Saturday, January 31st
Written By Jack Eason

Psalm 139:13-15
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

The talents and positive personality traits God gave us make it possible for us do certain things. Those who love grammar and reading often become writers. Those who have better-than-average physical strength or coordination can take on jobs like building things. We all appreciate the talents of pianists, guitar players and singers who can lead us in worship. But what about our weaknesses? Shy people make incredible listeners. The athletically challenged frequently compensate by organizing events and encouraging others. God wants us to sympathize with our friends who also have difficulties. Because we become stronger and more compassionate as the result of our struggles, we can help others do the same.

We must remember that God is reflected in everything He makes. He made you exactly the way you are to do something that only you can do. David, who wrote this Psalm, was the youngest in his family. His dad and brothers didn’t think he was even important enough to call away from the sheep when Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel. But, God knew David would make a great king. David had times when he wondered if God could ever use him, but he kept on obeying the Lord. As a result, he became one of the greatest heroes in the Bible. There are no unimportant jobs and no worthless people in God’s eyes. God created you for a job in his kingdom that is just as important as the one David did.

Extra time in the Word Psalm 139

Friday, January 30th
Wirtten By Michael Williams

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

We were created in the image of God. Being that we have been made in his image, we are creative by nature. Creating comes natural to us. Look at the world we live in. Look at all of the art, all of the inventions, all of the literature, the man made structures, modern medicine, the internet you are using right now to read this bible study, are all examples of our boundless creativity. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3 “God said” before anything was ever made. He spoke all that we know and see into existence.

I recently stumbled upon a theory that carries quite a bit of validity.
In school I, and maybe even you, learned that the smallest particle of matter is an atom. An atom is composed of protons and electrons and neutrons. Now the electrons themselves are said to be composed of sound waves. If that is correct then that means the very thing that EVERYTHING is composed of is composed of SOUND WAVES! This theory supports the fact that God spoke everything into existence. If God is creative by nature, and he models his nature in us, therefore we inherit His creative quality. Also, if God himself created all things by speaking, and all things are composed of sound, who is to say that we are not capable of creating various things in our lives by the words we speak. Be very careful with the words you use. Our mouths are very powerful tools for creating things that lead to greatness or things that lead to our demise.

Extra time in the Word Proverbs 18

Thursday, January 29th
Written By Jack Eason

Matthew 6:22
The eye is the lamp of the body. . . If your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.

Most carnivals and theme parks feature a “Tunnel of Terror.” People pay money for the adrenaline rush of confronting pretend ghosts and monsters. It’s altogether different, though, if we find ourselves alone in the woods at night without a flashlight or an unlit alley in the middle of a big city. The slightest sound gnaws at our nerves, setting us on edge and making our survival instincts kick in.

The darkness of evil is similar to both of these experiences. Because we have a sin nature, evil often attracts us like a carnival ride. We lie to get out of trouble. We might get an adrenaline rush by shoplifting at the mall or sneaking out at night to be with friends. The reality of evil, though, is much closer to walking through dangerous territory in the dark. Just as we could fall into a ditch and break a leg in the woods, we can suffer severe spiritual injury by walking in spiritual darkness.

Once we realize how dangerous it is to walk in darkness, we know we need a rescuer. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Extra time in the Word Matthew 6

Wednesday, January 28th
Written By Janet Scott

Genesis 16:15
And Hagar bare Abram a so; and Abram called his son’s name which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Genesis 21:1
And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

Hagar was Sarah’s maid and the reason she was having a child with Abram was because Sarah and Abram were tired of waiting on the Lord and His promise. He had promised Sarah and Abram a son and they were married so that was right and good, but Sarah laughed because she was old and when God took longer than she thought He should she told Abram to have a child with her maid. We all make mistakes but we never know when we intentionally decide to sin and not wait on God what an impact on others it will have! Israel, the descendants of Sarah’s son Isaac, has fought forever with the Palestinians the descendants of Hagar’s son Ishmael! How many people have lost their lives or lives of loved ones over hundreds of years because of that one “small” decision. Don’t ever think that sin only affects the person choosing that path. Maybe today you are feeling the affects of someone else’s sin and you know exactly what I am talking about. It is everywhere you look, physical abuse, sexual abuse, drinking and driving, drugs, affairs, uncontrolled anger and the list goes on. Like my daughter Candace use to tell her big brother when she was little and he was leaving the house to go hang out with his friends, “make good choices”! Decide before a situation occurs what you will do and make your decisions count for good. Break the cycle and start doing things today that will bring good into the lives of others for decades to come!

Extra time in the Word Genesis 21

Tuesday, January 27th
Written By Jack “Almost famous” Eason

Do you ever wonder what it would’ve been like if you were on one of the airplanes that crashed into the Twin Towers? What would you have been thinking? Humans can inflict severe damage on other humans. Humans can ravage people. Rulers can murder, destroy, and build bombs. But, they cannot rule God. God wasn’t surprised by September 11! He knows the past, the future, and the exact thoughts of every ruler, terrorist and murderer in the entire world.

Sometimes, thinking about God’s great and AWESOME POWER over people blows my mind. In Genesis 19, God destroyed the entire city of Sodom and Gomorrah with burning sulfur because of man’s sin. Were those people stronger than God? No way! The Egyptian army pursued the Israelites through the sea in Exodus 14. But, God made the wheels of the chariots fall off and then engulfed the army in the sea. Not one member of Pharaoh’s army survived.

Take comfort in this: No one can harm you unless God allows it. Psalm 121:6- 8 says, “The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm; he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

Extra time in the Word Psalm 121

Monday, January 26th
Written By Kyle Shultz

Nehemiah 13:30
Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service

This verse takes place at the very end of the book of Nehemiah. After a great victory in the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall, Nehemiah had to return to his duties as servant to the king of Babylon. However, Nehemiah pays Jerusalem a surprise visit to find out Israel had gotten lazy and careless. Things that were meant to be God’s alone they were sharing with people who worshipped false gods, and they were neglecting their duties of following God. Out of love for God, Nehemiah cleaned house and got rid of everything that wasn’t of God, and brought responsibility to God’s people.

While today is completely different than in the Old Testament times, we too are guilty of the same things. Our hearts, which belong to God, hold onto thoughts of hating others, caring for nobody but ourselves, and thinking of nothing but pleasing ourselves. Many times when we know we ought to let God have the first of our day we will give to what makes us feel better, neglecting the more important. I’m not saying that we need to “try harder”. I’m saying that we need to get our eyes set on what’s truly more important, like the truth that we as children of God belong to His purpose and are part of His plan. When that is at the center of our life, we are then ready to clean house the way that God wants. You belong to God, the world is not fit for us. Allow the truth of God’s Word to change you and move as He guides.

Extra time in the Word Nehemiah 13

Sunday, January 25th
Written By Janet Scott

Exodus 19:12
Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

We should have the same attitude about sin! We shouldn’t even want to touch the border of it! The goal is not to see how close we can come to the line without going over, the goal is to stay as far away from wrong as we can. I am all about freedom in Christ because that is what He has called us to, BUT that doesn’t mean we see how close we can get to the border of sin because we have freedom in Jesus! Our God is still a HOLY God. Take a look at chapter 20:18 & 20b where it says, “when the people saw the thundering and Lightening and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke they trembled in fear. They stayed at a distance and told Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen, but do not have God speak to us or we will die.” When the people got a glimpse of God they stayed as far away from the border as possible. It is the same with us, the more we know God, the farther we will stay away from intentional sins and the border of them. Draw close to Him today and push as far away from the border of sin as you can.

Extra time in the Word Exodus 19

Saturday, January 24th
Written By Michael Williams

Titus 3:9
“Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.”

When you can to accepted Christ, was it something that you thought up all on your own? Did you just one day wake up and say “Hey, what if I guy who lived 2,000 years ago, that I never met, that turned water into wine and could walk on water, died so that I could avoid having to suffer an eternity of heartache and physical anguish. And there is a God who loves me and wants me to be apart of his family, a God who I have never seen or touched, wants me to be apart of his family and not suffer in the hell that he himself had created.”

Let’s be honest with ourselves and say that no person in their right mind would come to believe something like this unless influenced by God himself. And you know what, if you are a Christ believing Christian, that is exactly what happened. All the truth you and I have come to know comes directly from God himself. We accept it because he allows us to. So, being that he is better at convincing than we are, why do we work so hard to do so? Remember, it is our job to present the truth, it is the other person’s job to accept it. And that will only come in God’s timing.

So, don’t worry about whether or not a fellow brother believes the same way you do when it comes to how you worship or what clothes you wear. He believes in Jesus Christ, that comes first. If it is something God needs for him/ her to understand, He will and can get the job done, but he won’t always use you to do it, rather, complete it. It, being the work in that person’s heart that God is doing. Just be ready and willing to be used by God when he has called you, and leave the convincing to him. In the agriculture business, one may till, one may plant, one may water, and one may harvest. One may also do all three, the point is to know your role and stick to it.

Extra time in the Word Titus 3

Friday, January 23rd
Written By Jack “Banned from 7 states” Eason

Daniel 4:37.
”I . . . praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he able to humble.”

What was your most embarrassing moment? We’ve all had experiences, times when we looked foolish and wished we could borrow Frodo’s ring and disappear from sight. Imagine how embarrassed you would be if you were king of the greatest country on earth and woke up one morning to find that you had been living in the fields with the cows for seven years?

King Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind because he took credit for the ways God had blessed him. One day he was walking on the roof of his palace surveying the beautiful and prosperous city of Babylon. The problem was that Nebuchadnezzar thought it was all his doing. He said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30)
The first thing Nebuchadnezzar did when God restored his sanity was to raise his eyes to heaven and praise the Most High God.

God probably won’t turn us into a lunatic if we get too full of ourselves. But, he may allow us to suffer one of those embarrassing moments. We must give God the credit he deserves for our talents and successes. He created us for his glory. He rescued us from Satan’s power. And, he blesses us with success over and over. Rather than bragging on ourselves like King Nebuchadnezzar, we should praise and glorify him for what he enables us to accomplish. Then, he can bless us with even more opportunities for success because he knows we won’t get all puffed up with pride.

Extra time in the Word Daniel 4

Thursday, January 22nd
Written By Kyle Shultz

Ephesians 5:3-5
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Over the course of my life, I’ve heard a lot of crappy sermons preached from passages like this. The general idea that some mislead believers think is that if they make people feel guilty for doing this, they’ll stop sinning. The thrust of their guilt is by implying that if you do these things that you aren’t saved. My friend, that is a lie from the pit of hell. If you get your eyes off of Christ’s redemption for you and judge yourself by what you do in life, you’ll never measure up! Christ doesn’t look at us that way! Your change wasn’t outward in a transformation of your habits, it was inward in a change of who you are. God sees you in Christ seated with Him in heaven! What this passage is saying is that because you belong to Christ, you were not meant to live like the rest of the world. Because you are different, your habits will be different. The lost are greedy because they are thieves at heart. The immoral are that way because they are adulterous at heart. Because we belong to Christ, we will be different. The only way to not be made into Christ’s image is to refuse His leading and deliberately choose to sin. Don’t do that! You are really missing out if you are! You are on God’s side, don’t wallow in the mud!

Extra time in the Word Ephesians 5