Devoting Ourselves to God’s Word

Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

As we head to the fall season – I think this is a powerful reminder of what the first believers did. The first century church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

We are called to devote ourselves to the Bible – that is the Word of God – which contains the teachings on the Apostles – the Epistles or most of the books in the New Testament. Do we study the Bible on a regular basis? If we don’t have the time at home in the morning – may I suggest a few options.

On our computer at work or at home – let’s look up BibleGateway – here is a link to their site – http://www.biblegateway.com/. They have a reading plan that will help keep us on track and get us through the Psalms – the whole Bible – the Gospels – etc. If we are on the move a lot and not at our desk much – if we have a smart phone we can look up BibleGateway on our phone’s browser or we could add the Bible to our phone with a program like YouVersion – here is their link – http://www.youversion.com/.  My iPhone has an app for this program and it allows me to post Scriptures to my Twitter and Facebook account. We can also use YouVersion on our desktop computer from our browser. It is a great program that I highly recommend. Both of these programs have a wide variety of translations to help us find our favorite and to compare passages.

Christmas Is Almost Here – But – Don’t Worry

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV84

Over the years we have heard loads of catch phrases. Phrases like what – me worry or don’t worry – be happy. These catch phrases have graced our airways over the years. The world knows all about worry and how many of us suffer with it. What is it that we are spending time worrying about today? Are we worrying about the economy (inflation is rearing its ugly head)? Are we worried about the elections past or the ones to come yet (mid-terms coming in 2022)? Are we worried about where our next meal with come (many of us could miss a meal or two and be OK)?

Another translation of this passage reads this way – Matthew 6:34 – Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ESV Apparently worry and anxiousness are akin – alike.

So what are we anxious about or worried about? Is it our health – let’s give it over to God. Is it our economics or lack thereof – let’s give it over to God. Is it a relationship – like our marriage or a friendship – let’s give it over to God. Is it the elections past or future – let’s give it over to God. Is it trouble in some way in our lives – let’s give it over to God. Are we anxious or worried about Christmas? Christmas is this Saturday – let’s give it over to God.

Mending a Broken Heart

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (ESV)

I wonder how many of our readers have ever experienced a broken heart? Am I alone? I’m also a hopeless romantic (that is the term I choose to use and I’m sticking with it). As much as I love my wife and wouldn’t trade her for the world – I remember relationships from the past. Smells and songs trigger memories for me. I remember the first girl I ever kissed (I was 9 and we were moving from our church and she was 10 and I kissed her on our last Sunday). She was my first girlfriend – so to speak (it is written in my baby book LOL). I remember the perfume my next girlfriend used (Heaven Scent) and it brings back memories when I smell it.

As I grew older – songs began to play a part of my memories. Stevie Wonder’s You Are The Sunshine Of My Life has fond memories as does Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together. Color My World by Chicago was also a favorite – it was the first song I ever danced to (with someone special).

Let’s Stay Together was a song that brings back not only fond memories but sad memories as well. It was still popular (came out in 1972) – a few years before one of my relationship breakups. As an emotional person – it would bring tears to my eyes remembering that relationship after it was over. Even today I occasionally remember relationships past. I’m listening to some music from the Vietnam era as I type out this devotional and each song brings back memories of my youth.

Christmas Is Coming! But Don’t Worry!!

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV84

Over the years we have heard loads of catch phrases. Phrases like what – me worry or don’t worry – be happy have graced our airways over the years. The world knows all about worry and how many of us suffer with it. What is it that we are spending time worrying about today? Are we worrying about the economy (it seems to be doing well with a little room for error)? Are we worried about the elections past or the ones to come yet (two years till the next one)? Are we worried about where our next meal with come (many of us could miss a meal or two and be OK)?

Another translation of this passage reads this way – Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ESV Apparently worry and anxiousness are akin – alike.

So what are we anxious about or worried about? Is it our health – let’s give it over to God. Is it our economics or lack thereof – let’s give it over to God. Is it a relationship – like our marriage or a friendship – let’s give it over to God. Is it the election – let’s give it over to God. Is it trouble in some way in our lives – let’s give it over to God. Are we anxious or worried about Christmas? As of yesterday – we have a whole month till it arrives – so let’s give it over to God.

The Day After The Elections

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV84

This is a reworked devotional thought from 2016 after the Presidential elections. Yesterday was the mid-term elections – and when this devotional was reworked – every vote had not been counted yet. It appears that the Dems will take the house. It appears the GOP will increase their hold on the Senate. It also appears that the GOP will pick up some important Governorships. We will see what all of that means.

Over the years we have heard loads of catch phrases. Phrases like what – me worry or don’t worry – be happy have graced our airways over the years. The world knows all about worry and how many of us suffer with it. What is it that we are spending time worrying about today? Are we worries about the economy? Are we worried about the elections? Are we worried about where our next meal with come?

Another translation of this today’s passage reads this way – Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. ESV Apparently worry and anxiousness are akin.