Tag: Good

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Worrying or Hurting?

AUGUST 21

MATTHEW 6:31_saying, what shall ye eat or, what shall ye drink, or wherewithal shall ye be clothed?

You can worry yourself sick – literally. Worry takes such a toll on the soul, the body can become weary, weak, and sick. The heart takes the worst beating from worry. The body was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The soul (mind, will, emotions) was not designed to stand up under constant worry. The spirit was not designed to worry at all! The spirit was designed to praise!

You are designed in God’s image to know and worship Him. You are designed to joy in the Lord. Worry can’t stand up against joy. 

Don’t confuse worry with times of struggle and trial that cause suffering. If you don’t believe God has the power and the mercy to bring you through … then you are worrying. If you are suffering during a trial, but believe God will bring you through, you are not worrying. If you believe God will cause some good to come from your pain, you are not worrying. You are hurting. 

Romans 8:35,37 )KJV), “35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”              

PRAYER

Lord of Love, Help me know there is nothing that can overpower Your love. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s love conquers—Whatever comes against me!

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Doubts

AUGUST 16

MATTHEW 6:30_shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

The basic purpose of Bible study is to get to know God, to learn how He thinks, to learn His heart. The last part of verse 30 teaches something about God. Another part of the I AM. The words much more describe God’s heart perfectly.

A heart which not only sends grass what it needs to survive, but dresses it up as well. Wouldn’t that heart care much more for a human – created in His own image? This is a heart you feel safe to trust. A heart that makes you feel more than just loved, but special.

You can gain understanding of God’s love and provision for His creation right from the get-go – in the very beginning. Genesis 1:28 (KJV), “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

God loved all of His creation and considered it good, but He set people above anything else. Just like with the animals, God had already created what people would need to live and enjoy the earth. 

Life brings confusing days of doubts. Doubts come from the devil. Don’t listen, don’t be of little faith. 

PRAYER

Omnipresent God, Thank You that if You care for nature, You care more for me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ gave people dominion on earth—He cares for me!

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In the Son

AUGUST 8

MATTHEW 6:29_the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin.

Now that you know how to consider, note accurately the growing process of lilies. 

A field full of flowers of any kind is beautiful – that includes wildflowers. A field is an area of open land. A piece of land which is open to the sun. Free from the presence of anything which might hinder the sun’s rays. From my experience of growing lilies in my yard, they like and need sun. Sun makes them happy. When they are happy, their colors are vibrant and especially lovely. True lilies, Oriental or Asiatic, are also very fragrant. 

What have you learned as a disciple by considering the growing process of lilies? You grow spiritually stronger (and wiser) when exposed to the Son – free from hindrances which block His rays. In the Son, you vibrate with His presence. In the Son, you are filled with the fragrance of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control.

This kind of life brings freedom from toiling and working to try to make yourself good. Staying in the Son allots time to God and His Word.

Any work of transformation to be done, God will do.   

PRAYER

King of All Kings, Teach me and help me to stay in the Son. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to grow in Him—I want to!

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Intelligent Design

 AUGUST 1

MATTHEW 6:26_yet your heavenly Father feedeth them…

Birds are well fed. Not only do they have people like me who feed them, but the Creator feeds them. As we have already said, God created the birds’ food before He created the birds.    

God’s creation glorifies Him. He designed it that way. To become a student of nature is to become a student of God’s workmanship. Remember Psalm 19:1-2 (KJV)? “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork.  2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”

Intelligent Design. I like that. What goes on in the world of nature every day and every night is a testimony of intelligence far beyond anything man can fathom.

You may decide to become some kind of hermit because you just don’t like people. They keep hurting you and trespassing into your life. Whatever rock you hide under or cave you hide inside – you cannot escape the world of nature. The rock and cave themselves are designs of God’s incredible intelligence, along with any and everything that dwells in them. They speak God’s name constantly.

God feeds His birds. God creates. God takes care of His creation.    

By the way, God’s intelligent design is for you to allow Him to teach you how to respond to the hurts and trespasses with good works. Hermits are not a part of His design.

PRAYER

God of Creation, Open my eyes to see Your greatness all around me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s intelligence is in all of nature—I see it!

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One Must Reign, the Other Must Serve

JULY 27

MATTHEW 6:24_Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The word mammon in this verse is translated wealth or treasure. The double vision saga ends. Jesus and material wealth cannot reign in your heart. The heart can only give itself to one ruler. There is no balancing the two – one must reign, the other must serve. Allegiance!

Jealousy is a terrible emotion. When left unbridled, it consumes. Shakespeare named it the green-eyed monster (The Merchant of Venice, 1596 / Othello, 1604).

There is a time jealousy can be good – when God has it. God speaks strongly of His jealousy in His Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:5 (KJV), “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them [idols], nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God …”Also in Deuteronomy 4:24 (KJV), “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

God’s jealousy is protecting. His jealousy is consumed with keeping you from straying from the path – into darkness.The apostle Paul understood this kind of jealousy. He wrote about it to the Christians in Corinth. II Corinthians 11:2 (KJV), “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband [Jesus], that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.“

Paul’s jealousy saves disciples from double vision.

PRAYER

Holy God, Thank You for being jealous over me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is jealous for us—He wants to save me for Jesus!