Proverbs 6:9-11 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/30/2021)…

“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.”

Zig Ziglar

Proverbs‬ ‭6:9-11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

Proverbs‬ ‭10:4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.

Proverbs‬ ‭19:15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.

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Proverbs‬ ‭20:13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

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2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 6 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/29/2021)…

“Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.”

J I Packer (1923-2020)

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:3-4, 6‬ ‭(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…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.

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Psalms‬ ‭119:105‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

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Luke 19:10 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/28/2021)…

“I can’t bring myself to use the language ‘I found Christ.’ I only feel it’s true when I say ‘Christ found me’”

J I Packer (1923-2020)

Luke‬ ‭19:10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.

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John‬ ‭4:23-24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

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Romans‬ ‭3:10-11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.”

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John‬ ‭1:10-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

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Colossians 1:9-12 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/27/2021)…

“I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don't intend to waste any of mine.”

Neil Armstrong (1930-2012)

First astronaut to walk on moon

Colossians‬ ‭1:9-12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) …We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

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Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/26/2021)…

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.”

Erma Bombeck (1927-1996)

Colossians‬ ‭3:23-24‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

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Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

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Romans 12:12 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/23/2021)…

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

Anne Lamott

2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:16-18‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

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Romans‬ ‭12:12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

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Galatians 6:8-10 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/22/2021)…

“Whatever you are, try to be a good one.”

William Makepeace Thackery

Galatians‬ ‭6:8-10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

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Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/21/2021)…

“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.”

Albert Einstein

Psalms‬ ‭139:13-16‬ ‭(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. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

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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.

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Luke15:18-21 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/20/2021)…

“I run to the Father

I fall into grace

I'm done with the hiding

No reason to wait

My heart needs a surgeon

My soul needs a friend

So I'll run to the Father

Again and again

And again and again”

Cody Carnes/from song “Run To the Father”

Luke15:18-21 (NLT) I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’”

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Hebrews‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

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Psalm 56:3 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7//19/2021)…

“When fear knocks, let faith answer the door.”

Robin Roberts

Psalms‬ ‭56:3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.

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Psalms‬ ‭34:4-6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

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Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) 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.

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Proverbs 20:3 (NLT)

 FROM TODAY’S READING (7/16/2021)…

“A troublemaker is a person who rocks the boat, then convinces everyone else there’s a storm at sea.”

Pastor Sandy Adam’s

Proverbs‬ ‭20:3‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

Proverbs‬ ‭16:27-30‬ ‭(NLT‬) Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze. A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path. With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief.

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Titus‬ ‭3:10-11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

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Psalm 73:24-26 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/15/2021)…

Ever tried.

Ever failed.

No matter.

Try again.

Fail again.

Fail better.

Samuel Beckett (out-of-context quote)

Psalms‬ ‭73:24-26‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

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Philippians‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

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Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/14/2021)…

“Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.”

Rosa Parks

“Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you no one would believe it.”

Zig Ziglar

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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Titus 2:7-8 (NLT) And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

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Hebrews 13:7 (NLT) Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

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1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/13/2021)…

“We generate fears while we sit. We overcome them by action.”

Dr. Henry Link

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NLT) So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

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Psalm 34:4-6 (NLT) I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

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Matthew 5:16 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/12/2021)…

“Light tomorrow with today.”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Matthew‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Ephesians‬ ‭5:8-11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.

Colossians‬ ‭3:23-24‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

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Psalm 143:8, 10 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/9/2021)…

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot.”

Michael Altshuler

“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.”

George Horace Lorimer

Psalms‬ ‭143:8, 10‬ ‭(NLT‬) Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you…Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

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Proverbs‬ ‭3:1-8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.

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Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/8/2021)…

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

Proverbs‬ ‭13:4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.

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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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Romans 5:1-4 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/7/2021)…

“Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.”

Mae Jemison

Romans‬ ‭15:1-4‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:9) Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

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1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/6/2021)…

“Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud.”

Maya Angelou

1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

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Ephesians‬ ‭4:29‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

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Galatians 5:1 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/5/2021)…

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same.”

President Ronald Reagan

Galatians‬ ‭5:1‬ ‭(NIV‬‬) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

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Galatians‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:15-17‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) ‭‭ It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.

Galatians 5:13-15 (NLT)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/2/2021)...

“The essence of America – that which really unites us — is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion – it is an idea — and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things. That it doesn’t matter where you came from but where you are going.”

Condoleezza Rice

66th United States Secretary of State

Galatians‬ ‭5:13-15‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

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1 Peter 2:15-17 (ESV)

FROM TODAY’S READING (7/1/2021)...

“I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it, and see it still.”

President Ronald Reagan

Farewell Address to the Nation (January 11, 1989)

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:15-17‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

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