Today's Word for Friday October 1, 2010
DEPRESSION
DEFINITION
The state of being depressed; sadness; gloom; dejection; withdrawal; a low state.
SCRIPTURE
"Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25
"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my heart." Psalm 94:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
So many people seemingly are depressed day after day. Depression becomes part of a persons life by his or hers reaction to the "THINGS" of life that bring on a feeling of failure. It begins with anxiety and worry over such "things" as a job situation, a family concern, health issues, a financial need, a church conflict, a spousal argument or a conflict with a child. Worry and anxiety are major problems in the life of many people today. In fact it is known that close to 70% of all the visits to the doctor's office for illness is nothing more than worry or anxiety over one or more issues. This in turn brings on depression for most people and then one feels unwanted and lonely.
Depression is a serious problem for many people but there is a remedy. Depressed people tend to isolate themselves and think no one understands what they are going through. In most cases, no one is given a chance to understand and instead they seem to prefer to stay at home and have a "pity party." Depression is the devil's tool. It does not come from the Lord.
We have really not felt depressed very much in our lifetime. Yes, we felt sadness and sorrow at the deaths of both of our parents. Sorrow and depression are not the same; although many let their grief over the loss of a loved one put them into depression. Knowing that our parents were going to heaven made it more like sorrow than a depression. We believe that one of the major reasons we have not been depressed is because of our daily walk with God and that we keep very busy. We do not have time to get depressed.
A depressed person needs to understand that there is someone who cares. The scripture gives us that solution where it reads, "Cast all our care upon Him, for He cares for you." [I Peter 5:7]. When we are depressed, God expects us to pass those issues of worry and anxiety on to Him and let Him take care of them. But most people do not do this and evidently prefer to carry them alone. God accepts us as we are but loves us so much as to not to leave us that way. To solve your moments of depression, begin each day by taking time to ask God to take from you the concerns that bother you and ask Him to care for you, because He does care for you and he can take care of those things that cause you concern.
When we are depressed we need to talk about what is depressing us. It is true that most people do not want to listen to someone's problems, but God does. You can walk away from God but He will never walk away from you.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Help my family today, beginning with me, to submit to You and to cast all of our cares and concerns upon You. Help us to resist the devil as he walks around us today, as the scripture says, as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Give me a spirit of hope and not hopelessness, a spirit of humility and not of pride. Thank You for the blessings You bestow upon our lives, far beyond our hopes and desires.
October 3, 2010
Humility: September 30, 2010
Today's Word for Thursday September 30, 2010
HUMILITY
DEFINITION
The quality or state of being humble; modest opinion of one's own importance; meekness; not proud or arrogant; having a spirit of submission.
SCRIPTURE
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:10.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
"Therefore as the elect of God, put on tender mercies, kindness, HUMILITY, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another." Colossians 3:12
"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." I Peter 5:6
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Humility does not come naturally or easily. If we are doing what we consider "right" when others are not, or if we have had more success than another person, it is easy to think that we are the better person. The Apostle Paul cautions us against that idea by saying that we are to consider others better than ourselves. We all have an "ego" and we like to exalt ourselves. Peter and James tell us that we must let God do the exalting. When we start stroking our own ego, it is time to stop and remember what Christ did for us.
Jesus humbled Himself, setting aside heavenly glory to become a man to save us from our sins. In the words of the apostle Paul he said that Jesus "made Himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant." [Philippians 2:7] Jesus said of Himself that He did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. [Matthew 20:25] As Christians we are Christ's representatives to the world so we are to be kind, humble, meek, patient and peaceful as Christ was, in order that others will see Christ in us.
As Christians what we are and what successes we have are because of what Christ has done for us and through us. The credit must go to Him. Success and glory in this world can be fleeting and we can only take pleasure in it for a time. If we get conceited and gloat over our success, God can take it away from us and humble us very quickly. In Mark 10, James and John, two of Jesus' disciples asked Jesus for the highest positions in His kingdom. They asked for one to sit on His right and the other to sit on His left. Jesus denied their request and explained that greatness was not achieved by being in a high position but by serving others.
There are two issues concerning humility as it relates to our lives. Our first concern should be that we are humble before God. God expects us to come to Him daily with a humble servant - like attitude. In the verse above the reason for this is so He may exalt us in due time. We should be in awe of God, His power, His love, His sovereignty, and His blessings - all these should overwhelm us. What God thinks of us is more important then what others think of us. We should not seek the world's approval. We should seek God's approval.
It is amazing what can be accomplished when we do not care who gets the credit. Paul told the church at Corinth, "I planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase." I Corinthians 3:6-7.
The second issue is how we look to our family, friends and neighbors. Are we arrogant, proud and boastful? There is a huge difference between being confidant and successful compared to being arrogant and boastful. Many people we meet in life come across to those they meet as anything but humble. When one knows the Lord and has a daily relationship with Him, a humble spirit should radiate from ones life. Our family, friends and associates should see the spirit of Christ through all of our words and deeds. YES, God wants us to be humble so that others can see Christ through us. This will give God all the glory for all that we are doing.
This is not an easy task. We all have moments when we are successful and we want everyone to know about that success. Can you stay humble while enjoying that success? I can remember talking to a missionary couple ministering in Quito Ecuador some years ago. This missionary couple was sharing their victories with us concerning new contacts, new converts and new ministry opportunities that were coming their way. However with every victory mentioned they continually reminded us that without God this would not have happened. This is the humility that God expects from all of us.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Help me this day to get rid of any selfish ambition in my life so that through my words and deeds others may see Christ through me. Give me a humble spirit and a servant's heart. Give me open eyes to look at those around me so that I can show them kindness, love and appreciation. Guide my family today and may each of us do all we do today to honor Your name. Help us to always give You the glory for what You enable us to achieve in life.
HUMILITY
DEFINITION
The quality or state of being humble; modest opinion of one's own importance; meekness; not proud or arrogant; having a spirit of submission.
SCRIPTURE
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:10.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
"Therefore as the elect of God, put on tender mercies, kindness, HUMILITY, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another." Colossians 3:12
"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." I Peter 5:6
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Humility does not come naturally or easily. If we are doing what we consider "right" when others are not, or if we have had more success than another person, it is easy to think that we are the better person. The Apostle Paul cautions us against that idea by saying that we are to consider others better than ourselves. We all have an "ego" and we like to exalt ourselves. Peter and James tell us that we must let God do the exalting. When we start stroking our own ego, it is time to stop and remember what Christ did for us.
Jesus humbled Himself, setting aside heavenly glory to become a man to save us from our sins. In the words of the apostle Paul he said that Jesus "made Himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant." [Philippians 2:7] Jesus said of Himself that He did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. [Matthew 20:25] As Christians we are Christ's representatives to the world so we are to be kind, humble, meek, patient and peaceful as Christ was, in order that others will see Christ in us.
As Christians what we are and what successes we have are because of what Christ has done for us and through us. The credit must go to Him. Success and glory in this world can be fleeting and we can only take pleasure in it for a time. If we get conceited and gloat over our success, God can take it away from us and humble us very quickly. In Mark 10, James and John, two of Jesus' disciples asked Jesus for the highest positions in His kingdom. They asked for one to sit on His right and the other to sit on His left. Jesus denied their request and explained that greatness was not achieved by being in a high position but by serving others.
There are two issues concerning humility as it relates to our lives. Our first concern should be that we are humble before God. God expects us to come to Him daily with a humble servant - like attitude. In the verse above the reason for this is so He may exalt us in due time. We should be in awe of God, His power, His love, His sovereignty, and His blessings - all these should overwhelm us. What God thinks of us is more important then what others think of us. We should not seek the world's approval. We should seek God's approval.
It is amazing what can be accomplished when we do not care who gets the credit. Paul told the church at Corinth, "I planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase." I Corinthians 3:6-7.
The second issue is how we look to our family, friends and neighbors. Are we arrogant, proud and boastful? There is a huge difference between being confidant and successful compared to being arrogant and boastful. Many people we meet in life come across to those they meet as anything but humble. When one knows the Lord and has a daily relationship with Him, a humble spirit should radiate from ones life. Our family, friends and associates should see the spirit of Christ through all of our words and deeds. YES, God wants us to be humble so that others can see Christ through us. This will give God all the glory for all that we are doing.
This is not an easy task. We all have moments when we are successful and we want everyone to know about that success. Can you stay humble while enjoying that success? I can remember talking to a missionary couple ministering in Quito Ecuador some years ago. This missionary couple was sharing their victories with us concerning new contacts, new converts and new ministry opportunities that were coming their way. However with every victory mentioned they continually reminded us that without God this would not have happened. This is the humility that God expects from all of us.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Help me this day to get rid of any selfish ambition in my life so that through my words and deeds others may see Christ through me. Give me a humble spirit and a servant's heart. Give me open eyes to look at those around me so that I can show them kindness, love and appreciation. Guide my family today and may each of us do all we do today to honor Your name. Help us to always give You the glory for what You enable us to achieve in life.
Rejection: September 29,2010
Today's Word for Wednesday September 29, 2010
REJECTION
DEFINITION
To refuse to accept or admit; to cast out; to discard as unsatisfactory or useless; something or someone not wanted.
SCRIPTURE
"He came unto His own and His own did not receive Him." John 1:11
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Psalm 22:1 and Mark 15:34
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
It is one thing to be rejected by friends and associates, but quite different to be rejected by family. Any type of rejection hurts no matter where it comes from. Unfortunately some rejection is brought on by one's own actions. For others it may be because of their beliefs or just because of jealousy. When a family rejects one of their own it is usually based on a major conflict between right and wrong. The reason rejection is so painful is that it results in separation and abandonment. Children who are abandoned feel the pain of rejection for a lifetime.
While Jesus lived here on this earth He experienced rejection as well as all the other types of suffering we encounter in this world. Jesus truly knew the meaning of rejection. First, even His own people, the scripture says, rejected Him. Secondly it was the rejection and abandonment of His Father that He knew He must experience when He took our sins upon Himself that brought Him to His knees in the garden of Gethsemane beseeching His Father to take that cup from Him.
We cannot begin to imagine the agony of the physical pain that Jesus endured as He hung on the cross. There is no more painful death than death by crucifixion. As horrible as the pain was, it was the rejection and abandonment of His Father that caused Jesus to cry out in agony, "My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?" It is because Jesus went through that suffering of rejection by His Father that we do not have to endure the rejection of our heavenly Father for our sins.
"Why does nobody care?" was the question that rings so clear in my mind from a young girl living in a home that our organization sponsored for children with cancer in Honduras. Our interpreter told us what the girl was saying but we really did not need an interpreter because it shown so clearly on her face -- desperation and rejection.
There was no medicine or equipment in the whole country to help cancer victims. This young girl and her mother sitting by her side, felt so rejected and so alone. They did not think anyone cared even though we were trying to assure them that help was on the way but would it arrive on time to save her life? We did not really know.
But our organization did respond and soon there was medicine and even state of the art equipment to help assist children put their cancer into remission, the first such equipment in the whole country of Honduras. Unfortunately the equipment and medicine did not arrive in time to save this young girls life, but thousands of children since have been helped because this one girl moved us to action. Her feeling of rejection and abandonment was used by God to enable many other children in her country get the help they need even today.
All of us have days and times that we feel rejected. It may be because of a spouse, a parent, a child or a friend. When these moments of rejection come our way we must look to the Lord for special strength that only He can give. When we are feeling down cast, the only way to look is up. God understands how you feel because He knew rejection. We must learn to be positive in those moments of feeling unwanted. You must remember that at the lowest times of your life when you feel "REJECTION," that God loves you. When we come to Him with repentant hearts and in faith, believing in Him, He will never reject us.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me today to understand the rejection You felt when Your own rejected You and the rejection You felt on that cross paying the debt for my sins. Help me to look beyond the low moments I may face today to the glory that shall be mine when I am with You in heaven and receive my crown of life. Bless my family today and make them a blessing to those they meet who need an encouraging word. And Lord give me a new excitement and desire to serve You.
REJECTION
DEFINITION
To refuse to accept or admit; to cast out; to discard as unsatisfactory or useless; something or someone not wanted.
SCRIPTURE
"He came unto His own and His own did not receive Him." John 1:11
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Psalm 22:1 and Mark 15:34
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
It is one thing to be rejected by friends and associates, but quite different to be rejected by family. Any type of rejection hurts no matter where it comes from. Unfortunately some rejection is brought on by one's own actions. For others it may be because of their beliefs or just because of jealousy. When a family rejects one of their own it is usually based on a major conflict between right and wrong. The reason rejection is so painful is that it results in separation and abandonment. Children who are abandoned feel the pain of rejection for a lifetime.
While Jesus lived here on this earth He experienced rejection as well as all the other types of suffering we encounter in this world. Jesus truly knew the meaning of rejection. First, even His own people, the scripture says, rejected Him. Secondly it was the rejection and abandonment of His Father that He knew He must experience when He took our sins upon Himself that brought Him to His knees in the garden of Gethsemane beseeching His Father to take that cup from Him.
We cannot begin to imagine the agony of the physical pain that Jesus endured as He hung on the cross. There is no more painful death than death by crucifixion. As horrible as the pain was, it was the rejection and abandonment of His Father that caused Jesus to cry out in agony, "My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?" It is because Jesus went through that suffering of rejection by His Father that we do not have to endure the rejection of our heavenly Father for our sins.
"Why does nobody care?" was the question that rings so clear in my mind from a young girl living in a home that our organization sponsored for children with cancer in Honduras. Our interpreter told us what the girl was saying but we really did not need an interpreter because it shown so clearly on her face -- desperation and rejection.
There was no medicine or equipment in the whole country to help cancer victims. This young girl and her mother sitting by her side, felt so rejected and so alone. They did not think anyone cared even though we were trying to assure them that help was on the way but would it arrive on time to save her life? We did not really know.
But our organization did respond and soon there was medicine and even state of the art equipment to help assist children put their cancer into remission, the first such equipment in the whole country of Honduras. Unfortunately the equipment and medicine did not arrive in time to save this young girls life, but thousands of children since have been helped because this one girl moved us to action. Her feeling of rejection and abandonment was used by God to enable many other children in her country get the help they need even today.
All of us have days and times that we feel rejected. It may be because of a spouse, a parent, a child or a friend. When these moments of rejection come our way we must look to the Lord for special strength that only He can give. When we are feeling down cast, the only way to look is up. God understands how you feel because He knew rejection. We must learn to be positive in those moments of feeling unwanted. You must remember that at the lowest times of your life when you feel "REJECTION," that God loves you. When we come to Him with repentant hearts and in faith, believing in Him, He will never reject us.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me today to understand the rejection You felt when Your own rejected You and the rejection You felt on that cross paying the debt for my sins. Help me to look beyond the low moments I may face today to the glory that shall be mine when I am with You in heaven and receive my crown of life. Bless my family today and make them a blessing to those they meet who need an encouraging word. And Lord give me a new excitement and desire to serve You.
Tithing: September 28, 2010
Today's Word for Tuesday September 28, 2010
TITHING
DEFINITION
The tenth part of goods; to give or pay tithes on such as income.
SCRIPTURE
"You shall tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year." Deuteronomy 14:22.
A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is Holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will over flow with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Tithing has special significance for those who love the Lord, their God. It is a way of demonstrating that we put God first in our lives. Tithing is an important part of serving and honoring the Lord.
The Israelites were instructed by God through Moses to give God the first and best portions of their harvest and the best of their flocks to the Lord. It was a reminder to them that everything they had belonged to God.
When we do not tithe we are withholding what rightfully belongs to God. In Malachi 3:8, God speaking through Malachi says, "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings." Malachi had been sent to the Jews in Jerusalem to urge them to return to God. God goes on to tell them that when they rob God they are robbing themselves of God's blessing.
In Malachi 3:10, God tells them to bring their tithes and "test me in this," says the Lord almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Since we were children our parents taught us the importance of tithing. Tithing is the giving of the first tenth of all the income one receives before he spends it on anything else. Ken remembers the cup and/or glass that sat on a table for us to put even our few pennies from our allowance in each week. My [Dottie's] mother taught her three girls early on that if we received 10 pennies we should give the Lord the shiniest one signifying that we were giving our best to the Lord. It was a different day then, our allowance was in pennies. This training helped us realize the importance of tithing as we got older.
If a tenth seems a lot, then remember two very important things. First, all we have belongs to God. Secondly, we can not out give God. We personally have found out that the more we give the more God blesses us. We have always tithed and we are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has blessed us so abundantly because we tithe.
We challenge you to tithe if you do not now. We could give you hundreds of examples of how God has blessed others just as he has blessed us. We learned to tithe when it really hurt. We learned to give a tithe even when it was difficult to pay the bills and then we had to tighten the budget to make ends meet. But every time when we needed help or came to a crises God provided far and beyond our need.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Teach me today to tithe on all that You have blest me with. Thank You, dear Lord for providing for me and my family in such a marvelous way. We honor You and thank You for being our God, our Lord and our Savior.
TITHING
DEFINITION
The tenth part of goods; to give or pay tithes on such as income.
SCRIPTURE
"You shall tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year." Deuteronomy 14:22.
A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is Holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30.
"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will over flow with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Tithing has special significance for those who love the Lord, their God. It is a way of demonstrating that we put God first in our lives. Tithing is an important part of serving and honoring the Lord.
The Israelites were instructed by God through Moses to give God the first and best portions of their harvest and the best of their flocks to the Lord. It was a reminder to them that everything they had belonged to God.
When we do not tithe we are withholding what rightfully belongs to God. In Malachi 3:8, God speaking through Malachi says, "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings." Malachi had been sent to the Jews in Jerusalem to urge them to return to God. God goes on to tell them that when they rob God they are robbing themselves of God's blessing.
In Malachi 3:10, God tells them to bring their tithes and "test me in this," says the Lord almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Since we were children our parents taught us the importance of tithing. Tithing is the giving of the first tenth of all the income one receives before he spends it on anything else. Ken remembers the cup and/or glass that sat on a table for us to put even our few pennies from our allowance in each week. My [Dottie's] mother taught her three girls early on that if we received 10 pennies we should give the Lord the shiniest one signifying that we were giving our best to the Lord. It was a different day then, our allowance was in pennies. This training helped us realize the importance of tithing as we got older.
If a tenth seems a lot, then remember two very important things. First, all we have belongs to God. Secondly, we can not out give God. We personally have found out that the more we give the more God blesses us. We have always tithed and we are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has blessed us so abundantly because we tithe.
We challenge you to tithe if you do not now. We could give you hundreds of examples of how God has blessed others just as he has blessed us. We learned to tithe when it really hurt. We learned to give a tithe even when it was difficult to pay the bills and then we had to tighten the budget to make ends meet. But every time when we needed help or came to a crises God provided far and beyond our need.
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Teach me today to tithe on all that You have blest me with. Thank You, dear Lord for providing for me and my family in such a marvelous way. We honor You and thank You for being our God, our Lord and our Savior.
Condemned: September 27, 2010
Today's Word for Monday September 27, 2010
CONDEMNED
DEFINITION
Sentenced to punishment; to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on.
SCRIPTURE
"They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved -- all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 11 Thessalonians 2:10 b and 12.
"Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." John 3:18.
"How will you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
The message of the Bible is that we are all sinners as a result of Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden and as sinners we are condemned to spend eternity in hell. God, because of His love for us, sent His son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins.
People who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior do not want to hear about condemnation, or about hell. It takes them way out of their "comfort" zone. Preachers today shy away from preaching about hell because church attendees would rather hear a message that makes them feel good rather than face the fact that they are sinners in need of a Savior.
This is nothing new. Jeremiah was a prophet chosen by God to bring a message of condemnation to Jerusalem because they had rejected God and had turned to worshiping false Gods and doing all kinds of evil. They did not want to hear it. At the time Jerusalem had already been besieged by King Nebuchadnezzar who ransacked the temple and carried off to Babylon all the valuable temple articles. In addition he took all but the poorest people as captives to live in exile in Babylon.
Now Jeremiah was warning them that greater disaster was coming unless they repented and came back to God. The people chose to listen to the more encouraging message of the false prophet Hananiah. Hananiah told them that within two years Nebuchadnezzar's power over them would be broken and the temple articles would be brought back to Jerusalem.
Choosing not to listen to a message we do not want to hear will not change the truth. The encouraging message of the false prophet proved to be a lie. Jerusalem did not repent and Jeremiah's message of condemnation was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar again besieged and completely destroyed Jerusalem, the temple, the palaces and even the walls of the city were torn down.
God's word is truth. Paul tells us in Thessalonians that all will be condemned who do not believe the truth. The question Jesus asked in Matthew, "How will you escape being condemned to hell?" is answered by Jesus in John 3:18. "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
What about you? If you were to stand before Jesus today, would you stand condemned or would you stand forgiven and not condemned?
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Thank You for the assurance that I have of eternal life because I have asked You for forgiveness for my sins and have accepted You as my personal Savior. May my words and deeds today be a testimony to those I meet that they may see their need for You and that they do not have to be condemned to an eternity in hell.
CONDEMNED
DEFINITION
Sentenced to punishment; to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on.
SCRIPTURE
"They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved -- all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 11 Thessalonians 2:10 b and 12.
"Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." John 3:18.
"How will you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
The message of the Bible is that we are all sinners as a result of Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden and as sinners we are condemned to spend eternity in hell. God, because of His love for us, sent His son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins.
People who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior do not want to hear about condemnation, or about hell. It takes them way out of their "comfort" zone. Preachers today shy away from preaching about hell because church attendees would rather hear a message that makes them feel good rather than face the fact that they are sinners in need of a Savior.
This is nothing new. Jeremiah was a prophet chosen by God to bring a message of condemnation to Jerusalem because they had rejected God and had turned to worshiping false Gods and doing all kinds of evil. They did not want to hear it. At the time Jerusalem had already been besieged by King Nebuchadnezzar who ransacked the temple and carried off to Babylon all the valuable temple articles. In addition he took all but the poorest people as captives to live in exile in Babylon.
Now Jeremiah was warning them that greater disaster was coming unless they repented and came back to God. The people chose to listen to the more encouraging message of the false prophet Hananiah. Hananiah told them that within two years Nebuchadnezzar's power over them would be broken and the temple articles would be brought back to Jerusalem.
Choosing not to listen to a message we do not want to hear will not change the truth. The encouraging message of the false prophet proved to be a lie. Jerusalem did not repent and Jeremiah's message of condemnation was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar again besieged and completely destroyed Jerusalem, the temple, the palaces and even the walls of the city were torn down.
God's word is truth. Paul tells us in Thessalonians that all will be condemned who do not believe the truth. The question Jesus asked in Matthew, "How will you escape being condemned to hell?" is answered by Jesus in John 3:18. "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
What about you? If you were to stand before Jesus today, would you stand condemned or would you stand forgiven and not condemned?
LEARNING
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Thank You for the assurance that I have of eternal life because I have asked You for forgiveness for my sins and have accepted You as my personal Savior. May my words and deeds today be a testimony to those I meet that they may see their need for You and that they do not have to be condemned to an eternity in hell.
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