GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY MARCH 15, 2014
PROVERB:
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 10:4
PROMISE:
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Psalm 128:1-2
PRAISE:
Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.
Psalm 147: 1, 5.
March 16, 2014
Deception: March 14, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY MARCH 14, 2014.
DECEPTION
DEFINITION:
The act of misleading by a false appearance; a misrepresentation of what is the truth.
SCRIPTURE:
They refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. Zechariah 7:11.
They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord God Almighty was very angry. Zechariah 7:12.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Think back on the many times you have felt that you have been deceived. Deception is rampant in the world today. We are all guilty of deception at one time or another. We not only deceive others, but we deceive ourselves into thinking we are better than we are. This is because we measure ourselves by our standards, not God’s standards.
In the 7th and 8th chapters of Zechariah the prophet is communicating God’s plea to the people to be honest and sincere in their worship. God reminds them of their failures and reminds them that while He is unfailing in mercy and grace, He is also unchanging in His standards. He always supplies to them what is necessary but never lowers His standards.
The people failed in three ways. First, they refused to pay attention, verse above, and turned their backs on God. They basically ignored God by pretending not to hear.
Secondly, they made their hearts hard, verse above, and would not listen to God. They deliberately disobeyed God. Thirdly, they began to play the hypocrite role. At the beginning of this chapter, verse 3, the people asked if they should mourn and fast during the fifth month as they had done for years in remembrance of the destruction of Jerusalem.
At that time Jerusalem was being rebuilt so the people wanted to know from the priests and the prophets at the temple if it was necessary to continue this fast. God did not answer the question directly. Instead He rebuked them for their hypocrisy and deception and asked them, “Was it really for Me you fasted?” God knows when our worship is sincere and when it is only a religious show for appearance sake.
They fasted but did not fast with a proper attitude of repentance and worship. They deceived themselves that they were pleasing God. They were without a sincere desire to know God and love Him. Many of us do the same today. We use these same evasions to avoid God’s will in our lives.
Think about this: We go to church but we do not hear. We read the Bible but do not heed its instruction. We deliberately disobey and we become hypocritical. This is because we do not have a sincere desire to know the Lord and worship Him. He wants us to repent of our sins and do what is pleasing to Him. This passage in Zechariah portrays the human heart in the very act of deception.
God’s Word tells us the results of our repeatedly turning a deaf ear to God’s voice. We become blind to the truth. We lose our ability to see and hear what God is saying to us. This is what happens when God tries to move in our life and we do not listen. You lose the ability to see and hear God.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14: 3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Keep my heart and the hearts of my family open to Your voice every day. Help me not to turn a deaf ear to what You are telling me and keep me faithful in reading Your Word so I can know what You desire from me.
DECEPTION
DEFINITION:
The act of misleading by a false appearance; a misrepresentation of what is the truth.
SCRIPTURE:
They refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. Zechariah 7:11.
They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord God Almighty was very angry. Zechariah 7:12.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Think back on the many times you have felt that you have been deceived. Deception is rampant in the world today. We are all guilty of deception at one time or another. We not only deceive others, but we deceive ourselves into thinking we are better than we are. This is because we measure ourselves by our standards, not God’s standards.
In the 7th and 8th chapters of Zechariah the prophet is communicating God’s plea to the people to be honest and sincere in their worship. God reminds them of their failures and reminds them that while He is unfailing in mercy and grace, He is also unchanging in His standards. He always supplies to them what is necessary but never lowers His standards.
The people failed in three ways. First, they refused to pay attention, verse above, and turned their backs on God. They basically ignored God by pretending not to hear.
Secondly, they made their hearts hard, verse above, and would not listen to God. They deliberately disobeyed God. Thirdly, they began to play the hypocrite role. At the beginning of this chapter, verse 3, the people asked if they should mourn and fast during the fifth month as they had done for years in remembrance of the destruction of Jerusalem.
At that time Jerusalem was being rebuilt so the people wanted to know from the priests and the prophets at the temple if it was necessary to continue this fast. God did not answer the question directly. Instead He rebuked them for their hypocrisy and deception and asked them, “Was it really for Me you fasted?” God knows when our worship is sincere and when it is only a religious show for appearance sake.
They fasted but did not fast with a proper attitude of repentance and worship. They deceived themselves that they were pleasing God. They were without a sincere desire to know God and love Him. Many of us do the same today. We use these same evasions to avoid God’s will in our lives.
Think about this: We go to church but we do not hear. We read the Bible but do not heed its instruction. We deliberately disobey and we become hypocritical. This is because we do not have a sincere desire to know the Lord and worship Him. He wants us to repent of our sins and do what is pleasing to Him. This passage in Zechariah portrays the human heart in the very act of deception.
God’s Word tells us the results of our repeatedly turning a deaf ear to God’s voice. We become blind to the truth. We lose our ability to see and hear what God is saying to us. This is what happens when God tries to move in our life and we do not listen. You lose the ability to see and hear God.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14: 3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Keep my heart and the hearts of my family open to Your voice every day. Help me not to turn a deaf ear to what You are telling me and keep me faithful in reading Your Word so I can know what You desire from me.
Weakness: March 13, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY MARCH 13, 2014
WEAKNESS
DEFINITION:
Lacking physical strength or endurance; lacking moral or mental strength or firmness.
SCRIPTURE:
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:9-10.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
All of us go through times in our lives when we feel weakness. We may feel weak physically so that we feel that we cannot carry on. At other times we may feel weak spiritually knowing that we desperately need a special touch from God. We can look at the lives of Samson, Joseph and Paul and see that they had weaknesses that they had to face.
In Judges 16 we read about Samson, who was so strong that he could kill a lion with his bare hands. He possessed physical strength that was unequalled by any human being. But all of his physical strength could not compensate for his inner weakness. Samson’s problem was totally uncontrolled lust and because of this weakness he lost his sight, his strength, his honor and his life.
In Judges 14 we read about Joseph, who was in a great place of power. He faced similar temptations as Samson but responded very differently. He proved that it is possible to deal with your weaknesses so they will not destroy you. Joseph rejected the temptations he faced and put his trust in God, relying on God’s strength to overcome his weakness.
In the verses we have written above from II Corinthians the apostle Paul had been struggling with some painful aspects of life, including some physical afflictions, and he kept praying daily for God to remove them from his life. God’s message to Paul was in the verse above. In our weakness God’s power is made perfect and God’s grace is sufficient to meet our every need. This is the secret of true Christian strength. It is by God’s grace and through His enabling power. It is not outward impressiveness, not great prestige, pomp and favor; not degrees, honors and awards.
Ray Stedman gave us some wonderful thoughts in his book “Adventuring through the Bible.” He wrote that spiritual power never lies in human pride and might. Neither does it lie in a brilliant personality or in the ability to speak with eloquent oratory. Spiritual power is found in the heart of the humble human being who fully recognizes his or her dependence on the living Lord who dwells within all who receive Jesus as their Savior. The weaker you are, the stronger Christ can be.
May we remind you that “Out of weakness comes strength.” In II Corinthians 3:5 Paul says it this way – none of us are sufficient of ourselves; our sufficiency comes from God. We are weak but God is strong and if we are willing to turn to God in our weakness He will strengthen us. Examine yourselves to see whether you are allowing the strength of your faith to overcome your weaknesses. Test yourselves.
All of us have areas of weaknesses. God wants these character flaws to make us aware of how totally dependent we are on Him. Weaknesses drive us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him, but uncontrolled weaknesses wreak havoc in a person’s life.
Given the slightest chance, sin will infiltrate your life and affect every aspect, including your faith, your integrity, your moral values, and your relationship with your family and friends. Nothing is off limits for sin. If you think differently and feel you are in control personally, Satan has already blinded you to spiritual truth that is in front of you now.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Make me aware of my weaknesses and use them to make me more dependent on You. It is my prayer that Your Holy Spirit would work in my life today giving me strength, guidance and protection. Enable me to guide my family to be obedient to our Lord and may You help all of us to walk in Your ways.
WEAKNESS
DEFINITION:
Lacking physical strength or endurance; lacking moral or mental strength or firmness.
SCRIPTURE:
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:9-10.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
All of us go through times in our lives when we feel weakness. We may feel weak physically so that we feel that we cannot carry on. At other times we may feel weak spiritually knowing that we desperately need a special touch from God. We can look at the lives of Samson, Joseph and Paul and see that they had weaknesses that they had to face.
In Judges 16 we read about Samson, who was so strong that he could kill a lion with his bare hands. He possessed physical strength that was unequalled by any human being. But all of his physical strength could not compensate for his inner weakness. Samson’s problem was totally uncontrolled lust and because of this weakness he lost his sight, his strength, his honor and his life.
In Judges 14 we read about Joseph, who was in a great place of power. He faced similar temptations as Samson but responded very differently. He proved that it is possible to deal with your weaknesses so they will not destroy you. Joseph rejected the temptations he faced and put his trust in God, relying on God’s strength to overcome his weakness.
In the verses we have written above from II Corinthians the apostle Paul had been struggling with some painful aspects of life, including some physical afflictions, and he kept praying daily for God to remove them from his life. God’s message to Paul was in the verse above. In our weakness God’s power is made perfect and God’s grace is sufficient to meet our every need. This is the secret of true Christian strength. It is by God’s grace and through His enabling power. It is not outward impressiveness, not great prestige, pomp and favor; not degrees, honors and awards.
Ray Stedman gave us some wonderful thoughts in his book “Adventuring through the Bible.” He wrote that spiritual power never lies in human pride and might. Neither does it lie in a brilliant personality or in the ability to speak with eloquent oratory. Spiritual power is found in the heart of the humble human being who fully recognizes his or her dependence on the living Lord who dwells within all who receive Jesus as their Savior. The weaker you are, the stronger Christ can be.
May we remind you that “Out of weakness comes strength.” In II Corinthians 3:5 Paul says it this way – none of us are sufficient of ourselves; our sufficiency comes from God. We are weak but God is strong and if we are willing to turn to God in our weakness He will strengthen us. Examine yourselves to see whether you are allowing the strength of your faith to overcome your weaknesses. Test yourselves.
All of us have areas of weaknesses. God wants these character flaws to make us aware of how totally dependent we are on Him. Weaknesses drive us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him, but uncontrolled weaknesses wreak havoc in a person’s life.
Given the slightest chance, sin will infiltrate your life and affect every aspect, including your faith, your integrity, your moral values, and your relationship with your family and friends. Nothing is off limits for sin. If you think differently and feel you are in control personally, Satan has already blinded you to spiritual truth that is in front of you now.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Make me aware of my weaknesses and use them to make me more dependent on You. It is my prayer that Your Holy Spirit would work in my life today giving me strength, guidance and protection. Enable me to guide my family to be obedient to our Lord and may You help all of us to walk in Your ways.
Conviction: March 12, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY MARCH 12, 2014.
CONVICTION
DEFINITION:
A firm belief; an act of convincing.
SCRIPTURE:
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. Jeremiah 17:7.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy tree. Likewise believers need to nourish and grow their Christian belief system through a commitment to sincere Bible study and prayer. The result will be men and women with deep conviction concerning Godly truths and a firm belief system.
One may need to consider on what basis they have formed their convictions. Here are a few questions that may get you started. Do you consider the Bible to be true and trustworthy? Do you think that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved?
What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of the believers and the unbelievers? Are we to forgive others in every situation? How should Christians approach their finances? What is your purpose in life? How should you think and act regarding social issues like abortion and racism.
These all are very key questions that one must answer in order to develop a true biblical based personal philosophy and a firm belief (convictions) system. If you struggle to answer any of these questions you need to study the Bible and make God’s Word the foundation of your thinking.
Each one of us needs to reevaluate our personal beliefs. We need to evaluate what the Bible says about each issue rather than looking at an issue through the lens of personal preference. Ask yourself on each question: “What does God say?” rather than, “What does this mean to me?”
Once you know what God says, you have a choice to make. You can believe Him and make a commitment to live according to His Word, or continue being tossed by waves of doubt and indecision, as James wrote in the verse we put above. Root your conviction in the Word of God and you will be able to stand tall like a mighty oak tree before the world.
In Jeremiah 17:7 Jeremiah says that the “man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord” is blessed. In the following verse he describes him “as being like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by a stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” What a wonderful promise this is for all who stand firm in their conviction that God is the one true God and He alone is worthy of their trust.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Help me to reevaluate my belief system by answering carefully the questions above as they relate to me and my family. Keep me faithful to my convictions and take away any doubts I might have concerning my faith. Thank You that You are a Holy and just God worthy of my trust. Thank You for Your promise to bless those who trust in You.
CONVICTION
DEFINITION:
A firm belief; an act of convincing.
SCRIPTURE:
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. Jeremiah 17:7.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy tree. Likewise believers need to nourish and grow their Christian belief system through a commitment to sincere Bible study and prayer. The result will be men and women with deep conviction concerning Godly truths and a firm belief system.
One may need to consider on what basis they have formed their convictions. Here are a few questions that may get you started. Do you consider the Bible to be true and trustworthy? Do you think that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved?
What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of the believers and the unbelievers? Are we to forgive others in every situation? How should Christians approach their finances? What is your purpose in life? How should you think and act regarding social issues like abortion and racism.
These all are very key questions that one must answer in order to develop a true biblical based personal philosophy and a firm belief (convictions) system. If you struggle to answer any of these questions you need to study the Bible and make God’s Word the foundation of your thinking.
Each one of us needs to reevaluate our personal beliefs. We need to evaluate what the Bible says about each issue rather than looking at an issue through the lens of personal preference. Ask yourself on each question: “What does God say?” rather than, “What does this mean to me?”
Once you know what God says, you have a choice to make. You can believe Him and make a commitment to live according to His Word, or continue being tossed by waves of doubt and indecision, as James wrote in the verse we put above. Root your conviction in the Word of God and you will be able to stand tall like a mighty oak tree before the world.
In Jeremiah 17:7 Jeremiah says that the “man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord” is blessed. In the following verse he describes him “as being like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by a stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” What a wonderful promise this is for all who stand firm in their conviction that God is the one true God and He alone is worthy of their trust.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Help me to reevaluate my belief system by answering carefully the questions above as they relate to me and my family. Keep me faithful to my convictions and take away any doubts I might have concerning my faith. Thank You that You are a Holy and just God worthy of my trust. Thank You for Your promise to bless those who trust in You.
Godliness: March 11, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2014.
GODLINESS
DEFINITION:
State of being divine; devotion to God; holiness.
SCRIPTURE:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Psalm 32:8.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
There is a misconception by some that believers should be perfect. Many of us wear happy faces and speak words that are acceptable but ashamed to admit that we have shortcomings and are not perfect. Salvation through Jesus does not change the fact that there is sin in our lives. When we were born again, found and accepted Jesus into our hearts, God forgave us of our sins and sees our righteousness but we still battle sin and will battle sin in our lives until we arrive in heaven.
Striving for perfection can be a trap that pulls us away from living a godly life. Functioning with this attitude can easily drive us to rely on our own capabilities and forgetting our weaknesses. When we realize our inadequacy we can then recognize our need for God in our life. Jesus wants us as believers to be aware of our own brokenness because this is the foundation for godliness.
In order to live a godly life we need to accept our neediness, seek God passionately and yield our will to God’s will. It is in our brokenness that we develop a hunger for God’s Word, develop a new desire for faithful service to God, deepen our trust in Him, and see the necessity to make decisions based on biblical principles rather than personal preferences. God patiently and mercifully will mature us and make us more godly. It does not happen overnight. It is a slow and sometimes painful process, and ongoing until the day we die and enter our heavenly home.
It is important that we do not attempt to cover up our sinful nature in order to look like a good Christian to our family, friends and neighbors. Without recognition of our sinful nature and the confession of our sinful acts and deeds God cannot do His perfect work in us. It is only with this awareness and action that we can passionately seek Jesus and have Him in total control of our life. This is godliness in action.
One key to godliness in our lives is praying to God daily so we can share with Him our needs and concerns and ask for guidance. It is also a time we should take to praise His name and give Him all the glory for what He is doing in our lives.
Another necessity is reading the Word of God daily. God communicates to us through His Word. The Word of God is a compass that keeps us headed in the right direction, even in the midst of confusing messages we hear all around us. By reading His Word we will consistently be filled with truth that only God can give.
Even though the Bible is our guidebook for living we will still face difficulty with temptation because we live in an imperfect world. But the Word of God will always enable us to overcome the temptations to do evil and sin if we are faithful in reading it and obeying it. In Psalm 32:8 David tells us that God will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and He will counsel you and watch over you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Help me to be yielded to You in all areas of my life so You can do Your perfect work in my life. Give me the patience to wait on You to reveal what You have for me to learn. Give me a humble attitude that glorifies Your name through my words and deeds.
GODLINESS
DEFINITION:
State of being divine; devotion to God; holiness.
SCRIPTURE:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Psalm 32:8.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
There is a misconception by some that believers should be perfect. Many of us wear happy faces and speak words that are acceptable but ashamed to admit that we have shortcomings and are not perfect. Salvation through Jesus does not change the fact that there is sin in our lives. When we were born again, found and accepted Jesus into our hearts, God forgave us of our sins and sees our righteousness but we still battle sin and will battle sin in our lives until we arrive in heaven.
Striving for perfection can be a trap that pulls us away from living a godly life. Functioning with this attitude can easily drive us to rely on our own capabilities and forgetting our weaknesses. When we realize our inadequacy we can then recognize our need for God in our life. Jesus wants us as believers to be aware of our own brokenness because this is the foundation for godliness.
In order to live a godly life we need to accept our neediness, seek God passionately and yield our will to God’s will. It is in our brokenness that we develop a hunger for God’s Word, develop a new desire for faithful service to God, deepen our trust in Him, and see the necessity to make decisions based on biblical principles rather than personal preferences. God patiently and mercifully will mature us and make us more godly. It does not happen overnight. It is a slow and sometimes painful process, and ongoing until the day we die and enter our heavenly home.
It is important that we do not attempt to cover up our sinful nature in order to look like a good Christian to our family, friends and neighbors. Without recognition of our sinful nature and the confession of our sinful acts and deeds God cannot do His perfect work in us. It is only with this awareness and action that we can passionately seek Jesus and have Him in total control of our life. This is godliness in action.
One key to godliness in our lives is praying to God daily so we can share with Him our needs and concerns and ask for guidance. It is also a time we should take to praise His name and give Him all the glory for what He is doing in our lives.
Another necessity is reading the Word of God daily. God communicates to us through His Word. The Word of God is a compass that keeps us headed in the right direction, even in the midst of confusing messages we hear all around us. By reading His Word we will consistently be filled with truth that only God can give.
Even though the Bible is our guidebook for living we will still face difficulty with temptation because we live in an imperfect world. But the Word of God will always enable us to overcome the temptations to do evil and sin if we are faithful in reading it and obeying it. In Psalm 32:8 David tells us that God will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and He will counsel you and watch over you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
Help me to be yielded to You in all areas of my life so You can do Your perfect work in my life. Give me the patience to wait on You to reveal what You have for me to learn. Give me a humble attitude that glorifies Your name through my words and deeds.
Rock: March 10, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY MARCH 10, 2014
ROCK
DEFINITION:
A foundation; strength; mass of strong material; symbol of shelter or safety.
SCRIPTURE:
Behold, I shall stand before you there on the rock of Horeb; and you shall strike the rock and water will come out of it, and the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:6
The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer. Psalm 18:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
On the way to the Promised Land the children of Israel were upset that there was no water to drink and the scripture says the people contended with Moses. They complained by asking Moses why he brought them out of Egypt if they were going to die of thirst? So Moses cried out to the Lord asking Him what he should do. In fact, he told God that the children of Israel were ready to stone him.
Seeing that his life was in danger Moses turned to his Rock and his refuge of safety. He prayed and God heard his plea for help. God commanded Moses to strike the rock of Horeb and water would come out of it. God told Moses, “I will stand before you.” In times of trouble God is always right there before us, ready to act when we call upon Him. God affirmed to the Israelites that He was their God and their ever present guide and their all-mighty defender.
God reassured Moses that he was chosen by God to be the leader of the Israelites and that He was ever present to act standing before him. Notice that God said that He was standing before him, not beside him and not behind him. God stands before us as our shield and defender.
After the Lord had delivered David from the hand of his enemies and the hand of Saul, David gave praise to God saying so all could hear: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer” (II Samuel 22:2). David knew where his strength came from and made it known that the Lord was his rock in his time of need.
David described the Lord as his rock because the word “rock” represents not only strength but safety and shelter.
It is the role of parents to be the rock their children look to for refuge and safety. As parents we must ask ourselves if we are the strong rock our children need and are we standing before them to shelter them from life’s dangers?
Most importantly, are we teaching them and showing them that God is their rock and their fortress who is standing ever present ready to act when they call upon Him?
In the New Testament, Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells Peter and the disciples that He is building His Church. He said: You are Peter, and on this rock (Peter) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Jesus called Peter a rock to indicate that he was giving Peter the responsibility of being the leader of the church after Jesus returned to heaven. To be that leader Peter was going to need to be solid and strong like a rock.
The story is told of a young preacher, Augustus Toplady, walking through the English countryside when a sudden storm swept across the landscape where he was walking. This young preacher spotted a wide rock formation with an opening that he could climb into for shelter against the storm. As he sat there in the cliff of the rock waiting for the storm to end he contemplated the symbolic connection between his shelter and God’s help in the storms of life that he faced.
He had no paper to write on but found a playing card on the floor of the cave like structure. He began to write the words to a song we still sing today.
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee: Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.
Think of your struggles. Do you need a rock to hide in? Do you need someone to shelter you from your problems of life? As the words from the song above say, You can find shelter and assurance from God. He is the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 89:26.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
As I face the storms of life today keep me aware that I do not stand alone in them. I seek Your shelter and Your protection. Thank You that You are my rock of my salvation and the strong rock that gives me shelter in this cruel and evil world we live in.
ROCK
DEFINITION:
A foundation; strength; mass of strong material; symbol of shelter or safety.
SCRIPTURE:
Behold, I shall stand before you there on the rock of Horeb; and you shall strike the rock and water will come out of it, and the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:6
The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer. Psalm 18:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
On the way to the Promised Land the children of Israel were upset that there was no water to drink and the scripture says the people contended with Moses. They complained by asking Moses why he brought them out of Egypt if they were going to die of thirst? So Moses cried out to the Lord asking Him what he should do. In fact, he told God that the children of Israel were ready to stone him.
Seeing that his life was in danger Moses turned to his Rock and his refuge of safety. He prayed and God heard his plea for help. God commanded Moses to strike the rock of Horeb and water would come out of it. God told Moses, “I will stand before you.” In times of trouble God is always right there before us, ready to act when we call upon Him. God affirmed to the Israelites that He was their God and their ever present guide and their all-mighty defender.
God reassured Moses that he was chosen by God to be the leader of the Israelites and that He was ever present to act standing before him. Notice that God said that He was standing before him, not beside him and not behind him. God stands before us as our shield and defender.
After the Lord had delivered David from the hand of his enemies and the hand of Saul, David gave praise to God saying so all could hear: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer” (II Samuel 22:2). David knew where his strength came from and made it known that the Lord was his rock in his time of need.
David described the Lord as his rock because the word “rock” represents not only strength but safety and shelter.
It is the role of parents to be the rock their children look to for refuge and safety. As parents we must ask ourselves if we are the strong rock our children need and are we standing before them to shelter them from life’s dangers?
Most importantly, are we teaching them and showing them that God is their rock and their fortress who is standing ever present ready to act when they call upon Him?
In the New Testament, Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells Peter and the disciples that He is building His Church. He said: You are Peter, and on this rock (Peter) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Jesus called Peter a rock to indicate that he was giving Peter the responsibility of being the leader of the church after Jesus returned to heaven. To be that leader Peter was going to need to be solid and strong like a rock.
The story is told of a young preacher, Augustus Toplady, walking through the English countryside when a sudden storm swept across the landscape where he was walking. This young preacher spotted a wide rock formation with an opening that he could climb into for shelter against the storm. As he sat there in the cliff of the rock waiting for the storm to end he contemplated the symbolic connection between his shelter and God’s help in the storms of life that he faced.
He had no paper to write on but found a playing card on the floor of the cave like structure. He began to write the words to a song we still sing today.
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee: Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.
Think of your struggles. Do you need a rock to hide in? Do you need someone to shelter you from your problems of life? As the words from the song above say, You can find shelter and assurance from God. He is the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 89:26.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 14:3-4.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.
PRAYER:
As I face the storms of life today keep me aware that I do not stand alone in them. I seek Your shelter and Your protection. Thank You that You are my rock of my salvation and the strong rock that gives me shelter in this cruel and evil world we live in.
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