Today's Word for Friday May 28, 2010
NEGLECT
DEFINITION
Uncared for, disregard, fail in duty or performance through carelessness, negligence.
SCRIPTURE
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17
"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Hebrews 2:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Many times people we talk to justify neglect by excuses like, "I am too busy" or "later." In the work place today, many people neglect doing a job intentionally and again use excuses to justify their action. In the world we live in today, neglect is commonplace. Parents need to train their children, beginning at a young age, that just not doing something that they do not want to do is not acceptable. It is just plain neglect and done on purpose.
James says in the above verse that when we know that something is the right thing to do and we do not do it, it is a sin. This is called a sin of omission. It is as much of a sin as a sin of commission, like lying, stealing and committing adultery, in God's sight
The Bible has a lot to say about neglect as well. The verse we have put above from Hebrews is very relevant for today. Many people that we talk to these days keep turning down opportunities to accept Christ as their Savior. They always have excuses. Some simply say that they will accept Jesus later when they get older. Some just do not care even when they are told the consequences. It all boils down to where one wants to spend eternity. God has made it so clear in His Word that salvation is only available through the acceptance of His Son as their Savior. The verse above says, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION?
There is no excuse in God's sight for neglect. One may only have one opportunity in life to accept God's salvation. We do not know what tomorrow holds. What we do know is that God will not accept any excuse or neglect.
In I Timothy 4:14 the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy and other believers not to neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you by God. We all have been given gifts that God expects us as believers to use for Him. But so many never use their gifts as God expects them to do so. Again, God will not accept excuses from us for not using our gifts as He directs us to use them.
It is up to us as parents to, first of all, teach our children about God and Jesus so they can have the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior and not to neglect such a great salvation. Parents, also, must teach their children the difference between right and wrong. Children need to be taught so they know without any doubt what is good so that they understand that neglecting to do the right things in life is as much of a sin as doing the wrong thing.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Help me to be diligent in teaching my children about God and Jesus and how they can be saved. Help me to also teach them to do what is right and help me to be an example to them and to all that know me of never neglecting to do what I know is good and right no matter how busy or involved I am with other things.
May 30, 2010
Pride: May 27, 2010
Today's Word for Thursday May 27, 2010
PRIDE
DEFINITION
A sense of one's own worth, undue self esteem, haughtiness.
SCRIPTURE
"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 2:16
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
The apostle John was writing to believers that they might distinguish between truth and error that was creeping into the churches of that day. One of his great concerns was the pride that so many believers had, believing that what they had and what they had accomplished was because of their own efforts. John was exhorting all believers that pride was not of God but it is of this world and not acceptable in God's sight.
Paul also had a great concern about pride in the church. In his writing to Timothy in I Timothy 3:6, he was clearly stating what the qualifications were for bishops in the church of that day and that they must adhere to them. He made it clear that to be a leader in the church one could not be puffed up with pride lest he fall into the same condemnation by God as the devil did. Pride was Satan's downfall and he uses pride to keep us from a right relationship with God.
Jesus, when He was on this earth talking to the multitudes as recorded in Mark 7: 22 said that what comes out of a man's heart (with words) is what defiles that man. He clearly warned that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness. Take a careful look at the company that Jesus puts pride with. Pride is unacceptable with God.
James writes in James 4:6, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." As believers we need to constantly watch out for pride creeping into our lives.
There are many Proverbs that deal with the subject of pride. God has given these to us so we can be aware of pride in our lives and how He feels about pride. Proverbs 8:13 reads, "Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." In Proverbs 13:10 it reads, "With pride comes nothing but strife." Proverbs 16:18 tells us that, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Finally in Proverbs 29:23 we are reminded that, "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor."
God's Word has not one good thing to say about pride. Pride is hated by God and is destructive. Pride causes us to give ourselves the glory for things we accomplish. When we do not give God the glory for what He has given us and for what He enables us to do, He will remove His blessing from us. Pride will separate us from God.
Pride and arrogance quickly enter into a child's heart as well. Children love to brag that they are better or can do something better than their peers. They enjoy lording it over a brother or sister if they have something that the other does not have. Parents must teach their children that if they have been blessed to have something or have the ability or an opportunity to do something that they should be thankful and grateful to God because He is the source of all our blessings. God is the one who should receive the praise and glory for all we have.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Thank You dear Lord for these reminders as to how pride can affect my relationship with You. Help me to become more humble each day and may I honor You with any success in life that You give me.
PRIDE
DEFINITION
A sense of one's own worth, undue self esteem, haughtiness.
SCRIPTURE
"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 2:16
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
The apostle John was writing to believers that they might distinguish between truth and error that was creeping into the churches of that day. One of his great concerns was the pride that so many believers had, believing that what they had and what they had accomplished was because of their own efforts. John was exhorting all believers that pride was not of God but it is of this world and not acceptable in God's sight.
Paul also had a great concern about pride in the church. In his writing to Timothy in I Timothy 3:6, he was clearly stating what the qualifications were for bishops in the church of that day and that they must adhere to them. He made it clear that to be a leader in the church one could not be puffed up with pride lest he fall into the same condemnation by God as the devil did. Pride was Satan's downfall and he uses pride to keep us from a right relationship with God.
Jesus, when He was on this earth talking to the multitudes as recorded in Mark 7: 22 said that what comes out of a man's heart (with words) is what defiles that man. He clearly warned that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness. Take a careful look at the company that Jesus puts pride with. Pride is unacceptable with God.
James writes in James 4:6, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." As believers we need to constantly watch out for pride creeping into our lives.
There are many Proverbs that deal with the subject of pride. God has given these to us so we can be aware of pride in our lives and how He feels about pride. Proverbs 8:13 reads, "Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." In Proverbs 13:10 it reads, "With pride comes nothing but strife." Proverbs 16:18 tells us that, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Finally in Proverbs 29:23 we are reminded that, "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor."
God's Word has not one good thing to say about pride. Pride is hated by God and is destructive. Pride causes us to give ourselves the glory for things we accomplish. When we do not give God the glory for what He has given us and for what He enables us to do, He will remove His blessing from us. Pride will separate us from God.
Pride and arrogance quickly enter into a child's heart as well. Children love to brag that they are better or can do something better than their peers. They enjoy lording it over a brother or sister if they have something that the other does not have. Parents must teach their children that if they have been blessed to have something or have the ability or an opportunity to do something that they should be thankful and grateful to God because He is the source of all our blessings. God is the one who should receive the praise and glory for all we have.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Thank You dear Lord for these reminders as to how pride can affect my relationship with You. Help me to become more humble each day and may I honor You with any success in life that You give me.
Content: May 26, 2010
Today's Word for Wednesday May 26, 2010
CONTENT
DEFINITION
Satisfied, ease of mind and happy.
SCRIPTURE
"I have learned that whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Recently we were in the country of Panama. We took a bus for several hours and then rode down a river deep into the rain forest of Panama in a dugout canoe. We went to an Indian village where we met about 75 Indians. What we found, seeing how they lived, was what we had seen in so many other areas of the world. They had so very little. There was no electricity, no running water, no sewage system and they fished the river for their food. Their homes had thatched roofs with flimsy sides that could be ruined with a strong wind. BUT - they were content. They had very little worries, if any and they seemed so happy that someone came to visit with them and see how they lived.
In the verse above from Philippians, Paul was writing to the church in Philippi and thanking them for a gift they sent him. In this context he wrote the words that we have written above under scripture. These words show us that contentment is not a natural feeling among most men and women. Contentment is one of the flowers given to us from God. If we are to have contentment in our lives we must cultivate it like a flower.
Covetousness, discontent and murmuring are as natural to men as thorns are to a garden or the soil. We need not sow thistles and thorns because they come naturally to earth. This same reasoning deals with men. We do not need to teach one to complain, be jealous or even to lie about something. This comes naturally to all men.
If we want wheat in our fields, we must plough and sow the wheat. If we want flowers in our garden, we must first have a garden and then be willing to care for it. Contentment must be cultivated in our lives just like flowers in the garden. If we are to have contentment it must be cultivated because it will not grow in us by nature.
It is our new nature in Christ alone that can produce contentment. Even then we must be careful to watch it, maintain it and cultivate it with the grace that God has sown in us. Paul says in this verse that he has LEARNED to be content. By saying this he is, inferring that at one time in his life he did not know how to be content. The learning process cost him some pains in his life. There were times when he thought he had learned to be content and for some reason it broke down and he failed.
He wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 6:6-8 that godliness with contentment is great gain. He reminded Timothy that we brought nothing into this world and it is a certainty that we cannot take anything out. So therefore having food and clothing (for today) should give us all the contentment we need.
Now Paul was an old man, locked up in Nero's dungeon at Rome, writing to the friends he loved in the church at Philippi and telling them that he had LEARNED TO BE CONTENT! We learn through these words that we cannot be content without going through the process of learning. This takes discipline and will not come naturally. In order to be content we must learn not to envy or be jealous or covet what others have. Being content in Christ is an achievement that one must learn and then prayerfully work to attain.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Teach me today to learn to be content in You. Help me to realize that contentment comes through the going through the tough valleys in life. Thank You for teaching me daily as I read Your word and communicate to You through prayer.
CONTENT
DEFINITION
Satisfied, ease of mind and happy.
SCRIPTURE
"I have learned that whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Recently we were in the country of Panama. We took a bus for several hours and then rode down a river deep into the rain forest of Panama in a dugout canoe. We went to an Indian village where we met about 75 Indians. What we found, seeing how they lived, was what we had seen in so many other areas of the world. They had so very little. There was no electricity, no running water, no sewage system and they fished the river for their food. Their homes had thatched roofs with flimsy sides that could be ruined with a strong wind. BUT - they were content. They had very little worries, if any and they seemed so happy that someone came to visit with them and see how they lived.
In the verse above from Philippians, Paul was writing to the church in Philippi and thanking them for a gift they sent him. In this context he wrote the words that we have written above under scripture. These words show us that contentment is not a natural feeling among most men and women. Contentment is one of the flowers given to us from God. If we are to have contentment in our lives we must cultivate it like a flower.
Covetousness, discontent and murmuring are as natural to men as thorns are to a garden or the soil. We need not sow thistles and thorns because they come naturally to earth. This same reasoning deals with men. We do not need to teach one to complain, be jealous or even to lie about something. This comes naturally to all men.
If we want wheat in our fields, we must plough and sow the wheat. If we want flowers in our garden, we must first have a garden and then be willing to care for it. Contentment must be cultivated in our lives just like flowers in the garden. If we are to have contentment it must be cultivated because it will not grow in us by nature.
It is our new nature in Christ alone that can produce contentment. Even then we must be careful to watch it, maintain it and cultivate it with the grace that God has sown in us. Paul says in this verse that he has LEARNED to be content. By saying this he is, inferring that at one time in his life he did not know how to be content. The learning process cost him some pains in his life. There were times when he thought he had learned to be content and for some reason it broke down and he failed.
He wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 6:6-8 that godliness with contentment is great gain. He reminded Timothy that we brought nothing into this world and it is a certainty that we cannot take anything out. So therefore having food and clothing (for today) should give us all the contentment we need.
Now Paul was an old man, locked up in Nero's dungeon at Rome, writing to the friends he loved in the church at Philippi and telling them that he had LEARNED TO BE CONTENT! We learn through these words that we cannot be content without going through the process of learning. This takes discipline and will not come naturally. In order to be content we must learn not to envy or be jealous or covet what others have. Being content in Christ is an achievement that one must learn and then prayerfully work to attain.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Teach me today to learn to be content in You. Help me to realize that contentment comes through the going through the tough valleys in life. Thank You for teaching me daily as I read Your word and communicate to You through prayer.
Inquired: May 25, 2010
Today's Word for Tuesday May 25, 2010
INQUIRED
DEFINITION
A searching for direction or knowledge, ask about, investigation.
SCRIPTURE
"And David inquired of the Lord." II Samuel 5:23
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
When David made this inquiry of the Lord, he had already achieved great victories. He had killed the giant Goliath with only a sling shot. He had defeated the Amalekites and the great hosts of Philistines. All the people were singing praises to David for his great victories saying, "Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands." This all happened because God led David and went ahead of him to protect him. David knew it was the Lord's victory.
But now the Philistines came a second time and David would not go to fight without inquiring of the Lord first. Once he had been victorious he might have said as many others have said, I will again fight and I will be victorious again. He had the choice of either to believe that he had conquered once so he could conquer again or since he had won one battle by the strength of the Lord he would not venture on another until he had the same assurance from the Lord.
So as the scripture tells us, he inquired of the Lord. He asked God very simply, "Shall I go up against them again?" He then waited until God gave him an answer. We need to learn from David to not take even one step without asking for God's direction. As you walk down your path of life, take God as your compass. If you are steering your ship through treacherous waters, take God and put the steering wheel in the hands of God.
God promises us that He will instruct us and teach us in the ways we should go. The words once said of a Puritan were, "As sure as ever a Christian carves for himself, he will cut his own fingers." And another Puritan also said, "He that goes before the cloud of God's providence goes on a fool's errand." When we trust in ourselves alone we are doomed to fail.
As believers in God we need to learn to inquire of Him in all we do. It is so easy for us to rely on our own strength feeling we are invincible. But the times of failure will come your way unless you make it a practice to begin each day inquiring of God. Ask Him what you should do, how you should do it and then you can march out each day to face your challenges with confidence that God is with you and leading you in every step you take.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Thank You Lord for the example You have given us from the life of David. My prayer for today first is to always inquire of You the direction I should go and what You want from me. Secondly, when I receive a sign from You may I move forward with confidence, even in tough situations, knowing You are my God and with me every step of the way.
INQUIRED
DEFINITION
A searching for direction or knowledge, ask about, investigation.
SCRIPTURE
"And David inquired of the Lord." II Samuel 5:23
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
When David made this inquiry of the Lord, he had already achieved great victories. He had killed the giant Goliath with only a sling shot. He had defeated the Amalekites and the great hosts of Philistines. All the people were singing praises to David for his great victories saying, "Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands." This all happened because God led David and went ahead of him to protect him. David knew it was the Lord's victory.
But now the Philistines came a second time and David would not go to fight without inquiring of the Lord first. Once he had been victorious he might have said as many others have said, I will again fight and I will be victorious again. He had the choice of either to believe that he had conquered once so he could conquer again or since he had won one battle by the strength of the Lord he would not venture on another until he had the same assurance from the Lord.
So as the scripture tells us, he inquired of the Lord. He asked God very simply, "Shall I go up against them again?" He then waited until God gave him an answer. We need to learn from David to not take even one step without asking for God's direction. As you walk down your path of life, take God as your compass. If you are steering your ship through treacherous waters, take God and put the steering wheel in the hands of God.
God promises us that He will instruct us and teach us in the ways we should go. The words once said of a Puritan were, "As sure as ever a Christian carves for himself, he will cut his own fingers." And another Puritan also said, "He that goes before the cloud of God's providence goes on a fool's errand." When we trust in ourselves alone we are doomed to fail.
As believers in God we need to learn to inquire of Him in all we do. It is so easy for us to rely on our own strength feeling we are invincible. But the times of failure will come your way unless you make it a practice to begin each day inquiring of God. Ask Him what you should do, how you should do it and then you can march out each day to face your challenges with confidence that God is with you and leading you in every step you take.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 3:9.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase."
PRAYER
Thank You Lord for the example You have given us from the life of David. My prayer for today first is to always inquire of You the direction I should go and what You want from me. Secondly, when I receive a sign from You may I move forward with confidence, even in tough situations, knowing You are my God and with me every step of the way.
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