Morning Scripture Reading - Ephesians 6:11

Ephesians 6:11 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil.

Footnotes:

1. Ephesians 6:11 schemings

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 10:17

Proverbs 10:17 New King James Version (NKJV)

17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction [a]goes astray.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 10:17 leads

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 10:16-18

Psalm 10:16-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

16 The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
17 Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 To [a]do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may [b]oppress no more.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 10:18 vindicate
2. Psalm 10:18 terrify

Afternoon Scripture Reading - Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:8-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

Love Your Neighbor

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” [a]“You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Footnotes:

1. Romans 13:9 NU omits “You shall not bear false witness,”

Morning Scripture Reading - John 1:15-18

John 1:15-18 New King James Version (NKJV)

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me [a]is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

16 [b]And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten [c]Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Footnotes:

1. John 1:15 ranks higher than I
2. John 1:16 NU For
3. John 1:18 NU God

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 10:16

Proverbs 10:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

16 The labor of the righteous leads to life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 10:14-15

Psalm 10:14-15 New King James Version (NKJV)

14 But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits[a] himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 10:14 Lit. leaves, entrusts

Afternoon Scripture Reading - Ephesians 1:11-14

Ephesians 1:11-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[a] is the [b]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Footnotes:

1. Ephesians 1:14 NU which
2. Ephesians 1:14 down payment, earnest

Morning Scripture Reading - Colossians 1:15-20

Colossians 1:15-20 New King James Version (NKJV)

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or [a]principalities or [b]powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Footnotes:

1. Colossians 1:16 rulers
2. Colossians 1:16 authorities

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 10:15

Proverbs 10:15 New King James Version (NKJV)

15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 10:12-13

Psalm 10:12-13 New King James Version (NKJV)

12 Arise, O Lord!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”

Afternoon Scripture Reading - John 15:2

John 15:2 New King James Version (NKJV)

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Footnotes:

1. John 15:2 Or lifts up

Mid-Week Message - The Struggle of Self-Esteem

"See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!  But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know him."  1 John 3:1  (NLT)

A couple of weeks ago I told the story of how my daughter was bullied in school and how much anguish she went through because of it.  Another of the experiences she had to endure was being yelled at and belittled in her Physical Education class.  After employing teachers who believed the class should be a fun time, the school hired a young man whose primary focus was on running.  His theory was that "all children can be successful by running."  Now, my child inherited her mother's lack of athletic talent.  Just as running was not an activity that I excelled at, neither was it for her.  This teacher not only allowed the other girls in the class to yell at her but also repeatedly told her his theory that she could be successful because every other child was.  This deepened the hurt that she felt by making her believe that she was in competition with every other child in the world and coming in dead last.

Self-esteem is something many of us struggle with.  When we compare ourselves to those around us, it is easy to find ourselves lacking.  There will always be those that are in better physical condition, wear nicer clothing, drive nicer vehicles or live in nicer homes.  Since I am female I know that girls compare hair, makeup, figures and relationships and allow their perceived deficits to change how they feel about themselves.  But our comparisons often don't stop there.  We carry them into our Christian lives and see ourselves as less spiritual than others.  When that happens we can sometimes find it more difficult to go before the Lord because we think He will know we don't measure up.

I want to assure you that no where in the Bible does it say that Jesus came to die only for those who were worth it.  There were not two lists at the cross.  Genesis tells us that we were all created in God's image and Psalm 139 teaches that He was with us while we were being formed in our mothers' wombs.  When Jesus left Heaven to come to this earth, He came for all of us, not just the elite or the attractive or the most spiritual.  When He was enduring a violent, tragic death, we were all on His mind.  He loves each us exactly as we are.  John 3:16 says "everyone who believes will not perish but have eternal life."  That is all inclusive.  No competitions.  No one is chosen over another.

As long as we keep our eyes on the things of this world we will continue to feel that we don't measure up in one area or another.  When we begin to look to our Father and search His Word to see how He views us, then the way we see ourselves will be transformed.  No longer will it matter that someone else can run faster than us.  What will be most important will be the Savior who gave up everything out of His great love for us and we will be reminded that we are His.  God bless.

Morning Scripture Reading - Hebrews 9:15

Hebrews 9:15 New King James Version (NKJV)

15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 10:14

Proverbs 10:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

14 Wise people store up knowledge,
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 10:8-11

Psalm 10:8-11 New King James Version (NKJV)

8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
9 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 So [a]he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his [b]strength.
11 He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 10:10 Or he is crushed, is bowed
2. Psalm 10:10 Or mighty ones

Afternoon Scripture Reading - 1 John 4:13-16

1 John 4:13-16 New King James Version (NKJV)

13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Morning Scripture Reading - Revelation 21:1-4

Revelation 21:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

All Things Made New

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, [a]John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 21:2 NU, M omit John

Proverbs Scripture Reading - Proverbs 10:13

Proverbs 10:13 New King James Version (NKJV)

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who [a]is devoid of understanding.

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 10:13 Lit. lacks heart

Psalms Scripture Reading - Psalm 10:5-7

Psalm 10:5-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

5 His ways [a]are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
6 He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 10:5 Lit. are strong