Good News Daily Volume XIV July 20-26, 2014 Number 29 Sunday, July 20 Psalm 63 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (v.1 NIV) I, like David, often feel that I am totally alone in the desert. And then when alone, I look for worldly comforts. We should realize though that God alone is our only comfort. When alone or lonely we should look to Him for our provision and comfort. When I have sought worldly comforts they are like a sugar high…temporary and never fulfilling. We need to remember that He is always there and always available. A good friend can help, but they are not always available. God will always be at your side. Call on Him the next time you are lonely. Joshua 6:15-27; Psalm 98; Acts 22:30—23:11; Mark 2:1-12 Monday, July 21 Joshua 7:1-13 And Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!” (v.7) So often I am off without ever consulting the Lord or even seeking the advice of a good friend. It is like, “Pray last, get nowhere fast.” God wants us to bring all things to Him. He wants the small and the big, the easy and the hard. Our pride says, “I can do this” as though we don’t need Him. Most times, I take on the easy things relying on my own strengths and abilities, and only go to Him with the tough ones or after I have failed. God knows what is ahead. We should be relying upon His guidance to help us see the way. When we don’t seek His guidance we miss the lessons that He intends for us. Get pride out of the way and work on getting Him into the mix early and always. Psalms 41, 52; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 26:36-46 Tuesday, July 22 Romans 14:1-12 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. (v.1) I have some areas of my life where my faith is strong and others where I am weak. It becomes important in one’s life to know where the strengths are and also the weaknesses. The importance resides in knowing whether when facing a weakness you can avoid sin. Temptation is not always avoided easily. I find at times that it is easier to just avoid certain places, people, and activities. Anyone that has gone through any twelve-step program knows about the “slippery slope.” It might be better to avoid areas of conflict and temptation rather than trying to navigate them once you are there. When we know our strengths and weaknesses we tend to know when to be cautious. We want to be bold in our witness for our Lord, but should avoid arenas in which our weakness might cause us to stumble. Joshua 8:1-22; Psalm 45; Matthew 26:47-56 Wednesday, July 23 Matthew 26:57-68 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. (v.59) Ever bend the truth a little? I have on occasion. What seems to be just a little bit more or a little “add-on” can have a disastrous outcome. This verse sends a strong message about false testimony and the consequences of twisting the truth. Be ever mindful about only telling the truth. Let’s leave out the embellishments to enhance the story. We are called to give accurate accounts, not to add on to the story with our own little twist. Joshua 8:30-35; Psalm 119:49-72; Romans 14:13-23 Thursday, July 24 Psalm 50 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people. (v.4) Sometimes I go about Godly endeavors in a halfhearted manner. God does not want halfhearted. He wants sincere thanks and praise, and he understands the difference between true and false faith. I do not want to engage with my Lord lightly. I want to honor Him with truthfulness, good work, and without any superficial motions. We also need to understand that He judges our deeds and our heart. A faith that is true has good motives and diligent effort. Joshua 9:3-21; Romans 15:1-13; Matthew 26:69-75 Friday, July 25 Romans 15:14-24 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. (v.20) An obvious message here is the call to spread the Gospel. But I find an even more interesting aspect to what is written in this verse. That is: What is your ambition? Often my ambition is self-serving. I look for my own advancement, not the Lord’s advancement. We are called to spread the Good News but we need to do it without looking for personal gain. Paul was ambitious to serve God, not to serve himself. We need to be of the same mind. Joshua 9:22—10:15; Psalms 40, 54; Matthew 27:1-10 Saturday, July 26 Joshua 23:1-16 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. (v.7a) Often throughout the year I review my relationships and associations. While I want to be open to spreading the Gospel where the Lord leads, I want to be careful where and with whom I spend my time. I find that some relationships put me in a place where I hedge on my testimony and relationship with the Lord. The persons in these relationships don’t claim to know Jesus, and thus it is easy to justify this with, “Well, all I’m doing is witnessing to those who don’t know the Gospel.” However, we all must be diligent in our relationships to make certain that we are not falling into temptations and that the associations don’t turn our attention to subtly worshipping other gods. Psalm 55; Romans 15:25-33; Matthew 27:11-23 by Jim Rogers Used with permission from the BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP PO Box 380, Winter Park, FL 32790 biblereading.org
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 14:38:07 +0000
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