DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 8:
WORD OF WISDOM
There are two kinds of people: Those who climb mountains and those who sit
in the shadow of the mountains and critique the climbers.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Victory over Stress
"And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And
he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my
family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the
LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the
Midianites as one man."
Judges 6:14-16
Many people in our society struggle with stress. A study by AARP a few years
ago identified approximately $300 billion in costs-medical care, lost time
from work, etc.-associated with stress. In their survey, four out of ten
adults said they had trouble sleeping because of stress, slightly over half
had serious worries about their health, and seventy percent worried about
their jobs. While some worries are based on what might happen, others are
based on real problems. As someone put it, the leading cause of stress is
reality.
The situation Gideon faced when God called him to deliver Israel was
certainly stressful. The Midianites had overrun the country, stealing the
food that the Israelites grew. Things were so bad that Gideon was hiding
just to thresh his wheat so that it too would not be stolen and there would
be something to eat. He greeted the news that he had been chosen to lead a
great military campaign with amazement. He did not understand how a victory
was possible.
But God told Gideon the one thing that would make all the difference-that
God would be with him. This is the same promise that Jesus made before He
returned to Heaven: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen" (Matthew 28:20). The burdens may be real, but His presence provides
peace.
The promise of God's presence is our hope of victory, not only over
obstacles, but over stress and worry as well.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Thessalonians 1-3New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's Final Judgment and Glory
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting,
because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all
abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous
judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for
which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay
with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled
rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty
angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God,
and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be
glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe,[a]
because our testimony among you was believed.
11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy
of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the
work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
The Great Apostasy
2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or
troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though
the day of Christ[b] had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for
that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of
sin[c] is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself
above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God[d]
in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these
things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in
his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only
He[e] who now restrains will do so until He[f] is taken out of the way. 8
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with
the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all
power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception
among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth,
that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong
delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be
condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Stand Fast
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved
by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through
sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called
you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were
taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has
loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17
comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Pray for Us
3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly
and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the
evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that
you do and will do the things we command you.
5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the
patience of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to
the tradition which he[g] received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how
you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we
eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and
day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not
have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow
us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not
work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk
among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus
Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if
anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not
keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as
an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Benediction
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The
Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every
epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Footnotes:
a.2 Thessalonians 1:10 NU-Text and M-Text read have believed.
b.2 Thessalonians 2:2 NU-Text reads the Lord.
c.2 Thessalonians 2:3 NU-Text reads lawlessness.
d.2 Thessalonians 2:4 NU-Text omits as God.
e.2 Thessalonians 2:7 Or he
f.2 Thessalonians 2:7 Or he
g.2 Thessalonians 3:6 NU-Text and M-Text read they.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
