Feelings

• We all have conflicting, doubtful thoughts and feelings sometimes. They seem to come from "nowhere" at the most inconvenient or challenging times.
  
  But to willfully, intentionally speak against God is another matter.
  
  We cannot keep a thought from fleeting across our mind--it's the way we are wired. But we can refuse to linger on it. And we absolutely can keep inappropriate words from our mouth: what we speak is a choice of our will and we are accountable for every single word.

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He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand firm like a wall. He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers. But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the desert? (Psa 78:13-19 NIV)

Trust God

• 
   I believe It is a time for us to be sober, focused, certain in Whom we trust, and strong in our relationship with Him.
  
  I remember my grandparents speaking of being"prayed up". Yeah. It's time for that.

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Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. (1 Cor 7:27-31 NIV)

Real Talk

• This is as real as it gets:
  
  You are in a "situation". You read Scripture seeking answers, and you get... nothing.
  
  Don't feel alone in this; nothing is wrong with you. It happens to everyone at times.
  
  If I can find a situation in Scripture similar to my own, I can apply the principle to my life and believe God will do it for me because He did it for someone else. So, as in today's verses, we can ask Him to open our minds and rightfully, in faith, expect Him to do it.

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He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the 

Balance

• Undesirable consequences occur when things get out of balance.
  
  I once had a ceiling fan that was out of balance. I ignored it. And it worked--for a while. Eventually it worked loose and fell (on my bed in the wee hours!). Learned a good lesson from that experience!
  
  So with our lives. If we live out-of-balance, we risk having a "come apart" or even a crash. Better to prevent a problem than to fix one.

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What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17 NIV)

THE POWER OF LOVE

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For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39 NIV)

The Word Above All

• When I read Scripture, I like to "make it real". (Of course, if you have read Today's Seed for a while, you already know that.)
  
  So many situations we read about are the same kinds of emotional conflicts we deal with. Take David's circumstances in today's verses for example.
  
  Has anyone ever responded with hostility to something you did in kindness? It hurt, didn't it? Perhaps you felt anger rising. That was natural. So, how do you think David felt?
  
  We have those natural feelings--and we also have the Holy Spirit to help us respond in a better way than our emotions would drive us.
  
  He will if we ask.

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David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David's men came to the land of the Ammonites, the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Hasn't David sent them to you to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?" So Hanun seized David's men, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away. (2 Sam 10:2-4 NIV)

Don't Lie

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:1-4 NIV)

Your Worth!

• The stresses and demands of life and work can cause you to feel inadequate and undervalued. You can fall into the subtle trap of feeling that you are only worth what you can produce--and often that is significantly less than what is required of you.
  
  It is an accepted principle of economics that "Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it." (Jonathan Reeves) Jesus paid for your life with His own. By His actions, He implied that your life was worth as much as His.
  
  I do not believe that any of us see ourselves as being that valuable. But we should--because Jesus does.

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For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Cor 5:21 NLT)

Choices

• Today's message is about good behavior; however, not everyone embraces that lifestyle...
  
  I had to interact with one of those "harsh and unpleasant" people referred to in today's prayer. This person's behavior is extreme and has affected many lives spanning decades. It affected me again today, and it was a struggle to overcome (again).
  
  It has been said, "What doesn't make you bitter makes you better." The "bitter" part is a choice. The "better" part is a result of the choice not to become bitter from mistreatment. I am grateful to have realized along the way that I had a choice.
  
  Please remember, regardless of circumstances, you have a choice too: You can set your heart to be that wise person in today's verses.

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The wise are known for their understanding, and instruction is appreciated if it's well presented. Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools. From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. Kind words are like honey--sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (Prov 16:21-24 NLT)

Prayer: LORD, one way people evaluate each other is by what they say--and some people's words are so harsh and unpleasant that others avoid them. I want to grow in wisdom and understanding so that my words can be positive and encouraging. As I grow in our relationship, what I say will begin to be healing and comforting, welcomed and appreciated by those who hear. May all my words today be a reflection of You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Go with God

• A good friend believes that God told Him to leave for an extended ministry road-trip on his motorcycle. There were a lot of unanswered questions and he struggled with where he was supposed to go. He confided in me. I could not say, "Yes, it is God. Go." or"No, it is not. Do not go.", because I did not know. I told him this:
  
  "Frank, if you go, you may not know where you are going, but you know Who you are going with." He found peace in that. His decision was to leave. I last heard from him about a week ago.
  
  So it is with our lives. We do not always know where we are going, but we can always know Who we are going with if we keep our faith and trust in God. I find great peace in that. I hope you do too.

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May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Heb 13:20-21 NIV)

Think about it!

• How many good things have I missed because I did not follow God's instruction? How many problems could I have avoided? Only He knows for certain, but I know there have many of both. Perhaps for you too?
  
  God's message to Joseph probably sounded extreme to him. Regardless, he put his thoughts and feelings aside and obeyed God.
  
  We may not see an angel as he did, but God still speaks in various ways. And He really is always right--and I do not say that lightly: It took time and a lot of hard knocks, but I finally learned that He is ALWAYS right, no exceptions.

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This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Mat 1:18-20 NIV)

How Deep is your Love for God?

• What if standing for God meant losing a significant relationship? Or your job? Or friends no longer wanted you around? Or you lost the respect of colleagues? What would you do if given an ultimatum?
  
  This is what I do: I make decisions with God about important things. Then, when challenges arise, because I have already decided, I do not have to think about how I am going to respond. I have already made the choice; I then only have to honor it.
  
  I believe that is how Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) handled the situation in Daniel 3. They had already made their commitment to God. So, when Nebuchadnezzar's order was announced, there was no question what they would do.

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Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." (Dan 3:4-6 NIV)

Ultimate Relationship

• A relationship with someone you trust is beyond value. When I was without it, I wanted it. Having it now, I cherish it because I remember what it felt like not to have it; I know what it is worth.
  
  No matter what your circumstances, you can have such a relationship with God. For me, I found that I had to have it with Him first before I could have it with someone else they way it should be.
  
  That relationship is worth protecting. It is worth doing whatever you have to do to keep it good. Yes, it may require changes, but no matter what it requires, there is nothing worth compromising it for.

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"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Cor 6:18-7:1 NIV)

Where do you place value

• Knowing what something is worth can mean the difference between success and failure. Who would buy a home, an automobile, or an investment without first researching what it is worth?
  
  If the value of those temporary things is important to know, how much more for eternal things, things that determine not just our address or tax bracket, but our "forever destination"?
  
  God says that instruction and knowledge is more valuable than those things, and that wisdom is more valuable than ANYTHING. He has already done the research; I trust His word on it.

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Listen to me! For I have excellent things to tell you. Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and hate every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome and good. There is nothing crooked or twisted in it. My words are plain to anyone with under-standing, clear to those who want to learn. "Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it. "I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. (Prov 8:6-12 NLT)

Confusion brings division!

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Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. (Acts 15:1-2 NIV)

It Takes Two!

• Some people "major on the minors"--they argue and fight about things that ultimately make no difference. I have known some who became so obsessed with minor points that their life got dangerously out of balance and they hurt a lot of people in the process.
  
  There are some things that, as Believers, we absolutely cannot compromise. As for the rest, this is my advice: If someone believes something a little different than you do, give them grace. God is well able to correct anyone who needs correction.

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So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. (1 Cor 8:4,7,9-11 NIV)

Commitment

• "If you had bacon and eggs for breakfast, the chicken was involved, but the pig was committed!" I heard that years ago. I think it communicates the concept of commitment very well.
  
  I used to think that Proverbs 16:3 meant that I made a plan, said some words, and God had to make it happen. I now know that is not the way it works: He does not have to "rubber stamp" what I want.
  
  Commitment involves more than a mental acknowledgment--it requires corresponding action, sacrifice, surrender, trust, and more. And as regards v.3: when our plans agree with God, they will succeed.

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To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (Prov 16:1-3 NIV)

Love

Through each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. (Psa 42:8 NLT)