Today’s Reading: Amos 1:1‐3:15, Revelation 2:1‐17, Psalm 129:1‐ 8, Proverbs 29:19‐20

Proverbs 29:20 “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
 There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

Observations:

• Do you see – implying that this is visually apparent
• A man who is hasty in his words – speaks without thinking it through
• There is more hop for a full than for him

I am in a new role that often involves communication.  I must to be careful to not grow hasty with my words.  In the last few weeks, I have said several things that I let come out of my mouth faster than I should have.

Apply: Be slow to speak and quick to listen.

How do you slow down your speech in a practical way?

Today’s Reading: Joel 1:1‐3:21, Revelation 1:1‐20, Psalm 128:1‐6, Proverbs 29:18

Context: David is talking about blessings for the man who fears the Lord.

Psalm 128:3-4  “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
 within your house; 
your children will be like olive shoots
 around your table.  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
 who fears the Lord.”

Observations:

• The man who fears the Lord will be blessed with:
  • A wife like a fruitful vine within his house
  • Children like olives hoots around his table

Today I am moving furniture (including our table) into our new house, so this verse jumped off the page for me.

Apply:  I need to have a healthy fear of God.  I want to spend time posturing myself appropriately before the creator, savior, and life giver.  “Lord, may I live out of a healthy fear of you.”

What does the Bible mean when it tells us to fear God?

Today’s Reading: Hosea 10:1‐14:9, Jude 1‐25, Psalm 127:1‐5, Proverbs 29:15‐17

Context: God is calling Israel through Hosea to return to him.  In chapter 14, he promises that when they turn from their sin, they will blossom and take root.

Hosea 14:4 I will heal their apostasy;
 I will love them freely,
 for my anger has turned from them.

Observations:

• God will heal their apostasy (revolt against a religious person)
• I will love them freely
  • For my anger has turned from them

The love of God pours out at the end of Hosea.  How often do we keep ourselves from experiencing God’s healing and forgiveness, because we refuse to return to him?

Apply: “Lord protect me from myself.  Help me to know how to encourage those around me to return to you through the way I live.”

Spend a little time thinking about God choosing to turn his anger from you when you return to him.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 6:1‐28, 2 Peter 3:1‐18, Psalm 119:129‐152, Proverbs 28:21‐22

Context: As mentioned several days ago, Psalm 119 speaks of the benefits of living according to the Word.  Only three of the Psalms 176 verses do not contain a direct reference to the written Word of God.

Psalm 119:131 – I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.

Thoughts: What a graphic verse.  I remember a hike I took several years ago.  Towards the end of the hike, I ran out of water.  I wasn’t able to think about anything but water.  I literally panted.  I longed for water.  The desire for it consumed me.

Apply: “Lord, give me this kind of a desire for your word.  Let me taste and see how good it is and understand how much I need it for life.”

Have you ever longed for the Word of God in this way?

Today’s Reading: Daniel 4:1‐37, 2 Peter 1:1‐21, Psalm 119:97‐112, Proverbs 28:17‐18

Context:  Because Christ has given us everything we need for life and godliness, Peter challenges us to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).

2 Peter 1:8  “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Observations:

• If these qualities are yours (see context above)
• And these qualities are increasing
  • Then
    • They keep you from being ineffective
    • Or unfruitful
      • In the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

I fear being ineffective.  This verse gives me great comfort.  If I can focus on growing in the Christian virtues, then God promises fruitfulness.

Apply: I want to focus on growing in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love.

Are these qualities growing in you?

Today’s Reading: Daniel 2:24‐3:30, 1 Peter 4:7‐5:14, Psalm 119:81‐96, Proverbs 28:15‐16

Context: Psalm 119 speaks of the benefits of meditating on and applying the Bible.  Only three of the Psalms 176 verses do not contain a direct reference to the written Word of God.

Psalm 119:92  “If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.”

Observations:

• If your law had not been my delight (it was)
  • I would have perished in my affliction (I didn’t)

These words imply that when God’s Law is my delight, I will not perish in my affliction.  The last year has contained difficult times for my family.  This verse, and all Psalm 119, shows me how to make it through.

Apply:  I want to spend time today “delighting” in the law of God.  I want to meditate on it, continue to work on memorizing it and look for ways to practice it.

Do you fee like you are perishing in your affliction?  In what ways can you delight in God’s Word?

Today’s Reading: Daniel 1:1‐2:23, 1 Peter 3:8‐4:6, Psalm 119:65‐80, Proverbs 28:14

Context: Peter discusses how we can gain from pain – suffering for righteousness sake.

1 Peter 3:13  “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?”

Observations:

• Now who is there to harm you
  • If you are zealous for what is good?

The implied answer to this question is no one.  Peter continues on in the next verse to say that “even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.”  He is challenging our hearts to be passionate about doing good.  If we do, in the end we will be blessed.

Apply: I want to zealously pursue doing good – even more than I pursued the pumpkin pie yesterday or some people are pursuing the black friday deals today.  “Lord, show me how I can serve you through others.”

What opportunity to do good has God given you to zealously pursue today?

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 47:1‐48:35, 1 Pet 2:11‐3:7, Psalm 119:49‐64, Proverbs 28:12‐13

Context: Peter instructs us to submit to authority.  He ends this section by encouraging us to submit to God’s authority because of what he has done for us through Christ.  “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (2:24).

1 Peter 2:25  “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Observations:

• You were straying like sheep
• But have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

How is your soul this Thanksgiving?  You can get a lot of family, friends, football and food and still end up empty inside.  Do you know that by Christ’s wounds you have been healed?  Have you spent time meditating on that and being thankful for it?

Apply:  This Thanksgiving I want to return to the shepherd and Overseer of my soul.  I want to meditate on the gift he as given me when he bore our sins in his body on the tree.

How can your family spend time returning to the shepherd and overseer of your souls today?

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 45:13‐46:24, 1 Pet 1:13‐2:10, Psalm 119:33‐48, Proverbs 28:11

Context: To begin his letter, Peter talks of parenting and discipline to illustrate the importance of believers responding to their new position in Christ with an obedient lifestyle.

1 Peter 1:22 “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart…”

Observations:

• Having purified your souls
  • By obedience to the truth
  • For a sincere brotherly love
    • Love one another earnestly
      • From a pure heart

What a cool verse.  We learn here that we purify our souls (not in a saving way  – read verse 23) through obedience.  The result of that soul purification is the ability to love others deeply from a pure heart.  As a father, I am constantly seeking to train Anna to obey.  Over the thanksgiving break, as I talk, discipline and guide Anna, I want to be reminded of this verse.

Apply: 1. Seek ways that I can walk in obedience to the truth – aggressive obedience.  2. Love others earnestly.

Is there anyone that you will spend time with over thanksgiving that is hard to love?  Pray that God will help you to love them earnestly from a pure heart.

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 44:1‐45:12, 1 Pet 1:1‐12, Psalm 119:17‐32, Proverbs 28:8‐10

Context: David expounds on the greatness of knowing and applying God’s word throughout Psalm 119.  If you want to get excited about the Bible, meditate on Psalm 119.

Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
 wondrous things out of your law.

Observations:

• What? – Open my eyes
• Why? – That I may behold wondrous things out of your law

Apply:  Lord this is my prayer!  “Make my eyes wide to your truth.  Reveal your Word to me.  Help me see how wonderful your instructions are.”

Stop and pray for God to open your eyes to behold wondrous things out of his law.  Then, open the Bible and read.