Rex Jennings

18 hrs

In Touch Daily Devotional

Developing Convictions
Consistently spending time in God's Word transforms our thinking and strengthens our beliefs.
January 20, 2025

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5 Thus says the LORD, ``Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 ``For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant.
7 ``Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.
8 ``For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.

An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy oak tree. Likewise, believers of conviction develop through committed study and prayer. Here are questions to get you started:
• Do you consider the Bible true and trustworthy?
• Is believing in Jesus as Lord the only way to be saved?
• Are we to forgive others in every situation?
• What’s your purpose in life?
• What is your role in the church and at work?
• How should you think and act regarding social issues?
• What role does the Holy Spirit play—in both the lives of believers and unbelievers?
A concordance will point you to scriptures that relate to these topics and others. Evaluate what the Bible says instead of looking at an issue only through the lens of personal preference. Ask, What does God say? instead of simply, What does this mean to me?
Make Scripture the cornerstone of your thinking. Once you know what the Lord says, you have a choice: Believe Him and commit to living according to your convictions, or continue being tossed by waves of doubt (James 1:6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.) By rooting yourself in God’s Word, you can be called one of His oaks of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.)

18 hrs

Love Worth Finding Daily Devotional

January 20, 2025 – Full Showroom – Empty Warehouse Matthew 6:1-2 Sermon: 1682 Satan’s Academy Award, Part 1

Pray Over This

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” Matthew 6:1-2

Ponder This

Our word hypocrite comes from the Greek word, hypokrites, meaning a play actor. The Greeks had actors who not only used makeup but also literally wore masks. To show they were happy, they put on the happy face. If they wanted to be sad, they put on the sad face. When they wanted to be angry, they put on the angry face. If they wanted to be menacing, they put on the menacing face. There is nothing genuine in hypocrisy—it is all a show.
The greatest argument for Christianity and the greatest argument against Christianity is the life of a Christian. In the Gospels we find the Lord Jesus Christ dealing with sinners, thieves, harlots, prostitutes, tax gathers, and so forth. Jesus had nothing but words of compassion, forgiveness, and love for these people. As a matter of fact, one of the main grievances against Jesus was He was a friend of sinners. On the other hand, our Lord reserved His most severe words for those we call hypocrites. He called them wolves in sheep’s clothing. He said they were like white-washed tombs on the outside but on the inside full of dead men’s bones. The biggest offenders were those who had everything on the showroom floor but nothing in the warehouse.
• How have you been hurt by hypocrisy? Why is it so dangerous?
• How have you recognized hypocrisy in your own life?
Practice This
Pray and confess the ways in which you have spoken or acted hypocritically.

18 hrs

God’s Horseback Gospel

Jan 20

"Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgiven others." (Colossians 3:12-13, NAS) Lord, help us pass on the blessing we've received, in Jesus name. Please check out today's poem, "Blessing," and the daily "Pass the Reins' devotional at: https://www.godshorsebackgospe....l.com/daily-poem/ble Thanks, and God bless your day. (Please share.)

2 d

In Touch Daily Devotional

Our Convictions—Our Defense
Build your life on the Word of God—it's always true.
January 19, 2025

Romans 14:20-23

20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.
21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.
22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

A person of conviction is confident his or her beliefs are true. In contrast, many people choose to believe something based on conditions and circumstances. And if those situations change, so do opinions and loyalty.
Let’s look at two men from Scripture who remained firm in their convictions. Despite years of unfair treatment, Joseph never wavered in his commitment to godly principles. As a result, he was in the right place at the right time to ensure the survival of Israel (Genesis 50:20 ``As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.) Daniel, another righteous man living in an idolatrous land, earned the trust of foreign kings by standing firm in his beliefs (Daniel 1:19-20 19 The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's personal service.
20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.)
As these heroes of the faith show, godly convictions withstand the changing winds of opinion and the persuasive arguments of opponents. If we’re grounded in the Word and trust what God has said, we can stand firm. Confidence breeds the courage to remain strong amid the conflicts that arise.
Instead of following your own preferences, choose to live a life based on godly convictions and the values Scripture says are most important. Through prayer and study, the heavenly Father will firmly root us in solid biblical convictions that will withstand the pressures of any trial.

2 d

Love Worth Finding Daily Devotional

January 19, 2025 – Find Healing after Divorce Matthew 7:24-25 Sermon: 1679 A Foundation for the Family, Part 2

Pray Over This

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25

Ponder This

There is a dangerous precipice called divorce. Our job as a church is to build a wall as high as we can, as thick as we can, as strong as we can, and say to our kids, “Don’t fall over that precipice. It’s dangerous. It’s destructive. Don’t do it.” But that’s not all. For those who have had that experience of divorce, we’re going to keep an ambulance ready to minister to them and show them the love and the grace of God every one of us has received.
If you’re divorced and you know it was your fault, ask God to forgive you and help you be reconciled to your partner. As much as is in your power and is appropriate, go to that person and make every wrong right, extend forgiveness, and receive the forgiveness of God. If you have been divorced against your will, ask God to take the bitterness out of your heart and forgive that person, even if he or she won’t repent. Have the same the spirit of forgiveness as Jesus when He prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Then, take the remainder of your life and give it to God. God is not finished with you. How we relate with our family, stay committed to our family, and love our family sacrificially is a beautiful testimony of Jesus. Let your home be a light where Christ shines. Don’t build on sand; build your house on the rock.
• Who in your life has experienced divorce? How can you love and care for them?
• How have you been hurt or wounded by a broken relationship of any type? How have you allowed Christ to heal those wounds?
Practice This

Make a meal or show generosity to a person or family you know is hurting.