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A Talk Every Parent Needs to Have With Their Children

Text:

Proverbs 4:10-15 (HCSB)

10 Listen, my son. Accept my words, and you will live many years.

11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; when you run, you will not stumble.

13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go. Guard it, for it is your life.

14 Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked; don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.

15 Avoid it; don’t travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by.

Observation:

The loving and wise person encourages their children to hear the Word and find wisdom.

I invite you to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, as he imparts the wisdom that God gave to him in the wise sayings of the Proverbs.

There are benefits, and consequences that result from the choices we make in life. The choices you make matter. Every step you take leads to a destination.

If you have wisdom, you will have protection.

Proverbs 4:6 (HCSB)

6 Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you.

If you have wisdom, you will have promotion.

Proverbs 4:8-9 (HCSB)

8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.

9 She will place a garland of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty.”

In a dark world you will have a bright and shinning light to guide you when you walk in obedience, and righteousness. Are you walking in the light?

Proverbs 4:18 (HCSB)

18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

Are you walking on the straight path that leads to faith, hope, and love; the things that are eternal, and money cannot buy? Learn and listen to the voice of wisdom from the wise.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, help us to live wisely, walk worthily, and to choose the way of wisdom. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

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Do You Realize the Sufficiency of God’s Grace?

Text:

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (ESV)

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Observation:

Yesterday in the course of helping a friend with an adversity in her family I was blessed with an amazing testimony of how God works in speaking to His people.

In the midst of working on her issues she went and got a devotional book that she had read earlier that morning. The devotional book was, “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. O, what a timely word from the Lord.

“Expect to encounter adversity in your life, remembering that you live in a deeply fallen world. Stop trying to find a way that circumvents difficulties. The main problem with an easy life is that it masks your need for Me.”

I looked down at the bottom of the page, and one of the scripture references was a Psalm I wrote about yesterday. We saw God connect a lot of dots, and He works everyday.

Psalm 91:1 (ESV)

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

All of us who live in this fallen world will encounter adversity at some time in our earthly journey. Your adversity may be similar to some of the things that Paul experienced or that may be different. However, we all have a list of adversities that we could cite. Here is Paul’s list.

2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)

10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

How was Paul able to boast and speak with joy and gladness about his weaknesses, and the adversities that he faced in his life? The answer is the sufficiency of the grace of God in his life.

2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Don’t ever lose sight of this truth, “The surpassing power belongs to God and not to us”. Then, you will be able to know, and experience what Paul was able to say.

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Prayer:

Father, we give You the honor, glory, and praise that You alone deserve. Father, we are so grateful that the amazing grace of God is sufficient for all of the needs of Your beloved children.

Father, in these days of adversity we ask that You would draw us closer to You through the office work of the Holy Spirit. Father, in times like these help us to lean hard on Thee. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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What Is Your Response to Chaos?

Text:

Isaiah 26:8-9 (ESV)

8 In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.

9 My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Observation:

Have you experienced an unusual amount of chaos recently? The Bible tells us that there would be days, and seasons similar to what you are experiencing.

2 Timothy 3:1 (AMP)

1 BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].

What should be the response of believers in times like these? I find in the reading of our text, and life experiences some guidance. It involves taking the upward look.

In verse eight of our text Isaiah says, “Your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul”.

In verse nine Isaiah says, “My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you”.

The Lord’s heart and hands are not far from His people. He longs to have His people draw near to Him.

1 Peter 3:12 (ESV)

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

There is nothing that comforts the soul during times of great stress, and trouble than singing praise to God. One of the songs I love to sing is this one by Valerie Boyd.

“My soul loves Jesus,

my soul loves Jesus,

my soul loves Jesus;

Bless His name.

He’s a wonder in my soul,

He’s a wonder in my soul;

Bless His name.”

Prayer:

Father, I unite my voice with the Psalmist, and all of Your people who agree, in lifting up my voice in praise and adoration of Your most holy, and righteous name.

Father, if Your people ever needed the nearness of Your presence, the time is now. Father, you are the desire of our soul; Lord, we seek Your face, and long for Your tender heart, and strong hands to give us Your peace in exchange for the stress and chaos we are facing. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

The Brevity of Life

Title: How Are You Doing in Living Your Life?

Text:

Job 14:1-2 (KJV)

1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

Observation:

Today, I have the brevity of life on my mind. The world is talking about the death of Muhammad Ali. I am reminded of the death of three people who I knew personally dying the past ten days.

Two of those people lived in my hometown. I attended one memorial service last week, and the second will probably occur this week. I can give witness to the truth of this verse from our text.

Job 14:1 (ESV)

1 “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.

How then shall we live; how shall we walk in the days of our journey through the world? These are words that inform my mind, strengthens my faith, and floods my heart with the peace of God.

Psalm 90:12-17 (ESV)

12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I am so grateful for Your presence, power, and peace that abides in the hearts of Your people.

Father, we acknowledge that without Your presence in our lives we would be nothing, and could do nothing. Father, draw us closer to You, and keep us there by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Father, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us” . In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

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What Makes You Cry?

Text:

Philippians 3:18-21 (HCSB)

18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things,

20 but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.

Observation:

Yesterday was a day that some tears were shed in my family. However, in this case it was tears of joy for the entrance of a second great grand child into our family.

The house is empty for a brief period of time, and I have a chance to get alone with my heavenly Father.

As I read the focal passage for today I was moved when I read in verse eighteen that the Apostle Paul cried. It got me to thinking about the things that cause us to cry. What caused Paul to cry were the false teachers.

One of the ways you can distinguish between genuine Christ followers, and false teachers is how they view themselves. False teachers have an inflated view of themselves.

Philippians 3:3 (HCSB)

3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—

We are in good company when we shed a tear; especially when is for others. Jesus cried because of the death of a friend.

John 11:35-36 (HCSB)

35 Jesus wept.

36 So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that You will give each of us a compassionate heart; a heart that will move us to tears for others. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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Daily Bread

Title: Whose Eyes Are You Going to Believe?

Text:

Psalm 139:13-16 (NLT)
¹³You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. ¹⁵You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. ¹⁶You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Observation:

I will never get over the wonder of God’s love for man. He made us, and knows everything about us. Others may not like us, there are times that we might not even like ourselves, but God loves us and His love is unceasing. He loves us from conception to death; He has a plan for us after death. His love for us is a forever love.

John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Do you believe what others say about you? Do you believe what you say about yourself; sometimes we don’t say kind things about ourselves. Or, do you see yourself as God sees you. As a society we don’t see people as God see them; God sees us as people before we are born. He believes in life after death.

John 11:26 (KJV)
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

There is never a time in our life from conception to our death that we are out of His sight or out of His concern. He knows what He made us of, and He knows the course of life before we live it out. Think about the wonder, and the implications of this passage.

Prayer:

Father God, my dear Father, my maker and my keeper. Father, I pray that the light of Your Word would enlighten our darkened eyes so that we would see people the way that You see them.

Father, I am so glad that we are precious in Your sight before we are born, and that we are precious in Your sight when we die. I am so grateful there is never a time we are out of Your sight.

Father God, I know that You can make the blind to see; Lord, please open our eyes to see human life the way You see it. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.