1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/25/2020)...

THANKSGIVING THOT...Be thankful IN everything 

“God says to give thanks in everything. That doesn’t mean you need to give thanks FOR everything. You don’t need to give thanks FOR that bad day. Or FOR that bad relationship. Or being passed over at work. Financial hardship. Whatever it is – you are not to give thanks FOR the difficulties, but rather IN the difficulties. That is a very important distinction, and one I think we often miss. Giving thanks IN everything shows a heart of faith that God is bigger than the difficulties and that He can use them, if you approach Him with the right heart and spirit, for your good and His glory.” 

Tony Evans

1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:16-18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Image: CC (pexels.com)

Psalm 103:8-17 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/24/2020)...

THANKSGIVING THOT...Thank God for His grace

“Think about this for a minute. God shows His grace and kindness to us every moment of the day, even when we’re not aware of it (or we don’t even believe it). He gives us life; He provides us with everything we need; He blesses us in countless ways, even when we turn our backs on Him. We don’t deserve any of this, but He still showers His good gifts on us because of His mercy and grace. Have you ever paused to thank Him for this?”

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Psalms‬ ‭103:8-17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him.

Image: CC (creativecommons.org)

Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/23/2020)...

THANKSGIVING THOT...Count Your Blessings

1 When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. 

2 Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by. 

3 When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

4 So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Baptist Hymnal, 1991 (hymnary.org)

Psalms‬ ‭103:1-5‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

Image: CC (pixels.com)

Psalm 139:14 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/20/2020)...

"Upward comparison means we compare ourselves to someone who we believe is better than us. Such a comparison is a double-edged sword. If we use it wrongly, it can ruin our self-image (which is the foundation of self-esteem). And, with a bad self-image, you will interpret the external world wrongly and buy into lies that you are incompetent or you’re not good enough."

Daren Chow 

Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

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

Luke‬ ‭12:6-7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 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.

Image: CC (pxhere.com)

Psalm 102:25-27 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/19/2020)...

“Great changes have already taken place in the earth—as the researches of geologists show; and we have no reason to doubt that similar changes may have occurred in distant worlds. Still greater changes may be expected to occur in future times, and some of them we may be called to witness...

In all the changes which have occurred in the physical world, he (God/Christ) has been unchanged; in all the revolutions which have occurred among kingdoms, he has been unmoved. One change succeeds another; kingdoms rise and fall and empires waste away; one generation goes off to be succeeded by another, but he remains the same. No matter what tempests howl, or how wars rage, or how the pestilence spreads abroad, or how the earth is shaken by earthquakes, still the Redeemer is the same. And no matter what are our external changes, he is the same. We pass from childhood to youth, to manhood, to old age, but he changes not. We are in prosperity or adversity; we may pass from affluence to poverty, from honour to dishonour, from health to sickness, but he is the same. We may go and lie down in the cold tomb, and our mortal frames may decay, but he is the same...

I rejoice that in all the circumstances of life I have the same Saviour. I know what he is. In such a Saviour I may confide; in such a friend why should not all confide?”

Albert Barnes (1798-1870) from “Barnes’ Notes”

Psalms‬ ‭102:25-27‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever.

‭

NOTE: Psalm 102:25-27 is quoted by author of Hebrews...

Hebrews‬ ‭1:10-12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will live forever.”

Image: CC (pexels.com)

Psalm 101 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/18/2020)...

King David ruled Israel forty years (c. 1010-970 BCE). It is believed he authored Psalm 101 during the early part of his reign. His sincere heart passion to faithfully and flawlessly serve God is commendably evident. His later deeply flawed failures (2 Samuel 11-12) should serve as sobering reminder for every passionate Christ-follower that  a life of integrity requires our effort and God’s help. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound...

Rocky

Notice: (v. 1) his worship of God (v. 2) his appeal for help (v. 3) his desire to guard what he sees (v. 4) his avoidance of evil thinking (v. 5) his rejection of slander and pride (vs. 6-8) his determination to have godly acquaintances.

Psalms‬ ‭101:1-8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) 1 I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. 2 I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. 3 I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. 4 I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. 5 I will not endure conceit and pride. 6 I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me. 7 I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence. 8 My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

‭‭

Image: "IMG_2151A Gerard Van Honthorst. 1592-1656 Utrecht. King David playing the harp Le roi David jouant de la harpe 1622 Utrecht Centraal Museum" by jean louis mazieres is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/17/2020)...

“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world are just the ones that thought the most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot in the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark one Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you'll get the earth "thrown in": aim at earth and you'll get neither.”

C. S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity”

Colossians‬ ‭3:1-2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

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.

‭‭

Image: CC (pixels.com)

Colossians 3:1-4 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/12/2020)...

“Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ, and seek to follow Him every day. Don't be swayed by the false values and goals of this world, but put Christ and His will first in everything you do.”

Billy Graham

Colossians‬ ‭3:1-4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

‭‭ 

Matthew‬ ‭6:33-34‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Image: CC (needpix.com)

Psalm 91:1-2 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/11/2020)...

“We can't solve modern problems by going back in time. Retreating to the safety of the familiar is an understandable response, but God has called us to a life of faith. And faith requires us to face the unknown while trusting Him completely.”

Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Psalms‬ ‭91:1-2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

Image: CC (pixhere.com)

Philippians 4:4-8 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/10/2020)...

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

Corrie Ten Boom

Philippians‬ ‭4:4-8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Image: CC (pxhere.com)

Psalm 91:11-13 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/9/2020)...

“Psalm 91:12–13: This is the passage which Satan quoted to the Lord Jesus when tempting Him to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple (Luke 4:10-11)...It is interesting that Satan stopped before coming to [verse 13]. If he had quoted it, he would have been describing his own doom! The devil is presented in Scripture as a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8) and as an ancient serpent (Rev. 12:9). As a lion, he is the loud, horrendous persecutor using physical violence. As a serpent, he employs wily stratagems to deceive and to destroy.”

Wm MacDonald (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

Psalms‬ ‭91:11-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

Luke‬ ‭4:9-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”

Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’”

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

1 Peter‬ ‭5:8-9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Revelation‬ ‭12:9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Read Revolution 20 regarding Satan’s final doom.

Image: CC (pixels.com)

Proverbs 9:9-10 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/6/2020)...

“If someone asks about your educational background, proclaim boldly that: Church is my college. Heaven is my university. Father God is my counselor. Jesus is my principal. The Holy Spirit is my teacher. Angels are my classmates. The Bible is my textbook. Temptations are my exams and overcoming Satan is my hobby. Winning souls for God is my assignment. Receiving eternity is my degree. Praise and Worship are my slogan.”

Ben Carson

Proverbs‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs‬ ‭9:9-10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

‭‭

2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Image: CC (pxhere.com)

Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/5/2020)...

“God has ‘planted eternity in the human heart.’ This means that we can never be completely satisfied with earthly pleasures and pursuits. Because we are created in God’s image, (1) we have a spiritual thirst, (2) we have eternal value, and (3) nothing but the eternal God can truly satisfy us. God has built in us a restless yearning for the kind of perfect world that can only be found in his perfect rule. He has given us a glimpse of the perfection of his creation. But it is only a glimpse; we cannot see into the future or comprehend everything. So we must trust God now and do his work on earth.”

Life Application Study Bible (Eccl. 3:11-13)

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.

‭‭

Psalms‬ ‭90:14-17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!

Image: CC (unsplash.com)

Philippians 3:20 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/4/2020)...

“If you are a Christian, you are not a citizen of this world trying to get to heaven; you are a citizen of heaven making your way through this world. ”

Vance Havner (1901-1986)

Philippians‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

Hebrews‬ ‭13:14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Image: "Passport" by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Proverbs 14:34 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/3/2020)...

VOTE...

“I think the question is who am I? That's what we all should be asking ourselves. Who am I? Well, if I am first a Christian conservative then that dictates my response to all questions so my response first as a Christian conservative is to vote consistent with my value system.”

US Senator Tim Scott (South Carolina)

Proverbs‬ ‭14:34‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:13-14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Image: CC (pexels.com)

Proverbs29:2 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (11/2/2020)...

VOTE...

“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” 

Abraham Lincoln

Proverbs‬ ‭29:2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

‭‭

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10:2‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.

Image: CC (unsplash.com)