Tag Archives: Word

Testing, Filter, and Living

Day 27 of 35 – Soul Detox

2 Timothy 3:1-17

Devotional

When we interpret everything according to God’s Word and the purity of His truth, we will realize there are a lot of things people are doing that really don’t draw us closer to God. This is why it’s important that we test everything according to God’s Word because the Bible contains absolute truth. God’s Word should be our guide.
Why do you think it is so difficult to filter out cultural toxins in today’s society?

via Soul Detox | YouVersion.com.

That is a really good question. How would you answer it?

Reading the verses above, this stands out to me.

11 as well as the persecutions and sufferings that came my way in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

via 2 Timothy 3:1-17 CJB;NASB – Moreover, understand this: in the – Bible Gateway.

Yet the LORD rescued me from all of them.

Anybody reading this been persecuted as was our dear brother Paul?
No?
Then ABBA can surely rescue us from our troubles, you think?
Me too  :)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living; 17 thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good work.

via 2 Timothy 3:1-17 CJB;NASB – Moreover, understand this: in the – Bible Gateway.

You might also check in with SHE READS TRUTH

An Apple Story

While reading some email this morning, this was in my email inbox. I do not know its origin, author or if it is an actually happening but it certainty contains Truth. I hope it blesses you.

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding…

ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, “Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, “I hope we didn’t spoil your day too badly.”

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, “Mister….” He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, “Are you Jesus?”

He stopped in mid-stride … and he wondered. He gently went back and said, “No, I am nothing like Jesus – He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place.

“The girl gently nodded: “I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him – only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister.”

Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: “Are you Jesus?”

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That’s our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It’s actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though you, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Sometimes we just take things for granted, when we really need to be sharing what we know….Thanks.

“Being happy doesn’t mean everything is perfect. It means you’ve decided to see beyond the imperfections.”

It’s a rainy, windy Thursday morning here in Lower Alabama. Pray for folks driving in this and pray for Terri and her family – surgery this afternoon.

If We What?

Day 15 — Soul Detox

Psalms 27:1-14

Devotional

We are often paralyzed with irrational fear that something may happen. Rather than living by faith, we live by fear. These toxic fears can cripple our lives and rob us of our joy. This week you will read what God’s Word says about toxic fears and how we should face them.

How have you seen your toxic fears influence your actions and thoughts?

via Soul Detox | YouVersion.com.

As you read the Text for today (via the link above or your own copy of Scripture in hand) did you notice NOT to fear is a choice? Did you notice that the Scripture in no way tells us there are not scary things around us?

What about evildoers, adversaries, foes all trying to eat us up? We can be easily paralyzed except for one choice. The choice must be to TRUST.

I mean what does verse 1 say?

Yeshua is our LIGHT – He gets us through any DARKNESS if we TRUST.  And He is our SALVATION – He delivers us from every evildoer, every adversary, every foe that comes against us if we TRUST.

And the Psalmist penned:

Adonai is the stronghold of my life;

of whom should I be afraid?

via Psalms 27:1-14 CJB;NASB – By David: ADONAI is my light and – Bible Gateway.

Of whom indeed should we be afraid?

How’s that for defeating toxic thinking and fear?

You might also check in with SHE READS TRUTH

PMS?

Day 14 — Soul Detox

Mark 11:12-25

Devotional

Not only should we speak life-giving words to others, but we should also speak them to our circumstances and ourselves. The toxic words we speak to ourselves can be some of the most dangerous.

What types of toxic words are you saying to yourself? What steps do you need to take to stop saying these toxic words to yourself?

via Soul Detox | YouVersion.com.

I hope you will read the whole of the text linked above. I am not going to pretend with you that I perfectly understand our LORD’s actions here but of this I am certain: JESUS was not having an off day, or a bad day, or even a ‘pms’ day and thus spoke out of turn. He was not vindictive to the fig tree. He was not in a ‘rage’ when He cleansed the temple. Righteous anger? Yes. But the temple cleansing was NOT in a fit of uncontrolled rage. Our SAVIOR – GOD MAN was ALWAYS obedient to the leading of THE HOLY SPIRIT.  His EVERY deed, EVERY word ALWAYS glorified the FATHER and would edify man, if man would listen.  We will NEVER be this controlled by the HOLY SPIRIT this side of HEAVEN; but we should be willing to try.  :)

So why did He curse the fig tree? I don’t know. But He had a purpose and I suspect the Disciples sooner or later got it! I hope I do too.

Happy Sunday, my Friends! Watch your Words to others and to yourself – our words contain life and death.

You might also check in with SHE READS TRUTH

Proverbs 18:21 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

21 The tongue has power over life and death; those who indulge it must eat its fruit.

via Pro 18:21 CJB;NASB – The tongue has power over life and – Bible Gateway.