datethewordtest

Author: admin

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23

    “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you;
    but I will teach you the good and the right way.” – 1 Samuel 12:23
    The COMMITMENT to Pray for Others and to Disciple

    1 Samuel 12 is best described as Samuel’s “Family Talk” with Israel. As the “family talk” begins to conclude Samuel makes a commitment to the people of God that HE WILL PRAY FOR THEM AND THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO TEACH THEM WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT!  

    I find Samuel’s commitment to be one of the best commitments a servant of the Lord can make to the people God has called them to serve.  It is so good that I want to repeat it here before making a few comments.  Picture Samuel standing before the people and he says, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.”

    What a tremendous commitment! He tells them he is going to PRAY FOR THEM!  As a matter of fact he believes that not praying for God’s people would be a sin.  Do you feel that strong of a compulsion to pray for fellow believers?  

    Friends, without doubt or question one of the greatest things you can do for others is to pray for them.  I highly recommend using one of the Apostle Paul’s prayers as a guide.  I use Colossians 1:9-11.  (Some of you knew that was coming.) It says, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (pray a person knows God’s Will) 10  that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, (pray they walk worthy/pleasing the Lord) being fruitful in every good work (pray their work for God is productive) and increasing in the knowledge of God; (praying they grow in wisdom/understanding knowledge of God) 11  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; (pray they withstand trials and temptations by His power!)

    Not only does he tell them he is going be praying for them but he commits to TEACH them. We could use the word DISCIPLE them.  Discipleship is pouring God’s truth into another person so that they can learn and live out the Scriptures.  Discipleship is helping another believer BECOME like Christ.  As one is discipled they start discipling.  Each believer should be found somewhere in 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  As someone teaches/disciples you, you start teaching/discipling someone and part of the discipleship is teaching them to pass on what they are learning.  I take the view that you have not completely discipled a person until they start discipling a person. 

    Samuel makes a commitment, a commitment to PRAY FOR and to DISCIPLE God’s people.  I challenge you to look at 1 Samuel as a guide for making your 2024 commitments.  Commit to praying for a group of people.  Commit to discipling a group of people.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 23 (12/23) is 1 Samuel 12:23. It says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” 

    Make the COMMITMENT of I WILL PRAY and I WILL DISCIPLE!

    Continue Strong,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 22 (12/22) is Proverbs 12:22

    “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” – Proverbs 12:22
    Honesty is the Best Policy – the Only Policy and it brings great Delight to God

    God’s Word is very clear about the absolute necessity of honesty.  The ninth commandment of the Ten Commandments says, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16) 

    When it comes to God and His feelings about lying, we find they are expressed without reservation.  We find from the list of things that God hates in Proverbs 6:16-19 that a lying tongue and a false witness are on the list.  Two of the 7 things that are most detestable to God are connected to dishonesty.  Here in Proverbs 12:22, we see God saying, “Lying is an abomination to Him.”  Lying is one of the most severe offenses a person can do.   Lying is exactly the opposite of who God is.  When one lies, they are behaving like Satan who is the father of lies. 

    Before we move forward, I must ask how seriously do you take telling the truth.  How serious is it for you to resist the temptation to NOT LIE?  

    While lying and dishonesty are some of the most offensive things to God, we find that those who tell the truth are His delight.  Telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth brings DELIGHT to the heart of God.  It is worth noting that Proverbs 11:1 says, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight.”  Cheating and misrepresenting the true value of something is grievous to God.  Honesty, though, brings delight to God.

    As a quick reminder about God’s expectations regarding honesty:
    In the Old Testament: Leviticus 19:11 says, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.”
    From the New Testament, Colossians 3:9 says, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,”

    Our verse to DATE the Word on December 22 (12/22) is Proverbs 12:22. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”

    Are you honest? BE HONEST WITH YOUR ANSWER!! 

    Continue Strong telling the truth! 
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 21 (12/21) is Romans 12:21

    “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:21
    A DIFFERENT RESPONSE TO EVIL

    As we encounter evil that is directed at us the Apostle Paul gives us two commands for responding and those 2 commands will bring about the most unusual of responses. First is the command to NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL.  The second is to OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.  Let’s look closely at both because both are going to be needed. 

    The verse begins with the strongest of admonishments to not allow EVIL to get the best of us. No matter what evil is done to us we do not let it DEFEAT US. Proverbs 24:10 “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”  Romans 8:37 tells us, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” 

    As we do not let evil drag us down to defeat we also do not let evil DRAG US DOWN to its level.  Looking back at Romans 12:17 we are reminded that we are not, ABSOLUTELY NOT, to repay evil with evil.  As the old saying goes, two WRONGS do not make a right. While wrong is being done we must continue to do RIGHT.  For the believer to do evil betrays our testimony and gives evil a win.  

    So, number 1, we will not be overcome by evil.  We will not be defeated by it nor drawn down to its level. 

    The second command is to TAKE POSITIVE ACTION and do GOOD to those who are doing evil TO YOU and others.  One OVERCOMES (defeats, wins) against evil by DOING GOOD.  It is helping the very person who is hurting you.  It is praying for the very ones that are persecuting you.  It is blessing the very one that is cursing you.  It is giving a cup of cold water and a hot meal to the one who would like to starve you to death.  It is being nice to the one who is mean.  

    Are you getting the picture?  You overcome evil by DOING GOOD!!  

    And yes, I know what has been written is HARD.  It is easy to give up when evil is done to you.  It is easy to give in to doing evil when evil has been done to you.  And it surely is hard to be nice to a mean person.   Yet this is what we are called to do.  We are called to be different in our response to evil by being OVERCOMERS OF EVIL, not overcome by evil. 

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 21 (12/21) is Romans 12:21. It says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

    In a world filled with evil be different and do good to those doing evil.

    Continue Strong as an OVERCOMER of EVIL! 
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 20 (12/20) is Luke 12:20

    “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you;
    then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ – Luke 12:20
    Don’t be a FOOL with your SOUL!

    It is sobering to know that our lives on earth end and more often than not it comes with an unexpected deadline. Yet when our lives end it is just beginning as we have a soul that will continue to live for all eternity.  The location of our soul is determined by a decision we make here on earth while living.  Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for men to die once but after this the judgment.”  This judgment is not the final judgment but it is the first judgment that has you either in heaven or hell at the very moment of your death.  If you have decided to accept Christ and you have been born again you immediately go into heaven when you die.  2 Corinthians 5:8b says, “to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”  But if you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior you will perish and be in hell.  

    Even knowing how certain death is we still find so many putting off this decision as they have different priorities for their lives. Here is Luke 12 Jesus addresses having the wrong priorities.
    There are the wrong priorities regarding money.  There are the wrong priorities regarding time and eternity.  In Luke 12:16-19 we have a man who thinks he has plenty of time to get right with God and be prepared to meet him.   Yet our verse tells us that time has run out.  God calls this man a fool as he has failed to be prepared for life after death.

    While preparing for and pursuing earthly pleasure he was unprepared for eternal pleasure and now will face eternal punishment.  

    With the uncertainty of a certain ending to life, Scripture appeals over and over to accept Jesus now. For instance,  2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”   While there is uncertainty about when your life will end, let there be no uncertainty about your eternal future being in heaven. 

    Are you being a fool with your soul?  Matthew 16:26 says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

    Are you prepared to meet God face to face?  There is a heaven and there is a hell.  Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people.  Are you prepared to meet God face to face as you are appointed once to die and then the judgment?

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 20 (12/20) is Luke 12:20. It says, “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

    Don’t be a fool with your soul!

    Continue Strong by having prepared your soul for eternity!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD!

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 19 (12/19) is 2 Corinthians 12:19

    “Have you (Corinthians) been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God
    that we have been speaking in Christ, for we do all things, beloved, for your edification.”   – 2 Corinthians 12:19
    For your EDIFICATION

    2 Corinthians 12:19 concludes with “for we do all things, beloved, for your edification.” What a great challenge to us as we consider our motives for ministry.  As a matter of fact, this concluding statement was made by the Apostle Paul to explain his motives for writing to the Corinthians AGAIN. As Paul wrote AGAIN to the Corinthians, he had to answer the age-old question of WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TELLING US WHAT TO DO question. With that question hanging heavy, the Apostle Paul defends his apostleship in the letter we call 2 Corinthians. He, also, though does not back off calling for the Corinthians to live differently and to do what is right! His ultimate purpose in writing was not to DEFEND himself but for their EDIFICATION – for their UPBUILDING. His motive for ministry was building up the body!  

    As we minister in various ways, we will encounter people who may need an exhortation to stop sinning. (1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “Brethren, warn the unruly …; James 5:19-20 says, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,  let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.)  So as “brethren” let us check ourselves to make sure our exhortation is for edification! When we take this approach Proverbs 25:12 is more possible!! Proverbs 25:12 says, “Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.”

    Our reason for rebuking (reproving) is to bring a person to repentance and then restoration! In other words, we are doing this for a person’s EDIFICATION.

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 19 (12/19) is 2 Corinthians 12:19. It says, “Have you (Corinthians) been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, for we do all things, beloved, for your edification.”  

    How might you apply “for we do all things, beloved, for your edification” to your life today?  

    Continue Strong ministering to one another with the pure motive of edifying one another!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 18 (12/18) is Romans 12:18

    “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” – Romans 12:18
    PURSUE KEEPING THE PEACE WITH OTHERS

    Are you a peacemaker or a peace breaker?  Do you look to resolve conflicts in a peaceful way, or are you more prone to stir the proverbial pot that makes things worse rather than better?   As the Apostle Paul teaches the essential duties of the Christian, he calls for believers to PURSUE as much as it is possible to KEEP the PEACE with others.  To those who disagree with us, we are to do our best to KEEP THE PEACE.  

    With the call for us to be actively pursuing peacemaking with other people, we might ask how do we do this?  Let me give a few thoughts. 

    First, you can disagree agreeably.  You can debate over what is best without blowing the proverbial gasket.  The key is to always treat the other person with respect.  And remember you can always allow someone to be wrong.  
    Second, not every argument has to be won.  You don’t have to agree to argue every argument presented to you.  It has been said that we need to decide what hill we want to die on and in the big picture of life, there are not that many.  Now there are some but in reality, there aren’t that many.  
    Third, resolve to solve, not dissolve.  Value the person over the problem.
    Fourth, (from John Maxwell) practice the 101% rule.  Find the 1% you do agree on and give that 100%.  
    Fifth, (from Steven Covey) Seek first to understand before seeking to be understood and go for the WIN WIN!  It is amazing how disagreements can be resolved when we listen to what the other person is saying. 
    Sixth, (from Jesus) turn the other cheek and go the extra mile.

    These are but a few suggestions on how you can work to live peaceably.  I am sure you can add to the list and I hope you do.  The bottom line is we have from Romans 12:18 the instructions to do as much as possible to live peaceably.

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 18 (12/18) is Romans 12:18. It says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

    Continue Strong as a PEACEMAKER.
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 17 (12/17) is Mark 12:17

    “And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, 
    and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.” – Mark 12:17
    A Good Citizen of TWO Worlds

    With Mark 12:17 beginning with AND JESUS ANSWERED we should quickly look back at the question.  Notice Mark 12:13 – 16 for the background.  
    Then they (Religious leaders who want to kill Jesus) sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?  “Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”  (THE QUESTION IS PROPOSED and now the answer begins) But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” So they brought it. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

    In seeking to trick Jesus into a response that would land Him in hot water with the Romans Jesus is asked about paying TAXES.  With much wisdom, He answers with an answer that leaves the listeners astonished.  He looks at a coin with Caesar’s image on it and says GIVE Caesar the things that are his.  In other words, He said, YES PAY YOUR TAXES.   What makes this verse so astonishing is the next part as He tells them to GIVE to GOD the things that are HIS.  

    Church father Tertullian wrote, “‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s;’ that is, give to Caesar his image stamped upon his coin, and give to God His Own image stamped upon you; so that while you render to Caesar the coin which is his due, you may render your own self to God.”  (Pulpit Commentary)

    To the question of paying taxes, the response from Jesus is that we have responsibilities to our government and then He added that we have responsibilities to God.  

    A citizen of heaven should be a good citizen on earth AND a citizen on earth should be a faithful citizen of heaven.  

    While giving a tribute (tax) to the Roman government Jesus calls the questioners to give themselves in TOTALITY to God.  In essence, He exposed them for not being loyal to Caesar and not being loyal to God.  No wonder they were ASTONISHED at this teaching!  

    So, are you paying your taxes? I trust you are.
    So, are you PRESENTING yourself to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him?

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 17 (12/17) is Mark 12:17. It says, “And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.”

    Continue Strong as good citizens of Earth and Heaven,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 16 (12/16) is Proverbs 12:16

    “The anger of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.” – Proverbs 12:16
    The Wise will Carefully CHOOSE their Response to the Critic

    In the multitude of contrasts found in Proverbs, we have a proverb that contrasts a response to the critic.  Whereas the fool responds with indignation to the insult the prudent (the wise) ignores the insult.  The fool is ready to beat up the person while the prudent brushes it off.  The fool has no patience and explodes in retaliation.  The prudent, on the other hand, will carefully choose their response with patience and will refuse to engage in senseless name-calling to defuse the matter.  The fool has no filter!  Their action only makes the matter worse.

    Having read the above, where are you in your response to the critic?  
    Are you more like the FOOL who is quick-tempered, with a short fuse, and responds with equal or MORE force?
    Are you more like the prudent?  Do you carefully consider your responses to the critic?  
    BTW – I like to define the prudent as one who carefully considers the consequences of their choices.  Do you process the critic’s attack and insults with a patient thoughtful response?

    Here are a few thoughts on responding to the critic’s insults:
    Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
    NLT “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”
    Proverbs 23:9 Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.

    Working with Dr. Jerry Falwell, who had many insults hurled at him, I heard him many times say never defend yourself as your friends don’t need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.  

    As you live and breathe living and serving the Lord you will be attacked and criticized.  I had only been a Christian a short time when I encountered vicious name-calling.  My past life without Christ was demanding a response of both verbal and physical, but the new life in Christ was calling for self-control.  While not easy, I ignored the insults that day. 

    Remember that as Christians our testimony is so often revealed by our temper and our tongue.  We reveal just how different we are when we don’t return an insult with an insult.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on December 16 (12/16) is Proverbs 12:16. It says, “The anger of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.”

    Continue Strong with self-control of temper and tongue!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 15 (12/15) is Luke 12:15

    “And Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life
    does not consist in the abundance of the things one possesses.” – Luke 12:15
    THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS!!

    Our verse to consider starts with a double warning as JESUS says, “Take heed and beware.”  While we should be listening to everything Jesus says and everything the Bible teaches, a double warning should have our full UNDIVIDED attention. 

    So, ARE YOU LISTENING?  So, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?  

    With the double warning stated our verse continues with Jesus telling us to WATCH OUT for COVETING or being GREEDY.  “Take heed and beware of COVETOUSNESS.”  Jesus takes his crowd that day and us back to the Tenth Commandment of the Ten Commandments as it states “You shall not COVET your neighbor’s house; you shall not COVET your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor ANYTHING that is your neighbor’s.”  Exodus 20:17  

    Of all the Commandments the tenth is the most personal and secretive as it is broken with an attitude.  The attitude of coveting then will lead to actions.  Now, if I am coveting, you do not see it.  If you are coveting, I do not see it.  It is an inside sin.  The sinful attitude comes as one is never satisfied with what one presently has, and they have a driving desire to get more and more so that they can be at least equal to if not better than their neighbor.  There is never ENOUGH for them.  There is no CONTENTMENT with a COVETING person. The coveting person makes gold their god!  

    With the double WARNING of guarding against COVETING, Jesus now teaches a lesson that flies in the face of what we have been taught and conditioned to think about money, things, and possessions.  The WHY of why we should not covet (ARE YOU LISTENING) IS “your life does not consist in the abundance of things you possess.”    

    YOUR LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS YOU POSSESS! 

    With one sentence Jesus CONFRONTS and DEBUNKS the thinking that fuels COVETING.  Your self-worth is not tied to your worth!  Your worth does not determine your self-worth!

    How do you now apply JESUS’ TEACHING from Luke 12:15 to your THINKING?  For me, it was hearing the quote “THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS”  that helped me go against the world’s thinking.

    Our verse to DATE the Word on December 15 (12/15) is Luke 12:15. It says, “And Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life DOES NOT consist in the abundance of the things one possesses.”

    Are you GUARDING your heart against being GREEDY? Are you CONTENT or does your heart COVET more and MORE and MORE?
    How does the quote THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS help you apply the teaching that Jesus has given?

    Continue Strong content and satisfied with Jesus!
    And remember to DATE THE WORD

  • Verse to DATE the Word on December 14 (12/14) is Romans 12:14

    “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” – Romans 12:14
    RESPONDING DIFFERENTLY to MISTREATMENT

    Our Christianity affects all of our relationships. It affects our relationship with God.  It affects our relationship with other believers.  It affects our relationship with the people who are lost. And it affects our relationship with those who viciously attack us, persecuting us.  The Apostle Paul teaches here in Romans 12:14 what Jesus had earlier taught when it came to responding to those who were mean and hating and persecuting. In Matthew 5:44 Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”  

    Jesus’ teaching and now Paul’s teaching is in stark contrast to the world around them and what the world says today.  Our response to those who hurt us is to hurt them back.  

    As we consider those who oppose and yes persecute, we are to pray for them and desire God’s greatest blessings on them.  And you know what the greatest blessing would be?  The greatest blessing would be that they would be saved.

    Take a moment to consider that your opponent, your enemy today is a “SAUL” and tomorrow just might be a “PAUL” With your prayers they could go from being a persecutor of Christ to proclaiming Christ.  

    So, BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE!! And definitely do not stoop to their level of cursing them!

    The verse to DATE the Word on December 14 (12/14) is Romans 12:14. It says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

    Continue Strong responding differently,
    And remember to DATE THE WORD!