GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY JULY 12, 2014.
PROVERB:
He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.
Proverbs 19:17.
PROMISE:
Know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.
Psalm 140:12.
PRAISE:
You give abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from Your bounty, O God, You provided for the poor.
Psalm 68:9-10.
July 13, 2014
Friendship: July 11, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY JULY 11, 2014.
FRIENDSHIP
DEFINITION:
A state of attachment to someone by affection or esteem; close association; companionship; supportive or well wishing; without hostility.
SCRIPTURE:
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17.
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24.
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the book of Proverbs Solomon gives us wise words of advice to teach us how to live a godly life. Solomon gives us words of wisdom on three aspects of friendship: the foundation of a true friendship in Proverbs 17:17; the necessity of choosing friends wisely in Proverbs 18:24; and the influence that friends have on a person’s personal life in Proverbs 13:20.
In Proverbs 17:17 he notes the foundation of a friendship is love. A true friend is a constant source of love. To love at all times requires loyalty. Friends may not always agree but loyal friends will continue to love each other. Loyal friends will be there for each other in the good times and in the bad times.
Many people base their friendship on what they can get out of it. These kinds of friends do not last and either you will leave them or they will leave you as soon as one sees that they cannot benefit in some way with the friendship.
Genuine friendship means being available to help in times of trouble and distress. We must consider what kind of friend we are and develop friends as the scriptures encourage us to do.
In Proverbs 18:24, the writer Solomon is telling us that the person who makes friends too easily and indiscriminately does so to his own destruction. On the other hand a friend chosen wisely is more loyal than a brother. The word “friend’ here is a strong word meaning one who loves.
To have just one friend who sticks by us in good and bad times is better than to have many friends who are only superficial acquaintances. Friendship was used in II Chronicles 20:7 to describe Abraham’s close relationship with God because Abraham was loyal to God and loved God.
The type of friends we choose as close friends speaks volumes about us. Friends that we spend a lot of time with have a significant effect and influence on our life. Proverbs 13:20 admonishes us that, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffer harm.” We must choose our friends wisely.
It is of most importance that parents get to know who their children’s friends are and to make sure that they are the right kind of friends. Friendships are important to everyone, but especially to teenagers. Christian parents have a responsibility to get their children involved in church and with groups that uphold Biblical values so that their children can choose wholesome friendships.
The story is told by Edgar Guest of a rich man who was almost friendless. His life had been one long series of bickering and lawsuits. Friendship meant nothing to this man as he was making his fortune. Late in his life he met a man with whom he had a bitter quarrel with many years prior. The wealthy man asked the other man, “I do not understand it. Why do you have hundreds of friends and I really have none to whom I can turn?”
The old acquaintance replied, “SIR, I WAS BUSY MAKING FRIENDS YEARS AGO, WHILE YOU WERE BUSY MAKING MONEY.”
Friendship is based on love. As Christians, Christ told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We need to be friends to our neighbors and, most importantly, to be friends that are there when the needs are the greatest for our neighbors.
Abraham Lincoln said that the better part of one’s life consists of building and keeping friendships. Mark Twain once said that friendship is only purchased with friendship.
What a friend we have in Jesus. He gave His life for us and He will never leave us nor forsake us. What kind of friend or friends do you have and what kind of friend are you? Do you talk with God daily? He alone can help us to be a friend that loves at all times.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall have everlasting life.
PRAYER:
Guide me in my choice of friends that I will choose wisely. Give me a spirit of love and concern for all those around me that need a friend. Help me to be the right kind of friend, a friend that loves at all times, that is loyal, and that influences friends to walk with God.
FRIENDSHIP
DEFINITION:
A state of attachment to someone by affection or esteem; close association; companionship; supportive or well wishing; without hostility.
SCRIPTURE:
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17.
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24.
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the book of Proverbs Solomon gives us wise words of advice to teach us how to live a godly life. Solomon gives us words of wisdom on three aspects of friendship: the foundation of a true friendship in Proverbs 17:17; the necessity of choosing friends wisely in Proverbs 18:24; and the influence that friends have on a person’s personal life in Proverbs 13:20.
In Proverbs 17:17 he notes the foundation of a friendship is love. A true friend is a constant source of love. To love at all times requires loyalty. Friends may not always agree but loyal friends will continue to love each other. Loyal friends will be there for each other in the good times and in the bad times.
Many people base their friendship on what they can get out of it. These kinds of friends do not last and either you will leave them or they will leave you as soon as one sees that they cannot benefit in some way with the friendship.
Genuine friendship means being available to help in times of trouble and distress. We must consider what kind of friend we are and develop friends as the scriptures encourage us to do.
In Proverbs 18:24, the writer Solomon is telling us that the person who makes friends too easily and indiscriminately does so to his own destruction. On the other hand a friend chosen wisely is more loyal than a brother. The word “friend’ here is a strong word meaning one who loves.
To have just one friend who sticks by us in good and bad times is better than to have many friends who are only superficial acquaintances. Friendship was used in II Chronicles 20:7 to describe Abraham’s close relationship with God because Abraham was loyal to God and loved God.
The type of friends we choose as close friends speaks volumes about us. Friends that we spend a lot of time with have a significant effect and influence on our life. Proverbs 13:20 admonishes us that, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffer harm.” We must choose our friends wisely.
It is of most importance that parents get to know who their children’s friends are and to make sure that they are the right kind of friends. Friendships are important to everyone, but especially to teenagers. Christian parents have a responsibility to get their children involved in church and with groups that uphold Biblical values so that their children can choose wholesome friendships.
The story is told by Edgar Guest of a rich man who was almost friendless. His life had been one long series of bickering and lawsuits. Friendship meant nothing to this man as he was making his fortune. Late in his life he met a man with whom he had a bitter quarrel with many years prior. The wealthy man asked the other man, “I do not understand it. Why do you have hundreds of friends and I really have none to whom I can turn?”
The old acquaintance replied, “SIR, I WAS BUSY MAKING FRIENDS YEARS AGO, WHILE YOU WERE BUSY MAKING MONEY.”
Friendship is based on love. As Christians, Christ told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We need to be friends to our neighbors and, most importantly, to be friends that are there when the needs are the greatest for our neighbors.
Abraham Lincoln said that the better part of one’s life consists of building and keeping friendships. Mark Twain once said that friendship is only purchased with friendship.
What a friend we have in Jesus. He gave His life for us and He will never leave us nor forsake us. What kind of friend or friends do you have and what kind of friend are you? Do you talk with God daily? He alone can help us to be a friend that loves at all times.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall have everlasting life.
PRAYER:
Guide me in my choice of friends that I will choose wisely. Give me a spirit of love and concern for all those around me that need a friend. Help me to be the right kind of friend, a friend that loves at all times, that is loyal, and that influences friends to walk with God.
Guard: July 10, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR THURSDAY JULY 10, 2014.
GUARD
DEFINITION:
Protect; keep safe; be cautious; a means of defense; watch over; look out.
SCRIPTURE:
For false christ’s and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect, if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. Mark 13:23.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again and it is a safeguard for you. Philippians 3:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Our parents regularly reminded us to be alert and guard ourselves from things in life that could be harmful to us. We did the same to our children. We constantly alerted them to choose the right friends, the right activities and the right goals in life, both short term and long term.
Spiritually, children and adults need to guard themselves against false teachings concerning the scriptures and the evil temptations that they face in life.
This third chapter of Philippians is noted as one of the great chapters in the Bible. In it Paul gives his personal testimony and speaks of the principles that governed his life. His desire was always to grow in the Lord and to become more Christ-like. That should be our goal as well.
In this chapter Paul emphasizes that a believer must guard his faith against false teaching and gives us practical advice to safeguard our faith.
During trials in life we can be vulnerable to Satan’s attempts to destroy our faith. We can guard our faith during the trials of life by rejoicing in the Lord. When we focus on rejoicing in the Lord the trial becomes insignificant. As we walk our daily walk we face physical and spiritual challenges and we must face them straight on. It is important not to allow these trials to take our eyes off Jesus, because Satan will use them to destroy our faith.
Satan loves to have his evil-minded followers belittle our Lord and our faith in Him by making us feel that the Lord has forgotten us because He allows us, as believers, to suffer trials.
Peter also warns us in I Peter 5:8 to be on guard and watch for the devil and false teachers because they are our enemies and are on the prowl to destroy us. Satan seizes every opportunity to overwhelm us by enticing temptations, so we can never let our guard down allowing Satan any kind of an open door into our lives. So always be on guard and watch out!
The greatest thing that “rejoicing in the Lord” does for the believer is that it places and keeps a person in the presence of Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-39). We will face trials in this sinful world but there is no trial so big that it can separate us from our Lord.
Paul faced so many trials in his life including being stoned, beaten, was homeless without food and water, and imprisoned but always continued to rejoice in the Lord.
Rejoicing in the Lord according to the apostle Paul is the sure way to guard your faith in the midst of the trials of life that you will face. In Philippians 4:4 he said it twice,” Rejoice always in the Lord.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall have everlasting life.
PRAYER:
Keep me alert today to guard my faith against Satan’s temptations and to watch out for false teachings that will lead me astray. Keep me rejoicing in You always.
GUARD
DEFINITION:
Protect; keep safe; be cautious; a means of defense; watch over; look out.
SCRIPTURE:
For false christ’s and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect, if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. Mark 13:23.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again and it is a safeguard for you. Philippians 3:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Our parents regularly reminded us to be alert and guard ourselves from things in life that could be harmful to us. We did the same to our children. We constantly alerted them to choose the right friends, the right activities and the right goals in life, both short term and long term.
Spiritually, children and adults need to guard themselves against false teachings concerning the scriptures and the evil temptations that they face in life.
This third chapter of Philippians is noted as one of the great chapters in the Bible. In it Paul gives his personal testimony and speaks of the principles that governed his life. His desire was always to grow in the Lord and to become more Christ-like. That should be our goal as well.
In this chapter Paul emphasizes that a believer must guard his faith against false teaching and gives us practical advice to safeguard our faith.
During trials in life we can be vulnerable to Satan’s attempts to destroy our faith. We can guard our faith during the trials of life by rejoicing in the Lord. When we focus on rejoicing in the Lord the trial becomes insignificant. As we walk our daily walk we face physical and spiritual challenges and we must face them straight on. It is important not to allow these trials to take our eyes off Jesus, because Satan will use them to destroy our faith.
Satan loves to have his evil-minded followers belittle our Lord and our faith in Him by making us feel that the Lord has forgotten us because He allows us, as believers, to suffer trials.
Peter also warns us in I Peter 5:8 to be on guard and watch for the devil and false teachers because they are our enemies and are on the prowl to destroy us. Satan seizes every opportunity to overwhelm us by enticing temptations, so we can never let our guard down allowing Satan any kind of an open door into our lives. So always be on guard and watch out!
The greatest thing that “rejoicing in the Lord” does for the believer is that it places and keeps a person in the presence of Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-39). We will face trials in this sinful world but there is no trial so big that it can separate us from our Lord.
Paul faced so many trials in his life including being stoned, beaten, was homeless without food and water, and imprisoned but always continued to rejoice in the Lord.
Rejoicing in the Lord according to the apostle Paul is the sure way to guard your faith in the midst of the trials of life that you will face. In Philippians 4:4 he said it twice,” Rejoice always in the Lord.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall have everlasting life.
PRAYER:
Keep me alert today to guard my faith against Satan’s temptations and to watch out for false teachings that will lead me astray. Keep me rejoicing in You always.
Hope: July 9, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JULY 9, 2014.
HOPE
DEFINITION:
The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out well; the hope of winning.
SCRIPTURE:
Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Psalm 31 is David’s prayer to God. In it he speaks of his problems and his afflictions, his need for God’s mercy, his complete trust in God, and praises God for His goodness. He closes in verse 24 by reminding us to be strong and take courage. These same words were spoken by Moses to Joshua in Joshua 1:7. Courage is used 20 different times in the Old Testament and always in anticipation of a battle.
David experienced many battles in life. He was a giant killer, a victorious warrior, and a great King. In his personal life he did make serious mistakes, but he always sought God’s forgiveness. It is neither his failures nor his greatness that David is remembered for. He is respected and remembered for his faithfulness to God. David put his complete trust and all of his hope in the Lord.
We as believers today can take this Psalm and apply it to our lives. When we anticipate facing a battle in our lives, large or small, we need to read this verse and remember to be strong in the Lord and to be of good courage.
There is a necessary key factor that cannot be ignored, which David points out in the last few words of this verse: “all you who hope in the Lord.” Our hope must be in the Lord who is the one who gives us strength and courage. When our hope is in the Lord we can have confidence that God will be with us in the battle we face.
We all have seen or been in situations in life where things seem hopeless. David knew what it was to be in great despair because he had often felt he was in a hopeless situation. In life we are all in need of hope. Hope is what keeps us going.
The reason David encourages us to be of great courage is because in God he found his hope and we can do the same. God will give us strength, just as he gave David, to get through our times of hopelessness. Only a person that believes in Jesus can have this hope and that is why we continually in these devotionals remind you that you need to know Jesus as your Savior.
When you commit to living your life honoring God, He will be faithful to you and will always hear your cry for help in your time of distress and hopelessness. For those that do not know Jesus, they do not have that hope available to them. Their hope is in themselves and in their own strength. Therefore they are doomed to a life of discouragement and hopelessness because in troubled times they will have no one to turn to.
Paul tells us in Titus 2:12-13 that we should live godly lives in this present age, looking for the blessed hope. Paul refers here to the second coming of Christ to this world and the blessed hope we have as believers to return with Him to an eternity with God.
In Romans 5:5 we are reminded that our hope in God does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit to reassure us of our salvation. Keep your hope strong in the Lord and each day He will bless you and not disappoint you. He is our hope.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish.
PRAYER:
How thrilled I am to have the hope of eternal life in my heart. I am grateful that my hope in You does not disappoint. Keep me strong and courageous as I face the struggles and concerns in my life.
HOPE
DEFINITION:
The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out well; the hope of winning.
SCRIPTURE:
Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Psalm 31 is David’s prayer to God. In it he speaks of his problems and his afflictions, his need for God’s mercy, his complete trust in God, and praises God for His goodness. He closes in verse 24 by reminding us to be strong and take courage. These same words were spoken by Moses to Joshua in Joshua 1:7. Courage is used 20 different times in the Old Testament and always in anticipation of a battle.
David experienced many battles in life. He was a giant killer, a victorious warrior, and a great King. In his personal life he did make serious mistakes, but he always sought God’s forgiveness. It is neither his failures nor his greatness that David is remembered for. He is respected and remembered for his faithfulness to God. David put his complete trust and all of his hope in the Lord.
We as believers today can take this Psalm and apply it to our lives. When we anticipate facing a battle in our lives, large or small, we need to read this verse and remember to be strong in the Lord and to be of good courage.
There is a necessary key factor that cannot be ignored, which David points out in the last few words of this verse: “all you who hope in the Lord.” Our hope must be in the Lord who is the one who gives us strength and courage. When our hope is in the Lord we can have confidence that God will be with us in the battle we face.
We all have seen or been in situations in life where things seem hopeless. David knew what it was to be in great despair because he had often felt he was in a hopeless situation. In life we are all in need of hope. Hope is what keeps us going.
The reason David encourages us to be of great courage is because in God he found his hope and we can do the same. God will give us strength, just as he gave David, to get through our times of hopelessness. Only a person that believes in Jesus can have this hope and that is why we continually in these devotionals remind you that you need to know Jesus as your Savior.
When you commit to living your life honoring God, He will be faithful to you and will always hear your cry for help in your time of distress and hopelessness. For those that do not know Jesus, they do not have that hope available to them. Their hope is in themselves and in their own strength. Therefore they are doomed to a life of discouragement and hopelessness because in troubled times they will have no one to turn to.
Paul tells us in Titus 2:12-13 that we should live godly lives in this present age, looking for the blessed hope. Paul refers here to the second coming of Christ to this world and the blessed hope we have as believers to return with Him to an eternity with God.
In Romans 5:5 we are reminded that our hope in God does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit to reassure us of our salvation. Keep your hope strong in the Lord and each day He will bless you and not disappoint you. He is our hope.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish.
PRAYER:
How thrilled I am to have the hope of eternal life in my heart. I am grateful that my hope in You does not disappoint. Keep me strong and courageous as I face the struggles and concerns in my life.
Discernment: July 8, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY JULY 8, 2014
DISCERNMENT
DEFINITION:
Distinguish by the eye or the intellect; perceive; discriminate; acuteness of judgment and understanding.
SCRIPTURE:
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. Psalm 1:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
From the perspective of the individual believer being blessed, as in this verse above, is to have a deep-seated joy and contentment in God. Only those who know God’s redemptive favor through accepting Jesus can experience what it is to be blessed in this way. The believer is not to walk, nor stand, nor sit with the wicked because these associations will ultimately drag a believer into the life of a sinner.
An important principle all believers must learn is that those we associate with have a profound effect on us. It takes discernment on behalf of the believer to choose the right kind of associates.
How many times have you talked to young people who have told you that as they prepare for the future they need to get into the world to experience ungodly situations and ungodly people in order to grow stronger in their spiritual life? When you hear this you need to counsel the young person that this usually will drive them into ungodly behavior.
Certainly, we are all in the world but we are not of this world, as we are told in John 17:15. We are all exposed to non-Christian situations in our schools, jobs, and neighborhoods. We need to be careful and be discerning so that being exposed to those situations does not lead to our embracing ungodly philosophies.
All of us would avoid a lot of pitfalls and mature faster in our Christian faith if we did all we could to ignore the world and follow the divine pattern that the Psalmist gives us in Psalm 1:1. Here are several further thoughts that will help you show discernment as you walk your daily walk.
Do not let your decisions you need to make each day be controlled by the “counsel of the ungodly.” Do not ask advice of those who do not know Jesus. Look to those who are walking with God. This will take spiritual discernment on your part.
You need to avoid feeling any comfort at all being with people who seem to always mock God, His Word, and His role in your life. Mockers are enemies of God and hate His wisdom. Counsel from such sources leads you away from God. It will be based on lies not on truth.
Get your knowledge and advice from God’s Word and those that know God and love Him. God and His Word, not experiences from the world, is our best teacher. Make sure you use discernment every day in your decision making and do not walk, stand or sit in the counsel of the ungodly.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should never perish.
PRAYER:
Give me Godly discernment in making decisions concerning the people, places and things in my life so that my choices will honor You. May God’s Word fill my memory, rule my heart and guide my life.
DISCERNMENT
DEFINITION:
Distinguish by the eye or the intellect; perceive; discriminate; acuteness of judgment and understanding.
SCRIPTURE:
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers. Psalm 1:1.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
From the perspective of the individual believer being blessed, as in this verse above, is to have a deep-seated joy and contentment in God. Only those who know God’s redemptive favor through accepting Jesus can experience what it is to be blessed in this way. The believer is not to walk, nor stand, nor sit with the wicked because these associations will ultimately drag a believer into the life of a sinner.
An important principle all believers must learn is that those we associate with have a profound effect on us. It takes discernment on behalf of the believer to choose the right kind of associates.
How many times have you talked to young people who have told you that as they prepare for the future they need to get into the world to experience ungodly situations and ungodly people in order to grow stronger in their spiritual life? When you hear this you need to counsel the young person that this usually will drive them into ungodly behavior.
Certainly, we are all in the world but we are not of this world, as we are told in John 17:15. We are all exposed to non-Christian situations in our schools, jobs, and neighborhoods. We need to be careful and be discerning so that being exposed to those situations does not lead to our embracing ungodly philosophies.
All of us would avoid a lot of pitfalls and mature faster in our Christian faith if we did all we could to ignore the world and follow the divine pattern that the Psalmist gives us in Psalm 1:1. Here are several further thoughts that will help you show discernment as you walk your daily walk.
Do not let your decisions you need to make each day be controlled by the “counsel of the ungodly.” Do not ask advice of those who do not know Jesus. Look to those who are walking with God. This will take spiritual discernment on your part.
You need to avoid feeling any comfort at all being with people who seem to always mock God, His Word, and His role in your life. Mockers are enemies of God and hate His wisdom. Counsel from such sources leads you away from God. It will be based on lies not on truth.
Get your knowledge and advice from God’s Word and those that know God and love Him. God and His Word, not experiences from the world, is our best teacher. Make sure you use discernment every day in your decision making and do not walk, stand or sit in the counsel of the ungodly.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should never perish.
PRAYER:
Give me Godly discernment in making decisions concerning the people, places and things in my life so that my choices will honor You. May God’s Word fill my memory, rule my heart and guide my life.
Lonely: July 7, 2014
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JULY 7, 2014.
LONELY
DEFINITION:
A depressing feeling about being alone; destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship; without company; isolated.
SCRIPTURE:
No one stood with me, but all forsook me. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. II Timothy 4: 16-17.
Look to the right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to You O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of living.” Psalm 142:4-5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
How many times in life have you really felt really lonely? When David wrote Psalm 142 (above) he was hiding in a cave to escape from Saul’s men who were seeking to capture him. He felt that he was totally abandoned by everyone and that no one was even concerned whether he lived or died. He was truly alone. Saul had been chasing him for years and was seeking to kill him so that he would not become King of Israel.
David had to live on the run, fleeing from one place to another. Most people who would be in his situation would certainly feel that there was no one they could trust or confide in for fear someone would betray him. David had every reason to feel extremely lonely.
But David knew there was someone he could trust and confide in. He was confident that God loved him and cared for him and that he could call on Him at his time of need wherever he was. Regardless of his circumstances he knew that God was there with him and that God heard his prayers. David trusted God to keep him safe and to protect him. David knew that God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel after Saul. David lived his life by trusting God knowing that He would fulfill His plan for his life.
The verses from II Timothy (above) were from the letter that Paul wrote while he was in prison and feeling lonely. In the Roman legal system a person had two hearings. The first hearing established the charge and a judge would rule if there was evidence enough for a trial. This is when Paul told Timothy that no one came to stand with him and testify for him. This was a very lonely time for Paul because he needed support from his friends and they were not there.
Paul’s friends had deserted him but in verse 17 Paul says that the Lord was there with him. The Lord fulfilled his promise, given in Joshua 1:5, when He said that he would never leave or forsake those who belong to Him. That promise is good for us today just as it was for Paul.
In our moments of loneliness we must remember, as Paul did, that our Lord will never leave us or forsake us if we are His child and our complete trust is in Him. This promise has a condition that we want you to look at carefully. The condition is --- if we are His child and our complete trust is in Him.
The loneliest people in the world are those that do not know the Lord. Where is their hope? Who can they rely on in their time of need?
There are many situations in life that bring on loneliness both to the believer and the non-believer. Several of these situations are such as the separation from a spouse or a problem with a child. When these moments come, people look to money, watching TV, playing games or visiting with a friend. They do this to keep their mind off of the problem. This will not get rid of the loneliness because these are mere distractions, not solutions.
In our travels we have seen so many lonely and hurting people. But one thing we have noticed is the contrast between the lonely that know Jesus and the lonely that do not know Jesus. Think about the lonely time that Jesus had in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His death on the cross. On the cross Jesus cried out to God, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me.” He understood that HE ALONE would pay the penalty of sin so that all humanity could have the blessed hope of spending an eternity with God. When Jesus took our sins upon Himself on the cross our sin separated Him from His Father. So He knows how it is to feel abandoned and lonely and He has compassion for us when we feel lonely.
If you are feeling alone and feel that no one is near, talk to God. He is waiting for you to come to Him and He will never leave you nor forsake you if you put your trust in Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish.
PRAYER:
Help me to be an encouragement today to someone that is lonely. Help me to be faithful to pray for a world that is lonely and needs You as their Savior.
LONELY
DEFINITION:
A depressing feeling about being alone; destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship; without company; isolated.
SCRIPTURE:
No one stood with me, but all forsook me. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. II Timothy 4: 16-17.
Look to the right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to You O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of living.” Psalm 142:4-5.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
How many times in life have you really felt really lonely? When David wrote Psalm 142 (above) he was hiding in a cave to escape from Saul’s men who were seeking to capture him. He felt that he was totally abandoned by everyone and that no one was even concerned whether he lived or died. He was truly alone. Saul had been chasing him for years and was seeking to kill him so that he would not become King of Israel.
David had to live on the run, fleeing from one place to another. Most people who would be in his situation would certainly feel that there was no one they could trust or confide in for fear someone would betray him. David had every reason to feel extremely lonely.
But David knew there was someone he could trust and confide in. He was confident that God loved him and cared for him and that he could call on Him at his time of need wherever he was. Regardless of his circumstances he knew that God was there with him and that God heard his prayers. David trusted God to keep him safe and to protect him. David knew that God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel after Saul. David lived his life by trusting God knowing that He would fulfill His plan for his life.
The verses from II Timothy (above) were from the letter that Paul wrote while he was in prison and feeling lonely. In the Roman legal system a person had two hearings. The first hearing established the charge and a judge would rule if there was evidence enough for a trial. This is when Paul told Timothy that no one came to stand with him and testify for him. This was a very lonely time for Paul because he needed support from his friends and they were not there.
Paul’s friends had deserted him but in verse 17 Paul says that the Lord was there with him. The Lord fulfilled his promise, given in Joshua 1:5, when He said that he would never leave or forsake those who belong to Him. That promise is good for us today just as it was for Paul.
In our moments of loneliness we must remember, as Paul did, that our Lord will never leave us or forsake us if we are His child and our complete trust is in Him. This promise has a condition that we want you to look at carefully. The condition is --- if we are His child and our complete trust is in Him.
The loneliest people in the world are those that do not know the Lord. Where is their hope? Who can they rely on in their time of need?
There are many situations in life that bring on loneliness both to the believer and the non-believer. Several of these situations are such as the separation from a spouse or a problem with a child. When these moments come, people look to money, watching TV, playing games or visiting with a friend. They do this to keep their mind off of the problem. This will not get rid of the loneliness because these are mere distractions, not solutions.
In our travels we have seen so many lonely and hurting people. But one thing we have noticed is the contrast between the lonely that know Jesus and the lonely that do not know Jesus. Think about the lonely time that Jesus had in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His death on the cross. On the cross Jesus cried out to God, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me.” He understood that HE ALONE would pay the penalty of sin so that all humanity could have the blessed hope of spending an eternity with God. When Jesus took our sins upon Himself on the cross our sin separated Him from His Father. So He knows how it is to feel abandoned and lonely and He has compassion for us when we feel lonely.
If you are feeling alone and feel that no one is near, talk to God. He is waiting for you to come to Him and He will never leave you nor forsake you if you put your trust in Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish.
PRAYER:
Help me to be an encouragement today to someone that is lonely. Help me to be faithful to pray for a world that is lonely and needs You as their Savior.
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