August 23, 2024 – I Saw Them Do It First

I Saw Them Do It First
August 23, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 21:1-3
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

    Excuses, what are they? I had a friend at our church who has since gone home to be with the Lord, and he continually told me that the definition of an excuse was “the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.”

    I am certain that we have all made up excuses at one time or another. Instead of being completely honest with someone, we would rather tell a partial truth. Sadly, we sometimes make up excuses and rehearse them to ourselves. It often begins when you start to wonder, “Should I be reading this, watching this, or listening to this? Should I be going there, hanging out with them, or even talking this way? Should I be drinking this, taking this, or smoking this?” What is the excuse we give to ourselves? Well, it may be, “I saw Mr. or Miss Christian doing it, so if it is okay for them, it must be okay.” We begin to make excuses for our life, yet inside, we have a funny feeling, and we know something is not right. However, we have tried to convince ourselves that if God lets them get away with it, He is sure to do the same for me.

    Did you ever stop to think; maybe they are watching you and thinking the same thing? Maybe they are judging their life by what they see you doing.

    The Bible says that man will find a way to make everything they do seem okay in their own eyes. God, on the other hand, looks at your heart. He knows what you know deep down inside. He knows the feeling you have, knowing whether something is wrong or right. Do you know why God knows? He put that feeling there to help you make the right choices.

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

    A while back, I heard a phrase that occasionally helps me: “If in doubt, don’t.” We should all operate under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, rather than following someone we might see at church or at work. Let us be examples of Christ and for Christ.

Do you decide how to live based on other people,
or on God’s wisdom and Word?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and todays Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME: August 23, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
  Lamentations 1 – Lamentations 5
  Proverbs 21:1 – 3

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Psa. 97-102
  Rom. 16