Author: Bill Hall

I am going to take a ten-day break from computers. As a result, I will not be posting my notes during this time. The break will extend from tomorrow (the 1st) to Monday (the 10th). I will resume my normal posting on the 11th, unless the Lord comes back first.
During this time I will be reading Jeremiah 31 to Ezekiel 6. I will be reviewing my Jude verses. I will continue with my praise journal, prayer journal, and personal journal. I will be doing a special study, so I will resume in Matthew where I left off when I get back to it.

3: The manner in which Jesus healed people was never a requirement. He could heal without touching someone. He could heal people over great distances. But, in this case, he touched the leper. One cannot help but think that Jesus did this for purely illustrative reasons. Leprosy is an illustration of sin. So, if Jesus could touch the sin-filled person, and yet heal, rather that contract the disease as well, it shows that he has the power to remove sin. Indeed, he took all of our sin upon himself on the cross and got rid of it through the plan of the Father. He can still do this today.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 28:1-30:24

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:17 “But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Daily Tidbit: We must learn to remember the Words that Almighty God has spoken to us in his love. He warns us of what is to come because he loves us so much.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love. You are so good and kind and patient. Help us to remember Your mercies every day at all times. Inspire us with Your great grace. Thank You for removing sin from our hearts. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man having a doctor’s appointment today. Pray for a family travelling this weekend.

Personal Journal Entry #12232

2: This man, though greatly debilitated by his disease, and marked by it, had great faith. He worshiped the Lord Jesus, so he understood Who He is. Then, we are told that he expressed his belief in Christ’s ability. The only thing he seemed to have doubt about was Jesus’ willingness to help. There was no room for doubt there, for Jesus is always willing to help those who believe in him.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 25:1-27:22

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:17 “But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Daily Tidbit: Jeremiah 18:2-10 is a very revealing passage. It shows us that our response to the Word of Almighty God is of utmost importance in our lives. God’s warnings are not to go unheeded. Failing to respond to his plans is quite dangerous. We must be proactive when it comes to the Word of God.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for this day. You have blessed us with another opportunity to serve You. Oh Father, thank You for Your love! It is overwhelming to think that the Almighty God of heaven and earth loves us. But, we know that You do. May we stand in awe of Your Word, and always be sensitive to it. You are very merciful to us to give us Your Word. It shows us the way we must take. Your guidance is so comforting and helpful! May we always desire the light of Your Word shining into our hearts. May we never doubt Your care for our souls. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for two families who just lost loved ones. Pray for a couple having a baby very soon. Pray for a man with a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. Pray for a man having surgery soon. Pray for a man in Brazil with cancer. Pray for a man looking to get a promotion.

Personal Journal Entry #12231

1: Many followed the Lord Jesus while he was here on earth. Just as now, there would be many of those that would fall away. Few would follow him ‘all the way’ to the cross and beyond.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 22:1-24:10

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:16 “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own ungodly lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.“

Daily Tidbit: Often if our beliefs are not challenged, we will find ourselves at the fringe of a crowd. We will be halfway true to what we say we are following. Jesus seeks more from his followers.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, give us a sense of the way of Christ. Help us to see Your plan step by step. Inspire us to be more than fringe followers. We would be in the thick of the battle. May we not settle for the easy road when the road to victory is just before us. Father, give us a sense of Your glory. Show us from Your Word the importance of living vitally genuine lives. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man who has serious health issues. Pray for a family that just lost a loved one. Pray for a woman having trouble with her feet. Pray for a woman with serious health issues. Pray for a young couple having a baby very soon.

Personal Journal Entry #12230

28: The ultimate nature of Jesus’ doctrine is appealing to us. He does not offer empty promises. He tells us exactly how life really is, and gives us the best information we could hope to have. As the disciples put it later, he has the words of eternal life.
29: His teaching had the legitimacy of heaven behind it. The hearers could sense this. It was not empty platitudes and man-made ideas that he was sharing. It was, however, the Truth for life, and it rang true in their hearts.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-21:14

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:16 “These are Murmurers, complainer, walking after their own ungodly lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Daily Tidbit: Legitimacy is an important thing for public speakers. It is crucial for your message that people know the authority behind it. Sharing the Word of God is never the same as just public speaking. The authority behind it takes it to a much higher level. It is a warning straight from Almighty God to man.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to praise You. You are truly worth serving! The Lord Jesus taught so clearly because he has the Truth for life. May we follow his teachings with all of our hearts. Thank You for Him, Father. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man who need to get back in church, and for one who just recently began going.

Personal Journal Entry #12229

27: Notice that the same troubles befall both the wise and foolish builders. Sometimes we think that the wise will have fewer difficulties, but this is not necessarily the case. Indeed, often it may seem that the foolish will have a better time of it. In the end, however, those who do not build their lives on Christ will come to utter ruin.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 14:1-17:27

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:16 “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own ungodly lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Daily Tidbit: One of our great hymns of the faith, The Solid Rock, was written by a baptist pastor. His name was Edward Mote, and he faithfully ministered at the same church for twenty-six years. Our hope is truly built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, may our hope rest on nothing other than the blood of Christ. We can never thank You enough for its precious flow. Your wise and wonderful plan of salvation gives us hope for each day. We are awestruck by Your mercy and grace in guiding Your children through the storms of life. Thank You for Your care for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for two ladies with serious health issues. Pray for a man who is close to death.

Personal Journal Entry #12228

26: Of course, a poor builder might make such a mistake. However, usually, this kind of thing does not happen. this only serves to highlight the fact that most people go about building their life in the wrong fashion altogether. You can’t make a life out of a house of cards. You need something more than blind chance. You need a sure and lasting foundation. You need materials that are tested and dependable. You need a blueprint that has no margin for error. You need Christ.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 10:1-13:27

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:16 “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own ungodly lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Daily Tidbit: Jeremiah chapter ten has much to say about the worthlessness of idolatry. In verse eight there is an especially interesting phrase. It reads: “The stock is a doctrine of vanities.” A ‘stock’ is a pole of wood, or, as in this case, any wooden idol. This verse literally is pointing out the fact that the wood itself stands as a testimony to the foolishness of idolatry. How can wood carved to look like some supposed god be worshiped when it was Almighty God who made the wood to begin with?

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, root idolatry out of our hearts. Thank You for giving us Yourself to worship. Worshiping the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them makes us feel like we have some value in this universe of Yours. Worshiping a pole of wood makes us feel like little more than a plague of parasites hoping to avoid the wrath of some diminutive god who has little more power to shape this world than we do. You give us a life worth living. Help us to build our lives by Your plan and purpose. Your Bible blueprint is perfect and complete. We can find all the materials there that we need for an abundant and fruitful life. Thank You for the foundation we find in Christ Jesus. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a lady travelling tomorrow morning. Pray for a young family about to have a baby. Pray for woman who has trouble with her feet. Pray for a woman with serious health issues. Pray for a man who received a bad report from his doctor. Pray for a couple of people who currently have undesirable work schedules.

Personal Journal Entry #12227

25: A life built upon Christ will weather the storms of life far more easily that one founded on our own shaky foundations. He is a source of certainty in an uncertain world. He is an anchor of hope in a sea of hopelessness.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 7:1-9:26

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:16 “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Daily Tidbit: Many are familiar with the idea of ‘weathering the storm’. We use this metaphor many times when speaking about all kinds of things. But, how many of us are really ready for the storms life may bring our way?

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your strength. Thank You for giving us Your wisdom in Your Word. We need it for our lives. Help us to use it. Oh Father, Your way is perfect! May we be ready for the storms of life by building upon Christ. Your love for us is great. Thank You for caring for our every need. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for missionaries all over the world. Pray for our nation and its leaders. Pray for our military personnel and those that minister to them. Pray for a man with heart trouble. Pray for a young couple having a baby soon.

Personal Journal Entry #12226

24: This verse and the following illustration really sum up what Jesus is looking to communicate. Really listening to Christ, taking his words to heart, is the important thing. Many have tried to be loyal to an idea of Christ that they have invented themselves. Knowing that he is wise, they have taken the words of his which they find most palatable, and run with them. However, as he says here, obedience is the key, and obedience demands that we look at every word of Christ, not just what we like.
   Of course the wise man is the soul of any individual that clings to the Word of the Lord for hope. The building is our future life. We must build our lives on the Lord Jesus Christ, with his teaching as our foundation. One must remember that the Great Commission is not simply to give people the basics of the gospel, but to teach people to do “whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). In other words, the gospel is not just the good news of of his death, burial, and resurrection. But, also, it is the entirety of his teachings as we have them in Scripture. Indeed, all of the Bible outside of the four gospels serves as commentary on the four gospels. It is the ministry of Christ that we are to embrace fully, and follow his commandments wholeheartedly.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 4:1-6:30

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:15 “To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.“

Daily Tidbit: It is amazing how many persons have borrowed bits and pieces of the Sermon on the Mount to fill out their philosophical viewpoint. And yet, it is even more amazing to see how few truly accept the teachings of Christ. People, evidently, don’t want a Saviour, they just want a guru. In other words, they want some kind of knowing adviser or guide, but not a Lord and God. People long for a seemingly wise yogi that will lead them to a greater sense of their own godhood. They refuse a Judge whose eyes pierce into their very soul looking for obedience to his commands, for he is wisdom. The value of a life lived with a true sense of the reality of Jesus Christ as he really is cannot be measured this side of eternity.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, give us a clear vision of Christ. May we drink deeply from the cup of Your Word. We need to realize our position in relation to Him. He is the key to life, and the escape from death. Oh Father, thank You for Jesus! I can never thank You enough for Him! He is the best motive for every day of life I live. He keeps me going. He gives me a song. Lord, thank You for the Christ life. Thank You for the hope and peace we have in the Lord Jesus. That hope inspires me. It leads me to greater heights all of the time. I love Your blessed and sure hope! Almighty God, forgive my iniquity and pardon my sin by the blood of Christ. Blessed is he to who You will not impute sin. His righteousness is my desire. Thank You, Lord, for Your holiness, and making a way for us to come to You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for many who are travelling today. Pray for a man looking for a church. Pray for a woman who is sick. Pray for a missionary in Africa. Pray for a woman recovering from a broken pelvis.

Personal Journal Entry #12225

23: We always talk about knowing Jesus. But, does he know us? Obviously, Jesus knows everything and everybody. However, he is here referring to the fellowship relationship that he has with those who belong to him. The children of the Father have an close relationship with Christ.
   To do the works of a saint, and yet never to have had the repentance, yieldedness, and transformation of heart of a saint, is to live in hypocrisy. To such Jesus says, depart. This does not mean that the true saints were not once sinners themselves in the fullest sense. It does mean that those who have not been changed by the glorious power of the gospel of Christ remain in their iniquitous state no matter how many good works they may have to their credit.
   Some have surmised that hell is only absence from the Lord in eternity. Surely this is the worst circumstance of hell, but it is the direct cause of many other terrible circumstances. God is gracious and merciful in that no individual may say that he or she has not had the chance to avoid this otherwise inevitable fate.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 1:1-3:25

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:15 “To execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Daily Tidbit: Luke 17:11-19 tells us about Jesus healing ten men with leprosy. This is a wonderful story that highlights the goodness and graciousness of Almighty God. First, Jesus healed the nine as well as the one who returned to thank him. They took what they could get from him, and, being satisfied, went their way. He did not unheal them for their lack of thanksgiving and praise. This is merciful. However, the story turns quickly to the Samaritan who returned to thank the Lord. The others, being Jews, must have felt that, once freed of their malady, they were ready for eternity in their present state. The Samaritan, however, returned to make his dependence upon Christ, and his love and appreciation for Almighty God very clear. He immediately gave God the glory due to him. He returned to Jesus, not to simply say ‘thank-you’, but to worship him with thanksgiving. He understood the true nature of our thanksgiving to God Almighty. True thanksgiving is the recognition of our complete and total dependence upon Almighty God. If one practices this kind of thanksgiving, this day of thanks that we observe will always find him with a heart of praise for the Lord. If one experiences great loss or pain at this time of year, and has a heart like the nine who went their way, that one will not be thankful on this day. But, if one has a heart like the Samaritan, recognizing the eternal goodness and love of our Lord, that one will have little trouble being thankful today despite the most unfavorable circumstances.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, I cannot thank You enough. Our very lives are the most we can offer. Though we feel that to be less than enough, it is that which You have requested, and so we gladly give it. Oh Father, You love for us overwhelms our souls with joy! To know, on this day, that you have loved us so much as to give Your own Son to die in our place is the greatest cause for thanksgiving we can possibly conceive. You, Father, are the fountain of mercies and graces that we cannot contain. You out-give, out-love, and out-think us in every area. We cannot get ahead of Your goodness. when we come to a new day, we find You have already been there with Your blessings. Give us a heart full of true thankfulness, and help us to love others as You love them. We would not want to live for five minutes without your care. So, do not let us forget Your goodness to others for five minutes. Thank You for listening to our praise on this day. We know that You deserve the praise every day. But You are gracious and kind, and will hear our special thanks on this day set aside for You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man recovering from a car accident. Pray for a woman recovering from serious health issues. Pray for a man who just received bad news on his bloodwork. Pray for a young couple having a baby very soon. Pray for people all over America to have a heart of true thanksgiving like the Samaritan on this day.

Personal Journal Entry #12224