Seek first His kingdom

Thursday and Friday, October 28 and 29, 2010

Devotions: Ps 40, 50, 51, 54, 103; Sir 31:12-32:2; 34:1-8, 18-22; Rev 12:7-13:10; Lk 11:53-12:31

When I wait patiently for YHWH, He inclines to me and lifts me up and sets me on a high, safe Rock. Blessed are all who trust in YHWH. Lord, You have given me an open ear and open heart. Let Your steadfast love abide with me, and deliver me, to Your honor. Lord, have mercy, by Your abundant goodness, and cleanse me from all sin. Teach me wisdom in my heart; wash me and fill me with Your joy. Create a clean heart within me, and keep me filled with Your Holy Spirit. Let God answer my prayers; I sacrifice to Your, O Lord, for I am delivered from enemies and look in triumph on those who hate me. May my soul bless YHWH, and all that is in me praise His holy name! YHWH is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He separates me from my sins as far as East is from West. YHWH is enthroned in heaven, served by myriads of mighty angels.

When you are the guest of a great man, be abstemious and humble. Judge your neighbor's feelings by your own, and be thoughtful in every situation. Let others take the lead in eating, drinking and conversation. Moderation is a blessing in all things! Be generous in giving, reserved in taking. Wine tests the heart, so take little and appreciate it deeply. Wine taken temperately is a blessing, a joy to heart and mind. Taken in excess, wine brings bitterness and disgrace. Take care of others first, then take what comfort remains for you, quietly and with a grateful heart. Without understanding, it's easy to grasp at phantoms; divination, omens and dreams are folly, unless they are sent by God. You can't give a gift from something stolen; you can't bribe God. Give Him yourself, and don't sacrifice what belongs to others.

There was a war in heaven—Michael led his forces against those of the dragon and his angels; and the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent called Satan and the Devil, deceiver of all the world, cast down with all his angels. And a loud heavenly voice announced, 'Now the salvation and power and kingdom of our God and the authority of His Messiah have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down. Let all heaven and all that dwell there rejoice; the Enemy is conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the testimony of His martyrs. When the dragon saw that he had been cast out, he pursued the woman who had borne the male child. But she was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, where God will protect and nourish her for a time, times, and half a time. The serpent vomited forth waters to try to sweep away the woman with a flood. But the earth came to her aid, and swallowed up the river. The dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to war against all her offspring, on all who keep the commands of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And the dragon stood on the sand of the sea. Then John saw a best rising from the sea, with ten horns, seven heads, and ten diadems on its horns and a blasphemous name on its heads. The beast resembled a leopard, with bear's feet and a lion's mouth. The dragon gave to this beast his power and throne and great authority. One of its heads appeared to have a mortal wound, but the wound was healed, and the whole earth followed the best with wonder. Men worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying 'Who is like the beast? Who could fight against it?' The beast was given a mouth to utter haughty and blasphemous words, and was allowed to exercise authority for 42 months. It blasphemed against God, and His name and His dwelling and those who dwell with God in heaven. And the beast was allowed to war against the saints and to conquer them. The beast was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation; and all who live on earth will worship the beast, all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life. Let those who can, hear this: 'If any one is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if any one slays with the sword, with the sword he must be slain.' Here is a call for the endurance and faith of all the saints!


Jesus was hard-pressed by the scribes and Pharisees, who sought to provoke Him to say something they could use to accuse or discredit Him. Meanwhile, Jesus continued to minister to the multitudes who gathered to Him: 'Beware the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. All that has been hidden will be revealed. What is said in the dark will be revealed in the light; what is whispered in private will be shouted from the rooftops. I tell you, My friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, and then can do nothing more. Fear Him Who can kill and cast into hell; yes, fear Him alone! Yet, people sell five sparrows for two pennies, and not one sparrow is forgotten before God. The very hairs of all your heads have been numbered. So fear not: you are worth more than many sparrows! I tell you, everyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of man will acknowledge before the angels of God; and whoever denies Me before men will be denied before God's angels. Whoever speaks against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not be anxious about how to answer or what to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.' One of the crowd said, 'Teacher, direct my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' But Jesus said to him, 'Man, who made Me a judge or divider over you?' Jesus said to the crowd, 'Take heed; beware of all covetousness. A man's life does not consist in abundance of possessions.' And Jesus told them a parable: 'The land of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, and he thought to himself, "What shall I do? I have nowhere to store this great harvest!" Then he thought, 'I will do this: I will pull down my current barns and build larger ones; there I will store all my grain and goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; now take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.'" But God said to the man, "You fool! This night, your soul is required from you; and the things you have prepared—whose will the be?" So it is for those who lay up treasure for themselves and are not rich toward God.' And Jesus said to His disciples, 'Considering all this, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, or what you will eat, or about your body, or what you will wear. Life is more than food; the body is more than clothing. The ravens neither store nor reap, yet God feeds them. And you are much greater value than the birds! Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to your span of life? The lilies neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. So if God so lavishly clothes the grass of the field, which is alive for a day and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, you people of small faith! Don't seek after what you are to eat or drink, nor be anxious in mind. All the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be yours as well.'