GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY APRIL 19, 2014
PROVERB:
The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
Proverbs 10:27.
PROMISE:
Blessed are all that 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:
I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise Your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145: 1-3
April 20, 2014
Sin: April 18, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY APRIL 18, 2014.
SIN
DEFINITION:
Falling short of God’s perfect standard; to commit an offense against God; a transgression of the law of God; a serious fault.
SCRIPTURE:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Many people today have a very nonchalant attitude about sin. In fact, very few non-believers have an understanding of what sin is. They have no concern or understanding that they are a sinner. This is because so many are living in what we call the “ME” generation. This is the philosophy of do what makes you happy and it’s okay as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else.
To these people there is no right or wrong. Whatever they feel is right is right and whatever they feel like doing is right. Therefore in their minds there is no wrong so how can one be a sinner. Their rationale is that they are only doing what everyone else is doing. When this is their philosophy there are also no eternal consequences to sin in their minds.
When we became parents it was quickly apparent our children did not have to be taught to do wrong. In addition they had a natural inclination to use the same rationale the world uses today. They would often say, “I was only doing what everyone else was doing.” Every parent has heard those words of excuse and justification from their children.
What God calls sin is not understood by these people and whether they live in sin or not is irrelevant to them. These same people live for today only and have no thought about their future.
Unfortunately, for these people they do not understand that God sets the standards of right and wrong and not them. He has given His standards in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). To do wrong and break even just one of these commandments is sin against God. Everyone is a sinner and everyone must pay a penalty for their sin. The scripture is clear on this and the problem is that the people that are not concerned about sin do not believe the Bible is true.
We have no doubt that when the first man and woman sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, their relationship and fellowship with God was broken. Thus began the suffering of man and woman and all mankind. From that point on, all of us will reap the wages of sin. We are all sinners with no exceptions.
The only hope for us as sinners in order to escape the wages of sin, which is death and eternal separation from God, is for each of us to accept by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
We often get asked in an email the question, “What is sin?” Sin is going our own way, doing our own will and ignoring what God has commanded us to do. There is a penalty that each one of us must pay for our sins however God in His mercy has provided a way for our sins to be forgiven if we will only ask Him to forgive us for our sins. Then by accepting Jesus as our Savior, because He is the One that paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross, we will have our sins forgiven and will spend an eternity with Him in heaven. Sin is breaking God’s law. In I John 3:4 we read that whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
Sin is unbelief in God, therefore calling Him a liar. In I John 5:10 we read that, “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe in God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given His Son.”
Sin is also falling short of God’s glory. In Romans 3:23 we read that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Sin causes human beings to fail in their most basic relationships. Sin is the reason we behave in ways that are destructive to ourselves and others. Sin is the ultimate addiction one can face in life. No matter how much we may want to be free of it, the destructive habit of sin is impossible for us to break in our own power because we were all born in sin as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve.
We will always be vulnerable to the temptation to sin. Satan knows this and knows our weaknesses. He looks for every opportunity to make us sin just as he did Adam and Eve.
We have to pay a penalty for our sin or spend an eternity in hell. But God has provided His Son who died on the cross to pay our penalty for our sin. All we need to do is ask God for forgiveness, then ask Jesus into our heart and we will be spending an eternity in heaven.
LEARNING:
This week we will memorize the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Forgive me of my sins and help me to study Thy Word so that I may honor and glorify Your name in all that I do.
SIN
DEFINITION:
Falling short of God’s perfect standard; to commit an offense against God; a transgression of the law of God; a serious fault.
SCRIPTURE:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Many people today have a very nonchalant attitude about sin. In fact, very few non-believers have an understanding of what sin is. They have no concern or understanding that they are a sinner. This is because so many are living in what we call the “ME” generation. This is the philosophy of do what makes you happy and it’s okay as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else.
To these people there is no right or wrong. Whatever they feel is right is right and whatever they feel like doing is right. Therefore in their minds there is no wrong so how can one be a sinner. Their rationale is that they are only doing what everyone else is doing. When this is their philosophy there are also no eternal consequences to sin in their minds.
When we became parents it was quickly apparent our children did not have to be taught to do wrong. In addition they had a natural inclination to use the same rationale the world uses today. They would often say, “I was only doing what everyone else was doing.” Every parent has heard those words of excuse and justification from their children.
What God calls sin is not understood by these people and whether they live in sin or not is irrelevant to them. These same people live for today only and have no thought about their future.
Unfortunately, for these people they do not understand that God sets the standards of right and wrong and not them. He has given His standards in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). To do wrong and break even just one of these commandments is sin against God. Everyone is a sinner and everyone must pay a penalty for their sin. The scripture is clear on this and the problem is that the people that are not concerned about sin do not believe the Bible is true.
We have no doubt that when the first man and woman sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, their relationship and fellowship with God was broken. Thus began the suffering of man and woman and all mankind. From that point on, all of us will reap the wages of sin. We are all sinners with no exceptions.
The only hope for us as sinners in order to escape the wages of sin, which is death and eternal separation from God, is for each of us to accept by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
We often get asked in an email the question, “What is sin?” Sin is going our own way, doing our own will and ignoring what God has commanded us to do. There is a penalty that each one of us must pay for our sins however God in His mercy has provided a way for our sins to be forgiven if we will only ask Him to forgive us for our sins. Then by accepting Jesus as our Savior, because He is the One that paid the penalty for our sins when He died on the cross, we will have our sins forgiven and will spend an eternity with Him in heaven. Sin is breaking God’s law. In I John 3:4 we read that whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
Sin is unbelief in God, therefore calling Him a liar. In I John 5:10 we read that, “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe in God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given His Son.”
Sin is also falling short of God’s glory. In Romans 3:23 we read that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Sin causes human beings to fail in their most basic relationships. Sin is the reason we behave in ways that are destructive to ourselves and others. Sin is the ultimate addiction one can face in life. No matter how much we may want to be free of it, the destructive habit of sin is impossible for us to break in our own power because we were all born in sin as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve.
We will always be vulnerable to the temptation to sin. Satan knows this and knows our weaknesses. He looks for every opportunity to make us sin just as he did Adam and Eve.
We have to pay a penalty for our sin or spend an eternity in hell. But God has provided His Son who died on the cross to pay our penalty for our sin. All we need to do is ask God for forgiveness, then ask Jesus into our heart and we will be spending an eternity in heaven.
LEARNING:
This week we will memorize the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Forgive me of my sins and help me to study Thy Word so that I may honor and glorify Your name in all that I do.
Failure: April 17, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY APRIL 17, 2014.
FAILURE
DEFINITION:
A falling short; nonperformance; unsuccessful.
SCRIPTURE:
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37: 23-24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
All of us at some time in our lives have experienced failure. For some many more times than others. But the real question for us to ask ourselves is how do we deal with our failures? First of all we must realize that if we fail at something, it is not final. Some people react to failure feeling their world has come to an end. Be assured that if you fail at something it is not the end.
Failure is not the end. Failure is nothing more than a starting place. When one fails as a person committing some sin or not accomplishing some project, it should be treated as a starting place and not the end of one’s life.
God takes mistakes and failures and out of them can give you miracles. Failure is simply a circumstance, an incident or an episode. You cannot let failures shape your life because it is really a point in time, a learning process by which we can move on and be successful. When one fails at something they should turn that failure into a lesson learned.
How do you handle failures? You have the option of failing backward or failing forward. You can either blame others for your failure or take the responsibility and move forward.
You can repeat the same failures or learn from your failures and move forward. You can limit yourself by past failures or move forward by tackling new risks in life. You can be a quitter or persevere.
In the verses above the Psalmist reminds us that the steps of a good man, a righteous man are ordered by the Lord and though he should fail, God will uphold him with His hand. There are two necessary requirements to escape from our failures. We must allow God to order our steps and we must desire to do what is right in God’s sight so that He delights in our way. What does God delight in? He delights in those who trust Him and who have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
When this relationship is made, God will be by your side at all times. You may stumble but you will not be ruined by your fall because He will be there to hold you up by His hand. What a wonderful promise for us today. We all have times when we fail but God’s love for us never fails.
LEARNING:
We are memorizing this week the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the promise, that when I fail that You will be there for me with a helping hand. Help my family to understand that You are faithful and will be with us, if we put our total trust in You, no matter what the concern or situation might be.
FAILURE
DEFINITION:
A falling short; nonperformance; unsuccessful.
SCRIPTURE:
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37: 23-24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
All of us at some time in our lives have experienced failure. For some many more times than others. But the real question for us to ask ourselves is how do we deal with our failures? First of all we must realize that if we fail at something, it is not final. Some people react to failure feeling their world has come to an end. Be assured that if you fail at something it is not the end.
Failure is not the end. Failure is nothing more than a starting place. When one fails as a person committing some sin or not accomplishing some project, it should be treated as a starting place and not the end of one’s life.
God takes mistakes and failures and out of them can give you miracles. Failure is simply a circumstance, an incident or an episode. You cannot let failures shape your life because it is really a point in time, a learning process by which we can move on and be successful. When one fails at something they should turn that failure into a lesson learned.
How do you handle failures? You have the option of failing backward or failing forward. You can either blame others for your failure or take the responsibility and move forward.
You can repeat the same failures or learn from your failures and move forward. You can limit yourself by past failures or move forward by tackling new risks in life. You can be a quitter or persevere.
In the verses above the Psalmist reminds us that the steps of a good man, a righteous man are ordered by the Lord and though he should fail, God will uphold him with His hand. There are two necessary requirements to escape from our failures. We must allow God to order our steps and we must desire to do what is right in God’s sight so that He delights in our way. What does God delight in? He delights in those who trust Him and who have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
When this relationship is made, God will be by your side at all times. You may stumble but you will not be ruined by your fall because He will be there to hold you up by His hand. What a wonderful promise for us today. We all have times when we fail but God’s love for us never fails.
LEARNING:
We are memorizing this week the fourth commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the promise, that when I fail that You will be there for me with a helping hand. Help my family to understand that You are faithful and will be with us, if we put our total trust in You, no matter what the concern or situation might be.
Attitude: April 16, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 16, 2014.
ATTITUDE
DEFINITION:
A feeling or opinion toward a person or a thing; mind-set; disposition.
SCRIPTURE:
And Joshua said, Lord why have You brought these people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Joshua 7:7
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As we walk the Christian life, many times we face situations that seem like “mountains” to us. We can feel so overwhelmed with the enormity of the problem that we have a defeatist attitude before we begin.
The experience that the children of Israel had trying to conquer Jericho gives us an understanding of God’s perspective about dealing with what seems to be the unconquerable situations in our lives. The city of Jericho was fortified by a double ring of walls that were in some places twenty feet thick and twenty-five feet high. They were impenetrable and an insurmountable obstacle to conquer.
Even as believers we often have to deal with insurmountable problems or situations. It may be a habit that we want to get rid of that has haunted us for a long time. It may be something that threatens our spiritual life.
God will provide a way to those who trust and obey Him. God had the children of Israel walk around the city one time for six straight days and on the seventh day seven times with the Ark leading the way. On the seventh day they were to blow a long blast on their trumpets and then shout. We can imagine that some of the people thought that Joshua must be out of his mind with these strange instructions.
It would seem that God was putting the Israelites attitude to the test. Did they have an attitude of faith and obedience to follow God’s instructions completely, strange as they seemed? Indeed they did have an attitude of faith and because of their obedience to God’s command the wall fell down and they took the city.
When we follow, in our lives, the strategy outlined for the Israelites, walking around our situation in the presence of God (the Ark represented God to the people) asking Him in faith believing for wisdom and direction, the walls of our problem will collapse. An attitude of faith and confidence in the Lord will bring us victory. God can change our attitude of fear and worry to an attitude of joy and victory no matter what the battle might entail, if we begin with an attitude of faith.
Perhaps God had the Children of Israel march for seven days because they needed to improve their faith and it took the people that long to get the right attitude about Jericho. The more they walked, the more they realized that it would have to be God to conquer their goal. He alone would make them victorious.
We all see people every day with bad attitudes. Their bad attitude comes from within but they will blame others. Maybe it is a bad home situation where nothing seems to go right. For others it might be a work place frustration. We even see people in churches, including pastors, with bad attitudes. Bad attitudes lead to bad responses, bad actions, and sad consequences.
This illustration from the story of Joshua and Jericho is one that each of us must remember. The next time you have an attitude problem, stop fast and ask God to help you conquer it. Then walk around the attitude problem, evaluating every angle of the situation, while you continue to talk to God. He will lead you and in His proper time will change your attitude. We all need to work on our attitudes daily, beginning with our attitude about the little minor situations that bother us. Put God first and watch what He will do for you. It is God that brings us the victory.
Recently we saw a truck on the road ahead of us with the words, “Attitude is contagious” on it. How true that is. The walls of Jericho would not have come down if Joshua’s attitude of faith and confidence had not spread throughout the tribes of Israel. As Christian parents we must be aware that our attitudes have great effect on our children. Children pick up on our attitudes. We must ask ourselves what kind of attitudes we are transmitting to our children. Whether good or bad they are contagious.
LEARNING:
We are memorizing the Ten Commandments. This week is number four found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Give me an attitude of faith today that will bring honor and glory to You. Help me to be an example to my family so that as they watch me and my actions that they will see a constant consistent attitude that glorifies Your name.
ATTITUDE
DEFINITION:
A feeling or opinion toward a person or a thing; mind-set; disposition.
SCRIPTURE:
And Joshua said, Lord why have You brought these people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Joshua 7:7
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
As we walk the Christian life, many times we face situations that seem like “mountains” to us. We can feel so overwhelmed with the enormity of the problem that we have a defeatist attitude before we begin.
The experience that the children of Israel had trying to conquer Jericho gives us an understanding of God’s perspective about dealing with what seems to be the unconquerable situations in our lives. The city of Jericho was fortified by a double ring of walls that were in some places twenty feet thick and twenty-five feet high. They were impenetrable and an insurmountable obstacle to conquer.
Even as believers we often have to deal with insurmountable problems or situations. It may be a habit that we want to get rid of that has haunted us for a long time. It may be something that threatens our spiritual life.
God will provide a way to those who trust and obey Him. God had the children of Israel walk around the city one time for six straight days and on the seventh day seven times with the Ark leading the way. On the seventh day they were to blow a long blast on their trumpets and then shout. We can imagine that some of the people thought that Joshua must be out of his mind with these strange instructions.
It would seem that God was putting the Israelites attitude to the test. Did they have an attitude of faith and obedience to follow God’s instructions completely, strange as they seemed? Indeed they did have an attitude of faith and because of their obedience to God’s command the wall fell down and they took the city.
When we follow, in our lives, the strategy outlined for the Israelites, walking around our situation in the presence of God (the Ark represented God to the people) asking Him in faith believing for wisdom and direction, the walls of our problem will collapse. An attitude of faith and confidence in the Lord will bring us victory. God can change our attitude of fear and worry to an attitude of joy and victory no matter what the battle might entail, if we begin with an attitude of faith.
Perhaps God had the Children of Israel march for seven days because they needed to improve their faith and it took the people that long to get the right attitude about Jericho. The more they walked, the more they realized that it would have to be God to conquer their goal. He alone would make them victorious.
We all see people every day with bad attitudes. Their bad attitude comes from within but they will blame others. Maybe it is a bad home situation where nothing seems to go right. For others it might be a work place frustration. We even see people in churches, including pastors, with bad attitudes. Bad attitudes lead to bad responses, bad actions, and sad consequences.
This illustration from the story of Joshua and Jericho is one that each of us must remember. The next time you have an attitude problem, stop fast and ask God to help you conquer it. Then walk around the attitude problem, evaluating every angle of the situation, while you continue to talk to God. He will lead you and in His proper time will change your attitude. We all need to work on our attitudes daily, beginning with our attitude about the little minor situations that bother us. Put God first and watch what He will do for you. It is God that brings us the victory.
Recently we saw a truck on the road ahead of us with the words, “Attitude is contagious” on it. How true that is. The walls of Jericho would not have come down if Joshua’s attitude of faith and confidence had not spread throughout the tribes of Israel. As Christian parents we must be aware that our attitudes have great effect on our children. Children pick up on our attitudes. We must ask ourselves what kind of attitudes we are transmitting to our children. Whether good or bad they are contagious.
LEARNING:
We are memorizing the Ten Commandments. This week is number four found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Give me an attitude of faith today that will bring honor and glory to You. Help me to be an example to my family so that as they watch me and my actions that they will see a constant consistent attitude that glorifies Your name.
Complaining: April 15, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY APRIL 15, 2014
COMPLAINING
DEFINITION:
Expressing dissatisfaction; pain; resentment; find fault.
SCRIPTURE:
Do all things without murmurings (complaining) and disputing so that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We have discussed before in these devotionals the blessings and the failures of the Children of Israel on their difficult journey to the Promised Land. Not all went well during their 40 year trek. Many scholars estimate that there were well over two million people walking together through the wilderness. During those 40 years roughly 1.2 million people died. That is an average of 82 deaths a day.
The journey in the wilderness was a long march of grief and loss. Every day there seemed to be complaining and resentment because of the hardship of the journey and the uncertainty in their minds if they would ever reach the Promised Land.
In Numbers chapters 11 through 21 we read that something goes tragically wrong. It was a time of rebellion and willful disobedience against God. The rebellion started according to the scriptures with murmuring and complaining. Whenever you find yourself beginning to complain against your circumstances, consider this: You are on the threshold of rebellion. This is because rebellion always begins with complaining.
In this account the people began by complaining against their circumstances. The Israelites were called the “children” of Israel. They were chosen by God to be His representatives and as His children they were under His fatherly protection. Unfortunately, they acted like children and whined and complained about everything.
God had given them manna and quail meat to eat and water to drink. But they complained because they did not like the taste of the meat and there was not enough water. The people got tired of the manna. God never intended for them to be this long in the wilderness. He intended them to move on into the land of Canaan but they continually rebelled against God.
They did not like God’s way so they stood in God’s way and prevented Him from doing His will in their lives. It wasn’t God’s will for them to wander 40 years in a barren wilderness. The wandering was a consequence of rebellion and disobedience.
Whose fault was it that they rebelled? It was not God’s fault because it was His plan for the people to possess a land of abundance and fulfillment. The people chose to turn their backs on God and so they continued to wander in a dry wilderness with nothing but manna to eat.
The people complained not only about their circumstances but also against the blessing of God and His provisions for them. Then they complained about the leadership of Aaron and Moses who had been chosen by God. They judged themselves by their own standards and rebelled against the properly, God ordained, constituted authorities in their midst.
These are characteristics of defeated Christians today. They begin by complaining because their evil thinking differs from God’s. Then complaining turns into rebellion against God. Take a good look at all times when you begin to complain. Are you complaining because of your standard of what is right or wrong or what is good or bad? Most likely you are. Let go of your complaint and pray asking God to do His will in your life in His way and in His perfect timing. Complainers cannot be what God wants His children to be. We are to be blameless and without fault so that we shine as bright lights in a crooked and sinful world. To be a bright light we must be morally and spiritually different from unbelievers.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fourth Commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Help each member of our family to learn the consequences of complaining. May we learn not to complain, especially about the small things in life, but may we give our concerns to the Lord and ask Him to change our complaining to rejoicing. Help us to be morally and spiritually right so we shine as bright lights in this sinful world.
COMPLAINING
DEFINITION:
Expressing dissatisfaction; pain; resentment; find fault.
SCRIPTURE:
Do all things without murmurings (complaining) and disputing so that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We have discussed before in these devotionals the blessings and the failures of the Children of Israel on their difficult journey to the Promised Land. Not all went well during their 40 year trek. Many scholars estimate that there were well over two million people walking together through the wilderness. During those 40 years roughly 1.2 million people died. That is an average of 82 deaths a day.
The journey in the wilderness was a long march of grief and loss. Every day there seemed to be complaining and resentment because of the hardship of the journey and the uncertainty in their minds if they would ever reach the Promised Land.
In Numbers chapters 11 through 21 we read that something goes tragically wrong. It was a time of rebellion and willful disobedience against God. The rebellion started according to the scriptures with murmuring and complaining. Whenever you find yourself beginning to complain against your circumstances, consider this: You are on the threshold of rebellion. This is because rebellion always begins with complaining.
In this account the people began by complaining against their circumstances. The Israelites were called the “children” of Israel. They were chosen by God to be His representatives and as His children they were under His fatherly protection. Unfortunately, they acted like children and whined and complained about everything.
God had given them manna and quail meat to eat and water to drink. But they complained because they did not like the taste of the meat and there was not enough water. The people got tired of the manna. God never intended for them to be this long in the wilderness. He intended them to move on into the land of Canaan but they continually rebelled against God.
They did not like God’s way so they stood in God’s way and prevented Him from doing His will in their lives. It wasn’t God’s will for them to wander 40 years in a barren wilderness. The wandering was a consequence of rebellion and disobedience.
Whose fault was it that they rebelled? It was not God’s fault because it was His plan for the people to possess a land of abundance and fulfillment. The people chose to turn their backs on God and so they continued to wander in a dry wilderness with nothing but manna to eat.
The people complained not only about their circumstances but also against the blessing of God and His provisions for them. Then they complained about the leadership of Aaron and Moses who had been chosen by God. They judged themselves by their own standards and rebelled against the properly, God ordained, constituted authorities in their midst.
These are characteristics of defeated Christians today. They begin by complaining because their evil thinking differs from God’s. Then complaining turns into rebellion against God. Take a good look at all times when you begin to complain. Are you complaining because of your standard of what is right or wrong or what is good or bad? Most likely you are. Let go of your complaint and pray asking God to do His will in your life in His way and in His perfect timing. Complainers cannot be what God wants His children to be. We are to be blameless and without fault so that we shine as bright lights in a crooked and sinful world. To be a bright light we must be morally and spiritually different from unbelievers.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fourth Commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Help each member of our family to learn the consequences of complaining. May we learn not to complain, especially about the small things in life, but may we give our concerns to the Lord and ask Him to change our complaining to rejoicing. Help us to be morally and spiritually right so we shine as bright lights in this sinful world.
Evil: April 14, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY APRIL 14. 2014.
EVIL
DEFINITION:
Immoral; wicked; harmful; bad; sinful; of the devil.
SCRIPTURE:
You have wearied the Lord with your words; yet you say in what way have we wearied Him? In that you say, everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them, or, where is the God of justice? Malachi 2:17.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The book of Nehemiah closes on the theme of resisting evil. Nehemiah took a stand against evil. He was a Jew living in exile and employed by the King of Persia. When Nehemiah learned about the broken down walls of Jerusalem, he heeded the call of God to repair the damage done by the evil invaders.
Nehemiah went to the Persian King and got permission and help to go to Jerusalem and begin to rebuild the walls. The book of Nehemiah goes through the many struggles and blessings that Nehemiah went through rebuilding the walls.
Along with the rebuilding of the walls Nehemiah knew that the people needed to rebuild their spiritual lives. So under Nehemiah’s leadership the people returned to the Temple to listen to Ezra read God’s Word.
When the walls were rebuilt we read about the dedication of the walls (chapter 12). Nehemiah appointed two great choirs. One went to the north part of the wall and one went to the south ultimately meeting at the temple. The people played instruments, sang and shouted praises to God in celebration of the completion of this task. So great was their joy that the sound of their rejoicing could be heard far away. When Nehemiah left Jerusalem the walls were rebuilt and the Israelites were serving God.
After Nehemiah returned to Persia, he soon heard about evil in the camp of the Israelites in Jerusalem. God’s priest Eliashib had allowed Tobiah, a pagan and enemy of God who opposed Nehemiah and all that he was doing for God, to move into the temple.
Nehemiah wept when he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down. Just imagine how sad and even upset he was when he heard that God’s temple had been desecrated. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and responded by saying as recorded in chapter 13 verse 8, “I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.” He literally tossed Tobiah out on his ear.
And that was not all he found. He found that the priests had been stealing and not paying the Levites who worked in the Temple, taking the money that belonged to them. Then he discovered that, throughout the city, people were violating the Sabbath. They were bringing in merchandise and selling it in the streets on the Sabbath. In verse 19 we read, “When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over.”
Then Nehemiah heard that some of the vendors stayed all night outside the gate hoping someone would let them in. In verse 21 we read, “I warned them and said, why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you. From that time on they never came on the Sabbath.”
Nehemiah showed action when he saw evil. As believers we need to take a stand and attack evil just as Nehemiah did. Our world is full of evil and as believers we are not to condone evil.
We read in the verse above from Malachi that the prophet is warning the people that were saying that evil is good that they wearied the Lord. It is likely that the book of Malachi was written during the time Nehemiah was back in Persia. Nehemiah returned to Israel to deal with the sins of Israel as described in Malachi.
Today’s society endorses all manner of evil, calling it good. It is bad enough that movie makers and rock stars extol the virtues of obscenity, pornography, lawlessness and degrading pictures of God and family, but in addition many educators, politicians, judges and psychologists are equally at fault. We are all at fault when we do not take a stand against evil.
We live in a culture that what God calls bad, society calls good --- and vice versa. We forget that the God of justice is still on His throne. There will come a day of judgment. As believers let us stay away from evil, stand up against evil and promote what is right and good by our words and actions.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse is the fourth Commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Help me to clearly know the difference today between evil and good. Help me to stand firm for good and fight evil. May my life be a shining example of Your goodness to all that I associate with today.
EVIL
DEFINITION:
Immoral; wicked; harmful; bad; sinful; of the devil.
SCRIPTURE:
You have wearied the Lord with your words; yet you say in what way have we wearied Him? In that you say, everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them, or, where is the God of justice? Malachi 2:17.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The book of Nehemiah closes on the theme of resisting evil. Nehemiah took a stand against evil. He was a Jew living in exile and employed by the King of Persia. When Nehemiah learned about the broken down walls of Jerusalem, he heeded the call of God to repair the damage done by the evil invaders.
Nehemiah went to the Persian King and got permission and help to go to Jerusalem and begin to rebuild the walls. The book of Nehemiah goes through the many struggles and blessings that Nehemiah went through rebuilding the walls.
Along with the rebuilding of the walls Nehemiah knew that the people needed to rebuild their spiritual lives. So under Nehemiah’s leadership the people returned to the Temple to listen to Ezra read God’s Word.
When the walls were rebuilt we read about the dedication of the walls (chapter 12). Nehemiah appointed two great choirs. One went to the north part of the wall and one went to the south ultimately meeting at the temple. The people played instruments, sang and shouted praises to God in celebration of the completion of this task. So great was their joy that the sound of their rejoicing could be heard far away. When Nehemiah left Jerusalem the walls were rebuilt and the Israelites were serving God.
After Nehemiah returned to Persia, he soon heard about evil in the camp of the Israelites in Jerusalem. God’s priest Eliashib had allowed Tobiah, a pagan and enemy of God who opposed Nehemiah and all that he was doing for God, to move into the temple.
Nehemiah wept when he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down. Just imagine how sad and even upset he was when he heard that God’s temple had been desecrated. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and responded by saying as recorded in chapter 13 verse 8, “I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.” He literally tossed Tobiah out on his ear.
And that was not all he found. He found that the priests had been stealing and not paying the Levites who worked in the Temple, taking the money that belonged to them. Then he discovered that, throughout the city, people were violating the Sabbath. They were bringing in merchandise and selling it in the streets on the Sabbath. In verse 19 we read, “When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over.”
Then Nehemiah heard that some of the vendors stayed all night outside the gate hoping someone would let them in. In verse 21 we read, “I warned them and said, why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you. From that time on they never came on the Sabbath.”
Nehemiah showed action when he saw evil. As believers we need to take a stand and attack evil just as Nehemiah did. Our world is full of evil and as believers we are not to condone evil.
We read in the verse above from Malachi that the prophet is warning the people that were saying that evil is good that they wearied the Lord. It is likely that the book of Malachi was written during the time Nehemiah was back in Persia. Nehemiah returned to Israel to deal with the sins of Israel as described in Malachi.
Today’s society endorses all manner of evil, calling it good. It is bad enough that movie makers and rock stars extol the virtues of obscenity, pornography, lawlessness and degrading pictures of God and family, but in addition many educators, politicians, judges and psychologists are equally at fault. We are all at fault when we do not take a stand against evil.
We live in a culture that what God calls bad, society calls good --- and vice versa. We forget that the God of justice is still on His throne. There will come a day of judgment. As believers let us stay away from evil, stand up against evil and promote what is right and good by our words and actions.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse is the fourth Commandment found in Exodus 20:8.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
PRAYER:
Help me to clearly know the difference today between evil and good. Help me to stand firm for good and fight evil. May my life be a shining example of Your goodness to all that I associate with today.
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