From rcfbc.org, rbc.org, utmost.org, odb.org, biblegateway.com, bible.com and blueletterbible.com:
Daily Devotionals/Readings:
Bible Verse of the Day:
"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17-18
God’s Wisdom for Daily Living
Betty Miller shares her daily devotional based on the book of Proverbs. King Solomon, who wrote most of the Book of Proverbs, was endowed with both spiritual and practical wisdom that he received from God. We can have that same wisdom by studying this great book of wisdom and following its advice. Proverbs 16:16: "How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!" If you are a new reader you may click here to read the Forward to this work. May you be blessed as you read.
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Proverbs Day 16 (KJV):
Proverbs 3:1-2(KJV): "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee."
Thoughts for the Day
The first verse above gives us an admonition, while the second one states the results of keeping that admonition. These verses are simply stating "cause" and "effect." The Bible states here, that if we will not be forgetful to keep God's laws, but rather keep them in our hearts and obey them; they will produce three things -- days full of accomplishment, long life and peace. These three things are in addition to other things that the Lord promises His people. What wonderful promises from God!
Over the years I have heard people say things like: "You never know when it is your time to go." or "It may be God's will to take you home when you are young." However, according to these Bible verses and others, we are promised long life. Here are a couple of other verses that tell us we can have long life if we do certain things:
Psalm 91:14-16: "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation."
Proverbs 10:27: "The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened."
The Lord wants to bless us and our families with long life and peace; just as many of His other blessings are available to us. However, our part is to put His Word in our hearts, and through faith and obedience we must appropriate these promises. God has a plan and a purpose for every human being in this world. It is a wonderful plan and He promises each of us a long life so that we can fulfill it. However, we do have an enemy, the devil, who is out to destroy that plan, along with God's purpose for our lives. Jesus, in the New Testament, speaks of the devil as a robber, who is out to kill and destroy. The devil seeks to rob us and our families of our peace and our promised long lives.
John 10:10: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
As Christians, we must hide God's Word in our hearts and learn of God's ways, so we can protect ourselves and our families from the enemy. One of the daily passages that we can claim for our families and our loved ones is Psalm 91. As we meditate on God's Word and claim it by faith, we can be those overcomers in Christ who live abundant and long lives. We can fulfill the purposes of God in our lifetime. Even when the devil does take a Christian's life prematurely on this earth, Satan is ultimately defeated, as babies and Christians are promised eternal life in heaven. However, those that do not have Christ can be destroyed and suffer eternal damnation. We must pray for the lost and the backslidden as they are in danger. When people are out of the will of God they are open for Satanic attack and destruction. It matters not the geographic location or the circumstances we may be facing, if we are in God's will, the Lord will protect us. We can be in a war zone and be safe if we are doing God's will or we could be in one of the safest places in the world and have a fatal accident. There is only one safe place for any of us, and that is in the will of God.
Prayer for the Day
Father, I come to you in Jesus' name thanking You for Your promises.? Thank you especially for your promise of peace in my life today.? I thank you that when I become anxious or fearful, that I can bring those fears to You and You will remove them and give me Your peace. Lord, I also appreciate your promise of a long life. Father, give Bud and I your grace and health in our latter years, so that we may complete all that you have called us to do.? Thank you for keeping us safe, even at times that we did not know it.? Thank you for your protecting angels around me and my family and friends. Thank You for all of Your wonderful promises, and may I remain strong in faith to receive and walk in them.? Amen.
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Day By Day By Grace Bob Hoekstra January 16th Jesus Fulfilling the Law
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17)
The standard of the law of God is infinitely high and lofty: "be holy, be loving, be perfect." This is because the law reflects the very character of God. In light of this, we may wonder if there is any way that the law can be fulfilled. How could the righteous demands of the law ever be met in our lives? The answer to this vital question is contained in the truth that Jesus came "to fulfill" the law.
Consider how comprehensive was Jesus' fulfillment of the law. He fulfilled the law in His life, becoming our example. As Jesus lived, He showed us what life would look like if one could always, in every way, live up to the heavenly standards of God. Jesus' testimony was "I always do those things that please Him" (John 8:29).
Further, He fulfilled the law in His death, becoming our substitutionary sacrifice. The law included a penalty for violation, and that penalty was death. "The soul who sins shall die…For the wages of sin is death" (Ezekiel 18:4 and Romans 6:23). Jesus lovingly died in our place to pay that penalty which we owed. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Additionally, He wants to fulfill the law now in our daily experience, by being our life: "Christ who is our life" (Colossians 3:4). The Lord Jesus wants to live in and through the lives of His disciples, as we daily put our faith in Him. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (Galatians 2:20).
Yes, Jesus fulfills the law comprehensively!
Dear Father of Glory, what marvelous grace—what marvelous grace! Such a thorough provision is supplied by Your grace. Through the work of Jesus, my Lord, the law is fulfilled. Its holy demands are met on my behalf. My failure before Your law is fully covered by Your grace. Lord Jesus, thank You for paying the penalty for my sins. My desire to grow in the righteous life that You lived, and that the law describes, is fully available by Your grace. O Lord, this is grace upon grace. For this I praise You, and I rejoice with expectation. Lord Jesus, by faith I now look to You to be my life this day. Lord, inhabit my heart and shape my attitudes, my words, my relationships, and my deeds, I pray in Your mighty name, Amen.
Today's Promise from the Bible Matthew 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Reflection
Find your warmth and care in the loving arms of the Lord for He will ever comfort you. His love for His children is enormous and unceasing. He will dry your tears and replace your sorrow with joy. He shall lift you up and shall be your strength in times of trouble.
Morning and Evening Charles Haddon Spurgeon January 16th
Morning Reading "I will help thee, saith the Lord." — Isaiah 41:14
This morning let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: "I will help thee." "It is but a small thing for Me, thy God, to help thee. Consider what I have done already. What! not help thee? Why, I bought thee with My blood. What! not help thee? I have died for thee; and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less? Help thee! It is the least thing I will ever do for thee; I have done more, and will do more. Before the world began I chose thee. I made the covenant for thee. I laid aside My glory and became a man for thee; I gave up My life for thee; and if I did all this, I will surely help thee now. In helping thee, I am giving thee what I have bought for thee already. If thou hadst need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it thee; thou requirest little compared with what I am ready to give. 'Tis much for thee to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow. 'Help thee?' Fear not! If there were an ant at the door of thy granary asking for help, it would not ruin thee to give him a handful of thy wheat; and thou art nothing but a tiny insect at the door of My all-sufficiency. 'I will help thee.'"
O my soul, is not this enough? Dost thou need more strength than the omnipotence of the United Trinity? Dost thou want more wisdom than exists in the Father, more love than displays itself in the Son, or more power than is manifest in the influences of the Spirit? Bring hither thine empty pitcher! Surely this well will fill it. Haste, gather up thy wants, and bring them here—thine emptiness, thy woes, thy needs. Behold, this river of God is full for thy supply; what canst thou desire beside? Go forth, my soul, in this thy might. The Eternal God is thine helper!
"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismay'd!
I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid."
Morning and Evening Charles Haddon Spurgeon January 16th
Evening Reading "The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself." — Daniel 9:26
Blessed be His name, there was no cause of death in Him. Neither original nor actual sin had defiled Him, and therefore death had no claim upon Him. No man could have taken His life from Him justly, for He had done no man wrong, and no man could even have lain Him by force unless He had been pleased to yield Himself to die. But lo, one sins and another suffers. Justice was offended by us, but found its satisfaction in Him. Rivers of tears, mountains of offerings, seas of the blood of bullocks, and hills of frankincense, could not have availed for the removal of sin; but Jesus was cut off for us, and the cause of wrath was cut off at once, for sin was put away for ever. Herein is wisdom, whereby substitution, the sure and speedy way of atonement, was devised! Herein is condescension, which brought Messiah, the Prince, to wear a crown of thorns, and die upon the cross! Herein is love, which led the Redeemer to lay down His life for His enemies!
It is not enough, however, to admire the spectacle of the innocent bleeding for the guilty, we must make sure of our interest therein. The special object of the Messiah's death was the salvation of His church; have we a part and a lot among those for whom He gave His life a ransom? Did the Lord Jesus stand as our representative? Are we healed by His stripes? It will be a terrible thing indeed if we should come short of a portion in His sacrifice; it were better for us that we had never been born. Solemn as the question is, it is a joyful circumstance that it is one which may be answered clearly and without mistake. To all who believe on Him the Lord Jesus is a present Saviour, and upon them all the blood of reconciliation has been sprinkled. Let all who trust in the merit of Messiah's death be joyful at every remembrance of Him, and let their holy gratitude lead them to the fullest consecration to His cause.
Our Daily Bread:
A Child’s Potential
Text Size: Zoom InJanuary 16, 2011 — by Dennis Fisher
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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les LambornRead: Proverbs 22:1-6
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. —Proverbs 22:6
Bible in a year:
Genesis 39-40; Matthew 11Louis Armstrong was well known for his smiling face, raspy voice, white handkerchief, and virtuoso trumpet playing. Yet his childhood was one of want and pain. He was abandoned by his father as an infant and sent to reform school when he was only 12. Surprisingly, this became a positive turning point.
Music professor Peter Davis regularly visited the school and provided musical training for the boys. Soon Louis excelled on the cornet and became the leader of the boys’ band. His life trajectory seemed to have been reset to become a world-famous trumpet player and entertainer.
Louis’ story can be an example for Christian parents. The proverb: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6) can apply to more than the spiritual and moral aspects of our children’s lives. We should also realize that a child’s giftedness will often determine his or her area of interest. In the case of Louis, a little training in music resulted in a virtuoso trumpet player.
As we lovingly provide to our children godly instruction from God’s Word, we should encourage them in their interests and giftedness so that they might become all that God has planned for them to be.
Our children are a gift from God
On loan from heaven above,
To train and nourish in the Lord,
And guide them with His love. —Sper
Save a child, save a life.
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The Voice of the Nature of God
Text Size: Zoom InJan162011I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ —Isaiah 6:8
When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we can only recognize the call if that same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God’s nature, not ours. God providentially weaves the threads of His call through our lives, and only we can distinguish them. It is the threading of God’s voice directly to us over a certain concern, and it is useless to seek another person’s opinion of it. Our dealings over the call of God should be kept exclusively between ourselves and Him.
The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal desires and temperament are of no consideration. As long as I dwell on my own qualities and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of God. But when God brings me into the right relationship with Himself, I will be in the same condition Isaiah was. Isaiah was so attuned to God, because of the great crisis he had just endured, that the call of God penetrated his soul. The majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves. And we cannot hear anything God says. But to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed.
Bible in One Year: Genesis 39-40; Matthew 11
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