GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2014
PROVERB:
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12
PROMISE:
Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths. Isaiah 2:3b
PRAISE:
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? Psalm 77:13.
February 9, 2014
Enlarge: February 7, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2014.
ENLARGE
DEFINITION:
Make larger; extend; augment; increase in capacity or scope.
SCRIPTURE:
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The prophet Isaiah in this passage (above) is talking about the nation of Israel and God’s covenant promise to Abraham to make of him a great nation. As a growing nation God is challenging Israel through Isaiah to make the place of their tent larger.
God chose the nation of Israel to be His treasured possession. They were God’s chosen representatives to the rest of the world. God wanted them to spread out and possess the land He promised them.
This verse refers not only to Israel but applies prophetically to the future Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the need for the church (all believers) to enlarge its tent by spreading the good news of the gospel. This includes each and every believer and this is our challenge to you today. Join us as we enlarge our tent to reach out to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The verse we have written above goes on to tell us to “Lengthen your cords.” God is challenging us as believers to increase our influence throughout the world. Jesus commanded that we, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
The illustration of a tent is understood by all. When you put up a small tent you tighten the cords and it will house a few people. But when the need arises to hold more people we must enlarge the tent. We do this by lengthening the cords and strengthening the stakes that hold the cords in the ground thus making the tent cover larger.
In the Hebrew dictionary the word for “enlarge” is RACHAB. It means to become wide like chambers, like the chambers of a heart. It also has the meaning of increasing the size of a city’s borders or the size of a church.
To enlarge our tent we must enlarge our heart by filling it with more of God’s love and enlarge our capacity to love others. It is only as each one of us has more love for the Lord that our individual church “tent” will be enlarged.
Our tents include our ministry, our vision and our testimony to others. When a tent is enlarged the cords must be lengthened and stronger stakes are needed to keep it from collapsing. We need to strengthen and lengthen our cords by looking for new and fresh ways to serve our Lord. The stakes anchor the tent to hold it in place. The stakes must be strong and go deep into the ground. Before we can enlarge our tents we must strengthen our stakes by growing our faith through studying God’s Word and prayerfully seeking His direction.
In this chapter of Isaiah the prophet is speaking of the day when Israel accepts Christ as their Messiah and Savior. “With great compassion I will gather you” Isaiah 54:7. At that time they will need enlarged spaces where they will dwell together and be blessed with a rich reward of everlasting joy and peace. God calls all of us to enlarge our tents.
You may feel. As many people do, timid about witnessing for Christ, but if you grow your relationship with Christ He will provide both the inner strength to tell His message and the opportunities to be a witness.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Strengthen my faith by giving me a better understanding of Your Word as I read it daily. Help me to communicate with You daily through prayer in a new and fresh way. Enlarge our family’s spiritual vision so we can be used by You to spread the “Good News” of Christ’s gift of salvation.
ENLARGE
DEFINITION:
Make larger; extend; augment; increase in capacity or scope.
SCRIPTURE:
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The prophet Isaiah in this passage (above) is talking about the nation of Israel and God’s covenant promise to Abraham to make of him a great nation. As a growing nation God is challenging Israel through Isaiah to make the place of their tent larger.
God chose the nation of Israel to be His treasured possession. They were God’s chosen representatives to the rest of the world. God wanted them to spread out and possess the land He promised them.
This verse refers not only to Israel but applies prophetically to the future Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the need for the church (all believers) to enlarge its tent by spreading the good news of the gospel. This includes each and every believer and this is our challenge to you today. Join us as we enlarge our tent to reach out to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The verse we have written above goes on to tell us to “Lengthen your cords.” God is challenging us as believers to increase our influence throughout the world. Jesus commanded that we, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
The illustration of a tent is understood by all. When you put up a small tent you tighten the cords and it will house a few people. But when the need arises to hold more people we must enlarge the tent. We do this by lengthening the cords and strengthening the stakes that hold the cords in the ground thus making the tent cover larger.
In the Hebrew dictionary the word for “enlarge” is RACHAB. It means to become wide like chambers, like the chambers of a heart. It also has the meaning of increasing the size of a city’s borders or the size of a church.
To enlarge our tent we must enlarge our heart by filling it with more of God’s love and enlarge our capacity to love others. It is only as each one of us has more love for the Lord that our individual church “tent” will be enlarged.
Our tents include our ministry, our vision and our testimony to others. When a tent is enlarged the cords must be lengthened and stronger stakes are needed to keep it from collapsing. We need to strengthen and lengthen our cords by looking for new and fresh ways to serve our Lord. The stakes anchor the tent to hold it in place. The stakes must be strong and go deep into the ground. Before we can enlarge our tents we must strengthen our stakes by growing our faith through studying God’s Word and prayerfully seeking His direction.
In this chapter of Isaiah the prophet is speaking of the day when Israel accepts Christ as their Messiah and Savior. “With great compassion I will gather you” Isaiah 54:7. At that time they will need enlarged spaces where they will dwell together and be blessed with a rich reward of everlasting joy and peace. God calls all of us to enlarge our tents.
You may feel. As many people do, timid about witnessing for Christ, but if you grow your relationship with Christ He will provide both the inner strength to tell His message and the opportunities to be a witness.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Strengthen my faith by giving me a better understanding of Your Word as I read it daily. Help me to communicate with You daily through prayer in a new and fresh way. Enlarge our family’s spiritual vision so we can be used by You to spread the “Good News” of Christ’s gift of salvation.
Heritage: February 6, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2014.
HERITAGE
DEFINITION:
Something inherited; to receive as a possession; legacy; anything handed down from an ancestor.
SCRIPTURE:
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. Psalm 127:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When we think of the word heritage we think of our parents. God has blessed us both with a family heritage of forefathers who loved the Lord. Dottie was raised by a widowed mother that was totally committed to raise her three daughters to love and serve the Lord that she so loved.
Ken comes from a heritage of a grandfather who was a minister and a father that was used by God in many ministries. At the young age of 46 God decided to take his father home. Everyone that knew Ken’s father would say that he left for us a wonderful heritage.
We are reminded that the Hebrew word for heritage is NACHAL. This Hebrew word has several interesting definitions. One is to receive as a possession or to acquire as used in Proverbs 3:35: “The wise should inherit glory.” NACHAL is also used in Psalm 119:111, “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever.”
In the verse we have chosen to write above we are reminded that children are a heritage (NACHAL) from God. When Ken’s father died, we were in Korea working on establishing orphanages for abandoned GI babies and orphans, who were living on the streets. Ken’s father had challenged us both to spend some time on the mission field working to help children because they were, and still are, a wonderful heritage from God. It made us realize how blessed we were to have the heritage of loving Christian parents.
We both had loving and caring parents that trained us in the Word of God leading us to know Jesus as our personal Savior. Both of our parents involved us in church, Sunday school and missions so that are hearts would be sensitive to those in need. We look back on the heritage that our parents left us and we thank God for this wonderful blessing.
Now for 56 years since the death of my (Ken) father we have raised our six children giving them a portion of the rich heritage we were given. We have reminded them through the years of the rich heritage we have in our heavenly Father. We have an eternity in heaven to look forward to if we honor and serve our Lord. We have shared with our children the heritage they have in their forefathers and mothers. God has blessed us with so many examples, all that we can learn from.
Now our six children are raising our twenty grandchildren with the same spiritual emphasis on godly family living. They are being trained as we trained them and our parents trained us.
The psalmist David in Psalm 61:5 reminds us of the benefits God has given us, including life eternal with Him. God has also given us the heritage of those who fear His name. Just think what that means. We have the heritage of Abraham, Joshua, David and all those heroes of the faith that we read about almost daily in His Word.
God told Moses in Exodus 6:8, “I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage.” The Psalmist said in Psalm 61:5, “You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.”
Today we as a family benefit from the heritage that our parents left for us. It is our prayer that we will leave for our grandchildren and their children a rich heritage that God can use to bring them into a productive relationship with Him. What kind of heritage are you leaving for those that love you?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Help me to build daily on my heritage by honoring You in all I do. May I not take lightly the heritage that You have given me. Thank You for my children. Guide me as I lead them and teach them from God’s Word how to love and serve You.
HERITAGE
DEFINITION:
Something inherited; to receive as a possession; legacy; anything handed down from an ancestor.
SCRIPTURE:
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. Psalm 127:3
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When we think of the word heritage we think of our parents. God has blessed us both with a family heritage of forefathers who loved the Lord. Dottie was raised by a widowed mother that was totally committed to raise her three daughters to love and serve the Lord that she so loved.
Ken comes from a heritage of a grandfather who was a minister and a father that was used by God in many ministries. At the young age of 46 God decided to take his father home. Everyone that knew Ken’s father would say that he left for us a wonderful heritage.
We are reminded that the Hebrew word for heritage is NACHAL. This Hebrew word has several interesting definitions. One is to receive as a possession or to acquire as used in Proverbs 3:35: “The wise should inherit glory.” NACHAL is also used in Psalm 119:111, “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever.”
In the verse we have chosen to write above we are reminded that children are a heritage (NACHAL) from God. When Ken’s father died, we were in Korea working on establishing orphanages for abandoned GI babies and orphans, who were living on the streets. Ken’s father had challenged us both to spend some time on the mission field working to help children because they were, and still are, a wonderful heritage from God. It made us realize how blessed we were to have the heritage of loving Christian parents.
We both had loving and caring parents that trained us in the Word of God leading us to know Jesus as our personal Savior. Both of our parents involved us in church, Sunday school and missions so that are hearts would be sensitive to those in need. We look back on the heritage that our parents left us and we thank God for this wonderful blessing.
Now for 56 years since the death of my (Ken) father we have raised our six children giving them a portion of the rich heritage we were given. We have reminded them through the years of the rich heritage we have in our heavenly Father. We have an eternity in heaven to look forward to if we honor and serve our Lord. We have shared with our children the heritage they have in their forefathers and mothers. God has blessed us with so many examples, all that we can learn from.
Now our six children are raising our twenty grandchildren with the same spiritual emphasis on godly family living. They are being trained as we trained them and our parents trained us.
The psalmist David in Psalm 61:5 reminds us of the benefits God has given us, including life eternal with Him. God has also given us the heritage of those who fear His name. Just think what that means. We have the heritage of Abraham, Joshua, David and all those heroes of the faith that we read about almost daily in His Word.
God told Moses in Exodus 6:8, “I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage.” The Psalmist said in Psalm 61:5, “You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.”
Today we as a family benefit from the heritage that our parents left for us. It is our prayer that we will leave for our grandchildren and their children a rich heritage that God can use to bring them into a productive relationship with Him. What kind of heritage are you leaving for those that love you?
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Help me to build daily on my heritage by honoring You in all I do. May I not take lightly the heritage that You have given me. Thank You for my children. Guide me as I lead them and teach them from God’s Word how to love and serve You.
Able: February 5, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2014.
ABLE
DEFINITION:
Denoting ability; having the means or power to act; talented; competent; intelligent; skilled.
SCRIPTURE:
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Exodus 18:25
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The word ABLE in the verse above in the original Hebrew is CHAYIL. This word according to the Hebrew dictionary has several shades of meaning. These several meanings have value for us today because God is looking for ABLE men and women to serve Him.
First, there is strength to enable one to do valiantly. In Psalm 60:12 it reads: “Through God we will do valiantly.” Valiantly means boldly and courageously. Able men of the Lord should have no fear to do boldly whatever the Lord asks them to do to advance the Lord’s cause and grow the body of believers. In God’s hands are “strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.” I Chronicles 29:12b
The second meaning is that there is power. Being able means having power. Psalm 110:3 reads: “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.” As believers we do not rely on our power but on God’s power. “In Your hand is power and might; and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” I Chronicles 29:12.
The Hebrew word for ABLE is used in Deuteronomy 8:18: “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant.”
The Hebrew word CHAYIL is also used in I Kings 1:52 meaning honesty. Honesty is essential to making a great man. Solomon said: “If he proves himself an honest (CHAYIL) man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth.
Being ABLE the way God wants us to be means that we need to do what we do boldly and courageously, making use of our God-given abilities and earthly wealth and relying on His strength and power.
We often hear the phrase being said: “GOD IS ABLE.” Even though He is more than able, He is looking for able men and women like us to work for Him. In II Chronicles 25:9 King Amaziah said.”The Lord is able to give you much more.” We serve a God that is able to do the impossible. He is looking for ABLE people to serve Him.
Yes, it is God who equips us to be able to serve Him. Yes, it is His planned purpose for us here on earth to serve Him. So why are there not more who are truly serving the Lord? There is just one possible reason---“US” ---. We ourselves stand in the way. We are not willing to pay the price to serve Him.
In Joshua 24:15 Joshua told the Children of Israel, who had turned to serving false gods, that “you must choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” We each one must make our choice as to whom we will serve. It is the Lord who makes us more than able to serve Him but He can only make those who have chosen to serve Him able to serve Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord that You are able to do the impossible and that You are the source of strength and power that enables me to serve You valiantly and honestly to further Your kingdom.
ABLE
DEFINITION:
Denoting ability; having the means or power to act; talented; competent; intelligent; skilled.
SCRIPTURE:
And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Exodus 18:25
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The word ABLE in the verse above in the original Hebrew is CHAYIL. This word according to the Hebrew dictionary has several shades of meaning. These several meanings have value for us today because God is looking for ABLE men and women to serve Him.
First, there is strength to enable one to do valiantly. In Psalm 60:12 it reads: “Through God we will do valiantly.” Valiantly means boldly and courageously. Able men of the Lord should have no fear to do boldly whatever the Lord asks them to do to advance the Lord’s cause and grow the body of believers. In God’s hands are “strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.” I Chronicles 29:12b
The second meaning is that there is power. Being able means having power. Psalm 110:3 reads: “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.” As believers we do not rely on our power but on God’s power. “In Your hand is power and might; and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” I Chronicles 29:12.
The Hebrew word for ABLE is used in Deuteronomy 8:18: “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant.”
The Hebrew word CHAYIL is also used in I Kings 1:52 meaning honesty. Honesty is essential to making a great man. Solomon said: “If he proves himself an honest (CHAYIL) man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth.
Being ABLE the way God wants us to be means that we need to do what we do boldly and courageously, making use of our God-given abilities and earthly wealth and relying on His strength and power.
We often hear the phrase being said: “GOD IS ABLE.” Even though He is more than able, He is looking for able men and women like us to work for Him. In II Chronicles 25:9 King Amaziah said.”The Lord is able to give you much more.” We serve a God that is able to do the impossible. He is looking for ABLE people to serve Him.
Yes, it is God who equips us to be able to serve Him. Yes, it is His planned purpose for us here on earth to serve Him. So why are there not more who are truly serving the Lord? There is just one possible reason---“US” ---. We ourselves stand in the way. We are not willing to pay the price to serve Him.
In Joshua 24:15 Joshua told the Children of Israel, who had turned to serving false gods, that “you must choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” We each one must make our choice as to whom we will serve. It is the Lord who makes us more than able to serve Him but He can only make those who have chosen to serve Him able to serve Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord that You are able to do the impossible and that You are the source of strength and power that enables me to serve You valiantly and honestly to further Your kingdom.
War: February 4, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2014.
WAR
DEFINITION:
Armed conflict between those in opposition to each other or between nations; any strife or conflict to hostility.
SCRIPTURE:
But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Luke 6:27-28.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
War is a very complicated and disturbing subject both to the believers and the non-believers. We must first as believers consider the condition of the fallen world we live in. War is a natural consequence of sin. Some conflicts are fueled by leaders with evil intentions and desires. Other conflicts are a battle between right and wrong. God does not like bloodshed, but if evil is not forcefully resisted, the wicked will prevail.
The Lord established government as a means to promote good and to restrain evil. Some rulers abuse the authority given them and act wickedly with the result being war. We share this word “war” with you today because so many of our wonderful friends who are reading these daily devotionals are living in “war zones”. We pray that these thoughts will be a source of encouragement to those living every day with “war.”
The Old Testament gives us evidence that at times God uses war to achieve His purpose. He commanded the Israelites to fight for the possession of the land He had promised them and to kill the inhabitants who were very evil (Deuteronomy chapter 20). God also used war to judge and punish wicked nations (Jeremiah chapter 25). God also used war to punish His own people for their evil ways (Jeremiah 5).
Many people ask a very important question: “How can the God who told Israel to destroy the Canaanites be the same God who told us to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate you?” To understand this we must be able to understand that God distinguishes commands given to nations and instructions given to individuals. Look at two verses to clarify this in your mind. In Romans 13:4 God calls nations or governments ministers of God for good and entrusts them with avenging evil. But in Romans 12:19 He is talking to individuals when He says for us to never take our own revenge.
Jesus also tells us in Luke that loving our enemies is the only way to protect ourselves as believers from bitterness. Unfortunately, many people today turn this around. They are quick to fight personal battles but slow to affirm the avenging of evil as a nation.
America was founded by our forefathers as a nation under God. Just this last Christmas season some of the American news media reported on “the war against Christmas.” There were those who were demanding that Christmas nativity displays be taken down if they were on public property. Many judicial buildings display the TEN COMMANDMENTS from the Bible on their facilities. For some time there have been demands that they be removed.
We must face it, there is a war going on against those who believe in God. What those who oppose the followers of Jesus do not understand is that they are in a war against God. This is not new to our generation.
Satan is the leader of this war. It began in heaven when Satan rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). It continued on earth when Satan brought his war to the Garden of Eden and successfully tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God.
Satan continues to recruit his army of followers to carry on his war against God. When will it end? Daniel 9:26 tells us, “War will continue until the end.” When is the end? When Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom on earth and reigns as King forever and Satan is cast into the lake of fire.
Until then we as believers are in the war and we must be armed and ready with the Word of God and we must be diligent in preparing our children to stand strong against their enemy, Satan.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Help me to remember that Your goal is to destroy wickedness and not people. Help me to do my part in overcoming evil as I look toward the day when You will defeat all evil and I will reign with You for an eternity.
WAR
DEFINITION:
Armed conflict between those in opposition to each other or between nations; any strife or conflict to hostility.
SCRIPTURE:
But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Luke 6:27-28.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
War is a very complicated and disturbing subject both to the believers and the non-believers. We must first as believers consider the condition of the fallen world we live in. War is a natural consequence of sin. Some conflicts are fueled by leaders with evil intentions and desires. Other conflicts are a battle between right and wrong. God does not like bloodshed, but if evil is not forcefully resisted, the wicked will prevail.
The Lord established government as a means to promote good and to restrain evil. Some rulers abuse the authority given them and act wickedly with the result being war. We share this word “war” with you today because so many of our wonderful friends who are reading these daily devotionals are living in “war zones”. We pray that these thoughts will be a source of encouragement to those living every day with “war.”
The Old Testament gives us evidence that at times God uses war to achieve His purpose. He commanded the Israelites to fight for the possession of the land He had promised them and to kill the inhabitants who were very evil (Deuteronomy chapter 20). God also used war to judge and punish wicked nations (Jeremiah chapter 25). God also used war to punish His own people for their evil ways (Jeremiah 5).
Many people ask a very important question: “How can the God who told Israel to destroy the Canaanites be the same God who told us to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate you?” To understand this we must be able to understand that God distinguishes commands given to nations and instructions given to individuals. Look at two verses to clarify this in your mind. In Romans 13:4 God calls nations or governments ministers of God for good and entrusts them with avenging evil. But in Romans 12:19 He is talking to individuals when He says for us to never take our own revenge.
Jesus also tells us in Luke that loving our enemies is the only way to protect ourselves as believers from bitterness. Unfortunately, many people today turn this around. They are quick to fight personal battles but slow to affirm the avenging of evil as a nation.
America was founded by our forefathers as a nation under God. Just this last Christmas season some of the American news media reported on “the war against Christmas.” There were those who were demanding that Christmas nativity displays be taken down if they were on public property. Many judicial buildings display the TEN COMMANDMENTS from the Bible on their facilities. For some time there have been demands that they be removed.
We must face it, there is a war going on against those who believe in God. What those who oppose the followers of Jesus do not understand is that they are in a war against God. This is not new to our generation.
Satan is the leader of this war. It began in heaven when Satan rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9). It continued on earth when Satan brought his war to the Garden of Eden and successfully tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God.
Satan continues to recruit his army of followers to carry on his war against God. When will it end? Daniel 9:26 tells us, “War will continue until the end.” When is the end? When Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom on earth and reigns as King forever and Satan is cast into the lake of fire.
Until then we as believers are in the war and we must be armed and ready with the Word of God and we must be diligent in preparing our children to stand strong against their enemy, Satan.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Help me to remember that Your goal is to destroy wickedness and not people. Help me to do my part in overcoming evil as I look toward the day when You will defeat all evil and I will reign with You for an eternity.
Service: February 3, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2014.
SERVICE
DEFINITION:
An act of helpful activity; the serving of God in obedience; work done in serving another.
SCRIPTURE:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16.
I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices (reasonable service), holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1. (NIV)
With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. Ephesians 6:7
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The apostle Paul lived a life of service, second maybe to no one in Biblical history. God called Paul to a ministry of faith and service. No other person did more to spread the good news of the gospel and shape the history of Christianity than Paul. It was Paul whom Christ used to write 13 of the New Testament books and win the first European convert to Christianity (Acts 16:14).
Paul also lived a life of service by becoming a great missionary bringing many Jewish and countless Gentiles to a saving knowledge of the Lord. Paul was also used by God to explain many of the doctrines of the new faith. Paul suffered many hardships throughout much of his life for serving the Lord. He did not let any of his suffering deter him from preaching the gospel. Truly, the apostle Paul lived a life of service to His Lord after he had that encounter with God on the road to Damascus.
In the book of Romans we find many principles of service that Paul refers to in his life that we can apply to our lives. In the verse we have written above from Romans 12, Paul is talking to the believers in the Church of Rome. He has reminded them that all that they do is for the glory of God thus we must respond to our Lord by offering ourselves for service that glorifies Him and not men. We serve the Lord by laying aside our desires in order to serve others. Serving the Lord may require us to give up something.
Paul was a person with unshakeable convictions and unswerving confidence in the gospel. These are the first two principles that believers today must grasp. When we were raising our children we would constantly remind our children that they needed to stay true to their convictions. Because we spent time daily with the family reading the Bible, praying and talking about what we believed they lived by their convictions with unswerving confidence in the Lord. That does not mean that there were not times of wavering but when we make it our goal to be pleasing to God our godly convictions will guide us and give us victory over Satan’s temptations.
How many people, including yourself, would you say you know that have unshakeable convictions and unswerving confidence in the Bible? One guideline would be to look at the Ten Commandments and see if any are broken in your daily life. Those who desire to serve the Lord must first be willing to obey His commandments. Obedience will be evident in the lives of those with godly convictions.
Paul is blunt in his presentation as a preacher, evangelist or teacher, in calling sin what it is. He is equally strong in describing the potential of God’s forgiveness for any and all of these sins through the provision of Jesus Christ. His message is always clear, without compromise and to the point. Paul also preached integrity with the truth. He insists that integrity and truth be incarnated into day by day living. Truth and honesty are to be exemplified not in just what we say we believe but in our every action.
Paul in his life of service to the believers constantly presented a solution to the frustrating sense of failure often experiences by new believers. Paul was a master in getting to the core issues believers must deal with in their life and very practical in getting spiritual truth in confronting the problems and temptations we face living in this sinful world. He showed people how to live what they believed. As believers today, we need to work on these principles. Read the book of Romans and you will understand the great truths of the gospel that Paul applied to his life of service. Consider how to apply these truths to your life today.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Help me today to make it a priority to serve You by serving others. Prepare my heart to be willing to give up what I want to do in order to serve someone in their time of need. Lead me to that person today where I can be used of You.
SERVICE
DEFINITION:
An act of helpful activity; the serving of God in obedience; work done in serving another.
SCRIPTURE:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16.
I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices (reasonable service), holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1. (NIV)
With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. Ephesians 6:7
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The apostle Paul lived a life of service, second maybe to no one in Biblical history. God called Paul to a ministry of faith and service. No other person did more to spread the good news of the gospel and shape the history of Christianity than Paul. It was Paul whom Christ used to write 13 of the New Testament books and win the first European convert to Christianity (Acts 16:14).
Paul also lived a life of service by becoming a great missionary bringing many Jewish and countless Gentiles to a saving knowledge of the Lord. Paul was also used by God to explain many of the doctrines of the new faith. Paul suffered many hardships throughout much of his life for serving the Lord. He did not let any of his suffering deter him from preaching the gospel. Truly, the apostle Paul lived a life of service to His Lord after he had that encounter with God on the road to Damascus.
In the book of Romans we find many principles of service that Paul refers to in his life that we can apply to our lives. In the verse we have written above from Romans 12, Paul is talking to the believers in the Church of Rome. He has reminded them that all that they do is for the glory of God thus we must respond to our Lord by offering ourselves for service that glorifies Him and not men. We serve the Lord by laying aside our desires in order to serve others. Serving the Lord may require us to give up something.
Paul was a person with unshakeable convictions and unswerving confidence in the gospel. These are the first two principles that believers today must grasp. When we were raising our children we would constantly remind our children that they needed to stay true to their convictions. Because we spent time daily with the family reading the Bible, praying and talking about what we believed they lived by their convictions with unswerving confidence in the Lord. That does not mean that there were not times of wavering but when we make it our goal to be pleasing to God our godly convictions will guide us and give us victory over Satan’s temptations.
How many people, including yourself, would you say you know that have unshakeable convictions and unswerving confidence in the Bible? One guideline would be to look at the Ten Commandments and see if any are broken in your daily life. Those who desire to serve the Lord must first be willing to obey His commandments. Obedience will be evident in the lives of those with godly convictions.
Paul is blunt in his presentation as a preacher, evangelist or teacher, in calling sin what it is. He is equally strong in describing the potential of God’s forgiveness for any and all of these sins through the provision of Jesus Christ. His message is always clear, without compromise and to the point. Paul also preached integrity with the truth. He insists that integrity and truth be incarnated into day by day living. Truth and honesty are to be exemplified not in just what we say we believe but in our every action.
Paul in his life of service to the believers constantly presented a solution to the frustrating sense of failure often experiences by new believers. Paul was a master in getting to the core issues believers must deal with in their life and very practical in getting spiritual truth in confronting the problems and temptations we face living in this sinful world. He showed people how to live what they believed. As believers today, we need to work on these principles. Read the book of Romans and you will understand the great truths of the gospel that Paul applied to his life of service. Consider how to apply these truths to your life today.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:5.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
PRAYER:
Help me today to make it a priority to serve You by serving others. Prepare my heart to be willing to give up what I want to do in order to serve someone in their time of need. Lead me to that person today where I can be used of You.
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