' closest followers did not believe and understand what Jesus told them before.  Jesus told them that he would be killed but on the third day he would rise again.

Have you ever been told a story that you thought was totally wrong, but later found out that it was true?  Sometimes it's hard to believe something because it just seems so outlandish that it cannot be true.  The internet is full of stories that are really not true and over time we get jaded and think that it's just another story.  We've all seen the pop up message that we won a million dollars and all we have to do is just click the box to claim our money.  Their is even a site called Snopes that checks into these internet claims.

The difference with Jesus and the Bible is that whatever is told is TRUE.  When God says it, you can take it to the bank because it is true.  Jesus told his closest followers that he was going to die soon and that it is God's plan so people can have a way to go to Heaven.

What's neat about this verse is that it's filled with hope and love.  God loves us in spite of who we are and our lack of faith at times.  Here were the disciples who doubted Jesus, but Jesus sat down with them and took the time to help them to believe.

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Today's Theme
Take the time to sit and listen to God and he will restore our belief

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Reading Thru The Bible

Mark 15-16

5/11 The God of second chances

And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,  Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

Jonah 3:1,2



It's always great when we get a second chance at times.  I remember playing some carnival games, trying to get the rings across an animal and after the end of my turn the guy giving me a second chance for free.

It's moments like that when something happens to you that you do not expect it that can be a blessing in your life.  I'm thankful that God is a god of second chances.  Sometimes He gives many more chances. 

Jonah failed to obey God, but God gave him a second chance.  God gave us a second chance by allowing Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.  A lot of people just don't realize that second chance that God is offering.  Look for your opportunities that God is giving you today for a second chance at something.

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Today's Theme
When you get a second chance at something today, thank God for it.

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Reading Thru The Bible

Jonah 3-4

1/31 Have a Cause

And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.   

Numbers 27:5

Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed at the age of five and performed before European royalty.  But just because Mozart was brilliant didn't mean that he had to stop practicing.  In order to learn more, Mozart had to travel and spend time away from his family.  He had a cause and his cause was to grow in his music.

Sometimes it takes a gentle push from a parent to give their child a cause.  I remember how I encouraged my children to play a sport at least once so they could determine if they would like it.  I remember pushing Emily to play volleyball and then later having her tell me how she was glad that she tried it once.

I also provided avenues for my children to participate in church activities, be faithul in church attendance and take notes during lessons.  Today they love the Lord and serve Him on their own.  You see, my cause was to live in such a way for the Lord that the kids would know my cause was genuine and my prayer was for them to see why I had such a cause for the Lord.  Then they too, would have the same cause in their lives.

Jesus had a cause too.  His cause was to ensure everyone had a way to go to Heaven.  His cause was the greatest sacrifice of all, because His cause cost Him rejection from the people, suffering on the Cross and eventually death.  But Jesus saw beyond the initial cause because He rose again on the third day for you and I.

What is your cause in life?  Think about Jesus' sacrifice and His cause for you and I.  If you don't know what your cause is, then pray that God reveals yours to you.

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Today's Theme

Have a cause for God.  Because a good cause for God is a great cause.

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Reading Thru The Bible

Judges 3-5

1/30 Making a difference.

And of some have compassion, making a difference: 

Jude 1:22

“Of all the sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: it might have been."

- John Greenleaf Whittier

Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. In 1882, she fell ill and was struck blind, deaf and mute. Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Ann Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments.

It took someone like Anne Sullivan to make a difference in Helen's life.  In a dramatic struggle, Sullivan taught Keller the word "water"; she helped her make the connection between the object and the letters by taking Keller out to the water pump, and placing Keller's hand under the spout. While Sullivan moved the lever to flush cool water over Keller's hand, she spelled out the word w-a-t-e-r on Helen's other hand. Keller understood and repeated the word in Sullivan's hand. She then pounded the ground, demanding to know its "letter name." Sullivan followed her, spelling out the word into her hand. Keller moved to other objects with Sullivan in tow. By nightfall, she had learned 30 words.

Someone had compassion and made a difference and that is what God is asking us to do.  Make a difference in other people's lives by sharing the joy that Jesus has brought in your life.  Spiritually you might meet someone who is deaf and blind to God and could be a blessing unto them helping know God.

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Today's Theme

Make a difference instead of dreaming of what it might have been

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Reading Thru The Bible

 Jude 1

1/29 Amazing Love

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.    

1 John 4:9

What an awesome love that God has for us!  He gave His son that we might have life through Him.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Chris Tomlinson sings a wonderful song about God's amazing love.

Chris Tomlin

Amazing Love

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,

I’m accepted, You were condemned.

I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,

Because You died and rose again.

(Chorus)

Amazing love,

How can it be

That You, my King, should die for me?

Amazing love,

I know it’s true.

It’s my joy to honor You,

In all I do, I honor You.

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,

I’m accepted, You were condemned.

I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,

Because You died and rose again.

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Today's Theme
If you ever feel unloved turn to God and experience His amazing love.

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Reading Thru The Bible

1John 4-5

1/28 Be an Encourager

For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Acts 19:34

 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. Acts 19:31

John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald are two notorious names that are forever linked to the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.  There has been articles mentioning several coincidences between these two deaths.  One of them is the theatre.  Abraham was shot in the theatre and the killer fled to a warehouse.  Kennedy's killer shot him from a warehouse and ran to a theatre.

The passage today mentions that Paul's friends warned him not to go the theatre.  The Bible says that a certain man named Demetrius was mad about the preaching of the Word of God.  He was mad because he was going to lose sales selling his silver shrines to the worshippers of Diana and he wanted to Paul to stop preaching against worshipping Diana.  Paul's friends warned him not to go to the theatre.    

One man can change the events in history or cause such a ruckus to influence the minority to change things for the majority.  Just think what would have happened if Abraham was never shot?  What more could he have done to heal the nation during its most troubling times.  

But as Christians we have the same ability to influence, as one person, to make a difference in a positive way too.  God says that we are to be a light unto others.  Our light ought to be a beacon for someone who needs help or just needs some encouragement.  How about you?  Who could you encourage today?

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Today's Theme

Encourage someone today.

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Reading Thru The Bible

Acts 18-20

1/27 A Foundational Parent

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 

John 13:2

As parent's we love it when our children do good things. Having great children really honors the parents and we can proudly say, hey that's our child!  Cars will even have bumper stickers that will say, "My child is on the honor roll."

Can you imagine what Mary, Jesus mother thought. Here she was going to have a baby, who was not only the Son of God, but was going to be the Saviour of the world!  I wonder about her conversations at times with her friends.  "Hey, did you hear that my son healed another person or raised someone else from the dead!"  How could she and Joseph not be proud.

But let's take a look at our verse today.  I wonder what Simon, who was Judas' father thought when he heard how Judas betrayed Jesus and then to find out that Judas hung himself.  He might have though what did I do or what could I have done better.  It just struck me that the Bible mentions Judas father's name and I wonder if there is some meaning behind that.  To me it's a reminder that we need to continue to be a positive influence in our children's lives.  As my children are branching out I'm still thinking of ways that I can continue to be a blessing them in their lives.

 

What are some ways that you can be a positive influence to your children?  We don't have to do something on a mega scale.  We can simple do little things that in essence could be the big things in the children's lives.

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Today's Theme

Continue to be a foundation parent for your children even as they branch out.

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Reading Thru The Bible

John 13-14

1/26 Build on a Sure Foundation

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like:   

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.    

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.    

Luke 6:47-49

Our family loves to go into lighthouses on the coast because they are so fascinating learning about the history and the hardship of the light keeper back in those days.  Lighthouses were needed in the 1800's to help guide the ships as they came to shore because there were no GPS in those days.  Not only were the people rugged back then, but the lighthouses also had to be rugged to withstand the constant storm of the wind and sea.  

There is this cool picture where a light keeper is standing in the door way of the lighthouse while a helicopter is taking a photograph.  While the person is standing looking at the helicopter a huge wave is seen pummeling the lighthouse.  Thankfully the lightkeeper saw the reflection of the wave on the helicopter and in a nick of time shuts the door before the arms of the wave wraps around the lighthouse.

The light house is able to stand because it has a good foundation built into the ground.  We don't always see the whole lighthouse, because part of it is buried into the ground.  The base of the lighthouse is also much thicker at the bottom than at the top.  They were built to last.

Whoever comes to God, listens to what God says and does them then he has a foundation like the lighthouse.  He has dug a deep ground and laid his foundation on a rock and that Rock is Jesus.  So when the storms of life comes to shake your life you will not be shaken.

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Today's Theme

Come to God, listen to Him and start building upon Jesus who is our solid foundation

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Reading Thru The Bible

 Luke 6:1-49

1/25 Being a Doer

 

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

 

Matthew 24:46

On some days while my wife was working I would spend my day off playing with the kids.  We would set up the slide in the living room and run up up and down.  We would get the cardboard boxes and make a tunnel fort.  We would get the puppets out and do little skits.  Sometimes we would get so caught up in playing that I would forget how messy the house would be and how the time was approaching "Momma coming home".  I would tell the kids that it was frantic time to clean up and that we have 30 minutes before Momma got home.  It's amazing what you can achieve in such short amount of time.

 

The thing is that I knew when my wife was coming home, so we could goof off until about the right amount of time when she would get home.  Sometimes if I needed more time I would send her on a ice cream run which would be a bonus since I got more time and she would get us ice cream.

 

Jesus says that he is coming again and a person is blessed when Jesus comes again and finds us doing those things that are a blessing to Him.  The thing is though, is that we don't know when He is coming back again and we get into a mode that we'll do those things later.  Unfortunately we may never get around to doing what would've been a blessing to God.  God wants us to be doing as if He was coming at any moment, because if we don't do those things that are pleasing to God then we may never get around doing them.

 

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Today's Theme

What will you be doing when the Lord unexpectantly comes?

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Reading Thru The Bible

Matt 24-25

1/24 Famine of God's Word

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:

Amos 5:11

The King James Bible—the bestselling book of all time, the most quoted book in the English language celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2011. The Bible is 

widely reported as the most-printed and most-distributed books in the world, with many hundreds of millions of copies believed to be in existence.  But even though this book is the most distributed book of all time, it is also rarely read and most people have never read the Bible in it's entirety.  Even the atheist recognizes this aspect.  

The atheist makes these following statements.  "Not all copies of the bible are read, and almost none are read cover to cover. If we turns our attentions to a modern novel, it would be a bizarre and ludicrous experience to only read a few pages in the middle and ignore the rest. And remember all those abandoned copies of the bible that lie in bedside draws in hotels across the country, which are never read, and rarely even seen by a living creature. The same story goes for hundreds of bibles locked in school teaching cupboards, which if anything, are read even less, as the pupils almost invariably aren’t interested in them."

Sadly, the atheist are probably right in this aspect.  Today there is no thirst or hunger to read God's Word by most people.  We live in a world where our attention span is getting shorter and shorter.  TV understands this and that is why you see the same commercials over and over again.  We need to thirst for the Word of God and feel like something is missing when we don't get a chance to read His Word.  If God took away the Word of God would we even miss it?

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Today's ThemeHave a hunger for God's Word and he'll satisfy your soul, direct your paths and bless your life.

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Reading Thru The Bible
Amos 5-9

 

1/23 Vain Worship

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Isaiah 1:13

Several presidents ago we had a president come forward on national TV and make claim that he did no wrong.  As the president was responding to an accusation by a young woman I remember his demeanor, his anger and how he pointed to the camera when he said, "I did not have sex with that woman."  Little did he know was that the woman had evidence to prove him wrong.  The evidence sent him back to make another statement with a different attitude and a different demeanor and say that he was wrong.

Now the president had to do some spin control, to get back into the eye of the public. I remember that one of his solutions was to bring in a well known person that a lot of people viewed as a Reverend and have a counseling session with.  Then this Reverend would come forward to talk how the president was sorry and how he was trying to change.  Several years later it was also ironic how this Reverend would also be caught in a sex scandal of his own as well.

This verse just reminded me that God knows when we are putting on a show.  We cannot fool God.  He says that He doesn't want us to even bother coming to church, bringing an offering or praying if there is no meaning behind it.  Don't do them when there is no meaning behind them.  God wants our heart, not our punchcard that simply says, "I put my time in Lord." 

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Today's Theme
How is your worship?  Are you going through the motion or do you have true emotion.

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Reading Thru The Bible
Isaiah 1-4

1/22 A Foundational Wife

 

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Proverbs 31:10

 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 

Proverbs 31:28

Happy is the man who finds a good wife.  God says that He has  receipe for a good wife and list those attributes in the passage today.  When you find a good wife she is worth far more than rubies.

Bill Cosby does a skit talking about the things he would do for his wife.  He say that there is no mountain high enough where he would not climb for his wife.  There is no ocean large enough where he would not swim for his wife.  Then he says that there comes a time when all of that stops and you begin to change.  Someone may say,  "Mr. Cosby your wife is on the mountain."  What is she doing on that mountain?  Then he calls the daughter to tell the mother to get off of that mountain.

We need to keep our marriage fresh.  God says remember the values of your wife and how precious she is.  Look at all the things she does and then treat her right.  A good husband should always praise his wife.  Whoever finds a good wife really finds a good thing.

 

A wife is more valuable than your favorite thing.  Praise her instead of the thing.

 

1/22 Pro 31:1-31 

1/21 Seven Angels

And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 

Revelation 8:2

At times it can be challenging reading the Bible trying to understand all that God wants us to learn in His manual for our life.  The portion called Revelations is one of those portions that takes many readings and continues to take many readings.  But little by little God helps us to understand a little each day as we grow older.

I remember one time when my daughter was little and she could not see over the fence.  She asked me what was over the fence and I told her that she does not want to go over the fence because I see a mean dog.  She trusted me because she knew that I loved her and would not lie to her.  Today I still give my daughter advice as she is in college because I've experience some things that can still help her.

God says that there are angels in heaven and there may be angels that we are unaware of on earth.  I've never seen one, but my wife comes close in being an angel to me.  I know that God loves us and would not lie to us so I have faith that there are angels.  I can't see over God's fence, but He can see over the fence and He is tells us what is good for us and what is bad for us.  We need to keep reading His Word so He can warn us of those things.

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Today's Theme
The Bible may be hard to understand at times, but rewarding when you do understand.  

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Reading Thru The Bible
Revelation 8-11

1/20 Store a Good Foundation

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.    1 Timothy 6:7,8,19

There is a song about a funeral whereas the hearse is driving to the funeral and behind the hearse is a U-Haul trailer.  The song goes on that you cannot pull a U-Haul behind a hearse and take it with you.

There is also this joke where the husband tells his wife that he had his will made up in preparation of his death.  In his will he states that when he dies all the money he has in the bank is to be buried with him.  "By golly", he says, "I have earned that money and I am going to take it with me!"  When he died, his wife came to his casket, opened up her purse and with a smile wrote him a check and laid it in the casket.

In the summer time my wife and I will go to estate sales and it's always kind of sad for me as I peruse other people things.  I know that in most cases the person's house that I am walking through has already passed away and their children are getting rid of the stuff.  There are a lot of things that people will collect over the years, that were valuable to them, but now they are selling for a dollar or 50 cents.  Someday my kids are going to be selling my stuff.  Oh, they may keep a few mementos, but most of the stuff will be sold to other people.

When we came into this world we brought nothing with us, but the body and soul that God gave us.  When we leave this world we're not taking anything back with us, but our soul.  None of our things can go with us and that's why God says we are to be content with the food and clothing that we have.  We need to make a good foundation of the things that matter in heaven, a foundation that will allow us into heaven for an eternal life.  We shouldn't always collect earthly things, but collect heavenly things that can never be sold.

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Today's Theme
A good foundation of Godly things will stand against time and hold for eternity.

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Reading Thru The Bible
1 Timothy 4-6

1/19 A Foundation of Calm

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 

Mark 4:39

Last summer we took our boat out to Howard's Prairie Lake.  This is a great lake that is just right for fishing, swimming, knee boarding or wake boarding.  We launched out into the deep and we were continuing boating towards the end of the lake where there is less wind making it easier to knee board.  About five minutes into our adventure I noticed that the boat was dragging and I thought it was because of a lot of weight in the back end, so I gunned the motor to full speed.  As we got to the middle of the lake one of the kids said, "Hey, why is there water coming into the boat?"  I stopped the boat immediately to investigate and sure enough the boat was taking in a lot of water and fast.  Panic set in, so I turned the boat around back towards the dock.  About halfway there, the motor started smoking.  More panic starts to set in as I realize that the boat was going to sink.  Change of plans as I steered the boat towards shore.

Not really a calm day on the water as the boat is filling up with water and the engine is smoking and we're nowhere near the dock.  We get onto the shore and the kids jump out of the boat as we investigate the engine and I learn how to operate the bilge pump to pump out the water.  Luckily we were able to fix the issue, get out all the water and have a much calmer day.  It's good to have a brother-n-law who knows what they are doing to be with you.

I can imagine that the disciples were in a more panic mode as they were being tossed about back and forth in the sea, fearing that they were going to drown.  In their panic they rushed down to Jesus to find Him still asleep.  Can you imaging someone sleeping through a storm?  If you were in control of something there would be no reason to panic either.  As they woke Jesus up and He sees the panic in their eyes, Jesus simply tells the wind to calm down.  Guess what?  The wind ceased. 

I love this last part of the verse, "and there was a great calm."  I would like to think that not only was the wind calm but also the disciples were calm.  We can have a great calm in our lives when we have Jesus.  There has been many times when I have told the Lord that I'm letting you help with my problems and there was calm in my life.  I'm glad I "woke up" Jesus to my problems and thankful that He calmed the storm.

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Today's Theme
Go to God with your problems and He will give you peace and there will be a great calm in your life.

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Reading Thru The Bible
Mark 4-5