in an unstable WORLD - Bogard Pressbogardpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/SampleX3183.pdfBook...
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Vol. 29, No. 3, Summer Quarter, 2019. Editor in Chief: Kyle W. Elkins, [email protected] Business Manager: Dean Grigsby, [email protected] © 2019, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928 www.bogardpress.org; 1-800-264-2482 Daily Devotionals in an unstable CHRISTIAN WORLD STABILITY 1 Peter; 2 Peter
Transcript of in an unstable WORLD - Bogard Pressbogardpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/SampleX3183.pdfBook...
Vol. 29, No. 3, Summer Quarter, 2019. Editor in Chief: Kyle W. Elkins, [email protected] Business Manager: Dean Grigsby, [email protected] © 2019, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928 www.bogardpress.org; 1-800-264-2482
Daily Devotionals
in an unstable
CHRISTIAN
WORLDSTABILITY
1 Peter; 2 Peter
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Mark David Clements is senior pastor at New Liberty Baptist Church in Garland, Texas. He has been married to Jenny since 1996 and God has blessed them with four children: Noah, Mahlah, Nathan and Rhoda. Mark is a graduate of Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary, and he and his family were privileged to serve in the southern Philippines as missionaries for seven years. During these seven years, Mark served as an instructor and Dean of Students at Philippine Missionary Baptist Seminary and planted Grace Baptist Church. Mark is passionate about studying, teaching and preaching God’s Word and helping people experience transformed lives through faith in Christ. He may be contacted at [email protected].
About the Writers
Dr. Robert A. “Sunny” Brock was born April 15, 1941, to an oil field hand dad and child polio victim mother. He was raised by five old country Irish uncles and was first prize winner of the National Interscholastic League Story Telling Contest. He served nine years as a US Air Force chaplain’s assistant during the Vietnam War era. He attended Baylor University, University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii. He received his Master’s in education from Sam Houston State University and ThD from Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary. Sunny taught eighth grade earth science and vocational
agriculture and also taught women prisoners at Huntsville, TX. He has thirty-eight years of teaching and has tenure at Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary. Dr. Brock has authored articles for newspapers, religious journals and textbooks—Romans—The Fifth Gospel, Teaching Methods for Bible Teachers, Developmental Psychology, Research and Writing Manual for Master and Doctoral Thesis, Bible Backgrounds, Discipleship and Interpretation of the English Bible, Criterion Press. Book credits include Salt Lick Vol. I and Vol. II, Exlibris Press, Turkey Mountain Boys: My Brother’s Keeper, Tate Publishing, OK. He may be contacted at [email protected].
Beverly Barnett grew up in a Missionary Baptist deacon’s home, was saved at the age of nine and joined Hatley MBC, Hatley, MS. She married Nicky Barnett in 1971. Bro. Barnett has pastored in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida for the past twenty-eight years. In each of Brother Barnett’s pastorates, Beverly has taught children in Sunday School or children’s church. Beverly returned to school in 1985 and graduated with honors as a LPN. In 1991, she graduated from Northwest Alabama Community College with an associate degree and became a registered nurse. She
has been a guest writer for “Women of the Harvest” magazine, her hometown newspaper and writes a monthly newsletter. She continues to study the art of writing. She may be contacted at [email protected].
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o May 27 1 Kings 1; 2; Acts 2:1-24
o May 28 1 Kings 3; 4; Acts 2:25-47
o May 29 1 Kings 5; 6; Acts 3
o May 30 1 Kings 7; 8; Acts 4:1-17
o May 31 1 Kings 9; 10; Acts 4:18-37o June 1 1 Kings 11; 12; Acts 5:1-20o June 2 1 Kings 13; 14; Acts 5:21-42o June 3 1 Kings 15; 16; Acts 6o June 4 1 Kings 17; 18; Acts 7:1-20o June 5 1 Kings 19; 20; Acts 7:21-40o June 6 1 Kings 21; 22; Acts 7:41-60 o June 7 2 Kings 1; 2; Acts 8:1-19o June 8 2 Kings 3; 4; Acts 8:20-40o June 9 2 Kings 5; 6; Acts 9:1-19o June 10 2 Kings 7; 8; Acts 9:20-43o June 11 2 Kings 9; 10; Acts 10:1-22o June 12 2 Kings 11; 12; Acts 10:23-48o June 13 2 Kings 13; 14; Acts 11o June 14 2 Kings 15; 16; Acts 12o June 15 2 Kings 17; 18; Acts 13:1-23o June 16 2 Kings 19; 20; Acts 13:24-52o June 17 2 Kings 21; 22; Acts 14o June 18 2 Kings 23; 24; Acts 15:1-18o June 19 2 Kings 25; Acts 15:19-41o June 20 1 Chronicles 1; Acts 16:1-15o June 21 1 Chronicles 2; 3; Acts 16:16-40o June 22 1 Chronicles 4; 5; Acts 17o June 23 1 Chronicles 6; Acts 18o June 24 1 Chronicles 7; 8; Acts 19:1-22o June 25 1 Chronicles 9; 10; Acts 19:23-41o June 26 1 Chronicles 11; 12; Acts 20:1-16o June 27 1 Chronicles 13 —15; Acts 20:17-38o June 28 1 Chronicles 16; 17; Acts 21:1-26o June 29 1 Chronicles 18; 19; Acts 21:27-40o June 30 1 Chronicles 20—23; Acts 22
, June Scripture Readings ,
o July 1 1 Chronicles 24; 25; Acts 23
o July 2 1 Chronicles 26; 27; Acts 24
o July 3 1 Chronicles 28; 29; Acts 25
o July 4 2 Chronicles 1; 2; Acts 26
o July 5 2 Chronicles 3; 4; Acts 27:1-20
o July 6 2 Chronicles 5; 6; Acts 27:21-44
o July 7 2 Chronicles 7; 8; Acts 28
o July 8 2 Chronicles 9; 10; Romans 1:1-17
o July 9 2 Chronicles 11—13; Romans 1:18-32
o July 10 2 Chronicles 14—16; Romans 2
o July 11 2 Chronicles 17; 18; Romans 3
o July 12 2 Chronicles 19; 20; Romans 4
o July 13 2 Chronicles 21—23; Romans 5
o July 14 2 Chronicles 24; 25; Romans 6
o July 15 2 Chronicles 26—28; Romans 7
o July 16 2 Chronicles 29; 30; Romans 8:1-17
o July 17 2 Chronicles 31; 32; Romans:18-39
o July 18 2 Chronicles 33; 34; Romans 9
o July 19 2 Chronicles 35; 36; Romans 10
o July 20 Ezra 1; 2; Romans 11:1-12
o July 21 Ezra 3; 4; Romans 11:13-36
o July 22 Ezra 5; 6; Romans 12
o July 23 Ezra 7; 8; Romans 13
o July 24 Ezra 9; 10; Romans 14
o July 25 Nehemiah 1; 2; Romans 15
o July 26 Nehemiah 3; 4; Romans 16
o July 27 Nehemiah 5; 6; 1 Corinthians 1:1-17
o July 28 Nehemiah 7; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
o July 29 Nehemiah 8; 9; 1 Corinthians 2
o July 30 Nehemiah 10; 11; 1 Corinthians 3
o July 31 Nehemiah 12; 13; 1 Corinthians 4
, July Scripture Readings ,
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o August 1 Esther 1; 2; 1 Corinthians 5
o August 2 Esther 3; 4; 1 Corinthians 6
o August 3 Esther 5—7; 1 Corinthians 7:1-18
o August 4 Esther 8—10; 1 Corinthians 7:19-40
o August 5 Job 1; 2; 1 Corinthians 8
o August 6 Job 3; 4; 1 Corinthians 9
o August 7 Job 5; 6; 1 Corinthians 10
o August 8 Job 7; 8 ; 1 Corinthians 11
o August 9 Job 9; 10; 1 Corinthians 12
o August 10 Job 11; 12; 1 Corinthians 13
o August 11 Job 13; 14; 1 Corinthians 14:1-22
o August 12 Job 15; 16; 1 Corinthians 14:23-40
o August 13 Job 17; 18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
o August 14 Job 19; 20; 1 Corinthians 15:20-34
o August 15 Job 21; 22; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58
o August 16 Job 23; 24; 1 Corinthians 16
o August 17 Job 25; 27; 2 Corinthians 1
o August 18 Job 28; 29; 2 Corinthians 2
o August 19 Job 30; 31; 2 Corinthians 3
o August 20 Job 32; 33; 2 Corinthians 4
o August 21 Job 34; 35; 2 Corinthians 5
o August 22 Job 36; 37; 2 Corinthians 6
o August 23 Job 38; 39; 2 Corinthians 7
o August 24 Job 40; 41; 2 Corinthians 8
o August 25 Job 42; 2 Corinthians 9
, August Scripture Readings ,
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Our Hope as God’s ChildrenPhilippians 3:20, 21
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,” Philippians 3:20.
The word “conversation” in this passage is translated from a word that means citizenship. Our citizenship is in Heaven. To become an American citizen, one has to be born of an American citizen. Foreigners must apply and be invited, have a sponsor, a potential job, register Form N-400, have two passport photos, legal documents, Form N-648, fingerprints, photo, criminal background check, USCIS interview, have Form N-400 accepted, pass a rigorous American history and law test take an oath of allegiance and receive a Certificate of Naturalization. Citizenship in Heaven requires the one and only sponsor, Jesus Christ, an invitation—“Come unto me…and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). One must meet the qualifications of citizenship: “Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:12, 13). Abraham lived as a pilgrim and a stranger in a foreign land. He could have built a city. But God had promised that he was a citizen of the city that God built. God’s children await the same city. Our citizen-ship in the New Jerusalem is registered in the Lamb’s Book of Life. “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it…and the Lamb is the light thereof.…And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.…they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:22-27).
THOUGHTWhere is your eternal citizenship?
Robert Brock
Monday, May 27
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Our Attitude Toward Our Trials
James 1:2, 3, 8
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations [trials];…the trying of your faith worketh patience,” James 1:2, 3.
For the Christian, joy does not depend on outward circumstances. Biblical joy is an attitude that is usually based on a positive outcome, regardless of the present environment. Jesus was hanging on the cross in pain. However, Hebrews 12:2 says that He had joy “set before him.” Hebrews 2:10 reveals the reason for His joy in His gruesome capital punishment. He was bringing millions of children into the Father’s family. Jesus illustrated this attitude in John 16:21, “A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow…but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” My mother was amazing at administering attitude adjustments. She made me think that she was so grateful to have my help, since I was “so smart and thoughtful.” If that did not work, she used reverse psychology: “I really do not want you to pick up after yourself. Just leave your things thrown all around, and your mother will come home after working ten hours and pick up after you like a baby.” Guilt was a good manipulator. If that did not work, she had other ways of changing my attitude, ways I would rather not discuss.
THOUGHTA bad attitude is like a flat tire;
you cannot go anywhere until you change it.
Robert Brock
Tuesday, May 28
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Our Eternal SecurityJohn 10:28-30
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,” John 10:28.
Have you ever tried obtaining information about your account on the Internet and had to deal with security blocks? The first thing the company wants to know is your user name. Most likely you have forgot-ten your user name long ago. The agent gives you steps to reset your user name. You receive the secret security code to insert in the little box. You change your user name, and they fire back, “That name is already used by one of our customers.” You have no doubt you are that customer. Then, pretending to help, the agent asks you for your current email address. He tells you, “That email address is already in use, try another email address. He asks for your password which you do not remember. He leads you through the same procedure and asks you to change your password, only to find out that someone else already has that password. The only user name and password that guarantees eternal security in Heaven is Jesus Christ. “For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
THOUGHTRest easy, no one is able to take you out
of the Father’s hand. He is greater than all.
Robert Brock
Wednesday, May 29
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God’s Eternal LoveRomans 8:31-39
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Romans 8:38, 39.
God’s love for His children is based on His eternal love for His only begotten Son and the Son’s permanent sacrifice for our souls. As long as God loves His Son, He loves us eternally with agape unconditional love, often translated charity. This supernatural energy, love, runs the universe and powers Christianity. “He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Statistics reveal that love in America is declining, forty percent of all first time marriages end in divorce because partners claim they stopped loving each other. “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12). This phenomena peaked in the 1980s then began declining to thirty percent. The number one reason for the decline was infidelity. Another reason for decline in divorces is many young adults are living together outside marriage. When, one desires to walk out of the relationship, he feels free of any obligation. God is eternal, therefore, His love is eternal. In Jeremiah 3, He told the nation of Israel He would divorce it for its spiritual infidelity with the idol gods of the Canaanites. However, He would take the nation of Israel back when it came to its senses and stopped worshiping rocks and tree stumps that could not help. When my wife and I said “I do,” we agreed to the commitment, in sickness or in health, for richer or poorer, until death do us part.
THOUGHTLet God use you as His way
to love others with eternal love.
Robert Brock
Thursday, May 30
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Dealing with Our Sins1 John 1:7-9
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:7-9.
These three verses begin with “if,” which means a condition must be met before the sinner can participate in the blessing of forgiveness and mercy. “If” we walk in Jesus’ light, “if” we stop pulling the wool over our own eyes, pretending we are not sinners, “if” we confess our sins in sincere repentance, then, God will cleanse us, forgive our sins and restore our fellowship with Him. In Psalm 51, King David begged God for forgiveness and resto-ration of His fellowship. He never lost his relationship as God’s son. However, he was miserable out of God’s fellowship, ignoring the convic-tion of the Holy Spirit until he humbled himself before God. God was still right where David left Him. When we are out of fellowship with those who love us, the Holy Spirit convicts our conscience until we give up and ask forgiveness. John 16 teaches that one of the Holy Spirit’s jobs is to convict our conscience until we get sick and tired of rejecting God’s offer of mercy. Jesus is waiting with open arms to say, “I love you this much.” Then, we can smile from the heart and mean it.
THOUGHT“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand
of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
Robert Brock
Friday, May 31
