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"Daily Connection" and "Read the Bible in a year"
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Daily Connection
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Work with enthusiasm as though you are working for the Lord rather than for people.
- Ephesians 6:7 NLT
During World War II, British coal miners were disgruntled with their hard, dirty work. Many joined the military, drawing much public praise and support. Their duties in the mines were still critical to the war effort. To lift their spirits, Winston Churchill gave a rousing speech, telling them that after the war there would be a great parade of the heroes who won the conflict. At the end of this procession would be the coal miners. If someone in the crowd should ask, "Where were they during the critical days of the struggle?" a thousand men would respond, "We were in the earth with our faces to the coal." (John Maxwell, The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork)
Feel like a coal miner? Does your job seem unrewarding and unappreciated? Don't quit. Maybe you need to find a new boss. Focus on Jesus and see Him as the one you are really serving. Wipe the coal dust off your f...[more details]
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Ezekiel 9-12
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Ezekiel 9
The Sinful Are Killed
1Then I heard Him call out in a loud voice, 'Come near, you who punish the city, each with a destroying ax in his hand.'
2And I saw six men coming from the upper gate on the north side. Each man had his battle in his hand. Among them was a certain man dressed in linen, with things for writing at his side. And the men went in and stood by the brass altar.
3Then the shining-greatness of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had been, to the door of the Lord's house. And He called to the man dressed in linen with the things for writing at his side.
4The Lord said to him, 'Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who cry inside themselves over all the hated sins which are being done among them.'
5But to the others I heard Him say, 'Go through the city after him, and destroy. Do not let your eye have pity. And do not let any sinner go without punishment.
6Kill and destroy o...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.
- Genesis 3:6 NIV
"Mommy," asked little Janice, "why is Daddy cutting down those purple flowers in the backyard?" "Those are wisteria, darling," explained the mother. "They are weeds that grow on the trees. "But they are so pretty," protested the child. "Honey, not everything that is pretty is good. The wisteria are vines that attach themselves to the other plants. If we don't get rid of them, they will kill the trees!"
Are you being tempted by the blossoms of sin? Satan makes wrongdoing attractive at the onset, but the outcome is always deadly. Temptation will loose its appeal when you see the weed behind the flowers!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Temptations discover what we are. (Thomas a Kempis)
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Ezekiel 13-15
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Ezekiel 13
Word Against False Preachers
1Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'Son of man, speak against those of Israel who speak false words in My name. Say to those who tell what is going to happen in the future out of their own minds, 'Listen to the Word of the Lord!
3The Lord God says, 'It is bad for the foolish people who tell what is going to happen by following their own spirit and have seen nothing.
4O Israel, your men who speak in My name are of no more worth than foxes in destroyed cities.
5You have not gone up to the broken places to build the wall around the people of Israel so that it will stand in the battle on the day of the Lord.
6They have lied and have spoken false words using their secret ways, saying, 'This is what the Lord says,' when the Lord has not sent them. Yet they hope that what they say will come true.
7Did you not see a false dream and tell a lie using your secret ways when you said, 'This is what the...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion...
- Colossians 3:12 NIV
When Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn, heard he had terminal cancer, he announced he was going back to his small town in Bonham, Texas. People said to him: "They have got the finest facilities in Washington, D. C., Why go back to that little town?" Rayburn simply replied, "Because in Bonham, Texas, people know if you're sick, and they care when you die." (J. R. Love)
Is your church a place people long to return? God has chosen you to be a family that genuinely cares for others. Make it your goal to minister with compassion and let God's house become a real home!
POINT OF CONNECTION: One kind word can warm three winter months.
(Japanese proverb)
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Ezekiel 16-17
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Ezekiel 16
Jerusalem - Not Faithful
1The Word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2'Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her hated sins.
3Tell them, 'This is what the Lord God says to Jerusalem: 'Your beginning and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite. Your father was an Amorite and your mother was a Hittite.
4On the day you were born the cord between you and your mother was not cut. You were not washed with water to make you clean. You were not rubbed with salt or even covered with cloth.
5No one looked with pity on you or did any of these things for you out of loving. Instead you were thrown out into the open field, for you were hated on the day you were born.
6'When I passed by you and saw you rolling about in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!'
7I made you become many, like plants of the field. Then you grew up and became tall. You grew into a beautiful woman. You...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
- Proverbs 24:11 NIV
Ray Blankenship was making breakfast during a torrential rainstorm when he looked out his window to see a small girl being swept down a flooded drain ditch. He raced outside and jumped into the churning waters to grab the girl just before she was swept underground into a huge sewer. He was able to hold the child's arm and pull her out to safety. As a result of his bravery, Ray Blankenship was awarded the US Coast Guard's Silver Lifesaving Medal. Ray Blankenship risked more than most people knew. Ray couldn't swim! (Los Angeles Times)
Is there someone you know whose life is going down the drain? Don't let fear keep you from helping. Genuine love is willing to jump in and get wet. The world needs a few more heroes who can't swim!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Courage is grace under pressure. (Hemingway)
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Ezekiel 18-20
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Ezekiel 18
1The Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'What do you mean by using this saying about the land of Israel: 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children get the sour taste'?
3As I live,' says the Lord God, 'you will never use this saying in Israel again.
4For all souls belong to Me. Both the soul of the father and the soul of the son are Mine. The soul who sins will die.
5But if a man is right and good and does what is right and good,
6he does not eat at the altars on the mountains or look up to the false gods of Israel. He does not sin with his neighbor's wife or go near a woman during the time she is unclean.
7He does not make it hard for anyone. He keeps his promise to pay back what he owes. He does not steal, but gives his bread to the hungry, and gives clothing to those who have none.
8He does not make others pay back more than they owe him. He keeps away from sin, and is an honest judge when men argue.
9He wa...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil- this is the gift of God.
- Ecclesiastes 2:13 NIV
During an interview the English sculptor Henry Moore was asked, "Now that you are 80, you must know the secret of life. What is it?" "The secret of life," he mused, "is to have a task, something you do your entire life, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for your whole life. And the most important thing is: It must be something you cannot possibly do." (John Byrne)
Are you fed up with working? Maybe you need a calling rather than a job? God can bless your work if you see it as service to Him. On this holiday, thank the Lord for the gift of work. Dedicate your life anew as a labor of love!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Your vocation is not to work for lepers...your vocation is to belong to Jesus. (Mother Teresa)
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Ezekiel 21-22
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Ezekiel 21
Babylon Is God's Sword
1The Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'Son of man, look toward Jerusalem and speak against the holy places. Speak against the land of Israel.
3Tell the land of Israel, 'The Lord says, 'See, I am against you. I will take My sword out of its holder and destroy from you both the good and the sinful.
4Because I will destroy from you both the good and the sinful, My sword will go out against everyone from south to north.
5Then all people will know that I, the Lord, have taken out My sword. It will not be put back into its holder again.''
6As for you, son of man, cry in sorrow in front of them, as if your heart is breaking.
7And when they ask you, 'Why are you crying?' tell them, 'Because of the news that is coming, every heart will melt and all hands will be weak. Every spirit will lose its strength, and all knees will be as weak as water. It is coming, and it will happen,' says the Lord God.'
8Again...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9 NIV
The first Russian Czar, Ivan the Terrible, was well named. He cruelly tortured and killed his opponents. He even murdered his son! Toward the end of his life, Ivan sensed the peril of his soul and sought God's forgiveness. He was re-baptized as a monk taking the name, Jonah. When he died he was buried in his monk's outfit hoping to gain him forgiveness from God and entry to heaven. (BBC)
Are you terrified of standing before God on the Last Day? God sent Jesus to bear your sins and provide you with assurance of forgiveness. Turn to God and confess your evil. Judgment Day won't seem so "terrible", if you find peace with God today!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Jesus came to save the lost, the last, and the least.
(Ben de Jong)
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Ezekiel 23-24
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Ezekiel 23
Two Sinful Sisters
1The Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.
3They sold the use of their bodies in Egypt, and did so when they were young. Their breasts were lain upon in that land. Their breasts, which had never before been held by a man, were held.
4The name of the older sister was Oholah, and her younger sister was Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
The Older Sister - Samaria
5'Oholah sold the use of her body while she was Mine. She was full of desire for her lovers, the Assyrians who lived near her
6who were dressed in purple. They were rulers and leaders, all of them good-looking young men who rode on horses.
7She gave her body to them for sex. They were all the best men of Assyria. And she also sinned by worshiping the false gods of all the men she desired.
8She did not tu...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you."
- Acts 18:9-10 NIV
Martin Luther King received numerous death threats. Fear kept him awake at night. One night King heard the voice of Jesus in a dream saying, "Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness. Stand up for justice. Stand up for truth. And lo, I will be with you, even until the end of the world." Three nights later a bomb exploded on the front verandah of the King home. Thankfully no one was hurt. But King was able to get through it in peace: "My religious experience a few nights before had given me strength to face it." (Phil Yancey)
Is fear holding you back from serving God? Often ministry requires courage and confidence. Don't back down from what you know is right. The Lord promises his protection when you obey. The Presence of God will be with you when you '"stand up" for Jesus!
POINT O...[more details]
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Ezekiel 25-27
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Ezekiel 25
Word Against Ammon
1The Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'Son of man, look toward the Ammonites and speak against them.
3Tell them, 'Hear the Word of the Lord God! The Lord God says, 'Because you were happy when My holy place was made unclean, and when the land of Israel was made waste, and when the people of Judah were taken away,
4I am going to give you to the people of the east. They will put up their tents among you and live among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk.
5I will turn the city of Rabbah into a field for camels, and Ammon into a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'
6For the Lord God says, 'Because you have clapped your hands and crushed under your feet and showed your joy because of your hate for Israel,
7I have put out My hand against you. I will give you away to the nations. And I will destroy you from the nations and from the lands. Then you will know that I am the...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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By your ordinances is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
- Psalm 19:11-12 NIV
In 1992, a man from Phoenix, Arizona, awoke feeling poorly one morning. He stayed home from work that day nursing a splitting headache. He was unaware what was wrong with him until he found a note in his kitchen. As strange as it may seem, it read, "Bill, you've been shot. Call 911." Apparently he'd been shot while asleep and was unaware of his injury. X-rays found a bullet lodged in his jaw. (Sun Herald)
Are you hurting and you don't know why? Get the right diagnosis. The Bible will alert you to hidden sins and attitudes that produce spiritual pain. Prayerfully read the Scriptures daily. That's one habit that will keep you from being one of the walking wounded!
POINT OF CONNECTION: The Bible may cause you to wonder, but it will never cause you to wander. (B. de Jong)
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Ezekiel 28-30
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Ezekiel 28
Words Against The King Of Tyre
1The Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'Son of man, tell the leader of Tyre, 'The Lord God says, 'Because your heart is proud, you have said, 'I am a god. I sit in the seat of gods, with the seas around me.' Yet you are a man and not God, even if you think you are as wise as God.
3You are wiser than Daniel. There is no secret that is hidden from you.
4By your wisdom and understanding you have gathered riches for yourself. You have gathered gold and silver for your store.
5By all your wisdom in trade you have added to your riches, and your heart has become proud because of them.
6So the Lord God says, 'Because you think you are as wise as God,
7I will bring strangers against you, those who have the hardest hearts of all the nations. With their swords they will destroy the beauty of your wisdom and your greatness.
8They will bring you down to the grave. You will die the death of those who ar...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
- Matthew 23:25 NIV
Nome, Alaska, is an Artic community that sits on frozen, sponge-like tundra. Nome in the summer is a veritable sea of junk and piles of non-degradable refuse cluttering front yards. Tourists are amazed at the debris and wonder how the inhabitants could live like that. What those visitors do not realize is that for nine months of the year Nome sits under a blanket of snow that covers the garbage. During those months, the little town is a quaint winter wonderland of pure white landscapes. (Oz Illustrations)
What garbage are you hiding? You might be able to fool others with your image, but the Lord sees you for what you really are. Ask Jesus to help you clean out the junk of bad attitudes and anger from your heart. Keep in mind; you can't pull a snow job on God.
POINT OF CONNECTION: Holines...[more details]
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Ezekiel 31-33
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Ezekiel 31
Egypt Is Like A Cedar Tree
1saying,
2'Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his people, 'Who can be compared with you in greatness?
3Look at Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches and many leaves. It was very high, and its top was among the heavy branches.
4The waters made it grow, and the water under the ground made it grow high. Its rivers flowed all around its base, and spread water to all the trees of the field.
5So it was higher than all the trees of the field. And it grew many long and spreading branches because it had so much water.
6All the birds of the air made their nests in its branches. And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth. All great nations lived in its shadow.
7It was beautiful in its greatness with its spreading branches, for its roots went down to much water.
8The cedars in God's garden could not compare with it. The fir trees and the chestnut trees coul...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
- 1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV
Former Notre Dame football coach, Lou Holtz, once said, "I've been on the top and I've been on the bottom. At Arkansas my first year, we won the Orange Bowl. Then everybody loved me. They put me into the Arkansas Hall of Fame and issued a commemorative stamp in my honor. The next year we lost to Texas, and they had to take away the stamp, because people kept spitting on the wrong side of it."
(Elbourne's Illustrations)
Has your popularity taken a tumble? People are fickle and are not good indicators of your real worth. Make it your aim to please the Lord. Ultimately, it is only His approval that matters. You'll be winner when your fan base is just One!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Show me someone who has done something worthwhile and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity. (Lou Holtz)
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Ezekiel 34-36
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Ezekiel 34
The Shepherds Of Israel
1The Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'Son of man, speak against the shepherds of Israel. Speak in My name and tell those shepherds, 'The Lord God says, 'It is bad for the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?
3You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool. You kill the fat sheep without feeding the flock.
4You have not given strength to the weak ones. You have not healed the sick. You have not helped the ones that are hurt. You have not brought back those that have gone away. And you have not looked for the lost. But you have ruled them with power and without pity.
5They went everywhere because they had no shepherd. And they became food for every animal of the field.
6My flock went many different ways through all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were spread over all the earth, and there was no one looking for them.'''
7So, yo...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
- 1 John 3:16 NIV
On the day Rafael Peralta received his green card, the Mexican-born youth enlisted in the U.S. Marines. Months later he was fighting in Iran with his unit during the battle for Fallujah. Leading his team into a small apartment, Peralta was severely wounded by insurgent gunfire from the next room. Slumped over to the side, the injured Peralta saw a hand grenade hit the floor next to him and the rest of his team. Without a second thought, Sergeant Peralta threw his body on the explosive device and absorbed the blast into his torso. Peralta died saving the lives of his three adjacent team members! (Rich Lourry)
On September 11, 2001, the United States was plunged into the War on Terror. Today the nation remembers the heroism of countless Americans, soldiers and civilians, who have given their lives to protect freedom. Sergeant...[more details]
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Ezekiel 37-39
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Ezekiel 37
The Valley Of Dry Bones
1The hand of the Lord was upon me. He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the center of the valley. It was full of bones.
2He led me around the valley. I saw there were very many bones, and they were very dry.
3He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' I answered, 'O Lord God, only You know that.'
4He said to me, 'Speak in My name over these bones. Say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.'
5This is what the Lord God says to these bones: 'I will make breath come into you, and you will come to life.
6I will join you together, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you to make you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.''
7So I spoke as I was told. And as I spoke, there was a noise, the sound of bones hitting against each other. The bones came together, bone to bone.
8I looked and saw that parts had grown to hold them together....[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Jesus said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
- Mark 6:31-32 NIV
Angie's car had stalled. She put her hood up and a man came to help her. "I can't get it started," Angie explained. "But it might help if you jiggle the wire on the battery. That's what my husband always does." The man grabbed the loose positive battery cable. "Ma'am, if you'll give me two minutes and a wrench I can tighten the terminal and you can solve the problem for good." Reluctantly, she extended a crescent wrench through the window of the old car and he completed the repair. (Ron Newhouse)
Are you running out of juice? Maybe you need more than a "quick fix" from God. Your spiritual motor has to have regular down time in communion with Jesus to function at its best. Set time aside this week to be alone with God. Give him space to make some needed repairs.
POINT OF CONNECTION: There is mo...[more details]
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Ezekiel 40-42
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Ezekiel 40
A New House Of God
1It was the twenty year since the people of Israel were taken away to a strange land, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, and fourteen years since Jerusalem was taken in battle. On that day the hand of the Lord was upon me and He brought me there.
2In a special way God brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain. There were some buildings on its south side that looked like a city.
3He took me there, and I saw a man who looked like he was made of brass. In his hand was a linen rope and a stick to find how long something is. He was standing at the gate.
4And the man said to me, 'Son of man, look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and think about all I am going to show you. For you have been brought here so that I may show it to you. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.'
The East Gate
5I saw a wall all around the outside of the house of the Lord. The stick in the...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross.
- Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Kathy was dying from cancer. One day Pastor Young visited her in the hospital and found her propped up in pain looking out the window. After prayer with the suffering woman, the minister asked Kathy if she would like a cross in her room. When she agreed, Pastor Young went to his church and carried back to the hospital the large, silver cross from the altar. When he entered Kathy's room, he placed the cross on the sill of the window so Kathy could see it silhouetted against the sky. It remained there for the last days of her life giving her strength and indescribable comfort. (Daily Devotions)
Do you have a hard road ahead? Keep your eyes on the cross. The cross is a constant reminder that God understands your suffering and that He will give you the strength you need to finish the course. Stay focused on the Risen Lord and Jesus w...[more details]
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Ezekiel 43-45
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Ezekiel 43
The Lord Returns To The House Of God
1Then he brought me to the east gate,
2and I saw the shining-greatness of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth was shining because of His greatness.
3It was like the special dream that I saw when He came to destroy the city. It was like the special dream that I saw by the Chebar River. I fell with my face to the ground.
4As the shining-greatness of the Lord came into the house through the east gate,
5the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner open space. And the shining-greatness of the Lord filled the house.
6While the man was standing beside me, I heard Someone speaking to me from inside the house.
7And He said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place for My throne and for the bottom of My feet, where I will live among the people of Israel forever. No longer will the people of Israel or their kings make My holy name unclea...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
- 1 Peter 5:6 NIV
NBA great, Alonzo Mourning, contracted kidney disease a few years ago. The disease almost ended his career until he received a transplant. Reflecting on the difficult episode, Mourning said, "I remember five, six years ago, I felt like I was Superman. Nobody could stop me. First team All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year, you name it. I was getting all the accolades because of my so-called invincibility. But I was humbled. I realize that I've been given another opportunity to live my life. I'm going to relish this opportunity and treasure this opportunity like it's my last." (Mark Montieth)
Has life grounded you lately? God has used your circumstances to remind you that you aren't Superman! He is humbling you to make you more dependent on His grace. Submit yourself to God's hand and you'll soon be saying, "Up, up, and away!"
POINT OF CONNECTION: Ther...[more details]
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Ezekiel 46-48
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Ezekiel 46
The Way Of Worship
1'The Lord God says, 'The east gate of the inner open space must stay shut during the six working days. But it may be opened on the Day of Rest and on the day of the new moon.
2The ruler will come in through the porch of the gate from outside and stand by the pillar of the gate. The religious leaders will make ready his burnt gift and his peace gifts, and he will worship at the gate and then go out. But the gate will not be shut until evening.
3The people of the land will also worship at the gate before the Lord on the Days of Rest and on the new moons.
4The burnt gift the ruler gives to the Lord on the Day of Rest will be six lambs that are perfect and a ram that is perfect.
5The grain gift will be one part of a barrel of grain with the ram, and as much grain as he is able to give with the lambs. And he will give a large jar of oil with each tenth part of a barrel of grain.
6On the day of the new moon he will give a...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
- Luke 6:38 NIV
Steve was a young pastor serving a struggling church. While attending a denominational meeting in another city, he found himself with only $25 left to get home on the next day. That night during the final offering, Steve planned to give the five and use the other $20 bill to pay for gas and breakfast for his family. While the collection proceeded, God impressed Steve to put the $20 in the plate. Steve struggled but obeyed figuring they would have to skip breakfast the next morning. The next day, Steve was carrying his luggage out to his car. At the foot of the driver's door was a $20 bill! (Steve Klipowicz)
Is God prompting you to give away something? Don't let the opportunity go by. Obey the Spirit and give in faith. God will never be out given. When you lay your treasures at the feet of Jesus, keep an eye on your own t...[more details]
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Daniel 1-3
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Daniel 1
Daniel Obeys God
1In the third year that Jehoiakim was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem. His army was all around the city.
2The Lord let him take King Jehoiakim of Judah, with some of the objects of the house of God. He brought them to the house of his god in the land of Shinar, and put the objects into the store of his god.
3Then the king told Ashpenaz, his head ruler, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, both those of the king's family and of the important leaders.
4They were to be young men, perfect in body, good-looking, with wisdom, understanding, much learning, and able to serve in the king's house. The king told Ashpenaz to teach them the writings and language of the Babylonians.
5And the king gave them a share of his best food and wine every day. They were to be taught for three years, and after that they were to serve the king.
6Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from th...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
- Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
The movie, "Fifty One Days", starring Adam Sandler, tells the funny, yet poignant story of a man who was in love with a young woman who developed a strange short-term memory dysfunction. As a result of her condition, she could not remember anything from the previous day. The hero of the story was forced to prove his love to her in a fresh and creative way each day to win her love anew. (Steve Klipowicz)
Do you feel far from God's love? Don't let spiritual amnesia rob you of joy. The Lord demonstrates his love in countless ways throughout the day. Think about the many blessings he has given you during the last week. Each one is a creative message from God saying, "I love you!"
POINT OF CONNECTION: Love doesn't sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new. (Ursu...[more details]
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Daniel 4-6
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Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar's Second Dream
1King Nebuchadnezzar sent this letter to all the people of every nation and language who live in all the world: 'May you have much peace!
2I am pleased to tell you about the wonderful things which the Most High God has done for me.
3How great are the special things He shows us! How powerful are His wonderful works! His nation lasts forever, and His rule is for all people for all time.
4'I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house. Everything was going well for me there.
5But I had a dream that made me afraid. As I lay on my bed the pictures that passed through my mind filled me with fear.
6So I called for all the wise men of Babylon to come and tell me the meaning of my dream.
7Then the wonderers, those who learn from stars, and those who use their secret ways, came in. I told them about the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.
8At last Daniel came to me, who was given the name Beltes...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
- Romans 5:5 NIV
Frederick Lehman composed the words to the incredible hymn, "The Love of God" in 1917. The first two stanzas were his own words, but he took the third stanza from words written on the wall of an insane asylum. The inmate who wrote them apparently had a moment of incredible sanity when he penned: "The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can tell; it goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell!" (Cyberhymnal)
How deep are your problems? No matter how insane things look to you, place your hope in God. His love can be depended upon. You are not crazy to believe in God's love!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence. (Eric Fromm)
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Daniel 7-9
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Daniel 7
Daniel's Special Dream Of The Four Animals
1In the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon, Daniel had a special dream in his mind as he lay on his bed. And he wrote the dream down, telling what he saw.
2Daniel said, 'In my dream at night I looked and saw the four winds of heaven causing waves in the great sea.
3And four large animals were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
4The first was like a lion and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man. A man's heart was given to it also.
5Then I saw a second animal, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And it was told, 'Get up, and eat much meat!'
6Then I looked and saw another animal, which looked like a leopard. It had four wings of a bird on its back, and four heads. And it was given...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer."
- Amos 7:8 KJV
Jerry and Frank were building a brick wall around the backside of Frank's property. As the wall got higher, Frank complained that the wall looked crooked. Jerry thought it looked straight. To avoid an argument, Jerry got out a plumb bob from his father's old tool kit and hung it next to the wall. Sure enough, the wall was beginning to lean a little. With a little work, the men completed the project with the assurance the wall would not collapse! (Steve Klipowicz)
Is your life tipping a little off center? Don't depend on your own eyes. It is easy to fool yourself into thinking things look straight even before a painful topple. Let God's word be the final measure. It's better to be corrected by the Bible than be "plumb" wrong in the end!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Apply yours...[more details]
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Daniel 10-12
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Daniel 10
Daniel's Special Dream By The Tigris River
1In the third year that Cyrus was the king of Persia, some news was made known to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). The news was true and it was about a battle. He received understanding of the news in a special dream.
2In those days, I, Daniel, had been full of sorrow for three weeks.
3I did not eat any fine food, and no meat or wine came into my mouth. And I did not use any oil at all, until the three weeks were finished.
4On the twentyfourth day of the first month, I was standing by the side of the wide Tigris River.
5I looked up and saw a certain man dressed in linen. Around him was a belt of fine gold.
6His body was like shining stone. His face looked like lightning. His eyes were like fire. His arms and feet were like shining brass. And his voice was like the noise of many people.
7I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the special dream. The men who were with me did not see it. Bu...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV
Victoria Ktsoyeva was one of the many children taken hostage by terrorists in Beslan, Russian in 2004. Although severely injured in her head by shrapnel, she hung on to a small golden cross given to her at baptism as a symbol of hope. Amazingly she survived, and in a subsequent interview she stated she would be in church every Sunday wearing the cross over her heart where it belonged. (Leslie Dibble).
Are you a hostage to your problems? Has life led you to the point of despair? Take a hold of the cross. Let it remind you that Jesus died so that you can have new life through Him. Receive Jesus as your Savior today. Put the cross on your heart where it belongs!
POINT OF CONNECTION: More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. (Tennyson)
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Hosea 1-7
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Hosea 1
1The Word of the Lord came to Hosea the son of Beeri during the time that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, and Jeroboam the son of Joash was king of Israel.
Hosea's Family
2When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to him, 'Go and marry a wife who is not faithful in marriage, and have children from that woman. For the land is guilty of not being faithful to the Lord.'
3So he married Gomer the daughter of Diblaim and she gave birth to his son.
4And the Lord said to Hosea, 'Name him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the people of Jehu for the killing at Jezreel. And I will put an end to the ruling power of the people of Israel.
5On that day, I will break the power of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.'
6Then Gomer gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, 'Name her Lo, for I will no longer have loving on the people of Israel and forgive them.
7But I will have loving on the people of Jud...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
- Revelations 14:13 NIV
Dr. Brackett was a small town physician who provided loving service to his rural community for decades. He used a small office space located above the local drug store. Patients would find him by seeing the small bronze sign posted below, Dr. Brackett: Upstairs. As a Christian, Brackett often gave his services away to the poor immigrant workers in his area. When he died, his widow was only able to afford a small tombstone in the local cemetery. To express gratitude for the physician's help, someone from the immigrant community removed the old bronze office sign and posted on his grave, "Dr. Brackett: Upstairs!" (W. Sangster)
Do you want to win others to Christ? Then make your life an example of His love. Serving others out of selfless compassion will pre...[more details]
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Hosea 8-14
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Hosea 8
Israel Worships False Gods
1'Put the horn to your lips! Men who hate us are coming like an eagle to fight against the house of the Lord, because the people of Israel have sinned against My agreement and would not obey My Law.
2They cry out to Me, 'My God, we of Israel know You!'
3Israel has turned away from the good, and those who hate him will come after him.
4They have set up kings, but not by Me. They have chosen leaders, but I did not know it. They have made false gods for themselves out of silver and gold, so they will be destroyed.
5O Samaria, I will have nothing to do with the calf you worship. My anger burns against them! How long will it be before they are pure
6in Israel? A workman made this calf, so it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
7They plant the wind and they will gather the storm. The standing grain has no heads, and will give no food. If it were to give food, strangers would eat it.
...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Romans 12:21 NIV
Atwan was a leper in a hospital in Sri Lanka. He blamed God for his disease and didn't want anything to do with religion. Asit, a Christian man from the village, came to visit. At first, Atwan was suspicious and tried to drive the man away by being rude. Asit persisted trying to befriend the young leper in spite of the insults. Over time the man's love and witness began to melt Atwan's heart. Finally, after thirteen years of persistent witness, Atwan gave his life to Jesus. (Ajith Fernando)
Are your attempts to share Jesus being firmly rejected? Don't give up. Patient love will win the day. Unbelievers are suspicious until you earn their trust. Offer the gift of authentic caring. You might win someone to Christ and even make a friend!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies. The only gift is a part of thyself. (Emerson)
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Joel
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Joel 1
1This is the word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel. The Land Is Destroyed
2Hear this, you old men. Listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this happened in your days or in your fathers' days?
3Tell your sons about it, and let your sons tell their sons, and their sons tell the next sons.
4What the chewing locust has left, the flying locust has eaten. What the flying locust has left, the jumping locust has eaten. And what the jumping locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten.
5Wake up and cry, you who drink too much. Cry in a loud voice, all you who drink wine, for the sweet wine has been taken from your lips.
6A nation has come to fight against my land. Its army is powerful, with too many to number. Its teeth are the teeth of a lion. It has the long, sharp teeth of a female lion.
7It has made my vine a waste, and has broken my fig tree to pieces. It has torn off their covering and thrown it away. Their...[more details]
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Amos 1-5
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Amos 1
1These are the words of Amos, a shepherd of Tekoa, which he received in special dreams about Israel two years before the earth shook. Uzziah was king of Judah then , and Jeroboam the son of Joash was the king of Israel.
2He said, 'The Lord makes a loud noise from Zion. He lets His voice be heard from Jerusalem. And the shepherds' fields are filled with sorrow, and the top of Carmel dries up.'
God Judges Israel's Neighbors - Syria
3The Lord says, 'For three sins of Damascus and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They have crushed Gilead with tools of sharp iron.
4So I will send fire upon the people of Hazael, and it will destroy the strong-places of Ben.
5I will break down the gate of Damascus, and destroy the people from the Valley of Aven and the king from Beth. The people of Syria will be taken away to Kir,' says the Lord.
6The Lord says, 'For three sins of Gaza and for four, I will not hold back punishment. They took a nation o...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
- Acts 16:14 NIV
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Jason went with his church's jail ministry and met a hard-looking inmate named Frank. After a short gospel presentation by Jason, Frank prayed to ask Jesus to be his Savior. As the much relieved Jason got up to leave the jail, Frank simply said, "Don't go off with a big head young man, you are simply the 25th man." Jason was a bit confused by the comment and asked Frank to explain what he meant. "Kid, twenty-four people before you have told me about Jesus since I have been in this joint. You are the one God finally used to bring me in!" (Leighton Ford)
You don't need to know all the answers or be a spiritual giant to bring others to the Lord. The Holy Spirit changes lives, not you. He will use your simple efforts to open hearts to Jesus. Tell others about Jesus bold...[more details]
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Amos 6-9
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Amos 6
Israel To Be Destroyed
1It is bad for those who are taking it easy in Zion, and for those who feel safe on the mountain of Samaria, you great men of the most important nation, to whom the people of Israel come!
2Go over to Calneh and look. And go from there to great Hamath. Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these nations? Is their land better than yours?
3You put off the day of trouble, and bring near the seat of anger.
4How bad it will be for you who lie on beds of ivory and spread out upon your long seats! You eat lambs from the flock and calves from the cattle.
5You sing songs to the sound of the harp. Like David you write songs for yourselves.
6You drink wine from the holy dishes, and pour the best oil on yourselves. Yet you are not filled with sorrow because Joseph has been destroyed!
7You will be among the first to be taken away as prisoners to a strange land, and your happy times of rest will pass a...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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You are the salt of the earth.
- Matthew 5:13 NIV
Jack Eckerd, founder of the Eckerd drugstore chain, accepted Christ in 1983. Soon after his dramatic conversion, Eckerd ordered the company's CEO to take all pornographic magazines out of the stores. The CEO was stunned. The sale of those magazines brought in several million dollars a year in profits. Eckerd prevailed and the removal of the pornography accelerated a trend that led other companies to get rid of the porn!
(E-Illustrations)
Are you tired of our rotten society? You can help get rid of the stench! You are God's salt in the world. Salt preserves and keeps things from getting spoiled. Confront corruption when you see it. Salt doesn't do any good if it stays in the shaker!
POINT OF CONNECTION: The place of the church is not to change society but to change men and women who will then change society. (Daniel Poling)
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Daily Connection
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Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
While John Wesley was a student at Oxford, he met an impoverished janitor who, in spite of his humble circumstances, displayed a constant sense of joy. Frustrated by this man's witness, Wesley asked, "You thank God when you have nothing to eat, nothing to wear, and no place to sleep. What else do you thank him for?" The servant simply said, "I thank Him that He has given me life and being; and a heart to love Him and a desire to serve Him." (Ignvar Haddl)
Has life been a little less than you expected lately? Do not allow your situations to rob you of your joy. Thank God for the many blessings you daily take for granted. You'll soon realize that He is worth all the praise you can give Him!
POINT OF CONNECTION: We see things as we are and not as they are. (Leo Rosten)
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Obadiah-Jonah
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Obadiah 1
Edom To Be Judged
1This is the special dream of Obadiah, what the Lord God says about Edom. We have heard this news from the Lord. And a man has been sent among the nations to say, 'Get ready! Let us go fight a war against Edom.'
2'I will make you small among the nations. Everyone will hate you.
3The pride of your heart has fooled you. You live in the holes of the rock. Your home is high in the mountains. And so you say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?'
4Even when you build your home as high as the eagle, and make your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there,' says the Lord.
5'If robbers came to you during the night, O how you will be destroyed! Would they not steal only enough for themselves? If those who gather grapes came to you, would they not leave some behind?
6O how Esau will be robbed! His hidden rich-es will be looked for until they are found.
7All the men you have made an agreement wit...[more details]
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Daily Connection
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But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
- Matthew 5:39 NIV
Bishop John Selwyn once supervised a school for indigent men. One day, Selwyn rebuked a young man for his blatantly bad behavior. In a rage, the youth struck the bishop on the face. In response to this attack, Selwyn simply turned his head and quietly walked away. Years later the young man was dying and asked to be baptized. At his baptism, the man was asked if he wanted to adopt a baptismal name. He simply said, "Call me John Selwyn. He was the man who taught me what Christ was like the day I struck him." (John Boreman)
Are you being treated badly? Before you launch your reprisal, let God's Spirit guide your actions. Make your counterattack a gesture of love. Let your enemies learn what Jesus is like!
POINT OF CONNECTION: Many people are brought to Christ not by argument for it but exposure to him. (Sam Shoemaker)
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Micah
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Micah 1
1This is the Word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth about Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Israel Is Judged
2Hear, O people, all of you. Listen, O earth and all who are in it. The Lord God will speak against you from His holy house.
3See, the Lord is coming from His place. He will come down and walk on the high places of the earth.
4The mountains will melt under Him and the valleys will break open, like a candle in front of the fire, like water poured down a hill.
5All this is because Jacob would not obey and because of the sins of the people of Israel. What is Jacob's sin? Is it not Samaria? What is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
6So I will make Samaria a waste in the open country, making it a place to plant grape-fields. I will pour her stones down into the valley, and lay open the base of the city.
7All of her false gods will be broken to pieces. Everythi...[more details]
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40 days of prayer
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If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 CHRONICLES 7:14
Father, We seek Your sovereign blessing on our nation. Forgive us for our shortcomings and the times when we have failed You. Draw us back to Your love and strengthen us as a nation to serve and honor You in all that we do. May we forever be faithful to the calling that You have given us. We respectfully and humbly give thanks for Your continued blessing.
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Nahum
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Nahum 1
1This is the word about Nineveh, the book of the special dream of Nahum the Elkoshite.
God's Anger Against Nineveh
2The Lord is a jealous God and One Who punishes. The Lord punishes and is angry. The Lord punishes those who fight against Him. He is angry with those who hate Him.
3The Lord is slow to anger and great in power. The Lord will be sure to punish the guilty. The way He punishes is in the strong-wind and storm. The clouds are the dust under His feet.
4He speaks sharp words to the sea and makes it dry. He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel dry up. The flowers of Lebanon dry up.
5Mountains shake because of Him, and the hills melt. The earth is laid waste before Him, the world and everyone in it.
6Who can stand before His anger? Who can live through the burning of His anger? His anger is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken up by Him.
7The Lord is good, a safe place in times of trouble. And He knows those w...[more details]
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40 days of prayer
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"‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’"
JEREMIAH 33:3
Lord,
You have asked us to call to You, with the
promise that You will answer when we do.
We humbly seek Your guidance for our
nation. Give us wisdom so that
we will be a people guided by Your Spirit
and filled with Your presence. Help us,
O Lord, to honor You in word and deed,
that we as a people will have Your blessing
and favor.
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Habakkuk-Zephaniah
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Habakkuk 1
Habakkuk's Question
1This is the special word which Habakkuk the man of God saw.
2O Lord, how long must I call for help before You will hear? I cry out to You, 'We are being hurt!' But You do not save us.
3Why do you make me see sins and wrong? People are being destroyed in anger in front of me. There is arguing and fighting.
4The Law is not followed. What is right is never done. For the sinful are all around those who are right and good, so what is right looks like sin.
The Lord's Answer
5'Look among the nations, and see! Be surprised and full of wonder! For I am doing something in your days that you would not believe if you were told.
6I am bringing the Babylonians to power. They are people filled with anger who go across the whole earth to take homes that are not theirs.
7They fill others with fear. They make their own law about what is fair and honored.
8Their horses are faster than leopards, and show less pity t...[more details]
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40 days of prayer
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
Father, The worries of each day are ever around us. Conflict, both within and without, threatens the peace we so desperately want and seek. Father, we come to You with an open heart, seeking Your guidance and being content with all that You have given us as a nation. Guard our hearts, O Lord, so that we will be faithful to You, and let the peace of Your presence surround us each and every day.
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Haggai
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Haggai 1
Word Is Given To Build The House Of God
1On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai. The Word was for Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, saying,
2'This is what the Lord of All says: 'These people say, 'The time has not yet come to build again the house of the Lord.'''
3Then the Word of the Lord came by Haggai the man of God, saying,
4'Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your houses with walls covered with wood, while this house lies waste?'
5Now the Lord of All says, 'Think about your ways!
6You have planted much, but gather little. You eat, but there is not enough to fill you. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothing, but no one is warm enough. You earn money, but put it into a bag with holes.'
7The Lord of All says, 'Think about your ways!
8Go up to the moun...[more details]
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40 days of prayer
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"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country."
DEUTERONOMY 28:1-3
Father, Humble our hearts today so that we will hear Your voice. Help us as a nation to obey Your voice in all that we say and do. Continue to bless us, O Lord, and give us a compassionate and giving heart toward those around us. Hold us to a higher calling, that we will carefully observe Your commandments and be a nation under God with liberty and justice for all.
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Zechariah 1-7
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Zechariah 1
The Lord Calls His People To Turn From Sin
1In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the Word of the Lord came to Zechariah the man of God, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,
2'The Lord was very angry with your fathers.
3So tell them, 'The Lord of All says, 'Return to Me, that I may return to you.
4Do not be like your fathers. The men who spoke for Me in the past told them, 'The Lord of All says, 'Return from your sinful ways and from your sinful works.'' But they did not listen to Me,' says the Lord.
5'Where are your fathers now? And the men who spoke for Me, do they live forever?
6I gave My Words and My Laws to your fathers through My servants who spoke for Me. But they would not listen and so they were punished. Then they were sorry for their sins and said, 'The Lord of All has punished us for our ways and our works, as He said He would.'' ''
Zechariah Sees Horses During The Night
7On the twenty d...[more details]
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40 days of prayer
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For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
JEREMIAH 29:11-13
Father, We know that Your heart’s desire for us is to be at peace with You and with those around us. Place within our hearts the desire to live for You and to listen to the leading of Your Spirit. Let us diligently search for You. Open our eyes that we might see what is good, honorable, and just for this country and for the well-being of all people.
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Zechariah 8-14
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Zechariah 8
The Lord Promises To Build Jerusalem Again
1Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying,
2'The Lord of All says, 'I am very jealous for Zion. I am jealous for her with much anger.'
3The Lord says, 'I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord of All will be called the Holy Mountain.'
4The Lord of All says, 'Old men and old women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem again. Each man will have a walking stick in his hand because he will be old.
5And the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in the streets.'
6The Lord of All says, 'It may be wonderful to the few people here in those days, but will it be wonderful to Me also?' says the Lord of All.
7The Lord of All says, 'I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west.
8I will bring them back and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be My people and I...[more details]
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