Today's Good News

June 2002

6/1/02 Matthew 11:19
And I, the Son of Man, feast and drink, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it.”

I am born to trouble. Everyday is a new challenge to overcome the hurt and pain of life. Suffering is always near. Jesus came to bring me good news. I no longer have to endure the pain and agony of the human condition. I have a rescuer named Jesus. He is concerned about me. He loves me and will never leave me alone.

6/2/02 Matthew 12:42
The queen of Sheba will also rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here – and you refuse to listen to him.

Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The caution for me is that I must include the Lord in my life. He brings life. If I ignore him or refuse him I sacrifice life. My choice.

6/3/02 Matthew 13:54
He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was astonished and said, “Where does he get his wisdom and his miracles?

God really means what He says. He is interested in my life and me. He will give me the wisdom, guidance, mercy and grace that I need to lead a joyful, abundant life.

6/4/02 Luke 1:17
He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah, the prophet of old. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will change disobedient minds to accept godly wisdom.”

If I say no to the world and yes to God all my problems are solved. I will have life. I will be reborn. The Father will adopt me into His family. I will never again be at the mercy of the world.

6/5/02 Acts 6:3
“Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business.

People count with God. If I want to serve the Lord I will need to learn to love my brother. The activity of caring for my fellow man is the measure of my success as a member of the family of God.

6/6/02 Romans 11:33
Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods!

God knows everything. He knows my deepest hurts, my worst sins and my most prevalent shortcomings. There is nothing hidden from God. Out of His mercy and grace He provides for me. Not based on what I do but because of what Jesus did. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

6/7/02 1 Corinthians 1:19-20
As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense.

I often get ahead of God. I think that I can take shortcuts and make things work out. They never do and I always end up making a mess of things. I am learning to wait on the Lord. In His time and His way is the only way that things will work out correctly.

6/8/02 1 Corinthians 1:21
Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe.

The message of the cross speaks to me. I cannot reach God. My sin was so deep, my heart so evil that I was totally separated from the Father. Then Jesus found me. He shed His blood for me and provided forgiveness for my sin. I cannot explain it I can only claim it. Thank you Lord for saving me.

6/9/02 1 Corinthians 1:24
But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God.

A friend of mine shared a thought with me about being called to salvation. He said that when we come to the heavenly gates written across them would be the words whosoever believed in the Lord Jesus Christ may come in. When I pass through those gates and look back written across them will be you are the chosen of God. Only Jesus can save me and I can choose Him.

6/10/02 1 Corinthians 1:30
God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom.

I have a tendency to be a Pharisee. I major in lifting myself up and putting others down. That may sound harsh to you but truthfully each one of us tends to do that. When I keep my eyes on Jesus I am convicted of my smug self-satisfaction. Jesus helps me to see my real self and His deep love for me. Christ is my best friend.

6/11/02 Ephesians 3:14-15
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

Jesus died for me. He died that I might have a part in all that the Father has done. In Christ I become a member of the family of God. God is my Father.

6/12/02 Colossians 1:9
So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.

I must learn to live the life I have been given. God’s Word speaks to me of my Father’s love, concern, guidance and grace. It also tells me how valuable I am to the Lord. Jesus gives me everything I need to change the rigors of life into a celebration of life.

6/13/02 Colossians 1:28
So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ. We warn them and teach them with all the wisdom God has given us, for we want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.

One day I will die. Death is a real event. The wisdom of God guides me to make the most of today. Tomorrow never comes. I only have right now. I love you in the Lord. Make the most of your time right now.

6/14/02 Colossians 2:3
In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Jesus is God’s everything. There is nothing about my life that is hidden from Him. He will equip me to deal with whatever comes my way. I can trust Jesus.

6/15/02 2 Timothy 3:15
You have been taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

I really love the Lord. I really want my children to love the Lord. The best encouragement I can give them is to share God’s Word with them and to love them the way the Lord loves me. Love breaks down barriers and sets the captives free.

6/16/02 James 1:5
If you need wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.

God is committed to helping me work out His plan for my life. Step one of His plan is getting to know Him better than I know anyone else. If I will ask Him what He would have me do and then do it I will never be in the dark. God is light and in Him there is not one shred of darkness.

6/17/02 James 3:15
For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil.

Confusion and chaos are a signal for me to wake up. I immediately begin looking for wisdom. Have I walked away from the Lord? Am I the cause of the current catastrophe? All too often I discover that the real culprit in my struggle is me. I ask for forgiveness and strength and begin the journey back. Jesus never fails to give me adequate directions.

6/18/02 Revelation 7:12
They said, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!”

Jesus is worthy of all praise, and honor and glory. His majesty and power equip me to face my weakness and shortcomings. Glory to God and to the power of His might. Jesus is Lord.

6/19/02 Matthew 5:9
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

Peace is a gift from God. Jesus equips me to be a peacemaker. As I grow into His image I learn how to make peace. It involves focus on God, forgiveness of others and faithful service. If I will die to self I can be a peacemaker.

6/20/02 Psalm 4:8
I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.

I cannot change what will happen. I can change me. If I will surrender my rights the Lord will bless me with His presence. When I am in the presence of God I will have peace.

6/21/02 Psalm 29:11
The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.

I keep a miracle log and cannot begin to tell you the miracles the Lord has done in my life and in the lives of my friends. I know the Lord will meet my needs. My confidence is a struggle at times but His strength sees me through. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

6/22/02 Psalm 34:14
Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.

I can choose how I will live. If I will read the Word of God, spend time with the Lord and put into practice what Jesus teaches me I will have peace. If I walk my own way peace will never be in control of my life. I may be saved but I will certainly be singed when I get home to the Lord.

6/23/02 Psalm 119:165
Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble.

I was in a war zone recently. Even the air that I breathed was tense. Everywhere I went people were discouraged and anxious. When I left my physical body felt a relief. Daily life is like that. God’s law is there to point me to peace. Jesus forgives me when I break the law and brings me back to peace with God.

6/24/02 Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper.

God is at work in His world. He is not surprised by anything that is going on. He loves His creation and by His own testimony loves Jerusalem. I love Jerusalem and pray for peace for Jerusalem daily.

6/25/02 Proverbs 10:10
People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.

I am to be plain spoken and direct. God is not to be mocked and people always count. Jesus is my first priority and proclaiming Christ is to be a part of my daily life. When I tell about Jesus I am simply sharing what Jesus is doing in my life. You need the Lord. The world is wrong.

6/26/02 Proverbs 12:20
Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!

I have to be single minded. I cannot hate one person and love another. Hate and love do not mix. If I commit myself to loving others I will also have to commit myself to forgiving those that have done me wrong.

6/27/02 Proverbs 16:7
When the ways of people please the LORD, he makes even their enemies live at peace with them.

I have learned that not everyone will like me. Some may even vigorously oppose me. I can trust the Lord with my life and my plans. I can respect those that dislike me and turn them over to the Lord. God will protect my blind spots and I can sleep easily at night.

6/28/02 Psalm 145:17
The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

The Lord really loves me. Even the times that I thought things weren’t working for my best good turned out in fact to be for my best good. The longer I live the more faithful I discover the Lord has been and is. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

6/29/02 Proverbs 3:3
Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart.

If I love the Lord I will organize my life to put Him first. Not just when things get rough but all the time. If I choose to do my own thing I will miss developing a close relationship with Jesus. I may not miss heaven but I sure will miss an abundant life.

6/30/02 Hosea 11:4
I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him.

I am grateful for the air I breathe. My body functions without any commitment on my part. Things and people that weren’t even a part of my life often bless me. How wonderful is the Lord Jesus that He is always thinking about me. Thank you Lord for your watch care over me.

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Clay Corvin

Clay Corvin is currently a Bible Teacher and occasional preacher at Bethel Community Baptist Church in New Orleans. He is the retired VP Business and Professor of Admin at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary after completing 38 years as their Business Administrator. He was the pastor at the Brantley Baptist Center for twenty-five years. He is married to Carol Corvin and the father of three children and has three grandchildren. He ministers today as Co-pastor of the Bethel Community Baptist Church and seeks to share the Gospel with everyone. Jesus is Lord!