Pocket Thoughts - 10/18/24
God * causes the lame to leap like a deer and the mute tongue to shout for joy * preserves His people, who will “take root below and bear fruit above” * will not yield His glory to another or His praise to idols.
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John 3:16 is the deep plea of God to see the simplicity, the cost, and the reward of turning to Christ for eternal salvation. The author John explains in the following verses the plight of mankind – men love darkness more than light because we don’t want our evil deeds to be exposed. Jesus, the Light of the World, reveals our true hearts. By His sacrifice on the cross and by our simple faith, our evil deeds can be forgiven and eternal life with Him can begin. - TV
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In Exodus 2, the family of Moses united to protect their vulnerable baby boy. They defied the government and took a risk. One of the responsibilities of the family of God is also to protect and care for the vulnerable, even if there is risk involved. Look for those opportunities – however small – to be selfless and bold. God will equip you as you trust Him with the outcome. Your job is to be obedient. – TV
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Jesus – the long awaited Messiah of the Jews and of the Samaritans that the Jews despised – was about to transform the spiritual landscape in ways they could never imagine! Worship of God was no longer to focus on a specific physical location. Instead, it was to be practiced in the hearts of all believers, all over the world. “Worship in Spirit and in truth” was to become the experience of all who would trust in Jesus. The “where” was replaced with “how” – genuine faith depending on the Holy Spirit to pray for us, teach us from God’s Word, and remind us of God’s love. When God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through the Jewish race, He was looking to the time when all would now have access to knowledge of and relationship with Him. Jesus – the Messiah – opened the doors wide for all who would believe. – TV
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Trust in the Lord when evil appears to have the upper hand. Any victory that evil may achieve is only temporary. God will one day intervene. Wickedness will one day be destroyed by the blazing fire of God’s mighty breath. Delayed justice doesn’t translate into no justice. Persevere, pray, and praise God for the justice to come – when all wrongs will be righted for eternity. – TV
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“Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him…The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him. We are not sent to battle for God, but to be used by God in His battlings. Are we being more devoted to service than to Jesus Christ?” – Oswald Chambers
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“Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep His decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” – Deuteronomy 4:39-40