Gems of Encouragement: October 13, 2012

GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY OCTOBER, 13, 2012.

PROVERB:

A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26.

PROMISE:

You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you. John 15:14-16a

PRAISE:

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You, I, whom You have redeemed. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. Psalm 71: 23-24.

Religion: October 11, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2012

RELIGION

DEFINITION:

A set of beliefs concerning the cause and purpose of the universe; a particular set of beliefs and practices; something a person believes in; the service and worship of God or the supernatural.

SCRIPTURE:

"If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their time of trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from this world." James 1:26-27

"How great is the love the father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God; and that is what we are." I John 3:1

"Now if we are children of God then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ." Romans 8:17

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

If we read the newspapers and magazines or watch the television we will hear much about religion in our world especially from the middle-east. We continue to watch and see the turmoil in the middle-east and hear dialogue on the good and bad of religion in that area of our world.

Recently we received an e-mail message from a young man living in Afghanistan. He had been reading our devotionals for several weeks and said he finally had to write and ask us why we felt knowing Jesus was the only way that he could get to heaven. He went on to say that he had studied many religions and that they all said that one would go to some sort of heaven.  He went on to tell us that he was a Muslim but was searching and was considering trying Jesus as his new religion.

Many people are very confused, as is this young man, and even defensive when we talk about religion. This is because there are so many "religions" in our culture today and one hears so many conflicting concepts and ideas. A non-believer in Jesus gets confused and does not know how to respond concerning their belief in religion. So the normal response is that religion does not concern them. When we talk to someone about our "religion", we make it clear that we are talking about a "relationship" not a religion that is a series of concepts and "do's and don'ts". This is what we explained to our friend in Afghanistan.

Very simply we have a personal relationship with Jesus. This relationship began when we accepted Jesus into our hearts as our personal Savior. God sent His Son to this earth to pay the penalty for our sins and we accepted His offer of redemption. There is no other religion that makes this offer. All other "religions" offer a set of rituals such as doing good works, church attendance, penance, etc. The difference is the "RELATIONSHIP."

A relationship with Jesus changes us. Knowing Jesus as our Lord and Savior changes our heart and our desires which is what religious rituals cannot do.

We have with Jesus a family relationship grounded in love. It was because God loved us that He sent His Son so that by believing in Him we could become children of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. There is a reason that it was necessary for God to send His Son to this earth. As a result of the sin of Adam and Eve, we are all born sinners. This is a fact and not a theory. God is completely holy and entirely without sin. Sin is what separates us from God. There is no amount of good works or any amount of spiritual rituals that will cleanse us from our sins.

We are sinners and the penalty for our sins must be paid. This is why God sent His Son to this earth, to pay the penalty for our sins by dying on the cross. We must be willing to admit that we are sinners, confess our sins, and ask for God's forgiveness and then acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Savior and redeemer. The shed blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL our sins and restores us into a right relationship with God. All who believe and receive Jesus as Savior become children of God and will spend an eternity with God and His Son Jesus. What a privilege to be the recipient of such great love and to be able to call God "Our Father." And just think of all the untold and unseen riches that will be ours as joint heirs with Christ.

In the verses that we have written above from the book of James, we read that the fruit of our religion is in what we do and what we say. Our relationship with Jesus is a heart relationship and not, as many think, a head religion. When we have a relationship (our religion) with Jesus we will watch what we say, bridle our tongue, and our deeds will be a commitment to honor our Lord by helping those in need, including widows and orphans. When we have a relationship with Christ it is important that the people around us are able to see evidence of our relationship with Christ by the way we live our lives. When we do not live by God's Word and practice what God teaches James tells us that "our religion is useless."

Is your "religion" just a series of rituals that you do your best to try to honor? In your "religion" do you have a certainty that you will spend eternity with God? Is your "religion" a relationship with Jesus that gives you the certain hope for an eternity with God? You can know about God, but you cannot know God until you have entered a relationship with God and become a "child of God." It is our prayer that you will become a "Child of God" if you have not done so already.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Peter 5:7.

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

PRAYER:

Help me today to live a God-honoring life so that others will be aware of my relationship with Jesus. Help me to watch what I say so every word that proceeds out of my mouth glorifies Your name. Give me today a caring attitude that compels me to reach out and help those in need.

Fear: October 10, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2012.

FEAR

DEFINITION:

An emotion of dread or apprehension; profound reverence  and awe toward God.

 SCRIPTURE:

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. II Corinthians 7:1.

Blessed is every one that fears the Lord; that walks in His ways. Psalm 128:1

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Godly fear is not dread or apprehension nor is it the fear we feel at times of danger. Godly fear is awe and reverence of God because God is Holy and all powerful. Godly fear brings joy to our lives. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom to those that believe on His name. Godly fear not only brings knowledge and wisdom but it makes us hate evil and helps us to be righteous, holy and reverential. Godly fear results in righteousness (right-living), (Psalm 33:5), and reverential worship of God. Psalms 33:5 says God loves righteousness and Hebrews 12:28 says reverential worship is acceptable to God.

Down through the ages there have been men who have changed history because they were God-fearing men. In the Old Testament there are wonderful examples of how God worked through those who feared God. These men accomplished great things for the Lord because they feared God.

•Noah and his family were saved from the flood because they obeyed God.

•Abraham became the father of a great nation because he feared God and responded to His call.

•Joseph became a leader in a foreign nation and saved his family from starvation.

•Moses led the children of Israel out of bondage from Egypt.

•Joshua led two million Israelites to the Promised Land.

•David conquered nations and was the greatest King of Israel.

To fear the Lord is to stand in awe of Him and to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24) and to serve God acceptably and with reverence. This is what the great men of the Bible learned and lived by daily in their lives. Is there Godly fear (awe and reverence) in your heart?

These statements from scripture will help you evaluate if you are living in awe and reverence of God.

•If we who profess to be believers say that we have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and walk in darkness (un-confessed sin), we lie and do not practice the truth.

•If we walk in the light as He is in the light and have fellowship with other believers and God we are in His righteousness. Godly fear that makes us righteous can only be known by those who have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

•If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us of our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Godly fear will cause you to search your heart every time you read the Bible and go to Him in prayer. If you find sin in your life then judge it, confess it and forsake it.

•Godly fear can also help you to resist temptation in your life. This is why the Psalmist has said "Let all the earth fear the Lord."

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Peter 5:7.

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

PRAYER:

Thank You that the scripture reminds us that Godly fear brings joy to one's life because it is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge that keeps me from sin. Thank You for Your promise in Psalm 128:1, that all those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways will be blessed.

Testimony: October 9, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 9, 2012.

TESTIMONY

DEFINITION:

The statement or declaration of a witness under oath; evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof; open declaration or profession as of faith.

SCRIPTURE:

"This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things, and we know his testimony is true." John 21:24.

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." I Corinthians 2:1-2.

"He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." I John 5:10-11.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The word testimony is probably best known in the secular world as statements made in a court session. In the Christian world a testimony usually refers to the words one gives in a group or to an individual concerning one’s relationship with Jesus. This testimony usually contrasts one’s life before accepting Jesus as one’s Savior with the life one is living now.

We can remember as kids going to church and often hearing moving testimonies of life changing experiences. When we were working with Youth for Christ we had Saturday night youth rallies attended by thousands each week. The programs included music, skits, and contests and always ended with the testimony of some speaker, usually a known personality, whose life had been completely changed because they had accepted Jesus as their Savior.

A testimony is of no value unless it is based on truth. That is why when a testimony is to be given in a court of law, the person testifying must swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. In John 21:24 the Apostle John is speaking of himself as the one who is testifying that Jesus was God. John's testimony is true because he was an eye witness and his account was based on his personal relationship with Jesus. John walked with Him, talked with Him, and worked with Him daily while He was on this earth. John's words verify that Jesus is the Christ and that He was the Son of God.

In the passage we noted above from I Corinthians chapter two, Paul is writing to the church at Corinth verifying the testimony that Jesus is Lord and Savior and available for them. Paul always looked for every opportunity to give his testimony that Jesus was his Lord and Savior. Paul was a learned scholar and could preach with eloquence. In this passage Paul says he preached a simple testimony of Jesus and wants us to understand it is not the eloquence of the words of a person’s testimony that brings others to faith and a relationship with Jesus, but it is by God's power. We should never fear to give our testimony because of its simplicity because God will use our testimony no matter how eloquent or simple.

And finally in I John 5:10-11, John tells us that whoever believes and receives the testimony that God has given us, will receive His promise of eternal life. These are just three examples from the scriptures that give us the assurance that the Bible is a true testimony that God is who He says He is and Jesus is His Son and the Savior of all who believe.

If you ever doubt personally or talk to one who doubts the certainty of your faith and your relationship with Jesus, just remember you have the testimony of Jesus Himself that He is God's Son. You have the testimony of the disciples who walked, talked and lived with Jesus while He was on this earth. And you have the testimony of God’s Word, the Bible, and those that were led by the Holy Spirit to write down for us the testimonies of those who lived during Jesus time here on earth and had a personal encounter with Him.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Peter 5:7.

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

PRAYER:

I rejoice today in the certainty that I have of knowing You and the anticipation of spending eternity with You. Thank You for the TESTIMONIES that You have given us to confirm that You are the very Son of God and the Savior of all who believe in You. May my life be a TESTIMONY of my love for You and the life-changing power of the salvation I have received through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.

Revival: October 8, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 8, 2012.

REVIVAL

DEFINITION:

Restoration to life, consciousness, vigor or strength; reawakening of interest in and care for religion; a meeting to promote religious awakening.

 SCRIPTURE:

"Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" Psalm 85:6

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many professing Christians today have never experienced a revival and probably never even heard of one let alone really know what a revival is. The Psalmist, in Psalm 85:6 recognized that Israel needed revival. Unfortunately, many Christians need revival and do not know it. They have become complacent and no longer know what it is to rejoice in the Lord. 

A "revival" as we refer to it here is a time when a single person or a group of people (believers in Jesus) decide that they need to restore their faith in the Lord and get back to living by the fundamentals that God expects from us.

There are at least 12 revivals referred to in the Old Testament and there are four factors preceding each revival that is in common and vital to these Old Testament revivals and are also relevant for us today.

• A moral and Spiritual decline among the people of God.

• Always proceeded by some kind of a righteous judgment from God.

• The raising up of an immensely burdened leader or leaders.

• A common location for a beginning with a common burden.

The Old Testament tells us of revivals under Moses, Samuel, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoida, Hezekiah, Joash, Zerubbabel, Ezra and Joel. All of these prophets led these revivals by calling the people together and having them pray, fast and confess their sins. In each case God used a leader who was faithful to Him.

God used Moses to bring revival to the Israelites when they rebelled against God. It would seem that after all the miracles the Israelites had witnessed God do to bring them out of Egypt that they would be forever faithful to God. Yet just within months, while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, the Israelites turned away from God and made a golden calf to worship. Moses had to call his people to a revival of their relationship with God.

God used Moses to point out to the Israelites that they had rebelled against God and that God's judgment had come upon them for one reason -- they had sinned against God. Then Moses reminded the Israelites of God's mercy and the many promises God had fulfilled in the past. Their restoration depended on their willingness to repent, follow the Lord and obey His commandments.

In II Chronicles 7:14, four conditions are given that are necessary for revival. First, humble yourself and admit your sin. Secondly, pray and ask for forgiveness. Thirdly, seek God. And fourthly, turn from your wicked ways.

America was founded as a nation under God but today as a people we have rebelled and sinned against God. We have witnessed a moral and spiritual decline not only among the general population but also among the believers in Jesus. We need a revival to begin with individuals and then to our families and finally to our churches. God desires that believers be leaders in their families and to call family members to repentance and bring revival in our home.

YES, REVIVAL is needed today. It begins with individuals. God is just waiting for us to HUMBLE ourselves; PRAY; SEEK HIM; turn from our WICKED WAYS, and then we will hear from heaven and, God will forgive our sins and heal our homes and our land.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Peter 5:7.

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

PRAYER:

Help me to put into perspective my need for a personal revival to begin in my heart. Give me the leadership to help my family see their need for revival.  It is my prayer that You will work Your miracles in my life so that Your name will be honored and glorified.