Wednesday - Power & Strength through Weakness - II Corinthians 12:7b-10 - 2/8/17

We don't know what Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was because he doesn't tell us. Whatever it was, it was a chronic & debilitaling physical problem, which at times kept him from working. This thorn was a hindrance to his ministry, & he prayed for its removal; but God refused. Paul was a very self-sufficient person, so this thorn was difficult for him. It kept Paul humble, reminded him of his need for constant contact with God, and benefited those around him as they saw God at work in his life.


Although God did not remove Paul's physical affliction, he promised to demonstrate his power in Paul. The fact that God's power shows up in weak people should give us courage. We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than on simple energy, effort, or talent. Our weakness not only helps develop Christian character; it also deepens our worship, for in admitting our weakness, we affirm God's strength.


God does not intend for us to seek to be weak, passive, or ineffective - life provides enough hindrances & setbacks without us creating them. When they come, we must depend on God.


Paul was not merely revealing his feelings; he was defending his authoring as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He was hurt that the church in Corinth doubted & questioned him, & he defended himself for the cause of the Gospel, not to satisfy his ego.

Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Tuesday - A Faithful Heir Will Succeed - I Kings 2:1-4 - 2/7/17

God's conditional promise was that David & his descendants would remain in office as kings only when they honored & obeyed him. When David's descendants failed to do this, they lost the throne.


God's unconditional promise was that David's line would go on forever. This was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ, a descendant of David who was also the eternal Son of God.


David, whose life exemplified obedience, gave well-seasoned advice to his son, the next king. It would be up to Solomon to follow it.

Reference summary used from the Life Application KJV Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Sunday ... Re-Created To Live In Harmony - Galatians 3:26-4:7 -2/5/17

In Roman society, a youth coming of age laid aside the robe of childhood & put on a new toga. This represented his move into adult citizenship with full rights & responsibilities. Apostle Paul combines this understanding with baptism. By becoming Christians & being baptized, they were becoming spiritually grown up & ready to take on the privileges & responsibilities of the mature. You have laid aside the old clothes of the Law, & now you are putting on Christ's new robe of righteousness.


Jewish males greeted each new day by prayer, Lord, I thank you that I am not a Gentile, a slave, or a woman. The role of women was enhanced by Christianity. Faith in Christ transcends these differences & makes all believers one in Christ.


The original covenant with Abraham was intended for the whole world, not just for his descendants. All believers partake of this covenant & are blessed as children of Abraham.


The apostle Paul uses the illustration of slavery to show that before Christ came & died for sins, people were in bondage to the Law.


Thinking they could be saved by it, they became enslaved to trying - & failing - to keep it. The Good News is that we who were once slaves are now God's very own children with an intimate relationship with him. Because of Christ, there is no reason to be afraid of God. We can come boldly into his presence, knowing he will welcome us as his family members.


True Christianity: Christians are those who believe inwardly & outwardly that Jesus' death has allowed God to offer them forgiveness & eternal life as a gift. They have accepted that gift by faith & are seeking to live a life of obedient gratitude for what God has done for them.

Christianity is both private & public, heart-belief & mouth-confession. Our relationship to God & the power he provides result in obedience. Having received the gift of forgiveness & eternal life, we are now daily challenged to live that life with his help.


When the fulness of the time was come "God sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins. For centuries the Jews were wondering when their Messiah would come - but God's timing was perfect.


Jesus was born of a woman - he was human. He was born as a Jew - he was subject to God's Law & fulfilled it perfectly. Thus Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because, although he was fully human, he never sinned. His death bought freedom for us who were enslaved to sin so we could be adopted into God's family.


Under Roman law, an adopted child was guaranteed all legal rights to his father's property. "Abba" is an Aramaic word for father. It was used by Christ in prayer in Mark 14:36. As adopted children of God, we share with Jesus all rights to God's resources. As God's heirs, we can claim what he has provided for us - our full identity as his children.

Reference summary used from the Life Application Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Purpose - Love for God - Living for Jesus

Romans 12:1 & I Corinthians 15:58

When sacrificing an animal according to God's Law, a priest killed the animal, cut it in pieces, & placed it on the altar. Sacrifice was important, but even in the OT God make it clear that obedience from the heart was much more important. God wants us to offer ourselves, not animals, as living sacrifices - daily laying aside our own desires to follow him, putting all our energy & resources at his disposal & trusting him to guide us.

Paul said that because of the resurrection, nothing we do is wasted. But if we maintain a heavenly perspective, we understand that we don't see the good that results from our efforts. Do the good that you have opportunity to do, knowing your work will have eternal results.

Reference summary used from the KJV Life Application Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Tuesday - All Peoples are Blessed Through Abraham - Genesis 22:15-18 -1/31/17

Abraham received abundant blessings because he obeyed God. First, God gave Abraham's descendants the ability to conquer their enemies. Second, God promised Abraham children & grandchildren who in turn the whole earth would be blessed. People's lives would be changed as a result of knowing Abraham & his descendants. Most often we think of blessings as gifts to be enjoyed. But when God blesses us, his blessings are intended to overflow to others.

Reference summary used from the KJV Life Application Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Monday - The Spirit Made You a Believer - Galatians 3:1-5 - 1/30/17

The Galatian believers had become fascinated by the false teachers arguments, almost as thou they had been bewitched. Magic was common in the apostle Paul day. Magicians used both illusions & Satan's power to perform miracles.


The believers in Galatia, many of whom may have been in Jerusalem at Pentecost & received the Holy Spirit there, knew they didn't receive God's Spirit by obeying the Jewish laws. We must realize that we grow spiritually because of God's work in us, not by following special rules.


The Galatians knew they received the Holy Spirit when they believed, not when they obeyed the Law.


The Holy Spirit gives Christians great power to live for God. Some Christians want more than this.

Reference summary used from the KJV Life Application Bible, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois

Sunday - All Creation Praises God - Psalm/Tehillim 148 - 1/29/17

The psalmist exhorted the celestial, the terrestrial, & the rational creatures praise God.

Psalm 148:1 ... (Hallelujah.) PRAISE ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.


Psalm 148:2 ... (Reference scriptures: Psalm 103:20,21) Bless the LORD, ye his angels, (mighty in strength:) that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.


Psalm 148:3 ... Praise ye him, sun & moon: praise him, ye all stars of light.


Psalm 148:4 ... (Reference scriptures: II Corinthians 12:2 & Genesis 1:7) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I can not tell: God knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven.

Genesis 1:7 ... And God made the firmament (between the light & between the darkness.), & divided the waters which were under the firmament from the midst of the waters of the waters which were above the firmament: & it was so.


Psalm 148:5 ... (References scriptures Genesis 1:1,6,7 ...In the creation of heaven & earth, & of the firmament. Genesis 1:7 above.) IN the beginning God created the heaven & the earth.

And God said, Let there be a (between the light & between the darkness.)firmament in the midst of the waters, & let it divide the waters from the waters.


Psalm 148:6 ... (Reference scriptures 119:90,91) ... Thy faithfulness is (to generation & generation,) unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, & it (standeth) abideth.

They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all thy servants.


Psalm 148:7 ... (Reference scripture: Isaiah 43:20 ... God's promises to his chosen people to deliver his people.) The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons & the (ostriches) (daughters of the owl) owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, & rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.


Psalm 148:8 ... (Reference scripture: Psalm 147:15-18 ... The psalmist exhorteth to praise God for his care of the church, his power, his goodness, his mercy;)


Psalm 148:9 ... (Reference scripture: Isaiah 44:23 ... An assurance to Israel of deliverance.)


Psalm 148:10 ... Beasts, & all cattle; creeping things, & (birds of wings) flying fowl:


Psalm 148:11 ... Kings of the earth, & all people; princes, & all judges of the earth:


Psalm 148:12 ... Both young men, & maidens; old men, & children:


Psalm 148:13 ... Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is (exalted) excellent: his glory is above the earth & heaven.


Psalm 148:14 ... (Reference scripture: Ephesians 2:17) And came & preached peace to you which were afar off, & to them that were nigh.

Reference scriptures used from The KJV Bible, SouthWestern Co., Nashville,TN