Friday, October 15, 2010

Proverbs 18:24

"There are 'friends' who destroy each other,
     but a real friend sticks closer than a brother."
 

Do you have any "false friends" who might end up destroying you? We are to be discerning about our friends. A true friend is loyal. False friends are out for themselves. Do a "friend check" today and see which friendships you want to deepen, and which you should let go of before they become destructive.


Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Psalm 78:17–22

Yet they kept on sinning against him,
     rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
     demanding the foods they craved.
They even spoke against God himself, saying,
     'God can't give us food in the wilderness.
Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,
     but he can't give his people bread and meat.'
When the LORD heard them, he was furious.
     The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob.
     Yes, his anger rose against Israel,
for they did not believe God
     or trust him to care for them."
 

What gets God angry? Our not trusting him to take care of us. Our belief that he is not truly good and does not want to bless us. If you're not sure God loves you, wants to bless you, has good things for you, then you need to ask his forgiveness. He is your heavenly Father and mighty God. If your image of him does not match this picture, your god is false. Ask God to activate your trust in him as he truly is. This is a prayer he will delight in answering!


Monday, October 11, 2010

Psalm 78:4–7

"We will not hide these truths from our children;
     we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the LORD,
     about his power and his mighty wonders.
For he issued his laws to Jacob;
     he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
     to teach them to their children,
so the next generation might know them—
     even the children not yet born—
     and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
     not forgetting his glorious miracles
     and obeying his commands."
 

Do you tell your children (and grandchildren if you have them) stories of God's faithfulness? Certainly we need to recount stories recorded in the Bible. We also need stories from our own lives so that the next generations see his faithfulness in the present as well. Think about the stories you can tell of God's goodness to you. And—start telling them!