Weekend Reading- Psalm 6 & Proverbs 6
Saturday: Psalm 6
1 O LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2 Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak.
Heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
3 I am sick at heart.
How long, O LORD, until you restore me?
4 Return, O LORD, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love.
5 For the dead do not remember you.
Who can praise you from the grave?*
6 I am worn out from sobbing.
All night I flood my bed with weeping,
drenching it with my tears.
7 My vision is blurred by grief;
my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
8 Go away, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my plea;
the LORD will answer my prayer.
10 May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified.
May they suddenly turn back in shame.
Sunday: Proverbs 6
| LESSONS FOR DAILY LIFE 1 My child,* if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger— 2 if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said— 3 follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. 4 Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. 5 Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net. 6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. 12 What are worthless and wicked people like? 16 There are six things the LORD hates— 20 My son, obey your father’s commands, 30 Excuses might be found for a thief |
March 8- Keep Watch!
For the past two months we have been going through Scripture on a daily basis. We have gone through John, Daniel, some of the Psalms and Proverbs and now we are almost through Mark. There is a common theme in both the books o f the Old Testament and the New Testament. That theme is, there is something next!
What do I mean by something next? We red in John Jesus had pointed to the afterlife. He had pointed to the end when all death and destruction would be gone away with. He wrote that there would be a better, perfect place. We read the same thing in Daniel and now in Mark that there is an eternal place, an eternal plan for those who follow the way of Yahwah, of Christ.
As we have read about the perfect eternal dwelling there is an urgency in the writers voice. Mark tells us to “Keep Watch, to Watch Out,” because noone knows when this will take place. He writes of Jesus teaching of a parable in reference to this. For some this maybe terrifying, thinking about the afterlife. That was not the intention, rather Jesus’ teachings and Daniel’s teachings were to encourage us, to prepare us for that which is better then now.
How do you react to the words of Jesus? Does fear creep in or excitement? Today, be alert to what is going on around you. God is preparing an eternal dwelling where there is no pain or sorrow, no fighting and only love and unity. May we be ready and say in confidence, “Come Lord Jesus, come!”
Weekend Reading- Psalm 5 & Proverbs 5
Saturday Psalm 5
| 1 O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. 3 Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. 4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; 7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; 9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. 11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; Proverbs 5 1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; 7 So now, my sons, listen to me. 15 Drink water from your own well— 18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. 21 For the LORD sees clearly what a man does, |
March 5: Impartial- Mark 12:14
“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.”
How often do we see favoritism and partiality played out around us every single day. This seems to be such a childish behavior, something that happens on the playground but no. Who did our kids learn it from? They learned it by watching the “adults” around them.
As a Chrisitian, a follower of Jesus, we are given the example that we do not play favorites. Jesus was impartial to the people around him. We probably could even take it a step further and say he went out of his way to do more for the less fortunate then those who had any form of power or positiion.
This weekend be aware of how you respond to the people around you. Ask yourself who do you tend to be drawn to more, those who can do something for you or those you can do something for?
March 4: Victory Is Ours!- Mark 11:1-11
It was a seen like no other. For centuries the Jews had waited for the day of their King! They were cheering and celebrating as THE ONE road on the colt. Their hope was that oppression would be taken away and prosperity would be the new way of life.
Jesus had looked at this picture very different. It was a time of celebrating knowing that victory had come. He was able to take in the excitedment of the people. He welcomed their enthuisasm, knowing their hope was for the Messiah to be present.
There was also the other side of what Jesus was feeling. He knew that victory was present but he also knew he had to finish the course to bring about the complete victory. This victory would cost him his very life. This vicotry would be won through pain and yet he was willing to go through with it.
We are in a similar state as a Christian. We know that death is defeated and our salvation is secure. We understand that the stronghold of sin no longer has control over us. What we also know is we must finish the course of this life. We, like Jesus know that victory is in the present and we hold onto the future one as well. There is pain ahead of us. We are going to be tempted and tried. We also know that as we hold on to the present victory we, like Jesus can celebrate in the moment because of the victory that we have.
March 3: How To Handle People- Mark 10
For so many, Christianity is looked at as self rightous, narrow-minded and seperatist. I find that very hard to believe when you read the words of Jesus. Just look at Mark Chapter 10. It is in this chapter that there are so many different situations and each situation Jesus handles the situation at hand in reference to the heart of that person.
It was the teachers of the Law that wanted to pin Jesus down and have him answer in a way to trap him. The disciples and others wanted to keep the children and lame away from Jesus not to bother him but he welcomed them. Matter a fact he was bothered by how the children were pushed aside. What about the rich man, he wanted to be that person who did all the right things and Jesus confronted the treasure he valued most. And what about the two who wanted to be great, Jesus said, greatness is symbolized by being a servant rather then a king.
There is a lesson about the Christian faith and how we deal with people. First, Jesus dealt with the heart of the person. He was more concerned with the deception that had taken hold rather then the perfect person. God wants to deal with our hearts. Secondly, Jesus dealt with each person differently. He never swayed from who he was or what he stood for. Rather he was sensitive to the person in front of him and dealt with the situation by dealing with the individual.
Today, we will all interact with many people. Be like Jesus and look past the surface and ask God to help you speak to the heart of the person before you.