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Verse 28 stood out to me today, Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. Self-control may limit us, but it also protects us from outside forces that can hurt us or sway us from what is right.
25 Tuesday Dec 2012
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Verse 28 stood out to me today, Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. Self-control may limit us, but it also protects us from outside forces that can hurt us or sway us from what is right.
24 Monday Dec 2012
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The first verse in chapter 109 stood out to me, O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent. How many times have you waited on The Lord when you are begging Him to answer your prayers.
19 Wednesday Dec 2012
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We could begin a discussion comparing Postmillennialism, Premillennialism, and Amillennialism, but I will spare us. The important thing about this chapter is that God will reign for all eternity. We tend to get caught up in the minutiae of our lives, however, our scope should always focus on what matters in the light of eternity. When Christ comes again it will ultimately be forever. We must do things that bring us closer to that end in mind.
08 Saturday Dec 2012
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While I do not have a key verse that jumped out at me from today’s reading, there was a message that resonated with me. God will ultimately punish the wicked when the time is right and when it fits within His purpose and will. On the other side, the obedient will ultimately be rewarded, but probably not in this lifetime. If that we’re the case, the righteous would all be rich and disease free. God wants obedience from His children and for us to have faith that our reward belongs in eternity and not necessarily in this lifetime. We are to trust that God is in control through all circumstances and will act to fulfill His perfect plan for His glory and honor. This is not selfishness on His part, it is His right. To think differently is arrogance on our part.
06 Thursday Dec 2012
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Verses 20 and 21 of today’s reading are astonishing to me, 20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood–idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. Even after all the suffering they experience around them they still do not repent of their sins. How often am I like this with God? Maybe not to the same extent, but I see suffering all around me and yet I still find ways to go my own way and disobey God. I must constantly remind myself that God is the only one I need to listen to and obey no matter what the distractions are around me.
25 Sunday Nov 2012
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We’ve heard it before; Love is an action, not a verb. Verse 6 clearly supports that notion, And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. Whether we look at the Old or New Testament, we are commanded to love. In the Old, in the second part of Leviticus 19:18 it says …but love your neighbor as yourself. And in the New, Christ commands us in John 15:12, My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Love is put into practice when we are obedient to His commands. We can do this in a variety of ways; accepting people, listening, helping, giving, serving, refusing to judge, and a variety of other positive ways. In the end, it comes down to just doing and not just talking!
21 Wednesday Nov 2012
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The things this world has to offer will last the equivalent of a blink of an eye in the light of eternity. When we line up our desires with the desires of God, we are given the peace to know it will last the test of time and have an impact on God’s eternal kingdom. Verse 17 says, The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. Nothing will bless our lives more than to do the will of God because we know it will last. We simple need to align ourselves with God’s plan for His kingdom and we will be blessed. It’s hard to do, but has the ability to give us eternal fulfillment if we just stay faithful to Him.
19 Monday Nov 2012
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There was so much wisdom in today’s reading in Psalm. The verses that stood out to me the most was Psalm 73:25-26, 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Who do we have to take care of us besides God? We love and trust friends and family around us, but in the end the only one who is guaranteed to be there for us is God. We really can not even rely on ourselves because we are imperfect. We can only trust God for perfect wisdom and guidance in our lives. We must trust in Him and know His plan is perfect.
15 Thursday Nov 2012
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Verse 14 says, So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. At first glance it almost seems to contradict what Paul talks about with salvation through grace and not works. The big difference in Peter’s view comes from his concentration on the Christian life and of service. Reading letters by both men gives us a complete picture of how we should live our lives. We should know we are saved by God’s grace and nothing else. We should also live our lives serving and taking care of others just as Christ commanded when he spoke to Peter in John 21:17, The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” If we love Jesus then we will serve just as He commanded us.
14 Wednesday Nov 2012
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2 Peter chapter 2 is a bit on the gloomy side. Peter is trying to express the importance of not only following God, but also of not rejecting Him once you have been introduced to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Verse 20 says, If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. God wants a relationship with us. He wants to lead us and guide us and trust in Him. This is not to say everything will be perfect in the end, but at least we will be close to God; knowing we followed His leading and lived according to His perfect plan.