Matthew 7; Exodus 37-38; Proverbs 17
The Lord will test us, but not to see how bad we are. God's testing is to prove what we are made of and is an opportunity to purify us, remove the bad stuff, and make us better. In those times of trials, he will provide—just like on the mountain where Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac, God orchestrated the perfect plan. The Lord was testing Abraham, all the while making sure that there would be a ram to take the place of his son. All this happened in God's timing: Abraham didn’t know where he was going exactly, and he certainly wasn’t looking forward to it. But God showed himself so loving and Abraham so faithful in a time where it must have felt so dark.
Matthew 12:22-50; Leviticus 15-16; Proverbs 27:1-12
Our words show what is in our hearts. When I think about what I have said, there are times when I’m proud of myself, and other times when I am embarrassed and ashamed. May the Lord help us to think before we speak and act. May we learn to choose only words and deeds that are pleasing to God and productive for the kingdom.
The reality is that Jesus' spirit is everywhere, who he is and the truth of God have been preached from the beginning of time, but there have been many who have hardened their hearts. I pray for those people that I know—I pray that they would not harden their hearts, but be willing to explore the gospel and truth of Jesus.
We cannot brag about tomorrow—especially in light of some of our situations. I've had family members get laid off and lose jobs in the last few months, and that is stuff that is hard to plan for or handle. I'm thankful that my family finds comfort and incredible peace in The Lord. God has a wonderful plan in store for all of us, through lay-offs, downsizing, and hardships.
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