March 26, 2023 – Day 85 One-Year KJV Bible Reading – Deuteronomy 7:1–8:20; Luke 7:36–8:3; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 12:1
HE is God, the Faithful God Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations – Deuteronomy 7:9
Man Doth Not Live But By Every WORD And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. – Deuteronomy 8:2-3
I need Your Word today, Father! Your Word is my Bread, and I am so thankful for all that has proceedeth out of Your mouth. Help me, to love Your Word more, to understand what You provide today, and to meditate on it day and night that I might walk it out for YOUR GLORY!
He Spake Within Himself Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. – Luke 7:39-40
We don’t have to utter a word because, either good or bad, Jesus knows every word in our heart before it comes out. Help me, Lord, to not think thoughts of wickedness but help me to think on your word and thoughts of faith, hope, and love – thoughts of You, JESUS!
My Reproach I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. – Psalm 69:8-10
Reproach – to bring into discredit; to express disappointment in or displeasure with
Learn to Love Reproof Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. – Proverbs 12:1
Reproof – Critique or correction, especially gentle; disapproval
Brutish – carnal; showing little intelligence or sensibility
My Prayer Today Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. – Psalm 69:16
March 25, 2023 – Day 84 One-Year KJV Bible Reading – Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39–7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 11:28
If you look at what He asks of you next to what He promises, that should make obedience a joy.
If You Keep the Commandments of the Lord Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I [Moses] teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. – Deuteronomy 4:1-2
Why did God say don’t add or take away from the Word? He said it so that the Word would not be diminished. If you obey a diminished command, you are not in obedience to the Lord’s actual command.
IF you follow His commands, IF you keep the statutes and judgments taught to you, you will live. Not only will you live, but you will go in and possess the land which the Lord has promised you. That was for Moses day, but it still applies today. There is a land, a place, and a call that He has promised you. It is your Promised Land.
Diminish – to make less or cause to appear less; to lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of; to become gradually less Aught – anything
If You Seek Him, You Will Find Him But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (for the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. – Deuteronomy 4:29-31
IF we seek Him, we will find Him! IF you turn to the Lord and obey His voice, He will not forsake you or destroy you or forget the covenant He made to you.
If You Keep His Statutes and Commandments Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. – Deuteronomy 49:39-40
IF you keep His commandments, things will go well with you, and He will prolong your days on this earth and the days of your children!!!
If You Hear Him and Obey Him And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. – Luke 6:46-49
Here is another promise. If you come to Him, hear Him, and obey Him, you will be like the one who built his house on a good foundation. When the storm comes, your house will stand. If you come to Him, hear Him, and don’t obey, you will be like the one who built his house with no foundation, and when the storm comes, it breaks up immediately.
Let God Arise, Let His Enemies Be Scattered Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. – Psalm 68:1-3
If we keep close to God and live full of the Holy Ghost, our enemies will scatter when He arises in our lives. If they hate Him, they will flee, even from us, who have Him living within. The enemy must leave because nothing of the enemy can stand and stay in the presence of almighty God. On that day, we will be glad and rejoice. But we won’t just rejoice. We will exceedingly rejoice!!!
If You Live Righteously, You Shall Flourish He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. – Proverbs 11:28
Another promise is in this Proverb. If you live righteously, you will flourish.
Righteous – to act in accord with divine or moral law; free from guilt or sin Flourish – to achieve success, prosper; grow luxuriantly, thrive
He said IF… What great promises are given to us today in these passages!!! IF you keep His commands – you will live and possess the land, you will find Him, He will not forsake you or destroy you or forget the covenant He made to you, things will go well with you, and He will prolong your days on earth, and your children’s days. You will be one with a good foundation, and you will flourish
If you look at what He asks of you next to what He promises, that should make obedience a joy.
He said IF…
Thank You, God. Thank You for Your precious promises. Please help me to be obedient to Your Word and Your Will today knowing that every promise and every condition for that promises is for my good and Your Glory. In Jesus Name I ask this. Amen! Amen!
March 24, 2023 – Day 83 One-Year KJV Bible Reading – Deuteronomy 2:1–3:29; Luke 6:12-38; Psalm 67:1-7; Proverbs 11:27
Let It Suffice And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see. – Deuteronomy 3:23-28
As we have made our way through the Old Testament this year, I have wondered if Moses accepted that God wasn’t going to let him enter the Promised Land. Did he ask God at any time to allow him to go in despite that He had sinned in striking the rock instead of leading the people to glorify God by bringing forth water according to God’s direction? Here was my answer, and I have never seen this passage before.
This passage says God would not hear his plea, and then He added – Enough! Be satisfied with seeing it from the top of Mt. Pisgah, and don’t mention it again!!!
I have also wondered if God ever gets tired of our asking the same thing over and over. Well, here we have the answer to that question too.
I guess there is a fine line between persistence and satisfaction with God’s will when it doesn’t seem to go our way. That fine line is what God has spoken. If God has said it, it is so. He is not a man that He should lie.
Help me, Lord, to accept your will in all areas of my life. Please help me to be satisfied. To let it suffice, to wait quietly and prayerfully for Your leading and Your direction.
Suffice – to be enough or adequate for; satisfy
The Way And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. – Luke 6:20-38
When I don’t know what to do, these passages known as the Sermon on the Mount are right here to tell me how to act and how to react. Thank You, Lord, for Your clear direction. What was “The Way?” This Sermon was the message of Jesus. When we say we want to look and act like Jesus, we are to look like this.
We have heard these verses many times, but sometimes we need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us fresh revelation regarding what we have always heard. Today what struck me was this from verse 35 – Lend, hoping for nothing again. How often do I do good deeds, and deep down I hope for something from it? We lend our resources, our joy, our hope, our abilities. We hope that someone notices. Surely God promises us blessings as we are a blessing, but once we start focusing on what we hope for – we lose the blessing because we have made it about us instead of about Jesus.
Help me, Lord, to truly walk this out. To truly walk in THE WAY – Your Way!!! Please help me, that Thy Way may be known in all the earth. In Jesus Name. Amen!!!
That Thy Way May Be Known God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. – Psalm 67:1-2
Seek Good He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. – Proverbs 11:27
March 23 – Day 82 One-Year KJV Bible Reading Numbers 36:1—Deuteronomy 1:46; Luke 5:29–6:11; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 11:24-26
The Lord Will Not Hear If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. – Psalm 66:18-20
Regard – to have or show respect or concern for; to think highly of; esteem Iniquity – Gross injustice; a wicked act or thing; sin
One version says, “if you cherished iniquity in my heart.” Another says, “If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it]”
If I like my sin and refuse to turn away from it, God will not hear my prayers! What a huge, huge price to pay. To not have your Father in heaven hear your prayers. To not know that He is listening to your crys and your requests. To not know that you can commune with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. How sad that would be. Yet, that that isn’t even the highest price. The sins that we regard only lead to an eternity in hell. Turn from sin and turn to Jesus before it is too late. Even one day without a relationship with Jesus is way too high a price to pay!!! Help us all Lord.
The Lord Will Not Hear (An Example from Today’s Reading) And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill. And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah. And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you. – Deuteronomy 1:42-45
Oh Lord, to not have You hear when I call would be way too high a price. Please show me any wicked thing in my life, any thing that I have tolerated, any bit of rebellion to Your commands that keep my prayers from Your ear. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen! Amen!
Jesus Heals – the Scribes and Pharisees are Filled with Madness And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. – Luke 6:6–11
Jesus went against the beliefs of the religious leaders regarding the Sabbath laws. The rule was no work could be done on the Sabbath, and there was a constant battle over what constitutes work. They believed Jesus would sin by healing someone on the Sabbath, but Jesus wasn’t playing that game. He asked them a question. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath or evil deeds? Is this a day to save or destroy life? He looked around at each of them and then said to the man to stretch forth his hand. Jesus healed the man, right there on the Sabbath. The religious leaders were enraged and began discussing what to do with Jesus.
The Generous The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. – Proverbs 11:25
The generous are not the people who have an abundance and decide to give. The generous are the people who provide regardless of what they have. A generous person will share their last bite or the coat off of their back, even if they don’t have an extra…and they will not make you feel bad about it. A generous person will not just share their wealth, but they will share their joy, their piece, their kindness.
Lord, help me, please, to be a generous person with all of Your blessings. In Jesus Name. Amen!!!
A Forty Day Fast As we entered the Easter season of 2020, I began a forty-day fast. Then a couple of days in came the pandemic. What a challenge! But God gave me two prayer warriors whose prayers helped carry me through. And then at the end of the fast I heard this from the Lord. “Tarry there until you are endued with power.” I didn’t understand it. Tarry where? Though I had prayed and pondered and even preached on the Holy Ghost, I still wasn’t exactly sure how it was applicable to me. That morning I wrote these words as I sat in my little prayer closet. I believe as He often does for me that God speaks as I write.
“Old dreams with new anointing by the power of the Holy Ghost will carry you into this next season and usher you through. You will go deep but you will also be required to navigate the currents in the deepest and sometimes loneliest places. You will think you are drowning, but take comfort in My heart and relax as best you can. Though it will be hard, try to stay above water and wait there…until you are endued with power. Then I will come pull you from the riptide. When I do and you are safely back on shore, when you come to, you will see that during the time of struggle this turned into a season of dreams come true…My dreams in you.”
The Old Dreams So what are the old dreams? I dream of a life of missions. Is it crazy that in this hour, at this season of my life, in my heart I identify most with the missionaries. Those that only want to share the Gospel and love people they have only a partial clue about. I dream of them. I dream of teaching the Word and fulfilling the call to disciple. I dream of praying for others and seeing the miraculous. I dream of igniting others with the desire for prayer and the Word that He placed in me. I dream that God would take my writing (such as it is) and use it somehow. I dream of writing by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Missions, the Word, prayer, the miraculous, writing! It seems all over the place, but it is all very precise.
An “Impossible” Awfully Big Dream! According to Google, there are 195 nations in the world. During the pandemic, I took the blog “If anyone knows Melissa…,” which I have kept private since 2008, and made it “public.” I started also posting the Word daily on another blog, “a lamp and a light,” in 2019. In 2022, I added the Podcast “a lamp and a light” and the companion podcast website http://www.lampandlight.org. Today all the blogs, websites, and podcasts focus on spreading the Word of God. Little-by-little I have seen God move and we have now reached 27,105 individuals from 165 nations. It fills me with joy to know that God has used these avenues to send His Word where I have not been able to go.
My Prayer Father, would You give me the nations? As I pray for them and find out more about them would You show me how to use this tool to reach across the world? Lord, I know it is an awfully big dream. I fully know it is something only You can do. Is it Your dream, Lord? I ask again today for the nations as my inheritance…according to Your Word….in Jesus’ holy and precious Name!!! Amen!!!
His Dream I believe in these next years, we will touch the other 30 nations in some way. Won’t it be so amazing, when it is time to go to my heavenly home, to have touched every country in the world and to be greeted in heaven by those same nations? That is my His “impossible” awfully big dream!!!!
The Nations On the list below are the nations touched by the blog and the Podcast. I always put up their flags and I hope on your device you can see them. Being in possession of a nations flag symbolizes victory. That is why I do it. Plus, I think they are beautiful.
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
A Albania 🇦🇱 Algeria 🇩🇿 American Samoa 🇦🇸 Angola 🇦🇴 Antigua 🇦🇬 Argentina 🇦🇷 Armenia 🇦🇲 Austria 🇦🇹 Australia 🇦🇺 Azerbaijan 🇦🇿
M Macau SAR China 🇨🇳 Macedonia 🇲🇰 Madagascar 🇲🇬 Malawi 🇲🇼 Malaysia 🇲🇾 Maldives 🇲🇻 Malta 🇲🇹 Mauritius 🇲🇺 Mexico 🇲🇽 Moldova 🇲🇩 Morocco 🇲🇦 Mozambique 🇲🇿 Myanmar (Burma) 🇲🇲
N Namibia 🇳🇦 Nepal 🇳🇵 Netherlands 🇳🇱 New Zealand 🇳🇿 Nicaragua 🇳🇮 Nigeria 🇳🇬 Norway 🇳🇴
O Oman 🇴🇲
P Pakistan 🇵🇰 Panama 🇵🇦 Paraguay 🇵🇾 Papua New Guinea 🇬🇳 Peru 🇵🇪 Philippines 🇵🇭 Poland 🇵🇱 Portugal 🇵🇹 Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
Q Qatar 🇶🇦
R Romania 🇷🇴 Russia 🇷🇺 Reunion 🇫🇷 Rwanda 🇷🇼
S Saint Lucia 🇱🇨 Samoa 🇼🇸 Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 Senegal 🇸🇳 Serbia 🇷🇸 Seychelles 🇸🇨 Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 Singapore 🇸🇬 Slovakia 🇸🇰 Slovenia 🇸🇮 Solomon Islands 🇸🇧 South Africa 🇿🇦 South Korea 🇰🇷 South Sudan 🇸🇸 Spain 🇪🇸 Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 St. Vincent and Grenadines Suriname 🇸🇷 Swaziland 🇸🇿 Sweden 🇸🇪 Switzerland 🇨🇭
T Taiwan 🇹🇼 Tanzania 🇹🇿 Thailand 🇹🇭 Tobago 🇹🇹 Togo 🇹🇬 Trinidad 🇹🇹 Tunisia 🇹🇳 Turkey 🇹🇷
U Uganda 🇺🇬 Ukraine 🇺🇦 United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 United Kingdom 🇬🇧 United States of America 🇺🇸 Uruguay 🇺🇾
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