Priceless Pearls, Devotionals for Women

Calling on the Name of the Lord

2011-09-10T12:05:00.000-05:00

Today’s Passage: “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” Acts 2:21

On the morn prior to September 11th, my thoughts turn to that fateful day ten years ago when we first learned of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as the crash of UA Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. The reality of the situation was hard to grasp on that terrible morning. Employees were gathered around televisions in break rooms around the nation. People were glued to the TV sets in homes everywhere, horrified at the breaking news and wondering what could have caused so many planes to crash. As Americans, most of us felt relatively safe from wars and terrorism on U.S. soil. And yet, here we had sustained a devastating attack in our own homeland. How could this be?

I remember reading that hospital staff near the Trade Center was on high alert for the enormous amount of victims who would need assistance when the first tower was hit. They headed to the hospitals, ready for action. They waited apprehensively for the influx of hurting patients, imagining the hustle and bustle, the code reds, the life-threatening injuries, the emergency surgeries, the need for more hospital beds. All was ready, and they waited. News of the fall of the second tower came, and they felt the intense fear of the situation, willing themselves not to panic, and waited for an even greater number of trauma patients to arrive than they had anticipated. Still they waited. And they waited…

Then the real horror set in. Their imaginations had depicted the worst case scenario: the mass number of people in need of medical attention; but the reality was much worse. No one was coming. Very few had made it out of the towers alive. Their adrenaline had pumped, their minds were prepared for the task at hand, but all was silent. And this new nightmare was worse than anything they had expected. And so they slowly began to vacate the hospitals and return to their homes, heavyhearted, dejected and sorrowful.

When I think of this, I pause to consider how many people must have called out to the Lord on that day. How many prayers were lifted up for missing family members and friends? How many of us prayed desperately that people would be found alive in the rubble? And how many seats that Sunday were filled in churches across the country that had been empty the week before?

I have heard that natural disasters like hurricane Katrina and tragedies like the September 11th attacks tend to increase church attendance. Bible sales also tend to soar in the wake of great losses. These are certainly some of the positives – the good things – that can come from tragedy. Though we certainly would not choose for people to suffer in such a manner, and do not intend to make light of a tragedy, it is not disrespectful to the victims to realize that in addition to the great heartache and loss, there were some good things that arose from the rubble. Surely many souls were restored that had left their first love, Christ. (Revelation 2:4) After all, Romans 8:28 teaches us that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Though not everything that happens is good, we can be assured that if we are in a right relationship with God, good can come from even the greatest catastrophe.

In Joel 2:32, we learn that “it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the remnant whom the LORD calls.” This great day has come! Jesus came to this earth, lived a sinless life, carried our punishment upon himself and died on the cross. And He arose on the third day, destroying the power of sin over us and giving us the opportunity to call on His great name!

Peter quoted this passage in Joel during his sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He informs the audience by way of his inspired speech that the glorious day they had awaited had come. When the people realized that Jesus was the Messiah they had long awaited, and that they had crucified Him, they were greatly alarmed. Surely this was the greatest Tragedy of all time. They had killed the Son of God!

What were they to do in order to be forgiven? How could they be saved? As Peter had spoken, they were to call upon the Lord and be saved. But consider what Peter tells them they must do in order to be saved: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38.) How did these people call upon the Lord? We have the answer in Acts 2:41-42: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” These people responded to the gospel by being baptized into Christ. Also note that after they called upon the Lord by obeying what they were told, they “continued steadfastly” in four things: God’s Word, fellowship with other Christians, the Lord’s Supper (communion) and prayer.

What was Jesus’ instruction to the apostles before He returned to heaven? Often called “the great commission,” it was the command to “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.) And in Matthew 28:19-20, it is recorded that He said, “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; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Many may call on the name of the Lord when hard times come but do they truly respond to the gospel call? Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21.) We see here that even by calling on the Lord, we are not saved if we do not obey His Word. The Bible is filled with examples of people who, though they considered themselves religious and in a right relationship with God, were condemned because they did not obey. From Cain, King Uzziah and Nadab & Abihu, who did not obey God’s directions for acceptable sacrifice and worship, to the people on Judgment Day who have not obeyed the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8), punishment came or will come as a result of failing to obey God’s commandments.

So a new question arises. Will merely believing and confessing Christ qualify as obedience? As always, let us see what God says in His Word with an open mind, willing to challenge our long-held beliefs and the things we have been told by men. In James 2:19, we learn that the demons believe and in fact, they fear the Lord. Yet this is not enough. James states that “faith without works is dead” in James 2:20.

Now, does this mean that we are to work our way into heaven, based on the merit of our good works? Certainly not. We can never earn heaven. If we feel that our good works deserve reward, we should carefully read Luke 17:10 in which Jesus warns that “when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ” No, dear sisters, all of the good we can do is merely our duty. For the fact is that we are all human beings, and all human beings sin. We all sin; therefore, we all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23.)

God offers the gift of salvation to all of us because we cannot be saved without His gift. Ephesians 2:8 teaches us that salvation is by God’s gift and not as a result of our own work. However, having said that, it is important to point out that works are necessary. Though works will not earn salvation apart from God’s gift of grace, there are certain works required in order to receive the gift. They are God’s stipulations, if you will, for accepting the gift of grace.

We know that we cannot enter into a personal relationship with God except through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6.) And as we read before, He also said that only those who obey the Father’s will can enter into heaven (Matthew 7:21.) So, we see that obedience is necessary in order to be saved. Again, it is not because of what we have done for Christ, but as a response to what Christ has done for us.

Meditate on the words of Titus 3:4-7: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” This sums it up so clearly. God offered us the gift through Jesus’s blood. Note that it was through the “washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

Let us look further at the letter to the Roman church, in which they were reminded that “that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death.” You see, this is how we are washed. Not that the water physically cleanses us of our sins, for the water is not holy. It is our response in obedience to the gospel in the manner set forth in the Bible by which we come in contact with Jesus’ cleansing blood. Baptism is symbolic for the death (dying to the old man of sin), burial (being buried with Christ in baptism) and resurrection (arising from the water, reborn as a new creature) (Romans 6:3-7.)

In baptism, we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27.) We are born again by water and the Spirit (John 3:5), which should cause us to leave behind the old sins and live for Christ. This is a lifetime commitment, and not a whim. Our rebirth must never be based on an urgent fear but then forgotten in the expectation that once we have become a Christian, we can do whatever we want to do thereafter. It must be the beginning of a life dedicated to pleasing God in the manner in which HE wants, and not in the manner which we prefer.

So we return to our consideration of those who call upon the Lord during periods of great trial. Were many prayers offered up on that day ten years ago from some who had never voiced them before? I would venture to guess so. How many people called upon the Lord and yet so quickly fell away and returned to their former lives of sin? Have their wake-up calls turned to a distant memory, as if they had hit the snooze buttons of their consciences? Are their hearts no longer pricked and their fears all but forgotten?

Bringing it closer to home, what about me? First and foremost, have I been saved? Have I been washed in the blood of Christ so that my sins have been forgiven? And if so, is it fair to say that was I fired up for the Lord when I called upon Christ but now my fire has dwindled to a smolder? Did I obey the gospel with the intent on sharing the great news with everyone around me, but after time, allow the fervor to wane into apathy? Do emergencies, tragedies and trouble cause me to temporarily renew my faith but then fall again during times of peace?

I believe these are questions all of us should consider periodically, including and especially me. First, we must put on Christ, and then we must live Christ every day of our lives. Our lives should be such that whether tragedy strikes or not, our prayers and worship continue. And though we may have more fervent, intense prayers at times of great trial, as Jesus did in Gethsemane, the amount of prayers and personal Bible studies should not diminish when things are going along smoothly. In fact, it is at times like these that we must be aware of our attitude. We may grow so complacent that our defenses against the devil’s wiles weaken. Sometimes, when we feel that we are the strongest, we may become confident in our own abilities and lose sight of the fact that God is the reason for our peace. At times like this, we may find that we are most vulnerable to the lure of sin (I Corinthians 10:12.)

In closing, let us remember all of the people who lost their lives. Let us pray for their families and for those who witnessed the horrors of the devastation firsthand. Let us pray for the first responders and medical staff and everyone who helped get the survivors to safety. But let us also remember that there is an even greater tragedy awaiting us if we do not obey the Lord. On that day, there will be no time for reflection and for repentance. That day will come swiftly, like a thief in the night, and we will be lost forever if we are not found in Christ (2 Peter 3:10.) A thief leaves no signs that he is coming. Though we may hear others saying they can tell the end is near from the signs they see, we must remember that “no one knows” the hour or day that the Lord is returning (Matthew 24:36, Matthew 25:13, Mark 13:32.) We must always keep in mind Revelation 2:10 in which Christ said, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” If we do this, it won’t matter when He comes. We will be ready to say “Maranatha!” (Our Lord has come!)

God bless you all, dear sisters. My prayer is for each and every one of you and for your families, that on that great Day of the Lord, we will all be found faithful, in Christ and ready to meet Him in the air!

A New Beginning

2011-05-04T12:25:00.006-05:00

Though it does not follow in the outline of the Fruit of the Spirit topic begun previously, today I’d like us to consider something that we all need in our lives. A very similar devotional was shared with the ladies of a local women’s shelter recently and I hope that you also may benefit from this study.

There are two things that are true for each of us. Every one of us was born. And every one of us will die unless the Lord returns first. But even then we will be transformed into a new heavenly body and will be dead to our old fleshly body. If these two events are the only things we can be sure will happen in this life, and all that we can count on, then we are without hope and living a life that is shallow and without purpose. But I submit to you that there is another event in our lives that all of us need (at least once in our lives) which will restore our hope and joy. This vital event is a new beginning.

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Not only that, but we deserve to die because we have broken God’s law. In Romans 6:23, we learn that “the wages of sin is death.”

Now, if God had left us in this predicament, we would have no hope. All we have on this earth would be all we have forever. We would die without Christ, lost, and enter into eternal suffering. But Romans 6:23 doesn’t end with “the wages of sin is death”. It goes on to say “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Isn’t that an encouraging promise? We deserved death because of our sin. But instead, we were given a gift that we do not deserve: eternal life in Christ.

Knowing that we can have this precious gift should give us hope. It should give us comfort from our trials and hardships. And it should also create in us the desire to know what we can do to receive this gift.

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 that “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This tells us that in order to be saved, we must be born again. This is our new beginning! If we are born of water and the Spirit (which we encounter in baptism), then we die to the old man and are raised with Christ.

Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, puts it this way in Romans 6:3-5: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Our new beginning starts with baptism, when we submit to God’s commands and are buried with Christ. Then, we are resurrected a new person with a new beginning, a brand new slate!

When we are raised with Christ, I Corinthians 5:17 tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We don’t have to be eternally remembered for the evil things we have done prior to becoming a Christian. We are forgiven and we can begin anew!

Once we begin this new life, we can say with confidence as Paul did in Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. “

The beauty of God’s gift is that our past is not held against us. How many people in this world will keep on giving us another chance if we have failed often before? Not many. After a limited number of times of making mistakes and repenting, we may find our spouse or friend unable to trust us. But God knows our hearts and true motives, and when we become a Christian – or after we are a Christian and fall, if we truly repent of our sins, turn away from them and ask for forgiveness – then we are forgiven! There is NOTHING we can do that is so evil that we cannot be forgiven by God IF we follow the steps to be forgiven which He has set out in His Word. In I Corinthians 6:9-11 we read: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Now, this seems like a pretty rough crowd, does it not? Would we want to hang out with this bunch? Yet if we read on, we learn:

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” These people had done some pretty awful things but God had forgiven them because they had obeyed His commandments to be justified from their sins. Even the people who responded to the gospel in Acts 2 were forgiven. These were the same people who had been present at His death, crying out “CRUCIFY HIM!” and saying, “LET HIS BLOOD BE ON US AND ON OUR CHILDREN.”

Do not ever think that God cannot forgive you for what you have done. He loves you so much that He sent Jesus to die for the very sins for which you feel guilt. He loves you. He wants you to be saved. He does not want anyone, including you, to die in your sins. (See 2 Peter 3:9.) Never think that you cannot overcome sin in your life. On your own, you can’t, but “with God, all things are possible” Matthew 19:26. Even the vilest of sinners have turned away from their sins with the Lord’s help. Drug addicts, adulterers, murderers and child abusers have changed their ways when they turn to God for help. It is not easy, and may take a lifetime of fighting dark impulses, but it is indeed possible to turn away from the sin and live a new life.

Sometimes, we need a new beginning more than once. Maybe we became a Christian once but we later fell away into sin. We need to repent of these sins, and ask for forgiveness. We need to change our lives and live like the child of God we should be. I John 1:9 says that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We are not promised another year, another day, another second. But as long as we are breathing we have been given the opportunity to change our lives, to begin again. Always keep in mind how much God loves you and is willing to forgive if you will only obey. We must always strive to live our lives in such a way that when Jesus returns, we will be found faithful.

Praise the Lord that there are wonderful services such as homeless shelters, food kitchens and other support services. If you are in need, there are many avenues for help. If you are blessed by God with a good job, there are plenty of people who are in desperate need of shelter, food and clothing so that they can make a new start. If you are facing spiritual problems such as a lack of faith or the failure to study God’s Word, pray and serve Him in obedience, many in the church are willing to help. All of us face times when our faith is tested, and much can be learned from others’ experiences. Whatever the reason for your new start, the opportunity has been given to you to use for good.

In my own life, I have faced cancer and a transplant that brought me to the brink of death. This was my wake-up call for a new beginning – a life of greater faith and service to God. Our experiences are different because everyone’s journey is different. But Jesus died for every one of us so that we can know a new and better life. And He wants all of us to know the peace that comes from a life lived in service to Him.

Let us live in such a way that we can say at the end of our lives, “the end of a thing is better than its beginning” as in Ecclesiastes 7:8. May the end of our lives, whether fifty years from now or within the next minute, be the best times because we are found faithful to our Lord and are eagerly awaiting His return to call us home. For who can deny that the most beautiful words ever spoken to us will be, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’?”… “And the righteous will enter into eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-36, 46.

How can we be born again? How do we start our new beginning? God has given us the answer in His Word. We must know and obey the following:

Salvation is a gift of God. I cannot on my own attain it. Without grace, I would die in my sins.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Rom 6:23

Although salvation is a gift, I must obey God’s requirements in order to accept this gift of grace.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matt 7:21

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” John 15:10

I must hear the Word (read the Bible, study, meditate) and believe that the Bible in its entirety is God's Word.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

“… you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:15

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." II Timothy 3:16

"And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:19-21

I must have faith that God exists and will reward those who obey Him.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

I must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:31

“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.’” Acts 8:37

I must repent of (turn away from) my sins. If I am living contrary to God’s Word, I must stop the sins I am committing. (Repentance is a change of heart that leads to a change of behavior.)

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." --Luke 13:3

“Then Peter said to them, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord will call.” Acts 2:38-39

I must confess publicly that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven, but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven." Matt 10:32,33.

I must be baptized for the remission of my sins as part of the requirement to be saved.
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16

“Then Peter said to them, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord will call.” Acts 2:38-39

“…when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype (a like figure) which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 3:20-21

I must live a faithful life or else I will lose the gift of salvation. Obedience is commanded until our lives end.

“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” I John 2:17

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matt 7:21
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10

If you find that your faith is lacking, your fervor to do the work of the Lord is waning, or you have allowed sin in your life to crowd out your spiritual walk with God, may this study of God’s Word encourage you to make a brand new start this very day. We should all examine our lives often (2 Corinthians 13:5) to ensure that we are in the faith.

May the Lord richly bless you this day.

Living by the Spirit IV: Love is not...

2011-02-08T19:02:00.000-06:00

Today’s Passage: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...” I Corinthians 13:4-8a

The first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 is love. Certainly, much can be written about love and we will not be able to exhaust the subject in these next two devotionals. The love that comes from God is sacrificial love and is greater than our human minds can fathom. True love means loving those who don’t deserve it. After all, we did not deserve to be saved, yet God through His wonderful gift of grace chose to offer salvation to us. This is not something God had to do, but it is something He chose to do because He loves us. While people were hurting His Son, God was working to provide salvation to all of us through Jesus’ sacrifice (John 3:16). Praise the Lord that we serve such a loving God and that He has revealed to us in His Word how we should love one another.

This study, we will look at what love is not. Then, Lord willing, we will study what love is in our next devotional.

1. Love is not loving only the lovable.

In Jesus’ day, there were many misunderstandings about love. Jesus contrasts the thoughts of the day with His higher form of love. In Matthew 5:38-39, Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” Here we learn that love is not taking revenge but it is showing meekness (power under control). Jesus was the greatest example of this characteristic in that He could have instantly punished those who spit on Him, mocked Him, beat Him and slapped Him. Yet He did not because He knew His mission. His love for mankind was strong enough for Him to overcome the temptation to punish His abusers.

Continuing on in Matthew 5:40-42, Jesus taught, “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Again, we learn that love is being selfless and humble enough to “lose face” in order to show Christ’s love to those who hate us. Nothing on this earth is more important than Jesus’ love. A replacement cloak can be bought and going further than we are commanded to go in order to help another will surely not kill us. Certainly, wisdom must be combined with these teachings if the person asking for money is addicted to alcohol or other drugs, or if the person asking for our butcher knife is known to be violent. But in the majority of situations, if someone needs our help, we should be willing to help with loving kindness, showing no partiality.

Jesus further teaches in Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” These teachings are not easy, but Jesus Christ showed us how we are to live these teachings. Christ did not just tell us what to do, but He obeyed the same teachings. How much love would it take to ask God to forgive those who are crucifying you? Certainly, Jesus loved His neighbor and His enemies. We must learn to love those who are hard to love and even those who mean us harm. When we can think of someone who has harmed us, and the first thought that comes to mind is no longer the harm they did, we are well on our way to loving our enemies. This may take much prayer and dedication to learn to replace our negative thoughts of a person with concern for their souls, while petitioning to God in our prayers that he or she will repent and be forgiven.

2. Love is not hypocritical or fake or showing partiality.

We learn in Romans 12:9 that our love must be free of hypocrisy. James 2:8-9 teaches, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” We should not show favoritism or seek personal favors by pretending to love someone. Also, we must not withhold love from those who are not of the same status. If we say that we love someone but then have negative thoughts about them and do not wish that person well, are we being genuine? Love is not merely an emotion; it is a sacrifice for others because we treasure them above ourselves (Philippians 2:3). We are also taught in this verse to hate what is evil and cleave to what is good. We must learn to love the person and hate the sin. This requires us to want to help the sinner to be saved by showing kindness and love while teaching God’s Word.

3. Love is not envious, for display, arrogant, rude, self-seeking, easily provoked, thinking evil thoughts, the enjoyment of sin or something we do for a short time only.

According to I Corinthians 13:4-6, 8: “love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity…Love never fails.” This passage is a great study of what love is and what it is not. We could spend many hours discussing each of these points!

4. Love is not something we do out of fear of punishment.

We are taught in II Timothy 1:7 that our primary motivation to do good should not be one of fear but one of genuine love. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Though we should have a fear of punishment if we fail to repent of our sins, we should not have such an unhealthy image of God that we picture Him as an unloving and uncaring dictator. He is our loving Father who longs to hold us and protect us (Matthew 23:37) and will wipe our tears away in Heaven (Revelation 7:17; 21:4). If we do good to others simply to escape damnation, then we have missed the entire teachings of Jesus and the love of God shown to us throughout His plan of salvation.

5. Love is not part of us if we hate a brother or sister in Christ.

John, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had much to write regarding love. In I John 3:10, we learn that we are of the devil and not God if we do not practice righteousness or if we do not love our brother (or sister) in Christ. Additionally, if we say that we love God but then hate our brother, we are a liar, according to I John 4:20. In order to love God, we must love our fellow Christians, for we are all God’s children and heirs of His promise.

6. Love is not withholding good from others.

If we have the ability to care for others and do not do so, then we do not have love. In James 4:14-17, we learn that if we pray for a brother or sister who needs clothes or food but do not help them when we have the capacity to do so, it profits neither them nor us anything. Also, we read that “whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” I John 3:17-18

7. Love is not overlooking sin in order to maintain peace.

We must not love the world or the sin therein. I John 2:15 teaches us: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Not only must we avoid participating in sin, we must also ensure that we do not seem to approve of it by ignoring it. Ephesians 5:3-7 lists many sins that “must not even be named” among us, but we are also warned that we must not be partakers with them. If we go to a party where others drink and dance, even if we avoid alcohol and dance with no one, what message must it send when we laugh and have fun with those who do? How can we hate sin and yet enjoy ourselves among those who are involved in it?

Romans 1:28-32 is a soul-searching passage. We may say that they do not gossip, are not proud, are not disobedient to parents, violent, unloving and so forth, but do we overlook these sins in our friends? After a list of sins that come from a debased mind, the judgment is passed that “those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Are we guilty of supporting those whose lives are full of sin? We should be careful to look at our own lives and determine if we allow the sin of the world to lull us into a sense of complacency and tolerance.

There are many more things that love is not, but I pray this suffices for us to begin thinking about our own love. Do we have any of these negative characteristics? If so, my prayer is that we recognize their dangers, repent of these sins and ask the Lord and those we have harmed to forgive us.

In our next devotional, if the Lord wills, we will study what love is.

May the Lord richly bless you and me as we seek to live more loving lives and to shine Christ’s light throughout this dark world.

He Who is In You - Shelter Devotional 1/16/11

2011-01-15T20:45:00.000-06:00

Dear ladies,

Though I know that we are in the middle of a study on the Fruit of the Spirit, I thought you may benefit from reading a devotional I wrote to present to a local women's shelter tomorrow morning. I find the passages of Scripture helpful and pray that you will, too. Though it is titled the same as one of our own Priceless Pearls devotionals, the Scripture references and devotional differ. At any rate, it is on my heart to share it so I am doing so now. I do plan to finish the Fruit of the Spirit study soon. May the Lord bless you all! Amy

Monthly Matt's House Women's Shelter Devotional

He Who is in You…

Verse for this Month: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I John 4:4

This passage gives me much hope. It tells us that no matter how rough things get, God is stronger than our burdens. No matter how sad we are, God’s love is great enough to give us hope. And no matter how much people ridicule us, Jesus was treated even worse and He has compassion and love for us. We read in Hebrews 4:14-16: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This passage teaches us that Jesus experienced many hardships while on the earth. Because of this, He has great empathy for us. If we will trust and obey our Lord, He will take care of us and help us through our troubles.

God never promised us that we would not have troubles here on earth. In fact, Jesus warned that people had persecuted the prophets before Him, they would crucify Him, and they would surely persecute those who follow Him. If we take up our cross and follow Jesus, as we are told to do in Matthew 16:24, then we can expect to be persecuted by those who rebel against God. This may sound depressing and hopeless. Why fight for the Lord if we know that we will be persecuted?

Let us read Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:10-12: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

The reason that we face adversity and trials in life for Jesus’ sake is because He died to save us from our sins. If we obey Him, and are willing to stand up for Him, then we know that we will be rewarded by living together in peace and happiness with our Lord in heaven!

Sometimes we may start to lose faith and our present troubles weigh us down. We begin to lose sight of God’s precious promises. Paul faced many great trials during His ministry for Christ. He lists some of the things that he faced in 2 Corinthians 11:25: He labored abundantly; he received stripes above measure, was in prison frequently and faced death often. He writes, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” Surely Paul faced great troubles and distress! Why would he do these things knowing that his life on earth would be full of troubles? Paul had already written the answer to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 4:14-18: “knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

So we see that the things we do for God are remembered by Him and will be rewarded in heaven. The glory of heaven is worth anything we can face on the earth. Paul also wrote another reason for us to face the struggles of this world for the sake of the Lord in Romans 8:16-18: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 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.” We are told here that even the biggest problems we face on earth are nothing compared to the wonderful beauty and glory of heaven! Everything will pale in comparison once we see God in His full glory, and we will be in our own glorious body so that we can live forever there with our God.

People of God have always faced trials and distress. Hebrews 11 is considered to be the Faith chapter of the Bible. In it are listed various men and women of God who were faithful. In Hebrews 11:35-40 we read of the terrible things that some of the Old Testament people faced: some “were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.” These people were persecuted in horrible ways, even though they had not received the promise yet. Christ was the promised Savior, and He had not come to earth yet. But the people clung to the hope and faith in God that He would save them. Now, we live on the other side of Christ’s earthly ministry and His death, burial and resurrection. We can read in the Bible how everything that was prophesied about Him in the Old Testament was fulfilled by Him in the New Testament. Surely, we should have much faith since we know that Christ has come to save us of our sins and that He will indeed come again.

Yet not everyone will enjoy the great promises of God. Some will not obey God’s Word while others will fall away, unwilling to endure the trials that come with serving God. Jesus said in John 8:31-32: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” God promises a rest for the weary, but only if we obey Him and remain faithful. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 7:21 that “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”. And Hebrews 5:9 teaches us that Jesus learned obedience to God by the things He suffered, and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.

How do we know what things we must obey? God revealed His Word by inspiration of the Holy Spirit to several men who wrote the various books of the Bible. These words are the living Word of God – they are not man’s thoughts but God’s thoughts. We can only know what we must do in order to please God by reading His Word and obeying it. Just as we would need to read an instruction manual to know how to put together a cabinet that we receive in pieces, we must read the Instruction Manual of Life, which is the Holy Bible, to know how to live and how to die in the Lord.

We read in the Bible that in order to become a Christian, we must obey the following commands.

* Acts 3:19-20 tells us to confess our sins in repentance: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus.” Here we see that our sins are forgiven if we first repent.

* Next, we must confess our faith in Jesus verbally. Matthew 10:32 says “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge Him before my Father in heaven.” We cannot expect Christ to mediate between God and us if we won’t tell others about Him (“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” - I Timothy 4:5).

* In addition, we must confess our belief in His death, burial & resurrection through baptism for salvation. Rom 6:3-4 states, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” We learn in I Peter 3:21 that “…this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”

* Furthermore, we must confess Him in daily discipleship. Luke 14:27 states “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Carrying our cross means to bear the hardship of being Christ’s follower, accept the persecution that we will surely endure and follow Him no matter what the cost. Jesus Himself said he had no where to lay his head – His pillow was a stone. But look at the glory He enjoys now, with God in Heaven. And we can have this joy, too!

* We must also confess Him in fellowship with other believers. Acts 2:42 says “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” The Christians enjoyed fellowship with each other – and we can too. By worshipping with other Christians, we can share in the joy of salvation with others. Hebrews 10:24-25 commands us to “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some…” We can see how important it is for Christians to meet together to worship God, partake of the Lord’s Supper and encourage one another.

* We must live faithful lives, serving God and our fellow man. 2 Corinthians 13:5 states, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” We must continually examine our lives and our actions to ensure that we are living as God wants us to live. And in I Timothy 2:1-3, we learn that we should offer “requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving… for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior…” God wants us to love Him and to love one another, but we cannot do that if we don’t obey Him. Furthermore, God wants us to share His Word with others around us. In I Thessalonians 5:14, we read “and we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” We must help each other to be strong and live faithful lives.”

If we become Christians and live faithfully, there are many promises God has made to us. In I Corinthians 10:13, we are told that God helps us to overcome temptations: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

We are not left alone to fight. In fact, Christ has already won the battle over sin and death. We just have to remain on His side. One of the most inspirational passages in the Bible teaches us that heaven will be worth it all. "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” - Revelation 21:3-4. Heaven will surely be worth all of our trials and sorrows.

Written: January 15, 2011
For Matt’s House Shelter devotional – January 16, 2011

Contact information:
North Brandon church of Christ
1029 Hwy 471
Brandon, MS 39042
(601) 825-6497
http://www.northbrandonchurchofchrist.org/

Living by the Spirit III – Fruit of the Spirit

2011-01-10T17:21:00.000-06:00

Today’s Passage: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Today will begin our study of the fruit of the Spirit. In order to for us to fully develop this fruit in our lives, we must first strive to walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. We have discussed living by the flesh. Now we will discuss how we can replace the sins of the flesh with Christian qualities.

Jesus told His disciples in John 15:8 that the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit. We bring glory to God when we exhibit characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit. Our human tendencies are to seek attention for ourselves. We want to be recognized for a job well done. We often spend our day thinking of what we will do, where we will go, what we want and so forth. The daily grind of life can become our primary focus, leading us to take our focus off of serving God and others.

The fruit of the Spirit stands in direct contrast with our self-centeredness. Jesus’ teachings challenge us to focus on the needs of others. Imagine being a contemporary of Jesus’ day and hearing that the Messiah had come. You drop everything to follow after Him. This is the One who is sure to restore the Jewish nation and elevate you and your people. He has the power to destroy all of the enemies with blazing vengeance. Yet this Christ is not the Messiah that you thought would come. Jesus’ teachings are of humility, love and service. He even washes His disciples’ feet as if He is a lowly servant! (John 13:1-17) His kingdom is a spiritual one, as opposed to an earthly kingdom. Most of the things you and your fellow Jews pictured in the Messiah is shattered. Here is a Man who served others. And He even calls for you to put yourself last!

This surely must have surprised those who were waiting for the Jews' earthly kingdom to be restored. Jesus challenged them as well as us today to love one another. He calls for a change of heart and action. Instead of elevating ourselves as Christians, we are to treat others better than we do ourselves.
Christ gave us the greatest example of living by the Spirit. Jesus' life defined meekness: power under control. Though He had the power to destroy His enemies, He chose to die a painful, torturous death for mankind's sake. Jesus allowed others to spit on him, ridicule Him, beat Him and nail Him to a cross. Though the world was full of sin, Christ loved us so much that He chose to save us from spiritual death (Romans 5:8).

It is with this love and sacrifice in mind that we should approach Galatians 5:22-23. As we study each fruit of the Spirit, we should recall how Jesus reflected this quality in His own human life on earth. Lord willing, we will begin our study of the fruit of the Spirit by discussing “love” in our next lesson.

In the meantime, I encourage each of us to read I Corinthians 13. This chapter is a wonderful example of what love is and what it is not.

I Corinthians 13:1-13:

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

May the Lord bless you as you read and consider His Word. Thank you for the opportunity to study the fruit of the Spirit with you.

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-01T11:50:00.000-06:00

Today's verse: "And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding." Daniel 2:21

Happy New Year 2011! The Lord has blessed us once again with a new year. Many of us will write resolutions (or at least a to do list) for this new year. We have many things that we would like to accomplish.

In planning this brand new year, consider including daily Bible study and prayer to your list. Here are some of the things that I would like to accomplish this year in order to become a better Christian, more loving wife and a dedicated soul winner as well as TIPS for making this happen:

1. Read through the Bible this year with readings from the Old Testament and the New Testament daily. Besides reading my own Bible and completing my reading assignments for my Bible college courses, I have also signed up for daily emails with selected readings. I find this to be very helpful to ensure that I complete each daily reading. Visit this site to sign up for your own scheduled Bible readings: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/

2. Pray daily: at least once with my entire prayer list handy and at least once with my own special requests that are on my mind. I plan to pray at night for my entire list of those needing prayer, as it is quite lengthy. In the morning, I can focus on the needs of the day and during the day, I can pray for whatever is affecting me or is on my mind at the time. This will help me to ensure that all of my needs are expressed to the Lord and that I am open to His guidance throughout each day.

3. Send cards weekly to those on my prayer list who are shut-ins, are grieving or have medical issues. Send cards periodically to those who need encouragement and to my Sunday School students to keep them motivated.

4. Write a women's Bible study book by year's end.

What are your plans for increasing your devotion to God's Word and working in His kingdom? Post your comments to our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Priceless-Pearls-Devotionals-for-Women/99712831267 or email your ideas to: contact@pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com

May the Lord bless you and your family this holiday season.

Love in Christ,
Amy

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Living by the Spirit II – Lusts of the Flesh

2010-12-13T14:29:00.003-06:00

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

2010-08-04T22:46:00.008-05:00

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

2010-06-15T18:53:00.002-05:00

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

2010-05-31T15:29:00.002-05:00

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

2010-05-11T13:56:00.006-05:00

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

2010-04-08T21:04:00.002-05:00

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

2010-03-23T00:00:00.003-05:00

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

2010-03-09T17:08:00.001-06:00

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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Here Am I, Send Me!

2010-02-19T21:45:00.002-06:00

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!

Drawing Closer to our Father

2010-02-15T23:32:00.002-06:00

Today’s Passage: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” I Thessalonians 5:16-18.

In 2009, one of our studies was entitled, “Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?” in which the commitment to prayer was discussed. This study will relate to the immeasurable blessing of prayer.

For several months, our ladies have studied the subject of prayer on Wednesday nights. The study of the Scriptures regarding prayer has taught me much about drawing closer to our heavenly Father and the benefits, honor and blessing of prayer with Him. Examples of prayer can be found throughout the Bible, including Abraham in Genesis 20:17, Moses in Numbers 11:2, Hannah in I Samuel 1 and 2, Solomon in I Kings 8 and 9, Nehemiah in Nehemiah 1, Job in Job 17, David throughout the Psalms, Daniel in Daniel 9:1-4, Jesus in Luke 11 and throughout the gospels, Paul throughout his letters as well as many other examples.

Prayer is one of the most discussed subjects in the Bible. Would something found so often in the Scriptures be unimportant? Certainly not. Further, we are commanded to pray as in I Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It is worth stating again: God through Jesus has willed that we pray continually.

Jesus serves as an example of continual prayer to God. Jesus’ purpose was to do God’s will as He mentioned in His teaching on how we should pray in Matthew 6:10 and as He demonstrated in His prayer to God in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:42. Paul also prayed continually as written in Romans 1:9 and 2 Timothy 1:3.

A wonderful passage regarding our unique blessing as Christians is found in Hebrews 6:13-Hebrews 10:39. In the past, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place to approach God (Hebrews 9:6-8) yet now, after Christ’s sacrifice:

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” Hebrews 6:19-20.

What does that mean for us today? Sinful man could not enter God’s presence. Animal sacrifices could not take away sin permanently but had to be reoffered by the priests; yet Christ is our sacrifice for all times: prior to His death and resurrection and following them. Christ is our Mediator between sinful man and God. His blood washes us clean and allows us to approach God in prayer.

The veil that separated God from sinful man in the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), symbolizing the fact that God is now accessible to us through Christ’s blood if we are saved and continue to follow Him. Because of Jesus our Savior, we can now approach God’s throne of grace.

How can we neglect such a gift as this? To enter the presence of our Lord in prayer is an awesome blessing. We draw closer to God by speaking to Him through Christ: “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:11. As Christians, the Holy Spirit also helps us in our prayers: “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:25-27.

The gift of prayer is something that we should be grateful to have received because sin creates a barrier between us and God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. What does this mean for mankind? “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2. Also, “…the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23.

If this were the end of the story, we would be without hope. Yet let us read the next passages in Romans 3 and 6. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:23-26. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Praise God for His gift of reconciliation and the opportunity to approach Him in prayer.

In closing, I am including a hymn by Fanny J. Crosby. As I have written before, she is one of my favorite poets. Though blind, she saw what so many of us cannot see. She understood the awesome power and blessing of prayer as evidenced by the third stanza. I pray that I will draw so close to the Lord that every moment is spent in prayer. God bless you all and I pray that this study has been beneficial to you. I have certainly learned much from studying God’s Word on prayer.

I AM THINE, O LORD
Words: Fanny Crosby, in Brightest and Best (New York: Biglow & Main, 1875).
Music: W. Howard Doane W. Howard Doane (1832-1915)

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

REFRAIN:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

He Who is in You...

2010-02-13T23:05:00.002-06:00

Memory Verse for the week of 2/7/2010: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

Today’s Passage: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I John 4:4

This passage gives me such hope and it is a great follow-up though to the last devotional passages we read together in “Blessings in Suffering”. We move from realizing that there are blessings that can come from suffering to understanding that Christ has already overcome death and suffering and that we are not left alone without hope.

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” I Corinthians 2:12. God gave this Spirit to various men in the Old Testament such as the prophets, Moses and King David as well as to the apostles and other writers of the New Testament so that those who heard and read their messages would know they were sent from God. The apostles received miraculous understanding and were given God’s Word to share with others (Luke 12:11-12, Acts 2:4 and 4:8).

Now we have the Word of God, inspired of the Holy Spirit and written down for us. We can read the things that the apostles witnessed and were given inspiration to speak by the Spirit of God. Thus we can rejoice that we live in a time where the Word of God is written down and can be found in most homes. What a blessing we are given to be able to study the Word after we hear something spoken to ensure that it is truly found in the Bible as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11. We do not have to rely on others to read the Word to us. With this blessing comes a great responsibility on our part to read God’s Word for ourselves. When we do not, we may find ourselves in the Israelites’ predicament in Hosea 4:6: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

Throughout Old Testament times, God’s Word was spoken to the patriarchs, prophets and priests. Yet during certain times in history, God’s law was lost entirely because the people were not taught it. There were no copies available for them to read so God’s Book of the Law was lost. An example is found during the reign of King Josiah in 2 Kings 22:3-20. This can happen to us today if we fail to read God’s Word and thus do not gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom from it.

God wants us to be His children. In order to be pleasing to God, we must seek what He desires (found in the Holy Bible) and obey His commandments. As is said of our Savior Jesus Christ “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” Hebrews 5:6-9. Jesus is our great example of obedience.

We are taught in James 4:4 that “friendship with the world is enmity with God.” If we do not seek the things of God, we become comfortable with the things in the world and these lead to death. John was inspired to write, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” I John 2:15-16. The only way to identify the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” is through studying and meditating upon God’s Word. Contrary to popular belief, we are not born with an understanding of truth and goodness but we must seek it through the Word of God.
We also read that “every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” I John 4:3. We studied about the antichrist that is in the world already: those who deny Christ as our Lord and Savior. Evil exists in the world. Yet this is not the end of the story. We have hope in the Lord. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” I John 5:4. So we see that by being “born of God”, we will overcome the world and the powers of evil in it.

Further, we are given the good news that “your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one” I John 2:12-14. Jesus has overcome sin and death and by so doing, He is victorious. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Christ has already overcome the world! We need only obey God and remain on the Lord’s side.

Our passage for today is “you are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” I John 4:4. How wonderful and awesome that we have the promise that the Spirit of God that works within us is greater than the devil and as God’s children, we do not need to fear. We have great hope! Our Christ has already won the victory.

This passage teaches us how we can overcome the powers of darkness: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” Eph 6:11-13.

May God bless each of us as we stand our ground, declaring our love of the Lord and teaching others of the hope of the gospel.

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Priceless Pearls are Bible 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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Blessings in Suffering

2010-01-25T18:36:00.002-06:00

Memory Verse for the week of 1/24/2010:
“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9.

Today’s Passage: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15

As I grow older and certainly as I have experienced cancer and treatments, I meet more and more people who are suffering from diseases, grief, hardship and various trials. When we first faced the big “C” diagnosis, my husband and I decided to make it a positive journey. I wanted to grow closer to God and develop a Christ-like nature. Although I had been a Christian for many years in name, I had not developed a mature Christian attitude of hope and peace and needed to more boldly share the gospel with others.

Since making that determination, some days I truly feel closer to God and more mature while other days I feel that I do not live up to the decision I made. Yet God keeps lifting me up and renewing my spirit so that I can begin again. This is the gift of repentance and forgiveness that God has given us. He also has helped me to reach out to others and comfort them with the same comfort He and my church family all over the world have given to me.

Reaching out is not without its heartache. Within the past week, I have been acquainted with two wonderful people who have passed away. Another dear friend is expected to pass at any time and is heavily sedated until that time. I had already begun writing this devotional last week but due to the grief that these families are experiencing and the sadness that I feel for them, I have rewritten some of it as I found it appropriate to our situations. I pray that you find it helpful in your own life and that the Scriptures give you peace and comfort through your trials.

It is hard to imagine that there are blessings in suffering, especially when a child, family member, close friend or a member of our church family is in pain. We should have hope and joy within us but we will not always be happy and full of cheer. Remember that the same God who gave us laughter gave us tears. There is a time for both as we are taught in Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 4: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

It is not rational to believe that Christians should always be laughing or always be moderate in emotion. Paul wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15. There is not always laughter but there can always be hope in God’s promises. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that is based upon faith in the Lord. Joy is often confused with happiness but God did not create us to be happy all of the time. Jesus certainly was joyful and hopeful but there were many times when He looked upon others with compassion and sorrow. He cried for Lazarus’ family and friends as they mourned. We know that Jesus felt great sorrow as evidenced by the shortest verse in the Bible and yet one of the most emotional: “Jesus wept”. John 11:35.

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then planned her husband’s murder in 2 Samuel 11. Because of these sins, the child that David and Bathsheba had borne was struck ill. David lay on the ground all night, fasting and pleading with the Lord to spare the child. The boy died after seven days of illness. David’s servants were terrified to tell him that the child was dead because of the intense fervor in which he had prayed to God while the child was sick. Yet after learning that his son had died, David got up, cleaned himself up and went to worship the Lord. He explained to the confused servants, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:22-23

David’s response shows that he knew that if he obeyed God and was faithful to Him, he would see his son again. During the time that the child was suffering, he prayed to God that he might live. Yet afterward, he worshipped. Though David was not happy during the time that his child was sick, he had faith and hope in the Lord God. We can have that same faith in God and hope of heaven that if we obey God faithfully until the end, we will see the saved again. What a blessed reunion that will be in heaven!

Job lost all of his livestock, nearly every one of his servants and all of his children in one day. Imagine the great sense of loss and devastation that he felt. Job was so crushed by the news that he tore his robe and shaved his head in grief. Yet that is not all that Job did. He also “fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’ ” Job 1:20-21. What a faithful man Job was! James 5:11 reminds us of Job’s perseverance and God’s compassion and mercy.

Both of these examples teach us what James meant when he was inspired by the Spirit of God to write, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4. Just as parents must allow children to make mistakes sometimes in order to learn valuable lessons, God too allows us to experience heartache at times in order that we may grow. This can be out of correction (Proverbs 3:12), to teach us how to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4) or to mature us that we may grow in Christian virtues (Romans 5:3-4 and James 1:2-4). Regardless, God knows what is best and we must trust in Him that good may come out of even the greatest of trials (Romans 8:28).

While in Houston, I bought a collection of wallet cards that state, “When we remember the valleys, the mountaintops are even more beautiful”. The Scripture imprinted on the back is Psalm 18:2: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” The card is similar to a statement I typically write, “After the storm comes the rainbow” based on God’s promise to us in Genesis 9. I'm sure similar phrases have been written by others and perhaps it has even been written exactly the same by another author but it gives me comfort to think of God's covenant of a beautiful rainbow that followed the great storm in Noah's day.

Suffering can come in many forms. Sometimes our suffering comes from our choice to stand up for Christ. In Acts 14:22, Paul and Barnabas exhorted the disciples in the region to keep the faith because they were going to suffer much for God. “Exhort” is also translated as “encourage”. Their words were an encouragement to the disciples. Imagine being so eager to live for the Lord that to be told you will suffer for Him is an encouragement!

Certainly, not all suffering is directly linked to our Christian walk. Sometimes we make mistakes and must endure the consequences. The Spirit inspired Peter to write that it is of little credit to suffer patiently if we did wrong; yet “when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.” 1 Peter 2:20. Other suffering is due to the fact that this is an imperfect world and the innocent suffer. Regardless of what we face, we can have hope in the Lord and trust in Him just as Job did. He did not know that the things he suffered were caused directly by Satan but he knew that God is in control of everything. He had tremendous faith in his Jehovah to take care of him.

Below are some of the many passages of comfort and encouragement from God’s Word as well as a poem that I wanted to share. I hope that you find peace and comfort in them.

“My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” Psalm 119:50

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” Isaiah 53:3. Our Lord suffered greatly because He loved us so much.

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:2-5

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:17-18

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

“Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” I Peter 1:5-9. Christians share similar suffering for the cause of Christ all over the world.

A friend gave me a plaque several years ago that I display on my kitchen wall. The poem is simple but so beautiful in its expression of our Lord’s promises.

“GOD’S PROMISE

God did not promise...
Days without pain
Laughter without sorrow
Or sun without rain.
But God did promise . . .
Strength for the day
Comfort for the tears
And a light for the way.
And for all who believe in
His kingdom above,
He answers their faith
with everlasting love!

--Author Unknown

May God give you strength for today, comfort for your tears and the joy that comes from trusting in Him to take care of you. The Lord bless you and keep you today.

The Lord’s Day Reflections & Memory Verse of the Week

2010-01-10T14:57:00.003-06:00

New Memory Verse for the week of 1/10/2010:
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12

Sunday Thoughts

Today is the day of the Lord. May we all enjoy fellowship today with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and participate in the worship of the Lord with reverence and sincerity. Jehovah God is worthy of our praise, awe and honor and our Savior Jesus Christ should be remembered for His great and awesome sacrifice as we commune together.

Various worship passages:

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread.” Acts 20:7

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” I Corinthians 11:23-29

“On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” I Corinthians 16:2

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-4

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:19-20

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:13-16

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” I Timothy 4:2

“They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

Online Worship Services

For those of you who are sick or in the hospital or unable to leave your home due to physical ailments, worship services are available online so that you may participate. The services of Olathe, Kansas helped me during my long transplant recovery:
http://www.olathecoc.org/default.asp
If you visit this page during their regularly scheduled times, you can view the adult Bible class, sing along to gospel hymns and participate in the entire worship service.

Additionally, many congregations offer the Lord’s Supper to members of the church who cannot leave their homes. Meaningful Sundays were spent in my hospital room with at least one of my family members participating in the Olathe services with me via my laptop. Either my husband or an elder from a nearby congregation offered communion so that I was not left out. Praise be to God for the Lifeline Chaplaincy program at various medical centers!

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The Truth about the Antichrist and Our Earthly Battle Against Evil

2010-01-05T10:38:00.001-06:00

Memory Verse for the Week of 1/3/2010: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.

Today’s Passage: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome (the people who do not confess Christ a.k.a. antichrists), because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” I John 4:4-6 NKJV.

Though I did not begin this lesson with the plan to discuss dark themes, the passages I researched for another lesson led me to discuss this topic instead. Perhaps it is needed in your life or perhaps I needed to review it for my own life. Either way, I pray that you find something helpful and comforting by the lessons learned from the topic. Those of you with children and grandchildren might well need to review these things based on the themes of much of the teen and young adult entertainment provided by the world today.

Our passage today gives us great hope and freedom of the fear of the unknown if we consider what the Spirit of God through John is teaching us. In this age of obsession with all things dark such as vampires, “black magic”, Wicca, witches and other worldly creatures that draw interest through their portrayal as heroes in games, movies and books, the idea of an Antichrist can be mysterious and terrifying. Many of us can recall Damien as the devious son of Satan in the old Gregory Peck classic The Omen. The vision of 666 appearing as Damien’s hair was cut could be unsettling. Who would dare want to raise the son of Satan that was coming to the earth as “The Antichrist”?

Yet these concepts are straight from Hollywood and are not founded on Biblical teachings of our true enemies. If we allow modern culture to mold our view of religious concepts, we will be very confused as the rest of the world seems to be. What really is an antichrist? Is it a monstrous being that will come and destroy the world? Will it lead many astray into slavery? Will it be marked with the numbers 666?

I suggest to you that if this is the sign you seek, you will miss Satan’s web of deceit in the ordinary things of life. In our passage, John describes the Antichrist as “every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” I John 4:2-3.

Further, “who is the liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that confesses the Son hath the Father also". I John 2:22-23. And in II John 1:7: “For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

From these passages, we can conclude the following:

1. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is an antichrist.
2. The antichrist was already in the world during John’s writing.
3. Everyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ is an antichrist.
4. Whoever denies Christ also must deny the Father because they are one; therefore, an antichrist rejects God as well whether they admit it or not.
5. People have gone out into the world in order to deceive, refusing to confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. These are deceivers and antichrists.

Does this sound like a huge mythological being that we will encounter? Not per John. The antichrist is anyone who denies Christ, rejects Him and/or deceives others into rejecting Christ. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and we are his children if we do not stand up for the truth. The truth is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, is one with God and came down to this earth in a human form to live among us. He died, was buried and was raised to life again. He returned to heaven’s glory and we will share in that glory if we receive His Word and believe it, repent of our sins, confess Him to others, put on Christ in baptism (Galatians 3:27), worship Him as instructed and live faithfully to the end according to His commandments. Once we have become a Christian as instructed by the Lord, we can experience a constant renewal and cleansing of our sins through repentance (a change of mind and action), confession and seeking forgiveness. God’s Word is truth! There is no other name by which we can be saved than Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

We should have no consuming fears of the dark things of the world because God is in control. No matter what happens to us, we can look to Him for our peace and comfort. The next lesson, Lord willing, will further demonstrate the need for us to trust and hope in God for the world is full of evil but God has wonderful things planned for us if we remain faithful to Him until the end. If the Lord permits, we will study examples of those who experienced great trials yet did not lose heart. They kept the faith in the midst of dire circumstances.

I pray that this lesson helps you to realize that although our fight is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), it is also not a battle between us and the forces of darkness alone. There are no horror scene battles where we are physically fighting demonic forces with merely a crucifix as a weapon. Our battle is fought against the evil that is in the world by standing up for what is right, refusing to give into worldly lusts and desires and walking in the light as Jesus walks in the light. Our battle has already been won by Jesus when He arose from the grave and overcame death and sin. Our battles are fought by remaining on the Lord’s side and by using the Christian Sword (the Word of God) just as Jesus did when confronted by Satan while in the wilderness (Matthew 4). Every temptation offered by the devil was rejected by Jesus by His quotation of the Word of God. We win against the forces of evil by quoting Scripture because these are our words of life. Paul informed the Romans that the things written before in the Bible (the Old Testament) “were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” Romans 15:4. There is no hope without knowledge of the Word of God because this is the only method that God chose in which to inform man of his sin and to offer the gracious gift of salvation. Our obedience to God is required in order for us to receive this gift from God, not that we will ever deserve it but this is the manner in which God provides it. Therefore, we must know what we must do to be saved and to defeat the powers of darkness and this knowledge can only come from the Bible.

How do we overcome Satan and those around us who would seek to tear us away from our God? Study, meditate, pray and be ready to give an answer (Joshua 1:8, I Timothy 4:15, I Peter 3:15). Be able to quote God instead of relying on our own reason. Our conscience, if trained in the Word of God, can be a great warning tool for alerting us of wrong but if our conscience is our only guide, we will fail. God has provided the answers in the Bible and only the Bible is God’s Truth revealed to man. We would not consider entering a swordfight without a sword so why would we attempt to battle Satan and His followers without God’s Word?

Let us work this week on studying and meditating on God’s Word so that we can recognize those who would deceive us with words that sound pleasing but are not found in God’s Word. Let us be like the wonderful Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out if these things were so” Acts 17:11. Please, as always, if something I have written is not found in Scripture or if you have a concern about something I mistyped, please let me know as soon as possible. I, like you, am merely a Christian who wishes to study and grow more in the knowledge of my Lord Jesus through meditation on His Word. Your suggestions and comments are welcome and needed.

God bless you this week! May you find great joy in the fact that God has not left us alone in this world to battle the evil one. Jesus has already attained the victory; the church has been established to encourage one another to keep fighting and we will win the fight if we remain on Jesus’ side until our time on earth is done. May you be encouraged by these words today.

Love, Courage and Hope for the New Year

2010-01-01T19:39:00.001-06:00

Today’s Passage: “Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of my God! Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope. Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and I shall observe Your statutes continually” Psalm 119:115-117.

We stand on the brink of a new year full of hope and promise. God has granted us the blessing to see 2010 enter and He has allowed us the opportunity to renew our relationship with Him. Yet not one more second is promised to us. Paul wrote that we must “walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time” Colossians 4:5. We may not have one more moment to tell others how much we love them and to teach them what they must do in order to be saved. How tragic if we waste a great opportunity to take our loved ones to heaven with us someday!

May this year be a year of new hope, new courage and greater devotion to God. May we seek opportunities to defend our Savior without fear of humiliation or rejection wherever we are, whether on the job, visiting family or talking to strangers in the checkout lines. Our hope is God. What if He were ashamed of us? What if Christ was so disappointed in our failures that He would not accept the punishment on behalf of our sins? No! Christ bore the humiliation that we deserved. How can we be embarrassed to bow our heads and pray at lunch, speak of what Christ has done for us or teach others of God’s great and eternal love for us?

Let us seek to have boldness in love and the desire to save others’ souls this year. Let us look for opportunities to spread the gospel, whether online, in person, through correspondence, at worship services, on the job or wherever we find ourselves. The disciples were dispersed in the first century due to severe persecution. The result was that the gospel was spread even further. Why? Because as they spread out, they carried the gospel with them wherever they traveled. They were not afraid to tell others about Christ even though they might be killed because their pride and hope was in Christ Himself and not their own souls.

My local preacher delivered a powerful lesson during class this week regarding David’s refusal to be ashamed to talk about the Lord. “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love.” Psalm 119:45-47. Oh to have such a love for God’s Word and commandments that we cannot stop speaking of them and long for the times when we can meditate on them!

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ “for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” Romans 1:16. I have been reading in Acts the courageous acts of the apostles such as Peter and John when they were threatened by the officials of the city and boldly responded: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” Acts 4:19. God freed them from prison and they returned to talk to the people. This time, they replied when they were threatened, “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him” Acts 5:29-32. I smile thinking of their courage and refusal to give up. They were led directly by the Spirit, but we have the Spirit of God through God’s Word. We can have such boldness and zeal for the Lord!

If we are embarrassed to share Christ with our coworkers and neighbors because they may think we are different or perceive us as being arrogant, then we have no idea what He did for us. We do not appreciate His precious gift and do not want others to share in the joy. If we truly are Christians, we will not only walk after Him but also share His story. If we love others, we will be sad that they are not saved and will desperately desire for them to be exposed to the gospel. The more we share the gospel, the more confident we will grow and the more lost souls we can reach.
The more we meditate on His Word, the more we will love it. When we really love something like sports or a hobby, we talk about it. It’s what we know, what we have facts about and what we spend our time preparing to discuss. This should be the Word of God. Shouldn’t we be able to quote the Bible as we once did as children? I can remember learning memory verses every week but for some reason, I have fallen out of the habit and sometimes forget where a passage is located.

For that reason, I would like to offer a “verse of the day” regarding the lesson but also a “memory verse of the week” for us to renew our memories and be able to share words of hope and encouragement to others. The first one is an easy one and many of you probably already know it; however, it is a good verse with which to begin because it reminds us that we can do anything with Christ’s help – even learn memory verses this year! Remember that you have a week to learn it, so if you do not already know it, write it down and post it on your computer, mirror or refrigerator to remind you that CHRIST is our strength. We are not alone in this world without hope because He lives within us.

God bless you all as we study together. Let’s make 2010 the year of the LORD!!!

Memory Verse for the Week: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.

On a personal note, my last two years have been full of medical treatments for cancer but praise the Lord God Almighty that through it all, He increased my faith and hope and brought me to such great joy. He has far surpassed anything I could ever imagine and though I was not sheltered from pain or setbacks, each of these “dips in the road” led me to greater joy. I have seen the love of Christians all over the world reach out to me to encourage me. I have learned what true love is because of the selfless acts of strangers such as my stem cell transplant donor and his family. God has opened my eyes and the more I have depended on Him for my every need, the more He has grown me and has filled me with overwhelming peace and comfort.

I pray that all of you feel this wonderful peace and joy from the Lord if you do not already. May we all grow in truth and love as we seek God’s Will through His Word and consider His goodness. God bless you richly and deeply through this glorious new year!

The Virtuous Woman - Valuable, Blessed & Rewarded

2009-12-06T23:42:00.002-06:00

Today’s Passage: “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.’ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31:28-31

Today’s study of the virtuous woman is our final lesson in the study. It is an appropriate ending to the study because it shows us the blessings that come from serving God throughout our lives and brings a happy and hopeful sense of closure to this woman who has been our example for many lessons.

This hardworking woman’s family praises her for her virtuous qualities. What a beautiful thought to be so highly honored! She has certainly worked diligently for her family and they do well to hold her in such high esteem as a wife and mother.

The Lord commands that children are to honor and obey their parents as stated in Ephesians 6:1-3. Certainly the virtuous woman has taught her children well. Yet even if our spouse and children do not honor us, we can be assured that the Lord will bless us for our service. “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” Matthew 16:27. There is no worldly blessing that could ever come close to the wonderful reward that God has planned for those who are faithful to Him.

God’s special woman does not seek praise for herself but it is a natural byproduct of her years of service for her family. There is nothing wrong with being honored for something we have done IF the intention was not to receive praise for our actions by others. The new covenant focuses on the intent of the heart and this passage indicates that the ones praising her are her husband, children and those who see her works. Jesus taught, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

We must be careful that we do not announce our good works to others but that we are so busy doing good things that others are bound to notice. When we are honored for our good works, Jesus taught us to give the honor to God. Even Christ, the Messiah and part of the Godhead, told someone who called Him Good Teacher, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” Matthew 19:17. Certainly, if any human being deserved to be honored it was Jesus Christ because He lived His life in service and ultimately gave His life for us; yet even He gave the glory to God. Jesus modeled our ideal motivation and response which are to give Jehovah God the glory for anything we have done.

We should not strive for attention and honor for ourselves because it is God who gives us life and the blessings we need to do good works. Paul wrote that our Savior Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works”. In essence, we were created to work in the service of the Lord. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10.

I can imagine this beautiful woman saying, “Thank you for your compliments, but God has given me a beloved family like you and I am the one who is blessed.” She might also consider what she has done throughout her marriage to be her duty to God as she remembers Jesus’ words after He washed the disciples’ feet, “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. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” John 13:14-17. Why would she not serve her family when her Master did the same for His friends?

One of my favorite verses is part of our passage today: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” With nearly every advertisement pressuring women to desire beauty or exude sexuality to get noticed by men, we can rest peacefully and joyfully in the truth that these things are not what the Lord desires of His daughters. He commands us to show the fruit of the Spirit; He desires that we seek not to find beauty in our outward apparel or hairstyle or jewelry but “rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” I Peter 3:4.

God bless you this week and may you find the peace that comes from being in Christ and serving the Lord. May we all be virtuous women throughout the rest of our lives.

The Virtuous Woman: Wise, Kind and Productive

2009-11-25T20:58:00.003-06:00

Today’s Passage: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:26-27

Our virtuous woman continues to teach us how to live as Christian women. Surely this woman walks with God and is a blessing to all of those who know her. I feel inadequate when I read these passages because I know that I do not excel in many of the virtuous woman’s qualities and certainly none of them to the extent that she does; however, I must also remember that if I were perfect, I would not need Christ. The passages we have studied in Proverbs 31 describe the ideal wife. As human beings, we always have room to grow because we will never attain perfection while on earth. Praise be to God that we have a Savior who washes away our sins continually as we seek His will, obey His commandments and walk in the light.

Wisdom is the first virtue mentioned in today’s verses. Wisdom is not merely the knowledge of God’s Word; it is the proper application of it in our lives. Knowledge is gained through study of the Bible; wisdom is gained by prayer and meditation of the knowledge that has been attained so that our thoughts and actions conform to God’s Word. Solomon asked for wisdom as opposed to knowledge; he had been taught God’s Word by his father David. God granted Solomon wisdom, understanding and great insight (I Kings 4:29); God will also grant us wisdom if we seek His will by studying the Holy Scriptures. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:4. Note in the next verse that this prayer for wisdom must be done with complete faith that God will give what He has promised.

If we study as we ought, meditate on what we have read and pray for guidance from the Lord, knowledge will blossom into understanding which, in its maturity, will develop into wisdom. A person who can quote the entire Bible word for word has knowledge; a person who lives by the Word he has learned is wise. We can have great knowledge and still be lost if that knowledge does not lead to action. The Pharisees knew the Scriptures but they did not make the necessary step to believe in the Christ who was fulfilling the very Scriptures they had studied. (John 5:39-40). Jesus condemned them for their unwillingness to come to Him.

Paul was clear in his writings to Timothy that the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith (II Timothy 3:15), yet this knowledge is not enough if it does not lead to good works (James 2:14-17). To please God, we must obey that which we read in His Word. The Word of God is living (Hebrews 4:12); if we are truly of Christ we will show it in our thoughts, actions and attitudes.

Wisdom is a virtue that has been developed through this woman’s dependence on the Lord. She may appear to be self-supporting, but she knows where her strength originates. True wisdom does not exist apart from the Lord. Even the sagest advisers have shown their weaknesses because their “wisdom” was merely the foolishness of man. Jephthah vowed to sacrifice to the Lord the first thing to come out of his door. How sad he was to see his daughter run toward him! (Judges 11). David thought it wise to move the Ark of the Covenant and had it loaded on a cart. When the oxen leading the cart stumbled, Uzzah was struck dead for trying to stabilize it (II Samuel 6). Things that seem to be the right thing to do can have great consequences. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, stated twice that “there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is death” (Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25). We simply cannot make wise choices apart from God’s Word. The truth does not lie in any other source than our Lord. (John 1:17, John 14:6, John 17:7).

Kindness is another virtue of this beautiful woman of the Lord. She has obviously learned God’s Word and her speech reflects the wisdom that has grown from this knowledge. To speak with wisdom is to speak kindly. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” Colossians 4:6. Though it is more difficult for some of us than others, we must try our best to say things in a way that will not offend others. It is far easier to prevent something from being said than to repair the damage afterward. I say this from experience and pray that I always strive to let my speech be “seasoned with salt” in the future. Sometimes people say they are only being honest when they say something harmful. Honesty is not an excuse for being hurtful. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” Ephesians 4:29. If the conversation is not beneficial to both the person to whom we are speaking and the person being discussed, it simply should not be said.

True Christians reflect Christ’s kindness and compassion in their behavior. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” Colossians 3:12-13. There truly is no such thing as a hateful Christian. Either we love one another or we are not in Christ because He is love (I John 4:7-21) The commandments to love both God and our fellow man are the greatest commandments given per Jesus Himself (Matthew 22:36-40).

And finally, the virtuous woman is attentive to her household and is productive. This concept has appeared throughout the description of this woman of the Lord. It was very important then and it is just as vital to us as Christians today. Especially in this world where there are many things to draw our attention away from what we should be doing, we must be diligent to keep focused and stay on track.

There are many passages that teach us to be productive. We have discussed some of them in previous lessons (i.e., hardworking, diligent, committed). Below are various passages regarding being busy in the Lord:

A warning against laziness: “The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” Proverbs 13:4

Be aware of the goings-on of our households and those things for which we are responsible: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds” Proverbs 27:23

Be hard workers: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Ecclesiastes 9:10

A commandment to support ourselves and our household: “Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:12

We work for the Lord and not for man: “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” Ephesians 6:5-8

Our work in the Lord will be rewarded: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58) and "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).

Life has been quite busy in our household due to health concerns and various commitments. I hope to be back on track so that the lessons will be sent timelier. I pray that you have enjoyed this passage as much as I have and that it will be on our minds tomorrow. There are only four verses left in our Virtuous Woman study. God bless you all and have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.

The Virtuous Woman – Courageous, Honorable and Joyful

2009-10-14T23:02:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.” Proverbs 31:24-25

More lessons we can learn from the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 are courage, honor and joyfulness. There is seemingly no end to the life lessons of this godly woman! It is amazing how such a condensed passage as Proverbs 31 can contain so much sound advice for Christian women today.

Our beloved example begins by making garments and selling them. She certainly earns her keep! This is not a woman who is afraid to make a living for her family if the need arises or who has any doubt that her Lord will help her. I know women who lost their husbands while their children were still young. Never having worked outside of the home or farm before, they were forced to learn a new trade in order to feed their families. The courage shown by such godly women is incredible because they knew they must venture out to make a living doing something with which they had no experience; yet they overcame their fear for their family and through their faith in the Lord.

Similarly, after the death of Moses, God told Joshua that it was time for the children of Israel to enter the Promised Land; however, this would be no easy journey into the land they would inherit. They were going to have to fight the people in the land of Canaan in order to take it over. Surely some of the older people were still imagining the words of the ten spies who had said that the inhabitants of the land were giants and that it would be too difficult for them to conquer. Except for Joshua and Caleb and the priest, these people had grown up in the desert. This was a new generation of Israelites who would be led to fight the Canaanites.

God told them, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9.

Notice that in this short passage, “be strong and of good courage” was mentioned by God three times. Jehovah God knew that what the people were to accomplish was not something they were accustomed to doing, but He assured them that if they followed Him, He would make them successful and prosperous. Sometimes we must face trials in which we are afraid because we feel inadequate or inexperienced, but God has promised us that He will be with us always if we obey Him. As we just read in Joshua 1, “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”. What a wonderful promise from our Lord! If we are Christian women who are strong and courageous, just as the virtuous woman was, we will be blessed and protected by our Father. Fear should no longer be a concern because God is with us. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” II Timothy 1:7.

In addition to being courageous when facing the unknown, we must be strong in the faith and courageous in spreading the gospel. The Corinthians were told, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” I Corinthians 16:13. It takes vigilance and faith in God in order to be ready to stand against the devil’s wiles and speak up for truth. It is no small battle that we fight, as Ephesians 6:12 indicates: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.

Yet regardless of how powerful the devil and his servants seem, we know that Christ has already overcome and has claimed victory over death. We are taught that, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” I Corinthians 15:56-57. Jesus Christ has already overcome death by His resurrection. We also will overcome if we are faithful to the end. We are not left alone to fight against the forces of darkness; our God is with us. John assures us, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” I John 5:4-5. It should give us strength and increase our faith to know that Christ has overcome the world and that He is with us.

Yet with our courage must come honor. It must be our clothing, just as our Scripture for today describes of the virtuous woman. It is not enough to stand up against evil if we do not seek to live pure and holy lives. It is sometimes easier to say that we are Christ’s than to live as if we are. To be honorable is not merely to be given honor but to be worthy of honor and high respect. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable…” II Corinthians 13:7. The opposite of doing what is honorable is noted at the beginning of the verse: to do evil. Therefore, if we are to be honorable, we must do that which is good according to God’s Word.

Peter also wrote that Christians should “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation”: I Peter 2:11-12. How then can we show the love of Christ to others and thus glorify God? According to God’s Word, we do so by being honorable in conduct and by doing good works.

A beautiful passage in Proverbs 11:16 states that “A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches.” Riches are merely temporary things that in some cases cause distraction from the holy things of God. Our goal should not be to focus primarily on amassing riches but to bring honor to our husband and our children and assure that their needs are met. A poor family who has love is richer by far than a family who has all worldly wealth at their disposal but know not God. “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” Proverbs 28:6. A woman’s integrity is akin to her honor. Integrity is adhering to a code of moral and ethical values; in a Christian’s case, our values should be determined by the Word of God. Being honorable cannot exist apart from walking in integrity.

A very wonderful promise is given to those who adhere to God’s principles. If we obey Him, are humble and honorable and stand up against evil, we can rejoice in days to come just as the virtuous woman did. Some Christians seem to think that being pious and being cheerful cannot go hand in hand. Our coworkers or old friends in the world believe that we are missing out on all of the fun. They can hardly be farther from the truth. Obeying God, while giving up worldly “happiness”, is better for us in the long run. It may seem a ridiculous comparison, but just as a child who wants candy all of the time is limited in his desires by his mother who wishes for him to have healthy teeth and a normal glucose level, so we are limited by a Father who wants only the best for us. Instantaneous pleasure is often just that – a quick satisfaction without permanency. If it is bad for us, consequences will result, ending our perceived happiness. The end result of sin is eternal death and that is not good for anyone (Romans 6:23). Because of this, God has set guidelines for us to follow in order to be truly happy and to be cleansed of our sin when we make mistakes.

Life as a Christian should be hopeful, joyous and peaceful. This does not mean that we will not have times of grief, whether in our lives or in the lives of those whom we comfort (Romans 12:15); yet we have a home in heaven with our Lord if we remain faithful to Him (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). If we are women of God, we should rejoice just as the virtuous woman was able to rejoice because she was prepared for the days ahead. The Lord offers us hope and joyfulness if we endure suffering, such as in Mark 13:13, I Corinthians 4:12 and II Corinthians 1:5-7. Paul wrote, “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. This verse is a great comfort to me.

May you be joyous this very day by resting in the comfort that God will always be with you. It is not God who leaves us but we who leave God. When we do, He is always waiting for us to return, just as the loving father of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Regardless of what we have done, God waits patiently for us to return so that He can forgive us. What hope that should give us and also the urgency to ensure that we return while we still have the opportunity.

I’d like to end this lesson with passages reflecting hope and joy in the Lord. As we attempt to live godly lives and lead others to Christ, it is helpful to pause and reflect on all of the blessings that we have. Even when we are suffering, we have hope in the Lord. Many a dear friend has helped me along my own journey of cancer, treatment and transplant and I am greatly blessed to be able to return just a portion of the love that they have shown to me through this lesson. Though I still do not know what lies around the corner, I know that my God will be there, too, and that gives me tremendous hope.

“Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!” I Chronicles 6:10.

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You” Psalm 5:11.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him” Psalm 28:7.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance” Romans 5:1-3.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4.

“Rejoice always” I Thessalonians 5:16.

“…Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!” Psalm 144:15.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3.

“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation” James 1:9.

“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted” Matthew 5:4.

God’s Word is completely different from what the world teaches. How could the world consider someone who is starving or is suffering happy? Yet Jesus gave hope to the suffering and lonely because He died for all of us and gave us the great gift of salvation. This is how Christians who are in pain or sick or dying or grieving can be happy and rejoice. If we die in the Lord, we will never suffer again. God will wipe away the tears from our eyes and comfort us (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, Revelation 21:4). No heartache or pain is so great that our Father cannot wipe it away and make us forget when we reach heaven.

God bless you today and every day as you seek His Will. May you have hope and rejoice in God’s blessings of peace and comfort this very day.

The Virtuous Woman – Supportive and Above Reproach

2009-10-13T18:22:00.001-05:00

Today’s Passage: “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23)

It has been quite some time since our last lesson. I apologize for the delay in writing and ask for your forgiveness as well as the Lord’s for allowing other things to interfere. I believe that today’s lesson is very important to those of us who are wives because it appeals to our duty to our husband. It also applies to those who are single or widowed because all of us are in subjection to Christ and should seek to avoid bring reproach upon the church or Christ by ungodly behavior.

Proverbs 31:23 teaches us that the virtuous woman’s husband is known at the gates and sits among the elders of the land. To understand the importance of this statement, a brief history lesson is in order. In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to visit. He noticed that Moses judged the people from morning to evening. Jethro questioned Moses as to why he was attempting to do everything himself. He stated that Moses would soon wear himself out if he continued in this manner. Jethro suggested that he select able men to assist Moses as opposed to trying to personally judge every situation alone. So Moses followed his father-in-law’s sound advice and appointed other men to judge smaller cases. Judges and elders were very important throughout the history of the Israelites.

Elders of cities decided cases such as murder, blood redemption and family issues. Deuteronomy 1:9-18 describes the selection of “tribal leaders”, “wise and knowledgeable men” as leaders over the people and the judges that were assigned to decide the cases that could be handled without Moses’ personal involvement.

As you can imagine, these duties were very important and only men who were considered to be wise, knowledgeable and just were to be selected. It was imperative that their wives were supportive and above reproach as well. It would be very difficult for an elder to sit in judgment over a city if his wife was not of good reputation, also.

The virtuous woman was of a godly nature so that her husband’s reputation was not blighted and he was able to take his place among the noble men of the land. We are taught in Proverbs 12:4 that “an excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.” What a pity that there are wives who do not properly respect their husbands and thus bring shame upon their names. God commands us to respect our husbands (Ephesians 5:33).

We discussed in a past study that Eve was created for Adam as a helpmeet. Whether society agrees or not, if we are Christians, we are to be submissive and respectful of our husbands. This is not discriminatory against women and does not seek to make us second rate citizens; however, God has established the home in the manner in which He desires. Our Lord God knows far more than we as humans do. Only by serving in our proper roles in our homes and the church can peace reign among us.

It should be said of each of us who are married or are engaged that “he who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD” Proverbs 18:22. Our husbands should not have to worry that we will do or say something that is unfit for Christian wives. They should be able to trust that we will stand behind them and support them so long as they are standing on the side of Christ, no matter how many so-called “friends” we may lose for doing so.

A good and noble wife is a gift from God. Proverbs 19:14 teaches that “houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Prudent means “discreet, wise and careful” according to Dictionary.com. Such a woman can be trusted when a man makes the decision to “leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” Mark 10:7. It would be a great tragedy for a man to leave his family only to discover that his wife is not the Christian woman he thought she was. Each of us are responsible for making our homes a safe place for our husband to live, growing in the love and support of a pure and holy woman.

Let us be careful that we are women who do not demand more than our husbands should give. God must come first in our husbands’ lives before the wife. Jesus said that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” Matthew 19:29. Let us live our lives in such a way that we encourage our husbands to follow Christ and do not force him to make a choice between following Christ and pleasing us. Our journey should be in the same direction if he is seeking to live a Christian life.

If our husbands are not living for Christ, we should be patient and loving according to God’s Word. We do not know the enormous impact of our good example. “For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” I Corinthians 7:16. By living a godly life even in the midst of turmoil and an unhappy home life, a wife may lead her husband and children to Christ. I have known several women whose husbands were not saved until later in life. “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear” I Peter 3:1-2. You are the single greatest example of Christ that your husband may likely ever know. You are the model of how he should live and it may take years before he allows the seed of God to flourish that has been planted by your example.

Often, we think of wives of elders and deacons as needing to be supportive and above reproach; however, we should be helping grow future deacons and elders while our husbands are still young. Regardless of whether our husband decides to serve in this capacity, we should still live as blameless, temperate and honorable as if we were wives of such men. All Christian women should be held to the same standard: the Word of God. Though not every man will serve in specific roles of service, every Christian woman should live in such a way that the Word of God is not maligned (Titus 2:4-5). We should strive to live as examples of what Christ wants us to be.

We have a choice to make as wives: we can help our husbands grow stronger in the Lord or we can hinder them in their service. We can even contribute to the destruction of their souls if we are not careful. An example of a wife who did not encourage her husband to make the right choice is Sapphira (Acts 5). She, along with her husband, lost her life due to her sin. On the other hand, Priscilla is a shining example of a pure and godly woman. She taught Apollos alongside her husband (Acts 18:2). Priscilla and Aquila journeyed with Paul to Syria and Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19). The church met in their home and they encouraged the brethren in Corinth (I Corinthians 16:19). Much good was done in the early church because of Priscilla and thankfulness for her service was given by Paul (Romans 16:3).

May God bless us as Christian wives to help lead our families to the Lord. We have great opportunity to be examples to others whether we are single, married, mothers or grandmothers. God foreknows His children, and therefore we are right where we should be at the time that we should be here. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? Surely we are all important to His kingdom and therefore we are needed in our local congregation and in the homes in which we live.

God bless you as you serve Him today and every day.

The Virtuous Woman - Dependable and Prepared

2009-09-11T17:34:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple” (Proverbs 31:22).

Today’s study of the Proverbs 31 and how we can demonstrate virtuous and godly qualities in our own lives continues with verse 22. We have studied six lessons thus far on the passages and still have several verses left. This study, even though in depth, is far from exhaustive. Many other qualities of this woman can be gleaned from the passage and mirrored in our own lives. It is absolutely amazing how profound and wise these words are and the enormity of their lessons in our lives of service to God. Only God in His great wisdom could condense into so few words a subject that can be studied for our entire lives and never be completely mastered. Such is God’s Word: simple and yet deeper than any ocean, easy to understand and yet impossible to master to perfection without any room for improvement while on our earthly journeys. What a great and awesome Creator we serve.

“She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.” This verse continues the idea of being committed by ensuring that clothing and the things that make a house a home are provided for our families. Additionally, this passage shows the dependability of a Christian woman to prepare the things that are needed by her and those in her protective care. Note that the Scripture does not state, “If she has time, she makes tapestry for herself; if she has the desire, her clothing is neat and as nice as can be afforded; if she feels like it, family needs are provided.” She makes time and she has the desire because God commands that we take time to handle the important things of life.

This verse speaks volumes to me. You may not struggle with the same things that I do, but I would imagine that all of us could become more dependable in some area of our lives. We may need to spend more time studying God’s Word or praying or allotting more time for our families’ needs and less for our own. Martha spent time cooking and serving when Jesus came over while Mary sat at His feet and listened to His words (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus wanted Martha to forget the things she could do while He was not there and enjoy His company as well as learn from His teachings while He was there. While it is true that Mary was commended for taking the time to worship and learn from Jesus, it is also important to note that Martha was not condemned for handling necessary things like cooking, serving and cleaning. Instead, it should be noted that because Jesus was in the house at the time, He was to be priority over cooking and serving. A neglect of handling these needed items when Jesus was not present was not the teaching He intended.

Christian women sometimes stress over the housework and cooking, but forget to take time to sit at the Master’s feet in personal Bible study during the day like Mary. On the other hand, we might study and make time for Bible study but neglect some of the necessary tasks like household chores, causing them to pile up and create a hectic environment when we cannot find what we need. It is difficult sometimes to maintain the healthiest balance: prioritizing our schedules so that all needs are met.

I am not a Martha, purely and simply. I have a creative mind and love to write, but unfortunately, I also have the tendency to be sidetracked by things that interest me. Perhaps you have been captivated by a sparkling crystal as you walked by a display. I am captivated by everything. If I begin a duty such as cleaning the living room and pass a magazine I have not read or a book I have been meaning to study or anything with words on it, basically, I can be sidetracked from my task. I am not militaristic by any means; instead, I am sporadic at best. This can be good for brainstorming sessions, writing poetry or devotionals and journaling but it is very detrimental to uninteresting chores like washing and folding laundry, organizing closets or keeping my side tables clutter-free. I seldom have one project going at one time; instead, I typically have no less than ten. A lack of concentration on the most important things first can quickly end in procrastination of the necessary tasks.

How can the study of the virtuous woman help me? I must prepare my mind so that I can act as God intends. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled…” I Peter 1:13. I can learn the art of being dependable. If I start something, I should focus on completing it before going on to something new. Our key passage today states that the virtuous woman makes clothing and items for her home. Unless she completes these tasks in a timely manner, she has the intention to make these items without the final product. Therefore, when winter comes, her family is not prepared because they need completed items and not ideas to keep them warm. My good intentions will not change the world around me if they are not carried through to completion.

If my home is not ready for drop-in company, how can I invite someone over “on the fly” for Bible study? If I have not frozen cooked meals for unexpected emergencies, how can I take a meal to someone who I have just learned is sick and needs a meal that very day? There are many ways in which being prepared and being dependable can make a huge difference to a lost soul. I need to be ready to take opportunities to serve God and help my fellow man by preparing ahead of time. When God needed the Israelites to move forward and take the land of Canaan, Joshua was told to tell them, “Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own” (Joshua 1:11). God told Ezekiel, “Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them” (Ezekiel 38:7). I do not have God’s specific plan for my life spoken to me directly; therefore, my supplies must always be ready for a moment’s notice to do His work. As Joshua and Ezekiel prepared the people to be ready when God called for them to act, I also must be ready to act.

Furthermore, being prepared means that I can devote more time to the task at hand. I have often regretted not laying out my business suit or dress, shoes, jewelry and other important items the night before so that I would not be rushed to get ready for work or services. It’s amazing how jewelry, hosiery, keys and shoes can walk around and hide themselves when you need them. If I have my Bible and class book ready, my lesson already prepared (whether I am the teacher or the student) and clothing, keys and sunglasses in one place, I can leave a few minutes early for services, be calm when I arrive and greet others with a smile. The teacher will have an easier job if her students have prepared because we can discuss the things that we learned or answer questions. Peace is the order of the day if we are prepared as opposed to running around scatter-brained and frantic like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland because we cannot locate our car keys or Bible or one of our child’s shoes.

In what ways should we be prepared? In addition to having our homes ready for drop-ins, we should be ready to teach others. The only way to be prepared to teach others is for us to have spent time in study and prayer, devoting ourselves to learning the gospel and memorizing where key verses are found. We must be ready because Christ depends on us to spread His gospel of love and salvation to those dying in sin around us. Opportunities can be lost if we are not prepared to answer questions from the Bible. Our opinions or hazy memories of a sermon on the subject do not count. It is far more convincing for us to read Romans 6:4 to someone, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life”, than to say that “somewhere in the Bible it says we’re supposed to be baptized” or “my preacher says to be baptized”. The power of the gospel is in the gospel itself and not our own argumentative style. Therefore, we must be prepared by knowing where this and other passages are located so that the other party in the discussion can read it for themselves.

We should also pray to God for wisdom to understand and apply the knowledge we uncover in our studies. God’s help through prayer is an often overlooked power, yet it should be our first thought when preparing for leading others to Christ and strengthening our weaknesses. It is not possible to be prepared for action if we have not prayed. Let us review the Scripture above that we must prepare our minds for action (I Peter 1:13). How can we prepare our minds for action without seeking God’s help? “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2) should cause us to consider how important it is to pray that our preparation is adequate, our motives are pure and our actions are in accordance with God’s will.

I have been working on a key Scripture bookmark that notes the passages regarding salvation and living a faithful life to have available at times when my memory fails me, but nothing can substitute for memorization and the ability to locate passages if my handy bookmark is not available. I wonder, how can I lead others to make the right decision to be saved if I have not taken the time to learn the passages myself? I spent many years in school preparing for degrees and taking tests to prove that I had gained knowledge of the courses. Am I as willing to spend as much and even more time studying and learning God’s Word so that I will be able to teach others and myself pass the greatest test on Judgment Day?

And finally, we must put into action our study. All of the preparation in the world will not help if we are not “ready to do whatever is good” Titus 3:1-3. This means being ready to step out of our comfort zone and being willing to change our schedules in order to take advantage of an opportunity to help someone. Preparation is necessary but action must follow. Christ prepared the apostles to carry on His work after He ascended into heaven. Jesus required them to be willing to stand up for the truth and put into action the things He had taught them. He put His trust in humans to spread the gospel. Can He put this same trust in me?

We were given the greatest gift we could ever receive: salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Savior stood up against the power of darkness, as it used its greatest weapons of betrayal and torment in an attempt to defeat Him, in order that He might save guilty mankind from eternal death. Am I willing to stand up for Him by learning His Word and speaking its truth to others?

Let us end with Paul’s instructions to Timothy. All Christians are required to do the same, whether it is publicly or privately to those with whom we come in contact. “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” II Timothy 4:1-3.

God bless us as we study His Word!

The Virtuous Woman: Full of Faith and Peace

2009-09-05T21:20:00.003-05:00

Today's Passage: “She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet” (Proverbs 31:21).

Today’s passage in the description of a virtuous woman states that she is not afraid of the snow. Why? Because her household is prepared with warm clothing. There are several lessons that we can glean from this single statement.

First of all, a woman of God prepares for hardship. She is frugal, storing up food and saving money during the times that she is prosperous so that she and her family will be prepared if hard times hit. Even if she never experiences hard times financially, others around her may need assistance and she is ready to help them. My husband, mother and I learned firsthand how frightening hurricanes can be while living in Houston last year. We were unable to evacuate during hurricanes Gustav and Ike due to my need to be near the medical center as I recovered from a bone marrow transplant. Many homes were destroyed and residents were without electricity for several days. Residents with generators invited others into their homes and shared their food with them, church members joined together to assist with home repairs and volunteers served food at food banks set up around the city. Many families had hope restored to them through the love of neighbors and friends or even strangers.

A virtuous woman is prepared to help during these times because she has faith in God as well as the peace that comes from the fact that she has made provisions for hard times. God takes care of us and sees us through hard times, but we must strive to do our part by storing up for such circumstances. By being prepared, we can focus on the vital things during a catastrophe instead of worrying what we will eat or how we will manage without any savings. Just as the foolish virgins of Matthew 25 were not prepared with extra oil for their lamps and were thus left behind, so we too must be prepared if we are to expect to be assisted, if it is within our means to do so. This parable, while teaching us the necessity of being prepared for Jesus to return, also shows us that we must take care of our responsibilities. The ones who were prepared, in this case, did not have enough for themselves and the ones who had no extra oil and thus were unable to help. Because the people of Jesus’ day understood the importance of these women being prepared for a wedding banquet, the example could be used to teach them about spiritual preparation as well. This preparation is no less important in our day.

Certainly, a woman of God should not base her faith in the things that she has done to prepare. An example of self-praise is found in Luke 12 when the rich man trusted in his possessions and his own deeds instead of glorifying God. It is wise to remember God’s condemnation of him: “But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21). It is God who gives us the ability to make provisions for ourselves and all praise is due Him; however, we must make the most of our opportunities to prepare for our own and others’ hard times. An interesting statement is made by Solomon to “sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). This is a call to take action while we can and prepare for the reality that we may not always be successful in our endeavors.

A prepared and faithful woman has great peace because she knows that she has done what she could to please God and has taken care of her own. Romans 2:9-11 assures us that those who do evil will suffer trouble “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good…” (Romans 2:9-10). Additionally, we are told in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” If we are faithful in our walk and trust God to take care of those things beyond our control, we can have the joy and peace and hope that only the Spirit of God can give us.

Even those of us who may be short of means but who do the best with what we have been given will please God. God knows of our past and current capability to provide for ourselves and others and does not require more than He has given us the ability to do. We can find cases in which widows in the church needed food so the church assigned men such as Stephen to see that their needs were met (Acts 6:1-4). These widows were not denied help because they could not provide for themselves. Neither are we condemned if we are physically unable to care for ourselves. However, if we have been given the talent to provide for our family, we are required to use it.

Both the servant who was faithful with two talents and the one who was faithful with five were rewarded because they did what they could with their blessings. It will be said of us who are faithful with our blessings, “'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” Matthew 25:14-30. On the other hand, for the servant who wasted the talents given to him, a serious punishment was dealt him and should cause us to ensure we are faithful, frugal and prepared.

May the study of faithfulness and peace in a woman of God encourage us to always be busy providing for our families in whatever talents the Lord has given us. Further, may you and yours find the peace that comes from doing God’s Will today and every day. Thank you for studying with me today. As always, this lesson has been a wake-up call to me as well to use my talents for God, my family and others.

The Virtuous Woman - Hospitable and Charitable

2009-08-24T20:57:00.005-05:00

Today’s Passage: “She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20

Isn’t it amazing how many lessons we can learn from the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31? We could work on all of these qualities for the rest of our lives and still have room for improvement. That’s what is so wonderful about God’s plan. We will always be useful to God as long as we study and seek to obey Him, because He keeps growing our hearts and molding us into His likeness.

Today’s study focuses on the virtuous woman and how she is hospitable and charitable. When I read that a godly woman helps the poor and needy, the first thing that comes to mind are Jesus’ words regarding how we are to reach out to others to serve Him: “Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 'The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:37-40.

By reaching out to those who are poor, we show Christ’s love to others. On the other hand, if we do not help the poor and we have opportunity to do so, we should be aware that this failure is listed in Matthew 25:46 among those things that will cause us to “go away to eternal punishment”. This is a very serious consequence for our failure to do good to those who are less fortunate than us.

We may be inclined to think that because we are not rich by America’s standards, we are not held to this commandment. Yet, even some of the poor in our nation are rich compared to many in other parts of the world. We can help others regardless of our financial circumstances. A wonderful example of the poor helping the poor is found in II Corinthians 8:1-3: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” What a wonderful testimony to be commended by an apostle for helping others even though the helpers themselves were in extreme poverty!

We should remember that Jesus knows our hearts and our pocketbooks, as He did when a widow placed a single coin into the temple treasury. Though some gave bags of money and made a great display of it, Jesus knew that a widow’s meager offering was all that she had to live on. He commended her for her act of selflessness: “"I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Even when we experience financial hardships, we can often find another in a worse plight than we are and offer assistance. It is important to note that giving to the work of the church can help support those in need through the benevolence program, but we should remember that Matthew 25 commands us to do this on an individual basis as well.

The poor are not the only ones who are needy. James 1:27 teaches us “to look after orphans and widows in their distress”. It is not enough to depend on the welfare system to care for those who are orphaned or widowed. We must also visit them and take care of them. We can support the good works of Christian children’s homes by offering to serve as tutors, assist houseparents or foster families or serve as mentors and tutors. Often, these children have had no positive role model in their lives before entering foster care as the majority of them have been removed from homes where they were abused physically or sexually or neglected. Jesus told His disciples to “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God”. Though He was teaching his followers to become as pure as children spiritually, He also was showing the great example of taking time to notice the children in the crowds and allow them to come to Him. We should notice the children around us as well and see to their needs.

Additionally, there are many who have suffered the loss of their spouse and are lonely. By taking time to visit them, we are reinforcing the fact that they are special to God and that they continue to serve a great purpose. The Bible teaches us to grow in wisdom and to teach the younger women; yet how can this teaching take place if the younger do not spend time with the elder? In a society where few of us remain in the same community as our extended family, we could benefit greatly by reaching out to the elderly where we live. Caring for the widows is not just a gift to the elder women but also a blessing to the younger, who can learn sound advice from God’s Word from those who have lived much longer and can teach others "a thing or two".

The Bible gives us many examples of ways that we can help others. Cornelius gave alms to the poor (Acts 10:2), Solomon taught that the righteous care about the justice of the poor (Proverbs 29:7), Paul was eager to help the poor (Galatians 2:10) and David condemned those who persecuted the needy and failed to show mercy (Psalm 109:16). On the other hand, Isaiah warned about seeking the destruction of the poor (Isaiah 32:7) while Amos spoke of the coming punishment for those who tried to do away with the poor (Amos 8:4).

We should especially notice the needs of other Christians and assist them (I John 3:17) but when we see opportunity, we should seek to help everyone, even if they are someone who has done us wrong. “…If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Romans 15:26). This is not an easy task, to be sure, but God has commanded us to love others so we can be sure that loving even the most unlovable person is possible.

As a postscript to the above, I believe that we must be careful how we help those who we do not know personally. For example, those of us in metropolitan areas may see several beggars on the side of the highways on a daily basis or encounter poor people that come to the church building and ask for help. At times, I have heard Christians say that we should not help these people because they can go to the “soup kitchen”. Their basis for this belief is that welfare programs were not available in the past when the Jews were commanded to leave the outer areas of their fields unharvested. While this may be true, I believe that we should be careful to readily dismiss our responsibilities to the poor and needy. I do not believe that God’s commandments for us to look after the poor have been outdated and therefore are no longer necessary because the government has special programs. Our work in the kingdom is to reach out to others and share Christ’s love which involves us getting out in the trenches and working.

There may be cases in which a traveling Christian has a legitimate need and should be able to seek help from the church. I shudder to imagine a loved one, whose vehicle broke down on the highway, have her pleas ignored by the local congregation because there is a chance that she might be a scam artist. Certainly, we must be wise in our endeavors to help others but we should not refuse to assist based solely on our personal appraisal of the person’s appearance. Remember that God judges the heart and not the appearance of a person. We may turn away someone only to discover later that they were truly in need of help.

Additionally, we should not refuse assistance based on the condition of our world today and the evil that is within it. The world has been filled with evil since the first sin and was destroyed in Noah’s day due to the condition of human hearts. According to Solomon, there is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). No, our purpose is not to remove ourselves from the corrupt world around us but instead, we must shine as lights and give others hope through Christ Jesus our Savior. We must remember that Christians should be known for our love, as John so frequently wrote in his letters. Jesus stated, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14.

There are many ways to extend our hands to the poor and needy. For example, if we are uncomfortable giving cash to someone for fear that they will use it for immoral purposes, perhaps we could buy lunch for someone who is hungry or fill up their car if they are out of gas. If we learn of a situation in which the parents are unable to purchase gifts for their child’s birthday or Christmas, we might buy some gifts and wrap them up to be given to the parents anonymously. We could give a grocery store gift card to a family who has little money for anything but the most basic of staples. We might adopt a family through the deacon in charge of benevolence or participate in Christian rescue efforts. Some suggestions of Christian rescue organizations are provided below with links to their websites. Your elders or deacons may know of local organizations for you to sponsor as well.

Christian Relief Fund www.christianrelieffund.org
Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort www.disasterreliefeffort.org
Healing Hands International http://www.hhi.org/
Pos Los Ninos http://www.familylifemissions.org/

May God bless you in your efforts to help others and may you always find help when you need it, as well. Let us strive to seek opportunities to give hope to a world that so desperately needs it. Many souls have been saved because a Christian first assisted them physically or financially. Who knows what seeds can be planted in others’ hearts because we reached out in love?

Daily Bible Reading Schedule

2009-08-17T12:57:00.002-05:00

As a personal objective, I'd like to read the entire Bible this year. I have developed a schedule of the subjects that I'd like to study in a particular order. I send this link to you in hopes that you will find it beneficial. Two versions are available on the following website: a printable or an editable version. You may choose to rearrange your reading schedule to focus on particular topics or to alter the dates. God bless you in your studies!

http://www.pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com/biblereadingschedule.html

The Virtuous Woman - Compassionate, Worthy in the Lord, Honest and Committed

2009-08-17T11:24:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle.” Proverbs 31:18-19

Today’s study of the virtuous woman focuses on Proverbs 31:18-19 and her devotion to God by being honest and committed. Again, this study is one that pertains to me as I write it because I can greatly improve on my commitment to God and make the work in his kingdom priority over everything else. I should always strive to place God first, my family second, others next and myself last. In order to properly do this, the tasks I should pour the most efforts into are the ones that will improve my own as well as my family’s relationships with our Savior and help grow the church by reaching out to others to take care of their needs and share the hope of the gospel with them.

“She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night.” Proverbs 31:18

This verse further instills in us the idea that the virtuous woman is dedicated and works earnestly because she works all night if the need arises. An image comes to mind of a mother who stays up all night with a sick baby, caring for it until the morning light. A good mother does not have to be asked to care for her baby. It should be something she does naturally out of great love for her children. Wise King Solomon called on the great bond between mother and child when he tested two women who claimed to be the mother of a baby in I Kings 3:26.

Similarly, we should have the same love for others who are in need. Compassion should arise in us when we look around and see the needs of those who are sick, injured, lonely, poor or grieving. It is written of our Lord Jesus that “when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” Matthew 9:36. What hope it should give us to know that Jesus, who is Deity, looks upon His people with compassion and love.

A virtuous woman in the Lord is honest at all times. In order to perceive "that her merchandise is good", she must examine it and determine its worth. If there is an imperfection, she will correct it instead of attempting to sell an inferior product as if it were flawless. This characteristic is taught in Leviticus 19:36: “Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” It is a very sad thing that such a person could not be found in Jerusalem. God spoke through Jeremiah to tell the people of Judah: "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.” I fear that the same could be said of our nation today.

Whether we tell “white lies” or exaggerate the details, are we seeking the truth and dealing honestly? If we are asked to do something on the job, are we honest to God and our principles? In the workforce, I have been instructed to tell callers that someone is “out of the office” or “in a meeting”. Even something as “simple” as this is a test of our honesty. A better answer would be that they are unable to take the call or, if they are dodging the caller, tell them that you can take a message or assist them with any problems, avoiding the mention of what your coworker is doing. I have known Christians whose consciences have been stricken by the things they are asked to do by management, and although they do not have another employer waiting in the wings, they have made the decision to trust God and do the right thing. In some cases, the employee has been terminated, in other cases the employee has chosen to willfully terminate. Such Christians show great faith in the Lord and are some of the greatest examples of using honest scales and seeking the truth.

This verse also teaches a great lesson in worthiness and is one that I must personally strive to learn. When a woman of God who has obeyed the gospel does her very best, examines her life against the Word, repents of all sin and strives to always live faithfully, she “perceives that her merchandise is good.” As humans, we will never live up to the perfect example of Christ and we will never attain salvation through our own works because no human is without sin. We must discipline our body daily (II Corinthians 9:27) to ensure that we are living for God and we must test ourselves by always comparing ourselves to the perfect model of Christ and the commandments of the Lord (II Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 6:4, I Thessalonians 5:21, James 1:3).

Having stated this, there is a sense in which we must know that mistakes will be made or else we would not need a Savior. It is a serious business to continually test our faith and actions to ensure they will stand but we must also feel the peace and comfort that we are saved through Christ. Paul had a healthy outlook in that he considered himself the “chief” of sinners (I Timothy 1:15) yet He boasted in the Lord (II Corinthians 10:17, Galatians 6:14). In other words, by himself, he was worthless but with Christ, he could “do all things” (Matthew 19:26, Philippians 4:13). That is a very uplifting example for us as women to have. We are of great worth when we are part of the body of Christ.

“She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle” Proverbs 31:19. This passage further conveys the idea of diligence and dogged determination. It describes a woman completely committed to her task. True commitment and loyalty are values that are nearly nonexistent in today’s society. Gone are the days when everyone was committed to his job, such as the milkman and postman that delivered items to the front door and greeted each of their customers. The only way to understand such a notion today is to watch reruns of Andy Griffith or Leave it to Beaver. There are certainly kind and caring postal and delivery workers today, but more often than not, our mail marked “Do not bend” is shoved into the mailbox and folded in half to make it fit in order to save walking a few feet to our door or writing up a slip for us to pick up the package at the post office. A shipping employee leaves boxes at our door without knocking. (I think he’s afraid I’ll release the hounds at the front window!) Thankfully, no one has decided to steal the packages before we discover them later as we open the door and stumble over them.

At any rate, it seems that personal service is a thing of the past. Cashiers roll their eyes when there is a price check or completely fail to acknowledge their customers. Often, the only thing they say to us is the total price. It is interesting to note that at some businesses, the credit card swipe asks if the associate has been helpful that day. I wonder what the tally is for the average associate and whether most people who swipe their card are honest.

Commitment to marriage and family has decreased rapidly in our "me first" world. The idea of "falling out of love" is not a Biblical concept. In fact, the very word for the love we should have for God and fellow man is “agape”, an unconditional, sacrificial love. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). “Eros”, or infatuation and sexual love, is not to be the driving force behind marriage. “Feeling love” or being “in love” is not the same as sacrificing for love and remaining committed, even in the dark times. God loved us (agape) when we were unlovable (I John 4:10, Romans 5:6-10). This is the same concept that we should have for our families, whether they act deservedly or not (Colossians 3:18, I Peter 3:1). It is extremely important for us to teach our children throughout their lives to choose wisely when they marry because marriage is for life. It is true when someone states that they just aren’t in love with their spouse anymore or don’t feel the same way about them. Because they have abandoned their duty to love sacrificially and thus have broken their commitment to spouse and God, they indeed do not love their spouse anymore. This attitude does not reflect Biblical teachings of what our love should be (agape) as marriage partners. Note that the only situation in which the marriage bond may be broken except by death is by the spouse who has been wronged by adultery, a sexual act outside of marriage (Matthew 5:32; 19:9, Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:2-3). This does not change the fact that God hates divorce and we would do well to consider this very carefully before a decision is made in an adulterous relationship. Our spouse and children's souls may be at stake if the spouse later remarries or influences the children to make wrong decisions in their own marriages later. “Marriage should be honored by all” Hebrews 13:4.

The virtuous woman does not fail to give herself wholeheartedly to the task at hand. We need hard workers in the kingdom as well. Wherever God can use us, we should do our best to fulfill the task with cheerfulness. Imagine walking into a business where everyone is truly happy to see you and says “Hello”. Whenever you look for someone to help you locate an item, they do not avoid your eyes and scurry away but instead smile and walk over to you to assist. When you check out at the cash register, the cashier smiles and asks how you are doing with genuine concern and the person bagging your groceries takes great care to ensure that your bread and eggs are not smashed. He or she then carries out your groceries to your car and wishes you well. Hard to imagine in a store that does not pay commission to their employees who do these things? It shouldn’t be, if we who are Christians live according to our names’ sake. “Christian” means a follower of Christ and one who professes belief in His teachings. We should think twice before telling people we are Christians if we are not willing to do what Christ says and live according to His example and teachings.

Honesty is not limited to working outside of the home. Our family members need for us to be completely honest with them. This does not mean that we should go around telling everyone that we wouldn’t be caught dead in their outfit or that we find what they said to be hurtful when it is something that is of little consequence. We are not perfect ourselves. Honesty also does not mean sharing every minor detail about ourselves with others, preventing us from listening to what others have to say. In fact, James wrote, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” James 1:19. This means that we should keep our mouth shut if our comments are not constructive and be active listeners.

On the other hand, if we are asked to tell the truth about something, we should answer truthfully with carefulness, striving to speak in love. We can temper the things that we say by placing ourselves in the other person’s shoes and thinking of how we would like to be told something. For example, if my hair is a mess and I ask someone, “Do you like my hair?”, I would rather be told that she preferred my former style as opposed to hearing, “No, it’s just downright horrible”. If I am acting in a way that is inappropriate as a Christian or state something that is incorrect, I would like to be told in honesty and love. It might be hurtful to hear, “You are a hypocrite” rather than, “I’m concerned about something you did”. While I may be acting hypocritically, there are better ways to teach me than by a critical demeanor. Personally, I'd rather be told unlovingly than not at all so that I can correct my mistakes, but these words could be quite devastating to a new Christian who has just begun to learn what is required of him. Our attitude is very important when correcting someone and our intent must be to save both of us: the one committing the sin and the one teaching.

Honesty does not mean that we should be judgmental and harsh but that we seek to help others, all the while remembering that we too are imperfect and can lose the race if we are not careful. “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” I Corinthians 9:26-27.

I hope that this study has been helpful to you as it has been to me. I plan to be out of town for several days so the next devotional may be delayed. Thank you for studying with me and God bless you and your family today.

The Virtuous Woman – Earnest and Diligent

2009-08-15T18:04:00.003-05:00

Today’s Passage: “She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.” Proverbs 31:16-17

Today’s lesson from The Virtuous Woman focuses on our responsibility to be earnest and diligent. This study will benefit me personally because I often do not complete a good work that I have begun. I plan to further study procrastination in a future study. At this time, we will focus on the Christian woman’s duty to be earnest and diligent as modeled by the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.

The definition of “earnest” according to Merriam-Webster is a) a serious and intent mental state or b) a considerable or impressive degree or amount. Solomon taught, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...” Ecclesiastes 9:10. Whether we are working inside or outside of the home (or both), we are commanded to work earnestly to fulfill our obligations. This virtue grows more and more difficult as the distractions around us increase. Because of this, I periodically introduce new ideas into my life to help me combat these constant interferences. Some examples are listed below. Please note that this is not a list of what I accomplish each day but is a list of goals and ideals. In no way do I perfectly complete all of these things every day and am always in need of repentance for allowing myself to be distracted from my tasks. I can assure you, I need this study as much as or more than you.

1. Keeping a task list complete with a box to check off each thing that I have accomplished that day
2. Working up a schedule by 15 minute intervals detailing my responsibilities for the day
Turning off the TV and radio during the day. I find these to be major distractions because I always hear snippets of interesting news that I want to know more about. At the close of the day, did I really need to know what every Saints player felt about the pre-season game they just played? Did it improve my life to know that there were a large number of horribly violent acts committed in the United States today and to hear every detail?
3. Saving a prayer request spreadsheet on my PC so that it is easy to update and reprint and will ensure I don’t forget anyone. It’s a great way to see how God answers prayer as various people heal or situations are resolved.
4. Checking off the prayer requests, new members and other important items in our weekly church bulletin as I’ve sent a card or called.
5. Unplugging the Internet connection to my PC or laptop in order to ensure I don’t allow myself to wander on a different tangent as I research a devotional topic.
6. Keeping a spreadsheet of medical bills and items our family is responsible for paying as well as the amount we have decided to give to God to ensure we are frugal, productive and ethical in our payment agreements.
7. Striving to spend as much time as I can with God in study and with my family.
8. Studying to keep foremost on my mind the reason I am here and my duty to my fellow man.

The strength described in Proverbs 31 is related to earnestness. It is the perseverance and diligence with which we face our tasks. We are to work hard in the Lord and not “grow weary” (Revelation 2:3). Also, we read in Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Our reward is worth any amount of hard work we put forth on this earth.

There are many Scriptures regarding Christians’ duty to work earnestly and diligently in the Lord. Below are a few examples.

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” Proverbs 27:23

“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Proverbs 10:4

“If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.” Ecclesiastes 10:18

"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12

“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God”. Titus 2:3-5

“Besides, they (younger widows) get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander." I Timothy 5:13-14

"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

Being busy without regard to being busy in the work of the Lord: “ ‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.’” Haggai 1:9

“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philemon 1:6

May this study remind us to be diligent, hard working and always looking forward to our sweet haven of rest. If we are willing to work earnestly in God’s kingdom in this life, we will receive the rest that He has promised in the next life.

God bless you for studying with me!

The Virtuous Woman: Hardworking and Organized

2009-08-04T21:09:00.004-05:00

Today’s Passage: “She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants” Proverbs 31:13-15.

Last week, we began our study of the virtuous woman from Proverbs 31. The previous study focused on the style of poetry and considered that trustworthiness is a necessary quality in order for us to be pleasing to God. Today’s study is centered on verses 13-15. It is important that when reading this passage, we do not focus so much on the specific things that the virtuous woman does but the manner in which she does them. In other words, it might be tempting for us to think, “These descriptions do not apply to me today because I buy my groceries and clothing in stores.” God’s purpose for this example is to teach us the spirit of a virtuous woman and her willingness to go to great lengths in order to provide for her family, so indeed it is very applicable.

On the other hand, we may read these verses and think, “This standard of perfection is unattainable”. We may disregard the entire passage because we feel that the standard is set much higher than today’s woman can possibly achieve. Again, this is not a checklist so much as a description of how we are to behave as women of God. As we study each passage, I will seek to apply it to today’s society through the writings of the New Testament. I believe that this study is very valuable to us because it is detailed and therefore very useful for us to understand our roles as women. Also, we will see in the final lesson that there is great reward for our service as women of God.

“She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.”

A woman of great worth and value to God and to her family is a woman who will work with her hands. We may not be the greatest seamstresses in the world and because of the ease at which we can buy clothing today, there may be little need for us to be able to spin and weave; however, we should have a spirit that seeks to work and not be idle. We should make the most of the talents that God has given us and use them in His service. Additionally, if we find ourselves in a predicament in which we are unable to purchase clothes and coverings for our family, we should be willing to make use of what we do have in order to care for them.

Unfortunately, in this age of uncertainty regarding employment, Social Security and 401(k) worth, some women are finding themselves in situations that they have never before experienced. They are unable to afford the items that they once purchased for their family and some have had to improvise by selling treasured items and cooking more meals at home. While credit card usage has decreased, “coupon use is increasing after 15 years of decline”.1 Women are finding new ways to stretch their dollars while providing for their families’ needs.

A Christian should be ready to sacrifice her own desires for those of her family. God commands us to “consider others better than yourselves” in Philippians 2:3. In fact, the primary way that we show others of our relationship with Jesus was revealed by Christ in John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." True love is willing to sacrifice our own needs for those of others. By working hard for our family, we exhibit the characteristic of the virtuous woman who “willingly works with her hands”.

She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar” Proverbs 31:13.

In Old Testament times, there were no 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenters to pick up necessary items. The woman of God made sure that she took care of her family’s needs by traveling to the marketplace or wherever necessary to buy supplies. Some of you are familiar with this today because you live in remote areas and plan your trips into town carefully. Others of us can go all hours of the night just around the corner for depleted household goods. Regardless of the method in which we provide, this verse reminds us that we are to work for our families and be willing to take care of their needs.

She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservant” Proverbs 31:14-15.

If we are women of God, we will get up at night to care for a sick child. If our family arrives home at various times of the day, we should ensure that food is available for them. Thankfully, we have refrigerators and microwaves today, but in Old Testament times, preparing meals and keeping food on hand required a bit more planning. Although not everyone could afford to hire maidservants, the idea of taking care of every person for whom we are responsible was applicable then and it is still applicable today. Some care for elderly parents while others provide for handicapped children. Some women serve as foster parents for orphaned children and still others provide food for the sick and the shut-ins. God expects us to take care of others and provide for them when the need arises.

An interesting observation by Matthew Henry is that the virtuous (or excellent) woman “rises early, while it is yet night, to give her servants their breakfast, that they may be ready to go cheerfully about their work as soon as the day breaks. She is none of those who sit up playing at cards, or dancing, till midnight, till morning, and then lie in bed till noon. No; the virtuous woman loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure, is in care to be found in the way of her duty every hour of the day, and has more true satisfaction in having given meat to her household betimes in the morning than those can have in the money they have won, much more in what they have lost, who sat up all night at play. Those that have a family to take care of should not love their bed too well in a morning.”2

I must say that his words cause me to think inward of myself. I have indeed stayed up too late doing or watching things that did not mean a thing to me the next day. It is easy to get caught up in worldly hobbies and interests so much that it interferes with the amount of prayer and study our souls actually need. Though Matthew Henry’s words were not inspired like the writings of Proverbs, they are indeed thought provoking. I especially like the comments that she “loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure” and that women “should not love their bed too well in a morning”. I am not sure if Henry had in mind a particular woman who was fond of cards, money and dancing all night, but indeed it makes for an interesting take on the Scripture. At any rate, the virtuous woman is certainly more concerned with the needs of her family than playing all day or neglecting her chores.

Another characteristic that is brought to light in the study of these passages is that a woman of God should be organized. If her day is not prioritized, it will be difficult to fulfill the commands that are required of her. God wants us to be industrious and efficient, but He does expect us to enjoy ourselves while seeing to our tasks. Work done in drudgery and without cheerfulness may provide for our families' needs, but it will not help them feel loved. As we just read in John, we must love one another.

The next lesson will continue our study of Proverbs 31. I hope that you have gained insight that perhaps you had not considered before or that the study has called to mind things that you had forgotten. I believe that this passage is very applicable to today and should cause us to reflect on our own words and actions and repent of anything amiss in our lives. I have benefited from the study and have learned some things that I missed during former readings of this passage.

God bless you as women seeking to serve the Lord. May you and your families find peace and comfort through God’s Word today.

1 http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/2008-11-16-thrift-saving-frugal_N.htm

2 Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Electronic Edition STEP Files, 2000, findex.com

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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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The Virtuous Woman: Trustworthy and Good

2009-07-27T21:40:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:10-12

Most of us are familiar with Proverbs 31:10-31 and the qualities that God values in a woman. I ask you to travel with me through this well-known passage as we study the qualities of a virtuous woman in depth throughout the next couple of weeks if the Lord wills. Perhaps new insight will be gained along the journey. At the very least, it does no harm in reviewing familiar passages to ensure that they are fresh on our minds as we travel through our daily lives seeking to please God as Christian women. Please note that although this passage refers to a virtuous wife and mother, the lesson is applicable to every Christian woman, regardless of marital or family status.

The “Virtuous Woman” text beginning in verse 10 was written as an alphabetic acrostic in which the verses of each stanza begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Below is a very simplistic example of the same idea in English. Please forgive me as this is my first venture into acrostic poetry!

Always am I honored
By your willingness to study and your
Concern for God’s will in your lives.
Deeply and humbly I feel towards
Every woman who reads these devotionals…

As you can see, the first letter of each line begins with a letter of the alphabet (A-E) and would continue on until the letter Z. In the Hebrew alphabet, there are 22 letters, hence 22 lines from Proverbs 31:10-31. Acrostic poetry is used often in the Bible, especially in the Psalms. For example, Psalm 119 begins each stanza with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet from beginning to end (Aleph, Beth, and so on through Tav).

Although some of the beauty of the Hebrew poetry in its original language has been lost in translation, we know that God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” II Peter 1:3. Since this knowledge comes through the study of His Word, we know that the things He revealed have been kept intact throughout the various languages in which the Bible is available today, though we should take caution to ensure that the translation we study is as close to the original as it can be. In fact, comparison of various texts is generally a good way to develop a better understanding of the meaning. The translation used in the study today is the New King James version unless otherwise specified.

Before we begin, a definition of “virtuous” is in order. The American Heritage dictionary defines virtuous as “having or showing virtue, especially moral excellence” and “possessing or characterized by chastity; pure”. Moral excellence and purity are key thoughts throughout the twenty verses describing a virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.

Proverbs 31:10 - “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.”

This verse shows how difficult it was to find a virtuous wife in the days of old and indeed this question can apply today. Matthew Henry wrote in his Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III, “This intimates that good women are very scarce, and many that seem to be so do not prove so.” How true that statement is! Those of you who are raising teenagers surely know how difficult it is to keep them pure and godly though they face immorality, promiscuity and indecency wherever they turn. Having written that, I should mention that it is sometimes no less difficult to keep ourselves from being conformed to the lusts of the world.

Yet we know that such a woman can be found if she is striving to be a woman approved by God. When she is found, she is worth more than costly jewels or all of the money in the world; for she is a Christian woman who will bring honor to her husband and raise her children to follow the Lord. How wonderful to be labeled a virtuous woman and to be considered a rare gem!

Proverbs 31:11 - “The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

The first quality that we should have as Christian women is trustworthiness. If our spouses, friends or family (as applicable to your situation) cannot trust us because we are dishonest, we will be unable to develop any virtuous qualities in our relationship. Note that “lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22) and “an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (Proverbs 24:26 NIV). No friendship or marriage can be happily sustained if its foundation is not built on truth.

Not only can the husband in this verse trust his wife to be honest, he can trust her with his money. Reading further, we see that “he will have no lack of gain”. Several commentators describe this to mean that his wife can be trusted with his earnings so that he does not have to make a living in underhanded ways. The seriousness of our ability to use our money wisely is indicated by the suggestion of the husband turning to dishonest gain. Certainly, the husband would be accountable for his own actions, but how many men’s lives have been ruined by the unchaste behavior or lack of good stewardship exhibited by their wives?

The next sentence states that “she does him good and not evil all the days of her life”. It is a shame to see couples who are at odds with each other belittle their spouse to others. I have been privy to conversations that should have been kept behind closed doors. Certainly, this does not mean that couples should not seek the counsel of other Christians or a marriage counselor, but it is not Christ-like to publicly air one’s “dirty laundry”. Doing so can only bring shame to the other party and will seek to further drive a wedge into the relationship.

No matter how unhappy we are with our marriage, we should seek to show Christ’s love by doing good to our husband instead of seeking to tear him down. The same can be said of children who demean their parents or parents who continually criticize their children in front of others. It is paramount for us to remember Jesus’ sacrifice as Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When Christ was being spit upon, He remained silent. When He was nailed to the cross, He prayed for man’s forgiveness. How then can we feel justified in speaking ill of our loved ones because they are “mean to us” if Christ looked upon those who were crucifying with compassion?

We should read Proverbs 31 on a regular basis to remind ourselves of God’s standard for His children. We are instructed to do our husbands good and not evil every day of our lives. That is indeed quite a high standard, but one which we should all strive to meet.

Thankfully, if we find ourselves as Christians having fallen short of this standard (and who could claim to have never failed to do good to her spouse throughout her marriage or to her parents throughout her childhood?), we are given the opportunity to learn of God’s will through the Word, consider our attitudes and actions, confess our sins to the Lord and make adjustments to our lives as necessary. Every day should be spent seeking to do good to others.

Let us end with another very simple acrostic: JOY.

Jesus
Others
Yourself

By putting God first and others second, we have much less time to worry about our own selfish desires. By finding the true joy that comes being women of great worth, valuable more than rubies, we may soon realize that our husband or family member’s attitude toward us has changed and that their heart can indeed safely trust us.

God bless you in your unique journey as you seek to be a virtuous woman, morally excellent and pure. May we all benefit from daily study in His Word and discover the great riches that He has promised us if we are obedient to the gospel and remain faithful until the end.

The Trials of Life and the Joys Therein

2009-07-23T23:02:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

Oftentimes, I have a devotional planned but then life happens and something else is foremost on my mind. This week, as I have witnessed friends struggling with adversity, health issues or other trials, I have been reminded of a few passages in the Scriptures that have helped us make it past the darkness and back into the light. I share these thoughts with you in the hopes that they will comfort you when you are faced with difficulty. You may consider printing it and sharing it with someone who is undergoing trials so that they may review the passages contained herein and be encouraged by God’s Word and your concern for their situation.

1. Trials are temporary.

It may seem that we are facing a trial that is neverending, but we can take comfort in the fact that there will be an end to our pain if we trust in the Lord. An end to suffering may come in our earthly lives as it did to Job when children were born and possessions were restored to him. No doubt he missed the children that he had lost and thought of them for his entire earthly existence, though he was blessed with more children and greater possessions than he had owned previously. Job was a very special man who kept his faith in God and never gave up even in the direst of circumstances, even though at times he felt the human emotions of fear and loneliness. Job stated, “Terrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud. And now my life ebbs away; days of suffering grip me.” Job 30:15-17. This was surely a man with whom we can relate when overwhelming trials seem to be all we know for a time and I find the reading of Job to be comforting during troubling times.

James also advised that our life of earthly struggles is not forever in James 4:14: “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away”. The trials of this life, though difficult to bear sometimes, are only temporary if we have been saved and follow the Lord’s commandments faithfully.

2. Every child of God faces difficulties.

This statement is very key to answering the question of, “Why me?” The first century Christians faced death in terrible ways such as in the Roman coliseum, in prison, by the hand of soldiers or by an angry mob. The Bible tells us that James was put to death by Herod likely beheaded as was John the Baptist. Various historical accounts detail the death of the other apostles and if they are correct, Peter and Andrew were crucified (Peter possibly head downward), Thomas was speared and James Alpheus thrown from the temple, stoned and then bludgeoned to death. It is suggested that Bartholomew was flayed with a whip. Though we cannot know for sure what happened to the apostles other than James and Judas Iscariot, we can be sure that many of them suffered and were killed for preaching the gospel as James and John were told in Matthew 20:23 (“You will indeed drink from my cup”). Jesus also told his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33. One thing that we do not see in Jesus’ life is the question, “Why me?” Though He did not desire to be persecuted, Jesus prayed to God, “May your will be done” Matthew 26:42.

Paul also suffered for the gospel. God said of Paul, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name" Acts 9:16. Paul gave a long list of things he had suffered for the gospel (II Corinthians 11:23-33) but he gives us hope when he summarizes by stating, “…That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

3. Suffering does not necessarily mean that we are more sinful than someone else.

Some feel that certain people’s struggles (i.e., natural disasters) are a result of their sins, and certainly sin can lead to consequences; however, the presence of suffering does not in itself indicate the presence of sinfulness. Christ and his disciples’ suffering in the examples above should quickly clear up any doubt on that issue. Furthermore, Jesus responded to the people who believed that Galileans who were persecuted must have been sinful, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

We should be careful to follow God’s will but we should be just as careful to ensure that we do not judge a person’s soul by the suffering that he or she undergoes. We should look upon others’ plights with compassion, in a spirit of love and concern. When undergoing trials ourselves, we should take comfort in the fact that God sees our suffering and will answer in His time and that we are not being punished for being “bad” because we were stricken with a disease or lost a beloved family member.

4. Only through suffering can we mature.

There are many passages that discuss sufferings as a means of purification and growth in the Lord. A very meaningful passage for Christians who are experiencing trials is Romans 5:3-5: "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope." The patience we learn from undergoing trials will help us build character and this gives us hope through Christ’s sufferings and His example of hope. Further, those around us can be inspired to endure their own trials as several of my fellow cancer patients have served as models of perseverance in my life and have reminded me of spiritual blessings during my own journey. Never doubt the incredible example that you can be to others as indeed many of you have been for me.

5. Our sufferings for Christ will be rewarded.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” James 1:12. What an amazing message to us! No matter how difficult our test, we shall be filled with peace and comfort when we receive God’s crown of life and what a beloved thought that God will reward us for our perseverance, though we are weak and fail him so often. This verse encourages me to get up off of my seat of pity and remember what God has in store for me if I endure. I could never deserve such a gift as this.

The beloved disciple of Christ, James, continues this thought in James 5:11: “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” Blessed be the Lord God whom we serve! He does not leave us alone in our sufferings but instead guides us along our journey. We are reminded in this passage of Job’s patience as we discussed earlier.

6. Jesus empathizes with us.

We serve a Christ who is not unable to relate to us, but instead who was persecuted and was tempted just as we are. Luke 17:25 states, “But first he (Christ) must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” Christ was subjected to more sufferings than we can imagine and by His example and His willingness to serve as a mediator for us, we can overcome our sufferings as well.

7. Our fear can be overcome through Christ.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” I John 4:18. Perfect love is that which God showed for us when He sent Christ to die for us that we might be saved and live forever in heaven with Him. This perfect love should cast away doubt and fear from our minds, even when facing an enormous battle, for we know that God is on our side. And “if God is for us, who can be against us”? Romans 8:31.

Again we can know freedom from fear even while suffering for good: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear’; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” 1 Peter 3:13-15

8. God cares for us.

Paul encourages the Christians in Corinth that, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” I Corinthians 10:13. God cares for us and does not want us to fail!

This thought is presented further in I Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” God does not want us to suffer but due to the sin that came into the world through mankind as a result of ignoring God’s commandments, we live in an imperfect and troublesome world. Yet He does not intend for us to stay in this present state forever because He cares for us. What a joyful thought indeed!

9. The Spirit intercedes for us as we pray to God.

God also has not left us alone in our prayers. Jesus serves to mediate between God and man in our prayers and the Spirit of God intercedes on our behalf if we are living in the light. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” God has is always with us!

10. Bad situations can lead to good outcomes.

One of the most quoted passages in the Bible is very fitting as we think of our present sufferings. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. Even though we may suffer now, we can know that good can come of the situation. The death of a child may bring about the salvation of a parent. Disease can lead to the repentance of a wayward Christian. Regardless of the circumstance and how hopeless it may seem at the time, God is in control and knows how to rescue us from eternal harm if we trust and obey.

11. Heaven will be worth it all.

Our study cannot end without the consideration that heaven will be worth any trouble we encounter on this earth. Romans 8:18 is a powerful passage: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”.

And finally, let us consider Revelation 14:13 and the fruition of our faith and trust in our beloved Jehovah. “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” Revelation 14:13. Praise God and Hallelujah for our future home in heaven with the saved of the earth and the Lord God Almighty!

May you find peace and comfort in these passages. If you have a special need, I would be honored to add you to my prayer list. Contact me at saintschic@comcast.net. God be with you!

Amy

Women in God’s Service

2009-07-21T18:45:00.000-05:00

Today’s Passage: “All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.” Acts 9:39

Have you ever stopped to think how important women have been in the service of the Lord? When our Lord came to this earth to dwell among us, He was born of a woman, Mary. What a wonderful woman she must have been to have been chosen as the mother who would guide little Jesus and provide the nurturing He needed.

Elisha, the prophet, was indebted to a woman’s service in Shunem. Not only did she cook meals for him, she also arranged for Elisha to have his own room in her home so that he could stay with her and her husband whenever he came through the town. (II Kings 4:8-10)

Jesus and His disciples were also supported by women as they journeyed to various places, teaching the people about the kingdom of God. Luke 8:1-3: “…The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.”

Beause of their support, Jesus and the twelve apostles were able to focus on saving souls instead of fishing in order to purchase food and clothing. Paul in like manner was supported by various congregations of the church so that he could travel on missionary journeys, spreading the gospel far and wide. Offering financial support to missionaries and providing meals or a place to stay are wonderful ways in which we can serve as Christian women.

Additionally, God can make great use of us in his kingdom by our willingness to help those who are less fortunate. In Acts 9: 36-40, Dorcas (aka Tabitha) was a great blessing to others through her skill at making clothing. One of the greatest things that could ever be said of us was written of Dorcas. She “was always doing good and helping the poor”. At her death, the widows cried in mourning for their beloved friend.

As women, we have great opportunity to spread the good news of Christ and His love for us by reaching out to our neighbors and friends, rejoicing when they rejoicing and mourning when they mourn. I have heard on several occasions that the kindness of a Christian during someone’s time of grief or hardship led to their salvation. The ability to reach others through our compassion is a great blessing from God.

Besides hospitality, we are also given examples of Christian women who served the Lord through ministry. Just because we do not stand up before the congregation to preach does not mean that the Lord has not given us the gift of ministry. We can teach others of the gospel as Priscilla did with her husband in Acts 18:26 and work diligently in the church, taking care of various needs. Paul was grateful for the women who helped him during his ministry, including those in Romans 16:12 and Philippians 4:3.

One of my favorite passages regarding women who have served to further God’s kingdom is Lydia. In Acts 16:9, Paul received a vision from the Lord of a man from Macedonia pleading, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Realizing that God wanted the people of Macedonia to hear the gospel, Paul began a journey to the region. He traveled to Philippi and stayed there several days. On the Sabbath day, Paul and his companions went to the river because they expected to find people praying there. As they sat down and began speaking to a group of women gathered there, they met Lydia, a woman from the city of Thyatira. Lydia believed in God but Paul taught her the truth of the gospel and she was baptized. Not only so, her entire household believed and was baptized.

If you have not considered the power of the message spoken in Acts 16, please read the chapter in its entirety. God sent Paul to Macedonia to preach to the Gentiles and when he arrived, a woman and her household were baptized. The significance that this woman had on the spreading of the gospel is undeniable. God led Paul to her because she would be of service to the kingdom. Though the vision had been a man of Macedonia, Paul recorded that Lydia and her household were saved, indicating that God’s intention had been to lead Paul to her so that the church might be established there.

Dear sisters, we should never allow ourselves to become discouraged in our role as Christian women or feel that we are insignificant. The Bible is filled with stories of women who stood up against evil and served as role models. God blessed Ruth and Rahab, both foreign women who were raised in idolatry, to leave their countries and take their places in the ancestry of Jesus. Rahab was also included in Hebrews 11, the great “hall of faith” chapter, as it is commonly called.

Let us rejoice in our differences and thank God for our unique talents and service. No one else has the same opportunities, talents and blessings as each of us. Each and every Christian woman was given the qualities that God wants us to have. Let’s consider daily how we can use these talents to make a difference where we are and spread the gospel throughout the world. May we always strive to remember that we are special to the Lord and that He has a special place of service designed just for us.

Submission, the Lord and the Repugnance of Men

2009-07-20T20:57:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands” I Peter 3:5.

Few topics regarding our Christian walk as women are as misunderstood as submission. Today, an article appeared in Politics Daily stating that Jimmy Carter is leaving the religious organization with which he has been involved for sixty years because women will not be ordained for ministry. Note his reason: “At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities” (Jimmy Carter, quoted in Politics Daily).

Frankly, I find this statement to be violently repugnant. Why? Because the Lord God Almighty inspired Paul to write a completely contrary statement than Carter’s to the church in Corinth, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church” I Corinthians 14:33-35. He also inspired Peter to write: “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives” I Peter 3:1.

How then does a man deem the submission of Christian women in the services of the Lord and in the home to be equal with “slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation” and rape? Are we to assume that Jehovah God was not intelligent enough to design the role of His creatures correctly and therefore we should improve on His Word because of changes in society? Assuredly NOT. Could God not foresee that some men would overstep their roles as husbands and demand more of their wives than He intended? Of course He could forsee this, but God’s laws have never been based on what man thinks is best. God’s laws are based on what GOD knows is best. If man is foolish enough to think he knows better than God, he has the choice to follow his own laws but there will be eternal consequences for such a decision.

Never in God’s Word can we read of any allowance for the changing of God’s commandments to fit the times. In some cases, commandments were changed when the new law went into effect because Christ fulfilled the old law and replaced its sacrificial requirements (i.e., the need for animal sacrifices, the forbidding of anyone but the Levitical priests to enter the Holy Place); however, these laws were not changed simply because society had changed and the Word was outdated. God does not change and neither do His laws. “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind" I Samuel 15:29. And in like manner, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Hebrews 13:8.

God had a plan before the earth was created and part of this plan was that woman would serve as a helper for man (Genesis 2:18). This in no way implied that woman is less important than man nor did God intend for women to be abused. If we are truly seeking God’s Word and striving to live according to it, love will be the result and not violence. God’s laws call for every one of us to be humble and to consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Christ did not just forbid murder; he forbade the hatred that precedes a murderous act. Certainly the call for brotherly love and kindness is on the farthest plane from those who hate women and want them to live in fear and ridicule because of their gender.

God’s plan also required the submission of Jesus Christ to God the Father and the willingness to come to the earth in the form of a lowly servant. If you wonder what the attitude of a submissive servant should be, read the words concerning Christ in Philippians 2:6-8: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!” I do not find a passage indicating that Jesus approved sexual deviancy, mutilation and violence to the Son of God because He followed God’s plan placing Him in the role of a servant. How repulsive a thought indeed!

Are we above Christ that we are unwilling to submit ourselves to God’s will? For Christ in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 noted, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Are we unwilling to be the Christian women that God intended us to be from the creation because we believe submission to be a belittling and outdated concept?

We are called as Christian women to submit to our husbands, the elders and deacons of the church, governing authorities and above all, God Himself. This in no way indicates that mankind is to look upon women as less than important to God. We are children of God, created in God’s image just as man was! This gives us great importance in God’s kingdom. In fact, there are many acts of service in the church that may be more suited for women, generally speaking. The older widows of the church where Timothy preached were known for their acts of service: “…and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds” I Timothy 5:9-10. Women often serve as children’s Bible school teachers, bake dinners for the sick, serve with their husbands as missionaries and send cards of encouragement to those who are in need. These duties as well as many others are no less important than standing up in the assembly of the Lord and leading a prayer or serving communion. Remember that no member of the body is more important than another as each has different necessary functions (Romans 12:4).

Additionally, for someone to insinuate that husbands, by serving the Lord as the head of our Christian households, are likened to sexual sadists who torture women is the most ridiculous and abominable belief I have ever heard. To condemn Christians who seek to follow God’s Word as it is written is not only unwise, it is absolutely deplorable. Our nation is quickly eroding into a cesspool where not only are Christians ridiculed, but we are slandered into appearing as if we are the ones who are full of hatred. I recall a couple of occasions in Scripture where this happened before. Christ was slandered by false witnesses to appear as an enemy of the Jews, plotting to tear down the temple, because He was trying to save lost souls by teaching the Scriptures. Stephen, full of love and seeking to save the souls of those around him, was stoned to death, all the while being accused of blasphemy. As I recall, he was also attempting to teach the people the truth as revealed by God.

It amazes me that people have taken this one commandment in God’s Word and have twisted it into something evil, as if God could ever be the author of confusion or evil. Why is the requirement for the submission of women torn out of the pages of the Bible and held up by nonbelievers as if it were the only requirement for submission? The Word of God has been so maligned that few seem to note other commandments for or examples of submission:

All Christians: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17
Angels, authorities and powers: “It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”

Citizens: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1

Employees, servants and citizens: “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority” I Peter 2:13
Jesus: “During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” Hebrews 5:7

Young men: “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” I Peter 5:5. Interestingly, I have never heard anyone complain that their teenage boys should not be in submission to them because times have changed.

Yes, these Scriptures above as well as others instruct us to be submissive to others, but the only ones that seemed to be pulled out of context and bashed over the head of Christians as outdated are the following:

“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission” I Timothy 2:11

“For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands” I Peter 3:5.

“Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.” I Corinthians 14:34.

Let us note in each of these cases that these statements are made in God’s Word and are therefore not subject to private interpretation. There is an old saying, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” May I suggest a change: “God said it. That settles it.” My belief does not change His truth one tiny bit.

Which brings me back to those who believe that God’s Word should be updated for today’s society. Note the next statement quoted by Carter, “The truth is that male religious leaders have had -- and still have -- an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world.”

I submit to you that NO ONE has the option to change God’s law. One might interpret holy teachings differently, but only one way – the Lord’s actual teaching – is correct. We would do well to remember that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25. Our feelings of what is right or wrong do not negate God’s laws.

In conclusion, following God’s commandments does not justify the “persecution and abuse of women”. Choosing NOT to follow God’s commandments and falsely teaching that this is the right thing to do is what leads to the persecution and abuse of all mankind. Man seems to think that he is wiser than God and therefore can rewrite God’s laws to fit his own desires. And that, my dear sisters, is what is truly repugnant.

God’s Family Reunion

2009-07-15T17:38:00.001-05:00

Today’s Passage: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2

Just a few months ago, I attended my twenty year high school reunion and reconnected with friends with whom I had lost contact. Just this week, I have been blessed to be able to visit family and to be reacquainted with old friends while enjoying a wonderful gospel meeting in Bawcomville, Louisiana. While visiting with our dear friends this week, our conversation turned to the happiness of reuniting in heaven. It is a special blessing from God to see dear souls who we haven’t seen in many years and to catch up on old times at reunions, homecomings and other events.

While in Louisiana, I had an opportunity to visit several family members’ graves and place a new floral arrangement at my grandfather’s headstone. I enjoy visiting cemeteries, always looking for the oldest tombstone and feeling the messages of love poured into the epitaphs on the stones. It is amazing how long some of the monuments have lasted, standing up to the weather in order to honor the beloved person who was laid to rest so many years before. Gravesites can be very sad locations as we attend a memorial service to honor our loved ones who we will no longer see on this earth, yet the Lord has assured us that if we obey His Word, we do not have to worry about such sadness or pain in heaven.

Many wonder whether we will know each other in heaven, and after studying this subject in God’s Word and speaking to others, I believe that we will indeed know each other. The Lord has provided several passages to indicate that we will have our earthly memories and will be conscious of our surroundings in heaven. I have found no passage in the Scriptures to indicate otherwise.

Perhaps one of the most recognized passages on the subject is in Luke 16:19-31. “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”

As we see in this passage, the rich man retained his memory and knew his brothers after he died. He also recognized Abraham and Lazarus. This indicates that we will know one another in the next life. Whether this story is a parable or an actual event, it describes the hadean realm as it will be. Additionally, Abraham told the rich man, “Son, remember that in your lifetime…” This indicates that our memories will be retained, though God will protect us from sadness.

David understood that he would be with his son again in heaven and this gave him comfort. II Samuel 12:21-23 states, “His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." The fact that David would “go to him” infers that he would recognize his son. What a comforting thought!

Jesus, impressed by the centurion’s faith, remarked that many will eat alongside Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Surely we will recognize them if we feast with them. “When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 8:10-12

On the mountain where Jesus was transfigured in Matthew 17:1-4, there is no indication that Jesus introduced the three disciples to Moses and Elijah, yet Peter recognized them. This is another example of the recognition of other saved ones in God’s kingdom.

Furthermore, John wrote, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” This indicates that we will know and recognize Jesus and we will be like him. The fact that we shall be like him and recognize him is indication that we will recognize each other as well when we are transformed into our eternal bodies.

Other passages indicate that we will know one another such as Paul’s statement in I Corinthians 6:2 that the saints will judge the world and Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:39-42 regarding the men of Ninevah and the Queen of Sheba. If we are to judge the world, memory of this present world and those in it is indicated.

God be praised that we will be able to reunite with loved ones and worship God together forever. God’s great family reunion in heaven will be grander and more joyful than any reunion we can imagine. Dear loved ones, let us all live in such a way that we will be joined together in the glorious kingdom which the Lord has prepared for us.

Keeping the Peace At All Costs?

2009-07-07T22:21:00.003-05:00

Today’s passage: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

As a subscriber of various political and religious news lists, I am appalled by the enormous barrage of sin that faces us daily and the tolerance of its invasion of government policy, education and “entertainment”. The intent of our nation’s forefathers to protect this country from a politically run national religion via the writing of the First Amendment to the Constitution has been taken so far out of context and manipulated into such a ridiculous mess that to even allude to God or Christianity now strikes fear in the hearts of many politicians and judges. The concept of “separation of church and state” is being used by the government to silence or even invoke intolerance of Christians themselves for attempting to speak the truth in love while it simultaneously supports the message of particular hatemongering anti-religious groups. Large corporations of long-standing American brands sponsor “gay pride” events and a national space flight center announced June as “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month”. And if these examples are not enough to confirm the decay in our nation’s moral fiber, formerly kid-friendly fast-food chains have pushed the limit of decency in their television ads so far in their efforts to sell hamburgers to our families that the FCC barrier is indistinguishable.

As Christian women, we may become so discouraged that we feel our impact is insignificant. Every day that we open the newspaper, turn on the TV or read the online headlines, we may feel less and less that our efforts to fight the evil in this world are making a dent in the side of human depravity. We may also face opposition in our own homes whenever we attempt to limit our family’s exposure to inappropriate TV programs, movies and music and teach our children that modesty and purity, though rare, are still required by God in this modern age. The decisions we face may appear to be: a) keep quiet and maintain peace or b) speak up and be lumped in with the “haters” and activists or considered an outdated religious fanatic who lacks the intellectual depth to comprehend scientific “fact” or welcome diversity of religious beliefs.

To a Christian, the decision is much easier than choosing between peace and persecution if we understand peace as the Word intends. Although Paul wrote that we should keep peace with one another as far as it depends on us, he introduced this command from God with the words “if it is possible” (Romans 12:18). Peace does not mean keeping silent about the commandments of God. Some in the church believe that keeping the peace may sometimes mean overlooking sin or accepting a different interpretation of a specific command that God gives us in the Bible. “Peace at all costs” is a common phrase that some apply to matters of religion. Never in God’s Word are we commanded to keep the peace by remaining quiet about sinfulness and avoiding confrontation; in fact, the truth lies on the opposite plane from tolerance of sin.

Jesus’ words to the twelve apostles in Matthew 10:34 make it clear that “peace at all costs” was not His intent: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” How can we justify the fact that the Prince of Peace came not to bring peace to the world but division? (Luke 12:51) In order to answer that question, we must compare man’s definition of peace to God’s definition. Humans may define peace very broadly, from the idea of “no religion” in John Lennon’s Imagine to the concept of all creatures living in unity on the earth (sometimes a misapplication of Isaiah 11). Merriam-Webster Online has five definitions of this one word ranging from a state of tranquility to a political pact to end war. Jesus did not come to this earth in order to ensure that we live without conflict among others; assuredly, man in his sinful state is in direct opposition to God’s holy nature. Jesus knew that His disciples would face persecution and that He himself would be killed by the very ones who He had created and would soon die to save. No, Jesus did not come to give his followers a rosy pathway absent of trials; instead, He came to save those who would follow Him and in so doing, they might make enemies of their friends and family who did not believe. This division was predicted of Christians who followed Jesus against the desires of their non-believing family members (Luke 12:52-53).

We see then that Jesus did not come to bring man’s idea of peace to the earth. God’s peace is not focused on a utopian society of physical happiness on the earth but is instead the result of a Christian’s absolute faith in God, resulting in a lack of anxiety that comes only to those who have a healthy prayer life with God the Father. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Christ modeled both peace and the lack of peace based upon the situation. To those who followed Him, sick and hungry yet eager to hear His words, He was peace as He looked upon them with compassion; but to those who were unmerciful and full of pride, He was not peace. The peaceful Jesus who forgave a thief justly hung on a cross was the same Jesus who used a whip to clear out the moneychangers from the temple. He is also the same Lord who told the disciples to bless those who received the gospel and remove their blessing of peace for those who would not listen because God would punish them on the Day of Judgment (Matthew 10:12-15).

In like manner, we as Christian women must be willing to stand up for God’s Word, even if it means confrontation with those who choose to align themselves with sin. We must be bold when, by doing so, we are considered to be intolerant or hateful. If we speak the truth in love and are persecuted for it, we will be rewarded in Heaven (Matthew 5:11-12). John the Baptist’s refusal to stop speaking to Herod of his sinful relationship with Herodias (Matthew 14) and Stephen’s continued preaching to the crowd (Acts 7) led to their physical deaths but God’s reward was worth more to them than any amount of physical persecution. They were willing to stand up alone, save for God, and warn people of the consequences of their sins.

Further, we must be aware that the presence of peace does not necessarily constitute righteousness. As Paul warned the church at Thessalonica, “While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (I Thessalonians 5:3). We see that feeling peaceful and safe while at odds with the Lord will lead to our soul’s destruction when He returns. Peace is not a warm, fuzzy human feeling but a state of being in the right relationship with God and the comfort that comes from knowing that we are saved because we continually test our actions and beliefs against the Word of God (II Corinthians 13:5).

In conclusion, we return to the original question proposed in the heading of this devotional. Does Jesus teach us to keep the peace at all costs? The answer, very emphatically, is no. As we are taught in Hebrews 12:10-12, sometimes confrontation and discipline must come first before peace can take place: “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Likewise, James writes the order in which peace will be found: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17) Only after purity has been established can the peace then come.
To keep foremost in our thoughts that true peace cannot dwell where sin freely abounds, we should write upon our hearts the words of God through Isaiah the prophet: “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” Isaiah 57:21

May God increase our efforts to make peace, embolden us to stand up against sin and grant us the wisdom to recognize when we should break the peace in order to restore righteousness. God bless each of you this day!

Priceless Pearls Devotionals: Author Message

2009-06-30T07:57:00.002-05:00

Dear readers,

I have been enjoying these devotionals and look forward to continue studying with you. This week you may notice that the devotionals come in sporadically and perhaps some days not at all. My husband and I are traveling to Houston so that I can undergo treatments. God bless you and thank you for becoming a member of the list. I will try to send as many devotionals as I can this week.

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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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Godly Sorrow Produces Repentance

2009-06-29T22:30:00.003-05:00

Today’s passage: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” II Corinthians 7:10

These days, repentance appears to be an outdated idea that has gone by the wayside. In courts, murderers and rapists have been known to receive lighter sentences by sharing touching stories of how they were abused as children and how this abuse relieves them of any personal responsibility for their current actions. Students are taught warped Freudian views that defend sexual deviancy as part of our nature and often as a necessary part of our growth process as opposed to deeming it sin. Ridiculously, even restaurants must ensure that their to-go coffee cups include warning labels to reduce lawsuits from clumsy consumers because they are not willing to take responsibility for spilling their own coffee on themselves!

What a world this has become where everyone else is responsible for our sins. How often do we catch ourselves stating that we said or did something wrong only because “you did (insert the “guilty” person’s action) first and made me (mad/upset/throw a skillet)”. It seems to be our nature to react to accusation by passing the buck to someone else. Divorce attorneys have their work cut out for them as clients commit adultery and then seek to divorce their spouses all the while plotting to avoid the payment of alimony and attempting to gain control of the home and other possessions, when they are the ones at fault. I have been privy to a family divorce in which the partner who was faithful and determined to make the marriage work was not allowed to declare the spouse’s unfaithfulness as the reason for the divorce. Apparently, “irreconcilable differences” was a nicer term to the courts than adultery.

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to the children of Israel, condemning them of their unwillingness to be honest and to speak with integrity. “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things. No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.” Isaiah 59:1-4

What this nation needs is to return to our roots by spending time in God’s Word. Can we expect to be known as a Christian nation if many of us do not even know what the Bible says? The name “Christian” is not merely a title but the position itself. To be known as being of Christ, we must believe and obey what He commands and that includes examining ourselves, acknowledging all guilt and repenting of our sins.

To take inventory of our spiritual life, we must examine our actions by comparing them to the standard: God’s Word. Our standard is not other Christians but is in fact Christ Himself. The examination of our actions includes testing our beliefs to ensure that they are found in Scripture. If we are found to be lacking in anything, we must take note of it as Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” II Corinthians 13:5. Paul personally served as an example of this self-examination: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

If we are not willing to take inventory for fear of what we will find, we can be assured that Christ will do so when He returns. “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” I Corinthians 3:12-14 and “[Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Luke 3:16-17

After noting our sins, we are required to confess them and acknowledge our guilt as in the following Scriptures. "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.” Ezra 9:6. “Therefore confess your sins to each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9.

Finally, we are commanded to repent of our sins and seek forgiveness. Confession and repentance seem to be the most difficult for us to do, perhaps because of the pride we feel as human beings and the lack of faith in God to take care of us when we obey. Perhaps part of the reason for such an unwillingness to accept guilt lies within the misinterpretation of the term “repentance”. Many believe that repentance and asking for forgiveness are synonymous but in fact, they are not. Repentance is not merely the asking of forgiveness, but instead it is an action caused by a pricking of the heart such as in Acts 2:38-39. To repent is to feel such deep remorse that forgiveness is sought and steps are made to stop committing the sin. Repentance is an active change and not the thought only. II Timothy 2:19 contains God’s command to repent or “turn away from” sin: “Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

Further proof that repentance involves the turning away from sin is found in Acts 26:20: “First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” Jesus also warned that we must repent in order to escape punishment: “…But unless you repent, you too will all perish." Luke 13:5. Peter informed the multitudes of Jews on the day of Pentecost that they required repentance and baptism in order to receive the forgiveness of sins in Acts 2:38: “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

If as God’s people, we are willing to exhibit Christianity by admitting our faults, seeking forgiveness by God and by others when we err, and turning away from these sins to follow God, we can do much good in the world and glory will be given to the Lord. If we, instead, are too afraid or proud to readily admit our mistakes or seek to justify them by blaming others, we will only succeed in bringing shame to Christ by wearing His name. Only by true repentance can we share Christ’s love to others and make them want to follow Him by watching us. May our nation become a "Christian nation" again beginning with each of us.

Dear sisters, may you all have a blessed week!

Setting Our Priorities Straight

2009-06-28T01:11:00.004-05:00

Today’s passage: “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37-38

Christian families are bombarded on every side by worldly viewpoints regarding what is best for their children. Since yesteryears, we have been taught that it is as American to watch baseball as it is to eat hot dogs and apple pie and indeed, sports have been a great pastime for families over the years. Yet the growing movement in this country is to prioritize the sport so much that children are expected to spend all of their time practicing and playing games at times that have been designated by the elders to be worship time. Instead of participating in works of the church such as Vacation Bible School, youth devotionals and gospel meetings/revivals, some children are always on the field instead. Unfortunately, baseball is not the only sport that has seen such changes, as children playing soccer, football and other sports have been asked to play on Sundays or Wednesday nights as well.

When did this urge to be so competitive increase to the point that it has vaulted above the things of God on our priority scale? Why are games being scheduled on days and times that should be set aside for the worship of our Lord? Matthew recorded Jesus’ warning in Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If our primary concern is for our children to win trophies or socially interact with the ball team or become a professional ballplayer some day, we have failed our children greatly. The primary concern should be to teach them what is truly important in life: worship of God and service in His kingdom. Only after assuring that this priority is fulfilled should we then fill in the time that is left with hobbies and dreams. God must come first in our plans and in our activities.

Certainly, it is not wrong for our children to be involved in sports, educational competitions or other activities in the world as long as our worship of God and participation in activities of the church have been fulfilled. Yet at the point that any activity coincides with a work of the church, we are faced with the decision of which activity is more important to us at that particular point in time. In God’s kingdom, past involvement does not remove current responsibility.

Many Christians validate their decisions by stating that they worship the majority of the time, so what does one season/month/week hurt? The Bible does not mention that we should take an average of how many times we attend worship services and participate in works of the church in contrast to how many times we do not attend or participate in order to arrive at our level of Christianity and commitment to the Lord. No such formula exists in God’s Word. Instead, we are taught to put God before mother, father, son or daughter. “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37-38

We are also taught that we should not forsake joining together in worship in words that are very clear. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Hebrews 10:23-27

I shudder to think how the church of the future, provided the Lord does not come again soon, will be affected by the decisions made by parents today. There is a tendency toward the creation of such a competitive nature in our children that it trickles into the church itself and grows to enormous proportions. Christians are in a battle to win, but that battle has nothing to do with sports, the accumulation of wealth, social status or the display of our physical talents. The battle that we fight has everything to do with spiritual warfare on a battleground where losses mean the eternal destruction of souls. This is a competition that must be one by every single one of us and must be fought every minute of every day.

In the midst of the pounding against the moral and spiritual values of the Christian family, there is good news. Just this weekend, a family in Tennessee faced a situation in which their son’s baseball tournament game was suggested to take place on Sunday morning and have voted against this suggestion. They also made a very commendable decision to disallow their son to participate in games that coincide with worship times. I admire such a stand for their family to revere the Lord above all else. As Joshua commanded God’s people to “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15), so this family chose to serve the Lord. Hallelujah for the faith of Christian families to stand against the swelling current of worldly idolatry and fight for the preservation of the Lord’s values!

Our Attitude of Sacrifice

2009-06-25T21:02:00.002-05:00

Today’s passage: “Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” I Peter 1:17-19

This follows up our study on sacrifices, though it only begins to touch the hem of the garment, so to speak, of the complete concept of living our lives as sacrifices to God as Christ sacrificed Himself so that we might live. This lesson concentrates on the attitude that we should have as recipients of that sacrifice.

1. We must sacrifice by faith even when we do not understand God’s reason. Examples: Abel (Hebrews 11:4): “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead” and Abraham (Hebrews 11:17): “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son…” God told Cain exactly what to offer as a sacrifice to Him and although Cain was likely talented and blessed in his livelihood, He was not authorized to change God’s design of acceptable worship. He showed a lack of faith because he thought he knew a better way and it sadly led to the death of his brother and his own removal from the land. In contrast, Abraham did not attempt to change God’s command even when he was given what must have been the hardest task of all: the commandment to sacrifice his own son to the Lord. Abraham did not understand but he was still willing to follow the Lord until an angel of the Lord stopped him from killing Isaac. Abraham was included in the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11 due to his belief that God would take care of everything if he obeyed, including raising Isaac from the dead. God does not speak to us in this manner today because we have his complete Word to man available, but this does not mean that we will not face extraordinary tests of faith along our personal journeys.

2. We must have a reverent spirit and honor God’s holiness as the priests were required to do. In the Old Testament, the priests offered sacrifices on behalf of the people and entered into the Holy Place. All Christians are the priesthood today and may enter God’s presence through Christ’s blood instead of relying on a man to be our mediator. When Christ, our High Priest, died, the curtain separating God from His people was torn (Matthew 27:51). In this passage, we note the reverence and purity that the priests were to exhibit for the Lord: “(The priest) shall bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people” Leviticus 16:24. As Christians and the royal priesthood today, we must show that same desire for purity and holiness: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” I Peter 2:9. Still further, John writes in Revelation 1:5-7 of Christians as priests: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

3. We must be in a state as to be pleasing to God as the priests in Moses’ day were commanded (Leviticus 22:29): "When you sacrifice a thank offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf” and in Romans 15:15-16: “I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” It is important to note that we must become acceptable to God instead of expecting God to meet us on our preferential ground.

4. Present yourself as pure and in a forgiven state. Many believe that God takes us as we are, and that is true so long as we present ourselves in a respectable way and grow as we learn His will more clearly; however, if we live our lives in an impure manner, we are overstepping the boundaries of God’s acceptance of us “as we are”. Again, we can gain an understanding of this through the observances of the priest under the old law: “Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.” (Deuteronomy 17:1) The priests were to offer the very best to the Lord or else it would be detestable to Him. God expects our best, and doesn’t He deserve it? “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15

5. We are to follow God’s commandments regarding how to present sacrifice and there is no room for changes. God’s will is perfect and cannot be improved upon by humans. Joshua followed perfectly the pattern given from God to Moses in Joshua 8:31: “He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses - an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used”. Ezekiel warns the people through God’s own words: “I am the LORD your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” Ezekiel 20:19. And finally, a very specific command is given in Proverbs 30:5-6 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” Certainly none of us would want to be proven a liar by our God, but this is exactly what we are attempting to call God if we do not believe that His commandments are applicable to us today. We are telling him, by our actions, that we know a better way.

6. Do not worship anyone or anything but the Lord in the manner in which He commands. Do not observe other peoples’ worship to false gods. Respect of others does not mean that we should pretend to accept something that is contrary to God’s laws. Exodus 34:15: "Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.” We must take care to ensure that others know what we believe and why we believe it. The best way that I can think to end such a deep and wonderful subject as sacrifices that please the Lord is by the following verse: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” Hebrews 12:28.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading these verses as much as I have. I’ve learned quite a bit from this study. Dear sisters, may we never forget our place when we worship God. He is our great Jehovah, Lord and Master. Praise be to Him for His awesome power!

Sacrifices that Please the Lord

2009-06-24T00:19:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

Yesterday, our lesson focused on Christ, the sacrificial Lamb of God, and the question of whether or not we sacrifice ourselves to the Lord daily as we should. The lesson today will focus on what sacrifices God finds pleasing.

The sacrifices under the Mosaic Law foreshadowed Christ’s coming. As we studied yesterday, we saw that the animal sacrifices were requirements by the priests for the sins of the people, but they did not of themselves take away sin. It was not until Christ died, was buried and rose again that the true forgiveness of sins could take place.

After Christ died and arose, the Mosaic Law was fulfilled by the new law, the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25) based upon love and forgiveness and the desire of the heart to obey God. The new law took into account the fact that we could never perfectly obey the old law and gave us the hope of salvation through faith and obedience to God’s Word and the cleansing of our sins by the blood of Christ our Savior.

Yet although the animal sacrifices and food offerings were replaced by Christ, we are still commanded to give offerings to God. What are the sacrifices that God expects of us today? Based upon various Scriptures on sacrifices, I’ve outlined below the types of sacrifices we should give. Because of the lengthiness of this study and the large number of passages regarding sacrifice, tomorrow’s lesson is planned to continue the study of sacrifice and is expected to cover the attitude with which we are to do so.

Sacrifices Required of Us by God:

1. A repentant, humble and conscientious spirit: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

2. Mercy and acknowledgement of God: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

3. Present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the Lord:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1

4. Imitate God and live a life of selfless love as Jesus did: “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

5. Offer praise to God and confess His name: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.”
Hebrews 13:15

6. Do good works and share with others: “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

7. Offer ourselves as spiritual sacrifices, ensuring that we are acceptable to God through Christ: “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” I Peter 2:5

This study has truly been an eye-opening one as I did not realize until I began to dig deeper into the Scriptures that the New Testament is full of references to the sacrifices required of Christians today. Just as the sacrificial lamb was chosen by God to be a foreshadowing of Jesus, so also did the offering of sacrifices by the Mosaic priests serve to prepare us to offer spiritual sacrifices as followers of Christ today.

It is easy to think that we are merely required to offer money into the collection plate periodically as opposed to all of the thanks and grain offerings, tithes and animal sacrifices of the old law, but as we begin to think about every part of God’s plan from Creation to the coming of Christ as well as Jesus’ role as our eternal sacrifice, we should begin to see that much more is required of us today. The priests had many duties in God’s service in order to atone for the people’s sins but we as Christians are the royal priesthood under the new law. This reality should create in us an enormous sense of reverence, awe and spiritual fear whenever we approach God in prayer, worship or throughout our daily lives.

Just as Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, offered sacrifices in a way that had not been approved by God in Numbers 26, so we too should remember that God requires of us the same respect for His Law. Even more so, we are under the Law of Christ, who was God’s only Son, sent to die for us. How much more will God require us to follow the Law of Liberty made available only through the purchase of blood that was poured out by Jesus on the cross of Calvary?

As I note the current manner of some in society to reduce God to “a good friend” and Christ to “a buddy” without thought of the awesome and terrible force that is our Jehovah God, I feel a sense of uneasiness and repulsion at the move toward such disrespect. It is then that I am reminded of Hebrews 10:31 and Paul’s unmistakable reminder of what happens when we forget who our Lord and Master truly is: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” May we always keep in mind this passage and the seriousness of its message.

What Have I Sacrificed for Christ Today?

2009-06-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

Today’s Passage: Isaiah 53 (see bottom of post)

Sunday evening, I was blessed to be in attendance to hear a wonderful sermon on sacrifice. I had already been thinking of a lesson on Christian sacrifice, so the sermon was definitely timely and it served to move up the topic to today’s devotional.

In the Old Testament, priests were given specific instructions for the atonement of the people’s sins; however, they were commanded to do this over and over because the sacrifice of lambs, bulls and goats could not truly take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). The sins were rolled forward until a sacrifice of the highest form, without spot or blemish and perfect in nature, would be given in their place. This sacrifice would fulfill prophecy and would need to be given only once (Hebrews 9:26-28), for it was the greatest sacrifice that would ever be made, the death of one part of the Godhead in human form: Jesus Christ our Savior.

It is difficult for me to imagine how much this sacrifice meant to God. God was not just allowing His Son to suffer, but He was also giving Himself to die. Jesus was equal with God but took on the task of being lowered to the position of His Creation and even lower than this: a servant of mankind with no home of His own or even a place to lay His head (Philippians 2:5-7). Jesus spent His few adulthood years teaching those who ridiculed Him, rejected Him and despised Him, all the while knowing that He would receive the most unjust treatment ever experienced by a human being.

This man was completely innocent – not as a child who does not know any better or one who incompetently cannot discern right from wrong – but as a man who was tempted just as we are yet He overcame every single temptation (Hebrews 4:15). Without such a man, a sacrifice for our sins could not take place. The animal sacrifice without spot or blemish was a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice of a man without sin in His life. No one else could become this sacrifice but Jesus, because no one before or since has been without sin.

Jesus became despised and slandered throughout His travels to save mankind from sin because He was just, wise and knew man’s heart. People who were corrected by Jesus knew He was true in His judgment of them and this is why many of them hated Him. Sometimes we humans are too proud to admit our faults so we try to justify them and lash out at those who know our weaknesses.

If you do not do so already, I encourage you to read Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 before partaking of the communion on Sundays. I find this passage to be humbling to me and it helps me visualize Christ and His suffering more clearly than any other passage. God very descriptively speaks through Isaiah of Jesus’ coming and the persecution that He will endure for us who failed Him in every way. Yet He did not leave us without hope; He instead gave us the greatest gift we could ever receive: eternal life with Him.

Jesus gave absolutely everything He could ever give for us: Himself. There is no greater offering that could be given than we have already received. I look around me and wonder why He would do such a thing for a creature as selfish as man.

I am provoked to thought by this passage. Do I selfishly expect to receive such a gift of grace with no willingness to sacrifice for Christ? Am I so caught up in my own day-to-day activities and problems that I am unconcerned about Jesus’ willingness to receive punishment in my place? Why do I sometimes fear going outside of my comfort zone to lead others to Christ when my dear Savior did not afford His own comfort? As I ponder the lack of excuses I have for these questions, I consider that it would be a good idea to post a sticky note on my bathroom mirror with the subject of today’s lesson on it: “What have I sacrificed for Christ today?”

Consider the things that affect you and take up your time on a daily basis, and then read the following passage. I pray that if anything in your life is amiss, you will be awakened to them as you read from Isaiah. Please pray that I will work daily to do the same in my own life. Tomorrow, I plan to continue the study of these sacrifices by discussing what sacrifices God finds pleasing of us. God bless you today and every day, dear sister! May we never fail to ask of ourselves, “What have I sacrificed for Christ today?”

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness – so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Weekend Warriors (Saturday)

2009-06-20T08:25:00.002-05:00

Update: Beginning today, Saturdays’ devotionals (Weekend Warriors) will consist of the reading of all or a portion of a Psalm. On Sundays, a message entitled The Lord’s Day will be sent. I hope that you are enjoying these devotionals. Please send me feedback to let me know what you think to saintschic@comcast.net. Thanks!

Today’s Reading:

PSALM 1

1 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

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Choosing to Ignore Sin

2009-06-19T20:37:00.002-05:00

Today's Passage: “They (mankind) have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:20-32

This has always been a passage that unsettles me when I read it because it convicts me every time. There are many sins we may not commit, but are we still guilty if we ignore them? According to Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are. By being too afraid to stand up for the Lord and disapprove of open sinfulness, are we not in effect approving it?

Many of us can probably remember a time when we were influenced as kids to ignore a less popular child or perhaps we simply failed to defend her when she was shunned. I can remember two occasions when this happened even after all of these years. Because I did not speak up, I did not stand up against wrong and therefore I was guilty of failing to reach out to someone less fortunate. The same is true of us as adults if we keep silent when given an opportunity to speak out against sin. Certainly, we aren’t told to walk around pointing fingers at everyone, declaring their sins publicly. Jesus did this on occasion to the Pharisees because of the public nature of their sins and their cruelty to the people, but Jesus as Deity knew their hearts. We do not know a person’s heart; however, we are charged with teaching the truth and exposing sin nonetheless as Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

We must be careful that we do so in a loving manner while giving the other party a chance to repent without public humiliation. When Joseph suspected Mary of having had sexual relations with another man, he was determined to put her away quietly so that she would not be humiliated by others (Matthew 1:19). What a loving thing to do for a man who surely must have felt the deepest pain of betrayal. I have the utmost respect for Joseph and the manner in which he planned to handle things before he was told by an angel that Mary was indeed a virgin. In his mind, he did not approve of her seemingly obvious sin and sought to remove himself from it; however, he did so with respect and love.

After hearing Apollos teach error, Aquila and Priscilla privately took him aside to teach him the truth about Christ (Acts 18:24). Because of this, they allowed Apollos to learn the complete truth and also spared him from being called out in the public assembly. This could have affected his use in the kingdom by causing some to lose trust in Apollos although he learned the truth more fully by Aquila and Priscilla’s teaching. Paul would later be able to work with Apollos side by side as they traveled to various locations to preach the gospel.

In these two cases, we see that sin or perceived sin was acknowledged and exposed, but the person was given a chance to repent if necessary and save face, as it were. The outcome in both cases could have been much different as Mary would have been exposed to public humiliation for a sin she did not commit, and Apollos might have lost credibility with the crowds and perhaps even missed a great opportunity to teach the gospel with Paul. On the other hand, had Apollos’ error been ignored, many might have failed to be saved because they did not learn the truth of Christ.

As we read today’s passage, we can easily think, “I’m not guilty of those things… envy, murder, deceit…” But then we read about gossip, disobedience to parents, strife (not getting along with others) and it may hit closer to home. Then we read the portion that not only do some do this, but some approve of others who commit them. Do we ever turn a blind eye to a friend’s sin because we don’t want to hurt them or a family member’s disobedience because we don’t want to stir things up? What happens if these sins take hold of their lives to cause an eternal loss of their souls and we could have helped them overcome the sins before they forever seared their consciences?

I pray that others have the courage to tell me if I say or do something wrong because it may be something I have not considered to be wrong. Perhaps I am in error about a portion of the Truth or maybe I am just oblivious to the fact that I said something hurtful to someone else, but regardless, I need to know about it. I pray also that I have the same courage to warn others out of love for their souls.

Let us consider how we can help one another become better Christian women by encouraging one another, but may God also strengthen us with the courage to tell others of a sin problem in their lives. Additionally, when we are given the chance to speak out against sin whether in our homes, in the church, in our society or in the world, let us do so without shame but with love in our hearts for one another. As King Solomon said, “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Proverbs 27:5-6

A Stable Faith in an Unstable World

2009-06-18T14:15:00.003-05:00

Today’s passage: “…Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands… Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” Psalm 112:1,6-7

Watching old TV shows like Andy Griffith and Little House on the Prairie fill me with nostalgia and make me desire a simpler, deeper and purer way of life. It’s easy to think that “those were the days” when life was easy and everyone was kind, and indeed our parents and grandparents may agree, yet every generation has experienced sin and troubles.

Long, long ago, the world was filled with evil people who focused on nothing but sin all day long so God assigned Noah the task of preaching to them of the coming doom if they did not repent. Noah faithfully preached to the people for 120 years with no converts! Later, Lot and his daughters were saved from the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah before every resident was killed, including Lot’s wife who was given an opportunity to live, because of the constant presence of sin in their lives. In the days of Elisha, the Samaritans were struck by a long-lasting famine because of an attacking army but instead of trusting in the Lord, some of the citizens committed terrible sins against humanity, including against their own children, in order to survive (II Kings 6).

The sins of pride, lust and selfishness do not belong to our modern world alone; there have always been Hitlers and Husseins seeking complete power with no compassion for those deemed to be threats. The king of Egypt wanted every newborn Hebrew son to be killed by the Hebrew midwives or the people of Egypt (Exodus 1:15-22) and King Herod sought to prevent Jesus from becoming King of the Jews by ordering the death of all of the boys in Bethlehem who were two years old and younger (Matthew 2:16).

Considering the fact that sin first reared its ugly head with the original couple created by God, Adam and Eve, and was manifested in their son, Cain, it is then unfair for me to assume that it was easier to live a righteous life by the elder generations. They faced the same struggles that we do today, with no less need for faith and trust in God. My journey in this life is not more difficult than theirs even if the specific causes of sin have changed. In the words of Solomon, "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

During the 1930s, much faith was needed as industries crashed, mining and farming families were severely malnourished and tuberculosis was rampant in the population. According to a report by the BBC News, thirty-four million people belonged to families with no regular full-time wage earner in 1932. Depression and suicide statistics were high because some did not know how to cope with the loss of wages and the cruel reality that their children were starving.

As we consider the current problems of the national economy such as drops in the stock market and the rise of unemployment rates as companies go out of business, it is important for us to renew our faith through the study of Biblical examples of faithful followers of God in Hebrews 11 and our elder brothers and sisters who survived the Great Depression with their commitment to the Lord intact. Though specific circumstances may differ, the solution at the root of the problem is common to all: to develop an unfailing trust in God that He will take care of us no matter what happens so long as we obey Him.

Furthermore, we are given the assurance that “…blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands… Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” Psalm 112:1,6-7 We are free from the concerns with which the world is consumed because God is our refuge. We do not have to worry ourselves sick over the Dow Jones industrial average or whether we will lose our jobs. As long as we have true faith in God, we know that He will take care of us and that His power is greater than any manmade economical system. No matter what happens in the world, there are always brothers and sisters willing to help if we are united together in the Lord. God has always managed to save a remnant for use in His kingdom whether through a world flood, the confusion of languages or the near extinction of His people.

I pray that your faith as well as mine will be stable though all else in the world should crumble and fall. God and His Kingdom are unshakable even if the mountains should fall into the sea or the earth should burn as in the Day of Judgment. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken” (and that kingdom, the church, has come!), “let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29

Middle of the Week Blahs

2009-06-17T15:55:00.004-05:00

Today's Passage: "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

There's just something about the middle of the week that can drag us down. Currently I do not work outside of the home while I undergo medical treatments; however, I worked fulltime for years and I can remember how far away Friday seemed, as if it were a dangling carrot barely visible on the horizon. Even now, I look forward to weekends so that my husband and I can be together and I can get out of the house before I lose my sanity.

For those of you who are domestic engineers, weekends mean hopefully getting away for a little while, especially on those wonderful occasions when a babysitter or family member can keep the little ones. During the summer, weekend passes can be very relaxing as you soak up the sunshine, spend time in the garden or play a few rounds of tennis to get away from workplace deadlines or daily chores.

As Christians who live and work in the world, we also look forward to the weekend. God Himself implemented a day of rest in Genesis after the world and everything in it were created (Genesis 2:2-3) and the institution of the Sabbath day under the Mosaic law began (Exodus 23:12). King Solomon noted that man is consumed with work in Ecclesiastes 2:22-23: “What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.”

We know that constant anxiety and worry are not God’s intention for us, as noted by Jesus in Matthew 6:31-34: “So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

If wise Solomon saw that we are overloaded with work at times and we know that God Himself rested after creating the world, is it any wonder that we experience middle of the week blahs sometimes? How can we get that extra “boost” during the middle of the week to keep us going? The Bible gives us the answer to this question.

1. Attend middle-of-the-week worship services. Wednesday night worship services are designed to give us an extra opportunity to worship the Lord and study His Word, but they are also designed to encourage us by meeting together with those of like mindedness. By joining together mid-week, we are given an opportunity to leave the trials and burdens of the world and offer as well as receive support from our Christian brothers and sisters. When I was isolated for some time due to my transplant and therefore missed worship services, I could tell a difference in my outlook in general. Being separated from my Christian family was detrimental to my mental and spiritual health because I could not tap into God’s resource of unity and fellowship. This passage explains how important it is to remain linked to one another: "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

2. Remember the shut-ins who are unable to attend services. There are many who are unable to attend services due to physical illness. The longer a member feels separated from her church family, the more difficult it may be for her to remain faithful to the Lord. We can be instruments of the Lord by reaching out to these members and ensuring that they receive copies of the lessons and sermons as well as phone calls and cards to let them know they are still a vital part of our family.

3. Pray for God’s help to overcome our anxiety and keep our priorities in mind. God wants us to hand over our troubles to Him because His shoulders are broader and His patience is greater. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

4. Keep in touch with one another outside of services and seek to lift each other up by kind words, cards and prayers. The only way to really know what a sister needs is to get to know her personally outside of services. Have lunch together or invite the girls over for an informal “get-together”. A wise man once said that “an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Proverbs 12:25

My prayers are that you will receive the encouragement you need this week and that we are able to lift others up with the love given to us by Christ. May today be changed from “Blah” Day to “Blessed” Day!