Labor: January 30, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 30, 2015.

LABOR

DEFINITION:

Physical or mental work for the earning of a livelihood; hard work; a task, strenuous effort.

SCRIPTURE:

Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Exodus 20:9

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life. John 6:27

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many people sincerely believe that is the labor of good works that will qualify them for eternal forgiveness. One who believes that good works alone is all one needs to have eternal life with our Lord is really attempting to buy forgiveness on credit. To put it clearly good works will not get one into heaven for eternity.

This is the philosophy of many religions. We all want to go to heaven. We all want everlasting life. Sin is the barrier that keeps us from heaven. Good works will not get us through that barrier.

God has sent His Son to this world and He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. We are all sinners and we all need to pay the debt for our sins, but doing good works no matter how hard one labors will not get one into heaven. We need to realize we are sinners and we need to ask God to forgive us of our sins and then ask Jesus into our hearts. Working or laboring hard will not achieve forgiveness of our sins.

God has pre-paid our sin-debt in full so He has no need for our feeble good works, no matter how hard and diligently we labor. So what did Christ mean when He said in John 6:27, “Do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life?” Many people in the crowd that Jesus was speaking to asked the same question. They wanted to know what they had to do to do the work God requires. Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe on the one He has sent” (John 6:28-29).

In Deuteronomy 10:12-13 we read what God requires of us is “to fear the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to keep the Lord’s commandments.”

We are Christ’s representatives wherever we go. For example it is necessary to work in order to provide for ourselves and family. Whatever our job is or wherever our place of work is, believers should work as if Jesus is their supervisor. The believer, who has honest work ethics, honors the Lord and demonstrates that his faith in God is genuine. A good work ethic means to work just as hard and industriously when the boss is watching as when the boss is not. Thus, your work place is your place of ministry and the one we want to please is not just the boss but our Lord and Savior.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” If you are not getting up every day with your primary purpose of laboring for the Lord, then take a good look at your relationship with your Lord.

The author of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 6:10 that “God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do continue to minister.” God not only sees but He remembers everything we do. Remember Paul’s words encouraging us to “always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord because we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain” I Corinthians 15:58.

The first verse that we have listed above is one of the Ten Commandments. We are commanded by God to labor six days and then rest on the seventh. Our seventh day should be dedicated to worshipping and praising God for all His blessings to us.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 7:7.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open unto you.

PRAYER:

It is my prayer today that my labor will be a labor of love for You. Whether, I am in my work place, my neighborhood or at home may all that I do and say honor Your name. May others see Christ not only in me but working through me.

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Speech: January 29, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 29, 2015.

SPEECH

DEFINITION:

The communication or expression of thoughts in spoken word; a particular utterance.

SCRIPTURE:

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6.

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. Matthew 12:36.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

You can usually judge a person’s character by listening to his or her speech. As grandparents we are always interested in what is going on in the lives of our 20 grandchildren. Dottie was talking with one of our grandsons and she asked him how he liked his new school. He responded very favorably but went on to say that he had a mean girl in his class. Soon it was made clear that the reason he regarded the girl as mean was because of her speech. She said things that were hurtful and called people by degrading names.

Children’s behavior is a reflection of what they are taught in the home. Parents have a great responsibility to teach children how to speak with kindness and humility. In today’s world the speech we, adults and children, hear is almost always degrading. A lot of what we hear would be R-rated in the movies. The problem is that what we hear on the street becomes part of us and influences how we ourselves speak.

What kind of speech do your children hear around the house? Is God’s name taken in vain? Are friends, family, and neighbors talked about in negative and degrading ways? What is taught about speaking to God?

As Christians we must be concerned about our speech. Paul instructs us to “Let our speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer each one.” We must always be gracious and respectful in what we say. In Ephesians 5:4 Paul further admonishes us about our speech telling us, “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” Most importantly, Jesus holds us accountable for our speech, as we read in Matthew 12:36 (above).  In order for our speech to be pleasing to our Lord, we must know Him so that the words we speak are words that honor God and are the truth.

Jesus was speaking to unbelieving Jewish leaders who desired to kill Him when, as recorded in John 8:45, He said, “But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me.” In verse 47, He tells them the reason they don’t believe Him is because they are not of God. They claimed to know God but by their actions and words Jesus said they were followers of Satan. God speaks to the hearts of believers daily through His Word and we hear Him only if we are in tune with Him.

Our Lord wants to speak daily to those of us that believe on Him. Are you talking to Him daily? If not, why not? The only way that we are going to grow in the Lord is to listen to Him speak to us. And more important, if you are not communicating to God daily how can you be prepared to deal with Satan’s temptations and the evil ways of the world we live in?

Remember, one is known by his or her speech. Words communicate much about a person. Take a good look at the words you use and the attitude that you show when you speak those words. Are they hurtful, vulgar, egotistical, or are they kind and loving? Your speech can drive people to the Lord or drive people away from the Lord.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 7:7.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open unto you.

PRAYER:

Help me to learn from Thy Word to evaluate my speech so that every word that proceeds from my mouth will glorify Your name. Help me to control my speech so that others will see Christ in me.

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Condemned: January 28, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 28, 2015.

CONDEMNED

DEFINITION:

Sentenced to punishment; declared guilty; to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on.

SCRIPTURE:

They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved; all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. II Thessalonians 2:10 b and 12.

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:18.

How will you escape being condemned to hell? Matthew 23:33

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The message of the Bible is that we are all sinners as a result of Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden of Eden and, as sinners, we are condemned to spend eternity in hell.

God, because of His love for us, sent His son, Jesus, into the world to die for our sins. People who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior do not want to hear about condemnation, or about hell. It takes them way out of their “comfort” zone.

Preachers today shy away from preaching about hell because church attendees would rather hear a message that makes them feel good rather than face the fact that they are sinners in need of a Savior and headed to hell.

This is nothing new. Jeremiah was a prophet chosen by God to bring a message of condemnation to Jerusalem because they had rejected God and had turned to worshipping false Gods and doing all kinds of evil. They did not want to hear it. At that time Jerusalem had already been besieged by King Nebuchadnezzar who ransacked the temple and carried off to Babylon all the valuable temple articles. In addition, he took all but the poorest people as captives to live in exile in Babylon.

Now Jeremiah was warning them that greater disaster was coming unless they repented and came back to God. The people chose to listen to the more encouraging message of the false prophet Hananiah. Hananiah told them that within two years Nebuchadnezzar’s power over them would be broken and the temple articles would be brought back to Jerusalem.

Choosing not to listen to a message we do not want to hear will not change the truth. The encouraging message of the false prophet proved to be a lie. Jerusalem did not repent and Jeremiah’s message of condemnation was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar again besieged and completely destroyed Jerusalem. The temple, the palaces and even the walls of the city were torn down.

God’s word is truth. Paul tells us in Thessalonians that all will be condemned who do not believe the truth. The question Jesus asked in Matthew, “How will you escape being condemned to hell?” is answered by Jesus in John 3:18. “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

What about you? Have you believed the truth and been saved? If you were to stand before Jesus today, would you stand condemned or would you stand forgiven and not condemned?

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 7:7.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open unto you.

PRAYER:

Thank You for the assurance that I have of eternal life because I have asked You for forgiveness for my sins and have accepted You as my personal Savior. May my words and deeds today be a testimony to those I meet that they may see their need for You and that they do not have to be condemned to an eternity in hell.

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Waiting: January 27, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY JANUARY 27, 2015.

WAITING

DEFINITION:

Remain in place expecting something; to patiently anticipate; a stay or delay.

SCRIPTURE:

Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I will wait all day.
Psalms 25:4-5

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many of the Psalms were written by David. In many of his Psalms David bares his soul and openly and honestly expresses his feelings. In Psalm 25, David vividly portrays his complete dependence on God and his willingness to wait upon God for His leading in his life. It wasn’t easy for David to wait. He was a man of action. He had accomplished much more than most men even thought of doing. But now God wants him to wait on Him and he listens.

It takes discipline and commitment for us to learn to wait on God for His leadership in our lives.  There are several basic conditions that we must understand in order for us to wait upon the Lord.

The ways of the Lord and His timing are nothing like ours and we need to learn that fact. From a human standpoint, He usually does things in a totally different way than what we expect. We therefore must have faith and learn to put our total trust in Him. We will discover that God’s way is always better than ours. God alone knows the future and he is certainly wiser then we are. When we learn to live in harmony with God’s will, His timing will begin to make sense to us.

To wait upon the Lord you must be convinced, as David was that you need Him in every area of your life. Submission to His divine will requires humility. You cannot charge ahead with your own plans, which we tend to do at times, and at the same time be fully surrendered to God.

Patience is one of the hardest things to learn in order to wait upon the Lord. You need to ask yourself the question, “Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive clear divine direction?” Waiting upon the Lord is a deliberate decision that requires patience. It is so much wiser to pause for clarity from God than to plunge ahead and do something we will come to regret.

Waiting upon God often takes courage, especially when there is pressure being put upon you to act immediately. If you are not careful, you might stop listening to the Lord and begin to follow the advice of others. Keep your ear tuned to God and you will not go wrong.

In Isaiah 40:31 it reads in part, “those who wait upon the Lord will gain new strength.” God does strengthen us when we wait on Him during delays. He sometimes says no, sometimes yes and sometimes later. There is no verse in the scripture that tells us to take control and fight our own battles. When we face difficult battles and decisions the key is learning to wait on the Lord.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 7:7.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open unto you.

PRAYER:

Help our family to learn to wait upon You as we make our daily decisions and face concerns in our daily life. Help us to understand that when we have You, our God and creator, as Lord of our life you will lead us through every difficult battle we face. Help us to understand that learning to wait on You requires faith, humility, patience and courage.

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Determination: January 26, 2015

TODAY’S WORD FOR  MONDAY JANUARY 26, 2015.

DETERMINATION

DEFINITION:

An unyielding perseverance to succeed or accomplish a purpose; firmness; resolve; a fixed purpose of intention, bringing about a positive result despite all obstacles; persistence.

SCRIPTURE:

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Romans 12:11.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

A simple definition of determination is not giving up. Much of what has been accomplished in the world was not accomplished by the most talented, or the most highly educated or those with the most material assets but by those with the most determination.

Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Apparently this was a concern that Paul had for the Christian’s in the church at Rome when he wrote them and instructed them to never be lacking in their zeal to serve the Lord. Our prayer every morning is to ask God for a strong determination, a fresh zeal to serve the Lord that day. We know that if we are not talking to the Lord every day our spiritual life will become lack-luster and dull.

The story is told of a student in the late 19th century, Mary McLeod Bethune. She spent two years training at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago to become a missionary in Africa. After she graduated, no mission board would take her as an African-American woman to serve under their mission.

Unable to fulfill her dream, and seemingly what was a calling from God, she did not give up because she was determined to serve Jesus. She went to Florida and started a small school for African-American girls here in America. God definitely had a different direction for her even though she was committed for years to go to the mission field. This small school because of her determination became Bethune-Cookman College and she became a powerful force for change in the status of women here in America.

Mary’s legacy came about because of her determination to serve her Lord. Her dream of going to Africa did not become a reality because God had something better for her. Her determination, to think big, allowed God to do His thing through her.

That kind of determination is not seen often enough today. People are satisfied with the status quo. Worse yet they seem to want everything given to them.

We as parents and as believers need to develop a new determination to give all that we have to serving the Lord. We need more believers outwardly serving Jesus. We need to stand for our faith and for the moral standards that God has given us in His Word.

We just saw a report as to how many Evangelical Christians voted last November in America in the last election. Only 18% voted and that is a disgrace. And then we as believers complain as to how our representatives in government vote. Just think if even 90% of Christians voted what could happen to America.

Not only here in America but the world needs people with a new and vibrant determination to do the impossible. With God all things are possible. Just think what might happen if we all took the challenge from Paul to serve the Lord with zeal and determination.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Matthew 7:7.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open unto you.

PRAYER:

Thank You, Lord, for my salvation that I have received by Your mercy and grace. Give me a new determination to serve You and honor You with my life. May the determination that You give me help me to lead my family, friends and neighbors to a relationship with You.

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