Jan. 21

Hosea 7:8
Gilead is a city of wrongdoers, tracked with blood footprints.

Now this is not really a verse that you will find in the ones you memorize, but think about it? What if our cities name was put in here. How is out city described? We know that we live in a wicked nation, but do we really consider our city to be wicked? The city is made of of people, and each one of them have a character. You and I have a character, a label about us? How are we described when somebody talks about us? This won't be a monumental verse you will remember but I hope it makes you think about yourself (me included), about how we are described? Is it positive or negative? Are we pointing people toward or away from Christ?

Jan. 20

1 Kings 11:23
God also raised up another adversary to Him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah.

This is one of those verses that really makes you think. So many times when we see troubles coming in our lives we automatically think it's the devil. We don't think that God would raise somebody up against us do we? Well I believe that no matter what comes up against us or who it is from, that God knows what we can handle it and that He wants us to grow closer to Him through that time. There will be many things that come up in your life that you wouldn't raise your hand up for to volunteer, but we must remember that God chose us to go through it. He allows things to happen because He sees a champion in us and He beleives we will be victorious. Take time to thank Him for the adversary in your life, and ask Him to help you get through the situation, He can and He will!

Jan. 19

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

I hear so many times of how the earth is over-populated, hey some of us are just doing what God said for us to do! Better yet, when reading the next part of it, He clearly lets us know that he gave the animals to us as well. When watching two doe run across the road and almost in our yard yesterday, my first thought was deer meat in the freezer. God put all things here for us to enjoy, no He doesn't like it when we torture, but we can enjoy them! We are to take care of what God gave us and also enjoy the rewards off all things being here.

Jan. 18

Matthew 28:7
Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him, behold, I have told you.

Take yourself back to this time. What would you do if somebody told you to do this? Are you the skeptical one, the ambitious one or what? Would you stand there and question if you were hearing things right or would you just go? We are going to have to get over our fear of possibly being rejected by those who hear the truth and just go do it. Share what you believe, how else are people really going to know what you do beleive? Don't think about the situation and wonder if a person knows Christ or not, just ask, then if they don't, share what you do know! He loves them, He died on the cross for them, and He is the only way to Heaven!

Jan. 17

Romans 16:8
Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

Have you ever thought about how you have been described to somebody? Even better, how have you been described as a Christian? Gives you something to think about doesn't it? We all want to be known as "My Beloved in the Lord", but what else can be said of you. Are you faithful to follow him, or just when it is convenient? Are you a studier of His word, or just when you see the Bible laying around you pick it up? Are you a worshiper, or do you just worship when you go to church on Sunday?

We can be all of these, but yes it takes commitment. Is it easy? Not always, but learning to be consistent is a start. They say it takes from 21-28 days to form a habit. So take time to form a new habit, spending time with Christ, so that you can be described in God's eyes as "My beloved in the Lord". Beloved means: greatly loved; dear to the heart.

Jan. 16

Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers.

I have seen the saying "If I had known grandchildren were this much fun I would have had them first". I think it not that parents don't love their children, but when grandchildren come along they know it's their reward for not killing the children. No just kidding, but I do believe they will be a reward. Showing us that God loves to pass a little more of himself around through a child. Just think of how proud we are when we see our children succeed in life, well that is really no comparison of how proud God is of us. God wants the best for His children, just like we do. I also think of that crown, is this the silver hairs that come along with raising kids? Amazing to read the Bible and see how it relates to today's time. It is a book for all ages and remember it speaks to each one of us.

Jan 15

Matthew 2:20
"Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead."

What if Joseph had never listened to these words and decided to take matters upon himself and go his own way? What a mess we could have all been in. Has there ever been a time that you heard God tell you to go somewhere? Well actually once I did, and it was amazing to see what He had in store for me. I got to see family that I had not seen in years. It was at a funeral for an uncle, nobody called me to tell me he had passed away, but God impressed upon me that I needed to go to my Daddy's graveside, and that is what I did. We just have to keep in mind that God knows what is best for us and when He tells us to do something, we should do it. Blessings will always follow.