KEEP GOD’S WORD IN THE MIDST OF THINE HEART

05- 30- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

KEEP GOD’S WORD IN THE MIDST OF THINE HEART

Proverbs 4: 20- 22   “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21- Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22- For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

You can’t just stop yourself from craving of that fleshly stuff that pushed you into that sin and desires. Notice these 4 important words from verses 20 to 21: “attend” “incline” “depart” “keep”. God wanted for us to: 1) Attend to His words… First phrase in verse number 20; “My son, attend to my words; 2) “…incline thine ear unto my sayings.” 3) “Let them not depart from thine eyes;” 4) “keep them in the midst of thine heart.”

Notice the 2 blessings in verse 22. “Life and Health…” That’s what we exactly wants or needed. You would not care about money and Bank accounts, things, prestige, and even your beauty when you’re sick. All you want is your health. You want to have your good health and your life. You don’t have the time to think of your wealth and goods. You are fighting for your life and just want to be healed and have a good life. It is obvious that David was not just a man of prayer but of the Word. I hope and pray that we will be faithful to God and His Word. (Psalms 1:1-3) “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2- But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3- And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

MEMORIAL DAY MESSAGE

05- 29- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

MEMORIAL DAY MESSAGE

(Hebrews 13:3; 7) 3- “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 7- Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

“There has never yet been a person in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.” Theodore Roosevelt

It’s so easy to remember things and people that are so close to your heart. On the other hand, it is also so easy for us to recall and to dig in, in our memory the bad circumstances in life that happened even from decades ago. The writer of the book of Hebrews has a great message for us. First, he said; “Remember them that are in bonds… and those who suffer adversity…” And then he said; “Remember them which have the rule over you…” This time, he was talking about the pastors and preachers. This Memorial day, as we remember the fallen soldiers of our land and may we also remember those who are in the service of the King of kings and Lord of lords, especially those who have gone before us. Honor them by remembering their families who were left behind.

We are told in the book of Hebrews to do good, to be helpful and to be supportive and also to be respectful. (Hebrews 13:16; 24) “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 24- Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.”

REMEMBER HIM AND REMEMBER THEM

05- 27- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

REMEMBER HIM AND REMEMBER THEM

(Hebrews 6:10- 11) 10- “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11- And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said; “Forget Him who never forgot us? Forget Him who gave His blood for our sins? Forget Him who loved us even to death? Is this possible? Yes, it is not only possible, but it is too sadly a fault with all of us that treat Him like a visitor who has come only for an evening.” (“Morning and Evening” April 26, Morning)

This memorial day, may we will not forget the sacrifices of our soldiers who fought and also, those who are still fighting for our protection and for the freedom of our land. We must also remember the soldiers of the Cross who stood up for Christ in spite of pain, imprisonment in the Name of Christ, persecution and death. But most of all, we must remember the One who sacrificed Himself for our spiritual freedom, for our salvation, for our healing and for our stripes. (Isaiah 53:5) “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Psalm 103:2- 5) 2- “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3- Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4- Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5- Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.”

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM

05- 28- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM

(Joshua 4:5- 7) 5- “And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 6- That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean 7- Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.”

I have a friend who joined the US military few years ago, and I asked him the reasons of him enlisting himself to the military instead of going to College or doing something else. He said, “So they (pointing to my children and other kids who were playing with them at the time) could enjoy their freedom and they could continue playing basketball while we’re out there protecting and fighting for our country. What will happen after several years will just be a memory for them who gave their lives for us and for our freedom in our country? (Joshua 4:21- 22) 21- “And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? 22- Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.”

GO LIGHT YOUR CANDLE

05- 26- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

GO LIGHT YOUR CANDLE

(Matthew 5: 14- 16) “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15- Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

Go Light Your World

“There is a candle in every soul, Some brightly burning, some dark and cold, There is a Spirit who brings fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

Carry your candle, run to the darkness, Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn, Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world” (Internet: Christian Lyrics on Line) Navigation: Kathy Troccoli

We may be the only light in our home, at work place, in school or community; but for sure, we are the light of the world as God’s children.
“Light gathers to light and darkness to darkness. What God has divided, let us never try to reunite. Just as Christ bore His reproach, let us come out from the ungodly and be His chosen people… We must dissent from all sin and be distinguished from the rest of humanity by our likeness to our Master.” (Morning and Evening- Light and Darkness by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, July 9, Evening)

16- “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

HAPPINESS!!! HAPPINESS!!! HAPPINESS!!!

05- 25- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

HAPPINESS!!! HAPPINESS!!! HAPPINESS!!!

(Psalm 128:1- 2) 1- “A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. 2- For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”

“I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be "happy." I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter and to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”- Leo C. Rosten “Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.”- Leo Tolstoy (Internet, from Happiness Quotes from Wisdom Quotes)
Happiness for me is not the absence of sadness, but the refreshing presence of the One who gave it to us. If you fear the Lord, you will be blessed by the Lord, says the Psalmist. Those are the simple steps to true blessings and true happiness. Fear God, walk in His ways and work hard and work with your own hands.
 (Psalm 144:15) “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”

“HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER…”

05- 24- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION

“HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER…”

(Psalm 1:1- 3) 1- “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2- But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3- And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

The Lord by His mercy has accepted us in the beloved by our faith in His Son- the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants us to live a holy life, He desires our daily meditation on His Word and God wants to bless us and make us as a showcase of His grace and miracles. Matthew Henry once said: “The more we converse with the word of God the better furnished we are for every good word and work. Or, (2.) Of the promised blessing; he is blessed of the Lord, and therefore he shall be like a tree. The divine blessing produces real effects. It is the happiness of a godly man, [1.] That he is planted by the grace of God. These trees were by nature wild olives, and will continue so till they are grafted anew, and so planted by a power from above. Never any good tree grew of itself; it is the planting of the Lord, and therefore he must in it be glorified. Isa. 61:3” (Psalm 46:4) “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”