To prevent the frustration of falling behind, which most of us tend to do when following a Bible reading plan, each month of this plan gives you only twenty-five readings. Today we start a few “free days” . We encourage you to catch up on any readings you may have missed this month.
If you have finished the month’s readings, you can use these final days of the month to study the passages that challenged or intrigued you.
Daily Devotion
Silence
I find it incredible how the Lord gave me this devotion BEFORE I read Sis. Johnson’s about the importance of stillness.
I had a day last week where I took some time to reflect after reading the story of Mary & Martha serving Jesus (Luke 10:38-42). I want to be QUIET (1 Thessalonians 4:11). I want to know how to be STILL. Dishes will wait. Clean up will wait. I want to sit and LISTEN. I am on a journey, learning how to REST, be present, enjoy the moment. My quiet time in the morning with the Lord is crucial and sets the tone for my day.
The Bible tells us that silence can help us:
- Avoid sinning (Proverbs 10:19, Psalm 4:4)
- Gain respect (Proverbs 11:12, 1 These. 4:11-12)
- Be deemed wise and intelligent (Proverbs 17:27-28)
- Allow God to fight our battles (Exodus 14:14)
- Know HE is God. It exalts God and not ourself (Psalm 46:10)
- Not give full vent to our spirit (Proverbs 29:11)
- Seek the Lord—His strength & His presence (1 Chronicles 16:11)
- Adorn ourself with godliness (1 Peter 3:4)
- Be prudent (Amos 5:13)
- Give grace to those listening (Ephesians 4:29)
- Guards the peace of God in our life (Isaiah 26:3)
- Be strengthened (Isaiah 30:15)
- Obey the teaching of God and give us understanding of where we have gone astray (Job 6:24)
- Do good (Lamentations 3:26)
- Pray (Luke 5:16 Mark 1:35)
- Hear from God, receive instruction (Proverbs 10:8)
- Be understanding (Proverbs 11:12)
- Preserve our life (Proverbs 13:3)
- Keeps us from folly & shame (Proverbs 18:13)
- Keeps us from fretting (Psalm 37:7)
- Feel and respond to the love of God (Zephaniah 3:17)
Help me to be quick to listen and slow to give a response. Help me be even slower to get angry (James 1:19).
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 instructs us to “study to be quiet…” It takes work for some of us. The verse goes on to say do your OWN business, work with your OWN hands. In other words, you worry about YOU. God is going to judge YOU. Let your meek and quiet spirit be a light shining in a LOUD and perverse world. I don’t have to scream the loudest. God will fight my battles. I want to be a difference maker! Let the spirit of God in me change the atmosphere around me.
Song: The more I Seek You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI_1YliutzA
The more I seek you
The more I find you
The more I find you, the more I love you
I wanna sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand
Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand
I melt in your peace, it’s overwhelming
~ Sarah Seagraves