Refreshing

Daily
in Gods Word
Emphasis on
 December 2017
December 2016
 Who is the Lord?
December 1
Bible Reading: Exodus 5:1-9
Key Verse: Verse 2- And Pharaoh said, Who is the
LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I
know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."
Key Words: Who is the LORD

What a shame that Pharaoh genuinely didnt know

who the Lord is!
Did you know today that there are over three thousand
different religions, and just about all of them worship a
different God than you or I do? Most people, both past and
present, fit in with Pharaoh, and could easily ask, Who is the
Lord? We live in a confused world especially concerning the
true and living God.
On an average day in America, twenty-nine new
products are introduced, each person is exposed to eighteen
hundred commercial messages, and $700 million is spent on
advertising. With such a barrage of messages bombarding
American people, it is imperative that we make the gospel of
Jesus Christ crystal clear. We dont want anybody to miss the
most important message of all!
A university student was seen with a large K on his
T-shirt. When someone asked him what the K stood for, he
said, Confused. But, the questioner replied, you dont
spell 'confused' with a K. The student answered, You dont
know how confused I am. So it is with having the righteous
knowledge of God. We fail to understand just how confused
this world really is.

What to do:
Give the gospel and make your presentation crystal
clear.
 Who is Faithful?
December 2

Bible Reading: Numbers 12:1-13

Key Verse: Verse 7 My servant Moses is not so,
who is faithful in all mine house."
Key Words: who is faithful in all mine house

Moses stands in some rare company. He is one of only

a few who are said to be meek. He is only one of a few to
make it into Gods Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11). He now is
said to be the most faithful person in all of Israel.
I long to hear the Lord say, Well done, thou good and
faithful servant. I cant even begin to imagine being told by
the Lord that I am meek, and one of the most faithful to His
work on earth. Wow!!!
While we may not fit into the same category as Moses,
we can all be faithful.
An elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons
one Sunday morning before the service. Pastor, said the
man, something must be wrong with your preaching and
your work. Theres been only one person added to the church
in a whole year, and hes just a boy. The minister listened,
his eyes moistening and his thin hand trembling. I feel it all,
he replied, but God knows Ive tried to do my duty. On that
day the ministers heart was heavy as he stood before his
flock. As he finished the message, he felt a strong inclination
to resign. After everyone else had left, that one boy came to
him and asked, Do you think if I worked hard for an
education, I could become a preacherperhaps a
missionary? Again tears welled up in the minsters eyes.
Ah, this heals the ache I feel, he said. Robert, I see the
Divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think
you will become a preacher. Many years later, an aged
missionary returned to London from Africa. His name was
spoken with reverence. Nobles invited him to their homes.
He had added many souls to the church of Jesus Christ,
reaching even some of Africas most savage chiefs. His name
was Robert Moffat, the same Robert who years before had
spoken to the pastor that Sunday morning in the old Scottish
kirk. Lord, help us to be faithful. Then give us the grace to
leave the results to you.

What to do:
Be faithful to God and leave the results to Him.

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Who Led Thee?

December 3

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 8:7-17

Key Verse: Verse 15 - " Who led thee through that
great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery
serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there
was no water; who brought thee forth water out of
the rock of flint;"
Key Words: Who led thee through that great and
terrible wilderness

Three times in two verses the Lord asked the

question, Who? Who led thee (verse 15)? Who brought
forth water (verse 15)? Who fed thee (verse 16)? But notice
Israels response as found in verse 17, And thou say in thine
heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me
this wealth.
If theres a way for us to take credit for something, we
will.
A farmer took a piece of bad earth and made things
flourish thereon. Proud of his accomplishments, he asked his
minister to come by and see what he had done. The minister
was impressed. Thats the tallest corn Ive ever seen. Ive
never seen anything as big as those melons. Praise the Lord!
He went on that way about every crop, praising the Lord for it
all. Finally the farmer couldnt take it anymore. Reverend,
he said, I wish you could have seen this place when the Lord
was doing it by himself.
Like I said, if we can take the credit, then we will.
Our motto ought to be Galatians 1:5, To whom (God)
be glory forever and ever. Amen.

What to do:
Remember we are mere clay in the potters hand.
John 15:5b, For without Me, ye can do nothing.

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Who Made the Image?

December 4

Bible Reading: Judges 17

Key Verse: Verse 4 Yet he restored the money unto
his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels
of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made
thereof a graven image and a molten image: and
they were in the house of Micah."
Key Words: who made thereof a graven image

What you do with your money speaks volumes about

what is important in your life. Micah took the 200 shekels of
silver his mother gave him to make a molten image to
worship.
Now I doubt that any of us would do that, but we do
buy houses, lands, recreational equipment, etc., and we often
do worship itwhich is no different than what Micah did.
I love Monopoly. Im a consummate entrepreneur. I
like taking something, crafting and building it to then see how
I can expand it more. When I play this game, I get very
Trumpheptic in the way I try to take over. My main goal
and aim is to purchase Park Place and Boardwalk because
they are the most valuable properties on the board. If I get
those two pieces of property, then Ive begun building Mr.
Evanss neighborhood. I will put up some green houses and
start charging rent. And if you cant pay, then you must leave
the game. Im a barracuda when I am playing Monopoly.
There is also a depressing time when I am playing
Monopoly. That is when the game is over. It is then that Im
reminded it was all a game. When the game is over, the green
houses, the red hotels, and all that paper money must go back
into the box. Then we close the box and I come back to the
real world.
One day, they are going to close the box. When they
do, it will not matter what you left behind because its going to
someone else. When they close the box, what will matter is
what you forwarded ahead. What time, talents, and treasures
you had that had eternity attached to them.

What to do:
Lay up your treasures in heaven.

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Who Art Thou?

December 5

Bible Reading: Ruth 3:8-18

Key Verse: Verse 9 And he said, Who art thou? And
she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread
therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for
thou art a near kinsman."
Key Words: I am Ruth

You find the question, Who art thou? twice in

chapter three. In verse 9, Boaz asks, Who art thou? and her
answer was, I am Ruth thine handmaid. The word
handmaid simply means a female servant. In verse 16,
Naomi asks the question, Who art thou? but no answer is
given.
What a great question, Who art thou? So let me ask
each of us, Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we
going? How do we get there? Well, as for me, I am a child of
God. I am here for Gods good pleasure and glory. I am going
to heaven because I have been born again by the grace of God
through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8).
A.B. Simpson is reported to have said that the gospel
Tells rebellious men that God is reconciled, that justice is
satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of
the guilty may be revoked, the condemnation of the sinner
cancelled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell
closed, the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin
subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart
comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone."
To God be the glory for the great things He hath done!

What to do:
Honestly answer the following---
Who are you?
Why are you here?
Where are you going?
How do you get there?

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Who Am I?
December 6

Bible Reading: I Samuel 18:17-26

Key Verse: Verse 18 And David said unto Saul,
Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family
in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?"
Key Words: Who am I

The question David asked King Saul was one of

genuine humility. While others saw in David a warrior, a
leader, a future king, David could see none of it. Who am I,
he asked.
For most men, getting behind the wheel in the car with
their wife as the passenger can be a lesson in humility.
You are driving down the highway.
 Your wife says, Honey, do you know where you are
going?
Yeah, I know exactly where we are. Sweat is popping
up on your forehead, because you dont want to admit that
you are lost.
Well, honey, why dont you pull over, and ask
somebody?
You dont understand, ladies. To ask us to pull over
and ask somebody is an attack on our manhood. What you
are telling us in a nice way is, you dont know what you are
doing.
The farther you drive, the harder it is to admit that
youre lost. So now you have to compensate for your losses.
We are almost there. Just two more lights and we should be
there. All the while you are hoping, sweating, and praying
that you luck your way onto the right road. Prayer meetings
are going on in the car now as you silently think, Father,
show me which way to go.
All of this energy is expended to avoid having to ask
for help. A lack of humility can really get in the way of
reaching ones destination.
David was a great warrior, he was a great leader, and
he was a great king because he had a great humility.

What to do:
Memorize Matthew 23:11

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Who is a Rock?
December 7

Bible Reading: II Samuel 22:29-37

Key Verse: Verse 32- For who is God, save the
LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?"
Key Words: and who is a rock, save our God
 The word rock symbolizes strength and power. So
David asked, who is a rock (Who is our strength and power?)
save our God (only Jehovah).
Voltaire, the French philosopher, was a pagan who
cursed God. He believed that there was no God. He believed
that thinking about God was an exercise for people of lower
intellectual ability. Voltaire ridiculed the thought of God. But
then as it goes for all men, it came time for him to die. He lay
there on his deathbed desperately in need of God. He
screamed and hollered. In fact, Voltaires nurse is recorded as
saying that she never wanted to see another man die like
Voltaire because this man died in agony, foaming at the
mouth with hell looming before his eyes. Here was a man
who cursed God and Gods Word.
Now, if you go over to his house today, its a Bible
factory where they make Bibles that are sent around the
world. God can take folk who cuss Him out and use the place
they used to cuss Him out to write His Word and distribute it
to other people. He is a God who can take evil and make it
turn out for the good. God could take men who condemned
Jesus to death, and then use their condemnation for our
salvation. They can allow sinful men to pin Him to the cross
so that you and I might be redeemed. So dont get upset
because evil men are doing evil things. Just tell your King to
use His power to take their evil for your good. Thats the kind
of God you have.
Gods power is unlimited. Gods power is potent. He
is our Rock.

What to do:
Take comfort in the Rock of your salvation.
 Who is Able?
December 8

Bible Reading: I Kings 3:1-15

Key Verse: 9 Give therefore thy servant an
understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may
discern between good and bad: for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people?
Key Words: who is able to judge this thy so great
people

Solomon is about to become the King of Israel. He

sees himself as being unable to fulfill such a role. He sees
himself as a child, and doesnt even know how to leave or
enter the house. So he asks God for discernment to judge with
wisdom. When he says , who is able to judge this thy so
great a people, in essence hes saying that this job is too big
for me. With all of Solomons faults, you have to admit
Solomons honesty.
A number of years ago the Douglas Aircraft company
was competing with Boeing to sell Eastern Airlines its first big
jets. War hero Eddie Rickenbacker, the head of Eastern
Airlines, reportedly told Donald Douglas that the
specifications and claims made by Douglass company for the
DC-8 were close to Boeings on everything except noise
suppression. Rickenbacker then gave Douglas one last chance
to out-promise Boeing on this feature.
After consulting with his engineers, Douglas reported
that he didnt feel he could make that promise. Rickenbacker
replied, I know you cant. I just wanted to see if you were still
honest.
Wisdom begins when we are truly honest about
ourselves! That we cant, but God can. Honesty is truly a
great quality.

What to do:
Be honest to yourself and be honest with others.
 Who was that Mighty Man?
December 9

Bible Reading: I Chronicles 11:4-19

Key Verse: Verse 12 And after him was Eleazar the
son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three
mighties."
Key Words: who was one of the three mighties

The three mighty men of David were actually chiefs of

three groups of mighty men who protected David. They were
Joab (vs. 8), Jashobeam (vs. 11), and Eleazar (vs. 12). The
mighty men of David were great warriors and protectors of
the king.
J. Vernon McGee writes about mighty men when he
says:
David had been brought up in Bethlehem. That was
his hometown. There was a well at the entrance there, and
many a time after he had been out with his sheep, he had
come back thirsty and had stopped at that well to get a drink.
Now the Philistines have him holed up and he cannot get to
that well. He said, I sure would like to have a drink from that
well. It was just a wish, not a command. These three men
broke through the lines of the Philistines and got the water
and brought it to David. The interesting thing is that he
would not drink it, but he poured it out as a drink offering to
God.
There are some analogies we can make from this.
Jesus was born at Bethlehem, and He is that Water from
Bethlehem; He is the Water of Life. There are many of the
mighty men of Jesus Christ who down through the centuries
have taken this Water to a thirsty world. I think of
Livingstone, Judson, Henry Martin, and other wonderful
missionaries of the past. Then there are all the missionaries
today. I have visited them in Mexico, South America, Africa,
Asia, and Europe. These are the ones who have left
everything to penetrate barriers in order to get the Word of
God to a thirsty world. The Lord takes note of them, my
friend. They are listed among the mighty men. Praise God for
His mighty people who carry the gospel around the world.
What to do:
Join in and be one of Gods mighty people.

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Who Gave Himself?

December 10

Bible Reading: II Chronicles 17:10-19

Key Verse: Verse 16 And next him was Amasiah the
son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the
LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty
men of valour."
Key Words: who willingly offered himself unto the
LORD

Not much is known about Amasiah other than who his

father is (Zichri), and that he gave himself to the Lord. Now
while this may not be much, its more than can be said of
many today.
It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian
Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When
they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, What
will you give me if I release you? The half of my wealth,
was his reply. And if I release your children? Everything I
possess. And if I release your wife? Your Majesty, I will
give myself. Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he
freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his
wife, Wasnt Cyrus a handsome man! With a look of deep
love for her husband, she said to him, I didnt notice. I could
only keep my eyes on youthe one who was willing to give
himself for me.

What to do:
Give yourself to the Lord.
 Who Prayed This?
December 11

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1

Key Verse: Verse 11- O Lord, I beseech thee, let now
thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant,
and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear
thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this
day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
For I was the king's cupbearer."
Key Words: who desire to fear thy name

Have you ever studied the prayer of Nehemiah? It

begins in verse 6 and continues through the remaining verses
of chapter one. Notice what he prayed for.
He first of all asked God to pay attention to his prayer.
Secondly, he prayed it night and day. Third, he confessed the
sin of his nation. Fourth, he confessed that his people had
failed to keep Gods commandments, statutes, and judgments.
Finally, he closed out his prayer by saying he was
nothing specialonly a servant of God. He also reveals his
resignation from being the kings cup bearer.
I am convinced that Nehemiah was successful for two
primary reasons. First, God was truly preeminent in his life;
and secondly, he was a man of prayer. No less than six times
you find him praying in the short but powerful book.
Sometimes its not a matter of what weve prayed, but
have we prayed at all.
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and
regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a
separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart
to God. Over time the paths to these places became well
worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect
prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly
remind the negligent one, Brother, grass grows on your
path.

What to do:
Dont let the grass grow on your path.
 Who Can Control His Tongue?
December 12
Bible Reading: Job 4:1-9
Key Verse: Verse 2 If we assay to commune with
thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold
himself from speaking?"
Key Words: who can withhold himself from
speaking

Eliphaz who was a friend of Job asked this question

of Job. If we bring everyone in and commune and discuss
why you are going through these trials, everyone is going to
have something to say.
They are all going to have an opinion. I have often
said opinions are like belly buttonseverybodys got one.
In 1968, producer Don Hewitt asked Harry Reasoner
to make a pilot for a new show called 60 Minutes. Reasoner
agreed to the project but predicted it wouldnt fly. I said,
Sure, but I also said I didnt think it would fly. Twenty-
three successful years later, Harry Reasoner retired to editor
emeritus at age sixty-eight. The late reporters experience
with 60 Minutes taught him something about opinions.
When God asks us to do something, it is wise to remember,
My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the Lord (Isaiah 55:8).
We all have opinions and like our belly buttons, we
need to keep them to ourselves.

What to do:
Remember he who has an opinion about everything
will seldom be heard by anyone.
 Who is Your Health?
December 13

Bible Reading: Psalm 43

Key Verse: Verse 5 Why art thou cast down, O my
soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in
God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of
my countenance, and my God."
Key Words: who is the health of my countenance

Your countenance is your facial expression. It is your

face revealing what your heart is feeling. So a bright (Godly)
countenance reveals a healthy heart.
In answer to the question, Where is happiness?
Clarence Macartney said, Its not found in pleasureLord
Byron lived such a life if anyone did." He wrote, The worm,
the canker, and the grief are mine alone. Happiness is not
found in moneyJay Gould, the American millionaire, had
plenty of that. When dying, he said, I suppose I am the most
miserable man on earth. Its not found in position and fame
Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He
wrote, Youth is a mistake, manhood a struggle, and old age a
regret. Its not found in military gloryAlexander the Great
conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he
wept in his tent because, he said, There are no more worlds
to conquer.
But the Psalmist knew where to find this happiness
when he said, and my God (verse 5).

What to do:
Remember your face reveals what your heart feels.
 Now Thats a Find
December 14
Bible Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31
Key Verse: Verse 10 Who can find a virtuous
woman? for her price is far above rubies."
Key Words: Who can find a virtuous woman?

There are plenty of beautiful women around, but

finding a woman that is not only beautiful outwardly, but
inwardly as well; now thats a find.
Its the woman that is inwardly beautiful that is called
virtuous. Virtuous means someone that lives with high moral,
ethical, and spiritual values.
A geode is a hollow rock with a beautiful crystal inside.
These are formed as water, high mineral water, keeps flowing
through these hollow rocks. The minerals get stuck there, and
the water continues to flow over it. As more minerals gather,
it produces a beautiful crystal that you can buy in a jewelry
store. In fact, the more water that flows, the more beautiful
the crystal becomes. Now, the external covering begins to
wear and weather over time, but inside the crystal is getting
prettier and prettier. This is like the woman where God
continues to flow on her inside. She may be getting older, and
the wrinkles may be starting to show up. She may have even
picked up a few pounds. Things may not look like they used
to look on the outside, because of the flow, but on the inside,
shes getting prettier all the time. Now, that truly is a find!

What to do:
Its a lot easier to find a woman with outer beauty
than inward!
 Who Knows?
December 15

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Key Verse: Verse 5 As thou knowest not what is the
way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the
womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest
not the works of God who maketh all."
Key Words: thou knowest not the works of God
who maketh all

There are a lot of things I dont know, but that should

not stop me from doing those things that I do know. Let me
explain.
The formation of the fetus and the physical birth of a
baby are still great mysteries today. Spiritual rebirth is an
even greater mystery. You do not know how the Spirit will
move. The Lord Jesus said that, The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell
whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is
born of the Spirit (John 3:8). There is a great deal that we do
not know.
I believe the point is simply this: Dont let what you
dont know disturb what you do know. Let me give an
example. Any person knows enough to sit in a chair. There is
an empty chair in my study right now. I dont mind getting up
and going over there to sit down. Now there are a lot of things
I dont know about that chair. I dont know anything about its
constructionwho made it or how it was madebut I do
know that I can sit in that chair and it will hold me up. That is
really all I need to know about the chair. So dont let what you
dont know disturb what you do know.

What to do:
Dont worry about what you dont know; just carry
out what you do know.
 Who Will Go?
December 16

Bible Reading: Isaiah 6

Key Verse: Verse 8 Also I heard the voice of the
Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for
us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."
Key Words: who will go for us?

God had a message which needed to be carried to the

nation of Israel. Isaiah was willing to go, but declared he was
just as unclean spiritually as the others in Israel. So God had
an angel touch his lips with a live coal, which purged his sin.
It was sin that kept Isaiah from going, but after his sin was
purged, he said,Lord, here am I, send me.
This raises an interesting thought. Sin is what keeps
us from obeying the call of GodSIN!
I read an interesting story of the eleventh century
King Henry III of Bavaria who grew tired of court life and the
pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior
Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a
contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery.
Your Majesty, said Prior Richard, do you understand that
the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard
because you have been a king.
I understand, said Henry. The rest of my life, I will
be obedient to you as Christ leads you.
Then I will tell you what to do, said Prior Richard.
Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place
where God has put you. When King Henry died, a statement
was written: The King learned to rule by being obedient.
When we tire of our roles and responsibilities, it helps to
remember God has planted us in a certain place and told us to
be a good accountant or teacher or mother or father. Christ
expects us to be faithful where He puts us, and when He
returns, well rule together with Him.
God told Isaiah to go. We dont have to go
overseas..Isaiah didnt. He simply went where he was and
carried the message of God, and we can
do the same.
What to do:
Carry the gospel to others where you are.

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Who Can Heal Thee?

December 17

Bible Reading: Lamentations 2:8-13

Key Verse: Verse 13 - "What thing shall I take to
witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O
daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee,
that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion?
for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal
thee?"
Key Words: who can heal thee

As you read Lamentations chapter two beginning in

verse eight, you will find Jerusalem in a terrible state. Her
walls are destroyed (verse 8). Her gates are fallen (verse 9).
Their houses are destroyed (verse 11). People are fainting in
the streets (verse 11). Their food source is depleted (verse 12).
Then the Lord asks, Who can heal thee? And they DO need
healing!! The answer of course is God can heal. He often
allows us to go in hard situations to draw us close to Him
again.
A lady saw a ranger handling a three-hundred-pound
loggerhead sea turtle. These are huge turtles, these
loggerheads by the sea, and this particular turtle was just
laying eggs. She became somewhat disoriented, and began
walking in the wrong direction, not toward the sea, but farther
into the sand dunes. So the ranger came and pried her from
the ground, flipping her over onto her back. The ranger put
chains around the loggerheads legs, hooked it onto his
vehicle, and drug it back to the sea.
When he finally got to the edge of the water, he
unhooked the animal, the loggerhead saw where it was, and it
went out into the sea. Im sure, when the loggerhead was
being chained and dragged, it was hard for it to understand
what was happening.
Sometimes its hard to know whether you are being
killed or saved by the hand of the one turning your life upside
down. When you are on your back being turned every which
way but loose, you dont know whether God is doing you in or
delivering you. When He puts you to lie there, you dont know
which way is up, and you are lying flat on your back. Guess
what? Sometimes God makes us to lie down. God will take
the credit for putting us on our backs to fix whatever is wrong
and make us totally anemic within ourselves. He will put us
in a place where theres only room for one God.

What to do:
Who can heal thee? God! Turn to Him.

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Who is That God?

December 18

Bible Reading: Daniel 3:8-19

Key Verse: Verse 15 Now if ye be ready that at
what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of
musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I
have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be
cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you
out of my hands?"
Key Words: who is that God that shall deliver you
out of my hands?

You have to love their answer to the kings question in

verse 17, ..our God whom we serve. Now we know
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast in the fiery
furnace and we know their God delivered them.
Tony Evans writes:
 When my wife is baking something in the oven, she
will do what I am sure many of you ladies do: slide it out and
stick it with a fork to see whether its done or not. You do this
because you want to know if the dish is ready to be eaten. You
will put that cake or that pie into the oven, a fiery ordeal, and
then let it sit for a while before even bothering to check it.
The idea is to let the item be in the fire a sufficient amount of
time to be made ready.
God may have you in the fire, but He is getting you
ready for the Master. He wants to make sure that you are
well done for the Master. He wants to make sure that when
the Master sits down, there is a well-prepared life for Him.
Sometimes that means that even when you think you are
ready, He puts you back in. Although you may look done on
the outside, God knows that you may not be done all the way
through and He wants to make sure you are ready. God is
both the cook and the Master. He makes sure that you are
done and ready to present for His glory.
Thats who our God is!

What to do:
Look to God for your deliverance.

****************************************

Who Hates the Good?

December 19

Bible Reading: Micah 3

Key Verse: Verse 2 Who hate the good, and love the
evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their
flesh from off their bones;"
Key Words: Who hate the good, and love the evil

J. Vernon McGee says of Micah 3:2

In Micahs day, the leadership actually hated the good
and loved the evil. Folk like that are not fit to be in positions
of leadership then or now. If it is discovered that a man in a
high position in governmenta congressman, a senator, or a
judgeis unfaithful to his wife, is he fit to make laws relative
to marriage? I dont think so. The present breakdown in
morality goes back to the lawmakers. And God puts the blame
on the leadership of the nation Israel in Micahs day. As we
have seen before, God is presenting in the little book of Micah
a philosophy of human government, the basis of which is men
of good character in positions of leadership.
Who pluck off their skin from off them, and their
flesh from off their bones. He uses a vivid illustration of
their barbarous conduct against the poor.
Peter Drucker, perhaps the most noted authority on
leadership in the 20th century, says, A leader is one who has
followers. An effective leader is not someone who is loved or
admired. He is someone whose followers do the right thing.
Popularity is not leadership; results are. Leaders are highly
visible. They therefore, set examples. Leadership is not rank
or privileges, titles or money. Leadership is responsibility.
Pray that God will give us leaders that will love the
good and hate the evil.

What to do:
Againpray that God will give us leaders that will
love the good and hate the evil.

****************************************

Who Touched Me?

December 20

Bible Reading: Mark 5:25-34

Key Verse: Verse 30 And Jesus, immediately
knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him,
turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched
my clothes?"
Key Words: Who touched my clothes
 When we think of a touch, we think of someone
quickly coming into contact with the flesh or garment of
another person, but the word touch here means to assail to
fasten oneself to before turning loose.
We know that this woman touching the garment of
Jesus healed her of her physical illness (verse 29). People
today need a spiritual healing that only comes from touching
Jesus.
Its the touch of Jesus that can change an alcoholic
into a good mom or dad.
Its the touch of Jesus that can make an angry man
into a real gentleman.
Its the touch of God that can make a maniac sound-
minded.
Its the touch of God that can make the lame walk, the
blind see, the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.
Its the touch of God that can give life to those who are
spiritually dead.
Its the touch of God that can cleanse the adulterous
person.
Its the touch of God that can open the heart of the
prodigal son.
Its the touch of God that can quench the thirst of a
thirsty soul.
Its the touch of God that can change the person who
deserves to die and make them a soul winner.
We all at one point need the touch of God. Do not
despair over the loved one who seems hopeless. All they need
is the touch of God.

What to do:
Ask God to give you His touch.
 Who is My Neighbor?
December 21

Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-42

Key Verse: Verse 29 But he, willing to justify
himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"
Key Words: And who is my neighbour

I believe our neighbor is anyone we come into contact

with that we can help. But isnt it true that most people dont
even know the person who lives next door? Speaking of our
neighbor, Catherine Booth was the mother of the Salvation
Army. Wherever Catherine went, said Campbell Morgan,
humanity went to hear her. Princes and peeresses merged
with paupers and prostitutes.
One night, Morgan shared in a meeting with Mrs.
Booth; and a great crowd of publicans and sinners was
there. Her message brought many to Christ. After the
meeting, Morgan and Mrs. Booth went to be entertained at a
fine home; and the lady of the manor said, My dear Mrs.
Booth, that meeting was dreadful.
What do you mean, dearie? asked Mrs. Booth.
Oh, when you were speaking, I was looking at those
people opposite to me. Their faces were so terrible, many of
them. I dont think I shall sleep tonight!
Why, dearie, dont you know them? Mrs. Booth
asked; and the hostess replied, Certainly not!
Well, that is interesting, Mrs. Booth said. I did not
bring them with me from London; they are your neighbors!
I do realize that in todays world, its rather difficult to
be neighborly; but it surely is the Christian thing to do.

What to do:
Invite your neighbor to church and then to a meal.
 Who Can Hear It?
December 22

Bible Reading: John 6:53-65

Key Verse: Verse 60 Many therefore of his
disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an
hard saying; who can hear it?"
Key Words: This is an hard saying; who can hear it

Jesus was the only New Testament preacher who

made his congregation smaller with his sermon. After Jesus
sermon to his disciples in John 6:66, we read from that time
many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with
him.
In John 8, the men brought the woman who was
caught in adultery to Jesus. You may remember after Jesus
wrote in the sand, they left beginning with the oldest to the
youngest.
In Mark chapter 10, the rich young ruler came running
to Jesus, kneeled before him, and asked what must I do to be
saved? After Jesus had finished his message we read in Mark
10:22, And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved:
for he had great possessions.
There are those who cant stand the truthin fact, the
truth is an offence to them.
In Acts 17, Paul preached a message on the
resurrection of the dead, and after he had finished his sermon,
we read in verse 32, and some mocked.
Speaking of not being able to stand the truth, imagine
sitting in the congregation when Martin Luther railed against
his congregation for being stingy givers. From the pulpit he
said, You ungrateful beasts! You are not worthy of the
treasures of the Gospel. If you dont improve, I will stop
preaching rather than cast pearls before swine.
So today I say to all the Pastors, Evangelists, Sunday
School teachers and Missionaries, preach the truth! Speak
the truth in love and leave the results to God.
What to do:
Preach the Word; be instant in season and out of
season!

****************************************

The Who of Truth

December 23

Bible Reading: Romans 1:14-25

Key Verse: Verses 18 & 25 " For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness;" (vs. 18) " Who changed the truth of
God into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for
ever. Amen." (vs. 25)
Key Words: Verse 18who hold the truth in
unrighteousness & Verse 25who changed the
truth

Notice the wrath of God is against those who hold the

truth in unrighteousness, but God turns those over who
change the truth of God; God turns them over to uncleanness.
One group misuses the truth, while the other changes
Gods Word to make it say what they want, rather than let it
say what it truly says.
When one holds the truth or changes the truth, the
result will never be good. Disobedience to God is always the
result.
For example, Maria Fedorovna, wife of Czar Alexander
III of Russia, once used a comma to save a prisoner from
Siberian exile. Alexanders warrant had read, Pardon
impossible, to be sent to Siberia. Maria intervened and
moved the comma so that the note read, Pardon, impossible
to be sent to Siberia. The prisoner was subsequently
released!
A wealthy woman who was traveling overseas saw a
bracelet she thought was irresistible, so she sent her husband
this cable: Have found wonderful bracelet. Price $75,000.
May I buy it? Her husband promptly wired back this
response: No, price too high. But the cable operator
omitted the comma, so the woman received this message:
No price too high. Elated, she purchased the bracelet.
Needless to say, at her return, her husband was dismayed. It
was just a little thinga commabut what a difference it
made!
Remember people do not reject the Bible because it
contradicts itselfbut because it contradicts them.

What to do:
Remember men can never be free to hold or change
the truth of God.

****************************************

Who Are You?

December 24

Bible Reading: I Corinthians 3:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 5 Who then is Paul, and
who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed,
even as the Lord gave to every man?"
Key Words: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos

Have you ever considered who you are in Christ? You

are His child, servant, soldier, laborer, disciple, sheepand
the list goes on and on.
But reallywho are you? Who am I? We are
ministers of the Lord. We are here for His good pleasure.
One person said, Here are some of the comments Ive
heard after the service
You always manage to find a way to fill up the
time.
I dont care what they say; I like your sermons.
If Id known you were going to be good today, I
would have invited a visitor.
 Did you know there are 243 panes of glass in
the windows?
We shouldnt make you preach so often.

If we let comments from the congregation intimidate

us, we begin to minister for the people, which is wrong, to say
the least. We minister to the people for God.
So popular and effective was Campbell Morgans
ministry, that he was given all kinds of offers from many
different places and people. John Wanamaker, the great
merchant of Philadelphia, offered to build Morgan a million
dollar church if he would become its pastor. Morgan turned
him down, something the wealthy Wanamaker was not
accustomed to in his dealings with people.
I am Gods man, said Morgan. If I did that, I would
become John Wanamakers man.
So whose man or woman are you?

What to do:
Minister to the people for God.

****************************************

Who Enables Us?

December 25

Bible Reading: II Corinthians 3:1-14

Key Verse: Verse 6 Who also hath made us able
ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but
of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth
life."
Key Words: Who also hath made us able
ministers of the new testament

The word enable means to equip with both the power

and ability to carry out our task. Praise God for His
enablement; if not, I would surely fail.
Its interesting to note that our enablement comes
through the Lordnot the Law.
 Its also interesting to see how many believers want
success to come through rules and regulations. It will never
happen; only the Lord brings success.
Many Christians react to the Law by trying to work
hard to obey all of the laws and do all of the right things. They
are like the circus entertainer that spins plates. They put each
plate on a stick and try to keep them moving, working hard to
keep all plates spinning and in balance.
Just like the entertainer, Christians run all over the
place trying to do the right things and keep all of the key areas
of the Christian life spinning. They spin the religion plates
of going to church, reading their Bible, and giving tithes, and
it wears them out.
They are reverting back to a standard that the Bible
says will kill you. The letter killeth" (II Corinthians 3:6). The
Law will kill because sin will go crazy when it is faced with the
divine standards of God.

What to do:
Let the Lord be your enabler.
 Who Loves Me?
December 26
Bible Reading: Galatians 2:16-21
Key Verse: Verse 20 I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me."
Key Words: who loved me, and gave himself for
me

I live by the faith of the Son of God---how tender this

is---who loved me, and gave himself for me. Christ loved
me, but He could not love me into heaven. He had to give
Himself for me. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
You can only receive a gift by faith. This applies to any gift,
for that matter. You have to believe that the giver who holds
out the gift to you is sincere. You must believe that he is
telling the truth when he holds it out to you and says, It is
yours. You have to reach out in faith and take it before it
belongs to you. God offers you the gift of eternal life in Christ
Jesus.
On the day that you came to faith in Christ, you
entered into a spiritual union with Him. What exactly is a
spiritual union? Many people drink coffee with cream. When
cream is added to coffee, a union occurs. The blackness of the
coffee and the whiteness of the cream are now integrated and
made one. The coffee becomes brown because of the union.
The coffee is not considered black-and-white coffee; its just a
cup of coffee! When you drink it, you now have to drink the
black coffee with the white cream because they have become
one. If someone were to try to separate the cream from the
coffee, there would be chaos in the cup. Once the union of
cream with coffee has occurred, no separation is possible---
Amen!!
What to do:
Remember He loves you and gave Himself for you.
Have you given yourself to Him?

****************************************

Who Hath Blessed Us?

December 27

Bible Reading: Ephesians 1:1-7

Key Verse: Verse 3 Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"
Key Words: who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ

Tony Evans writes in regard to Ephesians 1:3

I live down in a bit of a gully. Awhile back, I had a TV
put in but couldnt seem to get a clear picture. I was fiddling
with knobs and couldnt get anything to work. I called the
company from whom Id bought the TV and asked them to
come out and assist me in getting it working. The repairman
fiddled with knobs and couldnt get anything working either.
Eventually, scratching his head, he asked if he could go on
top of our roof. He went up there and tried to fool with the
antenna. Still nothing. He kept on twisting, turning, and
tweaking. Our view on the TV went from hazy to completely
straight. When the man came down from the roof, I expected
him to tell me that the problem was with the antenna. He
surprised me when he told me that the problem was the
location of my house! Because my house is located in the
gully and high trees surround us, our location basically
blocked our reception of the signal. The repairman actually
got a long pole from his truck, took the antenna off, put the
pole directly onto the roof, then added the antenna to the pole
so that the antenna would rise high enough above the trees to
get a signal.
The problem was not the set. The problem was not the
antenna. The problem was my location. If youve been
turning knobs in your life for years, and your life wont get
into focus, the problem might be your location. Are you living
in heavenly places?

What to do:
Are you located so you can receive these heavenly
blessings?

****************************************

Who are Troubled?

December 28

Bible Reading: II Thessalonians 1

Key Verse: Verse 7 And to you who are troubled
rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels,"
Key Words: And to you who are troubled rest
with us

Our key verse reminds me of the words of Jesus in

Matthew 11:28-30, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.
I remember hearing Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse,
pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia,
relate about his first wifes death. He, with his children, had
been to the funeral service, and as he was driving home, Dr.
Barnhouse said that he was trying to think of some words of
comfort that he could give them. Just then a huge moving van
passed them. As it passed, the shadow of the truck swept over
the car, and as the truck pulled out in front of them, an
inspiration came to Dr. Barnhouse. He said, Children, would
you rather be run over by a truck, or by its shadow? The
children said, Well, course Dad, wed much rather be run
over by the shadow! That cant hurt us at all. Dr. Barnhouse
said, Did you know that two thousand years ago the truck of
death ran over the Lord Jesus in order that only its shadow
might run over us?
Yes, we do experience troubles in life, but can you
imagine how difficult these troubles would be to endure if we
didnt have the Holy Spirit to comfort us and the love of Christ
to give us rest from our troubles?

What to do:
Rest in the Lord, and remember whatever troubles
you are going through, these, too, shall pass.

****************************************

Who is the Saviour?

December 29

Bible Reading: I Timothy 4:9-16

Key Verse: Verse 10 For therefore we both labour
and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living
God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those
that believe. "
Key Words: who is the Saviour of all men

Jesus is the Saviour of all men. There is no other that

gives us salvation and delivers our soul from hell. Acts 4:12
says, Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved. So Jesus is the only Saviour.
J. Vernon McGee explains it this way:
Specially of those that believe. He is the Savior of all
men, but you can turn Him down if you want to. Let me
illustrate this for you. They say that a plane leaves the Los
Angeles International Airport every minute, and I could get
on any of them (if I had the courage!). All I need to do is get a
ticket and get on the plane. Its a plane for everybody, you
see, but not everybody will take it. Christ is the Savior of all
men, but only those who believe will be saved (see John 3:16;
I John 2:2).
 Revelation 22:17 says, And the Spirit and the bride
say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him
that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely."

What to do:
If youre not saved, let Jesus become your Savior
today. II Corinthians 6:2

****************************************

Who Shall Judge Us?

December 30
Bible Reading: II Timothy 4:1-10
Key Verse: Verse 1 I charge thee therefore before
God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the
quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom;"
Key Words: who shall judge the quick and the
dead at his appearing

Mark the words in our key verse. First, the word quick
means to be alive spiritually. Second, mark the word dead.
It of course means dead spiritually. So everyone will be
judged. Those who are alive spiritually will be judged at the
Judgment Seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5:10), and those who
are dead spiritually will be judged at the Great White Throne
Judgment (Revelation 20:11-12;also see Hebrews 2:3).
In 1988, an awesome event happened. Ben Johnson of
Canada broke out of the starting gates like no other man in
history. I remember sitting and listening to the commentator
say, Did you see that start? Ladies and gentlemen, its Ben
Johnson! Its Ben Johnson! Its Ben Johnson!
As we watched, the time lines on the TV said that the
man had broken the Olympic record. Ben Johnson had
turned that sprint for the fastest human alive upside down as
it had never been demonstrated before! The crowd went wild!
The other runners congratulated him. What a run by Ben
Johnson! Until it all hit the fan. When it went before the
judges, they tested his blood and found steroids. When they
found steroids, they sent word back for Ben Johnson to give
up his gold medal and they awarded it to another.
The gold medal that Ben Johnson had won was
snatched and turned over to another. He went back to
Canada a disgrace. The crowd didnt know it when he was
running it. The crowd didnt know it when he was sprinting it.
When he was darting out of the blocks, the people went wild.
When he did his victory lap, he looked like he was a winner.
The only problem was the judges went inside of his body and
extracted what was on the inside and brought it to the light.
On that day, many of us who think we have won will
find out that we have to turn in our medal because we didnt
run according to the rules. The question iswill He call your
name or will He strip you of your crown? Carnality will
receive its just reward.

What to do:
What to do for the saved: Live your life in light of
Gods judgment.
What to do for the lost: There is a judgment
coming. Get ready!

Salvation Verses: Romans 10:9-10; John 3:16, 36;

Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7

****************************************

Who Called You?

December 31
Bible Reading: I Peter 2:1-10
Key Verse: Verse 9 But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath
called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
 Key Words: that ye should shew forth the praises
of him who hath called you

You are here and I am here on this earth for a purpose.

Everything that is, has a purpose. For example:
Everybody has in their homes manufactured products.
Appliances such as a toaster, refrigerator, stove, microwave,
or an electric can opener are commonly found in peoples
homes, and each of those has a different workmanship. They
are designed differently. They have different parts that make
them operate. Each one has its own unique reason for being.
Now, if that appliance operates outside of its reason for being
there, we have a problem. If you want to cook things in the
refrigerator and freeze things in the stove, you are going to
have a difficult situation in the home because thats not what
the workmanship is for. The workmanship is used for
whatever the creator designed it to do. The toaster does not
tell the creator what its going to do today. The stove does not
tell the creator what its going to do today. It is the creator
that dictates to the appliance the reason why the appliance
exists. The appliance does whatever its been designed to do.
In the same way, we are Gods creation and He
dictates to us why we exist, and can tell us what we are
designed to do. He gives us our purpose. If we operate
outside of our reason for being, thats when we experience
problems. Walking in the purpose God designed for us is how
we fulfill our unique reason for beingand that unique reason
is to show forth the praises of God.

What to do:
Wherever you go and whatever you do, show forth
the praise of God in your life.
Notes:
I deeply appreciate the help
of

Mary Parsons

Glenda Myrick

And my lovely wife, Linda

Without God using these

people to help, this
devotional would not have
been possible.
Dr. Mike Rouse
 is a ministry of

5568 Chalkville Mountain Road

Birmingham, AL. 35235
(205) 854-2741
www.mountainviewbaptist.org