Consider this, God is both kind and stern, good and severe. Do not mistake His goodness for softness. In Romans Paul explained that because of Israel's transgression, salvation came to the Gentiles. God's ways are not man's ways. What to us seems contradictory, is not. God permitted Israel to fall so salvation would be made available to others. But it was also done to make Israel jealous and return to their God. Some Israelites fell away, and like branches of a tree, were broken off. Gentiles were grafted into the tree as wild branches. Therefore, it is severity to the Israelites, to have some branches broken off; but kindness to the Gentiles who before this had no part of God. God's kindness does not cause Him to overlook sin and rebellion. Paul warns the Gentiles, continue in God's kindness. That is, choose to obey Him, and in faith believe what He has said and done. If we do not choose this way, we will know His sternness and suffer the consequences.
We begin our growth in God by understanding that all people are created in His image. The image encompasses male and female; black, white, red, yellow and all other skin combinations; all ages; all intellectual levels; all size of persons from all types of cultures. There is no limitation on the image God imparted to His creation. This is where our basic dignity comes from: we are made in God's image. It is true of believers and nonbelievers. The next time you feel like cursing another person, or even saying something mean in a small way, remember, that one is made in God's image. In the temptation to strike out, either physically or verbally, remember, that one is made in God's image. If you are ever tempted to take a life, or encouraged to do so by society, whether a life in the womb or one no longer able to care for itself, remember, that one also is made in God's image. Act upon this truth. Ignoring this truth is blasphemy against God.
The book of James is one of the most practical books in the Bible. It addresses the issue of form and content; cause and effect. Faith is too often passed off as an intellectual function. Just believe, we are told, and be saved. The belief spoken of in the Word of God is a belief that will cause you to speak God's Word no matter what, even up to and including a painful death as a martyr. Jesus said, if you love me, obey me. Our Scripture says, if you believe Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord, do the things He said to do. Christianity cannot exist if the Christian does not obey and serve. We are called to serve, by preaching, teaching, feeding, leading, and so much more. Do you name yourself a Christian and believe you have saving faith? Do a pulse check, and see what it is you do consistently, as a habit of your Christian walk, that can be called good works. If there isn't much there, the faith you trust may be dead and useless.
What is the purpose behind your prayers; do you believe they'll be answered? Hannah was childless. There are those who desire children, but the Lord has said,"No." Hannah went before the Lord with her petition, asking for a son. But this was no selfish prayer. Rather, her motive was God's glory, and her heart was right. The mother of the great prophet Samuel came before God and literally "poured her heart out." We need to get serious with our conversation with our God. Bring desire in line with His purposes. When we do, our prayers are powerful beyond imagination. In answer to prayer, Hannah gave birth to one mightily used of God in the years to come. She dedicated her son to God's service. Let your heart be so aligned with God's, that He may grant your most heartaching petitions, to His most far-reaching glory.
Few Scriptures have been as abused as this one. It is often used as a text for a Christian not to be in business with an unbeliever. To hold that view, one must ignore Scripture which directs our involvement in the world for Christ's sake. For those Christians called into the world of business, this is a key Scripture. If an alliance with the unbeliever links the believer to practices that are illegal or immoral, it is wrong. But there are many unbelievers out there that behave acceptably, and with whom the Christian may work. A city slicker, driving in the country, saw a great ox yoked to a bullock; he complained to the farmer that it wasn't fair. The farmer explained the bullock wasn't pulling anything because the ox was doing all the work. The bullock was just learning the routine. Unbelievers you work with can learn from you as you practice righteousness in your daily activities. Choose the Lord's way, not man's, and they will see the difference.
Peter means "a rock, stone." He was a fisherman. Known as the impetuous apostle, many can identify with his habit of speaking or acting before thinking. An extrovert, he was softhearted and courageous; he was one long contradiction, which makes him so easy to identify with. Peter had boasted he'd never leave Jesus. He failed miserably when he was first tested because he was only serving Jesus on the strength of human love, not the Spirit-given agape love. Thereafter he was more honest with himself, as our verse indicates. Poignantly Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than the fish He was cooking. Peter said he had a "friendly feeling" (literal Greek) for Christ. We must remember, Peter failed because he tried to serve in the strength of human love. He learned and went back to serving the Lord with a truer knowledge of his own limitations. Copy Peter in rising up after failure. He wasn't interested in feeling sorry for himself; he was interested in serving his Lord.
Is worship just another "Christian thing" that you do; something done on Sunday, in the local church building, with Sunday school before or after the sermon, then the sermon and some chatting with friends afterward? Many of us think of worship or the "worship service" in this manner. But contemplate this: just as Christ has entered the true sanctuary, heaven, in God's presence, so do believers in Him enter that sanctuary, in God's living presence. Remember the Scripture that teaches "Christ in you, the hope of glory?" Christ is in every believer. When we worship, then, we do not worship in a sanctuary made by human hands, but in the very sanctuary of heaven itself, and in Almighty God's presence. What else can our response be but to aim to make worship the highest possible exercise of our faith here on earth! When we choose to make this our aim, worship will raise us up to a higher honoring of God.
Since God, in the form of the man Jesus, left heaven for the express purpose of bringing grace and truth to us, shouldn't we, at least expend the energy and spend the time to discover what exactly this grace and truth is and what it means to each of us who believe? Grace means "unmerited favor." Do you recognize grace in your life? Could you list 10 ways in which God is pouring out undeserved favor upon you? Have you considered just how precious "truth" is to you? Have you ever been lied about? Have you ever been lied to? In this world where grace is unheard of and truth is misrepresented at every turn, we would do well to know the Source of grace and truth and immerse ourselves in Him.
Jesus used the familiar to teach the eternal to his disciples. He is still doing that today. With these five words He revealed to His disciples His power to command; with these five words He transformed His disciples from fishermen to fishers of men. Do you hear the Lord instructing you to launch out into the deep? Have you struggled long enough in your own wisdom and strength to know that you need His? Are you ready to move on from the normal to the spiritual? Take time today to ponder what the Lord may be wanting to do in your life, to launch out into the deep!
We are told explicitly that Jesus Christ will return to the earth and that He will deal with us as individuals. If we are soon to stand before Him to give an account of how we used the time, gifts, and resources that He entrusted to us, how should we be living now? If we haven't been wise in these areas, today can be a new beginning. We can determine to sift all things through the sieve of eternal significance. God help us to begin today.
If the great Apostle Paul needed prayer support in the work God called him to do, how much more do those who are laboring in the same way today need our prayer support? Paul asked that the believers of Rome pray for his protection as he ministered among unbelievers. As he was aware of the spiritual dangers, so must we be aware, and pray for those who are working among unbelievers to bring them to Christ. Do you have people on your prayer list who are on the front lines of spiritual warfare? If not, I urge you to ask the Lord today to connect you to some who desperately need protective prayer support. By praying for them, you partner with them in their work and in their reward!
The Lord knows that we not only need to receive forgiveness, but that we need to forgive. Like we do in so many other areas of our Christian walk, we can become unbalanced: consistently requesting the Father to forgive us, but stubbornly refusing to forgive others. This should not be. Have you requested forgiveness from the Father today? If not, pause right now and get your slate clean for the new day. Do you need to forgive someone of an offense? Take it first to the Father for the help you need in order for it to be from the heart, and by your following actions show the offender God's love and forgiveness. If the one who has given offense sinfully is convicted and asks your forgiveness, then give genuine forgiveness to them. Determine today to be both forgiven and forgiving!
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, Mary, the mother of the Apostle James, is sometimes called "the other Mary." She followed Jesus and ministered to his needs out of her abundant wealth. She followed him to Jerusalem and witnessed His death and resurrection. She was generous, loving and true. While her life may appear in the Scriptures as somewhat quiet and ordinary as compared to others or to the world's standards, she was no less treasured by the Lord. He knew her simple faith and ever-trusting love, just as He knows ours. Let us take heart at being "the other person" in our circle and leave recognition and reward to the Lord.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews was concerned. The Jewish believers he was writing to were having all sorts of struggles both in their faith and in the world. Some had decided it wasn't necessary to continue their meetings with other Christians. There have been many changes over the years in what constitutes a church service. The elements of corporate prayer, praise and listening to preaching the Word, with other believers, are core elements. We do not gather for ritualistic practices. Rather, it is in obedience to God. We see believers who have had victories, and we are blessed. We see others who are in defeat, and we can pray for them and/or be warned by them. And we hear, in common with brothers and sisters, a certain message which must have a common impact. Don't hold yourself away from a local body. Ask the Lord to help you find one. Join it and hold to it, even when there are things you may not like. Our God directs us to be part of a local body of believers.
Isaiah the prophet had a vision. He saw Almighty God sitting on a high throne, exalted over all else. Isaiah instantly realized he was an imperfect being in the presence of the only perfect Being. Comprehension brought the clear witness of his own sinfulness, weakness and failure. This is a sign that we are drawing closer to God; we become more aware of our own sinfulness. We could not bear the full burden of understanding of our sin; it would destroy us. But as we grow in our knowledge of God, we also grow in the knowledge of our own sin. And it is only through His grace and mercy that we are able to continue on in our growth in Him. Just as Isaiah's mouth was touched by a coal from the altar of blood sacrifice, so too we are touched by God's Spirit bringing the power of Jesus to our need. Don't be defeated by the growing knowledge of sin; rather, choose to partake of the fire of God's Spirit, which cleanses and empowers, as we desire it.
Not many servants of the Lord today are given the gift of healing so as to miraculously enable a lame person to walk. But there are many servants who are so gifted as to enable believers to walk more closely with their Lord. These are they that disciple others. Have you had this experience? If you have then you know one of the sweetest experiences a servant of Jesus may ever have, enabling a brother or sister to live a more victorious life in Christ. The discipler teaches about the tools God has provided every believer to lead a victorious life in the midst of all circumstances. Peter turned the people's attention to the source of the power which enabled Him to heal the lame man, Jesus. Whatever your service, always be prepared to turn the glory to its source. As that happens, even greater opportunities to serve are given.
Man is made to worship and he will worship something. It ought to be Almighty God. But man is very inventive in this regard and may worship stone, wood, money, lust, another person, an idea or many other things. And what man worships, man serves. Today there are many distractions. Christians are not immune. Joshua was the helper to Moses, the spy that was not frightened and the leader of the Israelites into the promised land. He knew this truth, that what man worships he serves. Consider this as you look at your life and the things you serve. They will reflect what it is you truly worship. Let your service be rendered unto God Almighty. It is the only service that has eternal value and whose product will continue on throughout all eternity, to God's glory and your benefit. Be warned, anything less than God that you serve, the product of that service will be burned up and destroyed. Today, choose to serve the Lord.
When we pray, we need to be mindful of whose glory we seek, and what our motives are. It is not given to any person to know another person's motives. Only the individual, and God, can know that individual's motives. An individual must exert great effort to know their own motive. Whose will is it you want? "Oh God, take this difficult task from me," or "My Father, give me that desire of my heart...." The psalmist tells us that as we delight ourselves in God, He will give us the desire of our hearts. But this word delight means to be malleable or moldable. As we pray, let's ask to be continually molded into Jesus' image, so that when we pray, our motive will be single, God's glory, God's will; just like Jesus. There will be times when we ask for something to pass. But in the asking, we must consciously acknowledge that our desire is for God's best, His highest, and rest in the answer.
This Scripture is speaking of the teaching responsibility of parents. For too long Americans have let public education take care of teaching their children. This apathetic policy has given birth to a many ills. It is one of the primary responsibilities of parents to teach their children; especially to teach them of the Lord. The public school will never do it and Sunday School isn't enough. It must be done by the parents, every day, in a variety of ways. This teaching is to come from our lifestyle, and not be just in words. The children know the difference between words backed by actions, and those that are not. Scripture tells us to teach our children when we're relaxing at home, working in our daily tasks, including even the times of lying down rising up. If believers would take this to heart, they would initiate a new future for America. Take this command of the Lord's to heart today and embrace the responsibility. Children are a blessing from the Lord.
Recab means "Horseman." He established his family during Ahab's and Jezebel's rule. They led Israel to worship idols and fall away from the Lord. God-given prosperity was perverted into excess of many kinds. This compares with the current era in the United States. This nation, founded on Judeo-Christian principles, is consistently moving away from them, in the midst of great wealth. Recab didn't want his family to be so seduced; he gave commands that they not set down roots, but continue in a nomadic lifestyle. They could drink no wine because that would lead to planting and tending vineyards. Recab exemplifies holding to what is good and the radical action it might take to accomplish that. New scientific developments and social changes do not have to be followed. The Recabites held to their worship of Almighty God in the midst of great wickedness. Take your stand. Hold to the Lord, and decide today not to be drawn into the world.
Before you attend a worship service again, consider the One to whom you draw near. God Almighty is infinite. He has revealed Himself to His creatures through the creation and through His holy Word. In describing His character, we use words such as good, love, all powerful, all knowing and others. Add the word "infinite." God is boundless, endless, limitless and measureless. In this regard, consider God's holiness; He is absolutely pure; totally without sin; infinitely holy. When Scripture directs us to worship Him in the beauty of holiness, the thought is, here is One in which there is no evil, no sin. This Hebrew word for beauty carries the sense of expansion. God's holiness expands out from Him as its source. As His children we partake of His holiness, through His Spirit in us. Know that when you truly worship God Almighty, you bask in His holiness, partaking of it. Draw near to your Creator in worship and give Him all the glory.
No clearer statement in all of Scripture is given on who Jesus Christ is and His position. So many people consider themselves spiritually acceptable to God on the basis that they believe that God exists, or because they have done the best they could. But how far short of saving faith they fall. Knowing Jesus personally, believing He is God, accepting His atoning work on the cross is absolutely essential. Since Jesus is the way, we need to be following Him. Since Jesus is the truth, we need to be learning from Him. Since Jesus is the life, we need to be walking with Him. How much time do you spend learning from Him, or following His commands, or doing what He requires? There should be no greater desire in our hearts than to be found "in Him."
The Lord commands us to fear not. But how many of us do fear, especially when it comes to the unknown. Fear and faith mix about as well as oil and water; yet we walk with the Lord, day after day, with both of these operating in our lives. The fact that God knows all about us, even to the number of hairs on each head, should give us great comfort as we step out into the unknown future He has laid out before us. Can you step into tomorrow without fear? Are you able to leave tomorrow untouched by anxiety or manipulation? The Lord would have us grow in faith as we discover what great value He has given us. As our faith grows, our fear should diminish. Which of these is controlling your life today, fear or faith?
It is interesting that Jesus commissioned His disciples and sent them out in pairs to serve Him. He provided them with the needed companionship and filled them with power to do the tasks assigned. In other words, He called them, sent them out and empowered them. Do we expect Jesus to do anything less today? Does He not still call men and women to serve Him? Does He not provide the necessary companionship and provision to do the task? Does He not, also, empower us with His Holy Spirit to accomplish His purposes? Why is it that Christians struggle with the call on their lives? Is it because we don't want to respond, or is it because we have trouble understanding the call? And why are we so anxious about the necessary provision? Surely He who called us is able to meet every need. We need to trust Him for each of them!
There comes a time when each one, as a believer, must determine to see people and circumstances from a spiritual point of view. We must not continue to use our logic or emotions as the basis for what we pray for them. It behooves us to look beyond the outward and superficial to the eternal. While this may remain difficult for a time, with increasing saturation of our own minds with the Word of God, and with improving communication of our hearts with the God of the Word, we will grow in our understanding of the eternal point of view. This will revolutionize our intercession for others! Let us begin today to regard no one from a worldly point of view!
Joining God's forever family is an event which has horizontal implications, as well as the vertical one. God, the Creator, becomes our Heavenly Father; others who have accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior (those who have, will do the will of God) become our brothers and sisters. As family, then, we should love, respect, and help each other. Do you see this family interaction taking place around you in the body of Christ? Do you see fellow believers as family? Are you prepared to respond with help to those in need? So much that goes on or does not go on in the body of Christ is far from what God intended. We all need to cleanse our minds from the ruts of habit and tradition and think clearly about what Jesus is saying to us.
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, this Mary is the mother of Mark, writer of the second gospel. It is believed that her spacious home was a well-known center of Christian life and worship and was, perhaps, the place where Jesus observed the Lord's Supper on the night of His betrayal. Although she is only mentioned once in the entire Bible, it is possible that more happened at her house than is recorded. Her "sterling qualities" and deep faith in the Lord Jesus, along with her gift of hospitality, must have been a beacon of refuge from the persecution going on at that time. What kind of beacon are we? When persecution against Christians breaks out in our day, will believers be drawn to you for encouragement or help? Make your home a place of prayer and refuge in these last days.
Today, do we look at the sabbath as something left over from old thinking, old ways? Even as recently as the turn of the century, many godly homes observed the Lord's sabbath, and other than maintenance of animals, etc., no work was done. It was a day to attend church, be with family and reflect on the goodness of God. Popular books were written and sold bearing titles such as, SABBATH DAY READINGS, wherein were biblical messages with homely virtues extolled. Jesus made it clear that man was not made for the sabbath, but the sabbath for man. What does this mean, except it is good for us to set aside a day from our labors, and dedicate it to our God. We do not need to be legalistic about this, but the promise is still there, of riding the heights of the earth. That means to be and have the best there is. If today is the day you set aside to worship God, consider this: set aside that which delights you first, and delight yourself in your God.
It is impossible to know who and what God is but not exercise His special love to others. This is the proof of a person's walk with God. Love, in this passage, is absolutely not human. The human heart is a complete stranger to the kind of love described here. The definition for God's agape love can be found in John 3:16, it is self-sacrificial in nature; in I Corinthians 13, agape love is patient, kind, not jealous, doesn't brag, isn't arrogant, doesn't act unbecomingly, doesn't seek its own, isn't provoked, doesn't take into account a wrong suffered, doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness but in truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things and never, never fails. And last, agape love has Almighty God as its source. Love is not God, God is love. We cannot exercise this love without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don't see it in your life, ask God for it today and be prepared for a radical change in your life.
There are times in our walk with the Lord when we need to expand. God has enjoined us not to tolerate status quo in our walk with Him, but to progress in our knowledge of Him and His ways. As we grow in knowledge and obedience to God, more opportunities of witness and service are provided. By lengthening cords is meant, increase the area of your presence. If we have an attitude of remaining in place, taking no risks, then our service will be limited because our growth in God will be limited. There are times when we have gone through humiliation and discouragement, even to the point where we thought our witness was desolate. Strengthening stakes is to believe and act on God's promises: to give the barren woman children; give increase where there was no hope for such, and give honor where there was shame. Let's understand this today and purpose not to remain in place; trust Him who is able, expand the area of your presence, and strengthen your witness to those around you.
Has God blessed you abundantly with the riches of the world? In the United States this question immediately leads one into a comparison of those who have large homes, large incomes and such. But were we to compare ourselves to the vast majority of the world's people, every single American, even most considered disadvantaged, would come out ahead of most of their world neighbors. The point is, if you name the name of Christ as your Savior and Lord, know that the riches you experience, the riches of a free country, work and material goods, are all from God. They are on loan. And He expects us to use them for His glory. Yes, we have them to enjoy. But true enjoyment comes from putting such resources to work in His service. Riches can pass quickly, and be gone forever. Look at what God has given you, and decide to use these things in doing good.
