Oh, that more Christians would pray this prayer! Take a few moments to consider what harm has been done you by another's words in the past month. Then reflect on what you have said that could have harmed them. This is not a pleasant task! In Luke 6:45, it says "For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." It seems clear that the heart and the mouth are profoundly connected to each other. What would your journal look like if you kept track of your conversations for one day? Jesus said in Matthew 12:36,37 "But I tell you that men (and women) will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Resolve to examine your heart and to restrain your mouth from sin.
Solomon's dedication prayer of the Temple is powerful, for in it he covers the whole range of possibilities of sin against another person and against God. In our relationships with those around us, there are unlimited possibilities for the need of forgiveness: for those we have wronged to forgive us; for us to forgive those who have wronged us. It seems that the Lord commands us to forgive and to receive forgiveness out of obedience to Him rather than out of emotional response. We need not know the heart condition of others in order to be obedient to the Lord in forgiveness. Do you have someone in your life that you need to seek forgiveness from? To forgive? Let us strive to live as up-to-date as we can in this area of forgiveness.
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, although the sweet-sounding name, Delilah, means "delicate" or "dainty one," there is no other female in Scripture who has such a tarnished name. She is symbolic of the women in our world today who use their personal charm to lure the modern day Samsons to their spiritual, and sometimes, emotional or physical destruction. Remember, Delilah's power over Samson would have been useless if he had not been morally weak already. Samson's betrayal, fall, bondage, and death can be attributed to his uncontrolled lust and unrestrained passion. For every woman who lures, there is a man lingering (hoping to be lured). It is no wonder that the Bible tells men to flee from such women. Each of us needs to make sure that we are not participating in either luring or lingering!
How often do we find Satan seated next to us in church helping us negatively criticize almost every element of the worship service we are in. Noisy children! (Suffer the little children to come to Me.) Someone singing too loud or off key! (Sing to the Lord and rejoice!) The preacher is not humorous enough, is too long-winded, isn't speaking to my particular need, etc. (Give honor to them who have authority over you...attend to their teaching.) And we all know there is more of this hell-born commentary. How pleased the adversary must be. Worship only the Lord God! Abandon yourself to Him in adoration and exaltation. What is it we want when we dwell on such negatives as those above? Some pitiful self-righteous attitude that we MUST be served in a MUCH better manner, we deserve it. Tell Satan to get out, and may God forgive us our sinful attitudes and enable us all to find contentment in one of His many gospel preaching/teaching churches.
Whatever a person's concept of God is, that is what they will dedicate their life to, and become like. A.W. Tozer said that if he could know what came into a man's mind when asked about God, the spiritual future of that man could be predicted with certainty. Is God some "Cosmic Santa Claus" who's there just to provide us with our desires; a Grandfather type, the "old man in the sky;" or "The Punisher," just waiting for us to make a mistake? What comes into your mind? "In the beginning God created...." This first verse of Scripture tells us, God is the Creator. There is nothing known to man that God has not made. He only is "The Great Uncreated!" There is nothing too difficult or unknown to Him. He has no needs because He is absolutely perfect! And the really amazing thing is, He wants us to know Him intimately, in His purity, holiness, wisdom and might. Commit today to spend time with Him, in His Word and in communication with Him through prayer. It honors Him, and benefits us.
John, the "beloved" disciple seems to have as much to say about sin and obedience as he does about love. John assumes sin as fact. We must understand that sin exists in us like a law, as Romans tells us. It is the inborn desire of pride, to turn to our own ways and means, and do our own will as opposed to God's. When we came to Christ we were forgiven the sin that separated us from our God. But we still have the capacity to sin. We mustn't make this verse a magic formula. The word "confess" means to agree with God that what we've done is wrong. Pray that prayer, and you'll find a degree of relief. But if you stop there, you are in danger of never changing the habit that enabled that particular sin to hold you. When you confess your sin, ask God to help you replace the pattern that led to it with a wholesome and righteous pattern or habit. That is repentance. Without true repentance, we'll be forever going back to I John l:9. Change the habit, with God's power.
Job, an oriental potentate, was also a judge. He truly held the reins of life and death in his hands. And just as today, power an wealth could influence justice. Not with Job. God accounted him righteous, so much so that He boasted of Job before the heavenly throng. Not only would Job search out a stranger's case, ascertaining the facts in an unbiased manner, he would go further. Knowing that the wicked preyed upon the weak, Job would see to it that their "fangs" were broken and their prey, saved. As we serve in our society today, not many of us are judges in the judicial sense. But often we are called upon to render a verdict of some sort, in some manner, whether it be in our home, or with a neighbor or at work. Remember Job, his willingness to hear the case, and search it out. And where we can, let's do what Job did, and go on to break the fangs of the source of the trouble.
Prayer is respectful communication. Have you been frustrated in communication with God? He tells us to pray, but we don't get what we've asked for. Jesus explained the Father is more than willing to give to His children. But there are three things which must be checked habitually. First, are we consistently obeying Jesus? Only then an answer to prayer is guaranteed. Second, have we checked His Word to see if what we are asking is consistent with His character? Third, is it important enough to persist? A man may get almost anything if he persists. We don't give our own child something bad if they ask for something good. If we don't, weak as we are, then how much more will God give us of His Holy Spirit when we ask. Only from God's Spirit in us comes the highest glory to God. Don't get frustrated, check your walk, be wise in your request, and persist, with God's highest glory in mind. When was the last time you "pulled an all-nighter" in praying to God?
The first commandment with promise! The broken families throughout the land today are a tragedy. If we believe the Bible is God's Word, absolutely correct and accurate, then we need to heed it. And whether in the Old or New Testament, the things recorded are true, and for our benefit. Like this command about honoring your father and mother. The circumstances may be difficult. But God's Word says honor our parents; He means it. He even gives a benefit of enormous magnitude with it, long life in a good land. Today many of us must purpose in our hearts to love and honor our parents, no matter what they've done, what condition they may be in, or what relationship they are in. God will bless us for it. His love will be released to us in such a manner as to enable us to bless our own spouses and families. If we cannot love our fathers and mothers whom we've seen, how can we say we love God, whom we have not seen?
Caleb could mean "forcible" or "bold." He wasn't an Israelite, even though among the chosen spies to go into the promised land as the eyes of the nation Israel. God's purpose was to let the spies see the goodness of the land and also those living in the land that would contest the entry by the Israelites. Some were giants. All of the spies came back frightened and dismayed, except Caleb and Joshua. We would expect Joshua to be a leader, he was Moses' right hand man. But Caleb? The witness of Caleb was that he "fully followed the Lord." What comes from fully following the Lord? A power to fulfill the faith! Even at the age of eighty, Caleb asked for an inheritance different than that of the rest of the Israelites, a mountain, one inhabited at that time by giants! Where are our Calebs today? The amazing thing is that each one of Christ's children can be a Caleb, a "bold one." Remember the faithfulness of Caleb and the power of life Almighty God was pleased to add to it!
Worship is direct communication with God. It includes adoration, meditation, exercise of faith, praying and praising God, and hearing the teaching of His Word. It is absolutely amazing that man can speak with God, and still live. But what is even more wonderful, is that when man does worship his Creator, he is made more alive than he was before the communication. Are you experiencing this aliveness from your times of worship? Meditate on God's glory and greatness, His creation, His goodness to you and others. Listen for His Spirit's instruction as you hear His Word. You don't have to wait for victory and power. You don't have to die and go to heaven before you realize blessings. They are here for you now. Worship your God in Spirit and truth, and you will sense the wonder and power of life in you.
By His own words we know that our God is supreme and sovereign! Many would like us to think that other religions are just as valid as Christianity, that Buddha is one and the same as Jehovah. Nothing could be further from the TRUTH! It is the GOD of Scripture that breathes life into a man; it is this same GOD that knows the number of hairs on our head and the number of days in our life. The circumstances in the life of a believer are carefully planned out ahead of time and carried out to the finest detail according to the pleasures of our Great GOD. Because He assures the believer "that all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28), what should our attitude be in times of trouble? in times of great joy? One of thankfulness - in all circumstances. Can you say that you are thankful in all circumstances?
The simply stated, yet profoundly deep truth of this passage, cries out to us to pay attention to what God says and to implement His instruction in our lives. Do you want the abundant life that Jesus provides for His children? Are you willing to invest some time to discover how humility and reverence for God bring you into abundant life? The world says we need to have good "self-esteem" in order to be happy in this life; that we should acknowledge our own goodness and the inherent goodness in others. God's Word says the opposite: don't do anything out of selfish motives, and consider others to be better than you are! What does this passage mean to you? Do you have the abundant life you desire? Look up verses in your Bible that speak of humility and see how you measure up. Ponder the reverence (holy fear) you have for the Lord. If you feel the need to start over, begin today by studying this verse until the Lord brings revival to your heart!
How different our thoughts and actions would be if we really believed this clear statement of God's truth! How far from God's ways is most of His creation! We act as if the earth is ours and that we do God a favor by giving him back a portion of it. We act as if our time is our own; that we can set aside a portion of the week for Him. How much better it would be for our ourselves and our families if we would consider EVERYTHING as belonging to God. We could work at any job, doing even the most menial task as unto the Lord - and find joy in doing it! We could go through trials believing that they were God-allowed, for His sovereign purposes in our lives, for our good, and find peace in the midst of them! We could be content with what we have, knowing that we belong to the Great God of Creation. Take some time today to write down some thoughts about ownership.
Prayer is such a privilege for the believer. Just knowing that we can come into His presence any time, anywhere, and speak to Him, brings great comfort. And knowing that not only the words from our mouth are heard, but the thoughts of our hearts are considered to be prayer, brings great joy! What changes should we make if we determine to have our prayer time bring pleasure to the Lord rather than pleasure to ourselves? How could we alter our thought-life so that the things we think about are considered prayer? We would do well to realize that God is our ever-listening Father.
Because of the disregard for the family as a vital institution in our society, we are experiencing major disruption in the passing of positive things on to the next generation. If fathers today are not following God, not living with or caring for their children, how are the children supposed to learn the ways of God? Children learn by walking in the ways of their fathers. Whose footprints are your children walking in? Where are they headed? As parents, whether mother or father, we need to be providing direction and instruction for our children - and the fatherless around us. Children are precious to the Lord. As believing parents, we will give an account some day as to what was or wasn't done to make sure our children walked in the ways we ourselves had followed.
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, Dorcas remained unconscious of the magnificent work she was doing on behalf of the widows and the poor. She did not aspire to be a leader or draw attention to herself by her many good deeds; rather, she was content to stay in her own home and try to do all she could in all the ways she could. Her acts of charity and unselfishness in her life came from a regenerated heart. This is contrasted to many persons in churches and social clubs today whose sole object is to do good for humanitarian reasons. Dorcas' inward grace prompted her outward deeds; her many good works flowed from a heart grateful to God for His saving grace. If we are to be Dorcas-like, we need to examine our hearts and make sure that the acts of kindness we do, come from a right heart with Jesus Christ.
King David was bringing the ark of the covenant into his citadel in Jerusalem. It was a time of great celebration, because where the ark was, there was God's presence also. Levites were assigned duties of ministering and song. And David entrusted this song to them on that day, from which our verse comes. Give to the Lord the honor and respect due to what He is, and who He is, and bring a voluntary gift to God. Can you imagine "coming before God" having made the appropriate preparations, arrayed in holiness, to worship God in the beauty of holiness? When we worship God, do we approach Him gladly, the One enthroned in glory, beautiful in His holiness? Or do we come grudgingly, half-heartedly? What kind of offering do we bring? It can be material or time, or even a purposing of the heart for Christ's sake. But it must be voluntary. Let's purpose to make our worship that which takes place "in the beauty of holiness."
Paul, in writing to Timothy, is explaining the need to steer clear of arguments over words. Paul knew the cunning arguments which would be mounted against the Word of God. This is the passage that follows the famous admonition to be a workman approved by God and unashamed. How else to be approved than to obey the word? And what need to wrangle over meanings of words unless they are found by the unsaved to be too difficult to follow, not quite convenient! But Paul says more here. God knows His own! What comfort we can have in this knowledge, that Him whom we seek to know, whom can be known by finite man, knows us thoroughly. We are known through the Foundation Stone, the Corner Stone the builders rejected, the Stone of Stumbling, and Haleleu-Jah, the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ. We realize we can know God, because He already knows us. With this precious knowledge, we should think long on how to avoid sin, and practice that thinking.
There are many hundreds of thousands of books in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Books on countless subjects, by countless people over hundreds of years. Some of those writings have been the seed bed for philosophies, political parties, religious movements and more. The writers have come and gone; most are no longer remembered. God's Word is remembered because it IS His Word, and it WORKS. The sad thing is, many of us don't pay any more attention to God's Word than to any other book. In the Bible are the tools to enable every believer to lead a victorious life. But day after day, the Bible sits unopened. We must take that Word, read it, think about it and so devour it that it feeds us. Memorize it! That Word transforms our thoughts and actions. Christian, take it today and feed on it and put it in your heart, that you might not sin against Almighty God, and partake of the victorious life!
It is interesting that in this day of modern convenience, medical miracles and men walking on the moon, there is much talk in the Christian community of Jesus Christ's return. Peter, in his first letter to the churches in Asia, notes that the end of all things is near, warning of fiery trials awaiting the believers. It is in this context that our verse comes. Stop wasting time, Jesus is coming! Stop speaking in your own voice, with your own words. If you speak, speak for God, with His words. If you serve, do it through the power which only God Almighty can supply. We must not serve only ourselves. And it is only in God's love and strength that we can speak righteously. Service here covers menial work, the service of a host to a guest, a friend to a friend, teacher to student and superior to subordinate. These are signs to the world. Whether Christ comes in the next breath, or the next eon, this is how we are to live, and serve. Do we?
Prayer is speaking with and listening to, God. How often do we really tell God what's going on inside ourselves? David wrote this psalm as an expression of his state of mind. One can consistently walk with God, but sometimes He seems nowhere to be found. We feel forgotten and accuse God of hiding from us. It progresses to self-pity, "How long do I have to struggle?" When you tell God, remember, He is omniscient, all-knowing. So why tell Him? First, it is commanded. Second, when you take something which has only been a thought in your mind, and say it to another person, you learn more about what you were actually thinking. God wants us to understand what we are struggling with and to trust Him to deal with it. Be bold, say what you are thinking, but say it knowing you are speaking with your Creator, and the Lover of your soul. Own this simple truth, and your heart will rejoice as David's did, as you understand yourself better. And let God deal with the matter.
How are things in your family with unbelievers, in your community, at your job? Here Paul is encouraging the Colossian believers in how to interface with the unbelievers surrounding them. This was usually a hostile group. What do you think the opportunity is of which Paul speaks? It is just that opportunity he prayed for himself, and for which all of us must be constantly praying. It is that time to speak the good news of Jesus Christ. We are not to speak it as a formula, but within the context which Christ has placed us, pertinent, making sense to the one to whom we speak. We need to ask ourselves, are we acting wisely toward unbelievers, with the goal in heart and mind of being able to share Jesus Christ with them? Or are we acting just like them, getting by, not giving anyone cause to question us about our faith? Let's not be worldly-wise, but wise in Christ, and purchase a timely opportunity to witness, prudently and with discretion.
A soldier, the head of an all native Roman band of soldiers who had turned to God. He became the first Gentile convert. Cornelius means "Sunbeam," and his conversion signalled that Light had come to the Gentiles. Jew and Gentile became the same in Christ. It was Cornelius to whom God spoke by an angel to send for Peter. Peter was given a vision three times, seeing a sheet full of all kinds of animals lowered down from heaven. In the vision Peter heard God say that he should not make anything impure that God had made clean. This was revolutionary for the Jewish Christian, a complete break with the past! We need to ask ourselves if we are holding out a personal list of things and/or people that we consider, not quite right. Let's hold it up to the light of God and see whether indeed we should be holding these things out from us. God will show us.
We are blessed in the United States with a wide variety of churches. Unity in diversity is a blessing. For those churches that preach and teach God's Word, there are many different types of worship services. Some are more quiet, and liturgy is a regular part. Others are very lively, with much participation from the congregation and nothing liturgical. And there are many in between. But no matter what our preference for worship and attending our God in church, one principle governs all. "Let all things be done for edification." An edifying service focuses on God, His attributes and Word; it raises the congregation's sights above themselves to the only Perfect One; it promotes Jesus Christ and not individuals. True worship is the most edifying, uplifting and convicting act there is. If you are not experiencing that daily, find a church that will enable you.
It is so hard for our limited mental capacity to grasp the concept of eternity, yet the Scriptures challenge us to stretch beyond the logic of what we know to what we could not know apart from spiritual enlightenment. There was never a time when God was not there. Nor will there ever be a time when God will not be. No other can make this claim and prove it! But we have all the proof we need in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What does this mean to you? Do you sense the awesomeness of being so intimately related to God that you are described as being "in Christ?" If you sense that your life does not reflect this incredible truth, you can change it! Determine to spend 30 minutes a day for the next several months studying the attributes of God (grace, mercy, omnipotence, faithfulness, love, wrath, omnipresence, holiness, truth, justness, omniscience, sovereignty, immutability, patience, goodness, supremity, solitariness). The fruits of this endeavor will be life-changing!
The whole passage of I Peter 3 has to do with relationships; but before you can have a good relationship with someone else, you must be in right relationship with the Lord. The gentle and quiet spirit spoken of here is said to be of great worth to God. Why do you suppose that is? Are we born with a gentle spirit? Are we quiet by nature? These inner qualities are said to be unfading. Does that mean over time and through troubles that they will remain? Our model for this gentle and quiet spirit is our Lord Jesus Christ. Reread the Gospel accounts of His life looking particularly for evidences of these qualities in His relationships with others. Would the people who know you best say that you have a gentle and quiet spirit? If not, remember, it is never too late to start over with the Lord. Ask Him to begin this new work in you today!
These are strange words to try and apply to our lives in the '90s! No one waits for anything or anyone! We are all in the fast lane doing our own thing! To wait upon Him takes strength and courage: strength of character to "will" to wait, and courage to do what others do not. To do something that has eternal significance, it must be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, not logic or emotion. To move out in service of any kind, and do it in the flesh will profit us nothing. When we come to understand that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts, it will become easier to wait for the Lord. Have you experienced times in your own life when you should have waited for the Lord and didn't? Did you learn the lesson well, or will you have to suffer again? Most of us will not come to an understanding of this vital truth without many failures. But be encouraged to keep on trying, and WAIT FOR THE LORD!
Paul wrote this in a letter to the Christians at Ephesus to encourage them in their faith. He goes on to list some truly wonderful and inspirational requests on their behalf. How comforting this must have been to those new believers to have someone as important as Paul, the Apostle, praying for them like this! How would you feel if you received a letter like this from the person who led you to the Lord? Wouldn't you be thrilled! This clearly shows how precious each and every one of us is to the Lord. It also shows our responsibility to those that are watching us or that we have led to Him. Do you pray for those entrusted to your care? Have you maintained contact with people that you have discipled through the years? We probably have no idea what encouragement it would be for others to know that we are praying for them on a daily basis, especially if it is the kind of prayer Paul prayed in this passage in Ephesians. Contact these people, today.
The Lord is speaking here to each of us as His children. Our heavenly Father cares enough about us to individualize our instruction and guide us in the particular path He has planned for us. When we get confused or distraught, He even promises to counsel us. As we embark on our pilgrimage, He says He will watch over us. The loving, tender, and personal care the Father has for us should be our example. We should be willing to personalize the care we then give to others, either in our own family or the family of God. Programs for the masses just don't seem to be a part of how God deals with us. Are we willing to get personal? It takes time to build personal relationships, but it seems like the only way if we desire to be obedient and do it God's way. Think about it!
According to Lockyer's ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was a godly woman. Like Sarah though, she was childless until her old age. Then God performed a miracle and she conceived. Not only was she privileged to bare the forerunner of Christ, she was also the first woman to confess that Jesus was Emanuel, God with Us. Elisabeth means "righteous before God" and blameless in character. Those women today who are willing to follow her example will partake of that same righteousness and blamelessness; and may also be used of God in powerful ways as they demonstrate that God is indeed with us! Consider Elisabeth as a model of righteousness.
