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  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 30 (4/30) is Ephesians 4:30

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 30 (4/30) is Ephesians 4:30

    “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were
    sealed for the day of redemption.” – Ephesians 4:30
    Don’t GRIEVE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HELPER

    As we make decisions about doing what is right or wrong, we have a HELPER.  When we become believers, we get a new resident in our lives as the Holy Spirit indwells us.  Jesus told His disciples as He was preparing to leave that He would send them the Helper.  In the Book of John, we have several verses that talk about the Helper or the Holy Spirit and what His role would be.
    John 14:16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
    John 14:26  But the Helper, (the Holy Spirit), whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
    John 15:26  “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me.
    John 16:13  When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.

    With the Holy Spirit, the HELPER, living within us we have one who speaks truth to us and guides us to practice the truth, to do what is right.  

    The Apostle Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit will give us the power to resist any temptation.  He writes in Galatians 5:16 for us to “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

    As we come to Ephesians 4:30, we learn that we can GRIEVE the Holy Spirit, the HELPER.  To “grieve” is to make sad or sorrowful, to bring about a heaviness.  Having read what the Holy Spirit, the HELPER does for us I would think we can understand how He is grieved when we sin.  In His role, He has helped us to know the truth of what is right and what is wrong.  In His role, He helps us to resist the temptations to do wrong.  When we do what is wrong the Helper has to feel rejection as we reject the truth, and we reject the help.  

    I see Ephesians 4:30 as a verse that serves as a filter for decision-making.  I want the actions I take, even the attitudes I display, to be pleasing to God.  I don’t want to disappoint Him, and I surely don’t want to GRIEVE the Holy Spirit.  

    Now it is worth noting the promise that comes in this verse.  While we can and do at times grieve and even quench the work of the Holy Spirit, we stay SEALED by Him for the day of redemption.  

    As you make decisions how much weight does the Holy Spirit and His “feelings” have before displaying an attitude or taking an action?

    Verse to DATE on April 30 (4/30) is Ephesians 4:30. It says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

    Bring pleasure, not pain to the Helper!

    Continue strong relying on the HELPER,
    And remember to DATE The Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 29 (4/29) is Ephesians 4:29

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 29 (4/29) is Ephesians 4:29

    “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary
    edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” – Ephesians 4:29
    If you don’t have anything good to say, then don’t say anything!
     
    As the Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians in Ephesians 4, he will be instructing believers that there is to be a difference in how one lives. From verse 1 the believer is “to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called!” From verse 17 the believer no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind.” In verse 22 the believer is to “put off the former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,” In verse 24 the believer is “to put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Clearly, the believer lives differently.

    One may ask then HOW DOES ONE LIVE DIFFERENTLY?  There are several answers in Ephesians 4. 
    Ephesians 4:25 tells us to stop LYING.
    Ephesians 4:26 we are to stop losing our TEMPER.
    Ephesians 4:28 we are to stop STEALING and go to work, so we can earn an income to live and GIVE. 

    From Ephesians 4:29 we live differently when it comes to our WORDS, to our conversation. A life changed by Christ means our communication changes. Instead of corrupt, rotten, unwholesome, filthy communication coming out of our mouths that harms others, we have clean, wholesome, edifying language that helps people.  Our words convey respect for and the dignity of people.  Instead of using words to tear people down, the believer carefully chooses words to BUILD OTHERS UP!
     
    BTW – Jesus takes very seriously what we say about others.  From Matthew 5:21-22 He said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
     
    Are you careless with your words as you speak to and about others?
    Do you call people names that are not fitting?  Does your word devalue another person?
    Are you cruel with your words as you speak to and about others?

    Let us remember that our WORDS in so many ways reveal our heart.  It goes to reason that a clean heart will bring forth clean words and a dirty heart brings forth dirty words.

    What are your WORDS saying to others ABOUT your HEART? 

    What are your WORDS doing for the LISTENER?  Are they built up by your words or torn down by your words?  Are they harmed or helped?


    Verse to DATE on April 29 (4/29) is Ephesians 4:29. It says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
     
    If you don’t have anything good to say, then don’t say anything!
     
    Continue Strong building others up with wholesome words,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 28 (4/28) is Ephesians 4:28

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 28 (4/28) is Ephesians 4:28

    “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” – Ephesians 4:28
    Living Radically Different

    Becoming a Christian and living the Christian life is about living DIFFERENTLY.  Ephesians speaks of our past life being radically changed by Christ as we go from being dead to being alive. It then speaks of our present life where we are living radically differently. I use the word “radically” because of verses like Ephesians 4:28. In this verse we start with a person who is a thief and is TAKING from others and we end with a GIVER who is generous and helping others.  In this one verse, we see a radically changed person.  One might even say this person is TRANSFORMED!

    Going into the verse a little deeper the Apostle Paul is teaching in Ephesians 4 about how a Christian does live.  As a new person in Christ, one does not steal.  Reading that should bring to your mind the 8th Commandment of the Ten Commandments.  It says, “You shall not steal.” Stated in the negative we look at it from the positive.  A person is to value and respect the possessions of others!! 

    Paul’s instructions to the believer is to have a noticeable, if you will, radical change. The one who has been stealing is no longer stealing but working.  The one stealing from others is now to earn a living by industry and integrity. (working with your hands what is GOOD.) They are not to be a TAKER but a WORKER!  

    BTW – This is not the only time the Apostle Paul addressed the subject of WORK.  Notice:
    1 Thessalonians 4:11  and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
    2 Thessalonians 3:10  For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
    2 Thessalonians 3:12  Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

    Now Paul instructs the new person in Christ to really think and live differently.  He not only tells the thief to stop TAKING he instructs them to change from harming others but to be helpful to others.   While earning a living and providing for oneself and for one’s family the new person is earning to have something to GIVE to someone in need! The one who was a TAKER before Christ is now a GIVER!!!! 

    For me, two things stand out from Ephesians 4:28.  
    This verse reminds us of how Christ does radically change a person’s life.  If you are in Christ you should have a testimony of a CHANGED and a CHANGING life.  

    Secondly, if you are stealing, being a TAKER, you are to STOP and go find a job.  Then as you work to earn a living and be a provider you are not to be a KEEPER but a GIVER. You are instructed from this verse to be working so you can help others.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 28 (4/28) is Ephesians 4:28. It says, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.”

    Continue Strong living radically differently as a believer,
    And remember to DATE the Word
     
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 27 (4/27) is Proverbs 4:27

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 27 (4/27) is Proverbs 4:27

    “Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”   – Proverbs 4:27
    TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION NOW

    Throughout the month of April, we have highlighted a number of verses from Proverb 4 as this is one of the most instructive chapters in the Bible on taking actions that bring life and prevent death.  It opens with an appeal to hear and be fully attentive to the instruction as the teaching is GOOD.  Proverbs 4:1-2 says “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, 2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.”  Then comes the strongest advice to acquire wisdom as wisdom is the principal thing.  To live life the way God intended it to be lived one needs to get HIS INSIGHTS and INSTRUCTIONS.  These insights and instructions are called WISDOM!  

    As we move toward the end of the chapter, we learn how to stay spiritually healthy.  Proverbs 4:23 may be one of the most important verses we must learn and apply as we are told to GUARD our hearts with ALL DILIGENCE for out of it comes the very issues of life.  To guard our hearts calls for putting the right things in and keeping the wrong things out.  

    To be spiritually healthy we must be putting the WORD of God in our hearts.  

    To be spiritually healthy we must be watching our words, keeping our conversation clean, and telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  

    To be spiritually healthy we must be watching what we watch.  Just as we set a guard on our mouth, we set a guard on our eyes.  We make the commitment to set nothing wicked before our eyes.  (See Psalms 101:3)

    To be spiritually healthy we must be watching where we walk.  If we are to have the right practices we will need to be at the right places.  Too often we yield to temptation because we are at the wrong places.   Proverbs 4:26 tells us to PONDER OUR PATH so that we don’t put ourselves in places where we are prone to fall. 

    The chapter concludes with REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM EVIL. We have here the call to take personal responsibility for all of our actions.  Based on the previous instructions the reader is now informed on what is RIGHT.  Now is the time to own your decisions.  Removing your foot from evil means to STOP DOING IT.  It means to CUT IT OUT!  It means to QUIT IT. 

    This closing call to take personal responsibility for yourself leaves no room for excuses.  Proverbs 4 has told of the damage that evil brings, and you have been told to AVOID the highway to hell.  Proverbs 4 has told of the benefits of walking on the path of righteousness.  

    The question now is how do you RESPOND?   What ACTIONS do you need to take NOW?

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 27 (4/27) is Proverbs 4:27.  It says, “Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”  

    Continue Strong doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26

    “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” – Proverbs 4:26
    OH BE CAREFUL LITTLE FEET WHERE YOU GO!

    Wrong practices happen so many times because of being with the wrong people and being in the wrong place. From the very start of the Book of Proverbs, there are warnings issued to stay away from places where one will be tempted to do wrong.  Proverbs 1:15 says, “My son, do not walk in the way with them (sinners of verse 10), keep your foot from their path.”  We have seen in Proverbs 4 the instructions to avoid the path of the wicked.  Proverbs 4:14 says, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.”

    In staying safe we teach that it is important to KNOW WHERE YOU ARE and know your SURROUNDINGS.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, though, you need to THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WILL BE GOING.  To ponder the path of your feet is to be proactively THINKING about what possible temptations could be at certain places.  

    A WISE PERSON DOESN’T PUT THEMSELVES IN PLACES WHERE THEY ARE PRONE TO FALL! 

    In “establishing” your ways consider some benefits when you choose the “right” path. 

    Proverbs 10:17  Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
    Proverbs 12:28  In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.
    Proverbs 15:19  The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
    Proverbs 15:24  The path of the prudent leads upward bringing life, that he may turn away from hell beneath.
    Isaiah 26:7  The path of the righteous is level; You make level the way of the righteous.

    From Proverbs 4:18 we are told that things get brighter for the righteous:  “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

    As you ponder where your feet are going to take you PONDER WITH PRAYER.  Psalms 119:35  is a good one to pray for it says, “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.”    Of course, we have from the Lord’s Prayer that we ask the Lord to LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION!  When we pray these prayers we can expect our SHEPHERD to lead us in PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
     
    Verse to DATE the Word on April 26 (4/26) is Proverbs 4:26.  It says, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.”

    Continue Strong being careful where you go!
    And remember to DATE the WORD
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 25 (4/25) is Proverbs 4:25

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 25 (4/25) is Proverbs 4:25

    “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your 
    eyelids look right before you.” – Proverbs 4:25
    Guarding the EYE Gate to guard your heart!

    Proverbs 4 teaches how one may be spiritually healthy.  To be spiritually healthy one needs to be proactive in ACQUIRING WISDOM that is then APPLIED to one’s life.  (Prov. 4:5-9) To be spiritually healthy one must AVOID the highway of evil.  Proverbs 4:14 “Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. 15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.”

    As one moves to the end of chapter 4, one learns how vital the heart is to our spiritual health and is told to GUARD the HEART with all DILIGENCE.  To guard the heart there are several actions to take.  For instance, there are things to PUT IN the heart AND there are things to KEEP OUT of the heart.  From Psalm 119:11 we learn what to PUT IN OUR HEART as it says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!”  

    To be spiritually healthy you must be PUTTING GOD’s WORD in your heart.  Getting personal and practical, what is the last Bible verse you memorized?

    Our verse to DATE, Proverb 4:25, calls for guarding our eyes to KEEP WRONG THINGS OUT OF OUR HEART.  We need to know that what comes in through the eye gate can have a significant impact on our hearts.  If we are going to be diligent in guarding our hearts, we must be diligent in guarding our eyes.  

    How do you guard your eyes?  David helps here as in Psalm 101:3 he wrote a conviction regarding his eyes.  He wrote, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.”  In Psalm 119:37 he prayed for God to “Turn away his eyes from looking at worthless things.”  This is a prayer we should be praying!  

    Job offers this conviction regarding his eyes in Job 31:1 stating, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?”  I remind you that temptations must be met with convictions!  Let us learn from Job to have a conviction about our eyes!

    Jesus reveals the seriousness of guarding our eye gate by saying, “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” (Mark 9:47) 
     
    To drive home the point of just how important the eyes are notice this from Jesus:  Luke 11:34 says, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is GOOD, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

    The children’s song of Oh, Be Careful tells us to BE CAREFUL with our EYES is a song to sing daily and to live minute by minute.  

    Are you WATCHING what you WATCH?  To be spiritually healthy you will need to discipline your eyes as to what they see!  

    Verse to DATE on April 25 (4/25) is Proverbs 4:25. It says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids look right before you.”

    Continue Strong with godly eyesight,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 24 (4/24) is Proverbs 4:24

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 24 (4/24) is Proverbs 4:24

    “Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you.” – Proverbs 4:24
    Tell the TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

    Very few topics in the Word of God receive as much attention as being honest. For instance, when you look at the Ten Commandments you find that two speak directly about honesty as we are told NOT to STEAL and NOT to BEAR FALSE WITNESS.  

    When you come to the Book of Proverbs you find that it addresses over and over the topic of honesty.  There are verses about lying compared to truthfulness like Proverbs 12:22 that tell how God feels about these two opposites. Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are His delight.”

    There is verse after verse in Proverbs about not being a false witness.  For instance, we find in the list of things that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19) that He hates “A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

    Proverbs 19:5 tells how the one who thinks lying will help them escape consequences that it will not happen. It says,  “A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.”  Proverbs 25:18 tells just how harmful a false witness is.  Read carefully as it says, “A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.”

    There are numerous verses about the deceitful tongue or mouth which our verse to DATE is commanding us to put away.  In Proverbs 11:11 we learn how destructive the deceitful liar can be as it says, “When God blesses his people, their city prospers, but deceitful liars can destroy a city.” 

    We find God’s Word speaking clearly in the NT about honesty. Colossians 3:8 tells us to put away obscene talk and verse 9 says to stop lying to one another. As well Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.”

    Let us be honest here.  While we do not want someone telling a lie about us let us make sure we are not telling lies about others.  

    Our verse to DATE also demands we put perverse lips far from us. Tied very closely to being deceitful the idea of speaking perverse or perverted is to TWIST.  The perverse person twists the truth.  They don’t just mishandle the truth, they seek to mangle the truth.  They want the truth to be hard to be found.

    The deceitful mouth will seek to cover up the truth.  The perverse lips will seek to confuse one on what the truth is.  

    As God finds lying an abomination He also finds the perverse person an abomination.  Proverbs 11:20  says, “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD.”  The great danger of the preserve person is they stir up strife as Proverbs 16:28 says, “A perverse man sows strife,”

    Friends, we are to be telling the TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH about ourselves and about others!   Don’t cover up the truth with deceit and don’t twist the truth in order to bring confusion!  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 24 (4/24) is Proverbs 4:24. It says, “Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you.”

    Are you being CAREFUL with your words to ensure they are TRUTHFUL?

    Continue Strong speaking HONESTLY,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 23 (4/23) is Proverbs 4:23

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 23 (4/23) is Proverbs 4:23

    “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” – Proverbs 4:23
    It is HEART AWARENESS DAY for your SPIRITUAL HEART

    As we look at our verse to DATE on April 23 (4/23) we have one of the strongest statements in the Bible about the need to PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION to a critical area of our life.  The verse starts with GUARD and then says what is to be guarded is to be done WITH ALL DILIGENCE.   With these bookends, we evidently have something that DEMANDS we WAKE UP and PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO IT.

    What is so vital that it demands such attention?  It is our HEART.   

    Now we have to quickly say this is not a public service announcement for the American Heart Association.   We are not talking about guarding with all diligence our physical heart, although I do hope you take care of your physical heart.  Proverbs 4:23 is speaking of the seat of our emotions and will.  The Bible refers to the heart as where we make our decisions.   You might recall, for instance, that Jesus said in Matthew 15:19  that “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”

    Because of how important our decisions are then we must make certain that we have a heart that is clean, not corrupt.  Based on what our heart takes in determines what will come out.  The old saying goes “Garbage in, garbage out.”  

    In taking care of our (spiritual) heart there are several things that are vital to do.  First, we must recognize that we have wicked hearts.  Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it?”  Our wicked heart needs to be clean.  David prayed for God to “Create in him a clean heart,” (Ps 51:10)  God says through Ezekiel that we “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Eze 18:31) For us to get a new heart is to accept Jesus as Savior and He makes us a new man.

    Friends, the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.   In taking care of your heart, getting saved is the most important decision you will ever make!

    Now let us talk about what it means to guard with all diligence your heart as our very life depends on it.  The heart disease that we must avoid is sin.  How do we keep our heart from sinning?  I am glad you asked.
    The answer is found in Psalm 119:11.  It says, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”  

    Solomon will give the instructions to his son, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;”  (Proverbs 4:20-21)

    To guard and protect your heart you will need to fill it, yes, you need to SATURATE it, with the Word of God.  Saturating your heart with Scripture is one of the surest ways to stop sin!  

    Someone said, “The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible!”

    I must add that hiding God’s Word in your heart is only the first step.  With the hiding, there must also be the HEEDING or obeying of God’s Word.  Proverbs 3:1 says, “My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep or obey my commands.”  

    All the way back in Moses’ day God wanted an obedient heart. Notice Deuteronomy 5:29  as it says, “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!”

    Taking care of your heart is PRIORITY ONE!  Guard it by guarding your eyes for what you look after impacts it.  Guard your ears for what you listen to impacts it.   Guard your thinking as what you think about impacts it.  Regarding your thinking and your heart let me give one more verse for keeping your heart healthy. It is Psalms 19:14. It is a prayer.  It says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be ACCEPTABLE to You O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” 

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 23 (4/23) is Proverbs 4:23.  It says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”

    What actions do you need to GUARD WITH ALL DILIGENCE YOUR HEART?

    Continue Strong with a clean heart,
    And remember to DATE the Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 22 (4/22) is Matthew 4:22

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 22 (4/22) is Matthew 4:22

    “and immediately they (James and John) left the boat and
    their father (Zebedee) and followed Him.” – Matthew 4:22
    Letting GO to GO

    For us to have the full picture of Matthew 4:22 let us back up to verse 18 to read of Jesus calling men to be His disciples. Matthew 4:18 “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  19  Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22  and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”

    Our verse to DATE reveals there was a lot of LETTING GO that day.   For James and John, they had to LET GO of their own dreams and desires.  To be a FOLLOWER means one must LEAVE.  It means one has to LET GO.  To be a follower one is no longer leading their own life and doing their own thing.  To be a follower you FOLLOW the leading of the one LEADING!

    A great example of this is the prophet, Elisha.  When he was called to go with Elijah he had been plowing with his oxen.  Elisha would kill his oxen and burn his plow in order to follow Elijah. It is worth reading. Notice from 1 Kings 19:19 “So he (ELIJAH)  departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.  20  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”  21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.”

    In Matthew 4 we are reading of two brothers who LEFT in order to follow.  What did they leave?

    They LEFT the boat where they had fished for fish to now fish for men. They left their business to go and do the Lord’s business!  While they were doing something GOOD, they had to turn loose of the good in order to do what was BEST.  

    When Jesus said, “LET’S GO” they LET GO!! 

    It is very possible that as you are reading this the Lord is working in your heart to do something that is different from what you are doing.  And the thing you are doing is most likely GOOD but God has something else for you.   I encourage you to turn the “good” loose.  As if you were holding it in your hands turn your hands over and release it.  They turn your hands back over, palms up, and receive the new assignment from God.  As He says, “LET’S GO” you LET GO so you can GO where He wants you and DO what He wants you to DO!  And there is no better place to be than in the place where God wants you and doing what He wants you to do!

    They LEFT (oh don’t miss this) they left their father. They LEFT their family to go and become and do what Jesus wanted. 

    And while we see these two LEAVING as “they LEFT their boat and their father,” we also need to know that many times for a person to FOLLOW means someone else has to LET GO.  That other person is Zebedee.  Zebedee has always been a hero to me because he did not believe his sons belong to him. His testimony here is he LET GO!

    When Jesus said, “LET’S GO” Zebedee LET GO!! 

    Parents reading this: Are you preparing your child(ren) to be followers of Jesus – to go where He wants them to go – to be what He wants them to be – to do what He wants them to do? I surely hope so!  When Jesus says to your child LET’S GO will you LET GO? 

    Friend, when Jesus calls for you to FOLLOW HIM are you going or staying? I hope you have decided to follow Jesus – no turning back – no turning back! 

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 22 (4/22) is Matthew 4:22.  It says, “and immediately they (James and John) left the boat and their father (Zebedee) and followed Him.” 

    Continue Strong letting go so you/they can GO
    And remember to DATE The Word
  • Verse to DATE the Word on April 21 (4/21) is Nehemiah 4:21

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 21 (4/21) is Nehemiah 4:21

    “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears 
    from daybreak until the stars appeared.” – Nehemiah 4:21
    Diligence and Determination are Essential for Dreams to be Accomplished

    The Book of Nehemiah is the story of how a group of people under the leadership of Nehemiah REBUILT the city of Jerusalem by rebuilding the city walls and repairing the gates.  The rebuilding started with a DREAM that is born in the heart of Nehemiah as his heart broke when he heard the conditions of the people, the Jews, and the place, Jerusalem, that he so loved. Nehemiah 1:2-3 reveals the heartbreaking answer that Nehemiah received when he asked how things were in Jerusalem.  Neh. 1:2 says, “When Hanani, one of my brethren came with men from Judah I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3  And they answered me saying “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”  These words broke Nehemiah’s heart and he became determined to make a difference.  The rest of Nehemiah 1 will tell how he was a leader from the knees up as he spends time praying to God because there was no way this dream could become a reality without God.  Nehemiah’s dream was DEPENDENT on God!!

    As one reads Nehemiah 2 God answers prayers and Nehemiah secured the authority from the king to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the broken walls and repair the gates.  Having seen the conditions first hand he then would cast the vision, his dream, to the people who decided to join him. It is worth reading this exciting moment in the story.  Neh. 2:17  “Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”  18  And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.’

    At this point in the story, one does need to know that NOT everyone is on board with the dream. Matter of fact some are DISAPPOINTED that Nehemiah has shown up.  From Nehemiah 2:10  we read “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.”  This is a great reminder that NOT everyone will embrace your dreams!  This is why it is essential to have DETERMINATION because if you are doing something for God you will have OPPOSITION.  

    Despite the opposition Nehemiah and the people go to work and in Nehemiah 4:6 we get a progress report. Neh. 4:6 says, “So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”  The diligent work of God’s people was starting to pay off and the dream was becoming a reality.   

    Seeing the progress, the opposition stepped up its attack.  To protect the workers and the work Nehemiah gives orders for the workers to be equipped with tools for constructing the wall and tools for defending the wall. Notice Nehemiah 4:16-18  “So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. 17  Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18  Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built.”

    With that background, we come to our verse to DATE on April 21 (4/21).  Nehemiah 4:21 is another progress report.  It says, “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.”  

    “So, we LABORED” speaks of the diligence needed for a dream to be accomplished.  Laziness does not accomplish anything.  Diligence and hard work, laboring is what produce results.  

    “And half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared” speaks of the determination to do whatever was necessary.  From sun up to sun down, they stood up to DEFEND and protect.  

    If you have a dream to do something for God I am sure there will be statements on your progress report like Nehemiah 4:21.  The opposition to God’s work is real.  The devil hates what you are doing.  He will seek to discourage you.  He will seek to defeat you! You must be determined to be DILIGENT DOING the WORK while also DILIGENT to DEFEND the work.  Your dream of making a difference for God demands diligence and determination.  

    Verse to DATE the Word on April 21 (4/21) is Nehemiah 4:21. It says, “So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.”

    The harder you pray and the harder you work the harder it will be to surrender. 

    Continue Strong LABORING to see His dream come true!
    And remember to DATE The Word