TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2011
HELL
DEFINITION:
The place of punishment of the wicked after death; the abode of evil and condemned spirits; any place or state of torment or misery.
SCRIPTURE:
The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God. Psalm 9:17.
“Then He will say to those on the left hand, depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Two days ago we discussed the word “heaven” and the excitement we should be having as believers looking forward to the day we will be there with Jesus. Today we will be discussing some thoughts about where people will go to spend eternity if they do not go to heaven.
The verse above from Psalms says that the wicked shall be sent to Hell. It is most important for us to tell you that if you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord then we can say with total confidence that you are on the way to Hell. Hell is not fictional. Hell is a real place for real people who reject the only true God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Making no decision about Jesus is saying no to Jesus and an eternity in heaven. God’s Holy Word, the Bible makes this very clear. John 3:36 states, “Whosoever believes in the Son has eternal life, and whosoever rejects the Son will not see life. There are no alternatives available.
PLEASE LET US EMPHASIZE – UNLESS YOU KNOW JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR YOU ARE HEADED FOR HELL! There is no compromise and the decision is yours and yours alone.
In Acts 1:25 we are told that hell is the sinner’s own place of torment. After Judas betrayed Jesus and seeing Him die on the cross, he was remorseful. He returned to the chief priests and elders and tried to make restitution. The scripture says that after he threw down the 30 pieces of silver, he received for betraying Jesus, at the feet of the chief Priest, Judas went out and hanged himself. As a result of his own transgression, Judas went to “his own place.”
In the verse above from Matthew we see that hell is an eternal place that God prepared for Satan and his angels. They are anti-God and have no choice but to go to hell. We have a choice. We can choose Satan’s prepared hell or the heaven which God has prepared for those who believe in Him.
The day before Jesus died on the cross He said to His eleven disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled, I go to prepare a place for you.” That place that He is preparing for us is in His “Fathers house,” which is heaven. The choice we have is either Hell, which is prepared for Satan, his angels or those who follow him or Heaven, the place in God’s house that Jesus has prepared for those who follow Him.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction (death in hell) and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, (heaven) and only a few find it.” Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
You have a choice either to follow the many on the broad way that leads to eternal hell or you can join the few and follow Jesus on the narrow road that leads to eternal life in heaven.
When people are angry with someone we often hear the words “Go to Hell.” People do not think how awful that statement is. Hell is a place of eternal fire, a place of darkness and a place of torment. In Matthew 13:50 we are told that those that are in Hell will weep and gnash their teeth. People gnash their teeth when they are in pain. Hell is eternal and when one is once there, there is no escape.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.
PRAYER:
Thank You for preparing a place in heaven for me. Thank You for sending Your Son to this earth to pay the penalty for my sins. And thank You for taking Jesus back to heaven to prepare a place for me for eternity. Give me a new dedication and drive to reach out to those who I talk to today to tell them that Jesus loves them.
February 26, 2011
Satan: February 24, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY FEBRUARY 24. 2011
SATAN
DEFINITION:
The chief evil spirit; the devil.
SCRIPTURE:
Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering -- you were the anointed cherub, I established you, you were the holy mountain of God, you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, til iniquity was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:11-15
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Yesterday we discussed the word “heaven” and the excitement we will have being with Jesus. Today we will discuss Satan. We encourage you to read carefully these words and do not be tempted to fall into the grasp of Satan. We all need to be aware of his influence on the world we live in and the influence he can have on our lives and the lives of our family, even as believers in Jesus.
Satan is the chief evil spirit in the world. He is known to most people as the devil. The verses above tell us that God created Satan and he was created perfect until iniquity was discovered in him. In talking about the origin of Satan, the scriptures tell us that he was the “seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” He was God’s appointed cherub, an angel. He was not just an angel but was God’s anointed cherub who was assigned by God to cover the throne.
Satan fell from his original exalted position when he decided to put his self-will above God’s perfect will. Five times in Isaiah 14:12-15 Satan said “I WILL.”
SATAN SAID:
• I will ascend into heaven.
• I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.
• I will sit on the mount of the congregation at the utmost heights of the sacred garden.
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
• I will be like the Most High.
Satan had become puffed up with pride and wanted to exalt himself above God. Satan’s prideful self-will became his downfall. When Satan was cast out of heaven he became “prince (ruler) of this world.” Satan fell from what God had given him, all because he wanted his will to be above God’s will.
Satan began his work in the garden of Eden, God’s garden and he will continue “seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8) until he is cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:10) You need to be aware of some of Satan’s work:
• He snares the unbeliever and takes him captive to do his work. (II Timothy 2:26)
• He entices man to commit evil. (I Thessalonians 3:5)
• He has the power of death. (Hebrews 2:14)
• He motivates professing believers to betray Christ. (John 13:2)
• He inspires believers to lie to God. (Acts 5:1-11)
• He enters into people and causes them to do his will. (John 13:21-27)
• He has the power to steal the Word of God from the hearts of those who hear the Word of God, but do not understand it. (Matthew 13:19)
• He blinds the minds of unbelievers to keep them from being saved. (II Corinthians 4:4)
• He will work through the Antichrist in the great tribulation. (II Thessalonians 2:8-12)
Satan is “bad news” but there is “GOOD NEWS”. God is greater than Satan. Satan is powerful but God has limited his power. Jesus’ resurrection, after He died on the cross, destroyed Satan’s power over death. Our faith in God and His Son Jesus, gives us victory over Satan and death. Satan never gives up so we must be wary of his attempts to entice us away from the Lord and we must stand firm in what we believe.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and heart.
PRAYER:
Give me spiritual understanding as I read Your Word so that I have the strength to stand firm against the devil. Help me to rely on You in all that I do and keep me looking up to You for direction and wisdom to meet every challenge and decision I face. May my life shine brightly for You and may others see Christ radiate through my words and deeds.
SATAN
DEFINITION:
The chief evil spirit; the devil.
SCRIPTURE:
Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering -- you were the anointed cherub, I established you, you were the holy mountain of God, you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, til iniquity was found in you.” Ezekiel 28:11-15
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Yesterday we discussed the word “heaven” and the excitement we will have being with Jesus. Today we will discuss Satan. We encourage you to read carefully these words and do not be tempted to fall into the grasp of Satan. We all need to be aware of his influence on the world we live in and the influence he can have on our lives and the lives of our family, even as believers in Jesus.
Satan is the chief evil spirit in the world. He is known to most people as the devil. The verses above tell us that God created Satan and he was created perfect until iniquity was discovered in him. In talking about the origin of Satan, the scriptures tell us that he was the “seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” He was God’s appointed cherub, an angel. He was not just an angel but was God’s anointed cherub who was assigned by God to cover the throne.
Satan fell from his original exalted position when he decided to put his self-will above God’s perfect will. Five times in Isaiah 14:12-15 Satan said “I WILL.”
SATAN SAID:
• I will ascend into heaven.
• I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.
• I will sit on the mount of the congregation at the utmost heights of the sacred garden.
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
• I will be like the Most High.
Satan had become puffed up with pride and wanted to exalt himself above God. Satan’s prideful self-will became his downfall. When Satan was cast out of heaven he became “prince (ruler) of this world.” Satan fell from what God had given him, all because he wanted his will to be above God’s will.
Satan began his work in the garden of Eden, God’s garden and he will continue “seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8) until he is cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:10) You need to be aware of some of Satan’s work:
• He snares the unbeliever and takes him captive to do his work. (II Timothy 2:26)
• He entices man to commit evil. (I Thessalonians 3:5)
• He has the power of death. (Hebrews 2:14)
• He motivates professing believers to betray Christ. (John 13:2)
• He inspires believers to lie to God. (Acts 5:1-11)
• He enters into people and causes them to do his will. (John 13:21-27)
• He has the power to steal the Word of God from the hearts of those who hear the Word of God, but do not understand it. (Matthew 13:19)
• He blinds the minds of unbelievers to keep them from being saved. (II Corinthians 4:4)
• He will work through the Antichrist in the great tribulation. (II Thessalonians 2:8-12)
Satan is “bad news” but there is “GOOD NEWS”. God is greater than Satan. Satan is powerful but God has limited his power. Jesus’ resurrection, after He died on the cross, destroyed Satan’s power over death. Our faith in God and His Son Jesus, gives us victory over Satan and death. Satan never gives up so we must be wary of his attempts to entice us away from the Lord and we must stand firm in what we believe.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and heart.
PRAYER:
Give me spiritual understanding as I read Your Word so that I have the strength to stand firm against the devil. Help me to rely on You in all that I do and keep me looking up to You for direction and wisdom to meet every challenge and decision I face. May my life shine brightly for You and may others see Christ radiate through my words and deeds.
Heaven: February 23, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2011
HEAVEN
DEFINITION:
The abode of God, the angels and the spirits of the righteous after death; the place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life.
SCRIPTURE:
This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool --- My hands have made both heaven and earth, they and everything in them are mine.” Isaiah 66:1-2.
“For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent Me, not to do My own will.” John 6:38
When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right side. Mark 16:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
What do you think about when you hear someone refer to the word “heaven?” We get excited because we know that we will be in heaven soon and we will see Jesus face to face. Won’t it be wonderful to sing praises unto God by the hour with the angel’s? We do not have good singing voices now so we are very excited to know that God will take care of our voices so we can praise Him. Have you considered standing before God knowing that He is God? As many say today -- what an awesome feeling that will be.
We will also see again our parents, members of our family and friends who have gone on before us. What a meeting that will be. And do you realize that there will be no more sickness, no more persecution, no more sin to live with and no more earthly cares.
These verses from the Bible that we have listed above cover three major thoughts we would like to share with you. First, the verse from Isaiah reminds us that God created the heaven and the earth and the entire universe which are His dwelling places. Secondly, the verse from John reminds us that Jesus came down to earth from heaven to do the will of God. And finally, the verse in Mark reminds us that Jesus ascended back into heaven when His work on earth was done to prepare for us a home in heaven.
Heaven, we know, is a place. In John 14:2 Jesus tells us that “In My Father’s house are many mansions -- I go to prepare a place for you.” Heaven is as real of a place as the place where you live. It is called a city whose maker and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10). In I Kings 8:23 we are told that heaven is above the earth. In Matthew 5:16 we are told that it is the place where God the Father dwells. So we can be certain that heaven is a place. Isn’t this exciting to know?
Heaven is a place prepared for the “saints” of God. A “saint” is one who by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has been spiritually born into the family of God. As members of the family of God, the apostle Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:2, to “Set your minds on things above (heaven), not on things on earth.” Faith in Jesus as our Savior changes our focus and our priorities away from temporal things on earth to heavenly things that are everlasting.
Our home on earth is only our temporary home. And for us that know the Lord, heaven is our eternal home. What a glorious place we as believers in Jesus have to look forward to. Are you ready? Have you accepted Jesus into your heart? If you have not, be sure to read the next two days devotionals. Possibly they will motivate you to make sure that you are going to your eternal home in heaven!
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.
PRAYER:
Thank You dear Lord for the “Blessed Hope” that we have to spend an eternity with You in heaven. Help me to communicate to my family and friends that the things we have on this earth are totally worthless when compared to spending an eternity with You. Help my life, by words and deeds, to communicate Your love to all that I associate with.
HEAVEN
DEFINITION:
The abode of God, the angels and the spirits of the righteous after death; the place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life.
SCRIPTURE:
This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool --- My hands have made both heaven and earth, they and everything in them are mine.” Isaiah 66:1-2.
“For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent Me, not to do My own will.” John 6:38
When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right side. Mark 16:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
What do you think about when you hear someone refer to the word “heaven?” We get excited because we know that we will be in heaven soon and we will see Jesus face to face. Won’t it be wonderful to sing praises unto God by the hour with the angel’s? We do not have good singing voices now so we are very excited to know that God will take care of our voices so we can praise Him. Have you considered standing before God knowing that He is God? As many say today -- what an awesome feeling that will be.
We will also see again our parents, members of our family and friends who have gone on before us. What a meeting that will be. And do you realize that there will be no more sickness, no more persecution, no more sin to live with and no more earthly cares.
These verses from the Bible that we have listed above cover three major thoughts we would like to share with you. First, the verse from Isaiah reminds us that God created the heaven and the earth and the entire universe which are His dwelling places. Secondly, the verse from John reminds us that Jesus came down to earth from heaven to do the will of God. And finally, the verse in Mark reminds us that Jesus ascended back into heaven when His work on earth was done to prepare for us a home in heaven.
Heaven, we know, is a place. In John 14:2 Jesus tells us that “In My Father’s house are many mansions -- I go to prepare a place for you.” Heaven is as real of a place as the place where you live. It is called a city whose maker and builder is God (Hebrews 11:10). In I Kings 8:23 we are told that heaven is above the earth. In Matthew 5:16 we are told that it is the place where God the Father dwells. So we can be certain that heaven is a place. Isn’t this exciting to know?
Heaven is a place prepared for the “saints” of God. A “saint” is one who by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has been spiritually born into the family of God. As members of the family of God, the apostle Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:2, to “Set your minds on things above (heaven), not on things on earth.” Faith in Jesus as our Savior changes our focus and our priorities away from temporal things on earth to heavenly things that are everlasting.
Our home on earth is only our temporary home. And for us that know the Lord, heaven is our eternal home. What a glorious place we as believers in Jesus have to look forward to. Are you ready? Have you accepted Jesus into your heart? If you have not, be sure to read the next two days devotionals. Possibly they will motivate you to make sure that you are going to your eternal home in heaven!
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.
PRAYER:
Thank You dear Lord for the “Blessed Hope” that we have to spend an eternity with You in heaven. Help me to communicate to my family and friends that the things we have on this earth are totally worthless when compared to spending an eternity with You. Help my life, by words and deeds, to communicate Your love to all that I associate with.
Priorities: February 22, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2011
PRIORITIES
DEFINITION:
The state or quality of being earlier in time or occurrence; the right to take precedence in obtaining supplies or services as during a shortage; the right to proceed others in order; something given special attention.
SCRIPTURE:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:35.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 2:6
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:39.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
A priority is something that is considered to be more important than anything else. Most people today do not set any kind of priorities in their lives. Just ask a few people when you see them today, “What do you plan to accomplish today?” An even more important question is what do you want to accomplish in your life? You will be surprised, we are sure, that very few, if any, will give you a definite plan of their priorities.
We are living in a generation where people literally live just from one minute to another with absolutely no direction or any kind of priority as to where they are or where they are going. The saddest thing we see is that people do not have any concern for others. They live totally for self.
To be a success in business you must have a business plan. This plan will outline the priorities that you need to take to be successful. The same is necessary if you want a happy family. You must have a plan, a schedule and a listing of daily priorities. You must outline how you will spend your time and schedule your activities.
These words, above, from the scripture gives us the most important priorities we need in our lives. The average person, even the Christian, will have a daily routine and they are stuck in a rut. They get up, maybe pray, grab a bite, go to work or school, come home, eat, watch TV, maybe talk to the family for a few minutes and then off to bed. And then people wonder why their life has no meaning. This routine is far more prevalent than one may want to believe.
We encourage you today to set goals and priorities in your life. God leaves no doubt as to what our first priority is to be. He states it very clear in Matthew 22:37-38: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the FIRST and GREATEST commandment."
Thus, your first priority must be your relationship with God. Every day you need to set aside time to read and study the Bible and to pray. Along with this you need study tools to help you grow spiritually. If this is not a priority in your life, you need to be concerned enough to make it a priority.
Your second priority is to your family. Parents have the responsibility of providing not only for their children’s physical needs but also for their spiritual needs. This includes involving them, with you, in reading the Bible, praying and going to a church. To do this requires a commitment of your time, and unless you make it a priority, it will not happen. Countless things will come up and become excuses for not having time to read the Bible, for not praying and for not going to church together as a family. When we talk to parents and they share with us their concerns, we almost always never hear that they set apart a time daily for their spouse or children. Your family must be second to God in your list of priorities.
Your third priority is to set Christ honoring standards to live your daily life by. We need to live by example because our children watch and listen and follow in our footsteps. Children need positive role models in their lives beginning with their parents. Parents have a responsibility to help their children do their school work and guide them in their school activities and other responsibilities. Those times of sitting with our children at the kitchen table, helping them with school work were wonderful times of bonding.
Is there an act of kindness or encouragement that God has urged you to do for some time and you just have not done it? If so, this should be a priority for today. Never get too busy to put off what God leads you to do. Priorities are dreams with a deadline and remember you cannot dream a dream too big for God. You need to set your priorities each day.
Every morning I (Ken) write down my priorities for the day and it keeps me on track. Try it and you will be amazed at how much you will accomplish. When you are setting your priorities ask yourself the question: "What is the center of attention for me today?" Then I ask, "Does it control me?" If it is not Christ centered, then change it. The key thought here is “control.” The priorities you set will control your life.
The reason many people do not go very far in life is because they side step opportunity and shake hands with procrastination. Think about this statement.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, o Lord, and prove me; try my mind and heart.
PRAYER:
Help me to keep my priority with You by loving You with all my heart, my soul and my mind. Give me wisdom to set priorities that honor You. Let my talk and my walk set a positive example for others. Help me to step outside of my normal activities to touch the life of someone who needs a special touch from You. Bless our family and help each one of us to be a role model for others.
PRIORITIES
DEFINITION:
The state or quality of being earlier in time or occurrence; the right to take precedence in obtaining supplies or services as during a shortage; the right to proceed others in order; something given special attention.
SCRIPTURE:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:35.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 2:6
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:39.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
A priority is something that is considered to be more important than anything else. Most people today do not set any kind of priorities in their lives. Just ask a few people when you see them today, “What do you plan to accomplish today?” An even more important question is what do you want to accomplish in your life? You will be surprised, we are sure, that very few, if any, will give you a definite plan of their priorities.
We are living in a generation where people literally live just from one minute to another with absolutely no direction or any kind of priority as to where they are or where they are going. The saddest thing we see is that people do not have any concern for others. They live totally for self.
To be a success in business you must have a business plan. This plan will outline the priorities that you need to take to be successful. The same is necessary if you want a happy family. You must have a plan, a schedule and a listing of daily priorities. You must outline how you will spend your time and schedule your activities.
These words, above, from the scripture gives us the most important priorities we need in our lives. The average person, even the Christian, will have a daily routine and they are stuck in a rut. They get up, maybe pray, grab a bite, go to work or school, come home, eat, watch TV, maybe talk to the family for a few minutes and then off to bed. And then people wonder why their life has no meaning. This routine is far more prevalent than one may want to believe.
We encourage you today to set goals and priorities in your life. God leaves no doubt as to what our first priority is to be. He states it very clear in Matthew 22:37-38: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the FIRST and GREATEST commandment."
Thus, your first priority must be your relationship with God. Every day you need to set aside time to read and study the Bible and to pray. Along with this you need study tools to help you grow spiritually. If this is not a priority in your life, you need to be concerned enough to make it a priority.
Your second priority is to your family. Parents have the responsibility of providing not only for their children’s physical needs but also for their spiritual needs. This includes involving them, with you, in reading the Bible, praying and going to a church. To do this requires a commitment of your time, and unless you make it a priority, it will not happen. Countless things will come up and become excuses for not having time to read the Bible, for not praying and for not going to church together as a family. When we talk to parents and they share with us their concerns, we almost always never hear that they set apart a time daily for their spouse or children. Your family must be second to God in your list of priorities.
Your third priority is to set Christ honoring standards to live your daily life by. We need to live by example because our children watch and listen and follow in our footsteps. Children need positive role models in their lives beginning with their parents. Parents have a responsibility to help their children do their school work and guide them in their school activities and other responsibilities. Those times of sitting with our children at the kitchen table, helping them with school work were wonderful times of bonding.
Is there an act of kindness or encouragement that God has urged you to do for some time and you just have not done it? If so, this should be a priority for today. Never get too busy to put off what God leads you to do. Priorities are dreams with a deadline and remember you cannot dream a dream too big for God. You need to set your priorities each day.
Every morning I (Ken) write down my priorities for the day and it keeps me on track. Try it and you will be amazed at how much you will accomplish. When you are setting your priorities ask yourself the question: "What is the center of attention for me today?" Then I ask, "Does it control me?" If it is not Christ centered, then change it. The key thought here is “control.” The priorities you set will control your life.
The reason many people do not go very far in life is because they side step opportunity and shake hands with procrastination. Think about this statement.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, o Lord, and prove me; try my mind and heart.
PRAYER:
Help me to keep my priority with You by loving You with all my heart, my soul and my mind. Give me wisdom to set priorities that honor You. Let my talk and my walk set a positive example for others. Help me to step outside of my normal activities to touch the life of someone who needs a special touch from You. Bless our family and help each one of us to be a role model for others.
Trials: February 21, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2011
TRIALS
DEFINITION:
Being tried or tested; subjected to suffering or grief; distress; affliction or trouble; a troublesome, wearing or annoying thing or person.
SCRIPTURE:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2.
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you." I Peter 4:12.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
During these past days we have had so many people share with us some of the “trials’ that they are going through. This includes friends that have been diagnosed with cancer or other similar diseases. Some have shared with us their concerns for their deep financial crises and their family concerns. We have heard from many Christians and Christian leaders and pastors living in third world countries who are being persecuted severely for their faith in our Lord.
God did not promise us a "rose garden” when we became Christians. In this life we will have trials. Everyone does, but Christians have God's promise that He will go with us through the trials. When friends tell us about their “trials” our response is consistent. We first assure them of our prayers and we do not neglect praying for them. We then urge them to put their complete trust in the Lord and to not try to carry the load themselves.
Paul suffered many trials on his missionary journeys. He was beaten. He was thrown in prison. While preaching in Macedonia and testifying to the Jews, the Jews became so abusive to him that Paul just gave up on them. It was then that the Lord appeared to him and said: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent, for I am with you." [Acts 18:9-10]. As a result Paul stayed there for a year and a half continuing to preach the Word of God.
Life, for most people today, is a series of trials. We do not know how stormy today will be but we do know that we will face trials. Peter warns us not to be surprised when we are faced with trials as if it were strange. Trials are a fact of life. (I Peter 4:12 above)
James also teaches us that it isn’t a question of “if” we will face trials but “when.” He also tells us to have a positive attitude in the midst of our trials and turn our suffering into a time of learning. It is through the tough times that we learn perseverance and patience.
One thing we are certain of is that if we have Jesus in our lives, our day will be victorious and our future is secure. Jesus has not failed us in the past and He will not fail us today or in the tomorrows.
Perhaps your world has collapsed. It may be a deep personal loss, a tragedy in your family, a loss of a job, a financial setback or even a family spat. Jesus is bigger then any crisis you might face today. He can rebuild your life. God can turn any trial into an opportunity. All you have to do is let God do His thing through your life. Reading God's Word and praying are the keys to conquering trials.
Possibly you hesitate or even question as to how you can put your “trial” in the hands of the Lord. You may say that you have tried but you still have the “trial” as a huge concern. But the key to letting God have your trial is that first you must have the assurance that you have accepted Christ into your heart. Please notice we said into your heart. Some people only accept Jesus with head knowledge and that is not what God wants.
Secondly, you must make a commitment that God is first in your life in all that you do --- not in some things or only on Sunday. You must be willing to let God have control. When you are totally committed daily to Him then as you read the Bible and pray, He will take over your “trial”.
No trial is too large for God to intervene and no person is too small that God does not care for them. We are reminded that during trials in our lives, when we leave it all for Him, God prepares to do something wonderful through our lives. He always begins a victory with a trial or difficulty. We must be ready to let go and let God.
Happiness keeps you sweet, TRIALS KEEP YOU STRONG, sorrows keep you human, failures keep you humble, success keeps you glowing, but only God keeps you going.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.
PRAYER:
Thank You dear Lord that thy Word assures us that You are with us through every trial that we may face today. Help us not to be fearful when a trial comes our way but to give You our trials and put our trust in You. Protect our family in all of the activities we have and help us to live lives that honor and glorify Your Son.
TRIALS
DEFINITION:
Being tried or tested; subjected to suffering or grief; distress; affliction or trouble; a troublesome, wearing or annoying thing or person.
SCRIPTURE:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2.
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you." I Peter 4:12.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
During these past days we have had so many people share with us some of the “trials’ that they are going through. This includes friends that have been diagnosed with cancer or other similar diseases. Some have shared with us their concerns for their deep financial crises and their family concerns. We have heard from many Christians and Christian leaders and pastors living in third world countries who are being persecuted severely for their faith in our Lord.
God did not promise us a "rose garden” when we became Christians. In this life we will have trials. Everyone does, but Christians have God's promise that He will go with us through the trials. When friends tell us about their “trials” our response is consistent. We first assure them of our prayers and we do not neglect praying for them. We then urge them to put their complete trust in the Lord and to not try to carry the load themselves.
Paul suffered many trials on his missionary journeys. He was beaten. He was thrown in prison. While preaching in Macedonia and testifying to the Jews, the Jews became so abusive to him that Paul just gave up on them. It was then that the Lord appeared to him and said: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent, for I am with you." [Acts 18:9-10]. As a result Paul stayed there for a year and a half continuing to preach the Word of God.
Life, for most people today, is a series of trials. We do not know how stormy today will be but we do know that we will face trials. Peter warns us not to be surprised when we are faced with trials as if it were strange. Trials are a fact of life. (I Peter 4:12 above)
James also teaches us that it isn’t a question of “if” we will face trials but “when.” He also tells us to have a positive attitude in the midst of our trials and turn our suffering into a time of learning. It is through the tough times that we learn perseverance and patience.
One thing we are certain of is that if we have Jesus in our lives, our day will be victorious and our future is secure. Jesus has not failed us in the past and He will not fail us today or in the tomorrows.
Perhaps your world has collapsed. It may be a deep personal loss, a tragedy in your family, a loss of a job, a financial setback or even a family spat. Jesus is bigger then any crisis you might face today. He can rebuild your life. God can turn any trial into an opportunity. All you have to do is let God do His thing through your life. Reading God's Word and praying are the keys to conquering trials.
Possibly you hesitate or even question as to how you can put your “trial” in the hands of the Lord. You may say that you have tried but you still have the “trial” as a huge concern. But the key to letting God have your trial is that first you must have the assurance that you have accepted Christ into your heart. Please notice we said into your heart. Some people only accept Jesus with head knowledge and that is not what God wants.
Secondly, you must make a commitment that God is first in your life in all that you do --- not in some things or only on Sunday. You must be willing to let God have control. When you are totally committed daily to Him then as you read the Bible and pray, He will take over your “trial”.
No trial is too large for God to intervene and no person is too small that God does not care for them. We are reminded that during trials in our lives, when we leave it all for Him, God prepares to do something wonderful through our lives. He always begins a victory with a trial or difficulty. We must be ready to let go and let God.
Happiness keeps you sweet, TRIALS KEEP YOU STRONG, sorrows keep you human, failures keep you humble, success keeps you glowing, but only God keeps you going.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 26:2.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.
PRAYER:
Thank You dear Lord that thy Word assures us that You are with us through every trial that we may face today. Help us not to be fearful when a trial comes our way but to give You our trials and put our trust in You. Protect our family in all of the activities we have and help us to live lives that honor and glorify Your Son.
February 20, 2011
Praise: February 18, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2011.
PRAISE
DEFINITION:
Commend warmly; glorify the attributes of God.
SCRIPTURE:
Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly … singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. Psalm 145:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
What better way to end a week and to begin a weekend then to talk about praise. The apostle Paul tells us in this verse above found in Colossians to admonish one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.
These words remind us about when we visited Kenya for a two day conference with the Pastors, church leaders, choirs and people from the some 75 churches we established their through our mission and the leadership of Rev and Mrs. Rhoads.
Some of these people who were the poorest of the poor walked for literally days to attend this conference. But what we remember more than their poverty was the way they sang their praises to God. These people had very little of earths treasures and they put us to shame in the way they praised God.
We have been in many places in our world where we visited programs we were assisting. So many times we would here an individual humming a song. This was their way to praise God. They sang and worshipped God even though they had so little.
We also remember our association with a ministry helping to establish churches for the deaf in the Philippians. You will never be the same when you sit in one of their churches and see these dear deaf people singing praises to God in sign language. They did not let their physical handicap keep them from praising God. No matter how you are feeling now; you can lift your spirits if you cultivate an attitude of praise.
When we think of God’s goodness to us and consider all He has done for us how can we not praise Him? When we are praising God we won’t be complaining about our problems. Think about what an impact and testimony it is to others when they see the joy we have in the Lord.
When our children were young we often sang children’s songs of praise that they learned in Sunday school, as we were driving places in the car. Whether it is through song or conversation, let your joy for the Lord reverberate to others. You will be surprised as to how many you will encourage just by praising the Lord.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Help me to praise You today in all that I do. May my praising You even by humming a song or encouraging a neighbor honor You and bless Your name. Lord, I praise You today for Your goodness to me. You are a great God and worthy of all praise. Help me to lead my children in praising You each day.
PRAISE
DEFINITION:
Commend warmly; glorify the attributes of God.
SCRIPTURE:
Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly … singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. Psalm 145:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
What better way to end a week and to begin a weekend then to talk about praise. The apostle Paul tells us in this verse above found in Colossians to admonish one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.
These words remind us about when we visited Kenya for a two day conference with the Pastors, church leaders, choirs and people from the some 75 churches we established their through our mission and the leadership of Rev and Mrs. Rhoads.
Some of these people who were the poorest of the poor walked for literally days to attend this conference. But what we remember more than their poverty was the way they sang their praises to God. These people had very little of earths treasures and they put us to shame in the way they praised God.
We have been in many places in our world where we visited programs we were assisting. So many times we would here an individual humming a song. This was their way to praise God. They sang and worshipped God even though they had so little.
We also remember our association with a ministry helping to establish churches for the deaf in the Philippians. You will never be the same when you sit in one of their churches and see these dear deaf people singing praises to God in sign language. They did not let their physical handicap keep them from praising God. No matter how you are feeling now; you can lift your spirits if you cultivate an attitude of praise.
When we think of God’s goodness to us and consider all He has done for us how can we not praise Him? When we are praising God we won’t be complaining about our problems. Think about what an impact and testimony it is to others when they see the joy we have in the Lord.
When our children were young we often sang children’s songs of praise that they learned in Sunday school, as we were driving places in the car. Whether it is through song or conversation, let your joy for the Lord reverberate to others. You will be surprised as to how many you will encourage just by praising the Lord.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Help me to praise You today in all that I do. May my praising You even by humming a song or encouraging a neighbor honor You and bless Your name. Lord, I praise You today for Your goodness to me. You are a great God and worthy of all praise. Help me to lead my children in praising You each day.
Evil: February 17, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2011.
EVIL
DEFINITION:
Immoral; wicked; harmful; a violation of moral principles; improper conduct.
SCRIPTURE:
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When we consider the evil in our world today, it is so bad that sometimes you might ask, “Is there any good at all in our world?” You can look at the newspapers, read the news magazines, listen to the radio or watch television and all you will hear is the bad (evil) things in our world.
The victim of evil is goodness. The goodness we are talking about is the goodness that God designed for us when He created our world for everyone to enjoy.
You can talk to friends and neighbors and you will find no shortage of opinions as to what is wrong in our world. From the day that Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” we have had to contend with evil. Beginning in the book of Genesis the Bible traces the ongoing struggle between good and evil in the lives of the fallen human race.
God alone is good. Psalm 94:15 declares that “The Lord is upright; there is no wickedness in Him.” Satan is God’s enemy and adversary. He is completely evil. Satan is called the evil one, the deceiver, a murderer, a liar, the tempter and the ruler of demons.
Sometimes it seems that Satan has the upper hand and we are powerless. When the terrorists brought down the world trade center on 9/11 we felt paralyzed and helpless. We could only watch the TV coverage in unbelief.
But those of us that have our faith in the Lord do not feel powerless in times of evil. Most of us feel evil on a smaller, more personal scale. In Romans 12:21 the apostle Paul tells us the proper response we should have to evil when he says that we are to abhor evil and not to repay it with more evil and more important not to be overcome by evil.
Evil gets all the headlines in today’s world but as believers we must remember that the goodness of God is stronger and He wants us to use it on His behalf to overcome His enemy which is evil. Just as light will overcome darkness, goodness will overcome evil.
Paul admonishes us to abhor evil and not repay evil with evil. He advises us in Romans 12:21 to “not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the promise that You give me when You say for me to bless those who persecute me and that I need to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those that weep. Help me to overcome evil in my own life and help me to be a positive example of Your goodness as I walk daily with You.
EVIL
DEFINITION:
Immoral; wicked; harmful; a violation of moral principles; improper conduct.
SCRIPTURE:
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When we consider the evil in our world today, it is so bad that sometimes you might ask, “Is there any good at all in our world?” You can look at the newspapers, read the news magazines, listen to the radio or watch television and all you will hear is the bad (evil) things in our world.
The victim of evil is goodness. The goodness we are talking about is the goodness that God designed for us when He created our world for everyone to enjoy.
You can talk to friends and neighbors and you will find no shortage of opinions as to what is wrong in our world. From the day that Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” we have had to contend with evil. Beginning in the book of Genesis the Bible traces the ongoing struggle between good and evil in the lives of the fallen human race.
God alone is good. Psalm 94:15 declares that “The Lord is upright; there is no wickedness in Him.” Satan is God’s enemy and adversary. He is completely evil. Satan is called the evil one, the deceiver, a murderer, a liar, the tempter and the ruler of demons.
Sometimes it seems that Satan has the upper hand and we are powerless. When the terrorists brought down the world trade center on 9/11 we felt paralyzed and helpless. We could only watch the TV coverage in unbelief.
But those of us that have our faith in the Lord do not feel powerless in times of evil. Most of us feel evil on a smaller, more personal scale. In Romans 12:21 the apostle Paul tells us the proper response we should have to evil when he says that we are to abhor evil and not to repay it with more evil and more important not to be overcome by evil.
Evil gets all the headlines in today’s world but as believers we must remember that the goodness of God is stronger and He wants us to use it on His behalf to overcome His enemy which is evil. Just as light will overcome darkness, goodness will overcome evil.
Paul admonishes us to abhor evil and not repay evil with evil. He advises us in Romans 12:21 to “not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the promise that You give me when You say for me to bless those who persecute me and that I need to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those that weep. Help me to overcome evil in my own life and help me to be a positive example of Your goodness as I walk daily with You.
Church: February 16, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2011
CHURCH
DEFINITION:
An edifice for religious worship; a body of Christian believers.
SCRIPTURE:
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. Acts 2:42
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The word “church” was first used by Christ when He told Peter that He would build His church upon him. (Matthew 16:18) Just before Jesus ascended into heaven He commissioned His disciples to be His disciples to be His witnesses and add to the body of believers. When Jesus used the word “church,” He was referring to all those who believed in Him. Today we use the word “church” not only for believers but also to identify a building where people meet to worship.
After receiving the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter and the apostles immediately began to carry out Jesus commandment to them and began to preach Christ’s message of salvation. On that very day the number of believers grew from 120 to 3000.
The believers were thrilled with awe, excitement and enthusiasm and as a result, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) Most importantly, “they continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching.” In other words they lived by all that Jesus had taught the apostles.” Their enthusiasm for the Lord was exciting to be part of.
In our churches today, this excitement and devotion does not prevail. Today many people think church people are hypocrites. The Greek word “hupokrites” is where we get our word hypocrites from. In ancient times it referred to actors who displayed changes of emotion by changing the masks they held in front of their face. Their real self was hidden by the mask.
Many church people today fall into this category. They faithfully go to church and give the appearance of a sincere believer. But look at them the next day when they get to their work place and take off their mask, then you will see the real person.
You may ask, as we have many times, why does this happen? It seems such people like to put up a good appearance. They have one foot in the church and one in the world. They cannot completely relinquish their worldly desires and submit their will to the will of God. They do not have a personal relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately many say they do but their actions tell the real story.
We also notice today that in many church services the excitement is not there as it was years ago. We need to admit that there are times we have been disappointed in going to church. Our concern is that many pastors seem to have lost their enthusiasm. They have lost their excitement in communication and the people feel it. We also have to consider the possibility that we ourselves are at fault because we come to church with the wrong attitude.
What can we do to make every Sunday special and the attending of church exciting? First, we need to go with the anticipation of meeting with God. Many times we do not go prepared. We need to bring our burdens and praises to Him and then see what He does in your life.
Secondly, go with the anticipation that you will learn something new about God. Expect to hear from God and expect to be encouraged by some truth you hear from God’s Word. And finally, go to fellowship with other believers. We need others in our Christian journey. Maybe an encouraging word from you or even a smile will affect someone who has come to church very discouraged. Ask God to make you a bright light to those around you and then ask Him to give you something new from His Word.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Show me today along with my family the importance of taking the time to worship God in church. Prepare my heart each week as I attend that I may be ready to hear Your voice as well as being a blessing to those that worship with me.
CHURCH
DEFINITION:
An edifice for religious worship; a body of Christian believers.
SCRIPTURE:
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. Acts 2:42
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The word “church” was first used by Christ when He told Peter that He would build His church upon him. (Matthew 16:18) Just before Jesus ascended into heaven He commissioned His disciples to be His disciples to be His witnesses and add to the body of believers. When Jesus used the word “church,” He was referring to all those who believed in Him. Today we use the word “church” not only for believers but also to identify a building where people meet to worship.
After receiving the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter and the apostles immediately began to carry out Jesus commandment to them and began to preach Christ’s message of salvation. On that very day the number of believers grew from 120 to 3000.
The believers were thrilled with awe, excitement and enthusiasm and as a result, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) Most importantly, “they continued steadfastly in the apostles teaching.” In other words they lived by all that Jesus had taught the apostles.” Their enthusiasm for the Lord was exciting to be part of.
In our churches today, this excitement and devotion does not prevail. Today many people think church people are hypocrites. The Greek word “hupokrites” is where we get our word hypocrites from. In ancient times it referred to actors who displayed changes of emotion by changing the masks they held in front of their face. Their real self was hidden by the mask.
Many church people today fall into this category. They faithfully go to church and give the appearance of a sincere believer. But look at them the next day when they get to their work place and take off their mask, then you will see the real person.
You may ask, as we have many times, why does this happen? It seems such people like to put up a good appearance. They have one foot in the church and one in the world. They cannot completely relinquish their worldly desires and submit their will to the will of God. They do not have a personal relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately many say they do but their actions tell the real story.
We also notice today that in many church services the excitement is not there as it was years ago. We need to admit that there are times we have been disappointed in going to church. Our concern is that many pastors seem to have lost their enthusiasm. They have lost their excitement in communication and the people feel it. We also have to consider the possibility that we ourselves are at fault because we come to church with the wrong attitude.
What can we do to make every Sunday special and the attending of church exciting? First, we need to go with the anticipation of meeting with God. Many times we do not go prepared. We need to bring our burdens and praises to Him and then see what He does in your life.
Secondly, go with the anticipation that you will learn something new about God. Expect to hear from God and expect to be encouraged by some truth you hear from God’s Word. And finally, go to fellowship with other believers. We need others in our Christian journey. Maybe an encouraging word from you or even a smile will affect someone who has come to church very discouraged. Ask God to make you a bright light to those around you and then ask Him to give you something new from His Word.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Show me today along with my family the importance of taking the time to worship God in church. Prepare my heart each week as I attend that I may be ready to hear Your voice as well as being a blessing to those that worship with me.
Bible: February 15, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2011
BIBLE
DEFINITION:
The collection of sacred writings of the Christian religion comprising of the Old and New Testaments.
SCRIPTURE:
“Whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24.
I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. I Peter 5:12.
They received the Word with all readiness, and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were true. Acts 17:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
God gave us the Bible so that we could know who God is and know His plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. This has never been proven wrong by intellectuals, scientists or others. But, unfortunately, many people today are not convinced that the Bible is true and whether it can be trusted as the infallible Word of God.
President Ronald Reagan had a plaque on his desk that simply read: “TRUST, BUT VERIFY.” He was a man that wanted to trust everyone but learned at an early age that not every person that told him something was accurate in their words. Thus he learned to trust but then also to verify what he had been told.
President Reagan approached his belief in God and the Bible the same way. When he came to find Jesus as his Savior his pastor developed a program with him to answer any question he had about God, the Bible or his faith with scripture as the answer. The Presidents faith in God was real and true because he had studied the Bible and knew that every word in the Bible was accurate and written for him.
This is a reminder for each of us today. Whether we are taught the Bible in church, in a Bible class, from a friend, Sunday school, the radio or on TV, we need to test what we hear by reading and studying God’s Word. II Timothy 2: 15-17 reminds us to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God, rightly dividing the Word of truth. If we do this we will not become prey to those who teach a different gospel and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
In the verse above Peter created for us a certificate of authenticity for his message on the grace of God. Peter was assuring us that the many messages, themes of hope and courage and even suffering were all authentic and demonstrated to us the grace of God.
In chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew, Jesus was teaching His followers how to live a righteous life that was pleasing to God. Jesus set down lifestyle principles that would set apart His followers from those of the world. Jesus taught that not only are His followers to keep His commandments but to “go the extra mile’ by loving our enemies and caring for the needy. Jesus expects more from us than just listening to His instructions. He expects His followers to follow His instructions with action.
Read the Bible daily and you will develop a lifestyle that God wants for you. Reading the Bible is the only way God can communicate with you. Try it and you will see.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Help me to develop a time each day to read the Bible so that I may learn from You what and how you want me to live. Help me to be the leader I need to be to involve my family and friends in the task of reading Your Word.
BIBLE
DEFINITION:
The collection of sacred writings of the Christian religion comprising of the Old and New Testaments.
SCRIPTURE:
“Whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24.
I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. I Peter 5:12.
They received the Word with all readiness, and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were true. Acts 17:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
God gave us the Bible so that we could know who God is and know His plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. This has never been proven wrong by intellectuals, scientists or others. But, unfortunately, many people today are not convinced that the Bible is true and whether it can be trusted as the infallible Word of God.
President Ronald Reagan had a plaque on his desk that simply read: “TRUST, BUT VERIFY.” He was a man that wanted to trust everyone but learned at an early age that not every person that told him something was accurate in their words. Thus he learned to trust but then also to verify what he had been told.
President Reagan approached his belief in God and the Bible the same way. When he came to find Jesus as his Savior his pastor developed a program with him to answer any question he had about God, the Bible or his faith with scripture as the answer. The Presidents faith in God was real and true because he had studied the Bible and knew that every word in the Bible was accurate and written for him.
This is a reminder for each of us today. Whether we are taught the Bible in church, in a Bible class, from a friend, Sunday school, the radio or on TV, we need to test what we hear by reading and studying God’s Word. II Timothy 2: 15-17 reminds us to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God, rightly dividing the Word of truth. If we do this we will not become prey to those who teach a different gospel and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
In the verse above Peter created for us a certificate of authenticity for his message on the grace of God. Peter was assuring us that the many messages, themes of hope and courage and even suffering were all authentic and demonstrated to us the grace of God.
In chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew, Jesus was teaching His followers how to live a righteous life that was pleasing to God. Jesus set down lifestyle principles that would set apart His followers from those of the world. Jesus taught that not only are His followers to keep His commandments but to “go the extra mile’ by loving our enemies and caring for the needy. Jesus expects more from us than just listening to His instructions. He expects His followers to follow His instructions with action.
Read the Bible daily and you will develop a lifestyle that God wants for you. Reading the Bible is the only way God can communicate with you. Try it and you will see.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Help me to develop a time each day to read the Bible so that I may learn from You what and how you want me to live. Help me to be the leader I need to be to involve my family and friends in the task of reading Your Word.
Love: February 14, 2011
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2011
LOVE
DEFINITION:
Affection for one another; an object of affection; any strong liking.
SCRIPTURE:
God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10
“Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Today, February 14, in America we celebrate a day that we call VALENTINES DAY. It is a day when everyone is supposed to show love. We are to express our love in a special way to our spouses, our children, our neighbors and our world. Because this is LOVE day, we want to talk about loving the world.
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that anyone that believes in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life. There are not too many people that have a world mentality when it comes to sharing their love and faith, but we are to love God and then respond as He commands us. Can you see beyond your daily routines, a world that needs Jesus and then are you willing to respond to their needs?
God has blessed us to be able to see the world from a mission perspective. We have been to 100 different countries and have kept our commitment to God that we made close to 54 years ago to help children and their families no matter where He led us to serve. We have developed what one might call a “WORLD MENTALITY.” Many people cannot see beyond what they can see with their own eyes. When we love God, He wants us to be concerned with a world that needs to know Jesus and He has commanded us to “Go” and “Preach” as is written in the verse above. This is what most Christians call “THE GREAT COMMISSION.” It is brief, yet forceful and uncompromising.
Jesus made two critical points to those that love Him. First, it is the gospel that we are to preach. This infers clearly that we are not to preach our own thoughts, ideas, beliefs, religion or philosophy. We are to preach the gospel --- the good news that Jesus came and died to pay the penalty for our sins --- because the whole world desperately needs to hear it.
Secondly, Jesus says that the gospel needs to be carried “into all the world.” The great commission was given to the whole church, every believer and is a permanent commission given to every generation, not to just the disciples.
You must respond to this command if you truly love God. The great commission does not allow for excuses like it is too hard, too far, and too dangerous or there are too many barriers. His command is an uncompromising demand that has no room for excuses. So as Christians we must reach out to the world we live in beginning today to share the good news of the gospel to every person in every part of our world.
As we have said before, begin at home, in your neighborhood and in your workplace. Only what is done for Christ will last. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, we show our love for Him by helping others and God does not forget our good work of serving others.
And even more important as a parent you have the responsibility as our parents did, to train us to be compassionate to the world. You must lead by your actions and then using the Bible share with your children what God commands us, who believe in Him, to do concerning our world.
Now is the day to begin and as you start sharing the good news with “YOUR WORLD,” then God will open new doors for you near to you or possibly, far away.
The critical point that we want you to understand about love, is that we are to show are love for God by showing love to your spouses, to our children and parents and to our neighbors. God’s great love for us which He showed by giving His only Son should motivate us to reach out to all the world to share the gospel – the good news that Jesus died to pay the penalty for ALL of our sins.
In 1 John 4:7-9 John put it this way: “Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Give me a new excitement so that I can begin today to share the good news of the gospel to the world that I live in. Give me the boldness and the confidence I need to be a witness to those who do not know You as Savior. Help me to be that shining light that You are looking for in my world. Challenge my family to join me in this new but wonderful ministry that You want to give us. Bless our efforts to share the gospel by giving us a fruitful ministry.
LOVE
DEFINITION:
Affection for one another; an object of affection; any strong liking.
SCRIPTURE:
God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10
“Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Today, February 14, in America we celebrate a day that we call VALENTINES DAY. It is a day when everyone is supposed to show love. We are to express our love in a special way to our spouses, our children, our neighbors and our world. Because this is LOVE day, we want to talk about loving the world.
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that anyone that believes in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life. There are not too many people that have a world mentality when it comes to sharing their love and faith, but we are to love God and then respond as He commands us. Can you see beyond your daily routines, a world that needs Jesus and then are you willing to respond to their needs?
God has blessed us to be able to see the world from a mission perspective. We have been to 100 different countries and have kept our commitment to God that we made close to 54 years ago to help children and their families no matter where He led us to serve. We have developed what one might call a “WORLD MENTALITY.” Many people cannot see beyond what they can see with their own eyes. When we love God, He wants us to be concerned with a world that needs to know Jesus and He has commanded us to “Go” and “Preach” as is written in the verse above. This is what most Christians call “THE GREAT COMMISSION.” It is brief, yet forceful and uncompromising.
Jesus made two critical points to those that love Him. First, it is the gospel that we are to preach. This infers clearly that we are not to preach our own thoughts, ideas, beliefs, religion or philosophy. We are to preach the gospel --- the good news that Jesus came and died to pay the penalty for our sins --- because the whole world desperately needs to hear it.
Secondly, Jesus says that the gospel needs to be carried “into all the world.” The great commission was given to the whole church, every believer and is a permanent commission given to every generation, not to just the disciples.
You must respond to this command if you truly love God. The great commission does not allow for excuses like it is too hard, too far, and too dangerous or there are too many barriers. His command is an uncompromising demand that has no room for excuses. So as Christians we must reach out to the world we live in beginning today to share the good news of the gospel to every person in every part of our world.
As we have said before, begin at home, in your neighborhood and in your workplace. Only what is done for Christ will last. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, we show our love for Him by helping others and God does not forget our good work of serving others.
And even more important as a parent you have the responsibility as our parents did, to train us to be compassionate to the world. You must lead by your actions and then using the Bible share with your children what God commands us, who believe in Him, to do concerning our world.
Now is the day to begin and as you start sharing the good news with “YOUR WORLD,” then God will open new doors for you near to you or possibly, far away.
The critical point that we want you to understand about love, is that we are to show are love for God by showing love to your spouses, to our children and parents and to our neighbors. God’s great love for us which He showed by giving His only Son should motivate us to reach out to all the world to share the gospel – the good news that Jesus died to pay the penalty for ALL of our sins.
In 1 John 4:7-9 John put it this way: “Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 100:4.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
PRAYER:
Give me a new excitement so that I can begin today to share the good news of the gospel to the world that I live in. Give me the boldness and the confidence I need to be a witness to those who do not know You as Savior. Help me to be that shining light that You are looking for in my world. Challenge my family to join me in this new but wonderful ministry that You want to give us. Bless our efforts to share the gospel by giving us a fruitful ministry.
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