GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2013
PROVERB:
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. Proverbs 10:12
PROMISE:
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.
PRAISE:
I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations. Psalm 89:1.
December 1, 2013
Temptation: November 29, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2013.
TEMPTATION
DEFINITION:
An inducement; enticement to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
SCRIPTURE:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. I Corinthians 10:13.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Temptation is a lot like an unexpected storm that sweeps in and causes damage to those who are caught unaware. A believer in Jesus must be alert to seeing the approach of a temptation and be prepared to ride it out. None of us, as believers, will reach a spiritual level of maturity at which we will no longer battle sinful enticements. The closer we walk with the Lord the less enticing the sinful temptations and ways of the world will be to us.
Understanding our own weaknesses is an important part of being prepared for temptation. It is usually a multitude of little sins that land most people in trouble and we need to watch for them and know where we are most vulnerable.
God has given us His guidelines in His Word for living a godly life that is pleasing to Him. The Bible clearly defines what sin is. We do not have the right to draw the line between what is sin and what is not. That is God's right.
God has given us a line and as believers we must not go over that line. Take one step over the line and soon there is an inducement to take one more step and soon you find yourself totally estranged from the Lord and overwhelmed with guilt and shame.
To build a defense against temptation we must understand how it works. Every sin (temptation) originates as a thought. If you hold onto that thought it becomes a fantasy. Fantasies can become entangled with one's emotions and then it becomes a desire.
At that point one will need to make a choice. This process is quite dangerous because the progression from a thought to a choice can be almost instantaneous. Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist a temptation as soon as it enters their consciousness.
The verse we have written above gives us two assurances that God has provided in our battle against temptation. First, is that God is faithful and we have a commitment as believers to obey God. Secondly, that we have the assurance that He is in control and has limited what Satan can do against us, and provides a way to escape.
When temptation comes your way take your focus away from the temptation and look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself the questions: Is this choice I make a violation of God's Word? What are the consequences? Am I prepared to pay the price?
Any temptation can be resisted if you really desire to resist. God will help you resist any temptation and will provide for us a way to escape from it completely.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalms 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Help me to learn to spend more time daily in reading Your Word and praying so that I clearly understand what is sin and so that I have a strong defense against the temptation to do sinful things. May my family learn that they need to have this strong defense to protect them. Help me to build my faith daily by meditating in Your Word and praying.
TEMPTATION
DEFINITION:
An inducement; enticement to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.
SCRIPTURE:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. I Corinthians 10:13.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Temptation is a lot like an unexpected storm that sweeps in and causes damage to those who are caught unaware. A believer in Jesus must be alert to seeing the approach of a temptation and be prepared to ride it out. None of us, as believers, will reach a spiritual level of maturity at which we will no longer battle sinful enticements. The closer we walk with the Lord the less enticing the sinful temptations and ways of the world will be to us.
Understanding our own weaknesses is an important part of being prepared for temptation. It is usually a multitude of little sins that land most people in trouble and we need to watch for them and know where we are most vulnerable.
God has given us His guidelines in His Word for living a godly life that is pleasing to Him. The Bible clearly defines what sin is. We do not have the right to draw the line between what is sin and what is not. That is God's right.
God has given us a line and as believers we must not go over that line. Take one step over the line and soon there is an inducement to take one more step and soon you find yourself totally estranged from the Lord and overwhelmed with guilt and shame.
To build a defense against temptation we must understand how it works. Every sin (temptation) originates as a thought. If you hold onto that thought it becomes a fantasy. Fantasies can become entangled with one's emotions and then it becomes a desire.
At that point one will need to make a choice. This process is quite dangerous because the progression from a thought to a choice can be almost instantaneous. Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist a temptation as soon as it enters their consciousness.
The verse we have written above gives us two assurances that God has provided in our battle against temptation. First, is that God is faithful and we have a commitment as believers to obey God. Secondly, that we have the assurance that He is in control and has limited what Satan can do against us, and provides a way to escape.
When temptation comes your way take your focus away from the temptation and look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself the questions: Is this choice I make a violation of God's Word? What are the consequences? Am I prepared to pay the price?
Any temptation can be resisted if you really desire to resist. God will help you resist any temptation and will provide for us a way to escape from it completely.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalms 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Help me to learn to spend more time daily in reading Your Word and praying so that I clearly understand what is sin and so that I have a strong defense against the temptation to do sinful things. May my family learn that they need to have this strong defense to protect them. Help me to build my faith daily by meditating in Your Word and praying.
Thanksgiving: November 28, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28,
2013.
THANKSGIVING
DEFINITION:
The act of giving thanks; an expression
of thanks especially to God.
SCRIPTURE:
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving
and into His courts with praise. Psalm 100:4
Be joyful always, pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you. I Thessalonians 5: 16-18.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at
Thessalonica, "In everything give thanks. (I Thessalonians 5:18) This does
not mean that we have to be thankful for everything. We do not have to be
thankful for bad circumstances or difficulties. What Paul is saying is that our
praise and thanksgiving to God should not depend on our circumstances or our
feelings. Even when we aren’t feeling joyful and thankful God is forever worthy
of our praise and thanksgiving.
Paul tells us in these verses (above)
from Thessalonians that God’s will for us is to: Be joyful always, pray
continually and to give thanks in all circumstances.
When we do what God asks us to do, God
works in our heart and life. Our circumstances may not change but our
perspective will. We will always have abundant reasons to be thankful to our
loving Lord who will supply all of our needs. Even in the worst of
circumstances God works for our good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
In his letter to Philemon the Apostle
Paul writes about his runaway slave Onesimus. Onesimus had met Paul and found
the Lord. When Paul was imprisoned, Onesimus had helped Paul. It was a
disappointment to Philemon that Onesimus ran away and Paul wanted Philemon to
see how the Lord turned the situation into good. He wanted Philemon, who was
also a Christian, to be thankful for this situation. Paul wrote to Philemon,
"Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that
you might have him back for good, no longer as a slave, but a dear
brother."
Knowing that God can use all things for
good is more than enough for us to give thanks to Him for everything. God has
not promised to keep us from the storms of life but He will keep us as we go
through them.
When the American colonies were being
developed, one man said to the pioneers that they were spending way too much
time on their problems. He said it was time for them to focus on their
blessings. Thus, the first Thanksgiving Day came to pass. As believers we need
to take time not only today, but every day, to focus on our blessings and not
on our problems that we may be facing. If we do this, God will give us a joyful
spirit and a thankful heart.
In Deuteronomy 9, we read of God's
reminder to Israel that He was leading them into the Promised Land to fulfill
His purpose and promises. He reminded them that they would succeed because of
Him and not because of their own righteousness. He knew that they would be
tempted to give themselves the credit and not to be grateful for their
prosperity.
Ungratefulness is a problem and a
temptation for us today. If our endeavors are successful we need to make certain
that we make our THANKFULNESS TO GOD a priority and give Him the glory. We need
to thank God for His goodness, help and blessing. We do not need more to be
thankful for, we just need to be more thankful.
Here are several scriptures to remind
you today to give thanks to God. In I Corinthians 15:57 it says for us to say
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. In II
Corinthians 2:14 it says we are to give thanks to God who always leads us in
triumph in Christ. In II Corinthians 9:15 Paul says, "Thanks be to God for
His indescribable gift." And finally in Hebrews 12:28 we read, "let
us be thankful, and so worship God."
Yes, we have so much to thank the Lord
for and it is in our giving thanks and glory to the Lord for all that He has
done for us, that we worship Him. Read the verse that we have put above under
our scripture for today. Start today by entering into His gates with
thanksgiving. Begin with a personal time of prayer and reading the Word of God
and then throughout the whole day be joyful and thankful for all that God has
done and is doing for you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse this week is found in
Psalm 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,
let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
We thank You for Your creation, for the
stars in the sky and the waters in the sea. We thank You for the blessings in
life that You continually bestow upon us and for Your overwhelming goodness. We
thank You for sending Your Son to pay the penalty for our sins. Thank You for
preparing now a place for us to spend eternity with You.
Usefulness: November 27, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2013.
USEFULNESS
DEFINITION:
Being of use or service or worthwhile; having a practical function, purpose
SCRIPTURE:
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel. Judges 3:31.
So the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? He said A rod.
Exodus 4:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One week from next Saturday will be the anniversary of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. We remember that day even though we were young children. It made an impact on people of all ages. Over the next days, months and years scores of heroic stories surfaced telling of things that the United States servicemen accomplished that day. Many stated that what they did was insignificant but at a time of need they became useful.
One of the stories was what Major Shapley did to save the life of Marine Corporal Nightingale. They were presumably the last two alive on the ARIZONA before it sunk. The Marine Corporal had done all he could to save the lives on the ship but no one survived. As he was preparing to jump into the water an explosion helped put him in the water. The Major was next to him and saw that he was not making it to shore. The Major grabbed the Corporal's shirt, and even though exhausted, pulled him to shore. The major saw the Corporal's need and made himself useful in a dire time of need.
All around us today people are perishing in a sea of despair and hopelessness. Like the Corporal they are drowning, not in a sea of water but in a sea of sin. They are in need of rescue. All of us who know the Lord have a God-given responsibility to do all we can to rescue the lost in this world. We have the responsibility to lead them to the Lord so He can do His work in and through them. It should be the desire of our heart to be useful in serving our Lord and Savior who gave His life for us.
Many people are saying today that they just do not have the talent or ability to be useful for the Lord. Conventional wisdom seems to question how much can be accomplished with little. We tend to believe that a lot can be done if we have large financial resources, talented man-power, and innovative ideas. These things just do not matter to God. What does matter to God is the attitude of our heart. Do we desire to serve the Lord and are we willing to let Him use us, no matter what the cost?
We read in Judges 3:31 (the verse above) about a relatively unknown man named "Shamgar" who delivered Israel from the Philistines, single-handedly, with nothing more than an ox goad. This is a stick sharpened on one end to drive slow-moving animals.
In Exodus, when God asked Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses was afraid the people would not listen to him or follow him. So God said in Exodus 4:2, "What is that in your hand." God knew what it was but needed to convince Moses that this was all he needed. Moses used the "rod" to turn the Nile River into blood, to bring plagues on Egypt, to part the Red Sea, and to perform all the miracles in the wilderness.
The rod of Moses and the ox goad of Shamgar, when dedicated to God, became mighty tools. God is able to use ordinary things to do extra ordinary things. None of us are too insignificant to be useful to God with whatever we have to give to Him. God is not looking for people with great abilities, even though He will use them, but for those who are dedicated to following and obeying Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalms 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Help me to realize today that little is much when God is in it. May You use what little I have to do the things You want to accomplish through my life.
USEFULNESS
DEFINITION:
Being of use or service or worthwhile; having a practical function, purpose
SCRIPTURE:
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel. Judges 3:31.
So the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? He said A rod.
Exodus 4:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One week from next Saturday will be the anniversary of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. We remember that day even though we were young children. It made an impact on people of all ages. Over the next days, months and years scores of heroic stories surfaced telling of things that the United States servicemen accomplished that day. Many stated that what they did was insignificant but at a time of need they became useful.
One of the stories was what Major Shapley did to save the life of Marine Corporal Nightingale. They were presumably the last two alive on the ARIZONA before it sunk. The Marine Corporal had done all he could to save the lives on the ship but no one survived. As he was preparing to jump into the water an explosion helped put him in the water. The Major was next to him and saw that he was not making it to shore. The Major grabbed the Corporal's shirt, and even though exhausted, pulled him to shore. The major saw the Corporal's need and made himself useful in a dire time of need.
All around us today people are perishing in a sea of despair and hopelessness. Like the Corporal they are drowning, not in a sea of water but in a sea of sin. They are in need of rescue. All of us who know the Lord have a God-given responsibility to do all we can to rescue the lost in this world. We have the responsibility to lead them to the Lord so He can do His work in and through them. It should be the desire of our heart to be useful in serving our Lord and Savior who gave His life for us.
Many people are saying today that they just do not have the talent or ability to be useful for the Lord. Conventional wisdom seems to question how much can be accomplished with little. We tend to believe that a lot can be done if we have large financial resources, talented man-power, and innovative ideas. These things just do not matter to God. What does matter to God is the attitude of our heart. Do we desire to serve the Lord and are we willing to let Him use us, no matter what the cost?
We read in Judges 3:31 (the verse above) about a relatively unknown man named "Shamgar" who delivered Israel from the Philistines, single-handedly, with nothing more than an ox goad. This is a stick sharpened on one end to drive slow-moving animals.
In Exodus, when God asked Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses was afraid the people would not listen to him or follow him. So God said in Exodus 4:2, "What is that in your hand." God knew what it was but needed to convince Moses that this was all he needed. Moses used the "rod" to turn the Nile River into blood, to bring plagues on Egypt, to part the Red Sea, and to perform all the miracles in the wilderness.
The rod of Moses and the ox goad of Shamgar, when dedicated to God, became mighty tools. God is able to use ordinary things to do extra ordinary things. None of us are too insignificant to be useful to God with whatever we have to give to Him. God is not looking for people with great abilities, even though He will use them, but for those who are dedicated to following and obeying Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalms 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Help me to realize today that little is much when God is in it. May You use what little I have to do the things You want to accomplish through my life.
Unshakeable: November 26, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2013.
UNSHAKEABLE
DEFINITION:
Determined; stable; steady; unwavering; not open to persuasion.
SCRIPTURE:
Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:35, 37.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Our world is literally changing daily. In this changing world many people seek security in wealth, relationships, and power. But what people are finding out is that putting their security in these things is not guaranteed from one day to another. No wonder there is so much despair and fear in our world today.
For believers reality is not based in what we see or feel. Also our foundation for life is not found in this world of uncertainty. We build our trust and hope in the Lord and believe the unchanging truth that is in His Word.
The verses we have written above tells us that even in chaotic times like today our certainty is found in our relationship with God. We are His children and He cares for us and tells us that NOTHING CAN TEAR US AWAY FROM THE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
No matter what circumstances we might be in, and no matter what happens to us, God's love for us is unshakeable. We can never lose God's love. Bad things happen to all of us. Many have been abandoned by those who should love them. Children are abandoned by parents and spouses abandon one another.
In tough times, especially, we may feel God has abandoned us, but we can be assured that God will never abandon us nor stop loving us. God proved His love for us when He gave His life for us on the cross. We must not allow our circumstances to shake our faith in our Lord and Savior.
As believers we are in a very unique position today. In the midst of turmoil and trials we have the assurance that our lives are in the grip of almighty God. We can rely not only on His love and presence in our lives but also on His uninterrupted attention, faithfulness and perfect care.
Is your faith in the Lord today unshakeable? When difficulty arises in your life and circumstances seem overwhelming, can you respond with confidence and strength because of your relationship with Jesus? The psalmist said in Psalm 91:2, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." God’s steadfast love provides a refuge of comfort and a fortress of divine protection for those who love Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Help each one of us in my family to be unshakeable in our love for You. Strengthen the foundation of our lives so that we do not waver in our faith. Help us to put our confidence and hope in You.
UNSHAKEABLE
DEFINITION:
Determined; stable; steady; unwavering; not open to persuasion.
SCRIPTURE:
Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:35, 37.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Our world is literally changing daily. In this changing world many people seek security in wealth, relationships, and power. But what people are finding out is that putting their security in these things is not guaranteed from one day to another. No wonder there is so much despair and fear in our world today.
For believers reality is not based in what we see or feel. Also our foundation for life is not found in this world of uncertainty. We build our trust and hope in the Lord and believe the unchanging truth that is in His Word.
The verses we have written above tells us that even in chaotic times like today our certainty is found in our relationship with God. We are His children and He cares for us and tells us that NOTHING CAN TEAR US AWAY FROM THE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
No matter what circumstances we might be in, and no matter what happens to us, God's love for us is unshakeable. We can never lose God's love. Bad things happen to all of us. Many have been abandoned by those who should love them. Children are abandoned by parents and spouses abandon one another.
In tough times, especially, we may feel God has abandoned us, but we can be assured that God will never abandon us nor stop loving us. God proved His love for us when He gave His life for us on the cross. We must not allow our circumstances to shake our faith in our Lord and Savior.
As believers we are in a very unique position today. In the midst of turmoil and trials we have the assurance that our lives are in the grip of almighty God. We can rely not only on His love and presence in our lives but also on His uninterrupted attention, faithfulness and perfect care.
Is your faith in the Lord today unshakeable? When difficulty arises in your life and circumstances seem overwhelming, can you respond with confidence and strength because of your relationship with Jesus? The psalmist said in Psalm 91:2, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." God’s steadfast love provides a refuge of comfort and a fortress of divine protection for those who love Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 95:1.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Help each one of us in my family to be unshakeable in our love for You. Strengthen the foundation of our lives so that we do not waver in our faith. Help us to put our confidence and hope in You.
Follow: November 25, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2013.
FOLLOW
DEFINITION:
To accept as a guide or a leader; to accept the authority of; to imitate or copy; to pursue or go after; to conform to or comply with.
SCRIPTURE:
Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. Exodus 23:2
The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you. DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR PRACTICES. Leviticus 18:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
By definition, follow means to accept someone as a guide or a leader and to do as they do. People can choose to follow many different leaders but tend, most often, to follow the crowd. There is a real danger in following the crowd. Just because "everyone" is doing something doesn't make it right. Following the crowd will lead us to think as they think and cloud our judgment concerning God's standards of what is right and wrong.
After God called Moses to the mountain top at Sinai to give Moses the Ten Commandments Moses brought God's instructions to the Israelites to teach them how God wanted them to live their lives. One of God's instructions was "not to follow the crowd in doing wrong." (Exodus 23:2) Although Moses spoke these words so long ago (1445 BC) this instruction applies to us today. God's commandments never change. We must not follow the crowd when they are doing the wrong things. This means we often find ourselves standing all alone. This is not an easy thing and many will find it easier to just follow the crowd.
One of the major issues parents have to deal with in raising their children is their children's desire to follow the crowd. Teenagers, particularly, want to be like everyone else, dress like everyone else, style their hair like everyone else, do what everyone else does, and on and on the list could go. Teenagers are very vulnerable to peer pressure, to follow the crowd. A teenager’s first drink, first cigarette or first drug use is almost always tried as a result of the urging of their friends.
What does a parent do? Parents must know who they themselves are following. Are they following the crowd? If they are following a crowd that is not living as God would have them to live, their instruction to their children to not to follow the crowd will fall on deaf ears. Children will follow the example of the parents. Our actions always speak louder than our words.
God created us to love and serve Him. Jesus said whoever serves Him must follow Him. (John 12:26) When Jesus chose His disciples He instructed them to "Come, follow Me." (Matthew 4:19) When we follow Jesus we must follow Him completely. When Jesus called the two brothers, James and John, they were fishing with their father. Immediately, they left the boat and their father and followed Him. (Matthew 4:22) They left all too completely follow Jesus.
We must also follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Jesus' commandment to us is, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
The question for each one of us today is: Who are we following? Are we following the crowd? We must also ask ourselves: Are we following Jesus completely and wholeheartedly or just when it suits us?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 95:1
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, keep me from desiring to follow the crowd. Help me in my desire to follow You completely and wholeheartedly. Help me to live my life so that it is an example to my children so that they too will desire to follow You and love You with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind.
FOLLOW
DEFINITION:
To accept as a guide or a leader; to accept the authority of; to imitate or copy; to pursue or go after; to conform to or comply with.
SCRIPTURE:
Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. Exodus 23:2
The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them: I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you. DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR PRACTICES. Leviticus 18:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
By definition, follow means to accept someone as a guide or a leader and to do as they do. People can choose to follow many different leaders but tend, most often, to follow the crowd. There is a real danger in following the crowd. Just because "everyone" is doing something doesn't make it right. Following the crowd will lead us to think as they think and cloud our judgment concerning God's standards of what is right and wrong.
After God called Moses to the mountain top at Sinai to give Moses the Ten Commandments Moses brought God's instructions to the Israelites to teach them how God wanted them to live their lives. One of God's instructions was "not to follow the crowd in doing wrong." (Exodus 23:2) Although Moses spoke these words so long ago (1445 BC) this instruction applies to us today. God's commandments never change. We must not follow the crowd when they are doing the wrong things. This means we often find ourselves standing all alone. This is not an easy thing and many will find it easier to just follow the crowd.
One of the major issues parents have to deal with in raising their children is their children's desire to follow the crowd. Teenagers, particularly, want to be like everyone else, dress like everyone else, style their hair like everyone else, do what everyone else does, and on and on the list could go. Teenagers are very vulnerable to peer pressure, to follow the crowd. A teenager’s first drink, first cigarette or first drug use is almost always tried as a result of the urging of their friends.
What does a parent do? Parents must know who they themselves are following. Are they following the crowd? If they are following a crowd that is not living as God would have them to live, their instruction to their children to not to follow the crowd will fall on deaf ears. Children will follow the example of the parents. Our actions always speak louder than our words.
God created us to love and serve Him. Jesus said whoever serves Him must follow Him. (John 12:26) When Jesus chose His disciples He instructed them to "Come, follow Me." (Matthew 4:19) When we follow Jesus we must follow Him completely. When Jesus called the two brothers, James and John, they were fishing with their father. Immediately, they left the boat and their father and followed Him. (Matthew 4:22) They left all too completely follow Jesus.
We must also follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Jesus' commandment to us is, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
The question for each one of us today is: Who are we following? Are we following the crowd? We must also ask ourselves: Are we following Jesus completely and wholeheartedly or just when it suits us?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 95:1
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, keep me from desiring to follow the crowd. Help me in my desire to follow You completely and wholeheartedly. Help me to live my life so that it is an example to my children so that they too will desire to follow You and love You with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind.
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