Arithmetic and The Bible

I found How To Teach Arithmetic by J. C. Brown (published in 1914) the other week. It has been an interesting read with lots to think about in how I teach and how I can better prepare people wanting to teach high school mathematics.

One quote that Brown used was from Herbert Spencer ...

While rules lying isolated in the mind—not joined to its other contents as outgrowths from them—are continually forgotten, the principles which these rules express piecemeal become, when once reached by the understanding, enduring possessions. While the rule-taught youth is at sea when beyond his rules, the youth instructed in principles solves a new case as readily as an old one. Between a mind of rules and a mind of principles, there exists a difference such as that between a confused heap of materials and the same materials organized into a complete whole with all its parts bound together.

That quote was used in conjunction with a discussion about teaching arithmetic as memorized rules versus understanding the principles. But, as I thought about it, it brought to mind the difference between the Law and Christ.

The Law is a list of rules. Those things we should do or not do. I can always try to just memorize them for later ... but they "are continually forgotten" after a short while. The Law, standing alone, sits there isolated in my mind as a confusing checklist of wrongs and rights. And I can feel as if I am lost at sea when life dumps problems outside of any the rules and laws I happen to remember.

But Christ made it all simpler, and harder, at the same time. The principles are: Love the LORD and Love others. With this all the rules are no longer a "confused heap of materials". They are a "complete whole with all its parts bound together". And I no longer have to feel as if my insides are a confused heap. Unsure and never knowing what to do. I just need to do and act on these principles and I can become a complete whole capable of dealing with new the problems in life.

There are lots of problems out there I will never comprehend or solve. But, I can love the LORD and act up and act out in showing others kindness and love.

Yeah ... I can do that.

How To Pray Clear Through

Chapter One
How To Pray Clear Through
By: Will J. Harney

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
Matthew 7:7

"If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."
John 14:14

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
John 15:7

"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."
James 5:15

"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."
James 5:17,18

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
I John 5:14,15


For one to pray clear through, necessarily, first, there must be a burden, an object in view; something must have been pressed upon your mind by the Spirit that needs praying for, or about. Here is a child very sick. The doctors tell the parents that the child is most likely going to die. Some way the parents feel led out in prayer for the healing of the child's body. They read some promises, they wait upon God. They pray, and there comes upon them a spirit of prayer, a burden of prayer. There come upon them arguments, poetry, prose, promises, and they really get into soul travail. They fast, they cry to God, they agree, the fire falls, the witness comes. They pray clear through. The child gets well.

One morning while a good woman was washing her dishes, a burden of prayer seized her spirit for a missionary friend in India. She saw that her friend was in great danger, bodily danger, danger of being killed. She saw robbers on her track. She saw them pursuing her. She fled to her bedroom, fell upon her knees, and prayed right through to God, and her friend was gloriously delivered.

One may not get into the spirit of prayer the minute he goes to prayer, or the second he falls upon his knees. It may take quite a little while to get into the spirit of prayer, to get in touch with the forces of the skies. Sometimes when we get up to build a fire there is just a coal or a small chunk of fire. What do we do? We shave some fine kindling; place them upon the coals of fire; then blow lightly until a small blaze leaps up. Then put on some more kindling; then we put on the fuel, and soon there is a roaring fire, and the room is comfortably warm.

Often times when we've gone to prayer, we were dry, and the devil did his best to keep us dry, but we had gone to prayer, and meant to pray clear through before we quit. We had taken it by the job. We were not in a hurry. We had plenty of time for prayer. We would read the 21st Psalm, the 91st Psalm, the 14th chapter of Saint John, 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians, testify to His goodness, meditate, reflect, sing "Jesus Lover of My Soul," pray awhile, praise Him, and keep this up. Don't quit. Don't get up off your knees. Stay down until you hear from Heaven. Stay there until you get into a spirit of prayer. We get what we want, that is, we get what we pray for. If we want the spirit of prayer badly enough, and will go down in earnest, it will be ours to enjoy.

A young man who was convinced that a Methodist pastor should have a helpmeet, began to cast his eyes about, and at last they fell upon a handsome young lady, the sister of a great Congressman. She was well educated and a great musician. The preacher said, "She just suits me. She can carry on the musical side of the parish, and that is a great help." But he went to prayer. He fasted and prayed. He went daily before God over this all-important step, for much hinges upon this step. He knew that many a preacher's life had been injured, his ministry hurt, by choice of a wrong companion; hence this preacher waited upon God. Seemingly, he could not get into the spirit of prayer. Seemingly, he could not get the ear of God, and he could not get the mind of God. But he kept praying. One time he prayed clear through, and the Spirit said, "No, she's not the woman for you."

Thirteen years had come and gone, and this preacher had become a famous evangelist. Conducting a series of meetings in a large southern city, he saw an eminent lawyer one night at the altar, crying and pleading with God for pardon. He knelt by the lawyer's side; placing his arms about him, he said, "Sir, what is your trouble?" The lawyer looked up into his face, and said. "May I have a private interview with you tomorrow?" During the conference the lawyer said to the preacher, "I married Congressman So-and-So's sister. She was a beautiful woman, well educated, and a great musician, but she is making life a hell on earth to me." When this preacher got back into his room, he jumped all over the floor, clapping his hands, and praising God that he didn't get her for a wife. You see if the devil could have kept that preacher from praying clear through, perhaps he would have gotten that woman, and thousands of souls would not have been saved.

When a burden comes upon your soul, or the Spirit leads you out along any line in prayer, take time, plenty of time to get alone with God in prayer. Stay there. Don't get up. Don't be in a hurry. Don't get nervous. Don't look at your watch. Never stop until you get the mind of God. It is dangerous to your own soul; it is destructive to God's cause committed to you. It will cause you to lose the blessed spirit of prayer, when He leads you out, and you fail to follow; fail to stay upon your knees; fail to pray clear through. God would not burden your heart, God would not make you hungry, lead you out, causing you to wrestle, to agonize, to fast and pray, unless He meant to answer. It's proof of the fact when the burden continues, and the Spirit continues to lead you out, that there's an answer, and God wants you to pray clear through.

A good woman who was tied to her bed by a malady, prayed three years, once every day, for one hour, for a great revival to break out in her home church, in her home town. Sunday after Sunday she would ask her sister, who was taking care of her, when she came from church, whether anything had happened. Had anything new taken place? God kept burdening her. The spirit of prayer kept leading her out. She became more anxious. She would weep and cry, but every Sunday when her sister came in from church, she told her that the same old, dry folks prayed those long, dry prayers, and the choir sang so but few in the audience could understand anything they said, and the preacher discussed science, and there was nothing being done. The devil teased this honest heart. He said, "You prayed and cried and fasted for three years, and there isn't a single sign of a revival." But one Sunday morning the sister came in and went right to the bed of her sick sister, saying, "A new preacher preached this morning, and I tell you he was a warm member. He woke things up." That night the sister came home about 10:30, and said the altar was crowded, and there were between two hundred and fifty and five hundred souls blessedly saved in that meeting.

Get on two or three good promises. Press down hard on them. Anchor to them. Things will break up. Things will break loose. Things will break over. God hears you, and His thoughts toward you are good. He will answer. Dare to trust Him anywhere. God always hears and answers prayer.

Praying Clear Through by Will Harney

Works published in 1922 and earlier are in the public domain. "Praying Clear Through" by William J. Harney was last copyrighted in 1916. That means that the book is officially owned by you.

Copyrights are essentially the exclusive right to make a copy. Society grants a temporary monopoly to an author for copying and selling a text. Then, after it expires, it becomes owned by the public at large. Why? Because without public ownership texts will slowly die without the ability to be shared. And the knowledge in them has better use to a society than to just let them disappear.

I personally found "Praying Clear Through" years ago and found reading it to be a blessing to my life. I can't tell you to go get a copy ( you can't ... yet ) so I figured I would share it with you this way. So I'll be "republishing" it here a chapter per post. I'll edit for clarity at times. When Pastor Harney uses third person for his voice I'll change it to first person. And I hope to fix any editing errors as well. That should be all that my contribution is to this text.

So let's start.

Praying Clear Through


William J. Harney
Preacher -- Evangelist of Wilmore, Kentucky


Edited by Mark Arrasmith

DESCRIPTION

A book on a subject essential to all who would get into a state of grace, and grow therein; also for those who study to show themselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed. "O Thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way; The path of prayer Thyself hast trod; Lord, teach us how to pray."


PRINTING

1915 God's Revivalist Press Cincinnati, Ohio
Printed Book Copyright 1916 God's Revivalist Office


DEDICATION

To My Precious Wife, Whose Devotion To Principle, Loyalty To Light, And Courage,And Faith In Duty, Have Been My Constant Inspiration; Whose Kind, Gentle Womanhood And Thoughtful Motherhood Have Blessed And Hallowed Our Sunny Home,This Book Is Lovingly Dedicated By The Author.


AN EARNEST PRAYER

Our Father, assist us as we open this book, to get out of each and every chapter, that Thou hast in each thought, for each and every reader. May we read slowly, cautiously, digesting all we read. Forbid we should be surface readers, but grant us Thy good Spirit to help us to use our picks, drills and sledges, getting down into every thought and out of every thought that which will help us most. Too many read just to be reading. Too few really get into the thoughts. Lead us and may we follow. Help us to study, to be real students. Bless each reader and grant us Thy continued presence. Bless this book. Thou knowest the hours in real soul travail, the tears and heart agony it cost the author.


PREFACE

It has been the author's firm conviction that the crying need of this age is a praying Christianity. When the weakest saint falls upon his knees the devil trembles. If the weakest can cause him to fear, what about a Daniel? A Paul? One's experience is as rich and his faith and as strong as his prayer life. In all my ministry, I have never failed when I could get the church on her knees. Christians all over the country having read my articles, and heard my sermons and lectures on this vital subject, have begged for this book. I know that the prayer life is the Christian's force, the Christian's power-house, and the more we pray the stronger will we be against evil and for the right.

I have not written this book for the learned man, nevertheless he can find food for his soul, but for those who want, and need, help in their prayer life. I have written this book while upon the field of battle and in the thickest of the fight, where God answered by fire every heart-cry of His children.

Let me urge each and every reader to begin today a constant waiting upon God; an unrelenting, deep, quiet prayer life. We must get quiet to get the ear of God. I know, by twenty-five years' experience, that God will hear, and that God does answer prayer. I wish for every reader a burden for prayer, a hunger for prayer. We must pray. We must never quit just because we do not get the answer at once. When God leads out in prayer, follow earnestly, He is leading, there is something ahead. Take notice, look, listen, get ready. The cloud is rising. There is soon to be a going in the mulberry-trees. Do not read one chapter and quit the book, but give each and every chapter a faithful reading.

The Saint who has done most for God and his fellows has been the one who has prayed most, for it is through this channel that we get the working grace. We will do more, and that the easier, by living upon our faces longer. It is very destructive to rush into the white harvest-fields with a prayerless life. It spells defeat to God. The man who is winning most souls for God is he who lingers much and long in the closet of prayer.

Yours in much prayer, Will J. Harney


INTRODUCTION

"Take time to pray!
When fears and foes distress you,
And tiresome toils oppress you,
Then the Master waits to bless you,
If you'll take time to pray.

"Take time to pray!
Come what there may To stand in the way:
Look often to Jesus And take time to pray."

"I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."
I Timothy 2:8

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
James 5:16

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:16

"When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
Matthew 6:6

The author could not have chosen a more important subject on which to write. Indeed, if every Holiness book contained one or more chapters on prayer; or rather, if the opening and closing chapters of every book were on this great theme, it would not be amiss, for today there is a universal confession among Christians of "neglect of the secret closet." Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not faint," and is not this neglect the cause of so many falling away from the Truth, so many not going on unto perfection?

The author caught the vision and has seen the reality of that vision through the secret of Prevailing Prayer. The book is only a record of how God answers him who calls; how God gives victory to the man who will hear from Heaven.

We send it forth trusting the Holy Spirit to use it to enlighten the children of God on the attacks of the enemy on the "secret chamber;" to arouse them to the glorious possibilities of prevailing prayer; to help them learn the secret of "Praying Clear Through." Amen!

Read it; study it; obey its injunctions; and for God's glory, circulate it.

Meredith G. Standley

1 Corinthians 13 for Coaches

Though I can fire up my team and get them to give their all, but not care for WHO they are and WHO they will be, I might as well just run my fingernails over the chalkboard.

And if I can see what will happen on the field or court, and understand every play, and I coach them to a winning season, but have not love for my players, I am nothing.

Even if I give all of my time and strength to the team, and surrender my personal best ... all for the glory of the win, but not live to model how God loves my players and those we play against, I have gained nothing.

As as coach I must teach and model patience and kindness. To never envy those that play better or explode in jealousy over our loss and their win. To never boast or taunt when we win. Nor strut around and mock those we play against.

I am to show my team how not to be conceited and stuffed with pride; to not be rude or get a stuffed head. To not insist that we are always right and the calls must go our way; to not seek what is best only for yourself. And when the play falls apart, the call goes against you, and you or your teammate messes up; you just get up and keep going. You don't fret or hate. You don't take account of what just happened. You get up, you learn, and you keep going.

I will never celebrate the bad call or cheating that "goes our way". I will be glad, and even cheer, when our wrongs are corrected.

I will strive to coach in such a way that my players can stand up under anything. To take off the fields and courts a life that will seek the best in people, know that endurance will yield results, and that they can endure the trials of life.

Loving and seeking the best for my players will never fail. I will soon not know what to do, nor see what play is best, nor even know what to tell my team just to keep them going. Why? Because I'm weak and only have limited abilities. So I will rather rely on God. And He alone is perfect.

As a player I wanted to be cared about. To be encouraged. To improve. To get stronger. Now that I'm the coach I desire those same things for my players. Yet, I also know how much more there is than the game and soon I will be gone from their lives.

By one thing only do I want to be known. Love. That each player, parent, and coach can feel it, hear it, and experience it.

There is ability, that is good. There is hard work, that is better. And there is Love, that is the greatest.

In Memory

There are events that you hope to burn into memory.

I watched one of those moments this weekend. I was with my father-in-law when we went to pick up his mom from the nursing home with his father. Grandma doesn't remember much anymore and Grandpa lives at home alone now. It hasn't been many years since Grandpa could easily out work me stacking hay bales or Grandma would be making lemonade for us as we worked on their roof. But, not this day.

This day Grandma is sitting in a chair staring at the TV in the Alzheimers ward at the home. I don't know if she is watching or just looking. And this day I walk slowly with Grandpa as he shuffles along the hot sidewalk and then up the stairs to go visit.

Her son leans down to ask her if she wants to go with us to visit the graveyards this Memorial Day weekend. It takes a couple times for him to get Grandma to look him in the eye before she quietly says yes. As she answers, her voice sounds a lot like my daughter, her first great-grandchild. Though it is a little more timid and quiet than my daughter talks today. Grandpa scolds us a bit about going to fast and talking to much. He says that it scares her when we do that. Grandpa takes off his hat and bends down with difficulty to look her in the eye. He asks her if she recognizes him. She says yes, but also says "you look different".

Ever so slowly her son and husband get her to stand and start walking with us. It takes about twenty feet before we realize we didn't get her shoes on yet. Not a good start for walking across a hot sidewalk on a calm and sunny day. I grab a chair for her and we have Grandma sit back down so the nurse can put on her sandels for us. As we wait for the nurse to come back from her room with the sandels I get to just stand and watch.

Grandma looks over and sees Grandpas hand. He is leaning against the wall and waiting with his arm loose at his side. Shakily she reaches out and grabs his hand and pulls it to her. Holding his hand now she brings it to her lips for a gentle kiss.

I smile and look up at Grandpa. He has an amazing look on his face as he watches her and then looks to me. In his eyes and in his smile I can see true love.

Goal Number 1 is DONE!

I finished listening to the entire bible a couple of weeks ago. It just took me this long to finish writing the posts and thinking about the sections themselves.

102 days to listen to the entire bible.

Total Time ... 74 Hours 28 Minutes and 8 Seconds.

It takes 3 sessions a day at about 15 minutes a shot.

Praise God for the ESV translation and especially for the online api they created for people to use. It is an amazing resource to use and I encourage more people to do so.

You can listen to the entire bible like I was trying, 3 times a day. Or you can listen once a day and cover the entire bible in 306 days. Just jump back to Day 1 :)

Personally it has been a wonderful journey. My wife asked what all I've learned from this. And I really can't just answer that. What I've learned is far more than what I wrote on each of the days. I've learned more about the Word while listening and reading than I have ever had by just reading. I've been convicted by the Word before, but while hearing the Word that conviction was much deeper upon my soul. At times I had to just stop and morn for the things that were pressed upon my heart.

And covering the entire bible in about 100 days has really thrust upon me how connected God's message is for us. The Old Testament isn't meant to be separate from the New Testament. So often in the past I would read a few verses and think hard about them. But, by covering them all like this ... I can better see God's plan for our walk together. How to be a better husband, a better father, and a better man.

Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

- mark

Day 102

As You Rise ... Zechariah 9-14

Chapter 9 in mp3
Chapter 10 in mp3
Chapter 11 in mp3
Chapter 12 in mp3
Chapter 13 in mp3
Chapter 14 in mp3

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

One way to find the truth is to look at what Satan and the world hates. They hate the humble. They hate and mock those that live in the right. They hate Christ.

So it shouldn't be any surprise that a savior coming humbly is mocked by the world. The world loves the arrogant. The world loves the proud. So the world puts them up above the rest of us.

And yet the world is still self hating. And with glee rips apart those they had lifted up and throws them broken upon the ground. Only to replace them with the next arrogant and proud man.

Christ came humbly to show us how to live. So reject the world's way and follow Christ's example.

As You Walk By The Way ... Malachi 1-4

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 4 in mp3

But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

I love the visualization of God melting down my soul, my very being.

Through the fire of hard times, His Word, and whatever He brings into my path I see Him working at the forge. Melting me down again and again. Slowing burning off the impurities until all that is left is what is best for His design.

My sins are cast far from me. He no longer holds them against me for Christ has born the punishment. But, I don't get keep those impurities within my soul. They must be removed for we must be forged for His purpose.

So again and again you will be melted down.

Praise the LORD.

When You Lie Down ... Revelation 20-22

Chapter 20 in mp3
Chapter 21 in mp3
Chapter 22 in mp3

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!



Amen. Come, LORD Jesus, Come.

Day 101

As You Rise ... Zephaniah 1-3, Haggai 1-2

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3

They shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue.

With my tongue I prove myself a hypocrite. With my tongue I curse and hate those that are made in God's image. With my tongue all of who I am is defiled.

O to finally bridle my tongue. I yearn for the time when finally we shall do no injustice, speak no lies and our tongues are finally pure.

As You Walk By The Way ... Zechariah 1-8

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 4 in mp3
Chapter 5 in mp3
Chapter 6 in mp3
Chapter 7 in mp3
Chapter 8 in mp3

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

Want to know how to control your tongue? Guess what ... you can't do it. No matter what self-help plans you go though you can not control your own tongue.

Only God can help you with that. So let God transform you.

Focus on Him alone and you will gain wisdom. For what fills your heart will flow from your mouth. Do not fill your heart with the things of the world. Fill your heart with the LORD and let Him bridle your tongue for you.

When You Lie Down ... Revelation 16-19

Chapter 16 in mp3
Chapter 17 in mp3
Chapter 18 in mp3
Chapter 19 in mp3

And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.

Evil consuming evil. I find it rather amazing that the command of "do what you want" is so self-destructive. People making moral choices based on what they feel is right is a rather short path to hatred and destruction.

Just consider Babylon ( the prostitute/women from the above verses ). Eventually those that are entirely dependent upon her will turn and utterly destroy her. To their own misery.

There is only one good thing: God. Everything outside of His will leads to destruction, self-hate, and chaos. It is easy to see this in those that walk their own path. Following God isn't about rules that keep you from doing what you want. It is about the freedom to live and to love as God made us to do.

Day 100

As You Rise ... Micah 6-7

Chapter 6 in mp3
Chapter 7 in mp3

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Isn't it easier to pay a fine than to change?

When you give a person a "price" for their sin they just look at it as the price tag. The amount that they need to collect to pay for what they desired. Want to cheat on your spouse? Well that is only a couple hundred given to the church and an I'm sorry. What to lie, covet, rage, hate? Throw up a few prayers and maybe a tithe and you can get right back to sinning.

God accepts none of that. Everything you could throw at your sins might as well be rotted filth. He only takes one thing. Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him. How is that one thing?

They all mean the same thing ... Follow the LORD with all that you are.

So if you are in sin: Stop, Turn, and Follow God.

As You Walk By The Way ... Nahum 1-3, Habakkuk 1-3

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls.

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

I find it hard at times to rejoice when I'm getting stronger. To be able to run farther than before you need to ... run farther than before. To be able to lift more weight you need to ... lift more weight. It is hard and tiring. But, to become stronger physically you need to work harder physically. And not everyone rejoices as they work hard.

But, it is a blessing of God's to be able to work hard. It is actually a blessing to live in hard times. Hard emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

So like when you keep your eyes focused down the road on the next mile you have to run. You can endure the places where you feet are striking the road.

Likewise, keep your eyes focused on the LORD. On your eternal salvation. Know that the road you are on is only there to make you the person God has designed you to be ... at the finish.

When You Lie Down ... Revelation 13-15

Chapter 13 in mp3
Chapter 14 in mp3
Chapter 15 in mp3

“Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Blessed are those who strive in their labors at the moment. For their eternal reward is in Heaven! Blessed indeed!

So as we go about today focus on your labor. Do the best you can. For your rest will come and the reward will come. It is assured.

Day 99

As You Rise ... Obadiah, Jonah 1-4

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 4 in mp3

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

"Do you do well to be angry?" I love this question.

We hate those that hate us. It burns in our stomachs and we pray, in a "good" way, for God to smack them down. For them to suffer as we have suffered. For them to feel the pain that we have felt. We spend so much time, and drag so much emotional baggage along, just focusing on them.

But, do we do well to be angry?

No.

As You Walk By The Way ... Micah 1-5

Chapter 1 in mp3
Chapter 2 in mp3
Chapter 3 in mp3
Chapter 4 in mp3
Chapter 5 in mp3

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

From the weakest will come the greatest.

It is never a surprise when you see the great athlete win the game. It can only come from God when the weak destroy the strong.

We may focus on the strength and wealth men. On the things that men can do. But, know that through what you never expected ... God will work. For then it is obvious that it is His hand and not yours.

And it is within the hard times of life that you will see this.

When your bank account gets empty, the crops fail, your job is gone, you become ill ...

Looking around it will become obvious that your own hand can do nothing. When we are at our weakest ... God's hand is moving. And by His strength alone will we survive.

When You Lie Down ... Revelation 9-12

Chapter 9 in mp3
Chapter 10 in mp3
Chapter 11 in mp3
Chapter 12 in mp3

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

How much does it take to break you?

Just consider stealing. When would you break from your sin and confess to God?

When you walk away from the counter even though they gave you too much change?

When you write down too much money on your trip report for your job?

When your dad catches you taking money from his wallet?

When you kids catch you giving less to the church so you can buy something for yourself?

When you go to jail for stealing from your business' customers?

We all fall somewhere along the above path. Whether it is sexual sin, stealing, or worshiping the world; there will come a time when God's words in your heart become forceful. Listen to Him and act now. Not later. Because everything has a breaking point. Just break as soon as possible.