Ruth's story is unique. While living with her mother-in-law Naomi, Ruth was widowed. Her mother-in-law also lost all she had. Society gave Ruth complete freedom to leave her mother-in-law and go back to her own people. Instead, we read her decision. What does this have for us today? Naomi gave her daughters-in-law their freedom to leave. For herself, she saw no future and wanted the best for her daughters-in-law. In Galatians we read that one of the fruits of spirit is "faithfulness." While this faithfulness may be applied to salvation, it is better understood as fidelity, or loyalty. Loyalty is not a common virtue today. Ruth was loyal. And her loyalty to remain with and share the bleak future of her mother-in-law, led to her great blessing. God calls us to a high fidelity, to Himself first, but also to one another. When things in a relationship become difficult, don't follow the world's "just walk away" philosophy. Trust the Lord, and be loyal.
Isaac, or "Laughing One," is the son promised by God to the aged Abraham and Sarah. We read that Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah, where God had told Abraham to offer Isaac up as a sacrifice. This Abraham did in complete trust of God. The Jewish historian of antiquity, Josephus, records that Isaac was about twenty-five years old when this occurred. Therefore, it was not a little child being fooled, but rather a young powerful adult who under his aged father's hand lay down obediently on an altar, with no other source of sacrifice in sight. Just as Abraham raised the knife, God halted him and provided a ram for the sacrifice. It was not just Abraham that passed the test! Isaac obeyed his father, and trusted his God. Isaac is not a plaster saint. He had his shortcomings. But records like this in Scripture encourage us that God uses men and women just like us to accomplish His purposes, and promises. Trust God's promises and requirements, don't laugh at them.
How often has your child come to you in a sullen mood; or as someone in authority, how often has a person come to you in anger? We have all experienced this at some time. But when we approach our God, to worship Him, that is not the time to come sullenly or in anger. Rather, if we are living the life as He has provided, depending upon the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, feeding on the Word and keeping our mind on Christ, then we can come to worship cheerfully. Cheerfully or merrily doesn't mean "foolishly." One can have a cheerful heart in the midst of trial. As a test ask yourself what you are thankful for and how often you express this thanks to God. Little thankfulness breeds little cheer. Look, you will find much to be thankful for; make this thanks known to God. Make it a part of your daily worship to be thankful, and you will approach God with a cheerful heart, even in the midst of trial.
Among the many wonderful attributes of God, His faithfulness stands out as especially precious. He is faithful to be who He says He is and to do what He says He will do. The Word of God reveals who God is, and as we trust His Word, we accept and grow in our faith in Him. His promises fill the pages of the Bible. Because God is faithful, He makes good His promises to us. Faithfulness is foreign to many people today. We need to do what we say we will and not just adjust our actions to what is convenient at the time. Discover how faithful God is! We need to be faithful like Him in our daily life. How would you do on a "faithfulness" test? We cannot be this way on our own. It is a fruit of God's Spirit in us. If it is missing in your life, ask God to make "faithfulness" real to you today.
We can find comfort knowing that God looks on the condition and attitude of the heart. Comfort comes if our hearts are right. Having a right heart means that what we think, feel, and want are in line with what God requires. He is the standard. The comfort comes from God even when our actions are misunderstood or the outcome of our efforts are not what we intended. God sees the heart! People see the actions and the results. But, if our hearts are not right, God also sees that. People may compliment us on our good deeds and praise us for all kinds of apparent goodness. But we cannot hide the motives and intentions of our heart from God. Fellow believer, we need to examine our hearts to see if what others see is also what God sees. Let's align our hearts with God's Word at every turn so that He can take pleasure in our uprightness!
Just as there came a time in your life when you accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, there comes a time when you must recognize Jesus Christ as Lord! The realization that Jesus is Lord over all should cause each of us to switch - from being man-pleasers, to being God-pleasers! This requires that we no longer learn what others would have us do or be, but rather what God commands. It should become top priority for those who acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to study God's Word in order to please Him through obedience. Who are you trying to please? Jesus Christ is Lord, not just Savior. You can't have one without the other, they are inseparable. Consider Paul's statement above. If you are trying to please men, you need to consider Christ's claim as Lord of your life.
The Lord instructs us to refrain from worrying about our life; what we are going to eat or drink; what we should wear; where we should live. Instead, He tells us that top priority should be to understand His kingdom and His righteousness. Then all the things that we need to sustain life will be given to us. The kingdom of God includes the people whom He rules, the realm where He rules, and the actual reign of God. When we seek God's kingdom, we seek for God's rule in our lives. The righteousness of God is His holy standard by which He rules. We all want to have God answer our prayers to meet our needs. But we must be willing to be obedient to what He tells us to do in order to have our needs met. First, we need to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness, and not just what He can do for us. What He can do for us will follow our obedience!
These words of a father have been echoed down through the ages and have, for the most part, increasingly gone unheeded. Or is it that they have been repeated less often as the years pass? Where are the godly men who instruct their sons in the things of God? The days, weeks, even months pass by without one serious conversation between father and son. And yet the Bible says that it could mean the difference between life and death, or sickness and health to the child! Fathers, don't you realize that if you disregard God's instruction you could lose your children? Make your decision today to take the time to regularly tell your children about your Savior and Lord. It will be an investment for eternity.
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, the Jezebel of I Kings was a heartless woman with a bloody history. Her name, which means "chaste, free from carnal connection" could not be more inappropriate. Jezebel attracted immediate attention, as she was no ordinary woman: though beautiful, she was an ardent idolater; though alluring, she was a dominating wife; though intriguing, she was a treacherous schemer. She had sown to the wind, and had reaped the whirlwind, just as the Lord promises. From her sordid story, we see the truth in God's Word: for the wages of sin is death! In our world of immediate gratification and our leaning towards the lust of the eyes, we need to learn that beauty or an alluring personality are not grounds for a relationship, much less marriage. If we seek the wind, we will surely reap the whirlwind. Guard yourself!
Moses has been addressing the Israelites concerning the Lord's majesty and His wonders. In explaining the gift of rain, which they will find in the land of milk and honey which God has promised to them, Moses tells the Israelites they will have grain, wine and oil, along with grass for their animals. To an agrarian culture, these things were life itself. But the words change from Moses' to God's, and He warns the people to be careful lest they be lured away. Lured away? By what? These are great blessings, what could lure the people away? Just these same blessings! When things go well, we all tend to forget the source Who provides them. And we turn our thanks and adoration away from God, to the things themselves. The warning is, "be careful lest your heart be lured away that you serve other gods and worship them." Keep your mind focused on Christ, and worship Him, not the blessings He brings us.
When God reveals Himself, it is frequently in the context of taking action. The Great Commission is perhaps the greatest action commandment, combined with a great revelation of the nature of God. He Is: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are those through the ages who rebel at this idea, God as three Persons in One. Debates are held, treatises written, theologies developed. We should take our lead from the Hebrew mindset which never proposes to explain God. It accepts that He is. Our Greek intellectual foundations drive us to ask why, to weigh things to a nicety in our minds. But here in the Word of God, the Great Commission is given, in the Great Name. Understand that this commission cannot be carried out with anything less than the absolute acceptance of its being given in the singular name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mystery is here, and the ground of worship. It is not meant for debate. Adore the truth God's Name embodies, and act on it!
When we want God's direction, there are no halfway measures. There will be times when we slip back, stumble and sin. These times grow fewer as we seek and gain His direction. Progress comes when we place our full confidence, our will and intellect, in the Lord. Does this mean God wants us to stop thinking, stop being individuals, become a robot? God forbid! He doesn't expect us to short circuit our own mind. He just tells us not to go to that understanding with the wrong assumptions. It is simple. Place your confidence in God, wholly, on a matter. (To do so, you will have to pray and search His Word to find out what it has to say on that matter.) This is putting our thoughts before the Lord and His Word. As we do this, He will give us the direction we need. Decide today to pay due respect to God in all that is done. He will direct decisions, judgments, and actions. And we can count on growing in our walk with Him.
It is a privilege to help another believer caught in a sin. The "spiritual" are certainly not sinless. But their general character of life indicates they have victory over sin. They, too, sin but that is the exception. This service of confrontation and restoration is critical. It is not to be attempted with a spirit of condemnation. It is to be done humbly, according to God's Word. Each of us has areas of spiritual weakness. It's actually a blessing to be "caught" in your sin. It's an opportunity God provides the believer to deal a death blow to that particular habit, with the aid of those who are spiritual. That is one of the purposes of the church. The church gives us those we may imitate and who can assist in victory over sin. No one is ever immune to sin. Be prepared to help restore someone caught in sin. You yourself may need that help later on. This is the way we bear one another's burdens. It is a privilege of membership in God's family.
Do you find prayer tiring? Prayer is communicating with the only perfect Being there is. It seems that as we pray, it takes a lot of energy: energy to stay focused; to continue to listen when you hear nothing; and sometimes energy when you yourself are not clear about the matter you are bringing before God. King David, in his song of praise for the successful transfer of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, shares in his song his secret of being the only man whom God called, "a man after My own heart." David says to ceaselessly follow after God, and His strength! It is in God's strength that we can persevere in prayer. As we access this strength, we are able to seek God without tiring. David goes on to tell us to reflect on the wonders God has wrought on behalf of His people, and you, including His Word. If you want to communicate with God, and overcome your own weakness and the distractions of the enemy, seek God's strength. You'll find it!
The early church was dedicated to being together. They learned together, spent free time together, ate together and prayed together. The church is meant to be the place where we find true friends. We are not to hide in the church. But we are to look for, and make, our friends there. The early church was under intense persecution from the pagans surrounding them. It was a hostile environment. In the United States we are not directly persecuted. But there is another kind of attack. Business demands all our attention and the pace of life is very fast. When we do have free time we want to horde it; some of us hide. This kind of situation fragments and weakens the church. Consider the early church and what God accomplished through it; consider your church today, its people and your place in it. Make it the place where you forge your friendships and not just another place to avoid. Great things for God are accomplished together, not apart!
In a moment Jacob, "the Cheat," was renamed Israel, "He who strives/rules with God." Jacob was born grasping at things not his; he even stole his brother Esau's blessing from Isaac. He ran for his life right to a cheat on his own level, Laban, who had a beautiful daughter, Rachel. To marry Rachel, Jacob did Laban's bidding but was deceived into marrying Rachel's sister Leah first. Then Jacob had to run again, back toward Esau whom he rightly feared. Jacob ordered his flocks, people, wives and children to go before him. Maybe he thought if Esau killed the rest he could still get away. Then he met God. Some say Jacob's wrestling with God's angel is a good example of struggling in prayer. It cost him permanent physical damage. The Cheat met the One who could change him completely. And Jacob was changed, into Israel, and his cowardly actions changed overnight! Don't despair over your own failings. Today, ask God to change you, as He did Jacob/Israel.
A uniformly shared idea in the family of Christ is: all worship must be accomplished "decently and in order." This idea has a two-fold application to our worship services. One application is to the elements and conduct of the service itself, that it be God-honoring. Second, that the participants in the worship service conduct themselves decently and orderly. Whatever the diversity permitted in your corporate worship, be sure it may be considered decent, especially by those visiting. Joy and solemnity are twins. There are times for praise and exaltation of God, and times in the same service, when it is appropriate to so focus on God that there be quiet and calm. In the new church there is much informality, much coming and going during worship. Let's take a pulse check on ourselves (not our neighbors). Do we conduct ourselves with reverence, joy and concentration during worship? Remember Paul's admonition today; commit to "let all things be done decently and in order."
The Lord calls us to silence and inactivity if we want to know Him intimately. If it were not necessary, He would not admonish us to do it. The language is so simple and direct and yet we continue to rattle off non-stop chatter as we rush along the fast-track going our own way! Why do we do that? It takes self discipline and the help of the Holy Spirit to be silent. Even if we close our mouths, our minds race from one thing to another: the unexpected meetings; the unending errands; the unwritten letters; and the unreturned phone calls. When is the last time you set aside everything else to be still before God? If you sincerely want to know Him intimately, you will schedule some time soon! How about today?
Like with so many verses, we read the first part and stop, thinking we already know the rest. We hear messages on this verse that do the same thing - use the first phrase without going on. Yes, the Lord sees all that is going on in the world; yes, He sees the unspeakable atrocities, the unimaginable sufferings, the undeniable sinfulness. But this verse of Scripture isn't talking about that. The Lord is aggressively seeking to bless those who are living according to His standards. He is anxious to move mightily on behalf of those who have put Him first, who are surrendered and committed. You are one of those whom the Lord is watching. Surrender your life and commit your way to Him and He will show Himself strong on your behalf.
Paul seemed surprised that the Christians in Corinth didn't realize that something major had happened to them at their conversion. He rather bluntly told them that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, had come to live in the body of each one and that ownership had been transferred to God! If we have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we are no longer our own. We should not be serving ourselves. It is our responsibility to discover what God wants us to do and then do it with diligence and joy! Would Paul be surprised with your understanding of this miraculous occurrence? The Christian's life reflects that transfer of ownership. Check to see if your life appears to others to be a special place, a holy dwelling. If it doesn't, realize, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord tells us that the harvest is plentiful but there is a problem: not enough harvesters! Does the Lord instruct us to publicize the need? Does He suggest we hold seminars, or conferences, or training sessions? No, He tells us to ask Him, even though He already knows the need, to send more workers out into the streets, into foreign countries, or even your own neighborhood. It is wonderful to be drawn in to what God is doing through participating in prayer. What results from your prayer closet will be applied to your eternal account. You will surely share in the rewards! It is also wonderful, and even a little scary, that as you begin to pray about the need for more workers in the harvest field, the Lord may call you to become a harvester! Take advantage of the privilege to participate in God's great plan for the ages: pray for the harvesters or become a harvester.
In the world of today, maybe as never before, our children need a place of refuge and security. The suicide rate among teenagers verifies that. So does the dropout rate and the increasing number of juveniles locked up in prison. The world system is calling for more programs, and more money for more programs in response to the crisis of our youth. It is interesting to note that the Bible says we need fathers who revere God! If a man honors, respects and adores God, he will be transformed. Then he will want to provide the place of refuge and security to his children. Money cannot buy what children really need. We need fathers who love God. Are you a godly father? Only a man born again can be. Deepen your faith and share it with your children. Do you know children who do not have a godly father? You can do something about that.
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, Joanna was a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ because He had healed her. She was from the upper class and after her conversion followed him and provided for His needs from her own resources. Joanna was at the cross when Jesus died. She was also among the sorrow-stricken women who gathered at the sepulcher on the third day. What a privilege to be among the first to hear that He was risen from the dead! Many women throughout the history of the church have been Joannas: devoted, diligent, and determined to spread the good news. We are to be imitators of those who model godly attributes, and Joanna is a perfect one to imitate!
How do we see ourselves when we bow before God to worship Him? John had just heard a thundering voice cry out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns." Overwhelmed with a spirit of worship he fell down to worship the the speaker, an angel. This was corrected. But the question is, how are we moved to worship our God? One of the most joyous occasions in the Jewish community, then as now, is the marriage feast; it called for great celebration. In our Scripture we see the culmination of the ages, the marriage feast of the Lamb with His bride, the Church. The bride is presented in the whitest of garments, bespeaking purity, fidelity and holiness. Those characteristics grew out of the righteous acts of the saints, the church. Who wouldn't want to fall down and worship? All our cares and woes wiped out. No more sorrow or tears. During your preparation for worship, think of the marriage feast of the Lamb, and be rejoicing. You are invited!
Humankind is made to have a corporate head, a king. David tells us this person is God Almighty, who is covered in majesty! When was the last time you used the word, "majesty?" Probably only in connection with a Scripture verse or the Queen of England. We need to look at things far greater than ourselves to assist us in understanding majesty: the majesty of the Great Plains, full of life; old mountain ranges, the like the Shenandoah and Smokies, or the new ones of the Cascades and Rockies. Majesty may be sensed when looking at a single enormous mountain, like Mount Rainier in Washington State; or appreciated when flying at 25,000 feet looking at a single thunder head whose base casts a precise shadow on the ground below and whose head anvils out thousands of feet above you. Nothing will completely suffice to bring us to the proper sense of majesty, until we see God as face to face. That time is coming. For today, draw near to Him and know His majesty!
Peter is exhorting believers that the Day of the Lord was not far off, when great judgment would come to the earth. He goes on to say that Paul had also written in a similar vein. Then Peter notes that some of Paul's inspired writing is difficult to understand, and says that unprincipled men twist the meaning. Beware of those persons who will take Scripture out of context. Most don't do it purposely; some do. Both are dangerous. Their arguments can be seductive. Our "safe foothold" is in the grace of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, who has provided us with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We are to grow in that grace; but since grace is God's unmerited favor, how do we grow in it? In part by feeding on the Word which enables us to grow in knowledge of our God; that knowledge enables us to make choices that please Him. If something sounds wrong, check Scripture and so grow in grace.
King Solomon, son of David, builder of God's Temple in Jerusalem. Rich beyond count. He set himself to find what held a true and lasting reward in life. Many of us today, in our service to the Lord and others, find agreement with King Solomon; it's just chasing after the wind. Our actions and service will find their reward when they are judged, for judged they will be. Those who have served in the power of God's Holy Spirit will find their works survive and their reward great. Those who accomplished tasks in the strength of their own flesh will find those works burned away, as it were. We cannot judge our service, nor that of another. Sometimes what the Lord leads us to do in serving Him looks strange to others and cannot be explained. Take comfort if that has happened to you. When the work done in the Spirit is judged, by the only Righteous Judge, it will come out as gold. Labor for God's highest glory, in the power of His Spirit.
Of all the many teachings of the Word on prayer, this perhaps brings the greatest comfort of all to the believer who earnestly desires to communicate with God Almighty, but at times finds that words utterly fail. We are weak. His strength is made perfect in that weakness, as we seek to obey and do His will. God's Spirit guarantees it. Beyond the rightness of obeying God, in that He tells us to pray, prayer benefits the believer because thoughts and ideas are put into words and phrases which often may surprise the believer when they "come out." But there are times when we know we "ought" to pray, but just can't, or don't know what to say. God's Spirit comes alongside and literally translates for us. Don't take this as not needing to put your supplications into words. But when they can't be put into words, be encouraged and recognize that the Spirit will accomplish it to God's glory!
Have you experienced a time when no one will stand with you? Job knew this loneliness. He had lost all his wealth, had no friends, no relatives would come to his aid. Even the closest of family, the best of friends lets us down sometimes. This can come about for a variety of reasons. Hold to your faith during these times of seeming abandonment. What is it God is doing in your life? Whatever it is, it is necessary for you to be alone now. Do what Job did. He went on to say that even though friends and family had left him, even despised him, he knew his Redeemer still lived, and that someday he would see God himself! Hold to this thought. No matter what happens to you in your relationships with others, your Redeemer still lives. He has redeemed you already, though for a while you can still experience loneliness and betrayal. He did too, and knows what you are going through. Hold to this fact: He is with you now, even to the end of the age.
Jesus is true man and true God. The Bible teaches it; an awesome mystery. The name Jesus means "Jehovah is Salvation." Our Lord was born into flesh and blood, space and time just as we all are. As a babe He was nurtured, clothed, fed and taught. With His family He was raised in a small community. All the common things of life that families go through, Jesus experienced. At age twelve He evidenced a concentration on the things of His Father in heaven. Scripture is silent about his early years; He grew in favor with God and man. Jesus learned how to get along with others. How he filled his time up to about age 30 is not told. It was the custom that a child follow the craft of his father. Joseph was a carpenter, so we may assume Jesus learned joinery, carving, sculpting, wagon-making or even basket-making. Jesus was no soft-handed scholar. He worked with people and loved them, "even though He knew what was in man." Follow the perfect example, the "true man" Jesus Christ.
