My Daily Pause

Wisdom has built her house;
she has made its seven columns.

She has prepared her food and wine;
she has set her table.

She has sent out her servant girls,
and she calls out from the highest place in the city.

She says to those who are uneducated,
“Come in here, you foolish people!

Come and eat my food
and drink the wine I have prepared.

Stop your foolish ways, and you will live;
take the road of understanding. – Proverbs 9:1-6 NCV

I’ve lived in several excellent places over my lifetime. By excellent, I mean places full of beauty, rich with history and excellent quality of life. I never seemed to take full advantage of them even though they were places where people would save their money and dream of the day they get to visit.

Getting bogged down in life without a plan does that to us.

We could compare the Bible to that. For very little money we can buy a book that took forty men thousands of years to complete. We have access like no one else in history – a history full of war, death, hardship – because of people glad to protect it so that we can have the words that God breathed.

God has made sure that we have access to his wisdom and plan. It is complete. It is compelling. It has never been disproven. The invitation is open and he waits for us to accept.

Make a plan and use it regularly and grow. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Daily Bible reading for June 14

Proverbs 9
Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17
Hosea 14
Philemon 8-22

We have another group Bible reading like I’ve mentioned before happening today. We have scheduled 7 hours of reading.

It has taken the entire week of mental preparation and anticipation to be completely ready and excited about it this morning, but I am ready to get started!

One of the verses that jump out at me in anticipation of the event is 1 Thessalonians 4:18 – “encourage one another with these words.” There is so much hope between the lines of God’s word – so much promise, that the time spent together doing a deep reading can be nothing but encouraging. I believe this is why God made the church.

Try it once and you’ll be hooked.

Daily Bible reading for May 18

Psalm 137
Numbers 20-21
Isaiah 58
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

1. GEORGE WASHINGTON: It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible…. He is worse than an infidel who does not read his Bible and acknowledge his obligation to God.
2. JOHN ADAMS: The Bible is the best Book in the world.
3. THOMAS JEFFERSON: I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, better husbands…. The Bible makes the best people in the world.
4. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS: My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising…. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day…. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.
5. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith and you will live and die a better man.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 19)

This scripture has been referred to as the “Christian’s bank note.”  It speaks of assurance, providence and care!

The president of the Bank – “My God.” Paul could say “my God” because of his personal experience.  It’s evident that there is a vast difference between knowing of someone and truly knowing that person.  He is “my God” only when I am “His child.”  I possess Him only when He possesses me.  Note the possessive, personal pronouns throughout scripture.  In addition, all God promises to do for the world, for humanity, can be claimed by our own personal pronoun- “For God so loved me that He gave His only begotten son…” The God of heaven and earth is “my God.”

The Promise to Pay – “Shall Supply.” The word “supply” here is translated from the same word translated “full” in the previous verse.  Our cup “runs over.”  Paul said the same thing in a more emphatic way to the Ephesians, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (3: 20) What a wonderful reality!  God will do immeasurably more than we can ever even dream of.

The amount – “All Your Need.” Not all your wants, but all your needs.  This calls for a joyous trust and confidence in God.  Our needs, both spiritual and material, will be supplied.  Do we really believe that?  Has God not shown that to us time and time again? Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?….If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe  you?  O you of little faith.  So do not worry…”  (Matthew 6: 26,30,31) “Trust me,” God is saying!

The Capital of the Bank – “According to His Riches in Glory.” There is never any capital shortage with God.  His treasure house is as inexhaustible and boundless as His infinite love and grace.  The words “rich” and “riches” appear six times in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:  “In Him we have…the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us…” (1: 7,8), “the riches of His glorious inheritance…” (1: 18), “God, who is rich in mercy…” (2: 4), “the incomparable riches of His grace…” (2: 7), “the unsearchable riches of Christ…” (3: 8), and “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.” (3: 16) Oh, what riches God has for us.

The Cashier’s Name – “Christ Jesus.” Through Jesus, our Savior, these great and inexhaustible blessings flow.  All blessings come through Christ Jesus, through our union with Him!  “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor. 1: 20)

No wonder Paul broke forth in the ascription of praise: “Unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen”

Charles Cash

 I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, better husbands…. The Bible makes the best people in the world.

–THOMAS JEFFERSON: