NOVEMBER 4 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2011
GENTLE
DEFINITION:
Mild in manner or disposition; tender; peaceful; tame; kind.
SCRIPTURE:
“Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very special in the sight of the Lord.” 1 Peter3:4.
“See, your king comes to you gentle and riding on a donkey.” Matthew 21:5.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29.
“To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One of the characteristics of Jesus is that He is gentle. Matthew describes Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the coming of a gentle king. Kings are usually tyrants and arrogant and war-like. Jesus is the opposite. He is gentle, humble and peaceful. Jesus is depicted as a shepherd and a shepherd gently leads his sheep and carries the lambs that need help. He never forcefully drives his sheep.
The prophet Isaiah tells of the coming of the Lord and in Isaiah 40:11 says “He will feed His flock like a Shepherd; He will gather His lambs with His arm, and carry them close to His heart, and gently lead those who have young.” How comforting and encouraging to know that we have a gentle Savior who not only leads us in the right path but when the going gets hard He lifts us up and carries us close to His heart.
During Jesus ministry on earth parents sought to bring their small children to Jesus for His blessing. The disciples tried to stop them, thinking that children were too insignificant to take up the time of Jesus and interrupt His ministry. Jesus rebuked the disciples and gently and tenderly called the children to come to Him, saying to His disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Luke 18:15-16). Our gentle Savior invites all, no matter how young or old or how insignificant we might think we are, to come to Him.
The scriptures give us many illustrations on how Jesus was gentle to those He met and how we need to be gentle in all that we do. We need to be gentle to our spouses, to our children, to our family and to our friends. Gentleness requires showing consideration for others. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:5 to “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”
Gentleness is a characteristic missing from the lifestyles of most people today. In our family, Dottie is very gentle and Ken is more aggressive. Dottie has always had a very caring attitude toward all kinds of people that always begins with gentleness. This is a trait that we all need to work on daily.
Most of us are not gentle by nature. In II Timothy 2:24, the Apostle Paul exhorts us as Christians by saying: “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach and be patient.” The scripture also reminds us that we need wisdom as given to us from God which is pure, peaceable and gentle. James 3:17.
In Proverbs 15:1 it tells us that a gentle or kind answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Our challenge to you today is to be gentle in your speech and treat people with consideration and kindness. We are sure that you will get a response from those who know you that will bless you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord for being my gentle Savior and shepherd who leads me in the right path. Help me to be gentle in all that I say to people and in all that I do. Help me to show my love for my Lord by my gentle spirit and by my acts of kindness.
November 6, 2011
Joy: November 3, 2011
NOVEMBER 3 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2011
JOY
DEFINITION:
A feeling or state of gladness, elation or rejoicing; An emotion of sudden pleasure; exultant satisfaction; keen delight; an emotion evoked by well-being or by success.
SCRIPTURE:
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.
“These things that I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Joy as spoken of in the Bible is not based on the happiness that the world considers happiness. Joy will not come to a person because he or she has wealth, possessions, fame or status. People work hard to obtain these things in order to find happiness, but as Solomon, who had everything, tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:2, that it is all meaningless.
Webster’s closest definition of JOY as used in the Bible is “exultant satisfaction.” Only those who know the Lord understand the true meaning of JOY. Those who have accepted Christ as their Savior have peace in their heart and “exultant satisfaction” because they know their sins have been forgiven and that God loves them.
Jesus explains what He means when He says “MY JOY” in John 15:11 (above). In the previous two verses He says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His Love.” Jesus loved His Father and found joy in doing the will of His Father and obeying His Father’s commands. When we do the will of our Heavenly Father and obey His commands, we will come to know that joy that Jesus has. This is the “JOY’ we pray you have in your life.
In the scripture, Matthew 25:21 where Jesus told the parable of the “Talents”, He talked about the joy that the master had in his heart when one of his servants responded as he had hoped. He said: “Well done good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of the Lord.” The servant’s faithfulness and the success he obtained because of his faithfulness brought joy to his master and allowed the servant to share in the master’s happiness. There is joy in doing well because it pleases our Lord.
The apostle Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit that are evidenced in the lives of Christians through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. These are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. [Galatians 5:22-23]. Only those who have united themselves with Christ can understand the true meaning of joy. James reminds us in James 1:2 that when we face the trials in our day to day life we are to “count it all joy.” He does not mean we are to be happy about our trials, but we are to face our trials with an attitude of joy because of what it can produce in our life for Christ’s glory. Joy is a vital need for our everyday peace of mind.
What we learn from the scripture is that we as believers can have a spirit of joy that is not based on the positive or negative circumstances of our life. When we have the “JOY OF THE LORD’ in our life we will find it easier to face the difficulties of life.
The bottom line that we learn from these scriptures and from what we have learned in real life is that we are to face every moment of every day with a spirit of Joy! When we do this the negatives in life seem to diminish and the positives of life seem to stay with us. We all need to remember to put Christ first in our lives and be obedient to all of His commandments.
Over the years we have had several close friends that were facing serious health problems. Each one had been through many tests, consultations, treatments and medicines and you often wondered how much they could humanly take. But the one thing that was true in each of their lives was that they were living each day with a spirit of joy. They did all that they could from a medical perspective and they responded to their doctors care. They put everything into God’s hands. They prayed for healing daily, as did scores of their friends. They understood the meaning of Psalm 30:5 where it says that weeping and suffering lasts only for a while, but for the believer there is joy coming. They were living their lives full of joy and hope. They were all ready to meet their Lord but each one also realized that they still had a mission here on this earth until God took them home. That mission was to share their faith, their attitude and their joy with others. Do you live a life of joy? If not, we encourage you to ask God today to give you a life of joy.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Give me joy in my life throughout today. Help me to realize that whatever happens to me today that according to the words of James, I am to count it all joy. Give me wisdom to make decisions that honor You and give me Your joy in my heart so that my joy may be full.
JOY
DEFINITION:
A feeling or state of gladness, elation or rejoicing; An emotion of sudden pleasure; exultant satisfaction; keen delight; an emotion evoked by well-being or by success.
SCRIPTURE:
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.
“These things that I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Joy as spoken of in the Bible is not based on the happiness that the world considers happiness. Joy will not come to a person because he or she has wealth, possessions, fame or status. People work hard to obtain these things in order to find happiness, but as Solomon, who had everything, tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:2, that it is all meaningless.
Webster’s closest definition of JOY as used in the Bible is “exultant satisfaction.” Only those who know the Lord understand the true meaning of JOY. Those who have accepted Christ as their Savior have peace in their heart and “exultant satisfaction” because they know their sins have been forgiven and that God loves them.
Jesus explains what He means when He says “MY JOY” in John 15:11 (above). In the previous two verses He says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His Love.” Jesus loved His Father and found joy in doing the will of His Father and obeying His Father’s commands. When we do the will of our Heavenly Father and obey His commands, we will come to know that joy that Jesus has. This is the “JOY’ we pray you have in your life.
In the scripture, Matthew 25:21 where Jesus told the parable of the “Talents”, He talked about the joy that the master had in his heart when one of his servants responded as he had hoped. He said: “Well done good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of the Lord.” The servant’s faithfulness and the success he obtained because of his faithfulness brought joy to his master and allowed the servant to share in the master’s happiness. There is joy in doing well because it pleases our Lord.
The apostle Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit that are evidenced in the lives of Christians through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. These are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. [Galatians 5:22-23]. Only those who have united themselves with Christ can understand the true meaning of joy. James reminds us in James 1:2 that when we face the trials in our day to day life we are to “count it all joy.” He does not mean we are to be happy about our trials, but we are to face our trials with an attitude of joy because of what it can produce in our life for Christ’s glory. Joy is a vital need for our everyday peace of mind.
What we learn from the scripture is that we as believers can have a spirit of joy that is not based on the positive or negative circumstances of our life. When we have the “JOY OF THE LORD’ in our life we will find it easier to face the difficulties of life.
The bottom line that we learn from these scriptures and from what we have learned in real life is that we are to face every moment of every day with a spirit of Joy! When we do this the negatives in life seem to diminish and the positives of life seem to stay with us. We all need to remember to put Christ first in our lives and be obedient to all of His commandments.
Over the years we have had several close friends that were facing serious health problems. Each one had been through many tests, consultations, treatments and medicines and you often wondered how much they could humanly take. But the one thing that was true in each of their lives was that they were living each day with a spirit of joy. They did all that they could from a medical perspective and they responded to their doctors care. They put everything into God’s hands. They prayed for healing daily, as did scores of their friends. They understood the meaning of Psalm 30:5 where it says that weeping and suffering lasts only for a while, but for the believer there is joy coming. They were living their lives full of joy and hope. They were all ready to meet their Lord but each one also realized that they still had a mission here on this earth until God took them home. That mission was to share their faith, their attitude and their joy with others. Do you live a life of joy? If not, we encourage you to ask God today to give you a life of joy.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Give me joy in my life throughout today. Help me to realize that whatever happens to me today that according to the words of James, I am to count it all joy. Give me wisdom to make decisions that honor You and give me Your joy in my heart so that my joy may be full.
Ask: November 2, 2011
NOVEMBER 2 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2011
ASK
DEFINITION:
Put a question to; interrogate; seek to obtain; request; invite; inquire about.
SCRIPTURE:
“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” Luke 11:9-10.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the verse above (Luke 11:9) we are taught to ask and seek. In the next verse (10) we are told that everyone who asks receives. Why does God want us to ask when He already knows what we want and what we need? He wants us to ask and seek Him so that we will recognize that He is the one who provides for us and that He alone hears and answers our prayers.
Many people just do not want to ask someone, let alone God, for anything because of pride. We should not let pride keep us from seeking God’s help. Remember, Jesus says: “ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find.”
In our consulting responsibilities with Christian ministries these past years we trained people how to “ASK” for help in supporting their ministries. Christian ministries are dependent on others to give of their time and money. Some people often complain that they receive too many requests for donations. In some cases this happens but for the most part ministries are sensitive to the feelings of their donors. Ministries are raised up by God to meet needs of people that are not being met by others. In order to exist, they must ask and asking for a legitimate need is honored by God. In fact, as the scripture says, we need to ask if we want a response. How is someone to know your need if you do not ask.
There are many situations in life where we need to ask for help. Families need to be willing to help others in their time of need if God has blessed them. And families need to be willing to ask in their time of need. Remember there is a difference between asking and demanding. When asking for help the response you receive is affected by the way you ask. When you ask favors of people or when you just ask questions for informational purposes, learn to ask kindly and thoughtfully.
Today one of the most important lessons we can learn from the scripture is that God expects us to ask Him for help when we are in need so He can fulfill His plan through our life.
There is no request so big or so small that we cannot bring it to God. The Lord wants us to pray about everything. Paul assures us of this in Philippians 4:6 when he says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Jesus own words to us are, “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22. Can it be said any clearer? In James 1:5 and 6, we are told that if we lack wisdom let us ask of God. Then it says we are to ask in faith with no doubting.
Our problem today is that we limit God in what He will do for us. We rely on our own wisdom and so often fail. When we ask in prayer, ask believing and ask in faith with NO DOUBTING, then we will receive according to God’s perfect will.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Open my eyes today to the reality that all I have to do is ask. You desire to meet all my needs. Help me to ask not only for the large issues I may face but for the small ones as well. Give me wisdom in all that I do. May I proceed today by faith that only You can give me.
ASK
DEFINITION:
Put a question to; interrogate; seek to obtain; request; invite; inquire about.
SCRIPTURE:
“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” Luke 11:9-10.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the verse above (Luke 11:9) we are taught to ask and seek. In the next verse (10) we are told that everyone who asks receives. Why does God want us to ask when He already knows what we want and what we need? He wants us to ask and seek Him so that we will recognize that He is the one who provides for us and that He alone hears and answers our prayers.
Many people just do not want to ask someone, let alone God, for anything because of pride. We should not let pride keep us from seeking God’s help. Remember, Jesus says: “ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find.”
In our consulting responsibilities with Christian ministries these past years we trained people how to “ASK” for help in supporting their ministries. Christian ministries are dependent on others to give of their time and money. Some people often complain that they receive too many requests for donations. In some cases this happens but for the most part ministries are sensitive to the feelings of their donors. Ministries are raised up by God to meet needs of people that are not being met by others. In order to exist, they must ask and asking for a legitimate need is honored by God. In fact, as the scripture says, we need to ask if we want a response. How is someone to know your need if you do not ask.
There are many situations in life where we need to ask for help. Families need to be willing to help others in their time of need if God has blessed them. And families need to be willing to ask in their time of need. Remember there is a difference between asking and demanding. When asking for help the response you receive is affected by the way you ask. When you ask favors of people or when you just ask questions for informational purposes, learn to ask kindly and thoughtfully.
Today one of the most important lessons we can learn from the scripture is that God expects us to ask Him for help when we are in need so He can fulfill His plan through our life.
There is no request so big or so small that we cannot bring it to God. The Lord wants us to pray about everything. Paul assures us of this in Philippians 4:6 when he says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Jesus own words to us are, “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22. Can it be said any clearer? In James 1:5 and 6, we are told that if we lack wisdom let us ask of God. Then it says we are to ask in faith with no doubting.
Our problem today is that we limit God in what He will do for us. We rely on our own wisdom and so often fail. When we ask in prayer, ask believing and ask in faith with NO DOUBTING, then we will receive according to God’s perfect will.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Open my eyes today to the reality that all I have to do is ask. You desire to meet all my needs. Help me to ask not only for the large issues I may face but for the small ones as well. Give me wisdom in all that I do. May I proceed today by faith that only You can give me.
Affection: November 1, 2011
NOVEMBER 1 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2011
AFFECTION
DEFINITION:
Fond attachment; devotion or love; emotion; feeling; the emotional realm of love.
SCRIPTURE:
“Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:10.
“For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:8
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Genuine affection is demonstrated by selfless kindness that causes a person to put aside their own interests for the good of another.
When we think of “genuine affection” we think of the relationship between David and Jonathan. In I Samuel 18:1 we are told that when they met each other an immediate bond developed between them and the scripture says that Jonathan loved David as himself. Jonathan showed his affection for David by giving him his robe, his tunic, his sword and his bow and belt.
Jonathan was Saul’s son and David was his son-in-law. Saul became jealous of David’s rise to fame because of his successes in battle and he wanted to kill him. Jonathan interceded because of his brotherly affection for David. Jonathan remained loyal to David and helped him escape Saul’s many attempts to kill him.
Jonathan and David made fast their bond of affection to each other with a covenant. Jonathan, on his part, would keep David informed of Saul’s plots to kill him. David promised to always treat Jonathan’s family well after he became King. Why would Jonathan’s affection for David be stronger than his affection for his own father? Jonathan saw David’s faith in the Lord and saw that David tried to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
Jonathan did not allow his affection for his father blind him to the fact that his father’s desire to kill David was wrong. Sometimes in order to stand for what is right we have to make difficult choices. Both Jonathan and David understood the meaning of the genuine affection that Paul spoke of later in the New Testament in Romans 12:10 (above).
In Psalms 136, the Psalmist expressed that affection that God has for us endures forever. In Jeremiah 31:3 we are reminded of the Lord’s affection to us when it is written that God has loved us with an everlasting love. And because of this love for us He reached out to us with loving kindness. God’s goodness to us flows from His deep and genuine affection for us.
God wants us to have that same genuine affection for others that He has for us. He wants us to exemplify the mutual love and commitment of true affection in our relationships with our family and our Christian friends.
We can think back about 56 years ago when we first met each other as college students at Wheaton College. At first we shared an interest in each other and soon we began to have affection for each other. Soon our affection grew and we knew we were right for each other. After about six months of dating we were separated for a year as Dottie finished at Wheaton and Ken went to Fuller Seminary, about 2000 miles apart.
In those days there was no text messaging and telephone calls were expensive so our affection for one another was continued through letters. We soon knew that God was in our relationship and decided to get married. We then raised our support and right after the wedding headed for the mission field in Korea. True affection for one another started us on our way to a life together because of our true affection for our Lord and we knew His hand was upon our marriage and ministry.
Our marriage has lasted because of our deep affection for each other. We are committed to one another, we care for one another and we seek to put aside our own interests in deference to the need of the other. We delight in honoring God and each other. Marriages fail when they are based only on physical affection and not on spiritual affection as well.
Paul describes his affection for the Christians in Philippi as being like the affection of Jesus Christ. Paul used the Greek word for affection in Philippians 1:8 because it best expressed compassionate love. Christ Jesus affection for us was most certainly compassionate love. When we truly love the Lord we will, like Paul, be able to love with the affection of Jesus.
The scripture in 1 Peter 4:8-9 gives us Peter’s description of genuine affection: “Above all things have a fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” It is only when we have a true affection for our Lord that we can really understand what it is to have true affection for one another.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord, for Your genuine affection for me. Thank You that Your compassionate love for me will endure forever. Help me to show today my family, my friends and those I meet genuine affection. Help me be an example through my walk and my talk that it is the love of Jesus that gives direction to my life.
AFFECTION
DEFINITION:
Fond attachment; devotion or love; emotion; feeling; the emotional realm of love.
SCRIPTURE:
“Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:10.
“For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:8
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Genuine affection is demonstrated by selfless kindness that causes a person to put aside their own interests for the good of another.
When we think of “genuine affection” we think of the relationship between David and Jonathan. In I Samuel 18:1 we are told that when they met each other an immediate bond developed between them and the scripture says that Jonathan loved David as himself. Jonathan showed his affection for David by giving him his robe, his tunic, his sword and his bow and belt.
Jonathan was Saul’s son and David was his son-in-law. Saul became jealous of David’s rise to fame because of his successes in battle and he wanted to kill him. Jonathan interceded because of his brotherly affection for David. Jonathan remained loyal to David and helped him escape Saul’s many attempts to kill him.
Jonathan and David made fast their bond of affection to each other with a covenant. Jonathan, on his part, would keep David informed of Saul’s plots to kill him. David promised to always treat Jonathan’s family well after he became King. Why would Jonathan’s affection for David be stronger than his affection for his own father? Jonathan saw David’s faith in the Lord and saw that David tried to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
Jonathan did not allow his affection for his father blind him to the fact that his father’s desire to kill David was wrong. Sometimes in order to stand for what is right we have to make difficult choices. Both Jonathan and David understood the meaning of the genuine affection that Paul spoke of later in the New Testament in Romans 12:10 (above).
In Psalms 136, the Psalmist expressed that affection that God has for us endures forever. In Jeremiah 31:3 we are reminded of the Lord’s affection to us when it is written that God has loved us with an everlasting love. And because of this love for us He reached out to us with loving kindness. God’s goodness to us flows from His deep and genuine affection for us.
God wants us to have that same genuine affection for others that He has for us. He wants us to exemplify the mutual love and commitment of true affection in our relationships with our family and our Christian friends.
We can think back about 56 years ago when we first met each other as college students at Wheaton College. At first we shared an interest in each other and soon we began to have affection for each other. Soon our affection grew and we knew we were right for each other. After about six months of dating we were separated for a year as Dottie finished at Wheaton and Ken went to Fuller Seminary, about 2000 miles apart.
In those days there was no text messaging and telephone calls were expensive so our affection for one another was continued through letters. We soon knew that God was in our relationship and decided to get married. We then raised our support and right after the wedding headed for the mission field in Korea. True affection for one another started us on our way to a life together because of our true affection for our Lord and we knew His hand was upon our marriage and ministry.
Our marriage has lasted because of our deep affection for each other. We are committed to one another, we care for one another and we seek to put aside our own interests in deference to the need of the other. We delight in honoring God and each other. Marriages fail when they are based only on physical affection and not on spiritual affection as well.
Paul describes his affection for the Christians in Philippi as being like the affection of Jesus Christ. Paul used the Greek word for affection in Philippians 1:8 because it best expressed compassionate love. Christ Jesus affection for us was most certainly compassionate love. When we truly love the Lord we will, like Paul, be able to love with the affection of Jesus.
The scripture in 1 Peter 4:8-9 gives us Peter’s description of genuine affection: “Above all things have a fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” It is only when we have a true affection for our Lord that we can really understand what it is to have true affection for one another.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord, for Your genuine affection for me. Thank You that Your compassionate love for me will endure forever. Help me to show today my family, my friends and those I meet genuine affection. Help me be an example through my walk and my talk that it is the love of Jesus that gives direction to my life.
Anchor: October 31, 2011
OCTOBER 31 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 31, 2011
ANCHOR
DEFINITION:
A person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability or security; mainstay.
SCRIPTURE:
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” Hebrews 6:19.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When we think of anchors, we think of ships or boats. An anchor is lowered to keep the ship in place so it will not float into a dangerous position. In Acts chapter 27, the apostle Paul gives us an account of the time he was on a ship as a prisoner being moved with other prisoners to their trial. He tells of a terrible storm and then having to put the anchor out to keep the ship wrecked vessel from being dashed to pieces on the rocks.
Thinking of ships and boats, we remember going out in a small boat with an out board motor with my (Ken) mother and step father. We had our six children with us and we went out probably no more than a mile into the Pacific Ocean. All of a sudden we noticed that the boat was slowly beginning to fill with water. Since we had young children on board my step father radioed the Coast Guard for help. We knew an anchor would not help and a bucket bailing the water out of the boat was not sufficient. We knew that now was the time to pray. We all were praying and doing all we could to help get rid of the water at the same time, as we slowly tried to get the boat back to the safety of the shore.
Soon we saw a Coast Guard ship getting close. To say the least it was huge. We thought the whole American Navy was coming. They responded quickly probably, because they knew there were small children on board. To make a long story short the Coast Guard got us and the boat safely back to shore. That day, in our situation, a boat anchor was not what we needed. It was the anchor of hope in Jesus Christ that we relied on.
As Christians, our hope in Jesus is the anchor for our soul and it is sure and steadfast so we will not drift away. In the storms of life we are like a ship at sea that is tossed and battered and in danger of being dashed to pieces. Our anchor, Jesus Christ, is always with us keeping us safe, stable and in a position not to float away into worldly problems.
When you face each day in life, make sure your anchor of faith in Jesus is steadfast and sure. Seek the Lord daily to keep your anchor firm and put your trust in Him to keep you steady in the storms of life. He will be there with you every moment of the day.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
As I face this day, I think of the old hymn sung years ago, “My Anchor Holds.” Thank You for being my anchor throughout this day and it is my prayer that You will hold me close to You and lead and guide me and keep me on a steady course through my voyage in life.
ANCHOR
DEFINITION:
A person or thing that can be relied on for support, stability or security; mainstay.
SCRIPTURE:
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” Hebrews 6:19.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When we think of anchors, we think of ships or boats. An anchor is lowered to keep the ship in place so it will not float into a dangerous position. In Acts chapter 27, the apostle Paul gives us an account of the time he was on a ship as a prisoner being moved with other prisoners to their trial. He tells of a terrible storm and then having to put the anchor out to keep the ship wrecked vessel from being dashed to pieces on the rocks.
Thinking of ships and boats, we remember going out in a small boat with an out board motor with my (Ken) mother and step father. We had our six children with us and we went out probably no more than a mile into the Pacific Ocean. All of a sudden we noticed that the boat was slowly beginning to fill with water. Since we had young children on board my step father radioed the Coast Guard for help. We knew an anchor would not help and a bucket bailing the water out of the boat was not sufficient. We knew that now was the time to pray. We all were praying and doing all we could to help get rid of the water at the same time, as we slowly tried to get the boat back to the safety of the shore.
Soon we saw a Coast Guard ship getting close. To say the least it was huge. We thought the whole American Navy was coming. They responded quickly probably, because they knew there were small children on board. To make a long story short the Coast Guard got us and the boat safely back to shore. That day, in our situation, a boat anchor was not what we needed. It was the anchor of hope in Jesus Christ that we relied on.
As Christians, our hope in Jesus is the anchor for our soul and it is sure and steadfast so we will not drift away. In the storms of life we are like a ship at sea that is tossed and battered and in danger of being dashed to pieces. Our anchor, Jesus Christ, is always with us keeping us safe, stable and in a position not to float away into worldly problems.
When you face each day in life, make sure your anchor of faith in Jesus is steadfast and sure. Seek the Lord daily to keep your anchor firm and put your trust in Him to keep you steady in the storms of life. He will be there with you every moment of the day.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in II Timothy 2:15.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
PRAYER:
As I face this day, I think of the old hymn sung years ago, “My Anchor Holds.” Thank You for being my anchor throughout this day and it is my prayer that You will hold me close to You and lead and guide me and keep me on a steady course through my voyage in life.
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