The Daily Word: Thursday, October 31^st, 2019
Lamentations 4:1-5:22
Hebrews 2:1-18
Psalm 103:1-22
Proverbs 26:23
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
…how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? – Heb 2:3-4

Do you know what it means to “neglect” salvation (v 3)? It means to live your life as if you aren’t saved. It means to live a life that has not been transformed, even though God has made everything new! Would someone who doesn’t go to church be able to look at your life and see that it is markedly and radically different than someone who doesn’t have Jesus?

You are a new creation (1 Cor 5:17). You are “hidden” with Christ (Col 3:3). You have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). The Spirit of Jesus is in you, and “…with God all things are possible” (Matt 19:26)!

Start living like you’re saved! Your life should be full of power! Your life should be full of miracles! You are saved, delivered, healed, and set free! And that means your life should never be the same.

Prayer:

Father, I pray I would never neglect salvation. I want to live my life for You. I’m asking that signs, wonders, and miracles would follow me everywhere I go, in Jesus’ name!

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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Wednesday, October 30^th, 2019
Lamentations 3:1-66
Hebrews 1:1-14
Psalm 102:1-28
Proverbs 26:21-22
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” – Lam 3:24

The Lord is your portion. He is your reward! You can only be full when you have His presence. You can only be satisfied when you receive His love!

This is the true test of Christian maturity: if you have nothing else in this world, will you be satisfied with God alone? God is not a means to an end, He is the “…Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Rev 22:13). We don’t receive Jesus to get something from Him. We receive Him because He is the prize: the “pearl of great price” (Matt 13:46)!

When you get to Heaven, it will be you and God: face to face for all eternity. Will He be enough?

Prayer:

Father, You are all I need! Help me to be content. Even if I have nothing but You in this world: You are enough!

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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Tuesday, October 29^th, 2019
Lamentations 1:1-2:22
Philemon 1:1-25
Psalm 101:1-8
Proverbs 26:20
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
…that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. – Phil 1:6

Do you want to share the Gospel? Do you want your sharing to be “effective?” Do you want people to give their lives to Jesus when you tell them about Him? Here is the key to effectiveness in sharing the Gospel: acknowledge the “good thing” that Jesus has put in you!

The sharing of your faith – opening your mouth and preaching the Gospel – will “become effective” as you acknowledge the “good thing” that Jesus has put in you! Your witness is not about you! It isn’t helped when you try harder, or beat yourself up for not being more effective! You are most effective when you take your eyes off yourself, and acknowledge the “good thing” you have in you because you are “hidden” (Col 3:3) in Christ. The “good thing” is already there! You don’t have to do anything external (i.e. behavioral) to activate it; you just have to let God do something internal (i.e. revelational) to stir it up.

It’s not about you. Take the pressure off! Simply let God speak through you. You are in Christ! And He is in you. So acknowledge the “good thing” going on in you, and simply let that goodness out.

Prayer:

Father, I want to be effective when I share the Gospel! And I know that the more I rely on You, the more effective I will be. Thank You for depositing a “good thing” in me, so that I can tell the world all about You, in Jesus’ name.

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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Monday, October 28^th, 2019
Jeremiah 51:54-52:34
Titus 3:1-15
Psalm 100:1-5
Proverbs 26:18-19
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared… -Titus 3:3-4a

When Paul and the leaders of the early church encountered the “kindness and the love of God,” everything changed. They used to be, “…foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another” (v 3). But when you encounter the love of Jesus Christ, God can change everything in an instant!

You don’t have to stay trapped anymore. You don’t have to feel like you hate everyone all the time! You don’t have to hate yourself or your circumstance. You don’t have to succumb to the lusts and shortcomings that once plagued you ever again!

Take a moment this morning to simply receive the love of God over your life. Pray the prayer below, and let His love wash over you! Without His love, you are hopeless; but with His love, you have Resurrection life.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for loving me! Thank You for Your kindness. Thank You for Your great love! I know I need to receive Your love first if I am ever going to love others well; so I receive it today, in Jesus’ name.

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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Sunday, October 27^th, 2019
Jeremiah 51:1-53
Titus 2:1-15
Psalm 99:1-9
Proverbs 26:17
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God, the Lord of hosts, though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.” – Jer 51:5

God’s people were lost. Their lives were filled with sin! But they were never forsaken.

It does not matter how far you feel from God. It doesn’t matter how much sin you struggle with in your life! You are not forsaken. God has not forgotten you.

Turn to Him, and He will turn to you.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. – Jas 4:8a

Prayer:

Father, thank You for never losing sight of me. I often lose sight of You! But thank You that doesn’t change our relationship. My lack of focus never makes You love me any less! I am so grateful, in Jesus’ name.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Saturday, October 26^th, 2019
Jeremiah 49:23-50:46
Titus 1:1-16
Psalm 97:1-98:9
Proverbs 26:13-16
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. – Titus 1:5-6

The Apostle Paul asked Titus to build a leadership structure to support the church. He left Titus in Crete, to “…set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city” (v 5). But look at Paul’s requirements for elders: “…blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children…” Notice the requirements don’t have anything to do with skill set or experience level; they have everything to do with character!

This is something we miss too often in the church! God uses men and women whose character can support their calling. And that is good news for you! Because that means your level of experience or education is not the biggest factor in being promoted in the things of God! Your character matters most.

What type of person are you when no one else is around? Character is what you do when no one’s watching. Other people may not see it; but God always does.

Prayer:

Father, I pray You would strengthen my character, in Jesus’ name. I want to love You with my whole heart! I want to serve You with my whole life! I know my character – the intention behind my love for You – is all that matters.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Friday, October 25^th, 2019
Jeremiah 48:1-49:22
2 Timothy 4:1-22
Psalm 95:1-96:13
Proverbs 26:9-12
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully… – Jer 48:10a

Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is just as bad as doing the wrong thing! Your motives for serving God should be pure. If you are going to do His work, do it for the right reasons, and with the right heart!

You must seek God – and never your own personal gain – with all your heart! Don’t serve God because of what you can get from Him; serve Him because of what you can give to Him! As you do, you will be blessed beyond measure, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer:

Father, help me to serve You for the right reasons. I don’t want to serve You for what I can get from You; I want to serve You for what I can give to You! Help me to serve You with my whole heart, in Jesus’ name.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Thursday, October 24^th, 2019
Jeremiah 44:24-47:7
2 Timothy 2:22-3:17
Psalm 94:1-23
Proverbs 26:6-8
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” – Jer 45:5

God had a message for Baruch! “Do you seek great things for yourself?” God wanted to know. “Do not seek them,” He continued.

Baruch was in a tough position. What he was doing for God brought on so much adversity and persecution that he prayed for relief. He forgot about the great things God wanted to do through him, and started to focus on the great things he wanted for himself. But God corrected him. God cautioned Baruch to remember how much he had to be thankful for!

You are called to greatness! But do not “seek great things for yourself.” Do you see the difference? Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:33). When you insist on seeking God, everything you could ever desire will be added to you. But when you “seek great things for yourself,” you will find yourself chasing after desires that will never come.

If you seek the gifts of God instead of God Himself, you will find neither! But if you seek the God who gives the gifts, He will give you everything your heart could ever desire.

Prayer:

Father, I want to seek You and You alone. Help me to keep a pure heart! I pray I would never desire great things for myself. I want to desire You! And I know You will take care of the rest.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Wednesday, October 23^rd, 2019
Jeremiah 42:1-44:23
2 Timothy 2:1-21
Psalm 92:1-93:5
Proverbs 26:3-5
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. – 2 Tim 2:4

You are not of this world! Your “citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20)! You have been bought and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the weight of that beautiful reality should occupy all your time, attention and energy.

But you live in this world, which is full of distractions. The “affairs of this life” will “entangle” you if you let them (2 Tim 2:4)! The enemy’s goal is to have you so consumed with your life on earth that you forget all about God: that you would be “choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life…” so that you “…bring no fruit to maturity” (Lk 8:14).

But you know better. Be untangled, in Jesus’ name! You don’t have to let the affairs of this life ensnare you any more. Put your eyes on Jesus, and live your life for Him!

Prayer:

Father, help me to focus on You! I live in the world; but I have the Kingdom of Heaven within me. I declare that Heaven will occupy all of my time, attention, and energy; in Jesus’ name.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Tuesday, October 22^nd, 2019
Jeremiah 39:1-41:18
2 Timothy 1:1-18
Psalm 90:1-91:16
Proverbs 26:1-2
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. – Jer 39:6-8

Zedekiah had plenty of opportunities to heed the word of the Lord. Jeremiah had warned Zedekiah that the Babylonian army would overrun the city of Jerusalem. “If you surely surrender…,” Jeremiah had pleaded, “…then your soul shall live” (Jer 38:17). “But if you do not surrender…, then this city…shall burn…with fire” (v 18).

But Zedekiah wouldn’t listen. He would not listen to God! And the result was catastrophic: not just for King Zedekiah, but also for all the people under his authority. His family was killed. The entire city of Jerusalem was burned to the ground! All because of one man’s refusal to heed the warnings of God.

God is not out to get you. He wants you to live an abundant life! But you have an enemy who wants to break down your walls. The way you survive Satan’s attack is by keeping your ear close to God’s heart. Do the things God tells you to do! Ignore the things He tells you to avoid. Your decision to listen to God’s word is the difference between heaven and hell on earth.

Prayer:

Father, I want to heed Your word! When you speak, I pray Your Holy Spirit would help me to listen. I don’t want to do things my way! I want to do them Your way, in Jesus’ name.

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.

© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.