When studying the Bible, it can sometimes be confusing trying to figure out what something means. Sometimes, it seems like words can mean something different in different places in the Bible.

The Rule of First Mention is one way those that study the Bible use to discover the meaning of a word, phrase, verse, or doctrine.

When something is mentioned in Scripture the first time, the same meaning for that verse holds true for subsequent verses.

So, if your reading the Bible and want to clarify what something means, look to see where it is first mentioned in the Bible to discover its meaning

We have a calendar that tells what each day is.

For example: chocolate pudding day, national ice cream day, knit in public day, there is even a “take your pet to work day” (do employers really allow that?!).

There is a day for everything.

As Christians, we think of Sunday as the Lords Day.

But Every day should be the Lords Day!

God made the days, and has set them before us. We should do our best to do HIS will everyday, to glorify HIS name every day, in all that we do. As Christians, we can NOT let the world (or a calendar) define our days for us.

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it

I will raise my eyes toward the mountains,
where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
your protector will not slumber.
Indeed, the protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep
The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side
The sun will not strike you by day,
or the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

Psalm 121 HSCB

I truly love this Psalm. I love everything about it. The Maker of heaven and earth cares so much about me that He’s not even going to let my foot slip!

He is always there, protecting me in everything that that I do, and everywhere that I go. He is there protecting my life and everything about it.

I pray that He will use me and my life according to His will.

But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

There was something going on in my life a few years ago, and I was crying out in prayer to the Lord, when He told me to wait. Just one word. Wait. It was enough.

Even though I KNOW it was the Lord speaking to me, waiting is hard!

Job 35:14
Although you say you do not see Him,Yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.

Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 33:20
Our soul waits for the LORD;He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 39:7
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for?My hope is in You.

Psalm 59:9
I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense.

Oh, but the joy and blessings that come from waiting! Blessings that would be missed out on, if we didn’t wait on the Lord.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

These things I command you, that you love one another. John 15:17

God commands us to love one another. But is it possible to love someone too much?

Yes, it is.

If loving them means you put God in second place.

Here’s an example from my life….

The Holy Spirit spoke to me, and told me about something that someone close to me was involved in. I spoke to said person, and they denied it. Talked their way out of it.

So I had a choice to make. Listen to the person, or listen to the Holy Spirit.

I chose to listen to the person. You see, I loved this person so much, I chose to listen to what this person said over what the Holy Spirit said.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 11:13

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul. Joshua 22:5

Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ” Matthew 22:37

I made a horrible mistake. I sinned because I put this person in first place instead of God. How can I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and mind, if I don’t put Him in the #1 spot in my life?

I have been dealing with the consequences for many years. How different my life would have been if I had just listened and put God first!

Lesson learned. I hope and pray that I never make that mistake again.

So yes, you can love someone to much. It’s not good for the person that you love, either. God can’t use you in their lives, if you don’t put Him first.

By putting the ones we love first, we are limiting how God can use us in their lives.

This was in our church bulletin last year sometime. I’ve had it hanging on my bulletin board since then. You may wish to make note of these “hearing aids” to help you get more from your Pastor’s message.

Listen –

Reverently – Habakkuk 2:20

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Expectantly – Psalm 62:5

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Prayerfully – 1 Samuel 3:10

And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for they servant heareth.

Attentively – Acts 15:12

Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

Understandingly – Nehemiah 8:8

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Discerningly – Acts 17:11

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Obediently – Matthew 7:24-27

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And everyone one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the ran descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.