GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY AUGUST 18, 2012
PROVERB
A hot-headed man stirs up dissention, but a patient man calms a quarrel. Proverbs 15:18.
PROMISE
God passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Exodus 34:6-7.
PRAISE
Sing to the Lord, you saints of His; praise His Holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:4-5.
August 19, 2012
Escape: August 17, 2012
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY AUGUST 17, 2012.
ESCAPE
DEFINITION:
Get away or flee as from capture or confinement; evade or avoid; elude.
SCRIPTURE:
“But Jonah rose up to flee into Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa.” Jonah 1:3.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Alcatraz is a prison in the bay of San Francisco. This prison was reserved for the worst prisoners in America. They would be sent there to serve their time because the judicial system felt that escape would be impossible. Alcatraz is located on an island in the San Francisco Bay and escape would require a long and difficult swim that most thought was humanly impossible.
Today it is a museum and one of our grandchildren went there on a school trip. Upon his return he told us about his visit and reported that some felt that one or two prisoners may have escaped, but if they did escape from the island they must have surely drowned in their attempt to swim to land.
The scripture above tells us of Jonah’s plan of escape to avoid doing what God asked him to do. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach the Word of God. Jonah did not like the assignment and decided to escape God’s presence by running away to Joppa to get on a boat headed to Tarshish.
It was foolish for any person in the prison at Alcatraz to think that they could escape by jumping off the Island into a vast expanse of water like the San Francisco bay. It was even more foolish for Jonah to think he could run and escape from God, who is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and all omnipresent (present everywhere).
Just as trying to escape from Alcatraz could only lead to disaster so would Jonah’s attempt to escape from God’s presence lead to disaster. Jonah was hurled into a raging sea and as he was about to drown he cried out to God and even in the midst of a stormy sea God was present. God provided a great fish to swallow Jonah and saved him. Because of God’s miracle of deliverance, Jonah repented and yielded to God’s perfect will.
In trying to escape from doing what God wanted him to do just think about what Jonah lost. He lost not only valuable time he could have spent preaching God’s Word, but he lost his peace of mind. It certainly must have tormented him to know he was not doing what God wanted him to do. He had lost the blessing of God’s presence, God’s provision and God’s comfort in his life.
Jonah thought he could run from God but his attempt only brought suffering on himself.
God had given Jonah a specific job to do but Jonah did not like the job description. He did not want to go to Nineveh to preach to the wicked Assyrians who he hated and feared. Jonah tried to escape to Joppa. Like Jonah, we may be called on by God to do things we don’t like or want to do. We may feel like Jonah and want to turn and run. When we defy God and run from what He wants us to do the result is always the same -- disaster.
We lose the presence and comfort of the Lord in our lives. Just like Jonah, we may find ourselves in the midst of a raging sea. The moment we run off to seek our own purposes, without God’s blessing, we are at sea without a pilot. Then we cry out to God asking Him where has He gone? God has not left us, we have left Him. By this time in our life we are at the same place that Jonah was -- on the run and with no peace of mind. Sin destroys a believer’s comfort. Jonah found out, as you will, that it is harder to try to escape from doing what God wants you to do than to yield to His will -- when, where and how He directs you.
When you truly put your trust in God and communicate with Him daily, then you will not flee from what He tells you. It is hard to contend against God when you try to escape doing His will. When you trust Him, He knows what is best and will be with you always giving you His assurance of His faithfulness and the comfort of His presence.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Give me the wisdom to know Your will in my life and give me the strength and the courage to obey and not to run from You to try to escape doing Your perfect will in my life. Give my family direction and guidance that only You can give us. Thank You for leading us, protecting us and blessing us.
ESCAPE
DEFINITION:
Get away or flee as from capture or confinement; evade or avoid; elude.
SCRIPTURE:
“But Jonah rose up to flee into Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa.” Jonah 1:3.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Alcatraz is a prison in the bay of San Francisco. This prison was reserved for the worst prisoners in America. They would be sent there to serve their time because the judicial system felt that escape would be impossible. Alcatraz is located on an island in the San Francisco Bay and escape would require a long and difficult swim that most thought was humanly impossible.
Today it is a museum and one of our grandchildren went there on a school trip. Upon his return he told us about his visit and reported that some felt that one or two prisoners may have escaped, but if they did escape from the island they must have surely drowned in their attempt to swim to land.
The scripture above tells us of Jonah’s plan of escape to avoid doing what God asked him to do. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach the Word of God. Jonah did not like the assignment and decided to escape God’s presence by running away to Joppa to get on a boat headed to Tarshish.
It was foolish for any person in the prison at Alcatraz to think that they could escape by jumping off the Island into a vast expanse of water like the San Francisco bay. It was even more foolish for Jonah to think he could run and escape from God, who is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and all omnipresent (present everywhere).
Just as trying to escape from Alcatraz could only lead to disaster so would Jonah’s attempt to escape from God’s presence lead to disaster. Jonah was hurled into a raging sea and as he was about to drown he cried out to God and even in the midst of a stormy sea God was present. God provided a great fish to swallow Jonah and saved him. Because of God’s miracle of deliverance, Jonah repented and yielded to God’s perfect will.
In trying to escape from doing what God wanted him to do just think about what Jonah lost. He lost not only valuable time he could have spent preaching God’s Word, but he lost his peace of mind. It certainly must have tormented him to know he was not doing what God wanted him to do. He had lost the blessing of God’s presence, God’s provision and God’s comfort in his life.
Jonah thought he could run from God but his attempt only brought suffering on himself.
God had given Jonah a specific job to do but Jonah did not like the job description. He did not want to go to Nineveh to preach to the wicked Assyrians who he hated and feared. Jonah tried to escape to Joppa. Like Jonah, we may be called on by God to do things we don’t like or want to do. We may feel like Jonah and want to turn and run. When we defy God and run from what He wants us to do the result is always the same -- disaster.
We lose the presence and comfort of the Lord in our lives. Just like Jonah, we may find ourselves in the midst of a raging sea. The moment we run off to seek our own purposes, without God’s blessing, we are at sea without a pilot. Then we cry out to God asking Him where has He gone? God has not left us, we have left Him. By this time in our life we are at the same place that Jonah was -- on the run and with no peace of mind. Sin destroys a believer’s comfort. Jonah found out, as you will, that it is harder to try to escape from doing what God wants you to do than to yield to His will -- when, where and how He directs you.
When you truly put your trust in God and communicate with Him daily, then you will not flee from what He tells you. It is hard to contend against God when you try to escape doing His will. When you trust Him, He knows what is best and will be with you always giving you His assurance of His faithfulness and the comfort of His presence.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Give me the wisdom to know Your will in my life and give me the strength and the courage to obey and not to run from You to try to escape doing Your perfect will in my life. Give my family direction and guidance that only You can give us. Thank You for leading us, protecting us and blessing us.
Neglect: August 16, 2012
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 16, 2012
NEGLECT
DEFINITION:
Disregard; fail to carry out or perform; ignore; pay no attention to.
SCRIPTURE:
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17
"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Hebrews 2:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
James says in the above verse that when we know that something is the right thing to do and we do not do it, it is a sin. This is called a sin of omission. It is as much of a sin as a sin of commission, like lying, stealing and committing adultery, in God's sight.
We all face issues and situations in life that are difficult to deal with. It is tempting to just put off dealing with them or even to ignore them completely. Unfortunately, neither putting it off nor ignoring it will make the situation go away.
Sin is sin and whether we want to face it or not, we will be held accountable for our sins. This is not an issue to be ignored. All those who neglect to deal with their sin will be judged and punished. The punishment will be severe. We will be eternally separated from God. It comes down to where we will spend eternity. Unless we repent of our sins and accept God’s gracious gift of salvation the issue will not go away no matter how much we ignore it. The writer of Hebrews asks the question which you must ask yourself: “How will you escape if you neglect so great a salvation?” God does not accept any excuses for neglect.
One may only have one opportunity in life to accept God's salvation. We do not know what tomorrow holds. What we do know is that if you neglect to accept Jesus as your Savior, you will have to stand before the judgment throne without any excuse.
In I Timothy 4:14 the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to neglect the gift that is in him, which was given him by God. We all have been given gifts that God expects us as believers to use for Him. Many never use their gifts as God expects them to do so.
Parents have the responsibility to, first of all, teach their children about God and Jesus so they can have the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior. Parents, also, must teach their children the difference between right and wrong. Children need to be taught so they know without any doubt what is good so that they understand that neglecting to do the right things in life is as much of a sin as doing the wrong thing.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER
Give me the courage to face up to the sins in my life and the strength to deal with them and ask for forgiveness. Help me to be diligent in teaching my children about God and Jesus and how they can be saved. Help me to also teach them to be obedient to God’s commandments and do what is right.
NEGLECT
DEFINITION:
Disregard; fail to carry out or perform; ignore; pay no attention to.
SCRIPTURE:
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17
"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Hebrews 2:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
James says in the above verse that when we know that something is the right thing to do and we do not do it, it is a sin. This is called a sin of omission. It is as much of a sin as a sin of commission, like lying, stealing and committing adultery, in God's sight.
We all face issues and situations in life that are difficult to deal with. It is tempting to just put off dealing with them or even to ignore them completely. Unfortunately, neither putting it off nor ignoring it will make the situation go away.
Sin is sin and whether we want to face it or not, we will be held accountable for our sins. This is not an issue to be ignored. All those who neglect to deal with their sin will be judged and punished. The punishment will be severe. We will be eternally separated from God. It comes down to where we will spend eternity. Unless we repent of our sins and accept God’s gracious gift of salvation the issue will not go away no matter how much we ignore it. The writer of Hebrews asks the question which you must ask yourself: “How will you escape if you neglect so great a salvation?” God does not accept any excuses for neglect.
One may only have one opportunity in life to accept God's salvation. We do not know what tomorrow holds. What we do know is that if you neglect to accept Jesus as your Savior, you will have to stand before the judgment throne without any excuse.
In I Timothy 4:14 the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to neglect the gift that is in him, which was given him by God. We all have been given gifts that God expects us as believers to use for Him. Many never use their gifts as God expects them to do so.
Parents have the responsibility to, first of all, teach their children about God and Jesus so they can have the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior. Parents, also, must teach their children the difference between right and wrong. Children need to be taught so they know without any doubt what is good so that they understand that neglecting to do the right things in life is as much of a sin as doing the wrong thing.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER
Give me the courage to face up to the sins in my life and the strength to deal with them and ask for forgiveness. Help me to be diligent in teaching my children about God and Jesus and how they can be saved. Help me to also teach them to be obedient to God’s commandments and do what is right.
Lost: August 15, 2012
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY AUGUST 15, 2012.
LOST
DEFINITION:
No longer possessed; wasted; unable to find; gone astray; lacking eternal salvation.
SCRIPTURE:
Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost. Luke 15:9.
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10) Jesus tells about the woman who had ten silver coins and loses one. One coin was equivalent to one day’s wages so it was important to this woman. The typical house in those days was one room with no windows. That is why Jesus said that she lit the lamp. This illustrated to those that listened to Jesus that the search for the coin was very thorough. The woman showed great joy when she found the coin.
The woman represents Jesus our Savior. The lost coin represents those who are lost because they are not saved. Each one of us is of great value to Jesus. He grieves over everyone who is lost. So precious are we to Jesus that He diligently searches for all who are lost. Jesus came into the world to seek and to save all the lost.
Have you ever had the experience of losing something of value and you search and search and cannot find the item? What a relief it is when you finally do find it. Your normal response is joy. This is like the joy that this woman had when she found her lost coin.
When the woman in this parable found her coin she went out and called out to her friends, “Rejoice with me for I have found the coin which I lost.” People are of great value to God. Those that do not know Him are lost in their sins. God loved us so much that He did not want anyone to be lost so He gave His only Son Jesus to pay the ultimate price by dying on the cross for our redemption. When just one person, a sinner in God’s sight, finds Jesus, the angels shout for joy in heaven. (Luke 15:10)
Do you know people who are lost and have never accepted Jesus as their Savior? If so, do you show any concern for them? As believers we should want to make sure that every person we know gets an opportunity to know about Jesus and that He paid the penalty for their sins. When that person finds Jesus we will rejoice with them along with the angels in heaven.
When someone is spiritually lost in order for them to be found they must first admit that they are lost. Our mission as believers is to shout out to all the good news of the gospel.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Help me to reach out to my family, neighbors and friends that do not know You to tell them that You have come to seek and to save those that are lost. Burden my heart for a world that is lost in sin and give me courage to communicate Your love to others.
LOST
DEFINITION:
No longer possessed; wasted; unable to find; gone astray; lacking eternal salvation.
SCRIPTURE:
Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost. Luke 15:9.
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10) Jesus tells about the woman who had ten silver coins and loses one. One coin was equivalent to one day’s wages so it was important to this woman. The typical house in those days was one room with no windows. That is why Jesus said that she lit the lamp. This illustrated to those that listened to Jesus that the search for the coin was very thorough. The woman showed great joy when she found the coin.
The woman represents Jesus our Savior. The lost coin represents those who are lost because they are not saved. Each one of us is of great value to Jesus. He grieves over everyone who is lost. So precious are we to Jesus that He diligently searches for all who are lost. Jesus came into the world to seek and to save all the lost.
Have you ever had the experience of losing something of value and you search and search and cannot find the item? What a relief it is when you finally do find it. Your normal response is joy. This is like the joy that this woman had when she found her lost coin.
When the woman in this parable found her coin she went out and called out to her friends, “Rejoice with me for I have found the coin which I lost.” People are of great value to God. Those that do not know Him are lost in their sins. God loved us so much that He did not want anyone to be lost so He gave His only Son Jesus to pay the ultimate price by dying on the cross for our redemption. When just one person, a sinner in God’s sight, finds Jesus, the angels shout for joy in heaven. (Luke 15:10)
Do you know people who are lost and have never accepted Jesus as their Savior? If so, do you show any concern for them? As believers we should want to make sure that every person we know gets an opportunity to know about Jesus and that He paid the penalty for their sins. When that person finds Jesus we will rejoice with them along with the angels in heaven.
When someone is spiritually lost in order for them to be found they must first admit that they are lost. Our mission as believers is to shout out to all the good news of the gospel.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Help me to reach out to my family, neighbors and friends that do not know You to tell them that You have come to seek and to save those that are lost. Burden my heart for a world that is lost in sin and give me courage to communicate Your love to others.
Boundaries: August 14, 2012
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY AUGUST 14, 2012
BOUNDARIES
DEFINITION:
Rules to enforce standards; something that indicates limits.
SCRIPTURE:
Jesus said, “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. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22: 37-39.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Jesus put it right on the line for all believers when He gave us His standard to love the Lord thy God and love our neighbors. This sets up the boundary we need if we are going to honor Him and serve Him. When we love Jesus and our neighbors it puts us in a position of honoring God in all that we do. Boundaries are limits that are set to protect us. The boundaries we have are what God has given us, the Ten Commandments, His Word and our personal experience with Him.
The prophet Nehemiah was governor of Jerusalem after he returned from exile. God had spoken to him and directed him to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah responded because he understood that the Jewish people living in Jerusalem needed a boundary around them to protect them from their enemies. (Nehemiah chapters 3-4)
Just like those that lived in Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s time needed a boundary in the form of a wall to protect them from invaders, we as believers need a boundary of protection to protect us from the invasion of sin that we face daily.
Take a moment right now and think about the enemies we face as Christians. We live in a culture that basically ignores God and thus we face evil influences everywhere we turn. When we live out our faith we face times when our faith is questioned. We are asked such things as “How can you believe that there is a God when all these bad things are happening?”
We face temptations daily. How many times a day are you tempted to do something that is not honest or at least borders on being dishonest. This is Satan at work in this world and the temptations we face begin with little things and then they get bigger and bigger and soon God is forgotten.
Everyday our children are confronted with the evils of drugs, alcohol, sex, corruption and a philosophy of living for self glorification. Just sit down with a young person and get them to talk to you about the things they face in life and you will be appalled.
A boundary determines limits. In the Christian life it is like a line dividing right from wrong, what is pleasing to God and what is not. When we cross the line and do what is not pleasing to God, it is wrong and a sin and we have breached the boundary that the Lord has set for us. So often we make excuses like: what is wrong if it is only a little white lie, or it will never be missed if I steal it, or if nobody knows about it, how can extramarital sex be bad?
How many drug addicts became addicted because they thought it would never hurt to try an illegal drug just once? How many drunkards started with just one drink? Once the boundary between right and wrong is breached, no matter how small the breach, it is like a tiny crack in a dam. The breach continues to expand until the floodgates are let loose and causes a disaster. We have only to look at the shattered lives all around us and the broken homes with families in total disarray to see the tragic results of crossing God’s boundaries.
This is why we need as believers, for ourselves and our families, to adhere to the boundaries that God has set to protect us from the evils of this world. We need support systems. We need family communication daily to encourage and to hold each other accountable for what we do. We need time praying, alone and as a family, asking God to give us the protection we need from the enemies we face. We need time alone and as a family to read God’s Word. This is the only way God can communicate with us. His Word is vital to keeping us spiritually strong and living within God’s boundaries.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
It is my prayer today that You will help me to set boundaries that will protect me from the evils of this world that I live in. I ask the same for my family and my friends. Give each one of us the strength and courage to resist temptations to cross God’s boundary lines. Protect us from the evils of Satan in this world and give us a new dedication to live for You and to honor You.
BOUNDARIES
DEFINITION:
Rules to enforce standards; something that indicates limits.
SCRIPTURE:
Jesus said, “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. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22: 37-39.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Jesus put it right on the line for all believers when He gave us His standard to love the Lord thy God and love our neighbors. This sets up the boundary we need if we are going to honor Him and serve Him. When we love Jesus and our neighbors it puts us in a position of honoring God in all that we do. Boundaries are limits that are set to protect us. The boundaries we have are what God has given us, the Ten Commandments, His Word and our personal experience with Him.
The prophet Nehemiah was governor of Jerusalem after he returned from exile. God had spoken to him and directed him to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah responded because he understood that the Jewish people living in Jerusalem needed a boundary around them to protect them from their enemies. (Nehemiah chapters 3-4)
Just like those that lived in Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s time needed a boundary in the form of a wall to protect them from invaders, we as believers need a boundary of protection to protect us from the invasion of sin that we face daily.
Take a moment right now and think about the enemies we face as Christians. We live in a culture that basically ignores God and thus we face evil influences everywhere we turn. When we live out our faith we face times when our faith is questioned. We are asked such things as “How can you believe that there is a God when all these bad things are happening?”
We face temptations daily. How many times a day are you tempted to do something that is not honest or at least borders on being dishonest. This is Satan at work in this world and the temptations we face begin with little things and then they get bigger and bigger and soon God is forgotten.
Everyday our children are confronted with the evils of drugs, alcohol, sex, corruption and a philosophy of living for self glorification. Just sit down with a young person and get them to talk to you about the things they face in life and you will be appalled.
A boundary determines limits. In the Christian life it is like a line dividing right from wrong, what is pleasing to God and what is not. When we cross the line and do what is not pleasing to God, it is wrong and a sin and we have breached the boundary that the Lord has set for us. So often we make excuses like: what is wrong if it is only a little white lie, or it will never be missed if I steal it, or if nobody knows about it, how can extramarital sex be bad?
How many drug addicts became addicted because they thought it would never hurt to try an illegal drug just once? How many drunkards started with just one drink? Once the boundary between right and wrong is breached, no matter how small the breach, it is like a tiny crack in a dam. The breach continues to expand until the floodgates are let loose and causes a disaster. We have only to look at the shattered lives all around us and the broken homes with families in total disarray to see the tragic results of crossing God’s boundaries.
This is why we need as believers, for ourselves and our families, to adhere to the boundaries that God has set to protect us from the evils of this world. We need support systems. We need family communication daily to encourage and to hold each other accountable for what we do. We need time praying, alone and as a family, asking God to give us the protection we need from the enemies we face. We need time alone and as a family to read God’s Word. This is the only way God can communicate with us. His Word is vital to keeping us spiritually strong and living within God’s boundaries.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
It is my prayer today that You will help me to set boundaries that will protect me from the evils of this world that I live in. I ask the same for my family and my friends. Give each one of us the strength and courage to resist temptations to cross God’s boundary lines. Protect us from the evils of Satan in this world and give us a new dedication to live for You and to honor You.
Lifestyle: August 13, 2012
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY AUGUST 13, 2012.
LIFESTYLE
DEFINITION:
A typical way of living reflecting attitudes and preferences of an individual.
SCRIPTURE:
My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother. Proverbs 1:8.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When choosing our lifestyle in life we are dramatically affected by what we were taught and what we learned, beginning in our childhood days. As a young child we begin to learn all of the positive and the negative values in our parent’s lifestyle. A child learns by watching and listening. What they witness in their parents lifestyle has the most influence on them. A parent’s influence has a major role in determining the kind of person a child becomes.
Lifestyles are learned by what a person sees and hears and decisions are then made by what interest’s one the most. Children need to develop positive work ethics at a young age. When they do they will usually continue to have good work ethics throughout their life. Good work ethics are needed in order to succeed. The choosing of friends plays a vital role in shaping one’s life style. Again one is affected by what they see and hear.
In Ezekiel 18:5-9, Ezekiel says that the word of the Lord came to him and gave him some thoughts on what God wants in a lifestyle. The MESSAGE translation puts it in words that we can all understand today. “Imagine a man with the lifestyle of living well, treating others fairly and keeping good relationships.” He then goes on to explain what God does not want in a person’s lifestyle.
“Who doesn’t eat at pagan shrines, doesn’t worship idols, doesn’t seduce a neighbors spouse, doesn’t bully anyone, doesn’t pile up bad debts, doesn’t steal, doesn’t refuse giving food to the hungry, doesn’t refuse giving clothing to the ill-clad, doesn’t exploit the poor, doesn’t live by impulse and greed, and doesn’t treat one person better than another.”
Then Ezekiel tells us what makes a good lifestyle. “But lives by God’s statutes and faithfully honors and obeys God’s laws. This person who lives upright and well shall live a full and true life.” That is the lifestyle God wants from us. As believers we are to have a lifestyle that is characterized by love, imitates Christ, demonstrates true faith, and is governed by truth which is God’s Word.
From early on as young parents we wanted to guide our children to lead a lifestyle that was pleasing to God. When they did something wrong we corrected them and endeavored to explain why it was wrong. We taught them to know right from wrong. Before they could read we read to them from children’s Bible story books. We took them to Sunday school and church. We taught them to live by God’s standards. But what we realized to be the most important influence on them was our own lifestyle. They witnessed daily how we talked and what we did.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Help me live a lifestyle that honors and glorifies Your name daily. May my lifestyle set an example to all that I see and talk to this day. Give me guidance in teaching my children how they can develop a lifestyle that honors You.
LIFESTYLE
DEFINITION:
A typical way of living reflecting attitudes and preferences of an individual.
SCRIPTURE:
My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother. Proverbs 1:8.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When choosing our lifestyle in life we are dramatically affected by what we were taught and what we learned, beginning in our childhood days. As a young child we begin to learn all of the positive and the negative values in our parent’s lifestyle. A child learns by watching and listening. What they witness in their parents lifestyle has the most influence on them. A parent’s influence has a major role in determining the kind of person a child becomes.
Lifestyles are learned by what a person sees and hears and decisions are then made by what interest’s one the most. Children need to develop positive work ethics at a young age. When they do they will usually continue to have good work ethics throughout their life. Good work ethics are needed in order to succeed. The choosing of friends plays a vital role in shaping one’s life style. Again one is affected by what they see and hear.
In Ezekiel 18:5-9, Ezekiel says that the word of the Lord came to him and gave him some thoughts on what God wants in a lifestyle. The MESSAGE translation puts it in words that we can all understand today. “Imagine a man with the lifestyle of living well, treating others fairly and keeping good relationships.” He then goes on to explain what God does not want in a person’s lifestyle.
“Who doesn’t eat at pagan shrines, doesn’t worship idols, doesn’t seduce a neighbors spouse, doesn’t bully anyone, doesn’t pile up bad debts, doesn’t steal, doesn’t refuse giving food to the hungry, doesn’t refuse giving clothing to the ill-clad, doesn’t exploit the poor, doesn’t live by impulse and greed, and doesn’t treat one person better than another.”
Then Ezekiel tells us what makes a good lifestyle. “But lives by God’s statutes and faithfully honors and obeys God’s laws. This person who lives upright and well shall live a full and true life.” That is the lifestyle God wants from us. As believers we are to have a lifestyle that is characterized by love, imitates Christ, demonstrates true faith, and is governed by truth which is God’s Word.
From early on as young parents we wanted to guide our children to lead a lifestyle that was pleasing to God. When they did something wrong we corrected them and endeavored to explain why it was wrong. We taught them to know right from wrong. Before they could read we read to them from children’s Bible story books. We took them to Sunday school and church. We taught them to live by God’s standards. But what we realized to be the most important influence on them was our own lifestyle. They witnessed daily how we talked and what we did.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 3:23.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
PRAYER:
Help me live a lifestyle that honors and glorifies Your name daily. May my lifestyle set an example to all that I see and talk to this day. Give me guidance in teaching my children how they can develop a lifestyle that honors You.
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