Deuteronomy 28:1 "If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the world.2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God:
3 Your towns and your fields
will be blessed.
4 Your children and your crops
will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
will be blessed.
5 Your fruit baskets and breadboards
will be blessed.
6 Wherever you go and whatever you do,
you will be blessed.
7 "The LORD will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!
8 "The LORD will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.
9 "If you obey the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways, the LORD will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. 10 Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the LORD, and they will stand in awe of you.
11 "The LORD will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. 12 The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. 13 If you listen to these commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. 14 You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them.
Now the rest of the chapter is about what will happen to you if you DON'T obey Him. It's about 4 times as long as this passage & it's pretty scary!
It's interesting that I was also slated to read Psalm 52, which is all about what happens if you disobey God & do evil things. It doesn't give those kinds of folks much slack or hope. The psalm ends like this...
Psalm 52: 8 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God.
I will always trust in God's unfailing love.
9 I will praise you forever, O God,
for what you have done.
I will trust in your good name
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I was also slated to read John 10, & this verse came off the page...
John 10:10 The thief's (read: devil) purpose is to steal, kill, & destroy. My (Jesus) purpose is to bring life in all its fullness.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
doing
This is Jesus, talking to His disciples...
John 9:4 All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent Me,
because there is little time left before the night falls & all work comes to an end.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
some more verses
Ya know, I was an idiot to not read the Bible EVERY day! I'm SO glad & thankful that God started waking me up early in the mornings back in January of 2003. My life has never been the same.
But I wanna caution you - if you start doing this too, GOD WILL MESS WITH YOU!!!
Psalm 50:7c I am God, your God!
8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices
or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns
or the goats from your pens.
10 For all the animals of the forest are mine,
and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
and all the animals of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for all the world is mine and everything in it.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
15 Trust Me in your times of trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give Me glory."
vs 23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
If you keep to my path,
I will reveal to you the salvation of God."
How often do we think we have to "give up everything" to please God. If we're thankful, everything else, every sacrifice & every blessing will come out of that.
John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
vs 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
vs 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Anybody out there not free? Jesus says here He can free you. I know - He set me free from all kinds of stuff. Wanna know what? Just ask ;-)
But I wanna caution you - if you start doing this too, GOD WILL MESS WITH YOU!!!
Psalm 50:7c I am God, your God!
8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices
or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.
9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns
or the goats from your pens.
10 For all the animals of the forest are mine,
and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
and all the animals of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for all the world is mine and everything in it.
13 Do I eat the meat of bulls?
Do I drink the blood of goats?
14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
15 Trust Me in your times of trouble,
and I will rescue you,
and you will give Me glory."
vs 23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
If you keep to my path,
I will reveal to you the salvation of God."
How often do we think we have to "give up everything" to please God. If we're thankful, everything else, every sacrifice & every blessing will come out of that.
John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
vs 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
vs 36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Anybody out there not free? Jesus says here He can free you. I know - He set me free from all kinds of stuff. Wanna know what? Just ask ;-)
Monday, April 4, 2011
some verses from this morning
Psalm 49:5 There is no need to fear when times of trouble come,
when enemies are surrounding me.
vs 10 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of death.
Sometimes I don't know why verses come up off the page at me.I just write them down. Usually they have some sort of meaning to my life & situation when I look back & read some of the things I wrote down in the past.
Feel like this is for someone out there - don't know who...
John 7:37b Jesus said, "If you are thirsty,come to Me! 38 If you believe in Me, come & drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within." 39 When He said "living water," He was speaking of the Spirit, Who would be given to everyone believing in Him.
The Holy Spirit became available to us at Pentecost, & has since been available to all who believe in Jesus as Savior.
when enemies are surrounding me.
vs 10 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of death.
Sometimes I don't know why verses come up off the page at me.I just write them down. Usually they have some sort of meaning to my life & situation when I look back & read some of the things I wrote down in the past.
Feel like this is for someone out there - don't know who...
John 7:37b Jesus said, "If you are thirsty,come to Me! 38 If you believe in Me, come & drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within." 39 When He said "living water," He was speaking of the Spirit, Who would be given to everyone believing in Him.
The Holy Spirit became available to us at Pentecost, & has since been available to all who believe in Jesus as Savior.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
guidance
Psalm 48:14b He is our God forever & ever,
& He will be our guide until we die.
Here's what my Life Application BIble says about this verse...
"We often pray for God's guidance as we struggle with decisions. What we need is both a map that gives us directions & a constant companion who has intimate knowledge of the way & will make sure we interpret the map correctly.
"The Bible is such a map, & the Holy Spirit is our constant companion & guide. As you make your way through life, use both the map & your Guide."
I've been getting up early like this each morning since January, 2003. My life has taken stupendous turns since then. I've felt definitely that Someone has been guiding me through it all.
The smartest thing I've ever done in my life was starting to get up early to read the Bible & listen out for what God, through His Holy Spirit, has to say to me.
The dumbest thing I've ever done was wait until I was 52 1/2 to do it.
& He will be our guide until we die.
Here's what my Life Application BIble says about this verse...
"We often pray for God's guidance as we struggle with decisions. What we need is both a map that gives us directions & a constant companion who has intimate knowledge of the way & will make sure we interpret the map correctly.
"The Bible is such a map, & the Holy Spirit is our constant companion & guide. As you make your way through life, use both the map & your Guide."
I've been getting up early like this each morning since January, 2003. My life has taken stupendous turns since then. I've felt definitely that Someone has been guiding me through it all.
The smartest thing I've ever done in my life was starting to get up early to read the Bible & listen out for what God, through His Holy Spirit, has to say to me.
The dumbest thing I've ever done was wait until I was 52 1/2 to do it.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
come
This is Jesus, speaking to the Jewish leader & Pharisees...
John 5;39 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
When I read verse 40, I felt like Jesus was whispering "tell them to come to Me."
Over in Matthew, Jesus expresses the exquisite "come" by saying...
Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
I don't know who all these are for, but I think Jesus is saying today...
"Come to Me if you've lost all hope.
"Come to Me if you're scared.
"Come to Me to me if you're bone weary tired.
"Come to Me if you're so depressed you can't see straight.
"Come to Me if you well, but want to become "well-er".
"Come to Me if you're sick.
"Come to Me to me if you're sick & tired.
"Come to Me if you're addicted to porn.
"Come to Me if you're addicted to sex.
"Come to Me if you're addicted to anything.
"Come to Me to me if you're a hypocrite.
"Come to Me if you're smug & self-important.
"Come to Me to me if you're holier-than-thou.
"Come to Me if you live with, struggle with, or embrace a same sex attraction.
"Come to Me if you gamble away all your money each week.
"Come to Me when you're sad.
"Come to Me when your happy.
"Come to Me to me when you marry.
"Come to Me when you bury someone you love.
"Come to Me with anything, anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
"But most important to remember - come to Me."
I guess that's the most important thing He's whispering to me today, to hold in my heart today, & to share with y'all...
just come to Him, & say,"here I am..."
John 5;39 "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
When I read verse 40, I felt like Jesus was whispering "tell them to come to Me."
Over in Matthew, Jesus expresses the exquisite "come" by saying...
Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
I don't know who all these are for, but I think Jesus is saying today...
"Come to Me if you've lost all hope.
"Come to Me if you're scared.
"Come to Me to me if you're bone weary tired.
"Come to Me if you're so depressed you can't see straight.
"Come to Me if you well, but want to become "well-er".
"Come to Me if you're sick.
"Come to Me to me if you're sick & tired.
"Come to Me if you're addicted to porn.
"Come to Me if you're addicted to sex.
"Come to Me if you're addicted to anything.
"Come to Me to me if you're a hypocrite.
"Come to Me if you're smug & self-important.
"Come to Me to me if you're holier-than-thou.
"Come to Me if you live with, struggle with, or embrace a same sex attraction.
"Come to Me if you gamble away all your money each week.
"Come to Me when you're sad.
"Come to Me when your happy.
"Come to Me to me when you marry.
"Come to Me when you bury someone you love.
"Come to Me with anything, anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
"But most important to remember - come to Me."
I guess that's the most important thing He's whispering to me today, to hold in my heart today, & to share with y'all...
just come to Him, & say,"here I am..."
Friday, April 1, 2011
whispers, not shouts
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
An interesting statement to read today, in view of the events in Japan.
**********
Psalm 46:10 "Be silent, and know that I am God!
Some translations say, "Be still" - either way, how many of us are REALLY silent or still with God? We spend SO MUCH time running our mouths whenever we are talkinf with Him or are simply in His presence.
The deepest & most profound things God has EVER said to me didn't occur during some highly expressive prayer time or some "set my hair on fire" worship time. It was in very quiet times when He whispered something of enormous &/or eternal significance to me or about me.
Like what?
2001, during a discussion of "The Heart of the Artist" - "You don't have a problem with arrogance & pride. You're just self-centered."
December, 2002 - "Tell Andy King that thing you've never told anyone."
1st Friday night in May, 2003, while reading Erwin McManus' "Seizing Your Divine Moment" - "leave music ministry & serve in House of Grace" (the 20something ministry at the church where I was on staff)
late April, 2010, after driving back from Tommy Drakes' mountain home near Blairsville - "Blairsville..."
There were no trumpets, flashes of lightning, or fireworks.
It was the still, small voice of God.
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