Sympathy: May 16, 2013

Today's Word for Thursday MAY 16, 2013

SYMPATHY

DEFINITION:  

The practice or capacity to share in the feelings of another person especially in times of sorrow or trouble.

SCRIPTURE:

All of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. I Peter 3:8

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many people have trouble showing any kind of sympathy to others in their time of need. One of the reasons for this, we believe, is because of the selfish "me only" thinking generation that we live in. When someone constantly thinks of self only they really do not care about the feelings or situations of others and they have no communication with God so there is no spiritual understanding of caring for others.

Do you have a sympathetic heart? How do you react when you see a hungry child, a lonely woman, a sick baby or a homeless family? Most people today, when they see these things, they walk right past them showing no concern or interest.

Being in the ministry we constantly run into situations where sympathy is needed for someone in a hurting situation. In today's environment people are losing jobs, losing their homes, facing economic concerns, need food, live in a dysfunctional family situation and broken marriages. And then there are those who are injured, dealing with a dreadful disease or suffering physical pain.

It is also important to mention that there are many people today that are lonely. They have no one to talk to, no one to help them in a time of need, and no one to share their concerns with. These people are looking for sympathy and they have difficulty finding anyone that even cares.

In I Peter 3:8 (above), Peter gives us five qualities that should be evident in the life of every believer. These qualities are first, to live in harmony, second, to be sympathetic, thirdly, to love each other as brothers, fourthly, to be compassionate and fifth to be humble. As believers we are to be sympathetic and compassionate which means when we see someone in need we must reach out to them in loving concern and doing what we can to help and comfort them.

The scripture tells us that if we are sympathetic as believers we need to be willing to bear the burdens of others. (Read the verse above from Galatians). Burdens are problems and issues that someone must bear. They can be physical or spiritual. The law of Christ is love and is covered in the teachings of Christ and Jesus desires us to fulfill His command by following His example and showing love and sympathy to those who are burdened down by heartache and trouble.

We also need to be willing to help the weak (Acts 20:35 above). Paul says that he showed us by his own hard work so that we should not be selfish but to be an example, especially a spiritual example to those who are weak. As believers we are to express sympathy to those in sorrow and offer to help those around us who are in need.

Read again the last part of Acts 20:35 (above) that says that Jesus tells us that" IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE." All of us today need to learn to be sympathetic to the needs of those people that we meet every day. Our Lord expects this from us. When we give, the blessing will be ours.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 118:24.

This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

PRAYER:

Help me to be sensitive to the needs of others so that I may know when someone needs sympathy. Give me a helping attitude and as the scripture says, may I learn that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Gems of Encouragement: May 4, 2013

GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT MAY 4, 2013

PROVERB:

He who plots evil will be known as a schemer. The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker. Proverbs 24:8-9.

PROMISE:

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8.

PRAISE:

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily hears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. Psalm 68:19-20.

Credibility: May 3, 2013

TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY MAY 3, 2013.

CREDIBILITY

DEFINITION:

Capable of being believed; being trustworthy and honorable.

SCRIPTURE:

Beloved, I beg of you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God. I Peter 2:11-12.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

As parents raising our children we constantly stressed the importance of always being credible. Unfortunately, most people in today’s culture do not consider the importance of being credible with their friends and acquaintances. When one loses his or hers credibility it is almost impossible to get it back. We taught our children the necessity of being honest, truthful and trustworthy because those were the character traits that would give them credibility. You do not win in life if you lie to or mislead people. The truth will always come back to hurt the one who misleads another.

Credibility is not something that you buy, it is something that you work for and earn. We may be able to “borrow” credibility for a while by associating ourselves with credible people, but sooner or later we will need to establish our own credibility.

As Christians it is essential that our lives are lived in a way that honors God. We are known as Christians and are held to a higher standard by the world. We are Christ’s witnesses in this world and therefore our actions reflect on Christ’s purifying power to enable us to be trustworthy and honest. If we fail in some way then our credibility failure dishonors God. We must earn credibility as Christians by living each day an upright and exemplary life. When we take care of our character, by building it on God’s laws, our witness to the world will be credible.

The importance of credibility on the life of anyone who says he is a Christian cannot be overemphasized. Lawyers look for credible witnesses in court cases. Lawyers for both sides seek to discredit witnesses for the opposing side. If they can show inconsistencies in a witness’s testimony the testimony will not be credible. Our testimony as a Christian is not credible if it is not reflected in the way we live and an upright character. Christians must be vigilant in ridding themselves of acts of immorality and dishonesty. The world looks for every opportunity to destroy Christ’s testimony by attacking the credibility of believers.

God has called us to be credible witnesses for Him by following in His steps. In I Peter 2:21-22 Peter said, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”

Peter stated we are to “follow” His steps. In the Greek the word “follow” means to take the same road. We need to walk the same road that Jesus walked and in turn we will be more Christ-like and have real credibility.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 4:17.

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, help me and my family to look to You as our example for we know that You are without sin and that You want us to live by Your standards and not the standards of the world. Help us to be willing to follow in Your footsteps.

Covetousness: May 2, 2013

Today's Word for Thursday MAY 2, 2013

COVETOUSNESS

DEFINITION:

Long for; desire enviously; wrongfully desire what belongs to another; a desire for an unjust gain.

SCRIPTURE:

And Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." Luke 12: 15.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

On many occasions we have watched our children and other children playing. Children always seem to want the toy another child is playing with. It doesn't seem to matter that there may be a dozen other toys or that they could have chosen that toy long before the toy was taken by the other child. The child wants that one and wants it now, so in most cases they just take it.

As parents we know that it is not right so we have to intervene. Unfortunately, one of the problems with families today is that a parent does not intervene at times like this and children develop bad traits that stay with them for a lifetime. Adults are covetous just like children. We never think of wanting something, in many cases, until we see someone else has it. When we covet what someone else has we are breaking God's Tenth Commandment.

On the internet there is a web page called, "The Law of Attraction." Evidently this is a popular idea floating around about how to get whatever you want. One must just think and feel what you want to attract.

This positive thinking philosophy teaches that the energy of your dominant thoughts "attracts" your circumstances. The theory is the more desire you have for a thing, the greater will be the attractive force exerted toward its attainment, both within yourself and outside of yourself. To us this sounds like coveting. It seems that this so called law basically offers one the "things" in life that you "want" but do not have. This is certainly not what we learn from the Bible. The Bible has nothing to say about such a law.

WARNING: Do not get caught up in "Laws" like this because they will distract you, at the least, from your Christian walk with the Lord. Look to the Bible for all the theories you need.

We are to use our God-given abilities and work to provide for ourselves. As believers, we have good reason to be positive in our thinking, but it is because our heavenly Father understands our needs and meets them. Because He cares for us, we do not have to be anxious (Luke 12: 29-30). In the verse we have written above (Luke 12:15) we are reminded that life does not consist "in the abundance of things that we possess. The believer’s goal is not to accumulate riches. The believer’s goal is to be rich in God. (Luke 12:31)

In this verse above Jesus tells us to "Take heed and beware of covetousness" because one day, like the rich fool in the parable, in Luke 12:16-21, we will leave it all behind. When that day comes for us to go to our Heavenly Father we will have more than we ever dreamed. In the meantime, God promises to provide all our needs. We do not need to follow foolish ideas like "the law of attraction" when we are a child of God. He has promised to supply all our needs, not all of our desires. Our greatest desire should be to be "rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). We become rich toward God by faith and obedience and by serving Him.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 4:17

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

PRAYER:

Thank You for the assurance that we have that You will provide all of our needs. Help us not to covet the things of this world but seek the riches of God. Help my family to continue to seek You daily and communicate to You daily so that You can protect us from evil and bless us with Your goodness.

Correction: May 1, 2013

Today's Word for Wednesday MAY 1, 2013

CORRECTION

DEFINITION: 

The act of correcting; something that is proposed or substituted for what is wrong; punishment; discipline.

SCRIPTURE:

A fool despises his father's instruction, but he who receives correction is prudent. Proverbs 15:5.

Do not withhold correction from a child. Proverbs 23:13.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

As we look back on how we were corrected as children and how we corrected our children, one thing stands out above everything else. When standards and boundaries were set and discipline for breaking those standards or boundaries were made clear, it made correction so much easier.

Correction is needed today for all ages. This is because we were all born into an evil world and doing things right is difficult because others, who do not know Jesus, do not have a godly standard of right and wrong. When people see others doing wrong things and getting away with it without correction, it is a temptation for them to follow suit and then excuse themselves by telling themselves it is okay because everyone is doing it. We also would like to add that just because one calls himself a Christian it does not mean that everything that person does is right and perfect.

Children constantly need to be reminded about the difference between right and wrong. As parents we are not to withhold correction from a child (above verse). Teenagers, most of the time, know when they are doing things that deserve correction and they try to keep what they are doing from being discovered by their parents. They cave in to the pressures of their peers and continue to do what they know they should not be doing. The minute a parent sees one of their children being wrongly influenced by a friend, a group of friends or an acquaintance, the parent must step in to rectify the situation.

Not everyone appreciates correction, but David did. He felt indebted to those who corrected him and realized how much he owed them. In Psalm 141:5 he said, "Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. Let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it."

Correction is a kindness. David suggests that correction is an act of loyalty. Loyal friends will correct one another, even when it is painful and disruptive to relationships. It is one of the ways we show love and help one another to grow stronger in the Lord. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." A true friend will give advice as to what a person needs to hear, not what they want to hear, even though the advice might be painful.

It takes grace, especially for a loyal friend, to give godly correction. But it takes even more grace to receive it. In II Samuel 12:13 David received correction from Nathan concerning his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. David immediately confessed his sin and repented. But for many of us, we would be inclined to refuse it under similar circumstances. We resent interference and do not want to be found out concerning things we are ashamed of and do not want to be known.

Growth through grace for the believer sometimes comes through the kind but unpleasant correction of a loyal friend. Think for a moment of times in your life a loyal friend, like a spouse, has corrected you. Did you admit that you needed to be corrected and did you allow the correction to be of help spiritually? In Proverbs 15:5 it reads that "He who receives correction is prudent and wise." We should never refuse correction even if it is painful. We learn through being corrected. Correction brings wisdom.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 4:17.

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

PRAYER:

Help our family to understand that correction from a loyal friend can help us change for the better and be more Christ like. Help us to grow in the wisdom that comes from Your correction and to live a godly life that is consistent with Your Word so we do what we know is the right thing to do.

Gossip: April 30, 2013

Today's Word for Tuesday APRIL 30, 2013.

GOSSIP

DEFINITION:

A rumor; revealing personal or sensational facts about others; trifling talk about other people; an idle talker; discussing other peoples affairs.

SCRIPTURE:

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and an arrow. Proverbs 25:18.

A perverse man stirs up dissension and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Gossip defined is the act of someone sharing with another party information about a third party that is most often just a rumor that is not true or at least stretching the truth. Most certainly it is not complimentary to the third party and is most often very hurtful. People accept gossip as true without knowing the facts. In addition as gossip is passed from one person to another, it gets embellished.

Our sinful nature causes us to relish juicy tidbits of gossip. We love to hear about someone's rumored indiscretion and we can't wait to tell others. The most prevalent place for gossip is in the work place. In fact it has gotten so bad that now a person can get fired for gossiping in certain workplaces. According to a recent poll, the average employee gossips 65 hours a year. Notice that this includes all employees --- that is over ¾ of an hour each and every week if someone works 50 weeks a year.

There are some work places that take corrective approaches to gossip. They range from firing the one that gossips to a group in the entertainment industry that takes the time to pray for a person who is making bad choices rather than spreading the facts or rumors to more people.

Gossip is not only a problem among adults. Children, especially teenagers, are quick to spread rumors. Gossip spreads fast on the high school campus, especially in this day and age when so many teenagers have cell phones.

There is no place in the life of a believer for gossip. As believers it is clear what God wants from us concerning gossiping. Exodus 20:16 reads, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." This is one of the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses. False witnessing is lying. God commands us not to tell lies. That is quite clear and simple to understand. Spreading lies and rumors by gossiping can readily become vicious. Proverbs 25:18 states that using untruths against another person is like using a club, a sword or a sharp arrow on them.  

Clubs, swords and sharp arrows are weapons that cause great pain and harm. Like a weapon, gossip causes pain and does great harm to the victim. Most people would never hurt someone by using a weapon upon them, yet they will spread hurtful gossip without hesitation.  The writer of Proverbs 16:28 tells us that gossip is harmful because it stirs up dissension and separates close friends.

Friends should be able to trust each other. A gossip certainly cannot be trusted. It is difficult to be friends with someone you can’t trust.

Unfortunately, we have heard many people gossip in church. Of all places this is a place that should not be a place for gossip. Gossip feeds into our natural desires to feel superior to others and to belong or fit in with the crowd. If you choose to love others and be concerned about others you will live in a gossip free zone. You can never justify gossip. It is better to pray for someone. If you are praying for a person you will find it difficult to gossip about them.

LEARNING :

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 4:17.

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

PRAYER:

Lord, forgive me for speaking carelessly about others to make myself look better. Help me to think before I speak and show a Christ-like love to all by speaking kindly about them. Teach me to be loving in my words and to shun gossip. 

Revenge: April 29, 2013

Today's Word for Monday APRIL 29, 2013.

REVENGE

DEFINITION: 

To exact punishment for a wrong; a vindictive spirit; to inflict pain or harm; act to retaliate.

SCRIPTURE:

Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: it is mine to avenge: I will repay, says the Lord. Romans 12:19

Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong. But always try to do what is good for each other. I Thessalonians 5:15

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Romans 12:17

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

All parents discover early on that children have a natural instinct to get revenge. When our children got into a disagreement it was often hard to know which one was the bigger offender. One would say that the other one hit him or her. The other would say that their sibling had hit him or her first. The reply to that accusation was that it all was the other ones fault because of some unkind thing the sibling had done. Their justification for the fight or disagreement was that they were just getting even --- revenge. 

The desire for revenge is not limited to children. Basic human nature drives most people to want to retaliate when someone does them wrong. This attitude of revenge is not acceptable to God. Every day we have situations that brings out our desire to show some revenge. A fellow worker blames you for an incident at work. A friend betrays you. A spouse causes hurt feelings to the other spouse. For all of these issues, and many more, your natural response is to retaliate even if it is just verbal.

When people try to even the score and get revenge it starts a vicious cycle. Every act done to retaliate and get revenge on someone who has wronged us only results in another act of retaliation. Usually, each act or revenge is more severe than the previous one.

People in deteriorating relationships have a strong tendency to bring up "ancient history." They feel they have to get payback or revenge. The result is that they can never truly forgive and resolve their anger. They end up suffering even more as the bitterness eats away at them like a cancer. Paul tells us in Romans to let the Lord be our avenger. He will punish with justness and fairness. 

We have talked to people who have evidently been wronged years ago by a person but have never been able to conquer their desire to get revenge. As a result the relationship between the two people progressively gets worse. This is not acceptable in God's sight because He wants us to live a life honoring Him in all we do. When such an incident happens God expects you to respond with love and not repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17). This is hard because it goes against our sinful nature. If we want to live a life honoring God by our words and deeds, we need to take the initiative and make things right.

Jesus commanded us to love one another as I have loved you (John 15:13). To love as Jesus loved means we must be willing to forgive. If we retain a desire to get revenge on someone who has hurt us we have not truly forgiven. Forgiveness is more than just saying the words, “I forgive you.” It involves attitude and actions.

As Paul advises us in I Thessalonians 5:15, "Always try to do what is good for each other." Paul also advises us that it is not our role to retaliate, to punish or to seek revenge but God's. When you respond with love and an understanding attitude it will make a lasting impression on the one that wronged you. It is a well known fact that it takes two to fight and when your response is done in love and showing care it takes "all the air out of the balloon" of the one that wronged you. One day God will right every wrong.

Next time you have a desire to retaliate, do something good and see what happens. You may have to, as the saying goes "bite your tongue."  It is hard to continue a fight when there is only one in the fight.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 4:17:

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

PRAYER:

Help me today to be responsive to wrongs done to me with a spirit of love. Keep me from returning evil for evil. My great desire is to be more like You. May others see Christ in all my words and deeds. Give me an attitude of forgiveness with my family, friends and neighbors.