Gems of Encouragement: March 31, 2012

PROVERB: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6.

PROMISE: For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even unto the end. Psalm 48:14.

PRAISE: Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His love endures forever. Psalm 107:1.

"NO PROBLEMS ONLY SITUATIONS!"
Ken and Dottie's New Book
CLICK HERE


"Gems of Encouragement" are posted to you free
to encourage you to commit today to
serve and honor God as a family.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEKS "GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT"

Messiah: March 23, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY MARCH 23, 2012.

MESSIAH

DEFINITION:

The prophesied deliverer of the Jews; the One anointed by God to deliver His people and establish His Kingdom; a Savior; to Christians, Jesus Christ.

SCRIPTURE:

“You search the scriptures, for in them think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The Jews, scribes, and Pharisees searched the scriptures looking for keys to finding their Messiah. They diligently investigated the scriptures but they were spiritually blind to seeing their Messiah as presented in the scriptures. They saw only the Law. They were so legalistic that they searched the scriptures for only one purpose, to interpret the Law. They were so blinded by the Law that they did not recognize the Lawgiver, who came to fulfill the Law and give us eternal life.

As believers, Jesus is our Messiah and our Jewish friends still are looking and waiting to find their Messiah who is Jesus. Many of our Jewish friends today are realizing that Jesus is their Messiah and are turning their lives over to Him.

There are two facts that prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. The first proof is Jesus’ resurrection from death into life. The second is that Jesus fulfilled every prophecy made about Him in the Old Testament. There are many, many prophecies about Jesus and all were fulfilled.

It was prophesied by Isaiah that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Micah prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Jeremiah prophesied that Jesus would be a descendent of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. The Psalms foretold what Jesus would suffer and that He would be betrayed and accused by false witnesses.

Even His death by crucifixion was prophesied although it was hundreds of years before crucifixion was being used. The most important prophecy that Jesus fulfilled was the prophecy of His resurrection. Without the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we would all be doomed to suffer eternal death and separation from God.

Today, as we discuss our Messiah, we want to share with you several Messianic Psalms. Psalm 8 is a Messianic psalm that exalts the name of Jesus. In verse one you can sense the excitement of David when he says, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens.” David knew who was his Messiah and worshipped Him.

In Psalm 118 we read about the Messiah being rejected. In verse twenty-two it reads, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” The Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah but the Messiah has become the chief cornerstone of the body of believers, the church.

In Psalm 69, the Messiah is forsaken. In verse four the Messiah says, “Those who hate Me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they are mighty who would destroy Me, being my enemies wrongfully.” In verse 8 the Messiah says, “I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s children.” In verse 9, the Messiah says, “Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up.” He is referring to the Temple being desecrated with money changers and by those selling sheep, oxen and doves.

These Psalms go on to talk about the Messiah crucified (Psalm 22); the Messiah resurrected (Psalm 16); the Messiah as our high priest (Psalm 110) and the Messiah as King of Kings in Psalm 2. This Psalm closes with the words. “Blessed are those who put their trust in the King of Kings.” This King of Kings is our Messiah, our Lord and our Savior. Do you know your Messiah? He is the Lord Jesus Christ. Get to know Him now.

LEARNING:

This week we are memorizing the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

PRAYER:

Thank You Almighty God, for sending Your Son to this earth to be my Messiah. Help me to communicate today to both my Jewish and Gentile friends, the good news of our Messiah who came to this earth and is in heaven today preparing a place for those of us who have accepted Jesus, Your Son, as our Savior.

Jesus: March 22, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY MARCH 22, 2012.

JESUS

DEFINITION:

The Son of God; a member of the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

SCRIPTURE:

No man ever spoke like this Man! John 7:46.

And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority and not as scribes. Mark 1:22

Jesus said, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Jesus encountered a wealthy man who called Him “Good Teacher.” The young man was right, for Jesus is both good, completely perfect, and the Teacher. He is the only One who can make this claim.

In this devotional today we want you to see and understand who Jesus is. He is the Son of God. He was sent to this earth by God to pay the penalty for our sins, because we are all sinners. He truly is our Savior, our Lord and our Salvation. Make sure you know Him personally and develop your relationship with Him.

At the end of the third year of Jesus’ ministry here on earth, the chief priests and Pharisees sent their soldiers to arrest Jesus. When they found Him, He was teaching and they heard Him speaking and left without arresting him and returned empty handed. They had been emotionally, morally and spiritually stunned and reported to the chief priests and Pharisees (verse above) that no man ever spoke like this man.

Jesus, while on this earth, possessed qualities of moral integrity and divine righteousness that marked Him as being different than all men. His claims went far beyond the claims of any rabbi. His teachings literally sparkled with the luster of truth and godliness. His compassion for the fallen was genuine and His understanding of the Law astonished all that heard Him.

He was a man, but He alone possessed and displayed the God given credentials of the promised Messiah. These credentials were the out workings of His perfect moral character. He was the Messiah and He had come into the world. God sent Him into this world for a purpose. Jesus came to do the will of His father. Jesus said, “For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it.” John 12:49 (NIV)

Jesus was unique in His mission. He knew His mission. He was sent into the world to do what no one else could do. He came to die for sinful man, every man, woman and child that ever lived, so that they might be reconciled to God and have eternal life. In John 10:14-15, Jesus stated His mission: “I am the good Shepherd and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

The writer of Hebrews in the first chapter, verses 1-13, clearly states that Jesus was spoken of by the prophets and was above the angels. He would be worshipped by all and would sit at the right hand of God in heaven for eternity.

Jesus was unique in His birth, in His ministry, in His death, in His resurrection and will be unique in His second coming to this world. Do you know this man they call Jesus. He is knocking on the door of your heart now asking you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Now is the time for your salvation, tomorrow may be too late.

LEARNING:

This week we are memorizing the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

PRAYER:

Thank You, dear God, for sending Your Son Jesus to this earth to pay the penalty for my sins on the cross at Calvary. Help me to offer my friends an opportunity today to meet Jesus face to face.

God: March 21, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY MARCH 21, 2012.

GOD

DEFINITION:

The Supreme Being, creator and master of all.

SCRIPTURE:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Do you know who God is? Do you think that He is some supreme being up in the sky somewhere that you can call upon when you have a serious need? What do you know about God? Do you know that God wants you to know Him and He has made it possible for you to have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ?

According to the scriptures, which are God’s Holy Word, the only way that one can approach God is by faith. Anyone that comes to God must first believe that He is.

However, true faith is more than merely believing God exists. In Hebrews 11:5, Enoch is described as a man that pleased God. We are not told of any great thing that Enoch did, but only that he “walked with God.” To say that Enoch walked with God indicates that not only did he have faith in God but that he made God not only the focus of his life but the major portion of his life.

In Hebrews 11:6, the writer tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God and he also tells us what is necessary for us to believe to have that kind of faith. We must believe not only that He is the one and only true God but also that He will reward all those who diligently seek Him in genuine faith. So genuine and great was Enoch’s faith that God rewarded him by taking Enoch from this life to eternal life without facing death. God rewards all who diligently seek Him with the reward of eternal life.

Enoch is an example for those of us who seek to know God and to please God. To please God we must accept God into our lives through His Son Jesus and then by faith walk with Him and live for Him. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and without faith it is impossible to know God.

God is a personal being. In Jeremiah 10:10 we read that the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. The personality of God is seen in certain characteristics ascribed to Him in the scriptures. God is not only all powerful and all knowing but God is a caring God and He has feelings.

God is a God that grieves. In Genesis 6:6 we read, “He was grieved in His heart.” God becomes angry. In I Kings 11:9 we read, “The Lord became angry with Solomon.” God is a jealous God. In Exodus 20:5 we read, “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”

Did you know that God laughs? In Psalm 2:4 the Psalmist writes, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh.” God also is a caring God. In I Peter 5:7 it is written, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” God also hears us. In Psalm 94:9 the Psalmist writes, “He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?” And finally God sees. In Psalm 94:9 it reads, “He who formed the eye, shall He not see?”

God is eternal. The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 102: 24-27 that God’s years are through all generations, God is the same throughout the years, and His years will have no end. God had no beginning, but “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God has no ending. He is eternal and exists totally from Himself.

Do you know God personally and have you made a decision to have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ? If you have not, now is the time for you to act. We do not know what tomorrow will bring.

LEARNING:

This week we are memorizing the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

PRAYER:

How grateful I am that You are from the beginning and for eternity. May my family rejoice, as I do, that You are our God, our Lord and our Savior. Keep my faith strong and keep me walking with You so that my life might be pleasing to You.

Bible: March 20, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY MARCH 20, 2012.

BIBLE

DEFINITION:

The inspired Word of God; a collection of sacred writings of the Old and New Testaments

SCRIPTURE:

For the Word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

An online Bible resource called “Bible Gateway” shows that the number one verse in the Bible searched for from their 8 million monthly visitors is John 3:16. Dating back as far as we can remember we heard and were taught that John 3:16 was the heart of the scriptures.

Born-again Christians, those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior, believe the Bible to be God’s very Word from beginning to end. Nevertheless, many professing Christians are spiritually starving because they do not read or even open a Bible very often if at all, and certainly do not read it with serious thought.

The Bible is not simply a collection of sacred writings, as the dictionary defines it. The Word of God is alive, dynamic and powerful, as we read in the verse we put above from Hebrews. It penetrates to the very core of our soul, revealing who we are and what we are not. It makes us aware of the evil that is within us and it opens our eyes to what is truly good for us.

If you are going to understand the Bible and learn how to study the Bible you must understand the following basic truths:

First, you need to know what the Bible says about itself. In Psalm 19:7 (above) we read that the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Therefore we need to understand that what we read in the Bible is perfect and sure. It is the Word of God and we can be sure that it will change us.

Secondly, you need to know what God intended the Bible to do for you. In Genesis 1:1, the very first verse in the Bible we read, in the beginning God. The Bible is God’s Word and in the beginning He wants us to know that He is God. He created the heavens and the earth and we can be assured that God is in control of all that He created. What greater source for life do we need than He who is the giver of life?

Thirdly, you need to know that the Bible deals with facts. In Colossians 2:8 the apostle Paul was taking to the Christians at the church in Colossae and preached that the gospel is not a philosophy based on human ideas and experiences but on Christ’s life and His example. He then goes on to say that we are to beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ who is one with God the Father.

And finally, you are to know the correct methods of Bible study. The apostle Paul was teaching Timothy telling him to be diligent by presenting himself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Of course the word of truth is the Bible, God’s Word. Paul’s advice to Timothy is relative for us today as well.

The scriptures are filled with truths for each one of us to search out and share with others. In Psalm 119:97 the psalmist shared his thoughts about the Word, the Bible, and his desire to search it and be taught by God when he said, “Oh, how I love Your law.” The more you read the Bible, the more you will love the author.

LEARNING:

This week we are memorizing the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

PRAYER:

Give me the leadership and boldness today to teach my family and friends the value of the Bible for their lives. Lead me to the right people and give me the right verses from Your Word to make an impact on their lives.

Sowing: March 19, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY MARCH 19, 2012.

SOWING

DEFINITION:

Spreading seed over the soil for the purpose of growth; planting seed to produce a crop.

SCRIPTURE:

“Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.” Matthew 13:3-4.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Jesus was talking to the crowd of people who had gathered to see Him and He shared with them a parable about the sower going out to sow. Jesus often taught in parables when speaking about the things of God. A parable uses something familiar to the listeners to teach about something which was unfamiliar to them.

In this parable Jesus uses, as an illustration, the planting of crops. There were in that day many farmers so everyone understood this illustration that Jesus used to teach them. Jesus wanted all those that had chosen to follow Him to understand that planting seed (crops) to meet our physical needs (food) are compared to the need to plant the proper seed (the Bible) in our lives to meet our spiritual needs.

In Matthew 13:3-4 Jesus gave the explanation of this first portion of the parable as written in verses 3-4 above. He says to the disciples that, when anyone hears the Word (the seed) and does not understand it, the evil one comes (birds) and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.

Jesus goes on in this parable (Matthew 13:5-9) to explain that the seed which fell on rocky places sprung up quickly but soon withered away because it had no roots. Some seed fell among thorns and soon the thorns choked the good seed out. And then other seed fell on good soil and yielded a crop.

Jesus then in verses 20-23 explains that the seed falling on rocky places is like the man who hears the Word but develops no roots in his Christian life so ultimately when affliction and/or persecution comes his shallow faith fails. His failure is because spiritually He had not applied his reading of the Bible to his life. Basically what he reads in the Bible goes in one ear and out the other.

Jesus explains that the seed planted among the thorns relates to the man who hears the Word but the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of riches chokes out the Word from his life and he becomes unfruitful.

Finally, Jesus explains that the seed that was sown on good soil is like the man who hears the Word and not only understands it but allows it to take root in his life so that it bears fruit and produces a crop of new believers. This is the kind of life that our Lord wants from us.

The flooding caused by hurricane Katrina here in America several years ago devastated much farmland. When the flood waters receded the soil in many places had too high a PH level to be good for farming. The soil needed to be treated and reconditioned. This is a good illustration that we can learn from. This can happen to the soil of our heart.

If you have allowed the sinful influences of the world to come flooding into your life and the Word of God has no affect on you then you are like the bad soil. Your heart and mind have become hardened and the seed of God’s Word cannot take root.

Do not be discouraged. You can change by just praying and asking God to open your spiritual eyes as you read the Bible and be willing to let God’s Holy Spirit speak to you.

This parable is a reminder to all believers to faithfully read God’s Word daily so that we are continually planting the seeds in our lives that will cause us to grow spiritually and enable us to bear more fruit.

LEARNING:

This week we are memorizing the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

PRAYER:

Help my family realize the importance of the seed we sow. Help us to work each day to sow the good seed of the gospel that You can nurture and grow into a crop of new believers that will bring honor to Your name.