Once bitten, twice shy.

October 13

Let your light so shine
before men, that they
may see your good
works and glorify your
Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

This is the wish I always wish,
The prayer I always pray:
Lord, may my life help others
It touches on the way.

Christians are windows through which Jesus can shine.

October 12

In everything give thanks.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Father, thank You that in every trial, challenge,
and difficulty, You are behind the scenes working
things out for our good. Help us to see
Your hand in everything. Amen.

God has not promised to keep us from life's storms,
but He will keep us through them.

October 11

As the elect of God,
holy and beloved,
put on tender
mercies, kindness...
longsuffering.
Colossians 3:12

I want my heart to be in tune with God,
In every stage of life may it ring true;
I want my thoughts and words to honor Him,
Exalting Him in everything I do.

Bible study is not merely to inform us -
it's meant to transform us.

October 10

He sent prophets to
them, ... but they
would not listen.
2 Chronicles 24:19

The life that counts must toil and fight,
Must hate the wrong and love the right;
Must stand for truth, by day, by night -
This is the life that counts.

It's better to declare the truth and be rejected
than to withhold the truth just to be accepted.

October 9

[Jesus] groaned in the
spirit and was troubled.
John 11:33

He knows our burdens and our crosses,
Those things that hurt, our trials and losses,
He cares for every soul that cries,
God wipes the tears from weeping eyes.

If you doubt that Jesus' cares, remember His tears.

October 8

After these things Jesus
showed Himself again
to the disciples at the
Sea of Tiberias.
John 21:1

Son of the living God! Oh, call us
Once again to follow Thee;
And give us strength, whate'ver befall us,
Thy true disciples still to be.

Jesus calls us to follow Him-
and repeats His call when necessary.

October 7

Counsel in the heart
of man is like deep
water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Proverbs 20:5

To those whose lives we touch in life,
To whom our love we would impart,
The greatest gift that we can give
May be an understanding heart.

Listening is an open door to understanding.

October 6

Martha was distracted
with much serving.
Luke 10:40

Lord, i don't want to miss out on moments
of intimacy with You. Help me not to be so busy
that I fail to devote time each day to prayer
and reading Your Word. Amen

If you are too busy for God, you are too busy.

October 5

For to me, to live is
Christ, and to die is
gain.
Philippians 1:21

Forbid it, Lord, that i should be
Afraid of persecution's frown;
For You have promised faithful ones
That they shall wear the victor's crown.

Those who faithfully bear the cross in this life will wear the crown in the life to come.

October 4

Whoever has this
world's goods, and sees
his brother in need,
and shuts up his heart
from him, how does the
love of God abide in him ?
1 John 3:17

O Lord, my heart is filled with love
For others who have urgent needs
So help me share in every way
What I can give through words and deeds.

God gives us all we need, so let's give to others in their need.

October 3

Your faith should not
be in the wisdom of
men but in the power
of God.
1 Corinthians 2:5

This mortal life is far too brief,
Eternity too vast,
To follow human sophistries
And lose the soul at last.

To detect error, expose it to the light if God's truth.

October 2

Speaking to one
another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and
making melody in
your heart to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:19

There's wondrous music in my soul
Since Jesus' blood has made me whole;
Now my heart sings His songs of praise
For all His blessings all my days.

A heart in tune with God
can't help but sing His praise.

October 1

If you... know how
to give good gifts to
your children, how
much more will your
Father who is in heaven
give good things to
those who ask Him !
Matthew 7:11

When with expectancy we pray
According to God's will,
We'll see Him working in our lives
His purpose to fulfill.

Prayer without expectancy is unbelief in disguise.

September 30

Greater love has no
one than this, than to
lay down one's life for
his friends.
John 15:13

When Jesus gave His life for me,
Enduring all the agony
Upon the cross of Calvary,
He showed the love of God.

Nothing speaks more clearly of God's love than the cross of Christ.

September 29

Always laboring
fervently for you in
prayers, that you may
stand perfect and
complete in all the will
of God.
Col 4:12

There's a holy, high vocation
Needing workers everywhere;
'Tis the highest form of service,
'Tis the ministry of prayer.

Intercessory prayer is life's real work.

September 28

Do not hasten in your
spirit to be angry,
for anger rests in
the bosom of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:9

When you're forming your opinions,
Do it carefully - go slow;
Hasty judgments oft are followed
By regretting - that, I know.

To avoid an embarrassing fall,
don't jump to a wrong conclusion.

September 27

[Jesus] has made [you]
alive together with
Him, having forgiven
you all trespasses.
Colossians 2:13

Lord, give me courage to confess,
To bare my sinful heart to Thee;
Thy full forgiveness i would know
And from this weight of guilt be free.

Guilt is a burden God never intended His children to bear.