Living by the Spirit II – Lusts of the Flesh

Today’s Passage: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

Author’s note: It has been quite some time since the last devotional was posted. On one hand, I am very grateful to be able to attend online Bible college courses and am recovering very well from my transplant. However, I am not pleased that I have allowed things to get in the way of writing devotionals. I find them very helpful and pray that you do as well. Thank you for remaining part of our group and for reading the devotionals. May the Lord bless each of you and give you peace and strength through the Christmas season and throughout the coming year as you serve Him. – Love in Christ, Amy

The last lesson began a series regarding the kind of life that pleases God. We contrasted the two lives we may live: the life lived according to the flesh and the life lived according to the Spirit. As was mentioned then, today’s lesson will be a discussion of the lusts of the flesh and their danger to us as Christians.

Before we begin, I ask that as we discuss these sins, we try not to think about others who may be openly committing these sins. Hopefully, after we have addressed the sin in our own lives, we will be able to encourage others and help them to see the error of their ways. For today, let us focus on our own lives. When we compare ourselves to others, we may justify our sins because they seem much fewer than our standard of comparison.

On Judgment Day, we will not be graded on a curve. We will not be justified because we sin less than someone else. We will be graded according to the textbook of life: The Bible, which is the living Word of God. We will either be justified because we have responded to the gospel, have sought forgiveness according to God’s Word and have lived faithfully, or we will be lost because we have failed to respond to the gospel obediently as God commands, failed to seek forgiveness according to His guidelines or failed to continue living faithfully.

Therefore, let us focus only on our own lives when we study each of these sins. Let us consider the consequences of these sins, change our minds toward them so that we find them repulsive, seek God’s forgiveness, and focus on how to keep these sins from controlling us in the future.

One thing to remember is that we must never give up. No matter how vile the sin, it will be forgiven if we follow God’s Word to seek forgiveness. Whether our sin is a seemingly harmless “little white lie” from time to time, or if it is as “big” (according to human eyes) as harming a child, sin is sin. Let us continually seek to purge the old sins and replace them with new, pure thoughts and actions.

Have you ever washed a child or a pet only to have them immediately run outside and find the biggest mud hole to play in? Tthough they had just taken a bath, could you tell that they had been cleansed? Likely not. So it is with us. If we seek forgiveness and then return to our wallowing in the mud (see II Peter 2:22), the cleansing we received will no longer be detected. We will appear just as dirty as someone who was never bathed.

When we are cleansed, we must strive to remove the sins that are present in our lives. Then, we must fill in the gaps left behind by the sins that we remove. In the next lesson, if God wills, we will discuss the things with which we are to replace our sins. Until then, keep in mind that for everything bad that is removed, it must be replaced with something good. Just as a person intent on quitting smoking tends to chew gum or as a dieter restocks her pantry with healthy foods instead of junk food, so we must find good thoughts and activities to fill in the holes left behind.

When Jesus was casting out demons on the earth, He warned that though the house was clean and swept, the demon returned and brought seven others more evil than he. Likewise, if we remove a sin that has taken hold of us and do not replace it with something else, not only might that sin return stronger than ever, but greater sins may develop as well. The longer we hold on to a sin, the more we become its slave and the harder it is to escape from its grasp.

It is very important to remember that however we live our lives, we are reflecting our father. If we live fleshly lives filled with lusts, then we are following after the evils of our father the devil (John 8:44), but if we live righteous, pure and holy lives, then we are reflecting our Father, who is God (II John 1:9).

So what are some of these sins of the flesh that we must renounce and remove from our lives? Mark 4:19 teaches us that we can have the Word choked out of our lives by “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in.” Galatians 5:19-21 lists these as fleshly sins: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.

Let us look briefly at some of these sins.

Adultery is a sin committed against a married person. One or both of the parties engaged in sexual activity is married to another partner. Now, the sin of adultery may seem to be obvious when a married couple is living together and one is unfaithful; however, Jesus condemned any remarriage that was not because of the other spouse’s sexual unfaithfulness (Matthew 9:9). We must be careful that we do not allow the world’s perception of marriage, divorce and remarriage to water down what the Word says. Either we believe that God’s Word is true in its entirety or we must reject it completely. It is either God’s revealed Word or it is just a collection of stories from human beings like any other book. There is no middle ground because God’s Word claims to be the inspired Word of God (II Timothy 3:16).

Additionally, we may entertain lustful thoughts, which is a form of adultery in our mind that may lead to sexual sin (see Matthew 5:28). If we continue on this course of entertaining lustful thoughts, we may eventually find ourselves in an adulterous situation because our consciences have become seared and we allow ourselves to venture into dangerous territory. Always keep in mind that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16).

Fornication is a more general term. Often, people think that fornication is sin between unmarried people and that adultery is between married people. Yet the true definition of fornication is any forbidden sexual activity. It includes adultery, fornication between unmarried people, homosexuality, bestiality, sadomasochism and all other sexual deviancies. Basically, any sexual activity that God has not ordained is sinful. The marriage bed is undefiled, indicating that healthy and wholesome lovemaking between spouses is ordained by God. Any other sexual activity is not ordained by God and is indeed fornication. Note that although the marriage bed is undefiled, spouses are not free to harm one another or belittle each other. There are many passages regarding commandments to be gentle, kind, loving and encouraging which would be violated if we are hurtful or seek to demean our spouse. We should take great care to encourage and uplift our spouses through our lovemaking.

Uncleanness is just that: anything that is not clean. We are to be pure (I John 3:3) and live holy lives (Romans 12:1, I Peter 1:16). As was noted before, sin gets us dirty. It removes all traces of cleanliness but through Jesus’ redeeming blood, we are cleansed. We must seek to rid ourselves of anything with is not pure, holy and godly.

Lasciviousness or lewdness is an enormous problem in our culture. These words basically mean that there is intent to excite sexual desires. Doesn’t that pretty much sum up the theme of most TV commercials and shows, movies and advertisements? Whether a burger is being sold by showing women in tiny little outfits or a deodorant is marketed by showing a mother’s lust for her son’s friend who is wearing it, the world is full of lewdness. When we shop for clothes, do we try to find something that enhances our derriere, builds our bust (or shows half of it) or otherwise makes us look sexy? We may think that we want to look our best and receive compliments, but what are we really seeking? Are we not attempting to excite sexual desires in men? Are we looking for a “You look nice today” or are we seeking a “Wow! You are hot!” compliment. If it is the latter, then are we not guilty of leading the weak to sin?

Jesus said in Mark 9:42, that if we cause others to stumble, we would be better off if a millstone were put around our neck and we were thrown in the ocean. And Romans 14:21 teaches us that we must always consider our actions and cease them if they could cause anyone to stumble, be offended or become weak. As women, we have a great gift in that we are alluring to men, but this talent should only be honed in the bedroom with our husbands. If we aren’t behind closed doors with our spouse, then our clothing, behavior and speech should be chaste and discreet, having a sense of shame at anything lewd, which is becoming of women who profess godliness (see I Timothy 2:9-10).

Another aspect of lewdness is in our speech. Few things reflect whether we walk in the light or in darkness more than our words. Are they encouraging or uplifting? Do we have a “dirty mind”, hearing inappropriate words that are not there because our mind is bent in that direction? Does our mind “live in the gutter”? Do we seek laughter from others by telling them unclean jokes? We must guard ourselves against lewdness and impurity by first removing ourselves from all possible sources of lewdness.

If our friends tend to tell dirty jokes or flirt with men or dress inappropriately, these attitudes will rub off on us. Just like the dirty child was stained from wallowing in the mud hole, so too will we become tainted by the dirt that comes off of our friends. We must study God’s Word, pray for help and fill our lives with wholesome conversations and activities. Eventually, if we are diligent, we will find ourselves thinking less and less of evil things and regain some of our innocence and purity. We may never shed ourselves completely of the influence that sin had on us before, but we can live our lives in constant repentance, seeking to commit those sins no more and replace our bad thoughts with prayerful thoughts. Titus 1:15 is a good verse that teaches us that “unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.” A good way to measure our purity and holiness is to consider the manner of our thoughts: do they tend toward the “dirty” or the clean?

Idolatry may also seem like an obvious sin of which we have no problem, but let us consider it more carefully. An idol is not just something made with the hands which we worship. It is any object of extreme devotion. Something that is normally good or benign can become an idol if we spend all of our time doing it. We may be great at our jobs, and we are told in the Bible to keep busy, but if we work so much that we neglect our families, our job has become our idol. Sports, hobbies, television, books and any other material thing can become an idol. Even another human being such as our spouse or our children can become idols if we neglect God’s commandments and focus all of our attention on their physical needs. We must be careful to balance our lives so that our priority is such that we serve God, take care of our families and help others. Everything else should be done after we have fulfilled our priorities. This is one area in which I must personally work on with diligence. I tend to become sidetracked. Re-evaluating my priorities and making adjustments is something that I must do on a continual basis to help me keep focused on good works more than personal entertainment.

Lastly, we will consider hatred, strife and envy. At first thought, we may think that surely we don’t hate anyone or envy others. Yet upon closer examination, are there times when we do not act in the best interest of others? If we fail to love, are we not exhibiting signs of hatred? We may not openly hate someone, but if we are full of bitterness when someone gets a promotion and we were passed over, perhaps we are opening the door toward envy and hatred. If someone in our congregation is pessimistic, do we find ourselves complaining to others about the things she says? Do we do everything we can to ignore her? Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies and bless them who curse us. That is difficult to do! We are to return evil with good to those who hurt us. We must love those who are hard to love. And we are to pray for those who are cruel and who use us. These are things that we must continually work on because they do not come naturally to us as humans.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He died for the very people who were putting Him to death! He died for those who spit on Him, cursed and mocked Him, and beat Him. Surely these were not loveable people. Jesus’ example of love is the same love that we are to show for others. Nothing anyone can do to us is greater than what the Lord did for us. Nothing is so harmful or hurtful that it cannot be soothed by our Father’s compassion.

In the next lesson, Lord willing, we will continue our discussion on fleshly life and Spirit life. We will discuss just how to live our lives according to the Spirit and how to replace the sins of the flesh with good, pure and holy things. Until then, may the Lord bless each of you as you seek His Will in your life.


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Living by the Spirit I – Flesh vs. Spirit

Today’s Passage: “Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” John 3:5-6

Today will begin a study of what kind of life pleases God: living according to the flesh or living by the Spirit. We will first consider what it means to walk by the Spirit as opposed to walking by the flesh. We will explore Bible Scriptures teaching us how to live our lives by the Spirit as well as those warning us of the consequences of living by the flesh. Lord willing, we will in future lessons read passages regarding the lusts of the flesh so that we can renounce them. After considering these things, we will then look at each fruit of the Spirit in detail and learn the things that God has revealed to us in order to develop these characteristics.

It is true that all human beings are made in the flesh. Though we are made in the image of God, we were created in a temporary, fleshly body formed from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). When we die, our bodies return to dust (Genesis 3:19). In this sense, we are all living in the flesh while we are alive on the earth. Yet there is a difference between living in the flesh and living by the flesh, just as we can be living in the world but not of the world (James 4:4, I John 2:15-17). Jesus warned his apostles of the conflict between the two by stating that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

Prior to salvation, we not only live in the flesh, but we also live by the flesh. God’s Word reveals to us that every one of us has sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8). Not only do we deceive ourselves, but by claiming to have no sin, we are calling God a liar (I John 1:10). None of us who are mentally capable of recognizing sin is immune to sin and therefore we need Jesus Christ as a Savior.

Let us consider the difference between living by the flesh and living by the Spirit. We begin by reading Paul’s letter to the church in Rome:

“ 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:1-14)

Note in this passage the following teachings:
1. If we are in Christ, we will walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh (Romans 8:1)
2. Christians are made free from the old law of sin and death (Romans 8:2)
3. Jesus paid the price that we may be saved from our sins and He condemned sin (Romans 8:3)
4. We can only fulfill the law (by the grace of God) if we live according to the Spirit (Romans 8:4)
5. Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on worldly things, carnal things (Romans 8:5)
6. Those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5)
7. Living by the flesh leads to death; living by the Spirit leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6)
8. A worldly mind is hatred against God because it refuses to (and cannot) obey Him in this state (Romans 8:7)
9. It is impossible to please God if we are living in the flesh (Romans 8:8)
10. If the Spirit of God lives in us, then we live in the Spirit; if we are not Christ’s, then we are not in the Spirit (Romans 8:9)
11. If Christ is in us, our body is dead but our Spirit will live on because of righteousness (Romans 8:10)
12. If the Spirit of God is in us, He will give our mortal bodies life (Romans 8:11)
13. We are debtors (we owe Him) but not to the flesh. We must not live by the flesh or we will die. (Romans 8:12)
14. If by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body (in other words, stop doing the things that are contrary to God’s law), we will live (Romans 8:13)
15. Those living by the Spirit are sons of God, adopted by the Lord. Abba, Father! (Romans 8:14-15)

It is important to understand that in order to live by the Spirit, we must “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans 6:1). Paul addressed those who believed that they could continue in willful sin and be covered by grace by emphatically answering “No!” or as translated in the NKJV, “Certainly not!”

Let us consider a few passages to further discern what it means to put off the old man of sin and put on this new man who is born of the Spirit and lives a new life. Romans 6:4 teaches us that “we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” See also Ephesians 2:15, Ephesians 4:17-24 and Colossians 3:10.

Christ was hung on the cross, He was buried in a tomb and He arose again to return to glory. In like manner, we crucify the old person of sin, are buried with Christ in baptism and are raised a new creation – one who lives by the Spirit. This does not mean that we will live the rest of our lives sinless even after we are saved; however, we must strive to follow Christ’s example (I John 1:7), obey God’s commandments (I John 3:24, I John 2:4), continually examine ourselves to ensure that we are walking by faith (2 Corinthians 13:5), feel godly sorrow when we sin (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), renounce our sins by ceasing them (2 Corinthians 4:2, Matthew 3:8), confess our sins to God (I John 1:9) and confess our sins to other Christians if they are of a public nature or we need prayers for help (James 5:16). We must also strive to live a faithful life based on God’s commandments (Ezekiel 18:9, Revelation 2:10), following His directions for worship and godly living. We should develop the spirit of love that seeks to right our wrongs (like the examples of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8 and members who are at odds with one another in Matthew 5:24). True repentance – a change of mind leading to a change in action – is often uncomfortable but it is one of the first steps in learning to walk by the Spirit.

If we live according to the lusts of the flesh, we will surely die in our sins; yet if we have been transformed into a new creature (Romans 12:2), we will seek the things of God and put to death those things that are contrary to God (Romans 8:13). The difference between someone who lives by the flesh and someone who lives by the Spirit is in their words, attitude and actions (i.e., the fruit they bear) (Matthew 3:10, Matthew 7:16-17, John 15:5, Romans 6:20-22, Romans 7:5).

There is a difference between sinning and living a life of sin. If we walk in darkness (live in unrepentant sin), then we are not in fellowship with God. If we walk in the light (seek to live according to Christ’s commandments and example), we will still stumble, but we will feel godly sorrow for what we have done, repent of it, stop committing that sin and seek forgiveness of God (I John 1:7).

Below are some questions that may help us determine whether we are living by the flesh (darkness) or living by the Spirit (light).

1) Have I determined to lay aside the works of darkness and strive instead to bear fruit of the Spirit?
2) Have I been saved according to God’s plan, washed in the blood of the Lamb?
3) Do I search my heart and ensure that I am pure and living a godly life?
4) If I sin, do I feel remorse, determine to stop sinning and work to replace the sin with something good, pure and holy? Or do I keep sinning in the same ways day after day to the point that I am no longer remorseful and do not want to quit doing what I am doing?
5) Am I studying the Scriptures to learn what God expects of me, asking for wisdom to be imparted upon me as I read the Word, and applying what I read to my life?
6) What do I spend most of my time doing - good works or works of the flesh?
7) Do others know that I am a Christian by my fruit before I tell them I am a child of God?
8) Am I watching and praying so as not to enter into temptation (Matthew 26:41)?
9) Am I abstaining from (avoiding) every form of evil and instead holding on to what is good (I Thessalonians 5:21-22)?

These are questions that I intend to consider more throughout the coming days as I examine my own life and seek to draw closer to the Lord. As I have often stated before, these lessons are written primarily for my own growth but if by so writing them, they also help you grow closer to God, I am truly joyful unto the Lord!

If the Lord wills, in the next lesson we will look at the sins of the flesh as presented in Scripture before we move on to the fruit of the Spirit.

God bless you all and have a wonderful day full of peace, joy and love. Thank you for reading these devotionals.

From the Prison of Worry to the Freedom of Faith

Today’s Passage: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33

One of the most prominent troubles I have witnessed among Christian women is the tendency to worry. Anxiety is often a learned behavior. When I consider the women in my own family tree, I am aware of the fact that all of us have struggled at some time or another with anxiety, worry and fear. Often this behavior is passed down to future generations.

Sometimes worry is rational and is based on a very real threat. Jesus Christ was anxious in the garden of Gethsemane because He knew that He would face torture and death the following day at the hands of men. Our Lord was so stressed that he shed sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:44).

Another example of a very real concern was Hannah. She was in a loving marriage but she was barren and received constant ridiculing from Elkannah’s other wife. I Samuel 1:10 tells us that “she was in bitterness of soul and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.”

Job experienced much hardship and trials. In Job 16:25-27 his words are recorded: “I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and laid my head in the dust. My face is flushed from weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death.”

Some anxiety is a natural result of being children of God who live in a lost and perverse world. Ezra wept for Israel because they had turned away from the Lord (Ezra 10:1-2). King David wept often because of death threats. Paul in II Corinthians 2:4 wrote: “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.”

We note from these examples that some worry is inevitable. Yet the anxiety that generally tends to cripple us as women is either from fearing the unknown, worrying about tomorrow or a skewed outlook of ourselves. These unnecessary fears can be the fear of death or of illness although we have no evidence that either will happen. Perhaps we worry about how we will pay bills or whether we will lose our job. Maybe we fear losing our spouse to the point that we are unfairly suspicious of him. We worry about our appearance (new wrinkles, thinning hair, an uneven smile, teeth that are not pearly white and so on).

If these thoughts are not enough to paralyze us, we can be concerned about how we sound when we speak, what others think of us, whether we are smart enough or rich enough or funny enough… We can imagine what others are saying about us behind our backs or misinterpret a glance for a look of disdain. We can revisit a conversation days, weeks and months later until we have warped it into the worst possible thing anyone has ever said.

I have just begun! Our clothes are surely ugly, our hair is never styled like others and our complexion is pale. Everyone else seems to be see well-kempt and polished and poised and intelligent but we are filled with anxiety because surely everyone can see through us and realize that we are the most unorganized, boring and uneducated person ever known. We are too tall, too short, too heavy or too thin.

Our Father God never intended these thoughts to plague His children. In fact, He teaches us that anxiety over these things is amiss. Jesus teaches us with compassion that we must master our worry over things such as these in Matthew 6:25-34:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles (or pagans) seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Let us look at the various ways that God teaches us how to master our unnecessary fears by breaking down the verses above and studying other Scriptures that deal with these teachings:

1. We must realize that God cares for us. (“Are you not of more value than they?”)

We are assured that God cares for the birds of the air but that He cares even more for us. We should not be concerned with the things that He has promised to handle. Another assurance of His concern is in I Peter 5:6-7: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7. If we truly believe that God cares about us and wants what is best for us then we will not worry about our looks, possessions and other irrational fears.

2. We must realize that worrying does not change anything for the better. (“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”)

Worrying about things that we cannot change may change things, but it often changes them for the worst. For example, instead of improving our height, appearance, etc., worry can affect our mental and physical health. Additionally, it can harm our spiritual health because we make physical things of the world our focus instead of God’s promises. We tend to internalize and focus on ourselves instead of others, causing us to become selfish, introverted people. Romans 12:10-13 states, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” It is hard to do these works of service if we are overcome with thoughts of ourselves and our imagined concerns.

3. We must have faith in God. (“Will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”)

Being overly concerned about our troubles is proof that we are more focused on what we cannot do than the things that God wants us to do. He teaches us in this passage that worrying over these things is because we have “little faith”. Paul mentioned many things that had happened to him over the years, including being shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, starved and naked in I Corinthians 11:24-28. Surely these things might have caused him great anxiety, yet he wrote in Philippians 4:11-13: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Oh that we could have such faith in our daily lives!

4. We must realize that as a child of God, we should not worry about our needs. (“For after all these things the pagans seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need these things.”)

Unbelievers may worry about possessions and appearance but we should realize that God already knows our needs. He will take care of them according to His plan. Perhaps we think life would be so much easier if we only had such and such… Yet the Lord knows what we can handle and what we cannot. He knows where He needs us to be in order to do the most good in His kingdom. If we are following God’s Word and seeking to obey Him, then we are where we should be and have what we should have. There is no need to worry about things that could be harmful to our spiritual walk if we were to have them. We may be able to teach others best if we have faced a life threatening disease. On the other hand, we may have encountered many vices and have been led astray if our health was such that we chose another road in life instead of relying on God. Wealth may seem to be wonderful but perhaps we could not handle the temptations that sometimes follow it. Perhaps it would have enabled us to move to another location but we would have missed leading someone to Christ where we currently live. Faith means trusting God to lead us where we wants us, using who we are, where we are and what we have.

5. We must study God’s Word and pray for guidance. (“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”)

The only way to truly seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness is to know what these things are. We must continually study His Word in order to recognize righteousness and avoid evil. Psalm 1:1-3 teaches us that the person who studies and meditates on God’s Word will prosper. Ephesians 6:17 teaches us that the Word of God is our protection against evil while we learn in Hebrews 4:12 that God’s Word is alive and penetrates into our hearts and minds.

Additionally, prayer is a time to speak to God of our needs and ask for our faith to be strengthened. When Simon had thoughts that were contrary to God’s Will, Peter told him to “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” The same advice applies to us if we are struggling with anxiety that is due to our weak faith.

6. We should handle the concerns of today instead of attempting to handle all future concerns at once. (“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”)

Jesus assures us in this passage that there will always be things for which we will be concerned as long as we live on this earth. Because of this, we should take care of the things that we can handle today and let tomorrow’s concerns wait until then. This does not mean that we should not prepare the things that we are able to handle in order to avoid later anxiety but it teaches us that we should not be overly concerned about things that may not happen. When our minds are consumed with thoughts of “What if?” we lose focus on the things we can be doing for God now.

Let us consider again the examples above of those who worried and their responses to those worries. Upon reviewing them, we will see if the six points listed helped their situations.

1. Jesus was troubled in the garden (Luke 22:39-46). How did He handle these concerns? He prayed to God that His Will would be done instead of Christ’s own human will. Then he faced His accusers and accepted His fate. He did not continue to worry about what would happen to Him but had faith that God would take care of everything according to His will.

2. Hannah prayed to the Lord for help (I Samuel 1:15). She knew that worrying herself sick was not helping things but she did acknowledge the One who could help: Jehovah God.

3. Job was shaken, tormented and tested. He wept and humbled himself to God in prayer. Never did he accuse God but he instead remained faithful during the utmost of human suffering (Job 1:22).

4. Ezra prayed fervently to God. When he had finished, he stated, “… yet now there is hope in Israel” (Ezra 10:2). He did not allow the condition of Israel to utterly destroy him but he acknowledged that there is always hope with God.

5. David wept and was troubled often by those who wanted to kill him. He meditated on God’s Word every day and night and prayed often. He is recorded as saying “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) He also wrote that “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” (Psalm 126:5) His hope was not dashed for he knew what was important and no matter his grief, he trusted in God’s love.

6. Paul continued to pray and work fervently to ensure that the Christians he had taught would remain faithful. He also wrote that no matter what state he was in “to be content” (Philippians 4:11). This was surely a man of faith who did not allow the small things of life to overwhelm him.

Worrying about things that we cannot change leads to heartache and stress. These feelings imprison us by holding us captive to our fears and preventing us from being the best Christian women we can be in God’s kingdom. By putting things into their proper perspective through the six methods mentioned above and by following the six examples of people who dealt with their stress in positive ways, we can surely be free from the chains of worry and embrace the peace and serenity that God offers us if we have faith in Him.

I close the lesson today with the Serenity Prayer as it is commonly called. Many of us have read the first part on plaques and wall hangings but perhaps we have not read the prayer in its entirety. I have always found it comforting and I hope that you do as well.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

May God bless us as we study His Word and pray for guidance in our lives. I pray that this is a good week for all of you, dear sisters.

The Gospel: What is this Good News? Part IV

Today’s Passage: “Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” Acts 9:20

Today’s devotional thought will conclude our series of lessons entitled “The Gospel: What is this Good News”, a study of four men’s gospel sermons as presented in the Bible. The highlight of our study today is Paul. He is an excellent example of how we should our lives in service to God, teaching others and rescuing them from their sins.

We will focus on two primary parts of Paul’s life: his conversion in Acts 9 and 22 and his teachings and conversions of others. These teachings will include Lydia, the Philippian jailer, the men of Athens, Crispus and some Ephesian disciples (Acts 16-19). By studying Paul’s conversion and the responses to his gospel teaching to others, we can clearly see what God requires of us in order to be saved. We can also glean great wisdom from the example of Paul and how he reached his audience.

Paul's Conversion

Teachers: Jesus, Ananias
Audience: Paul (also known as Saul)
Complete Passage: Acts 9:1-22, Acts 22:3-21

The amazing accounts of Paul’s conversion show us that no matter how lost we are, God is able to save us from our sins if we obey Him. We are never beyond hope. We have never sinned so much that we are unforgiveable. Paul persecuted the church in various ways: he dragged them out of their homes, threw them into prison and even consented to Stephen’s death. Yet despite Paul’s efforts to thwart the early church, God knew that he was ignorant of wrongdoing and saw great potential in his heart.

It is important to note that regardless of Paul’s ignorance of wrongdoing, he was still guilty of sin until he was saved. As Paul would preach later, God “commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained” Acts 17:30-31.

Additionally, it is wise to note that after Jesus revealed Himself on the road to Damascus, Paul certainly believed in Christ and recognized Him as the Savior (Acts 22:10). Yet this was not enough. Ananias spoke to him and healed him of his blindness (Acts 22:14-15). And still, this was not enough. Paul was informed to “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” Acts 22:16. At this point, Paul’s sins were washed away and he was saved. Everyone, including Paul, has been commanded to obey God’s instructions for salvation regardless of our goodness, blessings or potential.

Conversions following Paul’s Teachings

Teacher: Paul
Audiences: Lydia, Philippian jailer, Aeropagus, Crispus, Ephesian disciples
Complete Passage: Acts 16:11-15, Acts 16:25-34, Acts 17:22-34, Acts 18:7-8, Acts 19:1-7

Please read the passages above regarding some of the conversions that took place following Paul’s teaching. The following can be observed from these readings.

1. Though Paul saw the vision of a man asking him to come to Macedonia, when he arrived at Philippi, he took the time to teach Lydia and baptize all of her household. Incidentally, as Lydia’s conversion story is the first to be listed in Philippi, it is likely that the Philippian church, to whom Paul later wrote a letter, began in her home (Acts 16:40).

2. Paul and Silas reached other prisoners by singing praises to God. Secondly, they modeled Christian behavior by remaining in their cells and stopping the jailer from committing suicide. Thirdly, they taught the jailer what to do to be saved. He and his household were baptized that very hour. Like the Ethiopian eunuch, the jailer rejoiced!

3. Paul taught the Athenians, who worshipped false gods, about the one true God and Jesus. Most rejected him but a few believed.

4. Paul preached to the Jews but was opposed and blasphemed. He went to Justus’ house and preached. Crispus, his household and many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized.

5. Paul asked a group of disciples if they had been baptized into Jesus Christ. As they had only been baptized by John’s baptism, the disciples were then baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

What lessons can we learn from Paul as we teach the lost today?

1. We must be aware that ignorance is not an excuse (Acts 17:30-31). Judgment Day will come for all (Romans 14:10). Therefore, not only should we strive to seek God’s will by reading the Bible daily, we also should strive to teach others of God’s Word. We must repent of our sins by turning away from them once we realize our wrongs, asking for God’s forgiveness and making the decision to stop sinning.

2. We may find the best opportunities when traveling the detours of life. We may bemoan the roadblocks in our way without realizing that in those times of struggles we met others who were led to the Lord by our words or actions. Or perhaps our lives did not turn out the way we intended but we find that the Lord blessed us exceedingly greater than if our dreams had come true. Paul was able to adjust to whatever path he traveled and reach lost souls along the way.

3. Even the most insignificant people can be great in the kingdom of heaven. Paul received a vision of a man in Macedonia who needed help, yet upon arriving in Philippi, he met a woman and baptized her and her household. Upon being imprisoned, Paul was able to save a jailer and his entire household. Look what a difference these conversions made in the region of Philippi as the church to whom Paul later wrote was established.

4. Formal Bible studies are not the only way to reach lost souls. Paul and Silas reached other prisoners by singing. They reached the jailer by responding in a very unusual way when the cell doors were opened. Though teaching others God’s Word directly is vital, so also is teaching others by our example.

5. Paul did not let rejection stop him from saving souls and neither should we. Although Paul was ridiculed, blasphemed, persecuted, thrown in prison and later killed, he never allowed fear of man to overcome his joy of preaching Christ to others.

6. Even souls who consider themselves saved may be surprised at the Day of Judgment. We are to continually test ourselves to ensure we are teaching the truth and be open to the Word so that we can correct any error in our lives (II Corinthians 13:5). Though salvation is a gift, we can lose this gift if we fail to continue living faithfully (Revelation 2:10). Paul did not look to the things he did in the past but continued striving to reach the goal, realizing that even he could lose the reward of heaven if he stopped living for the Lord (Philippians 3:12-14, Hebrews 6:4-6).

I hope that you have benefited from these studies of various gospel sermons and conversions in the Bible. It has been good for me to review and learn new insight from meditating upon them. To close our series of lessons, it is good to remember the exhortation in I Corinthians 15:2-4: “By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

We are saved by holding fast to God’s Word and obeying it. Of primary importance in evaluating our own soul’s state and preparing to teach others is the act that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised as taught in the Scriptures. Hope of salvation can only come through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God bless you as you seek His will through studying His Word today!

The Gospel: What is this Good News? Part III

Today’s Passage: “…and he went on his way rejoicing.” Acts 8:39b

We continue the study of the gospel, determining what it is and its power to save souls, as evidenced by the preaching of various men in the Bible. We have studied Peter’s and Stephen’s teachings about Christ in earlier studies. Today, we will focus on Philip’s teachings.

Philip's Sermon to the Samaritans

Teacher: Philip
Location: Samaria
Audience: Citizens of Samaria
Complete Passage: Acts 8:4-13

The Bible describes Philip’s sermons to the people very simply: “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them” Acts 8:5. Sometimes we feel that we must have vast knowledge of God’s Word and deep wisdom of His teachings and while we should study with the intention to learn as much as we can, we may miss valuable opportunities to save others if we wait until we think we are knowledgeable enough to teach. Sometimes the biggest soul-winners are not those who have been in the church for many years but new converts with a simple outlook: Jesus Christ saves. New Christians do not typically have a deep understanding of the Bible yet but they have learned enough to be saved and wish to share this joy with others. They learned that they were lost in sin and that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. This passage in Acts reminds me clearly that I should “preach Christ” to those around me. The power should not and cannot be in my words but in the power of God’s Words themselves, for the gospel “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” Romans 1:16.

The chapter continues with the revelation of the outcome of Philip’s preaching. “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized” Acts 8:12. Again, we see that the crowds’ reaction to the preaching of Christ was belief and baptism; therefore, we see that these things were taught to the multitude during Philip’s sermon. If we preach Christ to others and leave out how they can attain the hope of salvation, we haven’t truly preached Christ to them at all.

According to the Bible, in order to know Christ we must keep His commandments. Following this thought, in order for us to preach Christ we must teach of His commandments regarding salvation. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” I John 2:3-5. Teaching others of Christ without sharing the plan of salvation would be like attempting to rescue a drowning man by enlightening him of the safety of the distant shore instead of lifting him into our boat of safety. When we discuss Christ with others, we should include the Bible’s teachings of how we can be in and remain in the body of Christ.

Philip’s Teaching of an Ethiopian Man
Teacher: Philip
Location: Chariot on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza
Audience: Ethiopian official
Complete Passage: Acts 8:26-39

Observances of Philip’s teaching approach:

1. Philip took notice of what the Ethiopian man was doing and asked him if he understood what he read.

2. Philip preached to the man about Jesus, beginning with the passage in Isaiah that the man was reading.

3. Philip baptized the Ethiopian man, asking him if he believed with all his heart.

What lessons can we learn from Philip as we teach the lost today?

1. Philip took interest in a stranger and noticed what he was doing.
In order to reach the lost around us, we must have compassion for them. We must notice what they are doing and feel a genuine concern for their souls. If Philip had failed to notice that the man was reading from the book of Isaiah, he may have missed an incredible opportunity to teach him. Certainly, God sent Philip to this man, but Philip had to take the initiative to find and to teach the man. God gives us the ability to teach through our talents and He gives us what to teach through His Word yet we must make the effort to use our gifts and knowledge to approach others.

Prayerfully beseeching God to save others or even to make us soul-winners is not enough. We must put our prayers into action through works of service like speaking to the lost, mentioning Jesus, handing them gospel tracts or booklets, offering to study with them or the many other ways that an individual can lead others to Christ. Philip readily agreed to go seek a lost man and teach him the gospel of Christ. God may send lost souls into our lives at the right time and in the right manner but it is up to us to open our eyes and be aware of these opportunities.

2. Philip began with the very Scripture that the man was reading.

This point deals with an area of my knowledge that I need to personally increase. If someone is struggling with a particular passage, I should have enough knowledge as a mature Christian to answer their question. I write this as I examine my own life and do not imply that your experience has been the same. I also do not intend to contradict the point made above that we should teach Christ no matter the level of understanding so long as we teach from His Word. There are new Christians who have only developed the understanding of how to be saved and have not yet developed an understanding of the deeper teachings of the Bible and would not be expected to quote passages from the Bible. Additionally, I should point out that there are some subjects which no Christian will completely understand this side of heaven because God has only revealed to us what He wants us to know and what we can handle. As Moses wrote, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29. Yet, as I examine my own life, I know that there have been many times I have failed to study as often as I should and to meditate on God’s Word, committing the passages to memory. In later discussions with others I realized that I couldn’t remember the passage from which an important teaching came and I couldn’t even completely quote the passage. Saying, “I can’t remember it completely, but somewhere in the Bible it says something like…” just doesn’t help my teaching efforts. I write notes in my Bible and try to keep pamphlets on hand to help but nothing can take the place of having it always at hand in my memory. David was a man who appreciated God's Word and meditated on it day and night (Psalm 1:2) and I should strive to have this same appreciation and reverence for it.

3. Philip’s intent was not just to immerse the eunuch – it was to ensure that the man completely understood what he was doing so that he could be saved. Note the following passage: “Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” Acts 8:36-38.

As an online Bible School study helper, I often meet students who feel that they were saved yet upon further study, it becomes clear that they did not truly understand what they were doing at the time or their beliefs regarding salvation were not in accordance with the Bible. After learning more clearly what the Bible teaches regarding salvation, the “light bulb comes on”, so to speak, and it is my prayer that they take a long look at the motives that were in their hearts as well as compare the steps they took in order to be saved with the commandments found only in God’s Word. We should all compare our own motives and practices as we study the Bible to ensure that we are not in error. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…” II Corinthians 13:5.

It is wonderful that this passage is included in the documentation of the eunuch’s conversion because it shows us that although the man was ready to be baptized and eager to be saved, Philip was not so caught up in emotion that he neglected ensuring that the man understood what he requested. Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The man needed to realize that belief is necessary. Perhaps someone decides to be saved because others are doing so and it is out of peer pressure as opposed to a true belief in their hearts that they have sinned, need to be saved and believe that this can only take place through Jesus Christ. Each individual must search their own hearts to know if their baptism took place for any reason other than true belief in Christ as the Son of God and our Savior. Although we cannot personally judge the intentions of others, we do have the responsibility of ensuring that anyone to whom we have presented the gospel understands what the Bible teaches about being saved. Philip’s approach shows us that he was genuinely concerned about the Ethiopian man’s understanding and motive.

4. “…and he went on his way rejoicing” Acts 8:39b.

What more inspiring sentence could be written to uplift us? This verse reminds me that not only should I teach Christ to others but I should also live a life that reflects the joyfulness and peace that I have in Him. When I was saved, I remember well the feeling that the burden of sin had been lifted off of me. I understood then what it truly meant to be saved and that was a joyful moment for me and my family. Yet do I live in such a way now, these many years later, that others consider me a joyful person? Christians should be the most joyful people in the world. While we may sorrow over the plight of the lost or mourn the loss of a loved one, our hope in Christ should renew our spirits and lift us up to the light of heaven – the JOY of Jesus’ resurrection and the HOPE of eternal life!

I pray that this study of Philip and his example of teaching others has inspired you as it has me. May God bless us all as we seek a deeper understanding of His Word and strive to be worth servants in His Kingdom. As a final note of cheer and encouragement, I am reminded of the following passage:

“When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5).

God bless you this day!

The Gospel: What is this Good News? Part II

Today’s Passage: “And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit…” Acts 6:5a

Today’s devotional continues our study of the gospel as the good news. We recently studied Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, the first example of four speeches or sermons in the Bible that we can apply to our efforts of evangelism today. Today we will study Stephen’s evangelistic speech that begins in Acts 6:7 and ends in Acts 7:60.

Stephen is a marvelous man to study because we can learn much from his example of character, faith and obedience to God. Stephen’s attributes are listed throughout Acts 6. Stephen was chosen as one of seven men to serve in the capacity of deacon because he was “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” Acts 6:3. He was “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit” Acts 6:5. He was “full of faith and power” and he “did great wonders and signs among the people” Acts 6:8. When he discussed the truth with those who opposed him, they had to lie because they “were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” Acts 6:10. Perhaps in a future study we might compare the attributes of Christ as He faced crucifixion and Stephen as he was being stoned. There are notable similarities in their lives from which we can learn many lessons.

STEPHEN’S SPEECH

Teacher: Stephen
Location: Jerusalem
Audience: Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia)
Complete Passage: Acts 6:7-7:60

Main points presented by Stephen:

1. When the high priest asked Stephen about the “evidence” that had been brought against him, Stephen’s defense of Christ was to present the facts that the people should already know from the Law. He spoke of Abraham and the promises made to him about his descendents and the land. He spoke of God’s hand throughout the lives of the descendents of Abraham, the Lord’s chosen people. Stephen reminded them of Israel’s falling away and captivity.

2. Stephen connected the hardheartedness of the people in the patriarchs’ days and during the time of Moses to the stubbornness of his audience in Jerusalem. He did not fear the consequences because he knew that his words were directly from God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Stephen’s desire to please God and not man (see Peter and John’s similar desire in Acts 4:19) gave him the courage he needed to withstand the angry crowd.

3. After teaching his listeners about God and warning them of the danger of their souls, Stephen cried to the Lord to forgive those who were stoning him to death. Though his sermon was one of warning, it was also one of love and forgiveness.

What lessons can we learn from Stephen’s speech and apply to our efforts to teach the lost today?

1. If we speak the truth in love, there will still be those who oppose us. Many throughout the ages have been persecuted for their defense of the gospel of truth, including Stephen. Some of the many who are mentioned in the Bible are the prophets of God (I Kings 18:13), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 15:15), Jesus (I Peter 2:21), the first century church (Acts 8:3-4) and Paul (II Corinthians 11:23-28). We are not promised that living a Christian life will be easier. In fact, we are warned that it will be difficult because we will suffer for good on the earth (John 15:20, Romans 12:14).

2. There may be some who spread lies about us as they did our Savior. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) so it is natural that his followers are also liars. Accusations will likely be made against us if we stand up for truth but God, who sees everything, knows the truth and will save us (Psalm 35:20, Matthew 10:22, I Peter 2:12).

3. We must love others enough to teach them God’s Word no matter the consequence. We cannot truly teach others of God’s love if we do not have a similar love in our hearts toward them. People are intelligent enough to know when someone is teaching them out of obligation as opposed to doing so out of love for their souls and will generally build a wall of defense against teachers who are not genuinely concerned for them. Jesus commands us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), love our neighbor (Mark 12:31) and love one another (John 13:34). The Bible has much to say about false motives and pretense (Proverbs 16:2, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 15:9, I Corinthians 4:5, Philippians 2:3). We must be sincere in our efforts to save souls.

4. We must stand up against evil. As Christians, we must take a stand against the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:11-12). We must confess Jesus Christ before others (Matthew 10:32-33, Romans 10:9-10). If we are Christians, should we not question our faith if we fail to publicly acknowledge Christ wherever we are? After all, we are either for Him or against Him (Luke 11:23). Though the Christians in Acts dispersed because they were being persecuted, they did not hide their religion under a rock. The gospel went with them (Acts 8:4).

5. We must not close our eyes against the sin around us or accept it. Just as Stephen raised awareness of the hypocrisy of his time, there are times when we must call out the sin that is rampant in the lives of those around us who profess to be Christians. We must also teach those who are ignorant of their sins. Perhaps we may think that if we keep quiet about sinfulness, we can wash our hands of the consequences as Pilate attempted to do; yet we are to avoid even the appearance of evil (I Thessalonians 5:22). We must also strive to ensure that we do not approve of sin in others (Romans 1:32) and that not even the hint of impurity is considered of us (Ephesians 5:3-5).

5. We must warn of the dangers of living in sin. Many of us are Christians today because we were warned by someone of the danger of being lost in our sins without Christ’s precious gift of salvation. Should we not share such good tidings to others who may die in their sins? God has warned His people of the consequences of sin through His prophets and leaders (II Kings 17:13, Nehemiah 9:29, Psalm 81:8). Ezekiel was told in Ezekiel 3:18-19 that if God said to him that someone would die due to their sins but he did not warn the person, he would be held accountable for the man’s blood. Paul made it his daily task to warn the church to be on guard (Acts 20:31) and advised them to warn brethren of their sin (II Thessalonians 3:15).

7. Sometimes people react strongly because they have been touched by the Word. Note the reason that Stephen’s audience turned on him and attacked: “they were cut to the heart”. Peter’s listeners were cut to the heart as well, but they repented and obeyed the gospel. In Stephen's case, when the people heard his message, they reacted by killing him. We are told to look in the mirror and face our own faults, confessing them and renouncing them (Proverbs 28:13, II Corinthians 13:5, James 5:16). Many people do not feel comfortable admitting their weaknesses and therefore may react negatively to the Word that we share just as Stephen’s listeners did. Sadly, the more often they squelch their feelings of being “cut to the heart”, the more likely their consciences will be seared so that they feel nothing as was the case in Timothy’s day (I Timothy 4:2). If we have revealed the gospel and are ridiculed, we must remember that it is Christ who is rejected and not us personally (Luke 10:16, I Thessalonians 4:8). We must do our part to share the good news so that, just as Ezekiel was told in Ezekiel 3:19, we will be saved regardless of the hearer’s action.

8. We must be willing to be persecuted or even die for Jesus if we find ourselves in a similar situation. We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:12 that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” so it should not come as a surprise when we find ourselves being ridiculed or tormented because we teach the truth. Peter wrote as much in I Peter 4:12: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” We have been warned that we will be persecuted so when that time comes, if our faith is not strong enough to handle the difficulty, our hearts will be as the seed in Jesus’ parable that had no root and could not withstand affliction or persecution (Mark 4:17).

May we never be known as “fair weather” Christians. Though surely no one looks forward to discomfort (even Jesus was in anguish as He prayed in the garden before He was arrested), we can rejoice in the promise that we will be rewarded if we accept persecution for righteousness’ sake. Let us remember the words of Paul in Romans 8:35-38: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Dear sisters, is this not worth anything that can happen to us as we share the beautiful news that Jesus Christ saves? I hope that you have enjoyed this study of Stephen’s sermon as I have. May we follow the examples of these godly men as their faith led them to many acts of courage in Christ’s name. God bless you and your families this week!

The Gospel: What is this Good News? Part I

Tip: I have added a tool that allows you to hover your cursor over a passage and read it directly from God’s Word. I pray that this assists you in your readings.

Today’s Passage: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” Matthew 28:18-20

If you are like me, you have been taught the gospel, understood it and obeyed it; however, when it comes to teaching others about it, you suddenly feel inadequate and forget the verses you have known for years. Teaching the gospel is not complicated but in order for others to believe it, knowing where Scriptures are located so that the student can read for himself is helpful. The student’s faith and obedience should come directly from the inspired Word of God and his response to God’s commandments instead of being based on our own persuasive words or opinions. In I Corinthians 2:4, Paul spoke of his own teachings as being from the Spirit of God and not from his own persuasive words of human wisdom.

The title of this series of lessons is: “What is this Good News?” Throughout the next studies, we will meditate upon some of the examples of Christians spreading the gospel of Christ to others in order to know what we need to teach others. Additionally, Scriptures regarding salvation will be noted so that we can mark them in our Bibles and keep them handy for teaching others. I am working on developing various tools that we can use to spread the gospel but primarily, knowing what to teach and where the Scriptures are found in the Bible is all we need to know in order to tell others about Christ. If we are enthusiastic about the joy and hope we have found in Christ, we cannot help but share these blessings with others.

Jesus told His apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” Matthew 28:18-20. Mark records Jesus as stating, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” Mark 16:15-16. These passages show that the apostles were to preach the gospel and baptize the lost.

Though we may not travel the world as missionaries like some of the apostles, we are no less responsible for spreading the gospel than they were. A prime example of Christians seeking and saving the lost is the first century church. After Stephen’s death, the followers of Christ were subjected to great persecution. They fled to various regions of Judah and Samaria. See Acts 8:1. This might have caused the end of the church if not for God’s will and the determination of the new Christians to spread the gospel. “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” Acts 8:4. Indeed, we must be as willing to share the hope that is in Christ with the lost around us everywhere we go. Let it be said of us, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15.

DEFINITION OF “GOSPEL”

The literal definition of the word gospel (gōd spell in Old English) is “good news”. The gospel that we are to share is the good news of Christ. The gospel is the entire Bible in a nutshell – God’s creation; man’s downfall due to sin; his inability to keep the laws perfectly; his inability to save himself; his need of a Savior; God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ; Jesus’ birth, teachings, death, burial & resurrection; the Word given to us that teaches us how we can be saved through Jesus Christ and the ultimate rewards of our heavenly home with our Lord. This is HOPE! There is no other hope except through our Savior because without Him, the many sufferings we undergo on earth will be far more pleasant than what we experience after we die. Yet if we are in Christ Jesus, no happiness or joy we encounter here on earth can compare to the glories of heaven and the joy of living with our Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit forever. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” Romans 8:18.

The first gospel example we will study will be Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. We will continue with Philip, Stephen and Paul in our next studies, Lord willing. I have broken the lessons down as this will be quite a long study when it is complete. God bless you as you study His Word and meditate upon it.

GOSPEL EXAMPLES

Teacher: Peter
Location: Jerusalem
Complete Passage: Acts 2:14-40
Main points presented by Peter:
1. Joel’s prophecy that God would “pour out [His] Spirit on all flesh” was being fulfilled. This day the apostles were given the Holy Spirit in a visible and tangible way. Acts 2:17
2. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Messiah as proven to them by His miracles, wonders and signs. Acts 2:22
3. The Savior and Messiah for whom they had been waiting was the same Jesus whom they had crucified. Acts 2:22-23
4. Jesus was raised up because death could not hold Him. Acts 2:24
5. David prophesied that the Lord would not be left in the grave. Acts 2:27
6. God raised up Jesus to sit on his throne. Acts 2:30
7. The apostles were all witnesses of the resurrected Christ. Acts 2:32
8. Peter reaffirmed “that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36
9. In order for their sins to be forgiven, the listeners would need to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts 2:38
10. Those present were advised to “be saved from this perverse generation”. Acts 2:40

What lessons can we learn from Peter’s sermon in order to teach the lost today?

1. The Old Testament prophecies told of the coming Messiah’s birth, death and resurrection. These were all fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ. These prophecies were written hundreds to thousands of years before Christ was born. Some examples of Messianic prophecies and their fulfillment are Zechariah 11:12-13, Matthew 26:14-15; Psalm 69:4, John 15:24-25; Psalm 22:16, Luke 24:38-40, John 19:18,37
2. Jesus’ apostles were eye witnesses of Christ’s death and saw Him after He was resurrected. (Luke 1:1-3, Luke 24:46-48, II Peter 1:16)
3. Jesus’ miracles proved that He was sent from God and was given the power of God Himself. (John 8:42, Acts 2:22)
4. Just as predicted, Jesus was crucified though He had done no wrong. (Isaiah 53:9, I Peter 2:22, Hebrews 4:15
5. Jesus did not remain in the grave but was raised from the dead. (Matthew 28:6, Mark 16:14, John 3:13, Acts 4:10)
6. Jesus returned to heaven and sits at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19, Acts 5:31, I Peter 3:22)
7. We must also repent and be baptized for the remission of our sins. (Mark 16:16; Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; I Peter 3:21)
8. We need to be saved from this wicked and perverse generation. (Acts 2:40; Philippians 2:14-15, James 1:21)

We can learn much from Peter’s gospel sermon. By studying the words that the Holy Spirit guided him to speak to the crowds in order to prick their hearts, we can learn what is needed of us when we speak to others. We must teach others with much love and compassion but we must never be afraid to speak the truth. While happy and loving thoughts of our Father are important to portray, so also is the message that failing to know and obey God will result in eternal punishment (II Thessalonians 1:7-9).

If we truly love others we will be concerned about their souls. I want to spread the gospel to everyone with whom I come in contact so that they will have an opportunity to know about the Lord. I pray for forgiveness for all of the opportunities I have allowed to slip away due to fear, distractions or selfishness.

I pray that this series of lessons will speak to you as it has to me. Preaching the gospel to "every creature" is a blessing because only by doing so can we bear much fruit in the kingdom.

God bless you, dear sisters!

Sowing the Seed of the Kingdom

Today’s Passage: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’ Romans 10:15 (Isaiah 52:7)

As a continuation of the personal evangelism theme that began with “Here Am I, Send Me”, we will focus on Jesus’ parable about the sower and the seed. This series focuses on the necessity of spreading the gospel, the power of the Word and an explanation of what the gospel is.

Jesus taught a parable of about a sower to his disciples in Matthew 13:1-23. As you read through these verses, place yourself in the role of the recipient. Remember those who taught you the gospel of Christ and changed your life forever. Consider your life, how you received the gospel and what you are now doing with this precious gift.

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:1-23

We know from Jesus’ explanation that when the seed is sown, each recipient will react differently to the gospel. Some will be so hardened and close-minded that they will reject the Word immediately. The gospel will be quickly snatched away from their hearts. If they were willing to listen, they may believe the gospel and obey it; instead they reject the precious gift of salvation.

Others receive the word and are zealous at first. When they experience trials and struggles, they immediately lose their faith in God to take care of them and harden their hearts against the gospel. Because the seed never took deep root in their hearts, their tendency to focus on their problems overshadows the realization of the great hope that they have been given in Christ Jesus.

Still others are so caught up in the desires of the world such as their jobs, money, lust, gambling and other sins that they no longer reflect the light of Christ in their lives. People cannot distinguish them from those who have never been saved because they do not bear fruit for the Lord. They are entrapped by their lust for pleasure and live for the moment instead of preparing for eternity.

Yet there are precious souls who receive the Word, are zealous for the Lord, study to ensure they understand God’s will for them, live as godly Christians and reflect Christ’s love. They do not keep such a wonderful gift to themselves but they share it with others. Their lives are spent loving and helping others, bearing fruit of the Spirit and bringing lost souls to God. Only these can truly carry the name “Christian” because they belong to Christ.

In order to be the sower mentioned in the parable, we must at least have received the Word initially making it impossible for us to have received the seed tossed along the wayside. In order to continue sowing, we must endure so this removes the possibility that we received the seed on stony places. In order to remain the sower described in the parable we must have faith that God will sustain us even in hard times. This means that we cannot be those who received the seed among the thorns. The conclusion we must make is that in order to be the good sower who spread the gospel everywhere he went, we must have received the Word, understood it, and born fruit.

Now let us read the passages below but this time, let us place ourselves in the parable as the sower. Imagine that you are the one scattering the seed along the way, sharing the gospel with those with whom you come in contact.

“Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”…
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

To be the sower that Jesus wants us to be, we must have the right kind of heart in order to receive the Word. After hearing, believing and obeying God’s Word, we must then go about the business of sharing the gospel with others. “Here Am I, Send Me” focused on being ready for action and noticing opportunities for sharing God’s word. It also discussed the fact that we must make the decision to cast away fear in order to save lost souls.

Did the sower allow fear to stop him from spreading the gospel? No. If he had, he would not have spread it among the wayside, rocky places, thorny places and the good path. He would have avoided the paths that seemed treacherous or a waste of time. We must also intentionally spread the gospel everywhere we go. Since we neither have the ability nor the authority to judge others’ hearts, we must not avoid teaching someone because we consider her unlikely to respond. The sower who bears fruit and produces a hundredfold is a good soul who sees value in everyone. God saw value in sinful man and prepared a plan of salvation to redeem us. Praise be to the Lord that He did not consider it to be a waste of time to offer salvation to us because many would reject this precious gift.

Fear of taking the first step to preach the gospel to others can be debilitating if we allow it to become a habit. We can study every passage in the Bible regarding the gospel, prepare as much as possible and pray to God for courage and strength but if we do not take the first step, our preparation has been in vain. Preparation alone is worthless if it never leads to action.

The power that saves souls is not found in our own words or actions but in speaking the inspired words that we read in the Holy Bible. As Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation” Romans 1:16. He understood that the power comes from the gospel because it is God’s Word. Paul was merely the tool that God used to save souls as he states, “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” I Corinthians 2:3-5.

This concept is further described in I Corinthians 35-7: “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”

If we truly believe this, then what can keep us from sharing the gospel? If the gospel is rejected, then it is Christ who is rejected (Luke 10:16). Yet how can we know what good can eventually come of the seed that we planted? Perhaps years later the seed will grow within the receiver’s heart and he will consider what he was taught and desire to read more. Remember, it is God who gives the increase when the hearer obeys the gospel.

It gives me joy to think of the words of Isaiah and Paul as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’ ”Romans 10:15 (Isaiah 52:7)

Let it be said of us, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” How much more can love be shown than to share the hope of the gospel to those who are lost in sin?

To conclude this second lesson of the series “Here Am I, Send Me”, let us consider this inspirational passage: “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:7-9

I pray that these lessons will create in us the desire and zeal to reach out to the lost. I am currently preparing teaching tools for sharing the gospel for my own use that I hope will be beneficial to you as well. They will be available free as a download on our Priceless Pearls website. I will inform you when the document and tools have been completed with directions for downloading them.

May we never lose heart in doing good and spreading the gospel to others. God bless you for studying with me. May we all grow in courage and love as we share Christ’s precious gift of salvation with others.

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Priceless Pearls are daily devotionals for women to remind us of Christ's love for us and how we can grow as Christian women in today's society.

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Here Am I, Send Me!

Today’s passage: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ ” Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah has always impressed me with his willingness to speak God’s Word and to stand up for the truth. Readiness to spread the gospel wherever I go is something I desire to exemplify. Some Christians seem to have a natural talent to know just what to say and have no fear of being rejected; yet I find it difficult sometimes to know just what to say. I pray that this study helps me overcome my fear and that you will find it helpful as well.

In John chapter 1, we read of two examples of Jesus’ disciples telling their friends that they had found the Messiah. “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’”. John 1:40-41. Andrew hurriedly ran to tell his brother Peter about Jesus. Peter’s life would have been very different if Andrew had not shared with him that the Christ had come. Additionally, a close friend of Jesus and a devout follower would have possibly missed his opportunity to become an apostle and a great preacher of the Word.

Later in John 1, we learn that, “The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ John 1:43-45. It is very good that Philip took Nathanael to meet Jesus because Jesus said of Nathanael, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Nevertheless, he did not know that Christ had come until Philip took him to meet Jesus.

God wants everyone to be saved (I Timothy 2:3-4) but if we fail to teach others the gospel, we may be denying our families, friends or others with whom we have contact the opportunity to know God’s Word and His will for their lives. They may be lost because we did not take the time to share the gospel with them.

Jesus came to this earth to do His Father’s will. He also served as an example for us that we should imitate Him. The slogan, “What Would Jesus Do?” is a good one to remember when we face decisions; yet it also should be considered in everything that we think, do and say. After washing their feet, Jesus told His disciples, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.” John 13:14-16.

Let us consider Jesus’ great example in Matthew 9:35-38: “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’ Matthew 9:35-38. Jesus spent His time teaching and preaching to others. What was His motivation? Compassion. Why was He moved with compassion for them? Because they were weary and scattered, having no shepherd. What did he want his followers to do? “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Who are these laborers that were sent of the Lord? If we love God like Isaiah did, we will answer: “…I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8. God sent us to be laborers in His service, but what if we will not work?

Let us consider what our Savior told His disciples: "Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.” John 4:34-36. If we reap the Lord’s great blessings, should we not also sow that others will be blessed as well?

An old song refrain has been running through my head while considering this devotional. After looking up the lyrics in a songbook, I am even more impressed by this song’s impact. The beautiful words truly capture the idea of the lesson. Yet, let us not miss the last verse because there is sadness contained within the plea. We must warn our brothers and sisters while we still have time and not wait until it is too late like the rich man in Luke 16 who wanted to tell his brothers about the terrible place in which he found himself after death. “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” Luke 16: 27-31.

What a tragedy to be told, “It is too late.” Let us make the most of today while it is still today.

There Is Much to Do
M.W. Spencer

There is much to do, there’s work on ev’ry hand
Hark! the cry for help comes ringing thru the land
Jesus calls for reapers, I must active be,
What wilt Thou, O Master? Here am I, send me.

There’s the plaintive cry of mourning souls distressed
And the sigh of hearts who seek but find no rest
These should have my love and tender sympathy
Ready at Thy bidding, here am I, send me.

There are hung’ring souls who cry aloud for bread
With the bread of life they’re longing to be fed
Shall they starve and famish while a feast is free?
I must be more faithful, here am I, send me.

There are souls who linger on the brink of woe
Lord, I must not, cannot bear to let them go
Let me go and tell them, brother, turn and flee
Master, I would save them, here am I, send me.

Refrain:
Here am I… Lord, send me
Here am I… Ready at thy bidding, Lord send me


Lord willing, I plan for our next lesson to focus on what we should teach others in order to offer them the hope of salvation that God provides for all who obey. We must sow the seed wherever we are, as God expects of us.

May the Lord bless you today and every day. Our God is so good!