Today's Soul Food
 

 

FEBRUARY 22

GOLDEN WORDS


 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also for give you.

Matthew 6:14 - KJV

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

Matthew 6:14 - NIV


For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Matthew 6:14 - NASB

He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.

 

 

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman


February 22

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3; "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time..." 1 Corinthians 4:5a.

In the descriptive parable of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:2430) the servant asked the owner if he should uproot what he thought were the tares. The owner replied that the man should let them grow together until the harvest. The lesson is explicit: we cannot possibly know who are the wheat and who are the tares. God alone is the Judge of minds and hearts.

"...You are clean, though not every one of you" John 13:10b. If ever there was a tare that tore mankind it was Judas, yet Jesus washed his feet and showed him every courtesy in a supreme and final effort to save Judas from himself. How it must have grieved Jesus to know that this man, who had walked and supped with Him for over three years, was about to betray Him. And yet we want to tear out the tares from our lives, tares that we are! "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" John 6:70. What possible reason could Jesus have to choose His very betrayer as one of His inner circle? Was Jesus using Judas to teach us several of His great lessons? Judas left all to become a follower, only to finally become the greatest blot on humanity. Surely Judas was given every opportunity to repent. One wonders how Judas' heart could have been so dark and hard as to not melt at Jesus' continued love and kindness. We ask, why did Jesus choose Judas? Why did He choose me?

Is Jesus warning us that we have no right to judge who will be His chosen because we happen to think we know who are the tares? May Jesus save us from ourselves!

Pat Nordman ©

 

 

 


Today's Bible Question ?


  Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. What was thirty pieces of silver equivalent to in the O.T.?  
 

Previous question and Answer:

What woman of Jericho was spared when Joshua's men took the city?

Rahab (Joshua 6:17)

 

 

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions

Spurgeon's Morning for February 20

  

Spurgeon's Evening February 20
 

"His bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.."

- Genesis 49:24

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There is nought that we can do without the power of God. All true strength comes from "the mighty God of Jacob." 

 

"The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power."

-  Nahum 1:3

 

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The Lord is slow to anger," because he is GREAT IN POWER. He is truly great in power who hath power over himself. When God's power doth restrain himself, then it is power indeed: the power that binds omnipotence is omnipotence surpassed.

 
 

 

 

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EIGHT GIFTS THAT COST NOTHING

1) THE GIFT OF LISTENING... But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening. 

2) THE GIFT OF AFFECTION... Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends. 

3) THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER... Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you." 

4) THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE... It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life. 

5) THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT... A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day. 

6) THE GIFT OF A FAVOR... Every day, go out of your way to do something kind. 

7) THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE... There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others. 

8) THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION... The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it's not that hard to say, Hello or Thank You. 

Author Unknown 

 

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February 22 Psalms 31:1 -35:28
Linked to Bible Gaitway TM 

 

 

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Today's  Devotion

 

 

But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

Job 16:5 (NIV)

A Code for Resistance

by Cathy Vinson

When a person sets himself as an offender and intrudes into our lives and sense of well-being, Jesus gave us this clear guideline.

But what about you and I? Do we offend? How far does Jesus want us to push on an issue when we encounter resistance? We may even feel for such a high cause we are justified in pushing. But God protects that person's freedom of response and doesn't condone violating it. A few Scriptures may help us with this.

  • 1 Samuel 17:28-30. David and Eliab. Eliab is offended by his youngest brother's probing and says, "Why have you come down here?...I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is...' To this David replies, 'What have I done? Can't I even speak?' He (David) then TURNED AWAY to someone else...
  • Matthew 15:12-14. Jesus and the Pharisees. When the disciples ask Jesus, "Do You know the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?," He responded, ...LEAVE them alone; they are blind guides.

  • Luke 9:52-54. Jesus and a Samaritan village. As the disciples went ahead of Christ and found the people there did not welcome Him, "...they went to ANOTHER town."

In each case, there was no further pushing the issue at that time.

We all desire open hearts to await us. At such a time "our peace can rest upon a man of peace." If not, we are to "let our peace return to you (Luke 10:6);" it's time to pass by and go where welcome. Let us respect the juncture we are at with people and not push or force a resistant heart. This is not our territory, but now rests with the Holy Spirit. Through His softening a day may come where you (or another) will not have to pass by, but will pass THROUGH.

"Do not resist an evil
person ..."

(Matthew 5:39)
 
Do we offend? How far does Jesus want us to push on an issue when we encounter resistance? ... God protects that person's freedom of response and doesn't condone violating it.  

Send a note to Cathy Vinson , the writer of this devotion.

Other Whispers from the Wilderness Devotions are found HERE

 

 

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All the Rest February 22

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Copyright Information: Phillip Bower is not the author of the humor, and does not claim to own any copyright privileges to the jokes. Sources of jokes are listed when known. Birthday's and Happenings for the date, and quotations are public knowledge and collected from numerous sources. Quotations are public knowledge and sources are listed when known. Weekendspirations are written by Tim Knappenberger who has copyright privileges. Cathy Vinson authors Whispers from the Wilderness and owns copyright privileges. Weekendspirations and Whispers from the Wilderness are used with permission by the respective authors. Other devotions are written by Phillip Bower unless otherwise stated. In all cases credit is given when known. The Daily Miscellany is nonprofit. Submissions by readers is welcome.