GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2012.
PROVERB:
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9
PROMISE:
If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37: 23-24.
PRAISE:
I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:7-8.
November 4, 2012
Sharing: November 2, 2012
TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2012.
SHARING
DEFINITION:
Having something jointly; a portion or an allotted part; giving a portion to others.
SCRIPTURE:
"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Hebrews 13:16.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Many children as well as adults today do not understand what it means to share. They have not experienced the joy that one can have in their heart when they learn to share. Children are not being taught to share today mainly because their parents do not share things with them including their feelings or deeds.
When a child is not taught properly, when they are young, how can we expect them to be any different when they grow up? The verse above from Hebrews is so clear. It reminds us that sharing is doing good and that this is what pleases God.
We began when our children were very young to teach them to share. We taught them to share their toys, not only with their siblings but with friends who would visit them. We taught them to share their time when someone needed help. We taught them to share their resources (ten percent), which we referred to as tithe with our church. Sharing is tough to learn for children but when you start when they are young and then are consistent and lead by example they will learn. At the beginning, their response would be something like "that is mine and I want it."
When we taught our kids to share, we constantly reminded them that sharing was a two way street. It was important for them to understand that if one shared an item with another sibling then the other needed to share an item with the child that shared with them. This will ultimately become a life principle when they are adults.
When we think of the word sharing we need to think about how we share our faith with others that we touch every day. Very few believers today feel comfortable about talking about their faith with a non-believer. This type of sharing is close to non-existent and there are possibly several reasons for this.
It is thought that most people, first of all, do not feel any kind of urgency or burden to share their faith with others. They feel that that should be the responsibility of the pastor, the missionary or the evangelist that comes to town.
A second reason is that they feel unprepared and could not answer the questions that they may be asked. If this is your problem it can be easily solved if you are willing to study the Bible daily and pray daily. God will give you the answers.
And thirdly, most believers have no desire to stand up for the Lord. They are fearful of being thought as narrow minded or crazy or not with it. What will you say when you stand before God in heaven when you are asked did you share your faith with all those you met?
In the first chapter of John we read about Andrew who was one of the two first disciples picked by Jesus. Andrew was a humble person, devoted and Christ like. His name means "manliness." After Jesus chose Andrew to be His disciple and he spent time learning from the Messiah he became a rugged evangelist and he was known for his consistency in sharing Christ personally with all that he came into contact daily. When he first met Jesus he shared with his brother Peter the good news that he had met the Messiah.
Part of sharing is also developing a compassion for others to the extent of being willing to share with them some of your possessions, time, along with your faith.
In Isaiah 58:7, Isaiah explains what pleases God. It is more than just going to church. "Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him." It pleases God and we honor Him when we have compassion for others, especially the poor, and willingly share what we have with them.
Sharing should begin with all of us by sharing our faith with our family, friends and neighbors. Secondly, we must be consistent and willing to share with others our time, talents and treasures. And finally we must share with the poor what God has blessed us with. Andrew shared his love for Jesus to everyone he came in contact with as an example to us as to how we are to share by our words and deeds what God has given us.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
We want to praise You for Your sharing of Your Son by sending Him to this world to pay the penalty for my sins. Give me the discipline and boldness to share my love for You with those I meet today. May the joy of the Lord that is in my heart be reflected in all that I do and say.
SHARING
DEFINITION:
Having something jointly; a portion or an allotted part; giving a portion to others.
SCRIPTURE:
"But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Hebrews 13:16.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Many children as well as adults today do not understand what it means to share. They have not experienced the joy that one can have in their heart when they learn to share. Children are not being taught to share today mainly because their parents do not share things with them including their feelings or deeds.
When a child is not taught properly, when they are young, how can we expect them to be any different when they grow up? The verse above from Hebrews is so clear. It reminds us that sharing is doing good and that this is what pleases God.
We began when our children were very young to teach them to share. We taught them to share their toys, not only with their siblings but with friends who would visit them. We taught them to share their time when someone needed help. We taught them to share their resources (ten percent), which we referred to as tithe with our church. Sharing is tough to learn for children but when you start when they are young and then are consistent and lead by example they will learn. At the beginning, their response would be something like "that is mine and I want it."
When we taught our kids to share, we constantly reminded them that sharing was a two way street. It was important for them to understand that if one shared an item with another sibling then the other needed to share an item with the child that shared with them. This will ultimately become a life principle when they are adults.
When we think of the word sharing we need to think about how we share our faith with others that we touch every day. Very few believers today feel comfortable about talking about their faith with a non-believer. This type of sharing is close to non-existent and there are possibly several reasons for this.
It is thought that most people, first of all, do not feel any kind of urgency or burden to share their faith with others. They feel that that should be the responsibility of the pastor, the missionary or the evangelist that comes to town.
A second reason is that they feel unprepared and could not answer the questions that they may be asked. If this is your problem it can be easily solved if you are willing to study the Bible daily and pray daily. God will give you the answers.
And thirdly, most believers have no desire to stand up for the Lord. They are fearful of being thought as narrow minded or crazy or not with it. What will you say when you stand before God in heaven when you are asked did you share your faith with all those you met?
In the first chapter of John we read about Andrew who was one of the two first disciples picked by Jesus. Andrew was a humble person, devoted and Christ like. His name means "manliness." After Jesus chose Andrew to be His disciple and he spent time learning from the Messiah he became a rugged evangelist and he was known for his consistency in sharing Christ personally with all that he came into contact daily. When he first met Jesus he shared with his brother Peter the good news that he had met the Messiah.
Part of sharing is also developing a compassion for others to the extent of being willing to share with them some of your possessions, time, along with your faith.
In Isaiah 58:7, Isaiah explains what pleases God. It is more than just going to church. "Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him." It pleases God and we honor Him when we have compassion for others, especially the poor, and willingly share what we have with them.
Sharing should begin with all of us by sharing our faith with our family, friends and neighbors. Secondly, we must be consistent and willing to share with others our time, talents and treasures. And finally we must share with the poor what God has blessed us with. Andrew shared his love for Jesus to everyone he came in contact with as an example to us as to how we are to share by our words and deeds what God has given us.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
We want to praise You for Your sharing of Your Son by sending Him to this world to pay the penalty for my sins. Give me the discipline and boldness to share my love for You with those I meet today. May the joy of the Lord that is in my heart be reflected in all that I do and say.
Righteousness: November 1, 2012
TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2012.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
DEFINITION:
Characterized by uprightness or morality; virtuous or devout.
SCRIPTURE:
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Many people in our world will tell you that they strive daily to live a righteous life. When you ask these people to tell you what they mean by being righteous, you will get many different kinds of responses. Some will say that being righteous is living an honest life. Others will say being kind to people. Some will say that being helpful to others is living a righteous life.
Most people will also tell you that it is very hard to live a righteous life and others will tell you that it is impossible if you are going to be successful. Many people are trying to achieve righteousness by their own strength and actions, but it is impossible to overcome our evil desires because of the sinful nature we are born with.
One cannot buy righteousness and we cannot earn it. Paul writes in Romans 3:10 that “There is no one righteous, not even one.” A person that does not know Jesus as their Savior cannot experience the righteousness we are talking about today. Righteousness comes only after we are saved.
The scripture above begins very clearly by stating it is, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” that we are saved. It is because of God’s mercy that He saved us and through Him we can experience righteousness in our lives. In Galatians 2:21 we are reminded that righteousness does not come through the law. If it had been possible to obtain righteousness by keeping the law and doing good then Christ would have died in vain.
There is nothing that we can do in the way of keeping the law, doing good deeds, or working to improve ourselves. Paul goes on to tell us in Philippians 3:9 that we ourselves do not have our own righteousness from the law but it comes to us through faith in Jesus. In Ephesians 6:14 he tells us that we are to put on the breastplate of righteousness, that only God can give us, to stand firm against the temptations of the devil. And finally Paul tells us in I Timothy 6:11 that we are to flee the things of this evil world and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Look at the company that Paul puts with righteousness. Are you practicing and growing daily in faith, godliness, love, patience and gentleness? Each day we need to strive to be more like Jesus but it is only because of His mercy we will be righteous in His sight.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
Help me to increase my faith to be more like You today. May I put on the breastplate of righteousness that Paul talks about, so that I may stand firm against the attacks of the devil and wage the war on Your behalf against evil.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
DEFINITION:
Characterized by uprightness or morality; virtuous or devout.
SCRIPTURE:
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Many people in our world will tell you that they strive daily to live a righteous life. When you ask these people to tell you what they mean by being righteous, you will get many different kinds of responses. Some will say that being righteous is living an honest life. Others will say being kind to people. Some will say that being helpful to others is living a righteous life.
Most people will also tell you that it is very hard to live a righteous life and others will tell you that it is impossible if you are going to be successful. Many people are trying to achieve righteousness by their own strength and actions, but it is impossible to overcome our evil desires because of the sinful nature we are born with.
One cannot buy righteousness and we cannot earn it. Paul writes in Romans 3:10 that “There is no one righteous, not even one.” A person that does not know Jesus as their Savior cannot experience the righteousness we are talking about today. Righteousness comes only after we are saved.
The scripture above begins very clearly by stating it is, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” that we are saved. It is because of God’s mercy that He saved us and through Him we can experience righteousness in our lives. In Galatians 2:21 we are reminded that righteousness does not come through the law. If it had been possible to obtain righteousness by keeping the law and doing good then Christ would have died in vain.
There is nothing that we can do in the way of keeping the law, doing good deeds, or working to improve ourselves. Paul goes on to tell us in Philippians 3:9 that we ourselves do not have our own righteousness from the law but it comes to us through faith in Jesus. In Ephesians 6:14 he tells us that we are to put on the breastplate of righteousness, that only God can give us, to stand firm against the temptations of the devil. And finally Paul tells us in I Timothy 6:11 that we are to flee the things of this evil world and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Look at the company that Paul puts with righteousness. Are you practicing and growing daily in faith, godliness, love, patience and gentleness? Each day we need to strive to be more like Jesus but it is only because of His mercy we will be righteous in His sight.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
Help me to increase my faith to be more like You today. May I put on the breastplate of righteousness that Paul talks about, so that I may stand firm against the attacks of the devil and wage the war on Your behalf against evil.
Deceit: October 31, 2012
TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 31, 2012.
DECEIT
DEFINITION:
Misrepresentation of the truth; intentional concealment; fraud; cheating; misleading; untruthful.
SCRIPTURE:
“He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in My presence.” Psalm 101:7
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When you carefully look at the definitions of the word deceit, as we have given above, you will see that it includes the misrepresentation of the truth and the intentional concealment of a wrong. For many people today misrepresenting the truth and concealing a wrong is a way of life and they never consider this to be a sin against God. We need to remind you, dear friend, that when you misrepresent the truth or conceal a wrong it is deceit and in God’s sight a sin. The ninth commandment of the Ten Commandments reads, “You shall not give false testimony.”
Breaking any of God’s commandments is a sin. As a result of the sinful nature in all of us, deceit runs rampant in our society. Think about what you say and do every day and what you see and hear every day that you know is not true. How does that affect your opinion of that person? Then think about yourself. Is there cheating, misleading, being untruthful and fraud in your life? And if so do you think that it affects people’s opinion of you?
If you have any doubt whether there is deceit in your life or in your family’s lives, then take just one day and watch and weigh every one of your words and actions. Then take the time to listen and watch your family, friends and neighbors. You will be surprised to see how much deceit, cheating, misleading and untruthfulness surrounds you every day. We all know when we are not being truthful so any act of deceit is done deliberately and consciously.
In addition, when you watch television, read the magazines and newspapers all that you will see and hear is an undercurrent of lies, cheating and evil things. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. Parents lie to and mislead their children. Children lie and mislead their parents. Teachers and bosses lie and spouses lie to each other. Some might say that they do not lie but that they just stretch the truth a little. Some say it is just a little white lie. Stretching the truth is a lie in God’s sight. God does not color code our lies. A lie is a lie in God’s sight whether it is large or small.
Lying is deceitful and misleading and basically happens when one is either trying to cover up a mistake, a failure in life or just making oneself look good. Living, as we all do, in a “ME” generation people will do and say what they think is best for them with no consideration of anyone else. Thus, a lie or some deceitful comment in order to complete a task or to make one just feel better is always in order and considered proper, until one gets caught.
Unfortunately, there are those that call themselves Christians who are deceitful. They perform the same way as a non-believer because they are not in tune with God. In God’s sight this is sin and not acceptable. The Psalmist in the verse that we have written above makes it very clear as to how God feels about deceit. God is truth and deceit and truth cannot dwell together in God’s kingdom
When a person has a deceit problem they will not dwell in the house of the Lord and will not be in the presence of God. The Psalmist also tells us in Psalms 32:2 that, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” God blesses those who are truthful and who have confessed their sins and received God’s forgiveness for their sins.
Being deceitful in God’s sight has very serious consequences. The scriptures tell us that if we are deceitful we will not dwell in HIS HOUSE! WOW! This is serious because it affects one’s whole eternity. We need to understand that deceit hurts God and it is not acceptable in His sight.
It is also written in Proverbs 12:20 that “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.” As Christians we can have joy in our hearts if we do not practice deceit. It is impossible to live a life of joy and be deceitful. When we lie we have to live with stress because of our concern of being caught. It is important to be honest in all that we do. We will fail and when we do we need to ask God at that time to forgive us.
Our children are watching us along with our family, neighbors and those at our workplace and church. What kind of an image do you leave in their minds? Is God being honored through your truthful words and honest deeds?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 22:37
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
PRAYER:
Help me today to get rid of any deceit in my life. May others always see Christ through me and take away from me all thoughts and actions that may be dishonest, misleading or deceitful to others.
DECEIT
DEFINITION:
Misrepresentation of the truth; intentional concealment; fraud; cheating; misleading; untruthful.
SCRIPTURE:
“He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in My presence.” Psalm 101:7
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When you carefully look at the definitions of the word deceit, as we have given above, you will see that it includes the misrepresentation of the truth and the intentional concealment of a wrong. For many people today misrepresenting the truth and concealing a wrong is a way of life and they never consider this to be a sin against God. We need to remind you, dear friend, that when you misrepresent the truth or conceal a wrong it is deceit and in God’s sight a sin. The ninth commandment of the Ten Commandments reads, “You shall not give false testimony.”
Breaking any of God’s commandments is a sin. As a result of the sinful nature in all of us, deceit runs rampant in our society. Think about what you say and do every day and what you see and hear every day that you know is not true. How does that affect your opinion of that person? Then think about yourself. Is there cheating, misleading, being untruthful and fraud in your life? And if so do you think that it affects people’s opinion of you?
If you have any doubt whether there is deceit in your life or in your family’s lives, then take just one day and watch and weigh every one of your words and actions. Then take the time to listen and watch your family, friends and neighbors. You will be surprised to see how much deceit, cheating, misleading and untruthfulness surrounds you every day. We all know when we are not being truthful so any act of deceit is done deliberately and consciously.
In addition, when you watch television, read the magazines and newspapers all that you will see and hear is an undercurrent of lies, cheating and evil things. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. Parents lie to and mislead their children. Children lie and mislead their parents. Teachers and bosses lie and spouses lie to each other. Some might say that they do not lie but that they just stretch the truth a little. Some say it is just a little white lie. Stretching the truth is a lie in God’s sight. God does not color code our lies. A lie is a lie in God’s sight whether it is large or small.
Lying is deceitful and misleading and basically happens when one is either trying to cover up a mistake, a failure in life or just making oneself look good. Living, as we all do, in a “ME” generation people will do and say what they think is best for them with no consideration of anyone else. Thus, a lie or some deceitful comment in order to complete a task or to make one just feel better is always in order and considered proper, until one gets caught.
Unfortunately, there are those that call themselves Christians who are deceitful. They perform the same way as a non-believer because they are not in tune with God. In God’s sight this is sin and not acceptable. The Psalmist in the verse that we have written above makes it very clear as to how God feels about deceit. God is truth and deceit and truth cannot dwell together in God’s kingdom
When a person has a deceit problem they will not dwell in the house of the Lord and will not be in the presence of God. The Psalmist also tells us in Psalms 32:2 that, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” God blesses those who are truthful and who have confessed their sins and received God’s forgiveness for their sins.
Being deceitful in God’s sight has very serious consequences. The scriptures tell us that if we are deceitful we will not dwell in HIS HOUSE! WOW! This is serious because it affects one’s whole eternity. We need to understand that deceit hurts God and it is not acceptable in His sight.
It is also written in Proverbs 12:20 that “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.” As Christians we can have joy in our hearts if we do not practice deceit. It is impossible to live a life of joy and be deceitful. When we lie we have to live with stress because of our concern of being caught. It is important to be honest in all that we do. We will fail and when we do we need to ask God at that time to forgive us.
Our children are watching us along with our family, neighbors and those at our workplace and church. What kind of an image do you leave in their minds? Is God being honored through your truthful words and honest deeds?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 22:37
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
PRAYER:
Help me today to get rid of any deceit in my life. May others always see Christ through me and take away from me all thoughts and actions that may be dishonest, misleading or deceitful to others.
Life: October 30, 2012
TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 30, 2012.
LIFE
DEFINITION:
Duration of existence; a living being; human existence; a career; a condition or course of living.
SCRIPTURE:
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. Psalm 139: 13-14.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Psalmist in Psalm 139 (above) informs us that God not only created us but we are wonderfully made. God created us to have a life that is productive and full. A productive and full life comes from a total commitment to God. It is not an easy commitment because it requires discipline and a willingness to yield oneself to God.
Many never find happiness in life, like the believer does, because they look for it in gratification of getting possessions and material things that they feel will make them “happy.” The problem with this philosophy is that things really do not satisfy. A full and productive life does not come from having material possessions.
Contrast this with the life of one that has put his or her faith in the Lord. Even though we were born as sinners into an evil world with Satan’s sinful influences all around us, God provided His only Son as a substitute for us to pay our penalty for our sins. The result is, as believers in Jesus Christ, we can live a life of hope with the assurance of eternal life. A life yielded to Christ leads to a life of blessing which is the life God desires for us.
David recognized that God is life and the creator of life. In Psalms 139, David describes God as fashioning his tiny body together in the darkness of his mother’s womb. God knew and loved David before he ever existed. God designed the person that David was to be and brought him into being according to His predetermined plan.
David was shaped by his Heavenly Father into a unique creation and David chose life and lived a life of obedience to God. Like David, each of us is a unique production of our Creator’s genius. All life is created by God and bears His autograph and it is our choice to choose to have life by serving God.
Moses in his last days just before he put Joshua in command of the Children of Israel urged the people to renew their covenant with God. They had spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness because they had broken their covenant with God. He gave them a choice of life and prosperity or death and destruction.
In the verse above from Deuteronomy, Moses told the children of Israel to make the right choice and choose LIFE! In the next verse, Moses says that God is their life. In choosing life they were choosing to love the Lord, obey His voice and cling to Him. And Moses continued by telling the Children of Israel that if they chose life they were to be obedient to God and that they would live longer and would dwell in the land that God promised them through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Forty years earlier they had not chosen life. They chose death and destruction, and because of their disobedience, they suffered greatly. As a result of their choice not one person in that generation saw the Promised Land.
Jesus as God’s Son is life and also the giver of life. In John 4: 46-54, Jesus was asked by a nobleman, an official from the king’s court, to come to Capernaum and heal his son who was on the brink of death. He came to Jesus believing He could give life.
The crowd did not believe so Jesus put him off by saying that “unless you people are dazzled by a miracle you refuse to believe.” The nobleman would not be put off and he insisted, “Come down! It is life or death for my son.” Jesus simply said, “Go home. Your son lives.” The father chose to obey Jesus and went home and asked when the son got better. It was the exact time that Jesus said to him that his son lived. As a result the nobleman and his entire household believed in Jesus.
Jesus used this miracle to let us know that Jesus is the giver of life. When we believe and accept Him as our Savior, He gives us eternal life that does not perish. Each of us has a choice. We choose life or we choose death and what we choose lasts for eternity.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the life that You give me here on this earth where I can serve You each day. Help me to share with others today what life is like when they put their trust in You. I look forward to spending an eternity with You because You have given me eternal life. Make my life demonstrate to others the life that You alone can give.
LIFE
DEFINITION:
Duration of existence; a living being; human existence; a career; a condition or course of living.
SCRIPTURE:
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. Psalm 139: 13-14.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Psalmist in Psalm 139 (above) informs us that God not only created us but we are wonderfully made. God created us to have a life that is productive and full. A productive and full life comes from a total commitment to God. It is not an easy commitment because it requires discipline and a willingness to yield oneself to God.
Many never find happiness in life, like the believer does, because they look for it in gratification of getting possessions and material things that they feel will make them “happy.” The problem with this philosophy is that things really do not satisfy. A full and productive life does not come from having material possessions.
Contrast this with the life of one that has put his or her faith in the Lord. Even though we were born as sinners into an evil world with Satan’s sinful influences all around us, God provided His only Son as a substitute for us to pay our penalty for our sins. The result is, as believers in Jesus Christ, we can live a life of hope with the assurance of eternal life. A life yielded to Christ leads to a life of blessing which is the life God desires for us.
David recognized that God is life and the creator of life. In Psalms 139, David describes God as fashioning his tiny body together in the darkness of his mother’s womb. God knew and loved David before he ever existed. God designed the person that David was to be and brought him into being according to His predetermined plan.
David was shaped by his Heavenly Father into a unique creation and David chose life and lived a life of obedience to God. Like David, each of us is a unique production of our Creator’s genius. All life is created by God and bears His autograph and it is our choice to choose to have life by serving God.
Moses in his last days just before he put Joshua in command of the Children of Israel urged the people to renew their covenant with God. They had spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness because they had broken their covenant with God. He gave them a choice of life and prosperity or death and destruction.
In the verse above from Deuteronomy, Moses told the children of Israel to make the right choice and choose LIFE! In the next verse, Moses says that God is their life. In choosing life they were choosing to love the Lord, obey His voice and cling to Him. And Moses continued by telling the Children of Israel that if they chose life they were to be obedient to God and that they would live longer and would dwell in the land that God promised them through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Forty years earlier they had not chosen life. They chose death and destruction, and because of their disobedience, they suffered greatly. As a result of their choice not one person in that generation saw the Promised Land.
Jesus as God’s Son is life and also the giver of life. In John 4: 46-54, Jesus was asked by a nobleman, an official from the king’s court, to come to Capernaum and heal his son who was on the brink of death. He came to Jesus believing He could give life.
The crowd did not believe so Jesus put him off by saying that “unless you people are dazzled by a miracle you refuse to believe.” The nobleman would not be put off and he insisted, “Come down! It is life or death for my son.” Jesus simply said, “Go home. Your son lives.” The father chose to obey Jesus and went home and asked when the son got better. It was the exact time that Jesus said to him that his son lived. As a result the nobleman and his entire household believed in Jesus.
Jesus used this miracle to let us know that Jesus is the giver of life. When we believe and accept Him as our Savior, He gives us eternal life that does not perish. Each of us has a choice. We choose life or we choose death and what we choose lasts for eternity.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the life that You give me here on this earth where I can serve You each day. Help me to share with others today what life is like when they put their trust in You. I look forward to spending an eternity with You because You have given me eternal life. Make my life demonstrate to others the life that You alone can give.
Scriptures: October 29, 2012
TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 29, 2012.
SCRIPTURES
DEFINITION:
The Bible; the Word of God.
SCRIPTURE:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. II Timothy 3:16.
Finally my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me is not grievous, but for you it is a safeguard. Philippians 3:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In II Timothy 3:16 Paul says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The scripture is the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Inspired means God breathed. Although God used men to write down the scriptures, the Bible is not a collection of stories or myths, which are merely man’s ideas about God. Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed not only His person and who He is, but also His plan for us in this world. We can be assured that what the Bible says is true and trustworthy because it is the inspired Word of God. Therefore we should read it so that we know what the Bible teaches and says about God and then apply it to our lives.
Paul notes in Philippians 3:1 that he is writing some things that he has written before. The basics of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior are so important they must be written again. The scripture says that it was written to instruct us and to help us in pressing on for Christ. No person can press on and grow spiritually without heeding the scripture. God’s Word is a safeguard for us to keep from falling prey to Satan’s temptations and to prevent us from following false teachings. If we fail to study and obey the scripture we will cave in either to the temptations of life or to false teaching. Only as we obey the scripture which contains the commandments of the Lord, can we show our love and loyalty to the Lord.
Over and over in the scriptures we are told to obey the Word of the Lord and keep His commandments. It is so important that in just one chapter, John 14, Jesus said three times to obey His commandments. In verse fifteen Jesus says, “If you love me, keep My commandments.” In verse twenty-one Jesus said, “He that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.”In verse twenty-three Jesus says, “If a man loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him.”
It is not only necessary to keep God’s commandments to show we love Him, but if we truly love Him we will want to obey His Word. We must read and study the scripture faithfully in order for us to keep our guard up against the evil we face daily in our lives.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
Today I turn my life completely over into Your hands. Help me to diligently study and obey the scriptures in a new and fresh way, so that I can not be affected by the evil of this world and any false teaching that comes my way.
SCRIPTURES
DEFINITION:
The Bible; the Word of God.
SCRIPTURE:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. II Timothy 3:16.
Finally my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me is not grievous, but for you it is a safeguard. Philippians 3:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In II Timothy 3:16 Paul says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. The scripture is the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Inspired means God breathed. Although God used men to write down the scriptures, the Bible is not a collection of stories or myths, which are merely man’s ideas about God. Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed not only His person and who He is, but also His plan for us in this world. We can be assured that what the Bible says is true and trustworthy because it is the inspired Word of God. Therefore we should read it so that we know what the Bible teaches and says about God and then apply it to our lives.
Paul notes in Philippians 3:1 that he is writing some things that he has written before. The basics of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior are so important they must be written again. The scripture says that it was written to instruct us and to help us in pressing on for Christ. No person can press on and grow spiritually without heeding the scripture. God’s Word is a safeguard for us to keep from falling prey to Satan’s temptations and to prevent us from following false teachings. If we fail to study and obey the scripture we will cave in either to the temptations of life or to false teaching. Only as we obey the scripture which contains the commandments of the Lord, can we show our love and loyalty to the Lord.
Over and over in the scriptures we are told to obey the Word of the Lord and keep His commandments. It is so important that in just one chapter, John 14, Jesus said three times to obey His commandments. In verse fifteen Jesus says, “If you love me, keep My commandments.” In verse twenty-one Jesus said, “He that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.”In verse twenty-three Jesus says, “If a man loves Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him.”
It is not only necessary to keep God’s commandments to show we love Him, but if we truly love Him we will want to obey His Word. We must read and study the scripture faithfully in order for us to keep our guard up against the evil we face daily in our lives.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 22:6.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
PRAYER:
Today I turn my life completely over into Your hands. Help me to diligently study and obey the scriptures in a new and fresh way, so that I can not be affected by the evil of this world and any false teaching that comes my way.
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