GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY APRIL 26, 2014.
PROVERB:
The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to Him. Proverbs 15:26
PROMISE:
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:7
PRAISE:
I cried out to Him with my mouth; His praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would have not listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld His love from me. Psalm 66: 17-20.
April 27, 2014
Motive: April 25, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY APRIL 25, 2014.
MOTIVE
DEFINITION:
Intention; a determining impulse; the goal or object of a person’s action.
SCRIPTURE:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me. Psalm 139:23-24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you ever thought that you could be too helpful to someone? Have you really thought about your true motive when you reach out to help a person in need? Our helpfulness can actually make life more difficult for the person we are trying to help, especially if our motive is wrong. Your response probably is that that is impossible. Let us explain what we think.
If you are bothersome to someone that you are helping by being too available to the point of being intrusive you could be hurting instead of helping your relationship with that person. Possibly you are smothering, manipulative or controlling when you try to help that person. What we do to help others should never stem from a desire to make ourselves look good.
If the help we are giving is driven by our own overly zealous motive, we may be just trying to help ourselves. This is why we need to take a real good look at our motive as to why we are helping someone. In Proverbs 21:2 it reads, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” We encourage you to look carefully at your reasons for helping someone before you act. Does your desire to help come from a pure heart?
We should always pray first, for God’s direction. In prayer we can ask God to show us any way we are hurting or hindering others. The scripture we have written above would be a good prayer for you to pray. God will answer your prayer.
If you have a concern that you may be over stepping your welcome with someone, we suggest you ask God to help you show love to that person that “suffers long and is kind --- and is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil,” as it is written in I Corinthians 13:4-5.
Our efforts to help others, especially those that we love the most will always give us at least a small portion of anxiety that our motives may be understood. Keep asking the Lord to help you to show love with pure motives and for the good of others and not yourself.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is the fifth of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
Help me, Lord to act and think today with proper motives. It is my prayer that You will reveal the sins in my life, that would affect my motives, so that I can help others with pure motives and with the love in my heart that only You can give.
MOTIVE
DEFINITION:
Intention; a determining impulse; the goal or object of a person’s action.
SCRIPTURE:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me. Psalm 139:23-24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you ever thought that you could be too helpful to someone? Have you really thought about your true motive when you reach out to help a person in need? Our helpfulness can actually make life more difficult for the person we are trying to help, especially if our motive is wrong. Your response probably is that that is impossible. Let us explain what we think.
If you are bothersome to someone that you are helping by being too available to the point of being intrusive you could be hurting instead of helping your relationship with that person. Possibly you are smothering, manipulative or controlling when you try to help that person. What we do to help others should never stem from a desire to make ourselves look good.
If the help we are giving is driven by our own overly zealous motive, we may be just trying to help ourselves. This is why we need to take a real good look at our motive as to why we are helping someone. In Proverbs 21:2 it reads, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” We encourage you to look carefully at your reasons for helping someone before you act. Does your desire to help come from a pure heart?
We should always pray first, for God’s direction. In prayer we can ask God to show us any way we are hurting or hindering others. The scripture we have written above would be a good prayer for you to pray. God will answer your prayer.
If you have a concern that you may be over stepping your welcome with someone, we suggest you ask God to help you show love to that person that “suffers long and is kind --- and is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil,” as it is written in I Corinthians 13:4-5.
Our efforts to help others, especially those that we love the most will always give us at least a small portion of anxiety that our motives may be understood. Keep asking the Lord to help you to show love with pure motives and for the good of others and not yourself.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is the fifth of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
Help me, Lord to act and think today with proper motives. It is my prayer that You will reveal the sins in my life, that would affect my motives, so that I can help others with pure motives and with the love in my heart that only You can give.
Cross: April 24, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY APRIL 24, 2014
CROSS
DEFINITION:
A structure consisting of an upright post with a cross beam used as an instrument of death; the means by which Jesus died to make atonement between God and man.
SCRIPTURE:
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friend. John 15:13.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Last weekend was one of the most significant and meaningful weekends of the year for Christians. Last Friday was Good Friday, the day we remembered the death of Jesus. He died to pay the penalty for our sins and every believer should be so grateful for what He did for us.
And then last Sunday, Easter Sunday, we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus. Without the resurrection, Jesus would be just another great teacher and we would not have the gift of eternal life that can come only through Him.
Just think, where would we spend eternity without the Easter experience? What comfort would we have in our daily living on this earth without the Easter experience? For us it is the greatest weekend of the year and we hope you remembered the significance of Easter and if not we are reminding you today that, as believers, we need to celebrate Easter every day.
The good news of Easter was that out of love for us, the Father has provided a place of safety for us. He sent His Son Jesus to die so we would not have to be separated from Him forever. Because of the death of Jesus on the cross and three days later His resurrection from the dead that place of safety is available to us. The big question for you today is, “Have you run to the cross?” To escape sin’s curse you must run to the cross.
In the verse above we read about one laying down his life for another. To give your life so another person can live is the ultimate proof of love and the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus told His disciples that His purpose in coming into this world was to lay down His life for all mankind. This was for every man, woman and child ever born. He set the ultimate example of self-sacrifice by going to the cross to lay down His life for us. Yes, there is no greater love than this.
Have you ever given any thought to the fact that Jesus did that for you? He died in your place and in so doing He not only proved His love for you but made it possible for you to be forgiven of your sins and to have an eternal home in heaven.
The song writer George Bernard, who we met personally many years ago, wrote these words in his song, “The Old Rugged Cross:”
“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.”
Christ’s sacrifice was what God desired and our sin required. If you are not a believer accept Jesus into your heart today and make this day the greatest day of your life.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
I rejoice, dear God, for what You have done for me. Thank You for sending Your Son to this earth to pay the penalty for my sin. It is the ultimate and greatest gift that I will ever receive and I praise You for it. Thank You that we can celebrate Your resurrection every day because You have conquered death and You are risen from the grave and are alive today. Thank You for now preparing for me and my family a place in heaven to spend an eternity with You.
CROSS
DEFINITION:
A structure consisting of an upright post with a cross beam used as an instrument of death; the means by which Jesus died to make atonement between God and man.
SCRIPTURE:
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friend. John 15:13.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Last weekend was one of the most significant and meaningful weekends of the year for Christians. Last Friday was Good Friday, the day we remembered the death of Jesus. He died to pay the penalty for our sins and every believer should be so grateful for what He did for us.
And then last Sunday, Easter Sunday, we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus. Without the resurrection, Jesus would be just another great teacher and we would not have the gift of eternal life that can come only through Him.
Just think, where would we spend eternity without the Easter experience? What comfort would we have in our daily living on this earth without the Easter experience? For us it is the greatest weekend of the year and we hope you remembered the significance of Easter and if not we are reminding you today that, as believers, we need to celebrate Easter every day.
The good news of Easter was that out of love for us, the Father has provided a place of safety for us. He sent His Son Jesus to die so we would not have to be separated from Him forever. Because of the death of Jesus on the cross and three days later His resurrection from the dead that place of safety is available to us. The big question for you today is, “Have you run to the cross?” To escape sin’s curse you must run to the cross.
In the verse above we read about one laying down his life for another. To give your life so another person can live is the ultimate proof of love and the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus told His disciples that His purpose in coming into this world was to lay down His life for all mankind. This was for every man, woman and child ever born. He set the ultimate example of self-sacrifice by going to the cross to lay down His life for us. Yes, there is no greater love than this.
Have you ever given any thought to the fact that Jesus did that for you? He died in your place and in so doing He not only proved His love for you but made it possible for you to be forgiven of your sins and to have an eternal home in heaven.
The song writer George Bernard, who we met personally many years ago, wrote these words in his song, “The Old Rugged Cross:”
“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.”
Christ’s sacrifice was what God desired and our sin required. If you are not a believer accept Jesus into your heart today and make this day the greatest day of your life.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
I rejoice, dear God, for what You have done for me. Thank You for sending Your Son to this earth to pay the penalty for my sin. It is the ultimate and greatest gift that I will ever receive and I praise You for it. Thank You that we can celebrate Your resurrection every day because You have conquered death and You are risen from the grave and are alive today. Thank You for now preparing for me and my family a place in heaven to spend an eternity with You.
Cares: April 23, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 23, 2014
CARES
DEFINITION:
Protects; provides; has affection, loves and shows concern for.
SCRIPTURE:
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. I Peter 5:7.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In today’s world very few people care for others. The result is when those who do not care for others need to turn to someone to care for them, no one is available. This is a result of the “ME” generation that we live in.
As believers in Jesus we need to remember that God cares for us under every circumstance. He cares about all of our anxiety. He cares for us when we are lonely, hungry and hurting. There is not a situation that you may face that our God will not take you through it and care for you.
Peter wrote these words in I Peter from the ancient city of Mesopotamia known as Babylon. Christians were living under dire circumstances. They were suffering from severe persecution because of their faith. They had been forced to flee for their lives, leaving everything behind: homes, jobs and possessions. They had only what they could carry by hand and they fled to whatever place they felt was safe.
They were, so to speak, an underground people, having to live, work, and worship in secret and to find housing and food wherever they could. They never knew when they would be discovered and have to flee again. Unfortunately, there are people today in our world living under the same circumstances.
Imagine the agony, anxiety, the pressure, tension and stress being experienced by these believers. It is in this setting that Peter wrote these words. He was assuring the believers of that day as well as believers today, that there was great help available for them. God was available to help them.
If God could take care of these people in the terrible situation that they were facing, surely he will care for you in whatever situation you may be facing.
You need to note that the verse above as written by Peter is an exhortation, clearly stated but also a command. The word “care” in Greek is “Merimna” and means anxiety. He is saying as a command: cast all your anxiety upon Him, for He cares for you. God did not promise us that we would not suffer or go through difficulties. He promised to be there in the midst of our troubles
When we cast all of our cares upon Him, His mighty hand will save and deliver us, look after and care for us, strengthen and secure us, provide and protect us, and give us assurance and confidence. What more do you need?
In the prior verse, I Peter 5:6, Peter tells the believers and us that to prepare for casting all of our cares upon our Lord that we need to: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” We are given a pre-requisite to accomplish before we cast our cares before the Lord. We are to humble ourselves.
There are three reasons for this. First, God is to be feared, for He resists and stands opposed to the proud. Pride keeps us from God. The proud cannot admit that they need God.
Secondly, we need to humble ourselves under God because He is going to exalt the humble. The proud exalt themselves.
Thirdly, we should humble ourselves because God cares for us. By comparison to God’s greatness and goodness we are nothing. Why should God care for us? It is indeed humbling to know that He does care for us.
When you face the problems of life, remember this verse and cast all your concerns and cares upon your Lord because He does care for you.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
In my times of need help me to learn to cast all my cares upon You. Help me to realize that I cannot get through many of the situations that I face on my own strength and that I need your strong and faithful hand. Give me also a heart that cares for others as Your representative in their time of need.
CARES
DEFINITION:
Protects; provides; has affection, loves and shows concern for.
SCRIPTURE:
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. I Peter 5:7.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In today’s world very few people care for others. The result is when those who do not care for others need to turn to someone to care for them, no one is available. This is a result of the “ME” generation that we live in.
As believers in Jesus we need to remember that God cares for us under every circumstance. He cares about all of our anxiety. He cares for us when we are lonely, hungry and hurting. There is not a situation that you may face that our God will not take you through it and care for you.
Peter wrote these words in I Peter from the ancient city of Mesopotamia known as Babylon. Christians were living under dire circumstances. They were suffering from severe persecution because of their faith. They had been forced to flee for their lives, leaving everything behind: homes, jobs and possessions. They had only what they could carry by hand and they fled to whatever place they felt was safe.
They were, so to speak, an underground people, having to live, work, and worship in secret and to find housing and food wherever they could. They never knew when they would be discovered and have to flee again. Unfortunately, there are people today in our world living under the same circumstances.
Imagine the agony, anxiety, the pressure, tension and stress being experienced by these believers. It is in this setting that Peter wrote these words. He was assuring the believers of that day as well as believers today, that there was great help available for them. God was available to help them.
If God could take care of these people in the terrible situation that they were facing, surely he will care for you in whatever situation you may be facing.
You need to note that the verse above as written by Peter is an exhortation, clearly stated but also a command. The word “care” in Greek is “Merimna” and means anxiety. He is saying as a command: cast all your anxiety upon Him, for He cares for you. God did not promise us that we would not suffer or go through difficulties. He promised to be there in the midst of our troubles
When we cast all of our cares upon Him, His mighty hand will save and deliver us, look after and care for us, strengthen and secure us, provide and protect us, and give us assurance and confidence. What more do you need?
In the prior verse, I Peter 5:6, Peter tells the believers and us that to prepare for casting all of our cares upon our Lord that we need to: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” We are given a pre-requisite to accomplish before we cast our cares before the Lord. We are to humble ourselves.
There are three reasons for this. First, God is to be feared, for He resists and stands opposed to the proud. Pride keeps us from God. The proud cannot admit that they need God.
Secondly, we need to humble ourselves under God because He is going to exalt the humble. The proud exalt themselves.
Thirdly, we should humble ourselves because God cares for us. By comparison to God’s greatness and goodness we are nothing. Why should God care for us? It is indeed humbling to know that He does care for us.
When you face the problems of life, remember this verse and cast all your concerns and cares upon your Lord because He does care for you.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
In my times of need help me to learn to cast all my cares upon You. Help me to realize that I cannot get through many of the situations that I face on my own strength and that I need your strong and faithful hand. Give me also a heart that cares for others as Your representative in their time of need.
Responsibility: April 22, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY APRIL 22, 2014.
RESPONSIBILITY
DEFINITION:
A duty; a charge; a person or thing for which one is accountable.
SCRIPTURE:
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.
Bring them up (children) in the training and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In recent weeks we have received desperate emails from mothers who are deeply concerned about their children. They do not know where to turn. As we have evaluated the questions that we are being asked we felt we needed to do a devotional on responsibility, dealing especially with parents on the raising of their children.
When these mothers respond to our emails, most admit that they often have not trained their children in the ways of the Lord. Most importantly they have neglected reading the Bible and praying with their child or children.
Statistics tell us that once a child becomes a teenager, age 13, that over 80% of these teenagers never develop a personal relationship with God. This is where we become very concerned because when a child attains the age of accountability in God’s sight and has never developed a relationship with God through His Son Jesus, the results are disastrous.
A WARNING!
When a mother (or father) is a believer in Jesus and they do not train their child in the things of the Lord when they are young, they will have to face God and answer WHY? Every parent is accountable to God for what they teach their children. It is not the schools, the government or even the Church’s responsibility.
We are very concerned for the children in broken families that have been neglected and left to their own devices, with no guidance, because if they do not find Jesus as their Lord and Savior they will face an eternity in hell.
There is an answer for every mother, or single parent, that is in this position. We will use the Bible as our guide for this devotional because God’s Word has an answer for every concern you might have and every situation you may be facing.
The Bible gives us certain commandments that every mother and father can establish in their home today with their children no matter their age. A mother or father first of all must make a commitment to God’s commandment to know God, to love God and to obey God so he or she can train his or her child or children beginning now, and be disciplined enough not to quit training their child.
We have listed three verses from the Bible (above). To begin with we suggest you read these three verses several times. These scriptures will give you three challenges that you and every parent has the responsibility to act on if you want God’s blessing on your home and on your family.
If you, as a parent, have never read the Bible with your children and have neglected to teach them to know and love God and Jesus then now is the time to begin.
You need to sit down with your child and explain what you are planning to do and why. Your child will most likely rebel, but as their parent you need to be firm and let them know that you love them and that is why you are going to begin this program in your home. Let them know that their future on this earth and for eternity is at stake.
Start reading the Bible daily with them and take time to pray with each child after you read the Bible and also before they go to bed. Explain that by reading the Bible you can get to know God and hear what He has to say to you. Then explain that prayer is your way to communicate with God. Develop a habit, after you read the Bible and pray, to ask them if they have any questions and then listen not just with your ears but with your heart. Children want parents to listen to their concerns and they want guidance and direction from their parents.
You need to continually emphasize to your whole family, in love, the importance of reading the Bible and praying daily because knowing God and accepting His Son Jesus into their hearts is the only way they can spend an eternity in heaven. The family that prays together stays together.
Children need to know that there are two roads in life. There is a wide road that many will follow but it leads to eternal damnation. They need to know that you are leading them down a narrow road that leads to spending an eternity with God in heaven. It is the parent’s responsibility to guide them on the right road, but the child’s responsibility to obey their parents and God and choose the right road. Share with your children our memory verse (below) for this week. Remind them that it is one of the Ten Commandments given by God for us to live by.
LEARNING:
This week we will memorize the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
Keep me faithful in reading the Bible with my children. Help me to make my children a priority so that they will know that I love them and care for them. Give me and every hurting mother, and father, the courage and strength to teach our children the things of our Lord.
RESPONSIBILITY
DEFINITION:
A duty; a charge; a person or thing for which one is accountable.
SCRIPTURE:
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.
Bring them up (children) in the training and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In recent weeks we have received desperate emails from mothers who are deeply concerned about their children. They do not know where to turn. As we have evaluated the questions that we are being asked we felt we needed to do a devotional on responsibility, dealing especially with parents on the raising of their children.
When these mothers respond to our emails, most admit that they often have not trained their children in the ways of the Lord. Most importantly they have neglected reading the Bible and praying with their child or children.
Statistics tell us that once a child becomes a teenager, age 13, that over 80% of these teenagers never develop a personal relationship with God. This is where we become very concerned because when a child attains the age of accountability in God’s sight and has never developed a relationship with God through His Son Jesus, the results are disastrous.
A WARNING!
When a mother (or father) is a believer in Jesus and they do not train their child in the things of the Lord when they are young, they will have to face God and answer WHY? Every parent is accountable to God for what they teach their children. It is not the schools, the government or even the Church’s responsibility.
We are very concerned for the children in broken families that have been neglected and left to their own devices, with no guidance, because if they do not find Jesus as their Lord and Savior they will face an eternity in hell.
There is an answer for every mother, or single parent, that is in this position. We will use the Bible as our guide for this devotional because God’s Word has an answer for every concern you might have and every situation you may be facing.
The Bible gives us certain commandments that every mother and father can establish in their home today with their children no matter their age. A mother or father first of all must make a commitment to God’s commandment to know God, to love God and to obey God so he or she can train his or her child or children beginning now, and be disciplined enough not to quit training their child.
We have listed three verses from the Bible (above). To begin with we suggest you read these three verses several times. These scriptures will give you three challenges that you and every parent has the responsibility to act on if you want God’s blessing on your home and on your family.
If you, as a parent, have never read the Bible with your children and have neglected to teach them to know and love God and Jesus then now is the time to begin.
You need to sit down with your child and explain what you are planning to do and why. Your child will most likely rebel, but as their parent you need to be firm and let them know that you love them and that is why you are going to begin this program in your home. Let them know that their future on this earth and for eternity is at stake.
Start reading the Bible daily with them and take time to pray with each child after you read the Bible and also before they go to bed. Explain that by reading the Bible you can get to know God and hear what He has to say to you. Then explain that prayer is your way to communicate with God. Develop a habit, after you read the Bible and pray, to ask them if they have any questions and then listen not just with your ears but with your heart. Children want parents to listen to their concerns and they want guidance and direction from their parents.
You need to continually emphasize to your whole family, in love, the importance of reading the Bible and praying daily because knowing God and accepting His Son Jesus into their hearts is the only way they can spend an eternity in heaven. The family that prays together stays together.
Children need to know that there are two roads in life. There is a wide road that many will follow but it leads to eternal damnation. They need to know that you are leading them down a narrow road that leads to spending an eternity with God in heaven. It is the parent’s responsibility to guide them on the right road, but the child’s responsibility to obey their parents and God and choose the right road. Share with your children our memory verse (below) for this week. Remind them that it is one of the Ten Commandments given by God for us to live by.
LEARNING:
This week we will memorize the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
Keep me faithful in reading the Bible with my children. Help me to make my children a priority so that they will know that I love them and care for them. Give me and every hurting mother, and father, the courage and strength to teach our children the things of our Lord.
Collapse: April 21, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY APRIL 21, 2014.
COLLAPSE
DEFINITION:
Break; fall down; sudden failure; succumb; cave; fail.
SCRIPTURE:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. Isaiah 43:2.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you ever been in so much despair that you felt as if you were sinking in deep water? The difficulties in life can be oppressive and many people today feel that they are sinking fast. God does not promise that we will escape the turbulent seas of life, but He does promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. This promise is one that each one of us should continually remember because it is true that Jesus does care for us. He cares so much for us that He gave His life for us.
In the verse above, Isaiah reminds us that we can trust our faithful God to always be there in all of our struggles including when we feel we are collapsing under the pressures of life and there is no hope.
We are living in an age where the lives of people all around us seem to be collapsing. The everyday situations around us, including life-styles, economic frustrations and dysfunctional families, should be of deep concern for all of us who know the Lord. We see nations collapsing economically and violent civil unrest in many parts of our world. We see families collapsing with over 50% of all marriages failing. We see children, victims of both broken homes and homes with no standards being taught, who are collapsing because they fall into drugs and sex and the evil ways of the world.
People are losing jobs, losing their homes, lacking the money to buy food and most people have nowhere to turn. If you are facing what you feel is a “collapse” in your life, there is a verse found in I Corinthians 10:13 that we both memorized when we were children and it has been one of our favorites for years and has always helped us when we felt our world collapsing. The fear of collapsing is the result of temptation trying to overcome you. Here is the verse:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
When difficulties seem to be sweeping over you like a flooding river remember the words said by Isaiah, “God will be with you.” When our world seems to be collapsing all around us, as believers we can be sure that God will be with us. He will protect us against a loss of our faith and will see that we will survive to see the wonders of His faithfulness. But we must keep our eyes on Him and put our complete trust in Him.
Before your burden overcomes you and you feel a collapse coming, trust God to put His arms underneath you.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
Thank You for Your protection that You give me each day as I face the temptations of this world. When I am going through rivers of difficulty help me to remember your promise to be with me and to put my trust in You.
COLLAPSE
DEFINITION:
Break; fall down; sudden failure; succumb; cave; fail.
SCRIPTURE:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. Isaiah 43:2.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Have you ever been in so much despair that you felt as if you were sinking in deep water? The difficulties in life can be oppressive and many people today feel that they are sinking fast. God does not promise that we will escape the turbulent seas of life, but He does promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. This promise is one that each one of us should continually remember because it is true that Jesus does care for us. He cares so much for us that He gave His life for us.
In the verse above, Isaiah reminds us that we can trust our faithful God to always be there in all of our struggles including when we feel we are collapsing under the pressures of life and there is no hope.
We are living in an age where the lives of people all around us seem to be collapsing. The everyday situations around us, including life-styles, economic frustrations and dysfunctional families, should be of deep concern for all of us who know the Lord. We see nations collapsing economically and violent civil unrest in many parts of our world. We see families collapsing with over 50% of all marriages failing. We see children, victims of both broken homes and homes with no standards being taught, who are collapsing because they fall into drugs and sex and the evil ways of the world.
People are losing jobs, losing their homes, lacking the money to buy food and most people have nowhere to turn. If you are facing what you feel is a “collapse” in your life, there is a verse found in I Corinthians 10:13 that we both memorized when we were children and it has been one of our favorites for years and has always helped us when we felt our world collapsing. The fear of collapsing is the result of temptation trying to overcome you. Here is the verse:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
When difficulties seem to be sweeping over you like a flooding river remember the words said by Isaiah, “God will be with you.” When our world seems to be collapsing all around us, as believers we can be sure that God will be with us. He will protect us against a loss of our faith and will see that we will survive to see the wonders of His faithfulness. But we must keep our eyes on Him and put our complete trust in Him.
Before your burden overcomes you and you feel a collapse coming, trust God to put His arms underneath you.
LEARNING:
This week we are memorizing the fifth commandment found in Exodus 20:12.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
PRAYER:
Thank You for Your protection that You give me each day as I face the temptations of this world. When I am going through rivers of difficulty help me to remember your promise to be with me and to put my trust in You.
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