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Good News Daily

Volume VIII
November 16–22, 2008
Number 46

Sunday, November 16
Philippians 3:13—4:1 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (v.14 NIV)

Toward the end of each year I spend my devotion time looking back on the year with a spiritual perspective. I ask myself if I have grown spiritually during this past year. Am I closer to God today that I was twelve months ago? Have I given time to someone, helping him along his spiritual journey? Have I been a faithful steward with what God has given me this year, and have I been faithful in my tithe? Finally, has my prayer time with Jesus grown deeper this year? Either I have grown or I have slipped back. I do not believe there is such a thing as standing still.

Habakkuk 1:1—2:1; Psalms 66, 67; Matthew 23:13-24

Monday, November 17
James 2:14-26 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (v.17)

Today I am going to have an attitude of gratitude, looking for an opportunity to help someone in need. It may be a random act of kindness or it may be the result of someone asking me for help. Today, may the love of Jesus shine through. Perhaps the result of looking for someone to help will result in me praying with someone for a specific problem he/she may be experiencing. Or, I can always intercede with prayer for someone I know who is in need. Today, my attitude of gratitude will result in action.

Habakkuk 2:1-4, 9-20; Psalm 89:1-18; Luke 16:19-31

Tuesday, November 18
Luke 17:1-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (v.5)

When I first became a Christian, I remember telling the man who led me to Christ that I wanted to have more faith. He told me to be careful what I pray for because God will answer that prayer and it won’t be fun. Soon after I started praying for more faith, I lost my job and was unemployed for many months. Financially and emotionally, it was a very difficult time. Looking back now, spiritually, it was a time of great growth and a faith experience.

Habakkuk 3:1-18; Psalms 97, 99, 100; James 3:1-12

Wednesday, November 19
James 3:13—4:12 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (v.3)

I am at a point in my life when I see God at work, answering my daily prayers. Usually, the answers are in the form of good things for others. I also see God at work in my daily life. I have developed an eye that looks for Him each day. I’m learning to give Him credit for all kinds of little things. I love experiencing God each day.

Malachi 1:1, 6-14; Psalms 101, 109; Luke 17:11-19

Thursday, November 20
Luke 17:20-37 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (vv.20-21)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 12:28-30).

Malachi 2:1-16; Psalm 105:1-22; James 4:13—5:6

Friday, November 21
Malachi 3:1-12 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty. (vv.8-11)

Are you robbing God? If you are not tithing (giving 10%), you are robbing God and are under a curse (v.9). God wants to bless you financially and spiritually (v.10) and to protect that which you already have (v.11). God wants you to test Him (v.10b) by tithing and to see how He will bless you. Try it now; test God and watch Him “open the floodgates of heaven” for you (v.10a).

Psalm 102; James 5:7-12; Luke 18:1-8

Saturday, November 22
James 5:13-20 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. (vv.14-15)

Three years ago, at a healing service, I was healed from damage to the right side of my heart. I had a heart attack four years earlier and it left me with a dead heart on my right side. While I was being prayed over, with the laying-on-of-hands, I was stricken by the Holy Spirit and went down to the ground and laid there for a time. I could feel something going on in my heart. Later, a nuclear stress test confirmed that blood was again flowing through the right side of my heart. Praise God.

Malachi 3:13—4:6; Psalms 107:33-43, 108; Luke 18:9-14

By Michael O’Grody

Used with permission from the BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP
P. O. Box 380, Winter Park, FL 32790