19: The emphasis here is on the temporary nature material wealth. Those who ‘lay up’ treasure presumably trust in that treasure for their needs. This is the problem. Jesus wants us to trust in almighty God, not material things. Having extra money for the future is not wrong. However, thinking that this offers us greater ‘security’, is wrong. Material things cannot secure us because they can be lost. Planning ahead is fine, but trusting material things tho guarantee tomorrow is not.

Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:1-6:35

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:9 “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Daily Tidbit: In ancient times people employed many methods for the safekeeping of their money. Some would even deposit it at a temple to keep it safe. Temple robbers were more rare and especially hated.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for being trustworthy. We spend so much time trying to figure out who or what to trust. Yet, You are there all along. May we trust in You for everything. You alone can control all of the details, for You alone know everything. You alone know what we need, for You alone know what tomorrow holds. Why should we look to the things of this world for security when You are available to us? Oh Father, make me to depend upon You! I would like to learn to lean on You for all of it. You can take care of us. You can provide for needs that we don’t even know we have. Father, Your love is so precious to us. We don’t have to fear that You will stop loving us. Thank You, Father, for being so wonderful. I know You have always been that way, and that You will never change. But, it sure is nice. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man having tests done this week. Pray for a deaf missionary trying to get to the mission field. Pray for a young man raising money for a well in a third-world country.

Personal Journal Entry #12195

16: The Scribes and Pharisees, as well as some of the other Jews of Jesus’ day, had developed elaborate practices in connection with fasting. Though they were not actually sad, they looked sad. They would neglect their personal hygiene to the point that others would notice. However, since long-term fasting was not as common, they added to this putting ashes on their head. Thus, they would, quite literally, disfigure their face with ashes, dirt, a dour look, etc. Everybody could tell what was going on. And, as Jesus states, this was their goal, to be seen by others. As before, Jesus says that such recognition would be their only reward.
17: Jesus instructs us to act normally during fasting. The anointing of the head, though not a common practice today, was important in ancient culture. It prevented dry skin and provided a good smell to the body.
18: By proceeding with our personal hygiene in a normal way during fasting, others would not particularly notice. This does not mean that we cannot tell anyone that we are fasting if they ask. It just means we are not to go about proclaiming it from the rooftops. God the Father can see what is done in our lives and reward us accordingly.

Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 1:1-3:35

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:9 “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Daily Tidbit: A parallel passage concerning fasting can be found in Isaiah chapter fifty-eight. In verses three through nine we can see the kind of fasting that Almighty God takes pleasure in. Just imagine, fasting from food so that you can give food to those who are hungry. What a difference from fasting for self-righteous motives!

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, may we always see to do Your will. We often think that we know what You want, rather than finding out what Your Word says about it. Thank You for Your mercy and grace! Whatever Your plans may be for each day, they are always the best. Time and time again we see that Your way was the right way. Time and time again we will search out Your purposes, only to find that Your purposes are perfect. Show us daily the wisdom of Your way. May we understand what we need for each moment as we try to serve You rightly. Oh Father, sometimes I think I’ll never get it right! How can I ever please You in all that I do? But, it is not our effort that makes things good, it is Your grace. I can’t ‘get it right’, but You can make it right. I must trust You to help me to please You. You designed us for Your pleasure. Surely then You can guide us in our task, and make us successful in it. Oh thank You, my Lord and Savior, for Your deliverance from the failures of sin, and the weakness of the flesh. As Paul said, when I am weak, then You are strong. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man with chronic chest pain. Pray for a man with serious health issues. Pray for the lost, and for laborers to be sent into the harvest.

Personal Journal Entry #12194

14: The question that comes to mind here is concerning salvation. Can one be saved who refuses to forgive? The Father expects us to forgive others. Thus, when one comes to Almighty God for salvation, he must do it not only with a heart that seeks forgiveness, but also with one that gives forgiveness. This is the true essence of repentance. Unrepentant persons will hold back on forgiving others. Repentant persons will find it easy to forgive others. So, one must be wiling to forgive in order to be saved. Those who are saved, in order to be obedient, will also be wiling to forgive. A lack of this willingness would lead to disobedience and chastisement.
15: We know that, as believers, we can still sin. We must ask forgiveness for this, which God gives us freely through Christ. If, however, we temporarily refuse to forgive, this grace is temporarily cut off from availability. In the life of a true believer, this will be temporary because it will cause disunity and a lack of fellowship with God Almighty, as well as chastisement from Him.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 145:1-150:6

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:9 “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Daily Tidbit: Referring to Almighty God as our ‘heavenly Father’ is a great privilege of His children. However, we must do so with an understanding of what we are saying. The Greek word for heavenly, οὐράνιος, means ‘dwelling in heaven’ or ‘coming from heaven’. Thus, ‘heavenly Father’ refers to our Father who dwells in heaven. However, the English word heavenly has quite a few other meanings. It can mean that something is divine. It can refer to the stars and planets as celestial bodies. It can simply mean that something is sublime or very nice. Thus, we must realize that some might confuse the intended meaning of this simple word used in connection with the Father.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, I am glad that there is such a place as heaven, and that You inhabit it. It is the deepest desire of my heart to be in heaven with You some day. I know that, by the blood of Christ, I will be there after this life. Oh Father, I long to know the One that could make all of this beauty I see around me! Your creation is amazing to me. Thus, You must be all that much more amazing. Just as I long to see more of Your inventions, I want to see more and more of You. I cannot ever have enough of You, my God. You satisfy the thoughts of my heart. You answer the mysteries I see, and yet bring to me more to search out. Help me to always live a life that fits my hunger for You. May I not settle for living in the pursuit of things less than You. Be my constant thirst, my Master. Orchestrate the details of my life so that I may serve You as an obedient slave to You. I cannot ask for more than that, for to serve You is a great privilege. To be Yours is to have a significance and meaning that transcends this earthly plane. I know that You will make something out of me, as I seek to make much of You before others. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man with pain in his chest. Pray for a man having tests this week. Pray for a man with diabetes.

Personal Journal Entry #12193

13: Although the word here for temptation can simply mean trial, actual temptation to sin is also in view. We are to ask Almighty God to keep us from temptation. Obviously, though, Jesus was himself tempted, and we are told elsewhere that temptations and trials will come. However, this verse is to remind us that God is in control of such things, and we are to trust him in them. Temptation becomes most grievous when we fall under it. Trials are more sever when we despair as a result. Thus, we are to pray earnestly for his deliverance. The word for deliverance here can literally mean to rescue one from a calamity. ‘Evil’ refers specifically to the evil one, the devil.
Although some versions leave out the remainder of this verse, it is best to leave it as it is. In fact, this is a quote from a prayer of David in 1 Chronicles 29:11. The kingdom and authority belong to God the Father, and we are to recognize this. Glory is always his as well. Although we do not find the expected ‘in Jesus’ name we pray’ at the end of the Lord’s prayer, Jesus tells his disciples elsewhere to pray in his name, so it is necessary as well.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 138:1-144:15

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:9 “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Daily Tidbit: The English word ‘facinorous’ is a great way to translate the word ‘evil’ in Matthew 6:13. It is an adjective which means to be extremely wicked. It comes from the Latin word, ‘facinorōus’, which is derived from the Latin word ‘facinus’, which means ‘bad deed’. Thus, one could say that the devil is the ‘facinorous one’.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, You are amazing! I can never stop being overwhelmed by Your holiness, overawed by Your love, and overcome by Your grace! You are always faithful to us. You have never let us down. We may experience trials and temptations, and yet You want us to ask You to deliver us from them. We do ask for that, Father. We know that You are able to keep us from these calamities. But, we know that You can guide us safely through them as well. Your grace is truly amazing! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man with heart problems. Pray for a man with serious health issues. Pray for a man looking for a new home. Pray for missionaries that were robbed recently.

Personal Journal Entry #12192

12: This verse gives us one of the great themes of Jesus’ teaching. He always emphasized the importance of forgiveness. He often made it clear that those who love God Almighty owe Him thanks, and must not fail to forgive those who are indebted to them. The focus here is upon sin, not simply monetary debt. We cannot expect Almighty God to forgive us if we fail to forgive others. Many have failed to receive true forgiveness because they have held a grudge against another.
Therefore, we should not presume to pray without acknowledging our own sin. We should not presume to pray before having already forgiven those who have sinned against us.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 132:1-137:9

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:9 “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Daily Tidbit: The Ancient Greek word for forgive is ἀφίημι, pronounced ‘afeeaymee’.

Praise Journal: Gracious Heavenly Father, You are so good to mankind. You have given to us the eternal gospel of grace. It gives us joy and hope for our lives. Having known what this world holds out as its reward, I would far rather have what the gospel promises any day. Nobody who lives a whole life for You ever regrets it. Many have regretted not knowing You, and Your gospel, better. Oh Father, give us a hunger for Truth! May we never rest without an answer to Piltate’s question, ‘What is truth?’ Bring us ever onward to a knowledge of Your will and ways. Give us the privilege of knowing You intimately. We can never overestimate the joy of being near to You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for our national leaders. Pray for our military. Pray for our local public servants. Pray for missionaries all over the world.

Personal Journal Entry #12191

11: Prayer is to be a consistent practice. Faithfulness and constant dependence upon Almighty God are the important things. We are not supposed to ‘pray ahead’ for needs that we will have next week or next year, and then neglect to pray again on the day of our need. Instead, prayer is to be our constant practice on a daily basis. This verse shows us not only that, but also, that we are to ask for what we need, not simply what we want. The ‘daily bread’ here signifies that which ‘day by day’ God will see to be our need and will supply for us. Thus, the emphasis is laid upon us asking and receiving daily, as opposed to asking only once for a supply that will last forever. Almighty God is not to be treated as genie, who we wish something from once, and then use that thing until it is exhausted. Nor is he a good luck charm, which we look to only in times of great need. Contrariwise, he is like oxygen. We take in only enough oxygen to suit our needs for a short time. We cannot store much oxygen ahead of time. It is our constant need, and we are sure not to fail to secure our needed amounts on a regular basis! Almighty God is just the same. He expects us to need him just as we need air. He expects us to come to him for every, daily need. And, he expects us to ask for only what we need at the moment, trusting that he will be available to supply all of our needs all of the time.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 120:1-131:3

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:8 “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.“

Daily Tidbit: Insensate means to have no sensation or consciousness, to be inanimate.

Praise Journal: Father, thank you for your wisdom and Truth. you always know what is best, even when we do not. Help us to see the value of doing that which you would have us to do. You always have the answers that we need! Help us to look to You even when we think that we are dealing with a problem that we can handle ourselves. Oh Father, help us to understand that You care for us as children! May Your children depend upon You fully so that others, who are not yet Your children, may see and be saved. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a man who has health issues due to diabetes. Pray for those involved in a plane crash. Pray for the lost.

Personal Journal Entry #12190

10: The kingdom of God Almighty has been one of the most confused subjects in biblical study. God’s kingdom refers to his dominion over all. Now, one might say that God has dominion presently. However, though Almighty God is in complete control, his authority and right to rule are questioned. The day will come, and we are to earnestly pray for it, in which his rule will be unquestioned. Keep in mind that such an eventuality is a forgone conclusion. But, a prayer for this blessed future, no matter how sure, is to be included in every discourse with Almighty God.
The same can be seen here with His will. Who can actually resist the will of the Almighty Creator? None. But yet, there are still those who would presume to try. Thus, we are to pray for His will to be done, regardless of the fact that He will have His way as He wants it. Notice the ‘on earth’ part. God has allowed persons to choose to resist His will. Christians are to pray that people will submit to it. Imagine if that was included in every public prayer in our land!

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 119:86-176

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:8 “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.”

Daily Tidbit: In older translations, Matthew chapter five verse ten reads ‘in earth’ rather than ‘on’ or ‘upon’ earth as it is in newer translations. For example, the KJV bible, Geneva bible, and Bishop’s bible all read ‘in’ earth rather than ‘on’ earth. Obviously, this has changed because we simply do not say ‘in’ earth anymore. This way of speaking has fallen out of use. However, it is good to point out that the meaning here can be missed if the significance of the ‘in’ is forgotten. The original Greek can be legitimately translated either way. However, the Greek does include the ‘in’ nuance. In other words, God’s will is to be done in the earthly sphere. The meaning is not simply ‘on earth’ which would leave out the seas, and the sky , and other parts of God’s creation. The meaning is ‘in the earthly sphere’, which includes the entire world and everything in it. Thus, although ‘on’ is arguably more clear because it keeps up with our modern way of speaking, these older translations remind us that there is a danger of losing some of the richness of our language and culture over time.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, You are worthy of all honor, glory, and praise. May Your name be uplifted and consecrated in our hearts and minds. May we always sanctify Your name and keep it sacred in our thoughts and words. May it be ever upon our tongues in praise and adoration. Let us never be found to share Your glory with any other. We look forward to all that Your kingdom holds. As You are the Master and Lord of all of the universe, we know that Your ultimate glory is the end result of all that transpires around us. We look forward to each day, and relish the manifestations of Your greatness that we see in Your creation. We know that Your rule is one of complete righteousness and justice. You have never made a bad call, or missed a chance for mercy. You have never failed to offer Your grace, even to us, who can never deserve it. We ask that Your will may be carried out in our lives and the lives of those we come into contact with. May others see the good that Your ways bring into our lives. give us the joy of Your glory. May we always seek to do as You please, and not as we please. give us not a heart of selfishness, but of selflessness in service to You. May we do good for our fellow man, not for our own reasons, but because You are our motivation. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for two officers recently injured in the line of duty. Pray for a couple getting married this weekend. Pray for a young lady with spiritual needs. Pray for a young lady having health tests done.

Personal Journal Entry #12189

9: Although praying the exact words of the Lord’s prayer on occasion can be a good practice. However, it is evident by Jesus’s words that this is to be the ‘form’ guide for our prayers, but not always the exact words that we say.
At the very outset, then, we see the proper addressee of our prayers, God the Father. Though prayer directly to Jesus or the Holy Spirit is not wrong, it is not to be our normal practice. Jesus expects our prayers to be directed to the Father. Also, we are to be specific about God in our prayers. There must be no question that we are addressing the Almighty God of heaven. Many who say, ‘God bless America’ though uttering a prayer, have no intention of invoking the blessings of Almighty God. Instead, they are simply addressing the relativistic god of the masses. Such a person does not exist, and invoking his favor has no effect, as is evident by the state of our nation.
Finally, the name of God is to be glorified. We seldom forget to pray ‘in Jesus’ name’, but we often fail to praise and glorify the name of Almighty God in our prayers. It is just as important.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 119:1-85

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:8 “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.”

Daily Tidbit: ‘Hallowed’ means to be consecrated or sanctified.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, God Almighty, You are so important in our lives. Give us the clarity that we need in our way of thinking. Cause us to understand Your Holy Word as You intend it. I praise You for giving us Your Truth. May we always love Your precepts, and speak of Your thoughts. Desiring Your laws for our life will make all the difference. You are the greatest Author that we could look to. Your book is the answer to our questions. May we always look to it as our guide. Show us the paths to take. Lead us to glorify You in our lives, that our life may be worth living. I don’t want to waste my life missing You, Father. I want to spend it knowing You more. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a lady who was in a car accident. Pray for a family that has lost two loved ones in the last year.

Personal Journal Entry #12188

8: Almighty God already knows what we are going to ask Him about. Prayer is more about trust. We don’t have to remind God of our needs or beg Him to be good to us. We have to voice our trust in his provision.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 114:1-118:29

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:8 “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.”

Daily Tidbit: To ‘sparge’ is to sprinkle or spray something, or to introduce bubbles into a liquid. ‘Spurge’ refers to a kind of weed.

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing us to come to You in prayer. It is so good to know that we can bring our needs before the Sovereign God of the universe. It is also a great comfort to know that You know everything before we even ask. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a lady with cancer.

Personal Journal Entry #12187

7: Pagan prayers were quite pitiful. The supplicant would try to remind the supposed god of their devotion to their worship, and use as many appellations and repetitions as they possibly could. Their prayers sounded nothing like normal speech, unless grovelling is counted as normal.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 103:1-113:9

Daily Memory Verse: Jude 1:7 “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.“

Daily Tidbit: The tearing length of the material in a Sparrow’s beak is 50 miles. The materials used in aircraft construction have a tearing length of 29 miles. Tearing length means the length at which the material will tear due to its own weight. (From Dr. Werner Gitt’s book, If Animals Could Talk)

Praise Journal: Heavenly Father, thank You for listening to us. Our prayers must get awful boring sometimes, yet You never complain. You tell us You want us to talk to You. You ask us to speak with You as if we were talking to another human being. Although we should speak with more respect in Your case, You want us to be that familiar with You. You want us to know You on an individual basis. Thank You for caring that much! It is wonderful to know that You even care about what we have to say. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Prayer Journal Highlights: Pray for a woman with a blood clot. Pray for a woman having difficulty caring for a loved one.

Personal Journal Entry #12186