DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 20:
WORD OF WISDOM
There is no problem so big that whining won't make it worse.
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DAILY DEVOTION
Faith in Lengthy Trials
"And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because
the LORD had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went
up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and
did not eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou?
and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to
thee than ten sons?"
1 Samuel 1:6-8
There have been times in my life when trouble has come, and I've gone to my
knees in prayer and seen God work almost immediately to resolve the issue.
I've seen Him provide in ways beyond human explanation-ways that could only
be Him at work. There have been other times of trouble when my prayers and
petitions have been every bit just as sincere and heartfelt, when there is
nothing hindering my relationship with God, when I am walking in close
fellowship with Him, but there has been no immediate answer.
God does promise to meet our needs, but He does not promise to work in the
way that seems best to us. What He expects from us is that we trust just as
much when the answer to our prayer is delayed as we do when it comes right
away. The natural tendency in those moments is to think that God has failed
and that we must take matters into our own hands.
That approach always leads to failure. In truth, there are times when the
delay is a vital part of God's plan to strengthen and build us into what He
desires. "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But
let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing" (James 1:3-4). We must continue to trust and wait for God
to work in His time.
The true measure of our faith can only be taken in times when it is put to
the most severe test.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Romans 10-12New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel Needs the Gospel
10 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel[a] is that they
may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but
not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who
does those things shall live by them."[b] 6 But the righteousness of faith
speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into
heaven?'"[c] (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, "'Who will
descend into the abyss?'"[d] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart"[e] (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God
has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be
put to shame."[f] 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for
the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever
calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[g]
Israel Rejects the Gospel
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how
shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,[h]
Who bring glad tidings of good things!"[i]
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has
believed our report?"[j] 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:
"Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world."[k]
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:
"I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,
I will move you to anger by a foolish nation."[l]
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:
"I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me."[m]
21 But to Israel he says:
"All day long I have stretched out My hands
To a disobedient and contrary people."[n]
Israel's Rejection Not Total
11 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an
Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not
cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture
says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 "Lord,
they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am
left, and they seek my life"?[o] 4 But what does the divine response say to
him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the
knee to Baal."[p] 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer
of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.[q] But if it is of works, it
is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have
obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
"God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day."[r]
9 And David says:
"Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always."[s]
Israel's Rejection Not Final
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But
through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the
Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure
riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles,
I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those
who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is
the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from
the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is
holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off,
and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them
became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not
boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not
support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."
20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by
faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural
branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness
and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you,
goodness,[t] if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut
off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted
in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of
the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature
into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural
branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this
mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part
has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26
And so all Israel will be saved,[u] as it is written:
"The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27
For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins."[v]
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the
election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and
the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to
God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so
these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they
also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience,
that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34
"For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?"[w]
35
"Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?"[x]
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory
forever. Amen.
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is
your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you,
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think
soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have
many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one
another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given
to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our
faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in
teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality;
he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Behave Like a Christian
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor
giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the
saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with
those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind
toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with
the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of
all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably
with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place
to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"[y] says the
Lord. 20 Therefore
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."[z]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Footnotes:
a.Romans 10:1 NU-Text reads them.
b.Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5
c.Romans 10:6 Deuteronomy 30:12
d.Romans 10:7 Deuteronomy 30:13
e.Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:14
f.Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16
g.Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
h.Romans 10:15 NU-Text omits preach the gospel of peace, Who.
i.Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15
j.Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
k.Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
l.Romans 10:19 Deuteronomy 32:21
m.Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
n.Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2
o.Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10, 14
p.Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
q.Romans 11:6 NU-Text omits the rest of this verse.
r.Romans 11:8 Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
s.Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22, 23
t.Romans 11:22 NU-Text adds of God.
u.Romans 11:26 Or delivered
v.Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20, 21
w.Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13; Jeremiah 23:18
x.Romans 11:35 Job 41:11
y.Romans 12:19 Deuteronomy 32:35
z.Romans 12:20 Proverbs 25:21, 22
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.
