“13. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. 14. Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.”

In the beginning of this chapter you will read Daniel coming to the knowledge that they will be in captivity for seventy years based upon Jeremiah. Jeremiah had prophesied that if Jerusalem don’t turn from their wicked ways, God will judge them for seventy years as captives in Babylon. Guess what, God was true in His word because it happened exactly as he said it would. Looking at vs 13 we can see that Daniel is identifying with God’s faithfulness from the law of Moses. The law of Moses is actually God’s Holy Word which consist of the books, Genesis through Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy 28 Moses is reminding Israel that God will bless them if they will stay faithful to Him, but also that He will curse them if they turn away. The reason they are in Babylon is not because God is a mean God, but because He is a righteous God. When destruction happens in our lives, the first thing that comes to mind is that this is God’s fault, but notice how Daniel is realizing that they are in captivity because of their own sin. If God says something will happen, you better believe that it will happen. There is a penalty for sin! If your not saved, the Bible says, the penalty is everlasting punishment in a lake of fire. If you are saved, the Bible says you will reap what you sow. Moses chose to suffer affliction than enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season(Hebrews 11:24-25). That is true, there is pleasure in sin, but its only for a season. Do you feel like God is dealing with you about sin in your life at this very moment? Do you deserve the chastisement? You cannot live as a believer in open sin and expect nothing will come about it. God is righteous in all His works and every person will reap what they sow. The hunting community is a sad picture of people turning from God. Have you ever wondered how far this Chronic Wasting Disease will go. Whitetail deer are contracting all kinds of diseases that are hurting the populations. Could it be that God is bringing curses upon our nation for the prideful place it has become? Just think about it! Hunting has turned into a business rather than an enjoyable time in God’s creation. Its all about the truck you drive, the broad head you shoot, the type of camo you wear, and size of buck you kill. Let me remind you that Proverbs 16:18 still says that “Pride goeth before contention, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Haughty means being lofty and errogant; along with pride. Do you really want to end up like Israel in a land of captivity? God’s desire for all of His children is to repent of their sin. The word repent means to turn from. Where are you at today? Is there sin holding you down? The Bible says all you have to do is confess to God your sin and ask Him to help you turn from it. He will forgive you and He will help you, regardless of the sin. Is God chastening you today? Is He dealing with you about something? Turn from it, before its too late. Sometimes God allows captivity, but its because He is righteous in all His works. God is not the one to blame for the place that you may be in. There are great blessings in the hand of God, but you must turn from your sin and trust in God’s righteousness.

Memory Verse Week 4/13/20

Proverbs 16:18

“Pride goeth before contention, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

“5. And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6. If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for his family. 7. If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 11. And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field. 12. And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee; 13. The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.”

David is just coming to find out that Saul wants to kill him. He asks his good friend Jonathan to test the king to see if he is truly after his life. Jonathan is the son of King Saul and in vs 11-13 he is committing to David that he will return to give him an answer after they sit at this meal during the new moon. The results did not come back in David’s favor. King Saul wants to kill him. Out of Saul’s anger he nearly kills his own son Jonathan because David was not at the table. The end of the chapter ends in verse 42; “And Jonathan said unto David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.” Wait a minute! David is in fear for his life! King Saul wants to kill him. How could anyone run for their life with peace? We can find our answer back in vs 13 “…that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee…” Where are you looking for peace today? The hunter tries to find peace in the field, but what happens when you return empty handed, or even your job keeps you too busy to buy a license? Are you still living with peace? What about your job you love so much, but yet, you get fired, or the car that looks nice and fancy, but brakes down? What about the times when you feel like there is no hope for your circumstances? Can you find peace? Many people go through life with shattered dreams and difficult circumstances that they never recover from. Why is that? Its a very simple answer! There is no peace in this corruptible world, other than Jesus Christ! God is in control of peace and we need to realize the he is the only one that can give us that peace that will pass all understanding. Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Are you finding peace today? If you don’t have it, you are looking in the wrong place! King David is running for his life, but yet, he can have peace because God is in control! Jesus is your answer!!!

Memory Verse Week 4/6/20

Hebrews 13:20-21

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

“1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed. 7. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

Do you ever feel like all you can ever do is fail? No matter how hard you try, there are still circumstances that end in defeat! Psalm 1:2-3 is such a powerful verse, if we would just put it in motion; “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” So the Bible tells us that we need to read the Word, day and night, and we shall be planted like a tree! There are many days as Christians that we need to read Psalm 103. It gives us so much light and so much hope through all of our failures and struggles of life. David is the writer of this Psalm. Remember that David was not just an adulterer, but also a murderer, and yet God still loved him and forgave him. Don’t let sin get you down! The Bible says in verse 3 “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;” Its amazing that there is not one sin that God would refuse to forgive you of. Again, He says, “Who forgiveth all…” You may be a very faithful Christian, but still feel like you constantly fail the Lord. Are you reading your Bible everyday? Are you believing every word? There are 8 more verses in Psalm 103. We encourage you to open your Bible, slow down, and let God speak to your heart in this very powerful Psalm. God is faithful! Its this kind of Psalm that gives you new hope for your day and a sweeter fellowship with Him! Psalm 103:2-5 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Memory Verse Week 3/30/20

Psalm 103:2-5

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”

David is not yet king. He is running from king Saul along with three thousand men that are seeking for his life. Psalm 57 is the reference to when he is hiding in the cave found in I Samuel 24:1-3. David has been anointed to be the next king of Israel, but his reign is not yet in place. One day, David will be the king, but not before calamities! The word calamity is defined as a great misfortune, or cause of misery. Its seems that God is allowing this situation in David’s life so he will simply trust Him through all misfortunes in life. Maybe today it not what you hoped or expected it to be, but know that God knows right where you are. He knows your future, He knows tomorrow! Where is your faith right now? Have you been responding like David? “…for my soul trusteth in thee:” Could it be that God is allowing calamity in your life so you will simply trust in Him? Notice what David says in the middle of the verse, “…yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” One day, this COVID-19 calamity will be behind us, but where are you standing right now? Is the Lord truly your refuge? Are you truly trusting in Him? The word refuge is defined as shelter or protection from danger or distress. The Bible says God is our refuge! Amen! When you think of a Wildlife Refuge it should give you a hunger to be in the backwoods! As a hunter, could you think of a better place to be? A wildlife refuge is a place where lands and wildlife populations are preserved and protected. Its a place of peace and a place where you can get a great look of God’s love toward man! He made it for us! Amen! Some refuge’s throughout the US are protected from hunting and fishing, but there are many that allow hunting and fishing to protect certain species from being over populated and malnourished. Can you imagine right now sitting on a wildlife refuge, on a cool fall day, with a gun or bow in hand? What peace! What happiness! What serenity! So why can’t we feel this way during COVID-19! Could it be that your soul is not trusting in HIM? There are two things that will really hinder your peace during this time; first, if you have not put your faith and trust in Christ, you have no hope. You could die of COVID-19 or you could die of other things, and the Bible says you will pay for your sins for all of eternity in the lake of fire that was made for Satan. Revelation 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” There is good news! The gospel is defined as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and all you have to do, is confess that to God and believe it with your heart. If your not saved, you will never find peace in this situation, nor anything else in this world. You can settle it right now as you read this devotion. Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Are you trusting in Christ? Have you made Him the center of your life? Get it settled at this very moment! Secondly, are you right with God? Maybe your a believer, but still living without peace. The Bible says you can’t live with sin in your life and live in peace. I John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confess your sin to Him and you will find peace! Proverbs 28:13 “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” God is here for your calamities! He is our strength and shield! Are you resting in Him as your refuge? Is your soul trusting in Him? Psalm 57:1 “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”

Memory Verse Week 3/23/20

Psalm 57:1

“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”

“1. I EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6. Who gave a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

Today, it appears that the entire world is in panic! What do we do? How have you been responding to the local news information? Are you worried? We need to remember that God exists outside of time. He not only created the beginning, He also created the end. God already knew about today! He already knows about tomorrow! What should we do as Christians? A few different verses come to mind! Psalm 56:3 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 118:8 “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD they God is with thee whithersoever goest.” Do you believe God’s Word is perfect today? That means there is nothing to worry about! Looking back at the main context there are two important truths that we can respond to, during this world crisis. Look at verse 1, “…first of all, supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For kings, and for all that are in authority…” Have you prayed for the President? He could really use your prayers right now. God could be allowing Satan to touch our country right now so all of our leaders would realize that they are powerless without the power of God. What about your state governors? They are making very difficult decisions right now! Decisions they never thought they would make as governors. Law enforcement? They are in desperate need of your prayers at this very moment! What about your boss? They are in authority and they could really use your help! Here is a very very important one, YOUR PASTOR! He is in desperate need of your prayers. Right now, all across the country, men of God are being told they need to close their doors. Lord, help us! God is still on the throne and the United States of America is in great need of the children of God to cleanse their hearts from sin and ask God to bless these that are in authority. The second thing we need to stay focused on is found in verses 4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Today, in Walmart, there was a man in a camo jacket that rejected a gospel tract with a deer on the front cover, but listen, there were many more that accepted it!! Not everyone is living in fear! In fact, just a few isles later a young man bowed his head and confessed Christ to be his Savior. Don’t let fear keep you from the ministry God has called you to! People still need the gospel! People will still get saved! The lost crowd needs to know that Jesus Christ is their answer during this time of panic! Lets turn from fear and focus on the foundation; The Savior and supplication(prayer)!!!! A good memory verse we could learn this week is found in II Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Memory Verse Week 3/16/19

II Timothy 1:7

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

“5. Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

Imagine being at hunting camp! What a great place, right! You’re part of a big lease. The weekend before season opens, the president of the hunt club comes by and gives you a copy of the hunting law book. There is one problem with this copy! He didn’t care for the way the state wrote the law, so he revised it to fit what he thought was right. The state your hunting in allows you to kill one buck, but the president doesn’t care for this. He decides to erase the word that says one and then replaces it with the word two. He does such a good job changing it the reader doesn’t even notice! So answer this question; when you run into the game warden which law will stand? One buck per year or two? Sounds like trouble doesn’t it! That is exactly what is happening to the precious Word of God in our changing society. There is no apology that Sixth Day Outdoor Ministry holds tightly to the Authorized Version(King James). Its not to be mean or hateful in any way, but to be obedient to God’s perfect Word. Notice how Proverbs says “Every word of God is pure”. The word pure means incorrupt; without moral defilement; without spot. There is much study to be done to understand the whole process of Bible translation. The Masoretic Text is made up of the 39 books of the Old Testament. It was written in Hebrew and Chaldean. The Textus Receptus is made up of the 27 books of the New Testament. It was written in Greek. God supernaturally spoke through sinful man to pen down what was already in existence(II Peter 1:19-21). His Word! Psalm 119:89 “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” The translation process of the Authorized Version was formal equivalency which means it was word for word from the original inspiration from God(Hebrew, Chaldean, and Greek). Inspiration means God breathed. Fifty-four translators completed this work in 1611. Our King James Bible is what’s known as the Authorized Version 1611 because King James was the one who authorized the translation. However, we do not use a 1611 edition, but we do use the 1769 edition. This is because word spelling changed through this era. Words and meanings never changed, but spelling did change, causing a newer updated edition to come about. II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that man can strive for absolute perfection because “Every word of God is pure”. Psalm 12:6-7 tells us that God will preserve His word from generation to generation. God fulfilled this promise to the English speaking people when the Authorized Version or King James Version was completed. Back to the illustration; We are living in a day where man is trying to change the pure Word of God to fit the way they want it, but notice again how the Bible says in Proverbs “Add thou not unto his words…” This comparison is hardly scratching the surface, but its something everyone needs to pay close attention to: Genesis 22:8 is the place where Abraham was to offer up his only son Isaac for a burnt sacrifice. When we take the King James Bible as God’s perfect and preserved Word we have to believe that every word and every punctuation is without error. Look at this great prophecy from Genesis 22:8 “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering…” Not one word is out of place. This passage is one proof that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ was going to be the sacrifice for man’s sin. Some religion today tries to say that Jesus Christ was not God, but this perfect translation proves to us, along with many other scriptures, that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ died to save all man from their sin. He was the sacrifice offered for man’s sin. Lets make a comparison now with other translations that most people say are easier to read than the KJV. The NKJV and the NASB read this, “God will provide for Himself the lamb…” Can you answer this question? Is God a sinner? Of course not, but yet these translations say he needed the sacrifice “for himself”. No, that is incorrect. God was going to be the sacrifice. It was prophecy that was taken away because some translators used a corrupted text to translate. Man has always needed the sacrifice, God has never needed the sacrifice. This is just one small example. There are many corruptions in new modern versions. The King James is the only translation that is 100% accurate. Again look at Proverbs “Every word of God is pure” That means it has no corruption, no fault! Its very important what Bible you use. Do you know why you use your translation? Have you ever studied it? We need to realize that Jesus Christ is God. He is our only way to heaven! There is coming a day that every lost sinner will stand before God and there will be no excuse! Hey, you killed two bucks! The game warden don’t care. You were using the wrong book! I Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly diving the word of truth.” The Word of God is a serious matter!

Memory Verse Week 3/9/20

Proverbs 30:5-6

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. As you read 176 verses, you quickly come to the conclusion that “thy word” is the center piece of the entire chapter. As we look at vs 105, we see a great illustration from the field! How do you get to your tree stand during the early hours of the morning or maybe even running a coon dog late at night? Does your light help you in any way? There are some, I’ve heard, that don’t use a light, but the only thing I’ve experienced in that scenario is a bunch of broken limbs and unwanted noise. A light is a necessity! Let’s say you don’t use a light to get to your stand, but surely you use it to track a deer after sunset. Your light will illuminate the blood trail so you can find your way to the kill! Every night the sun sets, we see a great picture of this lost and dying world. The darkness consists of murder, hatred, lying, stealing, forsaking God, pride and many other things. What is the Word of God in your life? Do you allow it to be the light of your life! Its sad to see many believers deal with so many difficulties in their life, but never come out of the dark trial. Its because the Word is not the lamp to their feet and the light to their path. Its easy to look for answers in every place, but the right one. Did you read your Bible today? Did you read it yesterday? You may be looking for direction, or answers from God at this very point in your life, but the truth is; if your not faithful in church and your not making the Bible the centerpiece of your life, your probably not going to make very sound decisions and your difficulties will only become more difficult. You are going to have difficulty finding your stand in the early hours of the morning or you may never find your trophy after sunset if you don’t pull out your light and let it shine! God died for all of us to give us victory in this life; He gave us His Word to be a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path! Are you allowing the Word of God to be the guidance of your life in this dark world? If you say no, its ok! You can start today!

Memory Verse Week 2/24/19

Psalm 119:105

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

” 36. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.”

In this context of scripture we find ourselves in a three and a half year drought. The nation of Israel has been divided and Ahab is the king over Israel(10 northern tribes). Ahab was not a good king, we find this in I Kings 15:30 “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.” Through the leading of the Lord, Elijah gives very clear instruction to king Ahab that it will not rain again until he tells him it will happen. This turns into three years and six months according to the book of James. Its important to know that when God’s people turn to their own ways, its certain, that God’s wrath and chastisement will follow. Elijah goes into hiding during this time and God does some great things to take care of him. As the drought nears the end, we find ourselves in the main context of today’s verse. Elijah has just told Ahab and the people of Israel to gather up their false prophets(450) and pray to their god for fire to fall down upon the alter on their sacrifice. When their gods don’t answer, the false prophets turn to a fit of rage by breaking down their altar, but also begin cutting themselves with knives. Elijah does something very different for the sacrifice he was offering to his God, he told the people to fill barrels of water and dump it on the sacrifice he was about to offer up. They did this multiple times causing a trench to fill up as well! Now give your attention to vs 36 near the end, notice how Elijah responds “…and I have done all these things at thy word.” Elijah was very faithful to what God told him to do concerning this sacrifice. Its seems that too many times God’s own children wont experience His Almighty Power because they refuse to listen to God’s Word. How is your walk with God today? Have you ever watched God do things that would cause you to say “only God could have done that.” God wants to show up in your life in a big way, but you must be faithful to His Word. Many times we are like Israel in this passage of scripture. False gods are always the problem, you may not bow down to a statue, but what is hunting in your life? What is fishing? Football games, or even a job? We allow many things to take place in our lives over the Word of God, over going to church, over soul winning, or giving to missionaries. The devil want you to worship the world and material gain. As a result, the only moving of God we see, is through chastisement and suffering. There could be difficult things in your life right now because you have not been faithful to the Lord like you should be. There is good news, God will forgive you and be there to help you turn around! Its easy to say, “be like Elijah.” That wouldn’t make much sense because Elijah was a sinful man. Be like Jesus Christ and you will see God do things in your life, just like He did with Elijah. After God brought fire down from heaven, the people wiped out all the false prophets. God then brought a great rain back to the land. Are you following God today? Are you following his Word? Famine is not fun, but God’s faithfulness will show you great and mighty things. Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” God used Elijah to show His power, but remember it was not for Elijah’s edification, it was for God’s. There are many people away from the Lord today, God wants to use you to draw all men back to Him!

Read I Kings 16-18 for the full details of this story! Start toward the end of chapter 16.

Memory Verse Week 2/17/19

Jeremiah 33:3

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

For most of us, deer season is now over and other small game seasons are winding down for another year. Did you have a good season? Did you kill a wall hanger or maybe even your first wild animal? Are you content now with everything you deal with in life? Most should probably answer no to that question. The word content means having a mind at peace; satisfied. Many people desire to find their contentment in the cares of this world. You may have killed a good one this year, but will that help you deal with being diagnosed with cancer or maybe even losing someone close to you? Our contentment should never be found from the success in the field, a rifle, or even a new home. It should always be found in Jesus Christ because these material desires and self satisfactions are only temporary. There is one thing certain about this life; its very difficult. In this context of scripture its very interesting the place Paul is at, while he is writing this letter to the church at Philippi. Philippians 1:7 “…inasmuch as both in my bonds…” Paul is locked up in prison, but yet he still finds contentment. How is your walk today with your Saviour? Does your life reflect Jesus Christ? Are you being faithful to soul winning and reading your Bible? Could it be that your searching for contentment from the world? Looking back to the main verse of today we can jump down to verse 13 and see why Paul can find contentment even in a prison: Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” His contentment was in Jesus Christ! Where are you searching for contentment today? Is it the material gain of this world? Jesus Christ is always the answer!

Memory Verse Week 2/3/19

Philippians 4:11

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

“9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. 12. After that he appeared in another form unto them, as they walked, and went into the country. 13. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. 14. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Is the Word of God enough for you? We see in this passage of scripture that Jesus Christ has arrived at the scene and all He can see in His very own disciples, is a hardened heart and unbelief. Lets back up a few verses; as the women depart from the tomb, an angel gives them direction in verse 7 of the same chapter: “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” The women are to give word that Jesus is coming to Galilee to see you, and He is alive! One thing believers are good about doing is forgetting the promises of God. God is faithful, not one word could ever fail. The disciples wouldn’t have had such a hard time believing the women if they would have just simply trusted God’s Word from the beginning. Lets back up before the crucifixion. Mark 14:27-28 “And Jesus saith unto them… But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.” Wow! God’s Word had already spoken to them, but yet they refused to believe. This was actually the third account in the book of Mark that He was telling them what would happen: Mark 10:32-34 “…And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him…and the third day shall rise again.” Mark 8:31 “And he began to teach them…and after three days rise again.” One thing you must realize is when things do turn out the way you think they should, or the way you thought it would, doesn’t change who God is. Jesus Christ showed up in Galilee just as He said. How sad it was to see His disciples living in unbelief and hardness of heart. One day God will show up in your life; are you trusting in His Word? What position will your heart be in? Unbelief or faith? One amazing thing about God is that even after He corrects us, He is right there to guide us back to the most important focus of life; Soulwinning! If God has spoken to you about something, just stick with it! Keep moving forward, keep spreading the gospel! Don’t let unbelief and hardness of heart be a part of your life. If you don’t correct it, God will, and it wont be very pleasant!

Memory Verse Week 1/27/20

Mark 16:15

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel of every creature.”