Gem of Encouragement: December 14, 2013

GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 14, 2013.

PROVERB:

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13.

PROMISE:

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7.

PRAISE:

Praise be to the Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy. Psalm 28:6

Faith: December 13, 2013

TODAY”S WORD FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, 2013.

FAITH

DEFINITION:

Trust; reliance; belief; creed; expectation.

SCRIPTURE:

If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Mark 9:23.

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:16

Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The theme of faith permeated Christ’s ministry here on earth. Jesus highly esteemed the great faith that Abraham had in God. Abraham’s faith withstood severe testing. First God asked him to leave his home and move his family to a place he knew nothing about. By faith Abraham obeyed. God then asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, a real step of faith. Abraham was willing and prepared but God stopped him and provided for him the animal to sacrifice. Abraham passed God’s test. Not many of us have such strong faith. Most people falter when the testing begins.

Jesus spent much time urging those with weak convictions to believe and not waver in their faith. Today we want to share some thoughts to those who struggle with their faith and have concerns about their belief in Jesus.

Jesus understands the weakness of our human nature and knows how vulnerable we are in our faith. We may think we have strong faith but it often does not take much to shake it.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus cited five examples of little faith. First, He speaks of the worry we all experience concerning the everyday resources and necessities of life we need (Matthew 6:30).  When we go through tough times it tests our faith and our faith can falter. Many question if God really cares. Jesus says we are not to worry. Our heavenly father knows what we need and He never stops caring for us (Matthew 7:25-34).

The disciples had the faith to leave everything they had to follow Jesus so it would seem they had to be men of great faith but even they at times showed weakness in their faith. In Matthew 8:23-26 we are told about the terrible storm that Jesus slept through on the boat on the Sea of Galilee. But the disciples, the scripture says, were so afraid that they were going to drown they woke Jesus to ask Him to save them. Jesus calmed the storm knowing the weakness of their faith. Jesus pointed out that constant fear shows lack of trust and therefore a lack of faith. Do you face constant fear?

Peter allowed doubt to take over his thinking when Jesus gave Peter a command to walk on the water toward Him. In Matthew 14:31 we are told that Jesus called Peter to come to Him. Peter stepped out in faith but when he experienced the wind he started to sink because he doubted he was safe. When we take our eyes off Jesus, as Peter did, our faith will waver.

The fourth reference to weak faith in Matthew is found in Matthew 16: 5-12. The disciples failed to reach a correct conclusion about Jesus’ teachings and actions. They were not on the same wave link that Jesus was on. Jesus was warning the disciples to beware of the wrong teaching and the hypocrisy of the Sadducees and Pharisees. Jesus told the disciples they did not need the bread the Sadducees and Pharisees offered. In their weakness of faith they thought Jesus was talking about physical bread because they had not brought bread with them.

The fifth example is when the disciples, who had been given authority to do healing, were brought a man with seizures caused by a demon. The disciples could not heal the man so the man was brought to Jesus and he healed him. Later the disciples asked Jesus in private why they were unable to heal the man with seizures. Jesus answered by saying to them, “because you have so little faith.”

In order to grow stronger spiritually, we must take our eyes off of our circumstances and look to Jesus. By trusting in His character and believing in His promises, we can overcome anxiety and develop greater faith.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 3:23.

This is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

PRAYER:

Keep me from worry and doubt that will weaken my faith. Keep me faithful in reading Your Word so that I will know the truth and the promises in Your Word that will make my faith strong. Also help me not to sit back rejoicing in my faith but help me to work daily to share with others my faith and help those who are in need both physically and spiritually.

Inadequacy: December 12, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY DECEMBER 12. 2013.

INADEQUACY

DEFINITION:

Below par; wanting; deficient; lacking.

SCRIPTURE:

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? II Corinthians 2:15-16.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Most of us assume that having feelings of inadequacy are enemies that we need to subdue rather than a friend to live with. In some cases these enemies of inadequacy are feelings that can prepare us for great accomplishments.

The Apostle Paul had great feelings of inadequacy when he began to preach the gospel. God allowed Paul to feel inadequate for a reason. No one is adequate without God’s help to preach God’s message of salvation. In spite of his great learning and varied gifts, he acknowledged that he was not sufficient in himself to minister for the Lord. By taking this attitude, which he truly felt, he was able to step out and preach beyond his own personal limits. He was able to tap into the supernatural power that God offered.

Consider what God accomplished through Paul when Paul allowed God to have all that he was. Paul spread the gospel throughout the Roman world. His letters, preserved for us in the New Testament, continue to impact lives for Jesus Christ today. We never know what God can do with us until we allow Him to have all that we are.

Many times we let opportunities pass by because we so easily surrender to our inadequacies. We use our limitations as an excuse for not taking on difficult assignments when faced with God’s call to serve. Our excuses are unacceptable because the Holy Spirit will empower us for any task the Lord assigns us.

Unless we claim God’s supernatural power, we run the risk of multiplied failures. We miss out on the joy, peace, and contentment derived from stepping out in faith to answer the call of our Lord that we thought was “impossible.” In addition, our hesitation may deprive other people of the benefits of our service.

Perhaps you feel you do not have a lot to offer, but remember if you are a child of God, He has equipped you with all that you need to serve Him. Never underestimate the impact of one person who has learned how to depend on the adequacy of Almighty God.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 3:23.

This is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

PRAYER:

Help me to live beyond my inadequacies by turning my weaknesses over to You. Use me to fulfill Your direction for my life as I endeavor to accomplish great things for You

Sin: December 11, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11, 2013.

SIN

DEFINITION:

Transgression; wickedness; impurity; iniquity; falling short of God’s perfect standard.

SCRIPTURE:

Your Word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:11.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

You do not hear as many sermons in churches today about sin and hell. Some ministers feel that they do not want to make their congregation uncomfortable. This is a good example as to what is wrong with our world today. I heard several people talking on the television several weeks ago about not being honest in their dealings. This is sin according to God’s Word. They discussed the question that if what they were talking about was sin could they get away with it?

If you planted several apple seeds in your front yard, what would grow? Your answer would be, apples, of course. It would be foolish to plant apple seeds but then expect to reap a crop of oranges, wouldn’t it?

Now let me ask you another similar question. If you planted seeds of sin in your life what would grow? Sadly, the result is just as logical as the consequences of sowing apple seeds.

For some it is very obvious when we talk about planting fruit but so elusive when we talk about sin in our lives. It is true that many people who freely engage in wrong activities are shocked and dismayed to discover the disastrous results that follow.

This type of person is surprised because they never think that the activities they are involved in as planting seeds of sin. They see themselves as simply having fun or having a good time and being part of the crowd. This is a trademark maneuver of Satan. He is the master of deception. With temptation Satan always offers us one thing but delivers something very different. The good time you think you are involved in turns sour very quickly. In most cases people find themselves feeling miserable the next day. Satan cannot offer one lasting joy, only lies and destruction.

We cannot sow disobedience to God and expect to reap His blessing on our life. Take a moment now and ask yourself what you are planting in your life --- seeds of flesh or seeds of the Spirit. Read Galatians 5: 19-25 and you will clearly see the difference. There is absolutely no comparison between the two options you have. The answer we asked above can be answered --- You cannot get away with sin. You will reap what you sow.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 3:23.

This is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

PRAYER:

Help my family to understand that doing wrong is sin. Give us standards that honor the commandments that You have given us in Your word. May we make it clear to those we live with and associate with that as believers we do not surrender to the desires of the sinful nature because we live by the Spirit.

Anxiety: December 10, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 10, 2013

ANXIETY

DEFINITION:

Concern; fear; worry; mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune.

SCRIPTURE:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6.

KNOWLEEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many people today fight anxiety in their daily living. People worry about many things, relationships with other people, project deadlines, family issues, job security, finances, health to name a few and the list goes on and on. It is unlikely that anyone doesn’t have some anxiety in their life today. There are just so many pressures to deal with in this world.

I (Ken) despite no real reason constantly fight anxiety. Therefore, I understand somewhat how people struggle with this issue. So the question for today is, “How is one to handle anxiety in their life?”

We want to take you to the life of Gideon in the Old Testament. Gideon was a man who experienced great anxiety. Gideon lived at the time when Israel was invaded and oppressed by the Midianites. They destroyed their crops, their sheep and their cattle. The Midianites had made it almost impossible for the Israelites to grow and gather and prepare food. The difficulty of providing for his family caused great distress and anxiety for Gideon and for all Israel.

Gideon had to thresh grain in a wine press to keep it hidden from his enemies, the Midianites. Gideon truly believed God had abandoned Israel and he felt helpless because he believed his family was one of the weakest and he considered himself one of the least of men. Imagine how it must have surprised Gideon when an angel of God appeared and announced that God called on Gideon to lead the fight against the Midianites. Imagine the stress and anxiety he faced because he truly believed he was one of the weakest of all the Israelite men and inadequate for such an impossible task.

Gideon had a lengthy discussion with the Angel of the Lord, the scriptures say, about why God had abandoned them and allowed them to fall into the hands of the Midianites. Gideon also spent time talking to God trying to resolve his doubts. Gideon questioned how he could be adequate to do what God asked him to do. God’s answer was simply, “I will be with you.” Through prayer, Gideon communicated with God. He received answers to all of his questions and God gave him complete instructions on how to defeat the Midianites.

Gideon obeyed and answered God’s call. He gathered his men together only to have God send most of them home before the battle. This turn of events really stressed Gideon but he proceeded as God commanded. Israel was victorious because it was the Lord that won the battle. In the process of this battle Gideon learned just how powerful and personal his God was. (Judges 6-7)

Gideon discovered that knowing God intimately is one of the keys in dealing with worry and anxiety. By studying this account of Gideon you will soon realize that those that handle anxiety both inward and outwardly know the Lord in a personal way. When you walk with the Lord, as Gideon learned to do, you will calmly proceed through every issue in life while others around you drown in stress.

How do we handle stress and anxiety in our lives? We read the Word, pray and trust God. Trusting in God is a way of life rather than a method. That way of life is centered in Jesus and the spending of time learning to know Him in His fullness.

We all need to learn that man’s method for handling anxiety serve only to distract or numb us from stress. God’s way is to reveal who He is through the teaching of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In the process we replace our fretfulness with His peace. It is time for you to sit down and become intimate with God.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 3:23.

This is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord, for Your promise to be with us just as You promised Gideon. It is my prayer today that you will work in my heart to trust more and worry less about the anxieties that I face in life. Help me to develop a new conversation with You so that I give all my stress, worry and anxiety to You.   

Repentance: December 9 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013

REPENTANCE

DEFINITION:

Be contrite; be penitent; to experience sorrow for and seek to change wrong behavior.

SCRIPTURE:

Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham for our father, for I say to you from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Luke 3:8.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Repentance means to change one’s mind and start moving the other way. In today’s society just as in years past people will admit they have sinned and say they have remorse but are not willing to change their behavior. Repentance is not merely regretting or being remorseful for one’s sin but it necessitates a complete turning away from sin and turning to God.

One of the greatest preachers of repentance in the Bible was John the Baptist. In message after message he called those that were listening to him to perform a complete “about face.”

John insisted that it was not sufficient to exhibit only superficial contrition. Genuine repentance means to “bear fruits in keeping with repentance,” Luke 3:8 above. Repentance must be followed by action to be real. When his listeners asked what he meant by that, they were told to share their food and clothing, to be fair in their business practices, and to be content with their wages. In other words, they were to change their ways and leave their old practices of sinful behavior behind.

But repentance includes something else according to the Word of God. There must be a willingness to make restitution to anyone that was wronged. An illustration is found in Luke 19 when Zaccheus, the tax collector, received Jesus and repented by saying to Jesus, “If I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.”

If you have ever watched soldiers do their drills on a parade field, you will have noticed that when the leader calls out,” to the rear, March” in unison they all reverse their direction and march the other way. This is what repentance means for those who desire to be saved. God is saying, “To the rear, March,” and one needs to reverse directions to follow Jesus. This is the result of real repentance.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 3:23.

This is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

PRAYER:

Help us, as a family, to understand what repentance means. Help us to turn away from our sinful ways and live our lives in a way that others may see Your love in us and see their need to repent of their sins and be saved.