1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/31/2020)...

“I apply myself every day. I use my gifts and talents to make the world a better place.”

Poster in my chiropractor’s waiting area

 ‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

Romans‬ ‭12:11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Colossians‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

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Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/30/2020)...

“The razor blade is sharp but can’t cut a tree; the axe is strong but can’t cut the hair. Everyone is important according to his or her own unique purpose. Never look down on anyone unless you are admiring their shoes.”

Unknown

Genesis‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Matthew‬ ‭10:29-31‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

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Ezekiel 22:30 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/29/2020)...

“God is not looking for new methods or programs; God is always looking for someone to stand in the gap. One person can make a difference.”

Wm. MacDonald (Bible Believers Commentary)

Ezekiel‬ ‭22:30‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.

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Isaiah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

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2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/29/2020)...

“God's people must keep their eyes wide open because the whole world "lies in the lap" of the wicked one. Satan is the god of this age and the prince of darkness. He has blinded millions of people spiritually and has kept them in bondage.”

Warren Wiersbe

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:3-4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

1 John‬ ‭5:18-19‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

Ephesians‬ ‭6:11-12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

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1 Corinthians 1:11 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/27/2020)...

“What I was once, I am not now. My sins do not define me; my reconciliation with God does. Hating myself makes little of that and gives Satan joy.”

Julian Freeman

 ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

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Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/24/2020)...

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." 

Henry Ford

Romans 5:3-4 (NLT) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

James 1:12 (NLT) God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

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Proverbs 25:11 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/23/2020)...

SIX LITTLE STORIES...

Once all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of the prayer, all the people gathered but only one boy brought an umbrella. 

That is FAITH. 

When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. 

That is TRUST. 

Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set the alarms to wake up. 

That is HOPE. 

We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. 

That is CONFIDENCE. 

We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children. 

That is LOVE. 

On an old man's t-shirt was written a message "I am not 80 years old. I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience." 

That is ATTITUDE. 

Author Unknown

Proverbs‬ ‭25:11‬ ‭(NLT) Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.

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Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/22/2020)...

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples." 

Mother Teresa

Philippians‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

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Galatians 5:15 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/21/2020)...

“Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember -- the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you." 

Zig Ziglar

Galatians‬ ‭5:15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

 ‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:23-24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

Matthew‬ ‭5:44-45‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

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2 Chronicles 15:7 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/20/2020)...

“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." Franklin D. Roosevelt

2 Chronicles‬ ‭15:7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.

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2 Timothy 2:2 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/17/2020)...

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." 

Benjamin Franklin

2 Timothy‬ ‭2:2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

1 Corinthians 10:31, 33-11:1 (NLT) So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God....I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

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Colossians 1:15-18 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/16/2020)...

He had no servants, yet they called Him Master.

He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.

He had no army, yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

So, Who is He? He is Jesus Christ!

Colossians‬ ‭1:15-18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

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Galatians 6:4-5 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/15/2020)...

“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.”

Theodore Roosevelt

 ‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:31-32‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Galatians‬ ‭6:4-5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

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Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/13/2020)...

“The white light streams down to be broken up by those human prisms into all the colors of the rainbow. Take your own color in the pattern and be just that.”

Charles R. Brown (1899-1983)

Psalms‬ ‭139:14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

 Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Matthew‬ ‭5:14-16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

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Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/10/2020)...

“You should examine yourself daily. If you find faults, you should correct them. When you find none, you should try even harder.”

Israel Zangwill

Psalms‬ ‭139:23-24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

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Psalm 4:8 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/9/2020)...

“I come to the office each morning and stay for long hours doing what has to be done to the best of my ability. And when you’ve done the best you can, you can’t do any better. So when I go to sleep I turn everything over to the Lord and forget it.”

Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)

Psalms‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

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Exodus‬ ‭33:14‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

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Psalm 139:13-14 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/8/2020)...

Ten-year-old Benjamin Giroux has Asperger's syndrome...a form of autism. He was a fifth-grader at Cumberland Head Elementary School in Plattsburgh, New York back in 2016. His teacher asked Benjamin and fellow students to celebrate National Poetry Month by writing a poem about themselves, beginning every few sentences with "I am."

Benjamin dove in and excitedly started writing at his kitchen table. The following is his transparent poetic expression of his most intimate self-awareness.

I AM...

I am odd, I am new

I wonder if you are too

I hear voices in the air

I see you don’t, and that’s not fair

I want to not feel blue

I am odd, I am new

I pretend that you are too

I feel like a boy in outerspace

I touch the stars and feel out of place

I worry what others might think

I cry when people laugh, it makes me shrink

I am odd, I am new

I understand now that so are you

I say I, “feel like a castaway”

I dream of a day that that’s okay

I try to fit in

I hope that someday I do

I am odd, I am new.

Psalms‬ ‭139:13-14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

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Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 (NLT)...

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/7/2020)...

“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast; you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”

Eddie Cantor (1892-1964)

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:11-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

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John 1:3-4 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/6/2020)...

“The God we see creating life, wants to give us life in order to bring others to life.”

Pastor Dustin Dozier

 John 1:3-4 (NLT) The Word (Jesus) gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:5-7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

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Matthew 19:13-15 (The Message)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/3/2020)...

SON: “When you have heart burn, does your heart actually feel like it's burning!!?

MOM: “No...it is actually just similar to acid reflux and is an uncomfortable burning-like sensation, in your chest area.”

SON: “Oh....because the only things in my heart are Jesus and puppies.”

Mom Julie and son Robby 

Matthew‬ ‭19:13-15‬ ‭(The Message) One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left.

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Psalm 20:4 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (1/2/2020)...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Psalms‬ ‭20:4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.

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